Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago

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Question: What is your favorite horror movie?

Meet Russ Meeuf, professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Media at University of Idaho — and a scholar who knows monsters better than most.

What makes a monster truly terrifying? What do these creatures reveal about our deepest fears, our society and ourselves? And why do monsters evolve as our cultural anxieties change? Russ will guide us through the haunted corridors of horror cinema, showing how monsters are more than just nightmares — they’re mirrors. So, grab your flashlight, lock the doors and tune to our Halloween episode...if you dare.

Chapters:
0:00 Favorite horror movie?
3:50 Getting to know Russ Meeuf
5:40 What makes a good movie monster?
7:51 Two sides to every monster
12:49 What does a director or writer bring to a monster?
17:19 What do monsters reveal about ourselves?
20:06 Do monsters evolve over time?
25:08 Final thoughts

Read Russ's bio at https://go.uidaho.edu/4nj1jI2

Learn more about U of I's School of Journalism and Mass Media at https://go.uidaho.edu/48I6Wfb

Find more Vandal Theory Podcast episodes at https://uidaho.edu/newsroom/the-vandal-theory