253 - Don't Panic (1987) & The Banana Splits Movie (2019) →

CW: Alcoholism

It’s our second Birthday Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey use a ouija board for their birthdays and resurrect defective children's show animatronics!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Don't Panic (1987)
"On his seventeenth birthday, Michael unwittingly unlocks the evil forces of a Ouija board” (IMDb.com). Often touted as the Nightmare on Elm Street of Mexico, this wacky "B" movie is pretty bad but in a very charming way.

The Modern Film: The Banana Splits Movie (2019)
"A family attends a live taping of The Banana Splits television series, but are forced to survive as soon as the characters go haywire and start a killing spree around the studio” (IMDb.com). There's a great concept, a lot of practical love, and some admirable spirit in this twisted resurrection of an actual 60s children's show, but while it may be respectable, the end product is not really much to look at.

Audio Sources:
"The Banana Splits Move" produced by Blue Ice Pictures & Blue Ribbon Content
"Don't Panic" produced by Producciones Galubi S.A. de C.V. & Producciones Torrente S.A.
"Don't Panic" (Cover Version) written by Jon Michael Bischof & performed by Tanner Sega (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKtp8k2yrwQ)
"The Lost Boys" produced by Warner Bros.
"Orgazmo" produced by Kuzui Enterprises, et al.
"Total Recall" (1990) produced by Carolco Pictures & Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.

243 - Uncle Sam (1996) & Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) →

CW: Spousal Abuse, Rape

It’s American Independence Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey celebrate the 4th respectfully and neither kick the tires nor light the fires.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Uncle Sam (1996)
"Desert Storm vet who was killed in combat rises from the grave on July Fourth, to kill the unpatriotic citizens of his hometown, after some teens burn an American flag over his burial site” (IMDb.com). It's better than we ever could have expected, but that can't hide its most egregious sin: Uncle Sam is mostly a boring movie.

The Modern Film: Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
"Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?” (IMDb.com). The original is by no means a masterpiece, but it made up for it in charisma. This sequel is just catastrophically bad and there's no amount of well-that-was-kinda-neat-I-guess that can make up for it.

Audio Sources:
"Firestarter" written by Liam Howlett, et al., and performed by The Prodigy
"Independence Day" produced by Twentieth Century Fox & Centropolis Entertainment
"Independence Day: Resurgence" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"South Park" produced by Braniff, et al.
"Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" produced by Lucasfilm
"Thank You for Being a Friend" written by Andrew Gold and Performed by Cynthia Fee
"That's My Bush!" produced by Comedy Central, et al.
"Theme from Shaft" composed and performed by Isaac Hayes
"Uncle Sam" produced by A-Pix Entertainment, et al.

240 - Stepfather 3 (1992) & The Wailing (2016) →

CW: Rape, Abuse of a Child with Disabilities, Harm to Animals

It’s Father's Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey get back-alley plastic surgery and second families. Look, it's all very confusing.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Stepfather 3: Father's Day (1992)
"That psycho stepfather has escaped from the insane asylum and had his face surgically altered. Now he's married again, this time to a woman with a child in a wheelchair. He goes on a killing spree once again” (IMDb.com). It's Stepfather again, only cringier and even more prudish, and this time we don’t even get Terry O'Quinn. It's the epitome of the unnecessary sequel.

The Modern Film: The Wailing (2016)
"Soon after a stranger arrives in a little village, a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman, drawn into the incident, is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter” (IMDb.com). The Wailing is a beautiful and very well-made but entirely too long movie with, ultimately, not a lot to say of substance about its subjects of choice.

Audio Sources:
"Eat Like an American" (from "Beyond the Pale") written and performed by Jim Gaffigan
"Happy Together" written by Gary Bonner & Alan Gordon and performed by the Turtles
"Hellraiser" (1987) produced by New World Pictures, et al.
"Jacob's Ladder" (1990) produced by Carolco Pictures
"Skyfire Cycle" (Brooklyn Nine-Nine S04E08) produced by Fremulon, et al.
"Stepfather" (1987) produced by Incorporated Television Company
"Stepfather 3" produced by Incorporated Television Company & Trimark Pictures
"The Wailing" produced by Fox International Production, et al.
"Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" produced by Wolper Pictures

239 - Damien: Omen II (1978) & Devil (2010) →

CW: Suicide, Alcoholism

It’s the Devil's Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey read their bibles because what else are they going to do locked in this elevator?

