1980s

It’s time for some laughs! Kicking off our series of Coen brother comedies, we jump in with the second film of theirs, “Raising Arizona.” Coming after “Blood Simple,” they certainly went 180 degrees with this wild comedy. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we talk about this hilarious 1987 film.

Perhaps it was because elements of the novella ‘The Body’ were autobiographical that the story has so much heart compared to Stephen King’s previous works. Perhaps it was because there weren’t supernatural elements. Or that it didn’t fall into the horror genre. Whatever the reason, ‘The Body’ and the film based on it, Rob Reiner’s 1986 film “Stand By Me,” are beautiful and touching stories about childhood, growing up, friendship, and journeys. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we talk about the next film in our King series, “Stand By Me.”

There’s something about your first love, and there’s something about your first car. Stephen King found an interesting way to tap into that with his novel “Christine,” and John Carpenter found an interesting way to develop it even further in his 1983 adaptation. Sure, the car may be possessed, but Arnie sure falls for his car… and she for him. It’s an interesting take, and one we delve into this week. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Stephen King series with Carpenter’s “Christine.”

Back in the 70s and 80s, Stephen King’s stories generally had a lot more scares in them, as did their cinematic equivalents. Perhaps that’s why David Cronenberg’s adaptation of “The Dead Zone” feels a bit out of place — it comes off as much more of a dramatic thriller than a horror film. It certainly garnered critical praise and found its audience, but 31 years later, it comes across a bit dated. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Stephen King series with 1983’s “The Dead Zone.”

There’s something truly terrifying about a lovable pet turning on you and attacking. Especially when that pet is a St. Bernard, one of the big dogs with a small barrel of brandy around its neck that’s supposed to rescue people lost in the snowy Alps. But that’s what makes for great horror, right? Turning something lovable into something horrible. And Stephen King did that perfectly in his novel “Cujo,” which was turned into a film in 1983. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our King series with Lewis Teague’s great horror film “Cujo.”

George A. Romero had already established himself as a master of the horror genre when he and Stephen King created their horror anthology film “Creepshow.” With two stories based on King’s short stories and three original stories written just for this, Romero created a film that pays homage to the great horror comics from the 40s and 50s, like Tales From the Crypt. It balances horror with humor, all in a beautifully stylized comic book template. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Stephen King series with Romero’s 1982 film “Creepshow.”

Stephen King may not have been a fan of what Stanley Kubrick did when he turned King’s third novel, “The Shining,” into one of his films, but audiences didn’t seem to mind. King purists still have problems with some of Kubrick’s decisions, but the film has withstood the test of time and still stands up as one of the great horror movies out there. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Stephen King series with Kubrick’s “The Shining.”