> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thefilmmaven.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Old Dark House: Boris Karloff, Queer Chaos, and the Haunted House Movie That Defies Explanation - URL: https://thefilmmaven.com/the-old-dark-house-boris-karloff-ticklish-business-podcast/ - Published: 2026-10-14T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T16:14:11.000Z - Description: James Whale's 1932 underrated gem gets the Ticklish Biz Halloween treatment. - Author: Kristen Lopez - Tags: Podcast *Ticklish Business is a bi-weekly podcast honoring the world of Old Hollywood. You can listen to Ticklish Business via* [*Spotify*](https://open.spotify.com/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc?ref=thefilmmaven.com) *and* [*Apple Podcasts*](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ticklish-business/id1129352801?ref=thefilmmaven.com)*. You can also subscribe to our* [*Patreon*](https://www.patreon.com/TicklishBiz?ref=thefilmmaven.com) *where we have bonus episodes and more.* *This post is *free to enjoy* butit's worth it to become part of my exclusive* [***Gold Star Crew***](https://thefilmmaven.com/film-maven-gold-star-crew/) **of Silver and Gold Film Mavens*.* ***🌟Supporters like:*** Zach Eastman, Jason, Evalyn Gelhaus, Kasey, Ernesto A. Garza, Neeley Drown, Mary, Cynthia J. Vinney, Meredith Nudo, and Christina Ortega💫 **And welcome new Gold Star Crew members Susan Sain and Taylor!**💫 *Paid subscribers are the backbone of The Film Maven who support independent journalism, as well as female- and disabled-created content. Paid Film Mavens get access to *shout-outs, exclusive articles and series, career mentoring, Zoom mixers, and access to The Film Maven Discord*.* [*Consider becoming a paid subscriber*](https://thefilmmaven.com/gold-film-maven-deal) *and joining the community that invests in independent journalism free of AI and influencer opinions!* --- Halloween is upon us and we're celebrating by taking a trip to some haunted houses as [⁠voted on by the Patrons⁠](https://www.patreon.com/ticklishbiz?ref=thefilmmaven.com)! We're kicking things off with Boris Karloff, James Whale, and the underrated 1932 horror feature *The Old Dark House*. Joining Kristen on this adventure is Coco, co-host of the podcast Revelations and Heart Palpitations. Kristen and Coco talk James Whale's career, Boris Karloff playing another gentle giant, and why this movie isn't cited alongside Whale's other iconic fright fests. ***Next Time*:** We move from the horror houses of the 1930s to the suburbs with the haunted house feature *Poltergeist* (1982). [⁠Follow Coco on Instagram⁠](https://www.instagram.com/malakdabcha/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) [⁠Coco's YouTube channel ](https://www.instagram.com/boulevard%5Fnoir?rpxt=NGUzeWJjYmtlaTB5&utm%5Fsource=qr)[*Boulevard Noir*](https://www.instagram.com/boulevard%5Fnoir?rpxt=NGUzeWJjYmtlaTB5&utm%5Fsource=qr)[⁠](https://www.instagram.com/boulevard%5Fnoir?rpxt=NGUzeWJjYmtlaTB5&utm%5Fsource=qr) [⁠Listen to the ](https://www.instagram.com/revelations%5Fheartpalpitations?dlrf=MWl6NDhqN2Qzc3VuNA%3D%3D&utm%5Fsource=qr)[*Revelations and Heart Palpitations*](https://www.instagram.com/revelations%5Fheartpalpitations?dlrf=MWl6NDhqN2Qzc3VuNA%3D%3D&utm%5Fsource=qr)[ podcast⁠](https://www.instagram.com/revelations%5Fheartpalpitations?dlrf=MWl6NDhqN2Qzc3VuNA%3D%3D&utm%5Fsource=qr) I have a new book out now! [⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[***Order But Have You Read the Book: Romance Edition here.***](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) **You can** [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.youtube.com/@TicklishBusiness?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[**now watch episodes of Ticklish Business over on our YouTube channel**](https://www.youtube.com/@TicklishBusiness?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.youtube.com/@TicklishBusiness?ref=thefilmmaven.com)**!** Be sure to like and subscribe to stay in the know on our latest videos. Be sure to follow us via social media at @ticklish\_biz on X and @ticklishbiz everywhere else. Also like and subscribe to us on all podcast apps and, if you love us, leave us a review. Find Kristen books wherever you buy books including [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://amzn.to/4mkjb5B?