255 - Double Feature - The Addams Family (1991 & 2019) →

It’s an Addams Family Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey gladly feast on those who would subdue them!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The "Original": The Addams Family (1991)
"Con artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle” (IMDb.com). The 90s Addams Family managed to modernize the famous horror brood without losing their wit and bite, but does it still hold up?

The "Remake": The Addams Family (2019)
"The eccentrically macabre family moves to a bland suburb where Wednesday Addams' friendship with the daughter of a hostile and conformist local reality show host exacerbates conflict between the families” (IMDb.com). While showing an occasional glimpse of quality, this Addams reboot is ultimately just a lame Illumination wannabe with often-flat humor and tired jokes.

Audio Sources:
"The Addams Family" (1991) produced by Orion Pictures, et al.
"The Addams Family" (2019) produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, et al.
"The Addams Family in New York" (The Addams Family [1973 TV Series] S01E01) produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions
"Children of the Corn" (1984) produced by Hal Roach Studios, et al.
"Frankenstein" (1931) produced by Universal Pictures
"Street Fighter" (1994) produced by Capcom Entertainment, et al.
"Watchmen" (2009) produced by Warner Bros., et al.

244 - Double Feature - Firestarter (1984 & 2022) →

CW: Child Abuse, Harm to Animals

It’s Firestarter Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey try a double helping of the Stephen King adaptation and start bleeding from all sorts of places.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Original: Firestarter (1984)
"A couple who participated in a potent medical experiment gain telepathic ability and then have a child who is pyrokinetic” (IMDb.com). Some wonky bits aside, an absolutely stacked cast turns out one of (in our minds) the actually good Stephen King adaptations.

The Remake: Firestarter (2022)
"A young girl tries to understand how she mysteriously gained the power to set things on fire with her mind” (IMDb.com). Compared to the book and the original film, this remake just doesn't stand up. But if you watch it first, you may think it's alright.

Audio Sources:
"Firestarter" (1984) produced by Dino De Laurentiis Company & Universal Pictures
"Firestarter" (2022) produced by Blumhouse Productions, et al.
"Firestarter" written by Liam Howlett, et al., and performed by The Prodigy
"Hot Cold Sodas and Cold Hot Popcorn" by Nuthacker
"The Langoliers" (1995 TV Miniseries) produced by Laurel Entertainment Inc., et al.
"Old School" produced by Dreamworks Pictures & The Montecito Picture Company
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" produced by Lucasfilm, et al.
"Stephen King's IT" (1990 TV Miniseries) produced by Green/Epstein Productions, et al.

233 - Double Feature - The Stepford Wives (1975 & 2004) →

It’s a Stepford Wives Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey make perfect robot versions of each other, but the replacements just run off together.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Original: The Stepford Wives (1975)
"Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents” (IMDb.com). Just like Rosemary's Baby, which we love so much, this is yet another Ira Levin story about a woman undone by the selfish machinations of her husband after they move to a new home. Too bad this feminist thriller isn't nearly as effective as that.

The Remake: The Stepford Wives (2004)
"[Joanna Eberhart] has a hard time adjusting to Stepford's manicured environs and the overly accommodating attitude of the area women. Soon Joanna begins to suspect that something is not right, and she tries to uncover Stepford's secret” (RottenTomatoes.com). Just like Little Shop of Horrors, which we love so much, this is yet another over-the-top, satirical, horror remake from Frank Oz. Too bad this comedy isn't nearly as bold as that.

Audio Sources:
"Hercules" (1997) produced by Walt Disney Pictures, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"The Producers" (2005) produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"The Stepford Wives" (1975) produced by Palomar Pictures International & Fadsin Cinema Associates
"The Stepford Wives" (2004) produced by Paramount Pictures, et al.
"The Truman Show" produced by Paramount Pictures & Scott Rudin Productions

210 - Double Feature - Ghostbusters (1984 & 2016) →

CW: Suicide, Sexual Harassment

The Best of 2021 - #4 Ghostbusters (1984)

It’s a Ghostbusters Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey find out what it is to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar this day, I can tell you!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Original: Ghostbusters (1984)
"Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers” (IMDb.com). Barring a minor amount of gags that didn't age very gracefully, this horror-comedy classic is exactly as genius as the current zeitgeist would imply.

The Remake: Ghostbusters (2016)
"Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat” (IMDb.com). Recasting the classic with women didn't ruin this movie. It not being very good did.

