Jeff Preston and the movie Christmas Evil

Re-Creative: A podcast about inspiration and creativity

Deck the halls with boughs of … horror!

Joe and Mark are joined by Jeff Preston, PhD, an associate professor of disability studies at King’s University College. In addition to being a professor, Jeff is a webcomic creator, activist and co-host of the podcast Invalid Culture.

“The real story of disability is being able to bend the world around you to fit your needs, and about the real pain, angst and injustice you feel when the world refuses to bend, when the world refuses to change. That is the real disabling experience,” Jeff says.

Jeff brings forward the 1984 cult classic, Christmas Evil, which is apparently John Waters’s favorite Christmas movie. Mark admits to being strangely compelled by the flick, mostly because of the performance of the lead, Brandon Maggart. “But it is a frickin’ mess,” Mark adds.

Joe asks Jeff to make the case for watching the flawed film.

“I love crap movies,” Jeff admits. He says it’s worth watching bad movies that use disability as part of their narrative, because it’s easier to spot the tropes and how they don’t actually make sense.

A merry (and evil) Christmas indeed!

For more information on Jeff Preston's work and the movie Christmas Evil, please check out the show notes for this episode.

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