This week on The Rotten Horror Picture Show Podcast, Clay and Amanda sink their teeth into one of the most intriguing and offbeat horror releases of the year: Sinners (2025), the blues-soaked vampire film that blends supernatural horror with Southern gothic vibes and music steeped in sweat, sorrow, and soul. They’re joined by special guest Wes from The Pensky File, who helps unpack the film’s bloodsucking mythology, musical backbone, and what happens when vampires stop lurking in castles and start haunting juke joints. Together, they dig into how Sinners uses blues music not just as atmosphere, but as the very lifeblood of its story.
Now, I’ll be honest with you—I’ve always been more of a Pat Boone guy. Clean-cut. Pleasant. Polite. Give me a nice, wholesome cover of a song originally written by someone who lived a little too hard, and I’m happy. The blues? It makes me nervous. Too much feeling. Too much raw emotion. Everyone sounds like they’ve been through something, and frankly, I’d rather not hear about it. Vampires singing the blues? That’s just piling intensity on top of intensity. Where’s the reassurance? Where’s the cardigan? Where’s Pat smiling gently and telling me everything’s going to be okay?
And yet… Clay, Amanda, and Wes make a compelling case. They talk about how Sinners taps into the haunted history of the blues, the way music and monstrosity intertwine, and how the film reimagines vampirism through cultural legacy instead of capes and coffins. It’s thoughtful, eerie, and apparently very cool—which I assume is true, even if I personally would’ve preferred a little less moaning guitar and a little more polite crooning.
So tune in for a rich discussion of Sinners. I’ll be over here, spinning my Pat Boone records and pretending everything is just fine.
And don't forget to head over to patreon.com/thepenskyfile to join Clay and Amanda as they take a deep dive into horror sequels!