Audio Sources:
"Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" produced by Morgan Creek Entertainment
"Ghostbusters" (1984) produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Ghostbusters" (2016) produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Ghostbusters" (The Movies that Made Us S01E03) produced by Netflix
"Janine, You've Changed" (The Real Ghostbusters S06E01) produced by DIC Entertainment
"Lonesome Ghosts" (1937) produced by Walt Disney Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

209 - Double Feature - Frankenstein (1931 & 2015) →

CW: Harm to Children and Animals

It’s a Frankenstein Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey drop out of medical school and 3D-print a human man to find out who the REAL monster is.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The "Original": Frankenstein (1931)
"Dr. Frankenstein dares to tamper with life and death by creating a human monster out of lifeless body parts” (IMDb.com). While not a faithful adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic novel, 1931's Frankenstein is a classic itself with not an inconsiderable amount of quality in its brisk runtime.

The "Remake": Frankenstein (2015)
"A married couple of scientists create a modern-day monster” (IMDb.com). This modern retelling of the story we already know and love by Bernard Rose, director of the original Candyman, begins with a promise of novelty that it fails to keep.

Audio Sources:
"Awakening: Part 1" (Gargoyles S01E01) produced by Disney Television Animation
"Clue" produced by Paramount Pictures, et al
"Feed My Frankenstein" written by Alice Cooper, et al., and performed by Alice Cooper
"Frankenstein" (1931) produced by Universal Pictures
"Frankenstein" (2015) produced by Bad Badger, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Sound of da Police” written by Lawrence Parker, et al., and performed by KRS-One
"Treehouse of Horror" (The Simpsons S02E03) produced by Gracie Films & 20th Century Fox Television
"Young Frankenstein" produced by Gruskoff/Venture Films, et al.

198 - Double Feature - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974 & 2003) →

CW: Suicide, Torture, Ableism, Negative Depictions of Neurodiversity

The Best of 2021 - #9 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

It’s a Texas Chainsaw Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey drive through Texas singing songs about other states—so, yeah, they deserve to die.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Original: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
"Two siblings and three of their friends en route to visit their grandfather's grave in Texas fall victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths” (IMDb.com). Famous for being a success story as both an indie and an exploitation horror, the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is both gritty and grounded in a way that is guaranteed to disturb.

The Remake: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
"After picking up a traumatized young hitchhiker, five friends find themselves stalked and hunted by a deformed chainsaw-wielding loon and his family of equally psychopathic killers” (IMDb.com). When Kelsey saw this movie at 16, having not seen the original, it shook her so bad that she had to get up and leave before the end. It was just that norm-breaking and effective at the time. Now that she's older and has seen the original, she may want to bail for different reasons.

Audio Sources:
"Adventures in Babysitting" produced by Touchstone Pictures & Silver Screen Partners III
"Beautiful Texas" written by W. Lee O'Daniel and performed by Willie Nelson
"Die Hard" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Muriel's Wedding" produced by CiBy 2000, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Rocky Horror Picture Show" produced by Twentieth Century Fox & Michael White Productions
"Spaceballs" produced by Brooksfilms & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
"Street Fighter" (1994) produced by Capcom Entertainment & Edward R. Pressman Productions
"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) produced by Vortex
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) produced by New Line Cinema, et al.

188 - Double Feature - The House on Sorority Row (1982) & Sorority Row (2009) →

CW: Stillbirth, Rape, Homophobia

It’s Graduation Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey unwillingly participate in a prank gone wrong and now they have to throw a party while being stalked by a killer with a poorly-obfuscated identity!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: The House on Sorority Row (1982)
"After a seemingly innocent prank goes horribly wrong, a group of sorority sisters are stalked and murdered one by one in their sorority house while throwing a party to celebrate their graduation” (IMDb.com). The House on Sorority Row is not thrilling, it's not scary, and it isn't even that interesting aside from a few moments in the final act. It isn't bad, but it's certainly not good either.

The Modern Film: Sorority Row (2009)
"A group of sorority sisters try to cover up the death of their house-sister after a prank gone wrong, only to be stalked by a serial killer” (IMDb.com). One mo' 'gain! Second verse is different from the first (but not by much)!

