Villains and victims, evil witches and vengeful scourges—at the movies, getting old is scary business. It also generates big businessat the box office.But what do these frightening depictions actually have to say about aging? Host Betsy Allen talks with Cynthia Miller, writer, cultural anthropologist, and college professor, about what Hollywood finds so scary about getting older and how we just might be on the verge of flipping the script.

For more information about books by Cynthia J. Miller.

Movies discussed in our conversation:

• The Brotherhood of Satan (1971)
• Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
• Drag Me to Hell (2009)
• Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
• The Hunger (1983)
• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
• Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
• Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

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