What do you get when you cross Fede Álvarez‘s Evil Dead remake with Christopher Nolan‘s Memento? If you’re first time writer-director David Yarovesky, the answer is The Hive, a heady sci-fi and horror hybrid that also manages to turn every summer camp trope on its head. With makeup special effects from Gary Tunnicliffe of Hellraiser franchise fame, The Hive manages to translate a small budget and some serious music video energy into something unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

in this week’s episode of the Certified Forgotten podcast, Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato are joined by Molly Henery, freelance horror journalist and creator of the Uterus Horror column. In their conversation, Molly discusses her career pivot from archeology to horror and discusses the films and experiences that encouraged her to translate her love of the genre into current status as a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.

04:11 – Molly explains how her sister’s indifferent babysitting launched her love of horror.
09:13 – Molly shares what caused her to abandon her original plans to be an archeologist and educator.
24:15 – Molly discusses the origins of Uterus Horror, her series of essays on coming-of-age female horror.
36:13 – Introduction to The Hive and the reason behind its selection.
42:34 – Conversation about Yarovesky’s nonlinear approach – and why it works so much better than you’d expect.
51:15 – Donato and Monagle discuss the “mean” streak of The Hive and how it generates empathy for its characters.
58:44 – Conversation about the special effects in the film and the influence of Tunnicliffe on the special effects.
70:54 – Conversation about the legacy of The Hive and whether this film was undone by its Fathom Events release strategy.

To learn more about Molly’s work as a writer, you can visit her personal website, where she writes under the Blogging Banshee banner. You can also read past entries in her Uterus Horror series right here at Certified Forgotten. Finally, follow Molly on Twitter at @bloggingbanshee for her latest work and insights into the horror industry.

At the height of summer, Adam and Katie find love for the first time. Fellow camp counselors Clark and Jess couldn’t care less about the kids they’re overseeing as long as they can hook up. But, when a plane crashes nearby, their investigation unleashes a mysterious plague, putting all campers in danger. As Camp Yellow Jacket slips into chaos, Adam wakes in a boarded-up cabin with no memory of who or where he is. His only clues are the notes he’s scrawled for himself and memories that aren’t his own. As his friends turn into monsters around him, the key to surviving the apocalypse is locked in one infected counselor’s mind.

The Hive, Google Play

The Hive is now available to stream at no additional cost on Amazon Prime and Tubi TV. You can also rent or purchase the film on most major streaming platforms, including Google Play and Apple TV.