105 - The Secret Of NIMH (1982) & Spirited Away (2001) →

CW: Depression, Suicide

Best of 2019 - #1 (Tied) Spirited Away; #5 The Secret of NIMH

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1179130908894318593

It’s a change of pace on this episode of Pod Sematary with Horrifying Family Animation Week! Chris & Kelsey talk about two animated masterpieces that, while not explicitly horror films, still manage to unsettle or terrify children and adults alike. Please accept the thin pretense for a nice feel-good break from the norm. Thanks to listener Jeffrey for recommending The Secret of NIMH!

The Classic Film: The Secret of NIMH (1982)
"To save her ill son, a field mouse must seek the aid of a colony of rats, with whom she has a deeper link than she ever suspected” (IMDb.com). Chris's favorite animated film marks maybe the last time Disney's dominance of the cartoon market was called into question. Don Bluth's first(!) feature after leaving what he considered to be a floundering Disney in the 80s, The Secret of NIMH doesn't shy away from plunging audiences into the depths of darkness and despair to help them appreciate the light.

The Modern Film: Spirited Away (2001)
"During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts” (IMDb.com). Calling Hayao Miyazaki "the Walt Disney of Japan" doesn't give the animation auteur enough credit for the unique wonder and majesty he brings the world with his films. With Spirited Away, perhaps his best ever (although Kelsey prefers Totoro), Miyazaki thrusts the audience into a frighteningly mystical world of spirits and demons that never ceases to amaze.

Audio Sources:
"The NeverEnding Story" produced by Constantin Film, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
“The Secret of NIMH” produced by Don Bluth Productions, et al.
"The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue" produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation, et al.
"Secrets Behind the Secret" produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
"Shut Up and Talk: Don Bluth and Gary Goldman" produced by Channel Awesome
"Spirited Away” produced by Studio Ghibli, et al.