Not My Fantasy

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) (feat. Kyle Leone of The Gory Days)

To start off spooky month, we’re exploring the Haitian-Vodou origins of the zombie in the 1988 Wes Craven film, “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” Hannah takes the lead, diving into the real-life story of zombification and the years of scientific study on the phenomenon that inspired the film. With our friend and fellow podcaster Kyle Leone, we have a fascinating conversation about the brutal historical context and rich folklore of the original zombie as it’s explored in this equally fascinating zombie film.
 
Check out Kyle Leone and his podcast The Gory Days on Kyle-Leone.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
 
Research for this episode:
The Serpent and the Rainbow (film) - Wikipedia
Slavery and the Haitian Revolution - Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (George Mason University)
Haiti (Saint-Domingue) - SlaveryandRemembrance.org
The Secrets of Haiti’s Living Dead - Harvard Magazine
Clairvius Narcisse - Wikipedia
The Serpent and the Rainbow (book) - Wikipedia
“The Tragic Forgotten History of Zombies” by Mike Marian -, The Atlantic
 
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Over the Moon (2020) (feat. Ellen Na)

This week, we’re crying our eyes out over the idea of change and new love after grief in the 2020 animated film “Over the Moon” from Netflix and Pearl Studio. Our friend Ellen joins Cullen and Hannah to fangirl over our new favorite lunar pop princess deity, Chang’e. Listen to us chat about the Mid-Autumn Lunar Festival and the different versions of the Chang’e story, shake our butts to “Ultraluminary” in the club, and induct Fei Fei into the Women in STEM Hall of Fame.
 
Research for this episode:
Handbook of Chinese Mythology 
The Fairytellers 
Over the Moon and Chinese Culture 
 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Disney Descendants Deep-Dive (Part 2)

Cullen and Hannah continue down the Descendants Rabbit Hole and overcomplicate Cullen’s conspiracy board as they analyze Descendants: the Royal Wedding and Descendants Rise of Red. Can they untangle the Descendants timeline and deal with all the complications and worldbuilding deviations Rise of Red brings or just shrug and say it’s for kids? It’s Cullen and Hannah so of course they will go crazy trying to decipher this lore and ask once and for all, what do good and evil look like? 
Research for this episode:
Queen of Mean Charting 
My Immortal 
TikTok Aesthetic 
Descendants Novels, Web Series, and Stage Play 
Goth History
Doll Drama 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Disney Descendants Deep-Dive (Part 1)

Follow Cullen and Hannah into the lore that is the Descendants franchise (2015-Present) as we dissect this Disney Channel Fanfic Franchise as a case study for the commodification of morality in the modern world. Are Good and Evil merely aesthetics? Join us on an unhinged pop culture journey to find out. In part 1 we discuss the Original Trilogy (2015-2019) and the wild lore it creates to carry us between banger dance numbers. 
Research for this episode:
Queen of Mean Charting 
My Immortal 
TikTok Aesthetic 
Descendants Novels, Web Series, and Stage Play 
Goth History
Doll Drama 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (2023) (ft. Maiko Greenleaf)

Ask us what kind of tree it is, because it’s a Chris Pine (movie). We watched “Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves” and explored the world of the Forgotten Realms with our favorite dorky, dysfunctional adventuring party. Cullen references The Veggie Tales for the 100th time, Hannah shares her close call with a rogue gang of Minions, and Maiko reports live from Legolas’ back woods.
 
Check out our guest appearance on Shoot the Flick! We had a fun conversation dissecting the obliteration of history in “Night About the Museum.” You can find that episode of Shoot the Flick on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
 
Research for this episode:
Dungeons & Dragons - Wikipedia
Miniature wargaming - Wikipedia
Chainmail (game) - Wikipedia
Editions of Dungeons & Dragons - Wikipedia
Forgotten Realms - Wikipedia 
Harpers - Wikipedia 
Emerald Enclave - Wikipedia 
Neverwinter - Wikipedia 
 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan & Hannah Sylvester. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

1st Famtasy Choice Awards (50 Episode Celebration)

The Famtasy Choice Awards (50 Episode Celebration)
 
Cullen and Hannah thank viewers like you and hand out Famtasy Choice Awards to the characters, songs and movies we’ve met on the Fantastical Adventure as voted by our listeners. We also read comments and reviews and celebrate the journey of our first 50 episodes. Thank you listeners for listening to 50 episodes of magic, mayhem, and movies!
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Nimona (2023) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen and Brittany Spurlin)

Nimona (2023) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen and Brittany Spurlin)
 
This week, Cullen is joined by two grad school friends, Allyssa and Brittany, to talk about the shape-shifting queer tale of Netflix’s Nimona! We start with some queer book recommendations to finish your Pride Month with some more awesome tales. Then, Cullen gives us an overview of shapeshifter and trickster lore, Allyssa raves about the unique world of the movie and Brittany swooned at the love story between Boldheart and Goldenloin.
 
PSA: Support your local library!
 
Check out Brittany on Twitter (currently known as X): @BSInitials 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Mulan (1998) (feat. Nick Bennett)

For this week of Pride Month, we’re talking about the animated movie that invented gender-bending — Disney’s Mulan 1998. Cullen shares two of the oldest versions of the Chinese folktale, Hannah can’t stop talking about how good this movie is, and our guest Nick convinces us that he’s not saying Mulan is a trans story but he’s also not NOT saying that. Huge thanks to our friend Nick for sharing amazing insights and love for this great film!
Vote in the Famtasy Choice Awards
Research for this episode:
Everything Culturally Right and Wrong With Mulan 1998 - Xiran Jay Zhao
Synopsis of Mulan Play
Mulan History 
Chinese Dragons 
The Ballad of Mulan 
Fairytellers Episode on Mulan 
 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

All of Us Strangers (2023) (feat. Once Upon a VHS)

Happy Pride Month! We’re starting off with a heavy film that just barely counts as a fantasy film– “All of Us Strangers.” Cullen does a roll call of various queer deities (gay-ities, if you will), Hannah points out fantasy tropes and themes, and our guests Callum and Michael share insights about the first movie adaptation of “Strangers,” the novel this film is based on.
Trigger Warning: Briefs References to Self-Unal*ving
Check out Callum and Michael’s podcast Once Upon a VHS, and be sure to follow them on Instagram and Tiktok!
 
VOTE IN THE FAMTASY CHOICE AWARDS 
 
Research for this episode:
History of Dog and the Sailor 
Yurei 
The Ghosts of Japan 
 
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Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.
 

Eragon (2006) (feat. The Book Was Better Podcast)

We’re making Not My Fantasy history, folks. That’s right, we’re finally talking about the movie that comes before Cullen’s favorite song about a blue dragon. We’re reviewing “Eragon” with special guests, Kaley and Taylor of The Book Was Better Podcast! Cullen relives his disappointing experience seeing the movie in theaters, Hannah tries to wrap her brain around the movie’s confounding lore, while Kaley and Taylor help us make sense of the filmmakers’ crazy changes from the book.
 
Check out The Book Was Better Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
====================================
 
Watch Us on YouTube!
 
Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:
 
@notmyfantasypod
Instagram
TikTok
 
Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 
This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
 
Cover Art by William Callaghan
Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.