Episode 13 : Pet Sematary

We’re kicking off October with another Stephen King brainchild, Pet Sematary (1989). King has always been a sought after writer, but during the 1980s, people started to get burnt out on seeing his name. Director Mary Lambert takes this incredibly dark, heartbreaking story and makes it come to life with the ability to scare on multiple levels.

▶️ When a father crosses into some sour, supernatural territory and brings the family cat back from the dead, the way he approaches death moving forward has disastrous results. The themes of death and the ability to not let go run deep in Pet Sematary — this isn’t a light film. But because of the subject matter, almost any person can relate to the story. Does this movie still hold up almost 30 years after its release? What sets this film apart from other horror films? Justin and Lindsay answer these questions, go behind-the-scenes into the making of the film and finally have a major disagreement involving the ending of the movie.

▶️ Picks of the Week this time out are just as deep as our main feature, but buckle up for major tonal changes. Both films involve the legendary Fred Gwynne of Pet Sematary. Justin opted for the undermentioned, deeply dramatic, Ironweed (1987), starring A-list actors, Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep and co-starring singer songwriter Tom Waits. Lindsay switches it up for a movie you surely haven’t seen in a very long time (if at all), the fantastical tale of autism, The Boy Who Could Fly (1986).

▶️ This week’s Murray moment answers the question: For an actor who is usually so particular about film roles, why did Billy Murray decide to be the voice of the title character in 2004’s Garfield? The answer, and aftermath, may surprise you and leave you questioning his initial attention to detail.

▶️ There’s non-stop drama in Episode 13! So much to talk about with Pet Sematary, who woulda known? This episode gets pretty emotional, but hey, it’s an October favorite of the podcast, so we better have a lot of ground to cover!