Audio Sources:
"Carrie" (1976) produced by Red Bank Films
"The House on Sorority Row" (1982) produced by VAE Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Sorority Row" (2009) produced by Summit Entertainment, et al.
"When Harry Met Sally..." produced by Castle Rock Entertainment & Nelson Entertainment

182 - Double Feature - King Kong (1933) & Kong: Skull Island (2017) →

CW: Racism

It’s a King Kong Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey watch the first and most recent initial installments in Kong franchises and there are still two more left!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: King Kong (1933)
"A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition” (IMDb.com). There are plenty of things about this movie that aged poorly (including some really cringe-inducing racial insensitivity) but, surprisingly, the effects and pathos aren't among them. King Kong (1933) is the O.G. and this king still rules.

The Modern Film: Kong: Skull Island (2017)
"After the Vietnam war, a team of scientists explores an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong, and must fight to escape a primal Eden” (IMDb.com). This newest attempt at rebooting the Kong franchise does even get to leave the island, but we're okay with it. It's a little cheesy, there's no character development, and it's chockablock full of cliché, but it's also gorgeous, cool, and home to the best-looking Kong ever.

Audio Sources:
"The Impression That I Get" written by Dicky Barrett & Joe Gittleman and performed by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
"King Kong" (1933) produced by RKO Radio Pictures
"Kong: Skull Island" produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Ransom" (Brooklyn Nine-Nine S07E12) produced by Fremulon, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Through the Decades" produced by Decades
"I'm on a Boat" written by Andy Samberg, et al. and performed by The Lonely Island
"Up" produced by Pixar Animation Studios & Walt Disney Pictures

164 - Double Feature - The Crazies (1973 & 2010) →

CW: Incest, Rape, Mental Illness

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s a Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey will end up either dead or insane! Thanks for the recommendation, Alex!

The Classic Film: The Crazies (1973)
"A biological weapon gone awry is only the start of problems in the little town of Evan's City, Pennsylvania. Bouts of insanity in the populace are leading to murder and rioting until the US Army turns up - and things really start going to hell” (IMDb.com). Feeling like a quintessential low-budget Romero flick, The Crazies is a raw and affecting story of survival.

The Modern Film: The Crazies (2010)
"As a toxin begins to turn the residents of Ogden Marsh, Iowa, into violent psychopaths, sheriff David Dutton tries to make sense of the situation while he, his wife, and two other unaffected townspeople band together in a fight for survival” (IMDb.com). It may be rare, but sometimes a horror remake is actually good. This is the case with The Crazies' 2010 remake, which does something completely different from the original and does it pretty well.

Audio Sources:
"The Crazies" (1973) produced by Pittsburgh Films
"The Crazies" (2010) produced by Overture Films, et al.
"Dawn of the Dead" (1978) produced by Laurel Group & Dawn Associates
"Ghostbusters" (1984) produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"The Haunting" (1999) produced by Dreamworks Pictures & Roth-Arnold Productions
"Jurassic Park" produced by Universal Pictures & Amblin Entertainment
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Pulp Fiction" produced by A Band Apart, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Spider-Man" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Shut Up and Drive" written by Evan Rogers, et al. and performed by Rihanna

157 - Double Feature - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) & The Invasion (2007) →

Best of 2020 - #3 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It’s a pod people double feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey shed all emotion and join the collective in peace!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Second Adaptation: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
"When strange seeds drift to earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, California, where they replicate the residents into emotionless automatons one body at a time” (IMDb.com). Less reactionary that it's '56 predecessor and the Jack Finney novel on which it's based, the '78 version's slow boil and creeping terror are exactly as effective as the film's modern-day hype would suggest.

The Fourth Adaptation: The Invasion (2007)
"As a Washington, D.C. psychiatrist unearths the origin of an alien epidemic, she also discovers her son might be the only way it can be stopped” (IMDb.com). Take the 1978 classic, remove the character building and charm, and add some mildly effective personal tension and mindless action scenes and you'll have this fourth attempt at reinventing the wheel. The Invasion seems like it might be worth watching until it just gives up about halfway through and drowns in its own genericism.

Audio Sources:
"Alien" produced by Brandywine Productions
"Amazing Grace" performed by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard
"The Invasion" produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) produced by Walter Wanger Productions
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978) produced by Solofilm
"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
"Pod People" (Mystery Science Theater 3000 S04E03) produced by Best Brains
"S&M Present" (Robot Chicken S01E09) produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.