About Me

Sean Woodard is a PhD candidate in English at The University of Texas at Arlington and an Instructor of English at Tarrant County College, Northwest Campus in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as the Film Editor for Drunk Monkeys, and was a former Assistant Editor for Global Insight: A Journal of Critical Human Science and Culture. His fiction, poetry, film criticism, and other writing have been featured in Los Angeles Review of Books, PLNU's Viewpoint, miniMAG, Hush Lit: A Journal of Noise, Screenshot Lit, Black Poppy Review, South Broadway Ghost Society, NonBinary ReviewHorrorbuzz, Cultured Vultures, and Los Angeles Magazine, among other publications.

Fiction | Poetry | Screenplays

Journalism

Viewing the Border as a Space for Transformation in Eddie Matthews’ Border Memories

Things came full circle for adjunct literature professor and PLNU alum Eddie Matthews, Ph.D., (’14) on April 13, 2023 in a way he had never dreamed. He found himself in PLNU’s Colt Auditorium sitting across from journalism professor Dean Nelson, PhD. As a student, Matthews would sit in silent rapture during Nelson’s interviews at PLNU’s annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea. But this time, he was the subject being interviewed as an audience of colleagues and friends listened intently. The occasion: the U.S. book launch of his debut novel, Border Memories, published by Watermark Press. . . . The novel represents the culmination of Matthew’s educational and writing journey thus far.

Film Columns and Essays

Film Reviews

BACURAU an Exercise in Sustained Tension

Director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s (Aquarias) latest film (co-directed with Juliano Dornellos) is a meditation on the socio-political state in Brazil, the importance of community, and the effects of violence. Shortlisted for Brazil’s official entry for best foreign language film for the 2020 Academy Awards, Bacurau has garnered acclaim from audiences and critics alike since its premiere at Cannes, where it tied for a Jury Prize.

Book & Music Reviews

SEE! HEAR! CUT! KILL! EXPERIENCING FRIDAY THE 13TH Is A Treasure Trove Of Information For Readers & Scholars

Can you think of a more iconic American horror villain than Jason Voorhees? Released this past October by University Press of Mississippi to coincide with Friday the 13th’s 40th anniversary, Wickham Clayton’s See! Hear! Cut! Kill! Experiencing Friday the 13th provides readers with 238 pages of generous overview and detailed analysis on the popular horror franchise.

Fighting Trump, the Early Years

Jeffrey C. Isaac, professor of Indiana University, Bloomington, and former editor of Perspectives on Politics, has a series of essays and opinion pieces called #AgainstTrump: Notes from Year One. In one respect, the American public have heard many of his arguments elsewhere. But as an artifact of its time, perhaps readers can see how journalists like himself who were labeled “enemies of the people” used their resources and writing abilities to document this important era of American history.

MUSIC / Unwrapping Jim Croce’s Christmas Song, “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way” / Sean Woodard

But amid all the covers of classics your mother should know, there are a few musical gifts hidden deep within the Christmas tree boughs if anyone wishes to search for them. One of those songs is Jim Croce’s “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way.” It remains one of my favorite songs he composed. Recorded in 1973, the song serves as the closing track of Croce’s Life and Times album. The record, which also contained the No. 1 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” proved to be one of the singer-songwriter’s most commercially successful.

Interviews

FILM All the Colors of Giallo Cinema: An Interview with Mikel J. Koven

Drunk Monkeys staff writer Sean Woodard had the opportunity to speak with horror film and folklore expert Mikel J. Koven to coincide with Sean’s film column on Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling. Mikel J. Koven is senior lecturer on Film Studies at the University of Worcester in the U.K. and author of La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film and Film, Folklore, and Urban Legends. Join us as we delve into the macabre territory of the Italian Giallo genre.

Podcast Appearances & Featured Interviews

Fan2Fan Podcast - A Conversation Between Fans About Movies, Comics, TV, Video Games, Toys, Cartoons, And All Things Pop Culture: The One About Mummies

We're talking about mummies on this episode of the Fan2Fan Podcast! Bernie is joined by guests Michele Brittany and Sean Woodard to discuss mummies in pop culture. They discuss the mummy's depiction in movies, TV shows, and animation. They focus on the Universal Monsters franchise, it's evolution, and legacy. Michele and Sean also share info about their upcoming mummy book.

HPLCP Transmissions - Ep 23 - Sean Woodard and Josh Spiegel - H. P. Lovecast Podcast

In this episode of H. P. Lovecast Presentations: Transmissions hosts Michele Brittany and Nicholas Diak interview Sean Woodard about his essay "Journeys into Depravity in (Post)Colonial Australia: Colonizer versus Colonized Identity and “Otherness” in Wake in Fright and The Nightingale" and Josh Spiegel about his book Timelines of Terror: The Fractured Continuities of Horror Film Sequels.

SCENE SELECTIONS Episode 16: The Paranoid Seduction of Paul Verhoeven

“KTFC: Scene Selections” is a series of conversations between Anthony McKelroy, Miquela Davis, and a rotating cast of friends of The Frida Cinema. Tune in as we dissect shot compositions, overanalyze subtext, and wait for our coronavirus vaccines. With Paul Verhoeven’s newest film Benedetta premiering at the Cannes Film Festival this year, The Frida Cinema brings his most iconic works back to the big screen! Anthony & Miquela welcome Blog Writer Sean Woodard to the show for his first appearance as we discuss the best scenes of Robocop, Showgirls, and more!

Content Writing

7 Careers You Can Pursue with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction

When pursuing a career in education, there are many fulfilling options you can consider. In addition to teaching at elementary, secondary, and collegiate levels, there are also opportunities in education administration, production of educational materials, and more. One of the more popular and versatile degrees PLNU’s School of Education offers is a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction.