PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’m new to the world of podcasts. I know, I know! I’m totally late to the party. I discovered Horror Rewind through author Meg Hafdahl. She introduced me to Kelly Florence, the owner of both Horror Rewind and the Etsy shop Gothic Gifts. Immediately, I knew I wanted to feature her for Women in Horror month.
Kelly Florence took time out of her busy schedule to chat with me about the podcast and the shop. Without further adieu, here is our chat! Thank you so much, Kelly!
PopHorror: Thank you for taking time to talk with us, Kelly. When did you start Horror Rewind? What sparked your interest in developing a podcast?
Kelly Florence: Meg (Hafdahl) and I met in the year 2000 and immediately hit it off with our mutual love for the TV show The X-Files. We also found in each other a fellow horror movie fan! On a trip to Chicago for Walker Stalker (the Walking Dead convention), we were talking about podcasts we listen to and it was a light bulb moment for us. We decided we should start a podcast based on our mutual love of horror movies and reminisce about how we used to spend our weekends renting videos from our local video stores.
PopHorror: I am a Scully and Mulder groupie! I adore The X-Files! And well..I guess I am a fan of horror. *laughs* Back to the love of horror. What are some of your favorite horror films?
Kelly Florence: Some of my favorite horror movies of all time include The Shining, Evil Dead, and The Silence of the Lambs. My favorite movie of last year is Get Out and another current favorite available on Netflix is Gerald’s Game.
PopHorror: YES! to all of those. Get Out was definitely a favorite as well. Tell us more about how you started Gothic Gifts? What are some gifts you have created?
Kelly Florence: As I was traveling with Meg to conventions to promote her books I realized that I should be selling some of my craft items that I had been creating as a hobby. I was inspired by the movie Get Out and the scene with the teacup to create a necklace based on it. Jordan Peele, the writer, and director of the film, re-grammed the picture I posted of the necklace. I launched my Etsy page after that. Some other popular items include a magnifying glass necklace inspired by the necklaced that Ash gives his girlfriend in Evil Dead and horror-themed throw pillows. There are a lot of craft fairs in the world but there aren’t a lot of horror-themed crafts at them. I love being able to provide items for people like me who may not want a floral pillow on their couch but rather The Bride of Frankenstein!
PopHorror: Oh I want it all! I couldn’t agree more. We need more horror crafts and home décor! What is your favorite horror franchise or franchises?
Kelly Florence: I’m a big fan of Bruce Campbell (I named my son Campbell after him!) so I really enjoy the Evil Dead and Army of Darkness movies. I’m also in disbelief that we are currently in season 3 of Ash Vs. Evil Dead and get to see Bruce Campbell weekly on our TV’s at home. The series has a lot of great female characters and some of the most hilarious moments in the franchise.
PopHorror: I just started watching Ash Vs. Evil Dead. I am enjoying it! Who would have thought we’d get a TV series? You mention great female characters, which brings me to my next question. Do you believe horror is still male-dominated genre? What women stand out for you in the genre? Favorite Women characters in horror?
Kelly Florence: One thing we’ve discovered through this podcast is that the thing we loved about horror movies is how often women were in them. Something we’ve also come to realize though is that women haven’t been as prominent behind the camera as we would like. Our ultimate, favorite films include complex, interesting women who are not necessarily always strong but are portrayed as more than just an object or love interest. Some of my favorite female characters from horror movies and TV shows include Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs, Ellen Ripley from Alien, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dana Scully from The X-Files.
PopHorror: Definitely. It seems like in horror and all genres, it sometimes is still a very much male-dominated field behind the camera. We have made strides in the right direction though. Recently, I saw the anthology XX, which features all women filmmakers and I’d definitely say the Soska Sisters have opened the door as well. Clarice Starling is one of my first experiences with a strong female character and she is a favorite. How about a dream guest for Horror Rewind?
Kelly Florence: A dream guest for our podcast would be Rachel Talalay who directed two of the Nightmare on Elm Street Films or Diablo Cody, a fellow Minnesota native, who wrote the screenplay for Jennifer’s Body.
PopHorror: Really great choices. Hopefully, that dream comes true for you! What are future plans for both Horror Rewind and Gothic Gifts?
Kelly Florence: Horror Rewind will continue releasing new episodes every Thursday throughout this year. We’ll also be presenting on the topic of women in horror on a panel at CONvergence in Minneapolis this July. I’m always getting inspired by new horror movies and by the rewatch of older movies for new crafts for Gothic Gifts!
PopHorror: I’ll continue to listen and I’m going to stalk your Etsy shop, Gothic Gifts for your unique items! Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me. I had a lot of fun and I still can’t believe Jordan Peele re-grammed your photo. I would be fangirling so hard!
Kelly Florence: Thank you! YES! It was awesome he did that!
Final Thoughts
You definitely must listen to Horror Rewind. It’s nostalgia at it’s finest! Plus some awesome drink recipes to die for! You can follow Horror Rewind on Facebook as well. Gothic Gifts is a horror fans delight! Be sure you check that out as well here. Stay tuned to PopHorror for a review of Meg Hafdahl’s latest book and interview!
