Cadaver Dogs

In 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was tried for murder. He entered a plea of “Not Guilty,” on the basis of demonic possession. Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed to have proof.

David and Rob chat the new Conjuring movie (directed by Michael Chaves, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), in this bonus minisode! The first section is NON-SPOILER, and we’ll give our bone reviews before moving onto more in-depth spoiler discussion and analysis. Stick around till the end, and Devin will announce our films for next week!

How does Chaves’ direction hold up against James Wan’s first two installments? Tying into last week’s exploration of The Amityville Horror and The Town That Dreaded Sundown, we also ask what changes were made to the true crime, and what does it mean when filmmakers deviate from reality? Were the Warrens really the saints the franchise indicates, or was there something even more sinister afoot?

CONTENT WARNING: Abuse of a minor. Domestic abuse.

“Defendant In a Murder Puts the Devil on Trial,” by Dudley Clendinen, The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/23/nyregion/defendant-in-a-murder-puts-the-devil-on-trial.html

“War Over ‘The Conjuring’: The Disturbing Claims Behind a Billion-Dollar Franchise,” by Kim Masters, Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/war-conjuring-disturbing-claims-behind-a-billion-dollar-franchise-1064364/

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Theme by Adaam James Levin Areddy.

Cover art by Omri Kadim.

Radio Storm by White Bat Audio

80s Horror Synthwave by Slasher Royalty Free

Horror movie synth by Haddonfield horror

Filmmakers are often inspired by true events, but THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979) and THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976) are advertised to be dreadfully close to the gruesome tales they’re based on. What ethical obligation does the storyteller have when adapting real life horror? What justifies the art? And is any of this even moral? 

We go deep into the paranormal conspiracy of the Lutz family with The Amityville Horror directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Margot Kidder and James Brolin. Then chat the sensationalized The Town That Dreaded Sundown, directed by Charles B. Pierce, which is based on the tragic Texarkana Moonlight Murders committed by a serial killer. We also touch on the Conjuring favorites Ed and Lorraine Warren in anticipation for the Conjuring 4 releasing this week. 

CONTENT WARNING: Abuse. 

Up Next: CAM (2018) / PULSE (2001)

“My Amityville Horror” directed by Eric Walter

https://www.amazon.com/My-Amityville-Horror-Daniel-Lutz/dp/B00BUJ5YHO

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Announcing next week's films: 

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976, dir. Charles B. Pierce)

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979, dir. Stuart Rosenberg)

We'll be taking a look at two horror films that were inspired by true crime events. The Town that Dreaded Sundown was based on the Texarkana Moonlight Murders while Amityville Horror was based on the Lutz family murders (investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren of the Conjuring franchise).

We encourage you to watch these films with us before listening to the episode. While you watch, tweet us your thoughts at @cadaverdogspod

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Cover art by Omri Kadim. Music featured in this episode: 80s Synth by White Bat Audio. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

There have been three adaptations of John Campbell’s short story: THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951), THE THING (1982), and THE THING (2011). Just like their monster, these movies shapeshift with their era: Is the alien a metaphor for the atom bomb, or Communism? Masculinity or feminism?

Across these decades, each movie showcases wildly different special and visual effects, while tackling the themes of their era. We discuss how the classic 50s sci-fi, directed by Christian Nyby and Howard Hawks, pits scientists against the military, while John Carpenter’s remake, starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Donald Moffat, replaces propaganda with a brooding atmosphere. We then explore womanhood and studio interference in the 2011 prequel, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Egerton.

Up Next: THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979) / THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976)

“THING ADI Creature Work Behind-The-Scene,” by studioADI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBzpT7VmSaU

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Cover art by Omri Kadim. Theme by Adaam James Levin Areddy. Music featured in this episode: The Trees by Peter John Ross, Dusk by Ross Bugden, Get Out by White Bat Audio, Something Wicked by Ross Bugden. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Ireland’s rich history has spawned an expansive mythology, inspiring both THE HALLOW (2015) and LEPRECHAUN (1993). Devin, David, and Rob want to know how these films incorporate their fairy tale origins: Aren’t these stories meant for children? Or was there always something dark and terrifying lurking behind the magic?

We discuss how director Corin Hardy uses fairies and changelings as a parallel for British imperialism and nature’s battle against technology in his indie starring Joseph Mawle and Bojana Novakovic,. Then we come back to the United States, and dig into how Americans appropriated the image of the leprechaun and the immigrant, culminating in the campy 90s slasher, directed by Mark Jones and starring Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston (in her acting debut!)

Up next:  THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951), THE THING (1982), and THE THING (2011)

“Celtic Mythology - An Introduction to the Tuatha Dé Danann,” by Tomás Ó hAodha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6mazAiTHTs

“Where Did the U.S. Find Its Leprechaun?” by John O’Brien

https://ohioirishamericannews.com/2019/10/06/where-did-the-u-s-find-its-leprechaun/

“Changelings,” by D.L. Ashliman

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/changeling.html

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Theme by Adaam James Levin Areddy. Cover art by Omri Kadim. Music featured in this episode: The House by Vivek Abhishek, Cicada by Vivek Abhishek, Come Play with Me by Kevin MacLeod, and Time Flute’s Place by Komiku (Music promoted by Chosic). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

In our first episode, the Cadaver Dogs (Devin, David, and Rob) compare the classist themes in READY OR NOT (2019) and SOCIETY (1989). Demonic devotion or trans-species relation: what is the source of our class struggles? Do the rich really feed upon the poor? And how does our political era affect the horror genre?

We explore the flawed belief systems of the wealthy and the fear of Trumpism when digging into Radio Silence’s film starring Samara Weaving, Adam Brody and Andie MacDowell. Then, we go back to the Saved by The Bell surf 80s, Reaganomics era and dive into the incestuous aristocracy through Brian Yuzna’s body horror camp classic starring Billy Warlock.

Listen to the end for extra special Bone Reviews.

Up next: LEPRECHAUN (1993) / THE HALLOW (2015)

“A Matter of Good Breeding” by Noah Berlatsky

https://wearethemutants.com/2019/12/10/a-matter-of-good-breeding-the-shape-shifting-elite-in-brian-yuznas-society/

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Theme by Adaam James Levin Areddy. Cover art by Omri Kadim. Music featured in this episode: Horror Movie Synth by Haddonfield Horror, Time Flute’s Place by Komiku (music promoted by Chosic), and Bad Omen by White Bat Audio. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.

Cadaver Dogs, a horror film analysis podcast, is coming soon! 

First up, we'll be discussing classism and politics in Brian Yuzna's 1989 film, SOCIETY, and Radio Silence's 2019 film, READY OR NOT. 

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Cover art by Omri Kadim. Music featured in this episode: Distress Signal by Karl Casey and Something Wicked by Ross Bugden.