505: Drag Me To Hell
Summary
Jocelyn Getty and Kat Angus discuss Sam Raimi’s 2009 horror film Drag Me to Hell, debating its visceral "mouth stuff" and effective CGI against its murky morality tale. They critique the casting of Alison Lohman and the film’s unkind premise that a minor banking mistake warrants eternal damnation, arguing the punishment does not fit the crime. The hosts also explore the tonal whiplash between Raimi’s Looney Tunes-style humor and genuine horror, ultimately concluding the movie is fun but flawed.
Topics discussed
Sponsorships: Odoo and MyFICO
Introduction to Drag Me to Hell
Initial reactions: Sam Raimi's visceral style
Discussion on the 'mouth stuff' horror elements
Balancing horror and Looney Tunes energy
Casting Alison Lohman and Celia Keenan-Bolger
Critique of the morality tale narrative
The protagonist's transgression and context
Comparison to Tusk and clarity of consequences
Greedy outlook vs. systemic capitalism issues
Character backstory and body shaming details
Elliot Page's departure and casting changes
Elliot Page's roles and Christopher Nolan's Odyssey
Humorous aside about James Bond dress-up
The child's curse and the seance scene
Justin Long's career trajectory and casting
Romany woman curse and Justin Long type roles
The boyfriend's character and family dynamics
Need for nuance in the morality tale
The anvil scene and visual gags
The trombone man and afterlife ghosts
Apology dynamics and personal anecdotes
The concept of 'fun' in horror
Amusement parks and vertigo experiences
Let's Get It Started and party scenes
The kitten and naming pets
Pet ownership and widower jokes
Marissa Potombe's Annie cover
Physical trauma memories and Evil Dead 2
Nicolas Cage's Vampire's Kiss comparison
Receiving badness without judgment
CGI quality of the hell dragging sequence
The final twist and the devil's reaction
Trombone man's job in hell
Combining comedy and horror effectively
Final verdict: Sam Raimi's specific style
Agreement on the morality tale failure
Exposition and character clarity issues
Comparison to A Widow's Bay tone blending
Rachel McAdams and Are You There, God?
Supporting the podcast and social media
Email addresses and listener interaction
Renaissance women and wealth goals
Patreon rewards and early access
Patreon voting and newsletter access
Bonus episodes and Patreon summary
Trombone man theme song riff
Loving: University mix CDs
Loving: Younger self and cringe
Loving: Embracing past cringe
Loving: 18-year-old fashion and Chicago
Loving: Hoisin sauce storage habits
Loving: Control and Alan Wake expansion
Loving: Control gameplay and world building
Loving: Action sequences and Prodigy
Loving: Omen and gentlemen suitors
Loving: Future potential vs. past peaks
Outro and next week's Frankenstein
Gross out joke and listener feedback
Sponsor: MGM Springfield and Eric Estrada
Sponsor: MyFICO credit scores
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