Skip to Content
Podcasts

Episode 35: Christine Makepeace on ‘Population 436’

Population 436

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

There was a time not so long ago when Jeremy Sisto was the James Badge Dale of the horror industry. In the early 2000s, Sisto starred in a wide range of indie classics, including titles like Matthew Leutwyler's Dead & Breakfast and Lucky McKee's May. But it was Population 436—the Shirley Jackson-esque thriller from future Breaking Bad luminary Michelle MacLaren—that stuck in the mind of today's podcast guest.

In this week's episode, the Matts are joined by Christine Makepeace, freelance horror critic and contributing editor to Certified Forgotten. During her conversation, Christine shares the history behind Paracinema Magazine—the long-running genre publication that launched the careers of several horror writers—and explains how Population 436 made a young Christine rethink everything she knows about Fred Durst.

03:59 – Christine explains her interest—or lack thereof—in the horror genre growing up.
08:10 – Christine shares the inspiration behind Paracinema Magazine and the community that kept it running behind-the-scenes.
18:37 – Christine explains her love of editing and what drew her to work with Certified Forgotten.
29:54 – Introduction to Population 436 and the choice behind this week's film selection.
37:27 – Conversation about Jeremy Sisto and the rise of early 2000s direct-to-video horror.
46:12 – Conversation about Michelle MacLaren's contributions to making Population 436 a dynamic direc-to-video title.
49:58 – Comparing Population 436 to Ari Aster's Midsommar and the set pieces we can't forget.
64:03 - The Big Question: How does Population 436 find its audience in 2021 and beyond?

Want to learn more about Christine's work as a horror journalist? Follow her on Twitter at @Xtine_makepeace. You can also find her article on Todd Strauss-Schulson's Final Girls on the Certified Forgotten website.

Population 436 is now available to stream with limited commercial interruptions on Tubi. You can also check out the rest of our podcast episodes on our Podcasts page.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Certified Forgotten

Podcast: ‘Alien: Earth’ Gets Uncertified

Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato sit down to discuss Noah Hawley's 'Alien: Earth' in this Uncertified episode of the podcast.

August 22, 2025

Podcast: Amelia Emberwing on ‘Shaky Shivers’

Vigilante entertainment journalist Amelia Emberwing joins the podcast to discuss the state of the industry and Sung Kang's 'Shaky Shivers.'

August 15, 2025

‘Cloud’ Review: The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Discounts

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Cloud' is the director's latest prophecy on the existential threat that online culture poses to humanity.

August 11, 2025

‘Weapons’ Review: Timing Is Everything In Zach Cregger’s Latest

Our spoiler-free review of Zach Cregger's 'Weapons' digs into the immaculate timing that makes his sophomore feature such a standout.

August 10, 2025

The Unreal Reality of ‘Series 7: The Contenders’

Horror journalist Sean Abley reflects on his own reality television experience in this piece on Daniel Minahan's 'Series 7: The Contender.'

August 5, 2025

Uncertified: ‘Weapons’ With Perri Nemiroff

Podcaster and interviewer extraordinaire Perri Nemiroff joins Certified Forgotten for a discussion about Zach Cregger's 'Weapons.'

August 4, 2025
See all posts