On this very special episode - a little "bonus" after our Jordan Peele mini season - Stacey and Matthew sit down to talk with Dawn Keetley, Professor of English and Film at Lehigh University, about HIM, the 2025 sports horror film directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele. The story follows Cam (Tyriq Withers), a rising football star who goes to train with Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), the famed and nearly worshipped quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors, for the opportunity to become his successor. Like Cam, we got the chance to chat with one of our (mostly Stacey's) academic heroes and rant together about the reception of political horror today. Join us for this fun conversation as we think about the intriguingly marketed, visually maximalist, and highly stylized HIM.
Film: HIM (Justin Tipping, 2025)
Intro Music: “The Army of You” (Library of Congress Free Music Archive)
Outro Music: “Late Night Indigo” (written and performed by Stacey Baran)
Fear of the Dark is a film podcast about race and horror, hosted by Matthew Vernon and Stacey Baran. Episode edited by Matthew Vernon. Mixdown and mastering by Stacey Baran.
Follow us on Instagram @fearofthedarkpod, and find some of Dawn's work (along with many other brilliant folks) at horrorhomeroom.com!
