173 - Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) & Crimson Peak (2015) →

CW: Sexual Assault

It’s Valentine's Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey get all sappy and romantic with two archetypical gothic horror giants!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
"[Dracula's] lonely soul is determined to reunite with his lost love, Mina. In Britain, [he] begins a reign of terror and seduction draining the life from her closest friend, Lucy. Together they try and drive Dracula away.” (RottenTomatoes.com). Francis Ford Coppola creates a stunning visual masterpiece using almost nothing but the cinematic techniques available at the turn of the 20th century. It's certainly quite something, but is it too bizarre for fans of the popular ur-vampire?

The Modern Film: Crimson Peak (2015)
"In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers” (IMDb.com). You'll see a lot of familiar content here, even what are becoming Guillermo del Toro's own cliches, and the scares are a little weak, but as always, del Toro produces a feast for the eyes and the soul.

Audio Sources:
"Blood Lines: Dracula - The Man. The Myth. The Movies." produced by Columbia Pictures
"Bram Stoker's Dracula" produced by American Zoetrope, et al.
"The Costumes Are the Sets: The Design of Eiko Ishioka" produced by Zoetrope Aubry Productions
"Crimson Peak" produced by Double Dare You (DDY) & Legendary Entertainment
"It's My Party" written by Walter Gold, et al., and performed by Lesley Gore
"Jurassic Park" produced by Universal Pictures & Amblin Entertainment
"Love Song for a Vampire" written and performed by Annie Lennox
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Pineapple Express" produced by Apatow Productions, et al.
"Scream 4" produced by Dimension Films, et al.
"She's Not There" written by Rod Argent and performed by The Zombies

114 - Pet Sematary II (1992) & It Chapter Two (2019) →

CW: Rape, Suicide, Domestic Abuse, Homophobia, Distressing sequences involving animals

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1203531590904795136

It’s Stephen King Sequels Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey go back to the well to revive Stephen King adaptions in the form of sequels!

The Classic Film: Pet Sematary II (1992)
"A teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead” (IMDb.com). This bonkers sequel is fairly lovable in its weirdness, even if the ending goes a little off the rails.

The Modern Film: It Chapter Two (2019)
"Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back” (IMDb.com). Having enjoyed Chapter One in episode 15 of the podcast (or “liked okay” in Kelsey’s case), we were surprised to find that Chapter Two was massively hobbled in what appears to be an attempt to end the story and include every popular ingredient from the first chapter at the same time. Simply put: it does not work.

Plus! Our spoiler-free thoughts on the Netflix adaptation of King and Hill's In the Tall Grass!

Audio Sources:
"Christine" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Clueless" produced by Paramount Pictures
"Fading Away" performed by Jan King
“It Chapter Two” produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
“Pet Sematary II” produced by Paramount Pictures & Columbus Circle Films
“Poison Heart” written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Reverence" written by William Reid & Jim Reid and performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain
"Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)" written by Johnny Mandel (music) & Mike Altman (lyrics) and performed by The Mash
"Training / Credits" (from "Punch-Out!!" [NES]) composed and arranged by Yukio Kaneoka, Akito Nakatsuka, and Kenji Yamamoto
"Weird Satanist Guy" via BowserVids @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=YErFwJX0HKE