Pleasers & Punishers

Secretary (2002)

Stifle those sniffles and break out your red sharpies, because we’re delving into the indie darling that introduced kink to so many people, and solidified Maggie Gyllenhaal as one of us freaks
Closing out Fetish February, we’re joined again by Kayte Terry to discuss our personal relationships with kink, the film’s heightened reality, and comparisons to 50 Shades Of Grey
CW for discussions of abusive relationships, blood, etc.
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Find Kayte online:
kayteterry.com
@wormbuxx@tender_subjectfangs.zone
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

The Night Porter (1974)

This week is our first foray into the very controversial world of nazisploitation with a very messed up love(?) story.
Returning to parse this out is Amanda Jane Stern, who brings us some incredible historical insights as well as infectious and uncontrollable giggles…we had to get through it somehow, right?
Also, big content warning for discussion of SA
 
Find Amanda online:
Letterboxd - witchywanderer
Bsky & IG - @amandajanestern
Watch Perfectly Good Moment on Tubi
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

The Handmaiden (2016)

Get ready for erotic subjugation and sapphic exploration, because we’re lacing up for Park Chan-Wook’s sexy crime/revenge thriller.
Joining us is author, programmer, video editor, and film critic Payton McCarty-Simas, who brings incredible insights into the discussion, as we go on tangents about No Other Choice and learn a lot about Korean history.
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Find Payton online:
@payt_place on IG
payton alexa on Letterboxd
 
Referenced works:
"Dangerous Women: Gender & Korean Nationalism", Edited by Elaine H. Kim and Chungmoo Choi
"Nationalism and Construction of Gender in Korea" by Chungmoo Choi
"Begetting The Nation" by Seungsook Moon
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

The Duke Of Burgundy (2014)

Stay well-hydrated and don’t you dare wear those comfy pajamas, because this week we’re talking Peter Strickland’s kinky, sapphic love-letter to Jess Franco.
From queer history and kink dynamics to this mysterious world without men, special guest Chelasea Stardust joins us as we search every nook and cranny for a place to curl up and sleep, because we’ve been bad…
Just kidding, we’re the best!
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Find Chelsea online:
@chelseastardust on IG
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

Don't Torture A Duckling (1972)

Hang out by the highway and get ready to stop & bang, because we’re closing out Giallo January talking about Lucio Fulci’s rural horror masterpiece with special guest Michael Varrati.
From Barbara Bouchet’s inadvisable flirtations to the concept of a “murder twink”, tangents about M. Night Shyamalan, and the role of religion in small towns, we went long on this one!
 
*A few spoilers for some other gialli, namely Cat O’ Nine Tails, Deep Red, & Phenomena*
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Find Michael online:
@michaelvarrati on bsky & IG
@midnightmasspod on bsky
Michael Varrati on IMDB
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

Five Dolls For An August Moon (1970)

Pack your one dress and clean out that meat locker, because we’re heading to an isolated island for an Agatha-Christie-like Giallo from maestro Mario Bava!
Tangents & giggles abound as we discuss Italian-German co-productions, Bava’s production design & style, and of course, Edwige Fenech!
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972)

Life is like spaghetti—it’s hard until you make it! Join us for another installment of Giallo January as we cover Emilio P Miraglia’s final feature.
From Giallo genre standards to ill-advised threesomes, we’ll once again confer with our occasional co-host Kayte Terry to get to the bottom of this potentially supernatural murder-mystery.
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Find Kayte online:
@wormbuxx@tender_subjectfangs.zone

Tenebre (1982)

Pull on your black gloves, grab your straight razor, and organize your newspaper clippings, because we’re taking a deep dive into Dario Argento’s incredible giallo.
From John Saxon’s hat to Argento’s penchant for defenestration, real life inspiration, and the world of film censorship, we’ll dig through all the clues to piece together this mystery!
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

2025 Year In Review

Welcome to 2026, bitches. It’s our end of year review and we’re doing it a little differently than most folks, so buckle up!From first-time watches to major disappointments, pleasing punishers, and punishing pleasers, we’ll cover a lot of ground, and also go on a lot of tangents.Thanks for listening to us, and we look forward to bringing you more in a year that’s hopefully better than the last one.
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe

Phantom Thread (2017)

Take your measurements and be careful with those mushrooms, because it’s time to dive into the world of mid-century fashion.
We’re very divided on this film, from the kink dynamics to Daniel Day Lewis’s performance, but at least we agree on the incredible dresses!
 
Find us online:
https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers
https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social
pleaserspunisherspodcast@gmail.com
 
Art by The Haunted David
Music by Everson Poe