Americana wanderlust can be a real Scream.
Podcasts about movies and traveling are a dime bag a dozen , but in the rare Venn diagram where the two genres overlap , Scream Queenscombines quirky wanderlust with plenty of humourous horror . Hosted by “ Your Soul Survivor ” Mr. Josh and “ Final Girl ” Justine , two longtime friends who populate in theOklahoma Cityarea , the show is a hilarious romp around the United States , with each monthly episode embark on a drive to dissimilar destinations as the brace discusses horror pic revolutionize by aver destination en route .
enchant the authentic nitty-gritty of aroad trip , podcasts are recorded in the car , meaning discussions of films likeHouse of Wax , The Shining , andAliensmight let in idle words burrow , car horns , or whatever other meandering frivolities might issue . In a similar venous blood vessel as other movie recap - stylus podcasts , wherein hosts break down films fit - by - picture , Josh and Justine chat their way through each revulsion flick , specialise themselves by peppering in quirkyroadside attractionsand experiences at position like Shenandoah National Park , Disney World , and the Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum in Hot Springs , Arkansas .
Each episode is carve up into two parts , deep - diving into horror motion-picture show during the first half as they push back to their name and address . Midway through , they go off - mic to immerse themselves in pronounce destination , visiting museums , dining at restaurants , hiking trails , and in some cases , drive their own excavators atDig This , a “ backbreaking equipment vacation spot ” in Las Vegas . ( line into theMaximum Overdriveepisode for more onthat .. ) In the second half , the couplet are back in the automobile to discuss their experiences , highlight their favorite scenes , and dole out “ knife ratings , ” their metric for rating movies on a scary scale , with one being the least scary and five being a real scream . The laughs along the direction feel just as authentic as their experiences , thanks to the palpable interpersonal chemistry between two friends . As a upshot , each instalment feel like riding along in the backseat , giggle over hot takes on Paris Hilton ’s act insightfulness and the cinematic masterpiece that isJaws 3 - D.
Design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist
“ It ’s combining our love for horror and all the road tripper we were doing already , ” say Josh , who startedScream Queenswith Justine in 2016 when they coveredJawson their direction toOcean City , Maryland . “ It ’s a upright opportunity to get out and see the US , and see all the crotchet and weirdness that the country has to offer , through the lens of horror . ”
“ We just thought , ‘ We ’re pretty funny right ? We ’ll chance our niche out there with people , ’ ” add Justine . “ It ’s a unequaled fiddling approach . We get to have traveling , and making those connections with the moving-picture show we love and the topographic point we ’re perish . ”
Such places have taken them to all corners of the country , from Roswell to the Mall of America , with lot of joke along the fashion .
“ I always drive . Justine has all the notes in front of her , so she steers the ship , ” says Josh of their on - the - route podcast dynamic . “ Some day we have wordy days or showery Day , some days the drive precondition are perfect , or we ’re on a terribly bumpy road . That ’s part of the tripper . ”
“ I keep us on track , ” explicate Justine , who guide the conversation along through each movie . “ And I have the actual recording gadget that has microphones angle , and that ’s how it picks up the sounds from the route and the vehicle . ”
Since their inauguralJawsepisode , the two have honed a rule that works : keep their transcription to the car so they can experience their destination as naturally and genuinely as potential . After all , that ’s what social medium is for .
Ocean City, Maryland|Mark Wilson/Getty Images
“ We teach we ca n’t really record while we ’re in the field of operations , ” Josh state . “ It just does n’t really work out . It ’s got ta be in the moment . We add the supererogatory stuff on TikTok and Instagram . Our narrative are unremarkably centered on promoting the show or being funny while we ’re out doing trips . ”
The two focus on keeping things light and funny , play up their natural rapport and shared affection for horror movies and offbeat travel , deflect negativeness and pasquinade in favour of pithy banter . Where to go — and what they shroud — varies based on movies they ’re eager to talk about and find a destination that aligns , or conversely , plotting a trip somewhere and selecting a picture show to match , likeThe Nightmare Before Christmasfor a trip to Disney World orThe Descent 2forCarlsbad Caverns National Park . As Oklahomans , they also emphasize lots of local traveling throughout their route trip - favorable province .
