In this episode of Dark Overtones, Kurt seeks to explore the symbols that inspired this very podcast -- the runes and symbols embedded in Ari Aster's horror masterpiece, Midsommar. Throughout the film, Aster places runes of Elder Futhark at key points, from the barracks where the main characters sleep to the cliff from which the Harga elders leap to their deaths. It seems that these symbols may have deeper meaning in the plot of the movie and its characters. In this episode, Kurt speaks with expert rune reader Wayne Brekke, as well as one of his best friends (and tarot expert) Becca Fanali to explore that possibility. This episode also includes a special event -- an actual rune reading for one of my guests, to expand the meaning of the runes from our interpretation of Midsommar to my guest's life and history. The runes cast for this reading can be seen at this link.

You can see all the Elder Futhark runes discussed in this episode here.

Wayne Brekke is a Renaissance man in every sense of the word. A man of many talents, Wayne is an expert rune reader (mentored by Kaedrich Olsen), with a concerted knowledge on Elder Futhark and the interpretations of the runes within it. Wayne's rune work (and other work) can be found all over the place, including his podcast Rune Ways (available on Spotify, Apple, and anywhere you get podcasts) and his YouTube channel of the same name. Wayne is also an unapologetic decades-long RPG fan, evidenced by his fantastic website, Dungeon Crate.

Rebecca Fanali is a licensed acupuncturist, expert in herbal medicine, and practitioner of different elements of witchcraft. Becca has a long history of interest in the metaphysical, leading her to perform tarot readings and nature-centered rituals and practices. Though not a fan of labels, Becca has an encyclopedic knowledge of issues related to witchcraft, with a particular interest in human connection to nature.

Apologies for the few audio changes throughout the episode; they're due to changing devices. Don't worry, you don't lose any of that sweet forbidden knowledge related to Midsommar.

All audio clips were taken from Midsommar itself, property of Square Peg Films, B-Reel Films, and A24 Films, all rights reserved.

In the second episode of Series 1, Kurt delves into the 2015 pressure cooker, The Invitation. Part awkward dinner party, part reverse home invasion, part cultish terror, The Invitation challenges us to consider the psychology of grief and how to remain polite... even if we suspect our hosts want us dead.

In this episode, I am joined by Mary Wild, who is kind enough to come back after Episode 100, in which she helps review all the films I cover in this first series. I am also joined by my brother Eric Braddock, who is just as big a horror fan as I am.

Mary Wild is the creator of the Projections lecture series, applying psychoanalysis to film interpretation. She contributes to the Evolution of Horror podcast and posts exclusive content at patreon.com/marywild. You can also find her as @psycstar on Twitter and Instagram.

Eric Braddock (@ericbraddock) is a Senior Artist at Notorious Studios. He is also my brother. We spent many years in our family home watching scary movies and pretending not to be scared by Pennywise or Zelda from Pet Sematary. He is also the only one that can match my skill in Mega Man 2.

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of rape and sexual violence is prevalent throughout this episode.

In the first real episode of Dark Overtones, Kurt is joined by two communication professors from Baylor University, Leslie Hahner and Scott Varda, to discuss It Follows. Countless articles on It Follows interpreted it as a story about STDs/STIs; but Hahner and Varda have a different interpretation - one that highlights the sexual violence that perpetuates the curse and the trauma of those affected. In this discussion, we dive into how "It" can be much darker than it seems upon first watch...

Dr. Leslie Hahner is a Professor in the Department of Communication at Baylor University, where she researches how different texts (including horror films) intersect with pop culture and help us interpret the world around us. You can visit her faculty page here.

Dr. Scott Varda is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, also at Baylor University. Scott researchers how movies can shape our cultural understanding of race, class, gender, and other social categories. His faculty page is also available, and you can find it here.

The article this episode is based on can be found in Volume 40, Issue 3 of the journal Women's Studies in Communication. The full article citation is:

Hahner, L., & Varda, S. (2017). It Follows and rape culture: Critical response as disavowal. Women's Studies in Communication, 40(3), 251-269.