Notes from the Last Drive-In: S3E5 – Mandy and Dead and Buried
Tonight’s mix at The Last Drive-In is high octane mayhem mixed with slow, coastal zombie shenanigans with Mandy (2018) and Dead and Buried (1981). We’ve been lucky with the pairings week after week, but can Joe Bob and Darcy keep up the streak, or was tonight’s pairing just to weird to work? Let’s dive in as we cover Shudder’s The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.
Mandy (2018)
Opening: Stress relief without guns? Really?
Mandy, directed by Panos Cosmatos and written by Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn is a rock-fueled gore trip filled with 1980s prog-rock imagery and a particularly wicked-looking ax. The film stars Nicholas Cage as Red, who lives in the woods with his wife Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) who are the targets of violence and mayhem at the behest of cult leader Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache). The death of Mandy sends Red on a revenge mission with mysterious drugs, demon bikers, and perhaps the world’s longest chainsaw. It’s one hell of a ride and one of the best exclusives on Shudder. it is also quite a great fit for The Last Drive-In.
The movie doesn’t really offer much in the way of plot, but plot is overrated, especially when it comes to movies featured by Joe Bob Briggs. The narrative offers little in surprise outside of brutal, inventive set pieces. The film is slow to start and a bit mumbly, but the sense of security is necessary to establish the contrast of the remainder of the film. it is telling that we don’t get the “title card” until just before the revenge mission occurs: the past is prologue here, the core of the film is blood, guts, and vengeance.
The film does have a surprising heart, however, as Cage is particularly great in tapping into a tweak on the Cage-rage formula. When Red is at his absolute bottom of despair, you really feel it. Andrea Riseborough is wonderful as Mandy, possessing a somewhat otherworldly quality that is magnetic in an almost primal way – like some forest spirit. Riseborough’s time as Mandy is unsurprisingly short, as it is a vengeance film but Cosmatos finds clever ways to have Mandy haunt every moment of the film. It is all unreliable narrator in action, of course; how much of what we see is real and how much is the drug and rage-fueled grief of Red’s mind? Linus Roache is also utterly fantastic as Jeremiah Sand, a wellspring of butthurt masculinity and a rejected artist who has managed to cobble together his strange cult.
The movie is visually stunning, taking mundane settings such as a gravel pit and the woods and layering them with a druggy sheen that turns virtually every frame into a potential metal album cover. Benjamin Loeb’s cinematography is strong, especially when playing with faces. Hubert Pouille’s production design also stuns, creating one of the grimiest dens of sleaze you can imagine for a group of demonic bikers. But the real work in the movie is done with color and filters, creating a visually dense collage of mood, light, and image in each frame.
Joe Bob’s segments during the run time were the sort of things we love and respect. Informative and sometimes surprising. For example, Panos Cosmatos isn’t exactly a well-known figure with a relatively slim filmography of Mandy and Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010). But his parents made their own impact in film and art, and Cosmatos benefited greatly from that – his father being director George P. Cosmatos (Rambo: First Blood Part II and Tombstone). It was some interesting biography delivered by Briggs and perhaps the highlight of the first half of the evening when it came to cast and crew factoids.
But the night belonged to the Chili Bandit.
Joe Bob Briggs gave Mandy the four-star treatment, and that’s absolutely fair. Mandy is the sort of movie that hits the marks of blood, breasts, and beasts that makes a great drive-in feature. I think pretty highly of the movie myself, and despite some slight concerns, most of the cult is undercooked, and the bikers made for a fun distraction but could have been more involved. Despite this, Mandy is a movie I can watch over and over again. I give Mandy four and a half Cthulhus.
(4.5 / 5)
Best Line: “I’ll blow you, man! I’ll suck your fucking dick! Is that what you want? Please! Please! Please talk to me.” – Jeremiah Sand, begging for his life.
Dead and Buried (1981)
Opening: Lying is getting easier.
Gary Sherman’s Dead and Buried (sometimes Dead & Buried) is a 1981 film that plays more like a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits story padded to movie-length. The movie infamously has Dan O’Bannon attached to the writing credits, but thanks to Joe Bob Briggs we know that he wrote some notes which were ignored by writers Jeff Millar, Alex Stern, and Ronald Shusett. So yeah, don’t expect anything as tight as Alien. The movie follows a small-town sheriff of Potter’s Bluff, Dan Gillis (James Farentino), who finds the town inundated with a series of grisly murders and hints at a supernatural conspiracy right under his nose. What secret might he learn about his wife, Janet (Melody Anderson), and the local mortician William G. Dobbs (Jack Albertson in his final role)?