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Damien: Omen II (1978)
"Damien the Antichrist, now about to turn thirteen years old, finally learns of his destiny under the guidance of an unholy disciple of Satan. Meanwhile, dark forces begin to eliminate all those who suspect the child's true identity” (IMDb.com). This sequel to the incredible original is better than you might have anticipated, but there's not a lot of meat on the bones.

The Modern Film: Devil (2010)
"A group of people are trapped in an elevator and the Devil is mysteriously amongst them” (IMDb.com). M. Night Shyamalan co-produced this bottle episode of a movie about the devil on an elevator, and it's better than his track record at the time might have suggested. But it wasn't good enough to get a Night Chronicles Part Two.

Audio Sources:
"Damien: Omen II (1978)" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Devil" (2010) produced by Night Chronicles, et al.
"The Exorcist in 30 Seconds (and Re-enacted by Bunnies)" produced by Angry Alien Productions, LLC
"A Fish Out of Water" (Family Guy S03E10) produced by 20th Century Fox Television, et al.
"Forrest Gump" produced by Paramount Pictures, et al.
"The Lion King" (1994) produced by Walt Disney Pictures & Walt Disney Animation Studios
"May 7, 1992" (Entertainment Tonight) produced by Paramount Domestic Television, et al.
"A Night at the Roxbury" produced by Broadway Pictures, et al.
"When the Lights Go Out" written by Eliot Kennedy, et al., and performed by Five
"Your Love" written by Onika Maraj, et al., and performed by Nicki Minaj

238 - Jacob's Ladder (1990) & Overlord (2018) →

CW: PTSD, Rape

It’s Memorial Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey honor our nation's fallen military personnel by watching two movies with very different vibes all about military experimentation on human bodies. Don't worry—it's not all a downer.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Jacob's Ladder (1990)
"Mourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death” (IMDb.com). Jacob's Ladder is some important and heavy stuff, but that doesn't give it a free pass that its message and its context are almost completely divorced from one another, leading to a dilution of both.

The Modern Film: Overlord (2018)
"A small group of American soldiers finds horror behind enemy lines on the eve of D-Day” (IMDb.com). Overlord isn't much of a thinker, but it's consistently exciting and engaging for its entire runtime.

Audio Sources:
"Jacob's Ladder" (1990) produced by Carolco Pictures
"Overlord" (2018) produced by Bad Robot & Paramount Pictures

237 - Hide and Go Shriek (1988) & Dead in 3 Days (2006) →

CW: Homophobia, Transphobia, Suicide

It’s Graduation Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey celebrate their graduation by spending the night in a furniture warehouse with a killer! SHOCKING FINAL ACT TWIST: they killed another kid when they were eight!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

The Classic Film: Hide and Go Shriek (1988)
"A group of teenagers spend the night in a furniture store for a graduation party. A psycho killer starts hunting them down one by one” (IMDb.com). An otherwise straightforward 80s slasher with some fun variations, Hide and Go Shriek's sketchy social mores are really where it lets you down.

The Modern Film: Dead in 3 Days [In 3 Tagen bist du tot] (2006)
"A peaceful mountain lake community is terrorized when a close-knit group of friends becomes the target of a mysterious deranged killer” (Vudu.com). The filmmakers here knew how to make a movie and knew what elements horror movies had, but they really didn't know how to put them all together, leaving the audience generally bored in spite of everything going on.

Audio Sources:
"Big Business" produced by Touchstone Pictures & Silver Screen Partners III
"Clerks" produced by View Askew Productions & Miramax
"Dead in 3 Days" produced by Allegro Film, et al.
"Face/Off" produced by Touchstone Pictures, et al.
"Hide and Go Shriek" produced by New Star Entertainment
"Robin Hood: Men in Tights" produced by Brooksfilms & Gaumont
"Young Frankenstein" produced by Gruskoff/Venture Films, et al.

234 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 (1989) & Under The Shadow (2016) →

CW: Rape, Abortion, Addiction, Eating Disorders

It’s Mother's Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey learn about the perils of motherhood and all the demons that come with it.
Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
"The pregnant Alice finds Freddy Krueger striking through the sleeping mind of her unborn child, hoping to be reborn into the real world” (IMDb.com). It's happened. Nightmare on Elm Street is bad now. But don't worry—it gets worse.

