Is Siren Head the Ultimate Modern Monster? | Monstrum

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Lumbering through the countryside blasting its eerie messages from metal speakers perched atop a forty-foot wooden humanoid frame, Siren Head is a prime example of modern folklore born on the internet. Featuring insights from Siren Head's original creator Trevor Henderson, this episode looks at how social media contributes to horror in the 21st century.

The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D., takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans' unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies.

A special thank you to Trevor Henderson for his candor and assistance with this episode. Learn more about Henderson's art and current projects at https://trevorhenderson.format.com/ and on Twitter @slimyswampghost

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Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Thomas Fernandes
Editor/Animator: Jordyn Buckland
Illustrator: Samuel Allen
Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing
Additional Footage: Shutterstock
Music: APM Music

Descriptive Audio & Captions provided by The Described and Captioned Media Program

Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.

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Bibliography

Cowdell, Paul. “‘Practicing Witchcraft Myself During the Filming’: Folk Horror, Folklore, and the Folkloresque.” Western Folklore, vol. 78, no. 4, 2019, pp. 295–326.

Folk Culture in the Digital Age: The Emergent Dynamics of Human Interaction, edited by Trevor J. Blank, Utah State University Press, 2012.

Folklore and the Internet Vernacular Expression in a Digital World, edited by Trevor J. Blank, Utah State University Press, 2009.

Garner, Bryan. Garner’s Modern English Usage, Oxford University Press, 2016.

Hall, Alaric. “The Etymology and Meanings of Eldritch.” Scottish Language, vol. 26, 2007, pp. 16–22.

@slimyswampghost. “She was on vacation with her husband and they were scoping out graveyards on the way, as you do, when she saw it. Rising out of the old cemetery, big as an old (macabre) telephone pole. Was this some kind of bizarre art piece the authorities hadn't gotten wise to yet?” Twitter, 19 Aug. 2018, 11:09 a.m.,   / 1031241826018062336  .

@slimyswampghost. “Sirenhead Facts!” Twitter, 5 Oct. 2018, 9:43 P.M., https://twitter.com/slimyswampghost/s....

The Folkloresque: Reframing Folklore in a Popular Culture World, edited by Michael Dylan Foster, and Jeffrey A. Tolbert, Utah State University Press, 2015.

Tolbert, Jeffrey A. “Chapter One: ‘The Sort of Story That Has You Covering Your Mirrors.”’ Slender Man Is Coming: Creepypasta and Contemporary Legends on the Internet. Edited by Trevor J. Blank and Lynne S. McNeill, Utah State University Press, 2018,
pp. 25–50.

Zulli, Diana, and David James Zulli. “Extending the Internet Meme: Conceptualizing Technological Mimesis and Imitation Publics on the TikTok Platform.” New Media & Society, 00(0), 2020, pp. 1–19.