204 - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) & Coraline (2009) →

CW: Harm to Children

The Best of 2021 - #10 Coraline

It’s Wholesome Horror Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey ride the carousel backward and enjoy absolutely terrific horror movies made for kids to kick off October! This time, both movies are about evil entities posing as things kids tend to love in order to feed on their souls.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
"In a small American town, a diabolical circus and its demonic proprietor prey on the townsfolk” (IMDb.com). Ray Bradbury's script adaptation of his own novel is yet another 80s film that Disney seems content to forget about, but impeccable writing and a great performance by Jonathan Pryce make this movie a must-watch during the Halloween season.

The Modern Film: Coraline (2009)
"An adventurous 11-year-old girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets” (IMDb.com). Full disclosure: We are a Gaiman-loving household. But beyond the story, Coraline is a beautiful and disquieting stop-motion feat and possibly Laika's best.

Audio Sources:
"Coraline" produced by Laika Entertainment, et al.
"Get Out" produced by Monkeypaw Productions, et al.
"Ghost" (1990) produced by Paramount Pictures & Howard W. Koch Productions
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" written by Jim Steinman and performed by Meatloaf
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Something Wicked This Way Comes" produced by Walt Disney Productions & Bryna Productions
"The Trial of Jack McCall" (Deadwood S01E5) produced by HBO, et al.

066 - Ghostkeeper (1981) & The Children (2008) →

CW: Abortion, Pedophilia, Rape

Happy New Year from Pod Sematary! Chris and Kelsey wrap up their two-week new year celebration with two horror movies that have something surprising in common: talented direction without the resources to execute!

Our classic film is 1981's Ghostkeeper, a little-watched atmospheric horror from Canada about the legend of the Wendigo! When three friends visiting the Canadian Rockies for the new year get lost on their snowmobiles, they’re forced to find shelter in a run-down lodge. While there, they meet a strange old woman who is protecting more than her rustic way of life. Did a dwindling budget ruin what could have easily become seasonal hit?

Then it's on to our modern film, 2008's The Children, a low-budget British flick that takes the Jaws route of suggestion over more explicit gore. What happens when two loving families become the victims of a disease that makes their children violent? Will they be able to keep it together long enough to make it to the new year? Is it surprising when a talented director can't write a coherent script?

Get more at podsematary.com! Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1081663761583407104

Audio Sources:
"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, et al.
"The Children" produced by Vertigo Films, et al.
"Ghostkeeper" produced by Badland Pictures
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones