Imported Horror

Svyatoslav Podgaevskiy's The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead is a campy romp through Slavic folklore, low-tech special effects and vintage monster tropes. It also leaves viewers with a few unanswered questions. Marcus and Melissa explore the film's ending and trope-y plot points.

Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend you listen to the previous full episode before listening to this spoilercast.

Thanks to Disney, many Americans stereotype mermaids as mute and charming redheads. In Russia, though, the rusalka isn't sweet - she's got claws and a taste for blood. Marcus and Melissa dive in to Slavic folklore, spectacularly creepy makeup and a vintage campy monster movie. Also, would you rather die to spare your friends a horror death, or run for the hills and leave everyone to fend for themselves?

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 4. Personal enjoyment: 5 (Marcus) / 4 (Melissa)

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Rusalka: The Mythical Slavic Mermaid," by Kerry Sullivan in Ancient Origins

"Do You Love Me? The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead Review," by Frank Fulci in Repulsive Reviews

"Infamous Horror had an interview with The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead’s director," in Infamous Horror

Adam MacDonald's Backcountry is crisp and brutal. Its ending leaves viewers with all the feels - and potentially a major misunderstanding of a critical piece of camping safety. Marcus and Melissa break down the gripping conclusion and explore what the film and its characters got right and wrong about wilderness survival.

Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Backcountry before listening to this spoilercast.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"How to Survive a Black Bear Attack," by Aleta Burchyski in Outside Online

"Lone, predatory black bears responsible for most human attacks," by Doug O'Harra in the Anchorage Daily News

Nature is stone cold savage. So is Adam MacDonald's "Backcountry." The film about lost campers in bear country uses deeply disorienting cinematography and stellar acting - both scripted and improvisational - to make the viewer feel exposed and hunted. Also, would you rather watch a film where chattering raccoons fend off a zombie horde, or become possessed by aliens and go on a killing spree? In both cases, the raccoons are subtitled a la "The Great Outdoors."

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 5 Objective quality: 4 - Personal enjoyment: 4 (Marcus) / 5 (Melissa)

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Great Outdoors Raccoon Scene" on YouTube

"Writer-Director Adam MacDonald Talks BACKCOUNTRY, the True Story, Shooting with Real Bears, Editing Gory Scenes and More at TIFF," by Perri Nemiroff in Collider

"Missy Peregrym and Jeff Roop Talk BACKCOUNTRY, Developing a Believable On-Screen Relationship, Learning About Real Black Bear Attacks and More," by Perri Nemiroff in Collider

Ever wonder how a zombie plague would shake out in Cuba? Juan of the Dead is a fresh, gory and original zombie flick with genuine laughs and impressive tracking shots. Zombie slaying montages also mask subversive commentary on a nation that is frequently demonized and misunderstood by outsiders. Also, do you remember the 90s? Would you rather deal with an evil Ghostwriter, or an evil Wishbone?

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2 (Marcus), 1+ (Melissa). Quality: 5/4+ Personal enjoyment: 5/5

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"JUAN OF THE DEAD DIRECTOR ALEJANDRO BRUGUÉS ON CUBA'S FIRST HORROR MOVIE," by Sarah Dobbs in SciFiNow

"The "Juan of the Dead" Interview, Part 2," by Carlos Eduardo Maristany Castro in Cuban Art News

"Alejandro Brugués, Director of Cuban Zombie Flick, Juan of the Dead, Talks Real Monsters," by Ily Goyanes in the Miami New Times

Marcus, Melissa and Grady discuss standout jump scares and stranger plot points in Ju-On and The Grudge. They also make Futurama jokes.

Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Ju-On: The Grudge and The Grudge before listening to this spoilercast.

When someone dies in an extreme rage, a curse is born. When it happens in Japan, it becomes a cult classic and spawns several sequels and remakes. But are they deserved? Is Ju-On a nostalgic reminder of a famous cultural moment for Japanese horror, or has it aged well as a uniquely frightening film? Marcus, Melissa and Grady dive into the Japanese original and the 2004 American remake. Also, is Tina Belcher the reincarnation of its famous groaning ghost?

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Ju-On: The Interview," by Calum Waddell in NeoMag

"The Grudge: Gurgling Sound for 12 Hours," on YouTube

"Bob's Burgers supercut: All of Tina's moans," on YouTube

Anna and the Apocalypse begins and ends in two very different places. Melissa and Marcus explore the film's abrupt change in tone, the emotional decisions in its third act and how the movie could have voiced the same theme without feeling so jarring.

Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Anna and the Apocalypse before listening to this spoilercast.

If you were running from zombies, would you sing about it? The offbeat and catchy "Anna and the Apocalypse" creatively blends Christmas, the zombie apocalypse and high school musicals, winning deserved comparisons to several sing songy cult classics. The film struggles with tone deaf inconsistencies, though. What begins as a rousing horror comedy abruptly changes keys into a mournful elegy that falls flat. Also: Would you rather be stalked by a killer elf on the shelf, or have to face sober karaoke with your coworkers every night for a month?

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3. Quality: 3. Personal Enjoyment: 3.

Articles and multimedia mentioned in this episode:

"'Anna and the Apocalypse' Director John McPhail Talks Making the Zombie Musical Film (Interview)," by Denise Caputo in FanFest

"Anna And The Apocalypse interview: the director on his zombie musical," by Rosie Fletcher in Den of Geek

"Anna and the Apocalypse: Human Voice," song on YouTube

"Anna and the Apocalypse: Soldier at War," song on YouTube

"Martin Scorsese: I Said Marvel Movies Aren't Cinema. Let Me Explain." by Martin Scorsese in The New York Times.

"Zombies," in NPR's Throughline

We also discuss two episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One is "Once More, with Feeling." That's the musical episode and it's Season 6, Episode 7. The other is "Where the Wild Things Are," when Rupert Giles sings "Behind Blue Eyes." That's Season 4, Episode 18. There are a few YouTube versions of those songs; some are genuine and some are pirated, so I figured I'd play it safe and just recommend the whole episodes. I did find a more recent version of "Behind Blue Eyes" by Anthony Head on YouTube, however, that's worth checking out.

"Behind Blue Eyes," by Anthony Head on YouTube

Most twins know what the other twin is thinking. They don't even have to speak - and in this haunting Austrian arthouse film, Lukas and Elias are creepy beyond and without words. At least, Melissa found them scary. Marcus is mostly unfazed by twinspeak. Also, would you rather have a ghost girl following you around threatening you in an adult man's voice, or a ghost boy following you around and wailing like a cat?

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2 (Marcus) / 3- (Melissa). Quality: 3+ . Personal enjoyment: 2 / 4.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Talking to the Directors of the Horror Film 'Goodnight Mommy'" by Vice Talks Film

"CINEMA THAT ATTACKS YOU: THE DIRECTORS OF "GOODNIGHT MOMMY""