Penn State Altoona faculty members Brian Onishi and Jeff Stoyanoff released a new episode of their podcast, "Horror Joy," titled "Body Horror in ‘The Substance’ and Olga Tokarczuk's ‘The Empusium.’"
ALTOONA, Pa. — Brian Onishi, associate professor of philosophy at Penn State, and Jeff Stoyanoff, assistant professor of English and ofwomen's, gender and sexuality studies at Penn State, released a new episode of their podcast, "Horror Joy."
In "Body Horror in ‘The Substance’ and Olga Tokarczuk's ‘The Empusium,’" the hosts delve into the unsettling world of body horror, examining how it reflects societal pressures and personal anxieties. They dissect Coralie Fargeat's 2024 film “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore, a biting critique of female beauty standards and the male gaze. They also explore Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk's novel “The Empusium,” a health resort horror story exposing the misogynistic views of the early 20th century and the body dysmorphia of its protagonist.
In the episode, Onishi and Stoyanoff discuss the following:
- The destructive nature of beauty standards on female bodies
- The predatory male gaze
- The horror of tuberculosis and health politics in the United States
- The importance of catching our breath in troubling times
- The self-othering of gender dysmorphia
Join the hosts for a more than skin-deep conversation about aging bodies, failing lungs and ephemeral mountain beings.
The full episode can be accessed on podcast providers or on Red Circle. Learn more about the "Horror Joy" podcast.
