

Cows in the field
Blobcat Filmindustri
A movie podcast inspired by a Werner Herzog quote, “We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.” Hosted by Justin Khoo (professor of philosophy at MIT) and Laura Khoo (art historian turned fundraiser).
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 21, 2025 • 1h 9min
153. Grave of the Fireflies (w/ Sam Liao)
We are joined by Sam Liao (Philosophy, University of Puget Sound) to discuss our first animated film on the show: Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies! We discuss childhood, innocence, war, societal collapse, and much more!

Nov 7, 2025 • 1h 59min
152. Parasite (w/ Rachel Fraser)
We sit down with Rachel Fraser (MIT, Philosophy) to discuss Bong Joon Ho's Academy Award winning movie PARASITE! What do Freud, Jane Eyre, and Marx have to do with a movie about three families in South Korea? Psychoanalysis, transgression, class consciousness, ideology, ghosts, Hitchcock, and lots more!

Oct 25, 2025 • 1h 6min
151. Rec (w/ Pete Turner)
Continuing spooky season, we sit down with Pete Turner (Oxford Brookes University) to discuss found footage horror and the now-classic entry into the genre, REC! We discuss why this isn't "found footage"(!) although it is diegetic camera horror, and how the film uses the limited perspective to shape our identification with its characters. Don't go in the attic!!

Oct 10, 2025 • 1h 14min
150. Red Rooms (w/ Emily St. James)
Join us and Emily St. James to surf the dark web and hopefully not stumble upon any RED ROOMS. We discuss image management in the era of hyper-connectivity, Arthurian legends, Tennyson poems and 19th Century Chinese pirates, and of course, serial killers. Is this a comfort watch or a perfect horror for a brisk fall evening or BOTH?

Sep 26, 2025 • 1h 27min
149. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (w/ Max Evry)
We are joined by Max Evry (author of A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune) to discuss another sci-fi epic of the same generation, this one starring Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock! Exploration, practical effects, V'GER!, mystery, AI, leaping beyond logic!! Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), check it out!

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 16min
148. Flatliners (w/ Andrew Overbye and Hannah Blechman)
We're joined by Andrew Overbye and Hannah Blechman from the Authorized Novelizations Podcast to explore near-death experiences, spirituality, brat packs, and more during our discussion of Joel Schumacher's 1990 film FLATLINERS!

Aug 29, 2025 • 1h 24min
147. Warfare (w/ Jim Penola)
Alex Garland's second film in two years traces the true story of co-director Ray Mendoza's experiences in Iraq. We discuss the film with Jim Penola (An Invitation Productions), considering what drove Garland to the project, heroic sacrifice, decontextualizing violence, and the film's commitment to realism.Find us at www.cowspod.com! New shirts and hats at shop.cowspod.com!

Aug 15, 2025 • 1h 14min
146. In the Mouth of Madness (w/ Carly Severn)
We do, in fact, read Sutter Cane! Carly Severn (KQED San Francisco) returns to explore the world of mass market paperbacks that portend the return of the Old Ones and the end of humanity in John Carpenter's homage to Lovecraft. Is it Mommy's Day? Sadly, yes, it is.

Aug 1, 2025 • 1h 16min
145. Re-Animator (w/ Scout Tafoya)
Life, death, and rebirth are on the exam table as we pull up the chart on Stuart Gordon's RE-ANIMATOR (1985). Scout Tafoya (Ignite Films) returns to explore the film, its impact and legacy, men's desire to procreate without women, practical effects, consent, horror, and of course, H.P. Lovecraft!

Jul 18, 2025 • 1h 8min
144. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (w/ Abe Mathew)
The spy life. Espionage. Trust. Betrayal. Boring office parties. It's the anti-James-Bond. Abe Mathew (Philosophy, Notre Dame) joins us to discuss Le Carre and the 2011 film adaptation of his most famous novel. Trust no one! Cowspod.com!Buy a T-Shirt at our NEW merch site!


