Fans of horror movies and novels will have an opportunity to hear from S. A. (Scott) Bradley on Thursday when the author and popular podcast host visits The College of Idaho.
Bradley will visit a class on campus during the day before giving a presentation Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the Langroise Studio Theatre. The presentation, which also includes time for a question-and-answer session, will wrap up at 7:30. There is no charge to attend.
Bradley’s horror podcast, “Hellbent for Horror,” has been nominated for awards and is recognized by people throughout the genre for his research and understanding of the topic. One of his fans is veteran theatre professor Joe Golden.
“I listened to dozens of episodes and found them to be quite delightful, informative, and compelling,” said Golden. “He often had great guests who were involved in aspects of horror I had been unaware of. He also spoke intelligently about the genre itself, and how it has gotten a bad rap over the decades.”
The visit begins with a visit to Golden’s winter-term class, where he’ll give a presentation about ways in which the horror-movie genre has received an unfavorable reputation through the years. Then, Thursday evening, Bradley will meet with local horror fans and discuss the topic, “Monsters as Metaphors.”
“I am hoping that his new presentation will shed more light on the deeper meaning behind the creation of ‘horror film baddies’ and peel some layers of the horror onion to let us interpret why these characters are more than just pure entertainment,” Golden said of the evening presentation.
Bradley wrote a book, “Screaming for Pleasure,” that discussed the ways the horror genre helps us cope and express difficult emotions.
“Many people I told about the event for my class wanted to talk about horror films as well, thus, proving Scott’s theory and tagline that, ‘…You used to LOVE horror movies… and you secretly still do!” Golden said. “Therefore, I wanted to add a public element of his visit.”
The College of Idaho has a 132-year-old legacy of excellence. The College is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition, and history of producing successful graduates, including eight Rhodes Scholars, three governors, and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.