The film is tolerable. In truth, I had seen it before, but I ended up forgetting all about it and was shocked to realize that this had been the case. It is rare for a movie to leave little impact on me. The performances are acceptable, the story predictable, and the cinematography is fairly bland. James Farentino doesn’t inspire much interest as the lead and Jack Albertson, dying of cancer during the filming, is barely there as the secretive Dobbs. The highlights of the cast are largely small: Lisa Blount as “Lisa,” one of the townies (she’s very attractive, that’s about it) and a young Robert Englund.
The story is ultimately predictable, down to the double-twist of the final act. It’s not a bad story but it is not a story that needs to be as long as it is. Part of the predictable nature of it comes from the padding that gives the audience more time to think and consider the story and how it will play out. Scenes can sometimes give away more than intended, by nature of setting up more of the story. Now, if the film was a brisk 40 minutes, perhaps as an anthology segment, it would be more impactful. As it stands, the current cut of Dead and Buried feels like it deserved another edit – something tighter.
The film is also visually bland. The town seems quaint enough, but not exactly creepy. The instance of fog on the scene, meant to convey mystery and danger, just reminded me of a better movie, The Fog. The film works best in two inventive kills about midway through the film, involving a needle and eyeball, and another featuring the injection of acid. it’s fine special effects work by Stan Winston, but it takes forever to get to them, and nothing in the film quite lives up to those moments for the remaining run time. Cinematographer Steven Poster would go onto a career featuring highlights such as Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” Donnie Darko, and Big Top Peewee. Director Gary Sheran would do Poltergeist III (yikes) but bring us The First 48: Missing Persons, a great true crime show.
Joe Bob’s bits for the second half of the night failed to live up to the sheer power of the Chili Bandit ad, but there was some great information to be had. The sad, final days of Jack Albertson (Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) were a bit of a shock, particularly the note about him attending the film premiere with an oxygen mask. It wasn’t all sadness, though. Joe Bob geeked out about true crime a bit which is always fun to see. Despite this, you get the feeling, that the odds were always stacked against the film, especially given that it was sold three times before it was released. Somewhere, out there, is a cut of the film that wasn’t tinkered with beyond the original test screening. I’d love to see that one.
Dead and Buried isn’t my favorite film shown on The Last Drive-In, but that is okay. I ultimately found myself coasting off the high of Mandy and it is not like Dead and Buried is a bad movie. it’s just inoffensive – how it ever found itself as a video nasty is a mystery. Joe Bob gave it three stars, and while I feel it is generous, I am not too far off myself, giving it three Cthulhus.
(3 / 5)
Best Line: “You can try to kill me, Dan. But you can’t. You can only make me dead.” – A gloating Dobbs
Haunted MTL Drive-In Totals
As always, we share those Drive-In Totals straight from Shudder.
Our Totals can be found below.
- One Yuki Sighting
- One Chili Bandit
- Three unfortunate sales before the film release
- Slippery Slope Ranting
- Maximum 80s
- Woods Wandering
- Liberal usage of the word “phantasmagoric”
- Surprise Belgium
- Entirely appropriate usage of Cheddar Goblin
- Bathroom Bender
- Shirt Quipping
- Piano Slamming
- Detachable Digits
- Twilight Zone Ending
- Two Darcy Cosplays: Nicholas Cage and Lisa Blount’s nurse outfit
- Silver Bolo Award: Knight Light (a podcast)
Episode Score
It was another fun night at the drive-in. I do feel like Dead and Buried was buoyed by following Mandy. The highlight of the night absolutely came from the first half of the show. That Chili Bandit, man.
Man.
(4.5 / 5)
See you next week, folks. We continue to live-tweet the fun at the Haunted MTL Twitter account, so why not give us a follow there?
Supernatural is not strictly a show about witchcraft. Or, is it?
Sam, Dean and John Winchester are not witches.