The Modern Film: Under the Shadow (2016)
"As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home” (IMDb.com). More Persian mythology as metaphor made by Persians, please.

Audio Sources:
"Lawnmower Dog" (Rick & Morty S01E02) produced by Harmonius Claptrap, et al.
"Let's Go" written by Ric Ocasek and performed by The Cars
"Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy" produced by Panic Productions & 1428 Films
"A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Under the Shadow" produced by Wigwam Films, et al.

232 - Little Shop of Horrors (1986) & The Happening (2008) →

CW: Domestic Abuse

It’s Earth Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey give off good vibes and talk in a very positive manner about plants—but are sure not to feed them!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
"A nerdy florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed” (IMDb.com). Little Shop of Horrors is wonderful and joyous and great and shut up if you don't like it.

The Modern Film: The Happening (2008)
"A science teacher, his wife, and a young girl struggle to survive a plague that causes those infected to commit suicide” (IMDb.com). The Happening is famously maligned as confirmation that M. Night Shyamalan's promising star had faded. You could argue that the wooden acting and silly-but-melodramatic premise are an intentional homage to 50s B-movies, but if that's the case, Shyamalan didn't go hard enough.

Audio Sources:
"An American Tail" produced by Don Bluth Productions, et al.
"Anne Hathaway/The Killers" (Saturday Night Live S34E04) produced by Broadway Video, et al.
"The Happening" (2008) produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" written by Julie Brown, et al., and performed by Julie Brown
"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) produced by The Geffen Company
"Nightmare on Mother Brain's Street" (Captain N: The Game Master S01E09) produced by Saban Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Martin" (1992 TV Series) produced by You Go Boy! Productions & HBO Independent Productions
"Take My Breath Away" written by Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock and performed by Berlin

231 - Day of the Dead (1985) & Train to Busan (2016) →

It’s Resurrection Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey have maybe seen one too many zombie movies, so it's a good thing both of these are pretty great.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Day of the Dead (1985)
"Trapped in a missile silo, a small team of scientists, civilians, and trigger-happy soldiers battle desperately to ensure the survival of the human race. However, the tension inside the base is reaching a breaking point, and the zombies are gathering outside” (IMDb.com). The final installment of George A. Romero's original undead trilogy, Day of the Dead is a little slower than the others but a lot more brutal.

The Modern Film: Train to Busan (2016)
"While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan” (IMDb.com). Zombie tropes and Korean melodrama are the order of the day, but Train to Busan is still exceptionally made and full of great characters and moments.

Audio Sources:
"Day of the Dead" (1985) produced by United Film Distribution Company & Laurel Entertainment Inc.
"The Door" (Game of Thrones S06E05) produced by Television 360, et al.
"The Langoliers" (1995 TV Mini-Series) produced by Laurel Entertainment Inc., et al.
"M1 A1" written by Damon Albarn & John Harrison and performed by Gorillaz
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Train to Busan" produced by Next Entertainment World, et al.

227 - Leprechaun 4 (1996) & Boys from County Hell (2020) →

CW: Sexual Assault, Transmisogyny, Suicide

It’s St. Patrick's Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey are in space now for some reason, investigating the source of the Dracula mythos.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996)
"Our deadly leprechaun is in space to woo a beautiful princess who is impressed with his gold and desires to separate him from it” (IMDb.com). It's not like the franchise could ever really be accused of "trying," but this movie would be bad even by porn standards if there were any actual sex in it.

The Modern Film: Boys from County Hell (2020)
"A crew of hardy road workers, led by a bickering Father and Son, must survive the night when they accidentally awaken an ancient Irish vampire” (IMDb.com). In the vein of other Irish horror-comedies like pod-favorite Grabbers, Boys from County Hell is a clever take on classic tropes that's worth your time.

Audio Sources:
"Boys from County Hell" produced by Six Mile Hill Productions
"The Crucible" (1996) produced by Twentieth Century Fox
"Die Hard" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Home Improvement" produced by Wind Dancer Productions
"Leprechaun 4: In Space" produced by Blue Rider Pictures
"Meet the Cast | Willow | Disney+" via Lucasfilm @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPqk9k91TEk
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Robot Chicken: Star Wars III" produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.