Oct 31, 2025
It’s Halloween season, and the Fantastic Story Society is diving deep into the world of horror with Dr. Patrick Gonder — retired professor, horror scholar, and lifelong student of the strange. Together, we discuss the remarkable new film Good Boy, a ghost story told entirely from the perspective of a dog. Patrick shares insights into how the film’s unique storytelling perspective shifts horror conventions, why animals make such fascinating protagonists, and how camera work shapes audience emotion. The conversation also spans other standout horror films like Weapons, Longlegs, The Changeling, and Trick ’r Treat, plus personal ghost encounters and spine-tingling folklore from the Philippines. This episode is packed with movie talk, folklore, filmmaking lessons, and genuine chills — the perfect companion for spooky season.
We explore:
🐕 What happens when man’s best friend becomes the witness to
terror
🎞️ The challenges of storytelling through cinematography
💀 Why movies like Weapons, The Changeling, and Trick ’r Treat stay
timeless
👻 Real-life ghost stories from Patrick’s time living above a
funeral home
0:00 – Intro: It’s Horror Season at the Fantastic Story
Society
2:00 – Introducing Horror Scholar Dr. Patrick Gonder
3:20 – Teaching the Art of Horror & Comic Books
5:20 – Trailer Reaction: Good Boy – A Ghost Story Told by a Dog
8:00 – The Dog’s Perspective: Emotion, Loyalty & Limited
Dialogue
11:00 – How They Made Good Boy (and Why You Shouldn’t Watch the
Featurette First)
15:00 – The Visual Language of Horror – Cinematography &
Storytelling
17:00 – Recent Standout Horror Films: Weapons, Longlegs,
Sinners
20:40 – What Makes a Horror Movie Great? Emotion, Relationships &
Atmosphere
23:40 – Revisiting the “Is Silence of the Lambs Horror?” Debate
24:20 – Patrick’s Annual Halloween Watchlist
27:00 – Filipino Horror, Monsters, and the Manananggal
31:00 – Zombie Fatigue and Fresh Scares (Last Train to Busan,
Slither)
32:30 – Max’s Writing & Filmmaking Retreats – Helping Writers
Create
37:00 – True Ghost Stories: Dogs, Spirits & Strange House
Energy
44:00 – Life Above a Funeral Home – Patrick’s Exorcist
Experience
48:00 – “The Dog Named No” – A Perfectly Creepy Story