Imported Horror

An ancient coven of witches masquerades as a prominent dance troupe during the day - but at night, they're far more interested in human sacrifice, nudity and the macabre. Luca Guadagnino's remake of the Italian cult classic exploits darkness and 70s film techniques to compose deep feelings of dread in near constant motion. Marcus and Melissa debate whether this film tries too hard to be deep or succeeds by bringing rich allegories to the screen.

Can one film be a cliche romcom, a shocking zombie horror and unashamed fan fiction all at once? This week, Marcus and Melissa head back to the Winchester for a pint and Shaun of the Dead, which has almost as much behind the scenes mythology as Apocalypse Now. Along the way they nerd out about tracking shots and Queen. Also, Melissa makes an arcane distinction between slow zombies and fast "rage virus" victims and Marcus finds himself in a throwaway line at the end of Happy Death Day.

Quality: 5/5. MPTS: 2+ (Marcus), 3 (Melissa). Did my future wife watch this movie? Yes! She did!

Articles mentioned in this episode:

Shaun of the Dead: An oral history of the horror-comedy zombie classic, by Clark Collis in Entertainment Weekly

Interview with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, by Alexandra Griesmer for the Alamo Drafthouse

Shaun of the Dead, by Scott Tobias in The AV Club

Can one film be a cliche romcom, a shocking zombie horror and unashamed fan fiction all at once? This week, Marcus and Melissa head back to the Winchester for a pint and Shaun of the Dead, which has almost as much behind the scenes mythology as Apocalypse Now. Along the way they nerd out about tracking shots and Queen. Also, Melissa makes an arcane distinction between slow zombies and fast "rage virus" victims and Marcus finds himself in a throwaway line at the end of Happy Death Day.

Train to Busan offers a textbook example of how to end a horror movie. It even made Melissa cry. M&M discuss the ending and debate a mansplaining allegation.

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

Train to Busan offers a textbook example of how to end a horror movie. It even made Melissa cry. M&M discuss the ending and debate a mansplaining allegation.

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

Some zombie movies start from scratch. Director Sang-ho Yeon wanted the first South Korean zombie blockbuster to be down-to-Earth and relatable for Korean audiences, not over-the-top like American films. As a result, Train to Busan feels like the freshest take on the living dead in years. Also, Marcus and Melissa drag their feet hard on a discussed American remake and break down two major types of horror movie endings.

Quality: 5/5. MPTS: 3 (Marcus) / 2+ (Melissa). Did my future wife watch it? No. She was busy. Bechdel Test: Passes.

 

Articles mentioned in this episode:

Yeon Sang-ho talks Korean zombie hit 'Train To Busan' by Jean Noh in “Screen Daily”

‘Train To Busan’ Creative Team Describes Difficulty of Shooting a Zombie Movie in Korea and How Film Reflects Society by Casey Coit in “IndieWire”

Yeon Sang-Ho and the train of horror in the Cannes Film Festival retrospective

TRAIN TO BUSAN Cast Experiences Cannes Film Festival by Pierce Conran in Korean Film News

Gong Yoo Shares His Own Personal Fears in ‘Train to Busan’ Interview by Ben Cho in Koogle News

Some zombie movies start from scratch. Director Sang-ho Yeon wanted the first South Korean zombie blockbuster to be down-to-Earth and relatable for Korean audiences, not over-the-top like American films. As a result, Train to Busan feels like the freshest take on the living dead in years. Also, Marcus and Melissa drag their feet hard on a discussed American remake and break down two major types of horror movie endings.

Quality: 5/5. MPTS: 3 (Marcus) / 2+ (Melissa). Did my future wife watch it? No. She was busy. Bechdel Test: Passes.

 

Articles mentioned in this episode:

Yeon Sang-ho talks Korean zombie hit 'Train To Busan' by Jean Noh in “Screen Daily”

‘Train To Busan’ Creative Team Describes Difficulty of Shooting a Zombie Movie in Korea and How Film Reflects Society by Casey Coit in “IndieWire”

Yeon Sang-Ho and the train of horror in the Cannes Film Festival retrospective

TRAIN TO BUSAN Cast Experiences Cannes Film Festival by Pierce Conran in Korean Film News

Gong Yoo Shares His Own Personal Fears in ‘Train to Busan’ Interview by Ben Cho in Koogle News

Marcus and Melissa explore spoilers and the ending of Pan's Labyrinth. They also share shocking true stories of people who confused weird eyeball palms and fairies Pan's Labyrinth with weird dancing puppets and David Bowie Labyrinth. 

Spoilercasts are small episodes exploring spoilers. We recommend you listen to the full episode on Pan's Labyrinth before playing this spoilercast.

Marcus and Melissa explore spoilers and the ending of Pan's Labyrinth. They also share shocking true stories of people who confused weird eyeball palms and fairies Pan's Labyrinth with weird dancing puppets and David Bowie Labyrinth. 

Spoilercasts are small episodes exploring spoilers. We recommend you listen to the full episode on Pan's Labyrinth before playing this spoilercast.

Here’s the secret about fairy tales: They’re not for kids. In the aftermath of the hellish Spanish Civil War, a little girl named Ofelia wanders into a mystical labyrinth with a secretive faun, mute fairies and a haunting monster with eyeballs in its palms. Meanwhile, the “real world” around her falls into bloodshed, torture and chaos. This is Guillermo del Toro at his finest – a stunning work blending Latin American mysticism with a raw indictment of Franco-era fascism.

Quality: 5. Motion Picture Terror Scale: 4 – (Marcus), 3 + (Melissa). Bechdel Test: Passes.

 

Articles discussed in this episode:

Spain’s Open Wounds: Decades after Franco’s regime, the country’s citizens continue to unearth the crimes of the past. By Stephania Taladrid for The New Yorker

Pain should not be sought – but it should never be avoided. By Mark Kermode for The Guardian

Eighty years on, Spain may at last be able to confront the ghosts of civil war. By Julian Coman for The Guardian.

Great Movie: Pan’s Labyrinth. By Roger Ebert for RogerEbert.com

1984: George Orwell’s road to dystopia. By David Aaronovitch for BBC News.