172 - Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) & Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) →

CW: Suicide, Torture, Self-harm

It’s Hell Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey find pleasure in the pain of the Hellraiser franchise, rounding out the Kirsty Cotton Trilogy!

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

The Classic Film: Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
"Kirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser (1987), where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld” (IMDb.com). Only two movies into the series and Hellbound: Hellraiser II is already starting to turn the franchise a little wacky. But it still has beautifully horrific visuals and charm to spare.

The Modern Film: Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)
"A shady businessman attempts to piece together the details of the car crash that killed his wife, rendered him an amnesiac, and left him in possession of a sinister puzzle box that summons monsters” (IMDb.com). Okay, so yeah, six entries into a semi-niche horror franchise and you're certainly going to see some wear and tear, but Hellraiser: Hellseeker manages to still have some intriguing content, due largely to its premise and the return of the OG Franchise heroine. Anything can happen!

Audio Sources:
"Anything Could Happen" written by Ellie Goulding & Jim Eliot and performed by Ellie Goulding
"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, et al.
"Heavy Metal" written by Sammy Hagar & Jim Peterik and performed by Sammy Hagar
"Hellbound: Hellraiser II" produced by New World Pictures, et al.
"Hellraiser (VNV Nation Remix)" written by Johan van Roy and performed by Suicide Commando
"Hellraiser: Hellseeker" produced by Dimension Films & Neo Art & Logic
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

039 - Hellraiser (1987) & We Are Still Here (2015) →

In this episode of Pod Sematary, Chris and Kelsey explore the further reaches of experience!

First up is the 1987 Clive Barker classic, Hellraiser! See the introductions of Pinhead, Chatterer, Butterball, and... uh... Female Cenobite? Also, hear how the movie traumatized a young Kelsey by opening her mind to an experience beyond limits, of pain and pleasure, indivisible.

Then it's on to the universally praised (for some reason) We Are Still Here from 2015. The hippies are great, but does the rest of the cast stack up? Chris doesn't understand the backstory because it's dumb, and the misses are disappointing because the hits are just so fun. Where do we end on this one?

Plus! Chris complains about the MPAA, Kelsey shares her concerns about the future of horror, and we discuss our non-spoiler thoughts on Hereditary (which we'll cover in full once it's available to stream at home). Join us! We have such sights to show you!

Get more at www.podsematary.com!

Audio Sources:
"Hellraiser" produced by Cinemarque Entertainment BV, et al
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"We Are Still Here" produced by Snowfort Pictures in association with Dark Sky Films