“ We care to showcase where we ’re from , Oklahoma City and its beleaguer area , and capsicum in Clarence Day trips to different attractions in Oklahoma , ” notes Justine . Said Oklahoma attractions have included trip to Tulsa to coverWes Craven ’s New Nightmare(starHeather Langenkamp has a “ band ” on the Walk of Fame at the Circle Cinema ) , Annabelle Fun Farms to sail corn mazes and discussChildren of the Corn , and Bartlesville forPoltergeist III , where the Frank Lloyd Wright - designed Price Tower is a local bandstand - in for Chicago ’s Hancock Tower from the moving-picture show .
Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts|Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
Between the local expedition , the couple clock serious mileage on slip as far - flung as California and Massachusetts . The former was the guinea pig of an epicScreamepisode , which took them to wine commonwealth to visit the menage from the original film that has long played a polar persona in their horror sake .
“ The cinema location can be some of the funnest . They can bring out your drippiness more than other episodes , ” say Josh . “ Screamcame out when I was like 13 , and it blew my mind . It got me into revulsion movies , and shaped my view on motion-picture show in general . take to go there and step foot in a place that you ’ve watched a million times , and smelling it , and feeling the balustrade . It was very surreal . ”
“ It felt full - circle for our podcast , because it had been such a aspiration to do , and a passion of ours since puerility , ” echoes Justine . “ A highly influential movie . Visiting those locations was a bucket listing . I had never been to Napa Valley , so it was a dreaming . ”
Other outings have take them to The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park , Colorado , aka the hotel that inspired Stephen King to writeThe Shining , andSalem , Massachusetts , a legendarily spooky town that the two are using as source material for approaching sequence onHocus PocusandThe Witch .
“ They really encompass the Salem witchy scene , andHocus Pocus , and being able to go to all those filming locating , they really put them up front , ” says Justine of their most late trip to a townspeople that ’s been on their radar for eld .
“ We wanted to do it for Halloween , ” adds Josh . “ The whole town is flood out by holidaymaker , and it ’s like a political party in the streets , almost like Disney World - level gang circularise out across a pocket-sized New England town . It ’s what you want for Halloween , everyone is dressed up , there ’s enchantress clobber everywhere , a vast celebration of Halloween . ”
Similar to pail leaning films likeScreamand bucket inclination destinations like Salem , theScream Queenshave other iconic revulsion flicks they ’d like to go bounteous for .
“ We desire to do all the big franchises . We have n’t doneHalloweenorFriday the 13thyet , or the newer ones likeThe Conjuring , ” Josh says . “ LikeScream , we were waiting for something especial . Same forHalloweenandFriday the 13th — we want to wait for something exceptional . ”
In between the big trip , they ’re good at being unwritten too . Notes Justine : “ I love that we will sense inspire by something goading of the moment . We hear about an event happening somewhere , and we ’re like , ‘ oh my god , it would be perfect . ’ ”
“ We ’re near at pivot , ” total Josh . “ We ’ve never miss a month . We ’ve handle to do an episode , even at the pinnacle of the pandemic , when we sound to the foodstuff store and coveredThe Crazies , which was a pandemic zombie movie . ”
Another pivot is the addition of aScream Queens YouTube channel , which allows the supporter to show more of their personalities . After connecting with the horror community on a interior and international scale , through convention and social media , the two utilise the ocular medium as a manner to share more of themselves with their audience . And just like their podcast , it ’s a means to make people express joy , and look at movie otherwise . Beyond the horror genre , Josh and Justine station a wider regalia of fun response videos to everything fromThe NotebooktoHocus Pocus 2trailers .
Describing themselves as the small podcast that could , all self - funded and free of supporter , Scream Queenscaptures the authentic realness of two lifelong booster with a shared love life for repulsion and route trip-up — whose loveable , laughable rapport make you want to come along for each and every drive .
