252 - Alison's Birthday (1981) & Book of Monsters (2018) →

It’s Birthday Rituals Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey watch some birthday-themed horror centered around sinister rituals for Chris' special day!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Alison's Birthday (1981)
"A young girl is subjected to a reign of terror so that her soul can be transferred to the body of an old crone” (IMDb.com). Alison's Birthday is an Australian mash-up of concepts from other, better movies, but don't miss the charming forest for the trees.

The Modern Film: Book of Monsters (2018)
"Sophie's 18th birthday becomes a bloodbath when monsters descend upon her house and start to devour the party guests” (Epic Pictures). Book of Monsters is a Kickstarter flick full of nods to horror cliché, but—unlike Alison's Birthday—with none of the charm.

Audio Sources:
"Alison's Birthday" produced by The Australian Film Commission, et al.
"Birthday" written by Lennon–McCartney and performed by The Beatles
"Book of Monsters" produced by Dark Rift Films
"The Fifth Element" produced by Gaumont & Pinewood Studios
"Judge Reinhold/10,000 Maniacs" (Saturday Night Live S13E13) produced by Broadway Video & NBC Productions
"Mad Max" (1979) produced by Kennedy Miller Productions & Mad Max Films
"Math and King Solomon" (from The Top Part) written and performed by John Mulaney
"Rosemary's Baby" (1968) produced by William Castle Productions
"Skorpio" (Archer S01E06) produced by Radical Axis
"Stonehenge" written by Christopher Guest, et al., and performed by Spinal Tap

187 - Razorback (1984) & The Loved Ones (2009) →

CW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Harm to Animals, Suicide, Self Harm

It’s Australia Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey drive on the wrong side of the road and piss off an entire outback hunting village.

Get more at podsematary.com! Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Razorback (1984)
"As a vicious wild boar terrorizes the Australian outback, the husband of one of the victims is joined by a hunter and a farmer in a search for the beast” (IMDb.com). A (perhaps unsurprisingly) beautiful and striking horror film in the vein of Tremors or Jaws, Razorback most disappoints when you aren't getting *enough* of the good stuff.

The Modern Film: The Loved Ones (2009)
"When Brent turns down his classmate Lola's invitation to the prom, she concocts a wildly violent plan for revenge” (IMDb.com). The Loved Ones is unmistakably torture-porn-esque, but it manages to charm even these two haters of the genre with its compelling characters and teen drama tropes.

Audio Sources:
"Bruce's Sketch" written and performed by Monty Python
"Lola" written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks
"Lonesome Loser" written by David Briggs and performed by Little River Band
"The Loved Ones" produced by Screen Australia, et al.
"Monster in the Closet" (Brooklyn Nine-Nine S04E06) produced by Fremulon, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"The Pink Purse" produced by Fenslerfilm
"Razorback" produced by UAA Films, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Whatever Lola Wants" written by Richard Adler & Jerry Ross and performed by Sarah Vaughan

091 - Jaws (1975) & The Shallows (2016) →

Best of 2019 - #3 (Tied) Jaws

It’s Shark Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey celebrate their nation’s Independence Day by trekking to the beach to become shark food instead of doing the sensible thing and staying indoors at all times! But it’s okay: they’re fighters!

The Classic Film: Jaws (1975)
"When a [great white] shark unleashes chaos on a beach community, it's up to the local [police chief], a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.” (IMDb.com). I mean… it’s Jaws. This is one of Chris’ favorite movies of all time, so watch it for him, won’t you?

The Modern Film: The Shallows (2016)
“A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills” (Sony Pictures Entertainment). The Shallows is more survival-thriller than the adventure-drama of Jaws, so it avoids becoming just another Spielberg wannabe. Come to this one for the beautiful landscapes and the badass silliness of the scenarios instead of quality storytelling and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Get more at podsematary.com! Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1145078763446652928

Audio Sources:
"Blow" produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Clerks" produced by View Askew Productions & Miramax
"Finding Nemo" produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures
"Jaws" produced by Universal Pictures & Zanuck Brown Productions
"Jaws: The Inside Story" produced by A+E Television Networks
"Josie and the Pussycats" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Kevin Spacey/Beck" (Saturday Night Live S22E10) produced by NBC Studios and Broadway Video
"The Land Before Time" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Live Free or Die Hard" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"se7en" produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"The Shallows" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.