Survival Horror

Sitting in the Dark

This month, Kynan, Tommy, Kyle and Pete dive deep into the terrifying world of survival horror. They leave no dark corners unexplored, from the creepy confines of Bodega Bay in Hitchcock’s classic The Birds, to the zombie-infested mall of Dawn of the Dead, the monster-filled hive of Resident Evil, and the deadly game of hide and seek in Ready or Not.

The panel examines key tropes of the genre—resource scarcity, societal breakdown, and how safe spaces become inverted into horrifying death traps. They put Hitchcock’s decision to interrupt a rom-com with an apocalypse in The Birds under the microscope. They hail sound design as the unsung hero for crafting a sense of dread.

Central to the conversation is the relationship between survival horror films and video games, from limited resources to permadeath to discovering clues in each film’s very own "book of the vampire.” What is the cinematic genetic material connecting these films to 70s disaster movies like The Towering Inferno, where catastrophe erupts into the banality of everyday life?

You’ll never look at birds… or malls, mansions, and wedding games… in the same light again. Listen now… if you dare! Just keep some spare ammo and a med pack handy, just in case.

Film Sundries

• Watch the movies discussed:
  • The Birds: Apple • Amazon • JustWatch
  • Dawn of the Dead: Apple • Amazon • JustWatch
  • Resident Evil: Apple • Amazon • JustWatch
  • Ready or Not: Apple • Amazon • JustWatch

• (00:00) - Welcome to Sitting in the Dark • Survival Horror
• (09:11) - The Birds
• (29:08) - Dawn of the Dead
• (49:02) - Resident Evil
• (01:02:32) - Ready or Not
• (01:15:32) - Coming Attractions

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