115 - Christmas Evil (1980) & A Christmas Horror Story (2015) →

CW: Abortion, Self Harm, Rape

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1206343899075072001

It’s the first of two weeks of Christmas on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey prepare for a bad winter this year and are surprised to find two holiday-themed horror flicks that don't suck!

The Classic Film: Christmas Evil (1980)
"A toy factory worker, mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree” (IMDb.com). This holiday favorite of camp icon John Waters is a slow boil but it's a surprisingly unique take on the killer Santa trope. It manages to take itself very seriously and still be fun at the same time.

The Modern Film: A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
"Interwoven stories that take place on Christmas Eve, as told by one festive radio host: A family brings home more than a Christmas tree, a student documentary becomes a living nightmare, a Christmas spirit terrorizes, [and] Santa slays evil” (IMDb.com). While the vignettes never should have been interwoven in the first place and some are not as good as the rest (::cough:: the students ::cough::), a delightful tone and killer ending really redeem this holiday anthology.

Audio Sources:
“Christmas Evil” produced by Edward R. Pressman Productions
"A Christmas Horror Story" produced by Copperheart Entertainment
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" produced by Warner Bros. & Hughes Entertainment
"Night of the Sentinels: Part 2" (X-Men: The Animated Series S01E02) produced by Marvel Entertainment, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Valzer dei Fiori" composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

104 - The Fog (1980) & The Mist (2007) →

CW: Suicide

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1178074557611003904

It’s Condensation Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey discover something in the fog and probably confuse Carpenter and King classics! Thanks to listener Anthony for the recommendation!

The Classic Film: The Fog (1980)
"An unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters” (IMDb.com). Following up on their first film together (Halloween), John Carpenter and Debra Hill team up again to make another great horror movie in a completely different style. This time, an ensemble cast have to find their own way through the fog to stop… vengeful leper pirates? Wait, that can’t be right...

The Modern Film: The Mist (2007)
"A freak storm unleashes species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives” (IMDb.com). This Stephen King adaptation (directed by Frank Darabont, probably the most successful King adaptor) not only has one of the most notorious endings in horror cinema history, but also incredible creature designs and gruesomely impactful gore. Are those enough to get over the cliched characters, wonky CGI, and muddled themes? Chris and Kelsey disagree.

Get more at podsematary.com!

Audio Sources:
"The Cat and the Claw Part II" (Batman: The Animated Series S01E08) produced by Warner Bros. Animation
“The Exorcist” produced by Warner Bros. & Hoya Productions
“The Fog” (1980) produced by Debra Hill Productions, et al.
“Halloween” (1978) produced by Compass International Pictures
“The Mist” produced by Dimension Films, et al.
“Move Bitch” written by J. Smith, et al. and performed by Ludacris feat. Mystikal & I-20
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Soul and Mind" performed by E's Jammy Jams
"The Stand" produced by Greengrass Productions & Laurel Entertainment Inc."Tales from the Mist: Inside 'The Fog'" produced by Automat Pictures
"The Thing" (1982) produced by Universal Pictures & Turman-Foster Company
"WNEW FM Opening 5 - 2 - 77” performed by Alison Steele