Episode 07: Really Small Countries Like New Zealand

“Are meat raffles actually a thing?”

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Yes, Virginia, meat raffles are actually a thing. Why? “Because,” our resident New Zealander Catherine explains, “you can win meat”.

While more well-known for sweeping epic movies with loving panoramic shots of its beautiful landscape, New Zealand’s film industry also has quite the history of horror – not to mention horror comedy. Its second major vampire film, What We Do In The Shadows is a loving send-up of vampire tropes as well as the unique nature of New Zealand culture (see: meat raffles). But on top of all that, it’s a deconstruction of the alpha masculinity one often sees in vampire stories these days.

(Because as much as we love Rhys Darby, “alpha werewolf Rhys Darby” is not something we would ever have imagined.)

Episode Details

Title: Really Small Countries Like New Zealand
Subject: What We Do In The Shadows by Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement
Release Date: 11/12/2015
Length: 01:02:00
Title Reference: Viago says this during the film.

Trigger/Other Warnings

  • Vampire-typical violence

Further Reading

Viago and the Hurricanes perform “Poi E”. Because why not.