In the latest episode of My Bloody Podcast, the salacious crew; Bryan Kluger and Preston Barta stride through the winding, moss-draped hills that surround Austin’s bustling nightlife on 6th Street and take in SXSW: 2025. The distant murmur of late-night revelers fades as the two men, film critics, both aficionados of the macabre, discuss their shared passion: horror cinema. It’s the dead of night, and the conversation, as is customary when one is steeped in the eerie, is both lively and a touch unsettling. Preston, having just returned from the 2025 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival, was in Austin for the duration, braving the dark, the strange, and the downright terrifying in the festival’s slew of horror films. He saw an impressive sixteen films over the week, seven of which featured that most sacred of genres: horror.
As the host of the show, Bryan Kluger brings his signature sharp wit and unapologetic love of dark humor, offering biting commentary on Romero’s experiment in mixing the supernatural with the very human fears of disability and isolation. Preston Barta, ever the voice of horror analysis, dives into the narrative structure, the shifting tones, and the inherent absurdities of the film, illuminating the psychological layers that may escape the casual viewer. Chelsea Nicole, the cultural critic of the trio, was regrettably absent for this episode, but her incisive observations on the interplay between disability, dependency, and the monstrous, while not present in this installment, are ever-looming. Alas, she is absent from this episode.
Amidst the thoughtful analysis, the hosts also dive into a slew of hot topics in the horror industry.
This Week’s Highlights:
- So many outlets are ranking the Leprechaun film franchise and we did it first.
- There is a new Terrifer documentary.
- Preston’s Weekly Jurassic Park Remarks.
It’s a lively, fast-paced exploration of the horror world, where no topic is too taboo or too strange.
SWSW 2025 HORROR RECAP
Bryan, no stranger to the world of genre films, moderates a Q&A with Preston, one that, much like their late-night walks in North Texas, moves between the surreal and the intellectual. The horror genre, after all, is rarely one-dimensional, and both men have learned to appreciate its myriad shapes: the gory, the psychological, the absurd. As the conversation delves deeper, the night air grows thick with anticipation, each film discussed offering its own strange thrill.
Preston slices and dices his way through the films of Death of a Unicorn, Drop, Clown in a Cornfield, The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick, Together, and Friendship as Bryan straddles the intellectual and the visceral, calling Preston in to dissect these films, both the ones that terrified and those that failed to live up to the hype. Their Q&A, held in the intimate hours after the festival, feels like an exploration of the genre itself: a conversation where the laughter and dread coexist.
As the two reach the end of their talk, the towering Festival Lights of Austin coming into view, it’s clear that their conversation, much like the films themselves, has traversed through the unsettling and the intellectual, weaving between terror and reflection. Horror, they both agree, is no longer just about the scare, it’s about what lingers in the mind after the credits roll, the creatures and fears that refuse to let go. For Bryan Kluger and Preston Barta, SXSW’s offerings are a perfect illustration of the genre’s evolution: a space where the monsters are just as much about the human condition as they are about the things that go bump in the night. And as they part ways over the podcast airwaves, it’s clear that this conversation is far from over.
Of course, no episode of My Bloody Podcast would be complete without some fan-favorite segments. Listeners will be treated to an engaging round of Horror Show & Tell, where the hosts reveal the latest genre-related items. The gang even digs into the all-funny question: What is so appealing about the Terrifier franchise?
Listeners who crave more behind-the-scenes industry insights, unfiltered opinions, and plenty of laughs will find themselves addicted to My Bloody Podcast. You can catch the latest episode on iTunes or Spotify, or reach out to the team at mybloodypodcast@gmail.com. Whether you’re a seasoned horror fan or a casual viewer looking for something to spice up your movie night, this podcast is a must-listen for those who love their horror served with a side of humor, insight, and a touch of irreverence.
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WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER
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