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[*Popcorn Disabilities*](https://amzn.to/4mkjb5B?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://amzn.to/4mkjb5B?ref=thefilmmaven.com) and the first [⁠](https://amzn.to/4gazCzv?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[*But Have You Read the Book*](https://amzn.to/4gazCzv?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠](https://amzn.to/4gazCzv?ref=thefilmmaven.com)! [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kristen-lopez/but-have-you-read-the-book-romance-edition/9798894142296/?ref=thefilmmaven.com) • Love T shirts, pins, and other merch? [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.redbubble.com/people/ticklishbiz/shop%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[The merch shop is live](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.redbubble.com/people/ticklishbiz/shop%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.redbubble.com/people/ticklishbiz/shop%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)! • ICMYI, the best way to support Ticklish Biz is to [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.patreon.com/ticklishbiz%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[become a Patron](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.patreon.com/ticklishbiz%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.patreon.com/ticklishbiz%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com):[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/msemilyedwards%E2%81%A0%C2%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com) • [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/kristenlopez88%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[Follow Kristen's Instagram](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/kristenlopez88%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com)[⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠](https://creators.spotify.com/dash/show/2v9YsVqLuXnwAoXSlIAAVc/%E2%81%A0https://www.instagram.com/kristenlopez88%E2%81%A0?ref=thefilmmaven.com) **This episode was created thanks to our Patrons**: Krista Painter Ali Moore Danny David Floyd Gates mcf Shawn Goodreau Richard Silver Chris McKay Jacob Haller Peter Blitstein Debbie Lynne Peter Bryant Reyna Moya-James Linda Lindley Erin Bridget M. Hester Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Harry Holland Lucy Soles Nick Weerts **If you liked this episode, paid Film Mavens get the stuff I can't publish anywhere else:** - **Access to all my paid content and exclusive series** like: [Verity, Leave Her to Heaven, and What Makes a "Bad Woman"And right after the Lindsay Clancy trial, too.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/icon/KristenLopez_Secondary-030297ac-268b-4f13-beac-16b1d71984fd.png)The Film MavenKristen Lopez![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-ce55294c-0290-41f9-a142-2aa21f26d007.png)](https://thefilmmaven.com/verity-analysis/) [“This Is Not My Point of View”: Why Fjord Director Cristian Mungiu Refuses to Tell Audiences Who’s Right and Who’s WrongWe also discuss critiques and when progressivism turns into extremism.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/icon/KristenLopez_Secondary-4e3595bc-b8ec-45ae-964c-f0c62455dc84.png)The Film MavenKristen Lopez![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/24/37/24372e80-8819-45cd-8a9d-4dbc679f7337/content/images/thumbnail/1-1-e690860e-0daf-42a1-ad37-85a512e3bf4f.png)](https://thefilmmaven.com/fjord-director-cristian-mungiu-interview/) - **Shout outs on my newsletter** when you join and whenever you have something you're launching. - **Included on my Gold Star Crew list** - **Bi-Monthly Zoom Mixers** where we can talk entertainment, get advice on journalism, and generally discuss the world. - **Access to our Discord server** where we can chat about movies and entertainment. It's also where I host my yearly Golden Globes and Oscar watches. - Participation in my new **Film Maven Secret Santa Gift Exchange** (launching November 2026), book clubs, and film discussion groups (launching later this year)