Or, are they? When you watch Supernatural as a modern witch, you realize that a lot of what the Winchester boys do during their battles to protect the world from monsters are things we do as part of our witchy routines.
Just the facts
Starting in 2005 and running until 2020 for fifteen seasons, Supernatural tells the stories of Sam and Dean Winchester as they protect the world from the forces of darkness. Together with a collection of human and otherworldly allies, they battle demons, ghosts, cryptids and all manner of horrifying dark creatures. It was one of many CW shows that delved into the darker side of the world before committing entirely to bad DC content.
What Supernatural got right
The first thing that jumps out when watching Supernatural is the metric ton of salt used in the show. Specifically, salt is used to protect against any number of ghastly things.
This is very familiar to any modern witch. We have so much salt. Black salt, red salt, blessed salt. Salt to cleanse, salt to banish, salt to protect. When I saw Dean and Sam with massive containers of kitchen salt, I felt like I’d found my people.
Then there is of course John Winchesters notebook. Or, dare I say, grimoire. This also felt familiar. And it’s one of the things I loved the most about Supernatural.
Look, we all want the big family grimoire with the lovely, flowing artwork and beautiful handwritten spells like in Charmed. But in reality, most grimoires look a lot more like the Winchester notebook, with sketches and notes shoved in and held in place with gum bands and paperclips. And while I’m not going to say that my grimoire has daring notes about demonic beings I’ve battled, it certainly has more quick sketches (mostly of plants) than it does beautiful calligraphy. This is supposed to be a useful document full of information we can reference quickly, not an art piece.
Longtime viewers of the show will point out that not only do the Winchesters not call themselves witches, but they often interact with witches. Sometimes as allies, and sometimes as enemies.
The witches in the show are pretty true to life. They are good and bad. They can be anyone, from any walks of life.
The witches use many tools modern practitioners use, including crystals, scrying mirrors and protection symbols. Honestly, they are pretty spot-on. Except for the spectacular TV magic they implement.
Finally, I want to discuss the question I asked at the start. Are the Winchesters witches?
No, they’re not. Because they don’t claim the title. Even if someone does magic, they’re not a witch unless they say they’re a witch. The whole point of witchcraft, after all, is personal power and personal choice.
What Supernatural got wrong
All of that being said, Supernatural was of course not a perfect depiction of witchcraft. For one thing, there is no grand coven of witches. I don’t think enough of us could agree on enough to create one.
But if we did, Stevie Nicks would be the Supreme.
Witches also don’t have to come from a long line of witches or be taught by other witches. Many of us are self-taught from books. And sadly, many of us live in communities where we might be the only witches around.
Thankfully, there are online communities from which to learn and grow. You don’t need to be a generational witch, or even have a close witch mentor. It’s a practice, and practice is all that’s required.
All in all, Supernatural is a fairly good example of modern witchcraft. The show might not be about witches, but it’s a great representation.
(4 / 5)
By the way, if you like this you might enjoy my haunted apartment novella, Quiet Apocalypse. The main character is a modern witch, and I share some real magic in this fictional story of an unexpected end of the world.
Movies n TV
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1)
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1) is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King, starring Katja Herbers & Mike Colter.
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1) is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, and Christine Lahti. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons. Though this series will earn nominations and awards, I’ll bring them up in relevant points or the end of the season review.
Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers) is a forensic psychologist struggling to financially support four daughters after losing her contract with the prosecution. When a Catholic seminarian (Mike Colter as David Acosta) offers her an opportunity to become an assessor for the Catholic church, she’s in no position to argue. Little does she know; this decision will put her in the crosshairs of Evil.
What I Like about Evil: “Genesis 1”
The cast includes heavy hitters and niche delights, such as Aasif Mandvi and Michael Emerson. Mike Colter, recently coming off of Luke Cage, brings his own star power to the cast.
Evil’s Genesis 1 starts strong with its supporting villain, Darren Pettie’s Orson LeRoux, who gives a calm and flowery account of his horrible crimes. Evil balances a light tone with dark material, and this performance does an expert job of setting that standard.
However, Katja Herbers’s Dr. Bouchard brings the central performance to life. Genesis 1 does a great job of planting the seeds of this complex character. From her ability to get shit done to her unsatisfying life, Bouchard has plenty of traits that easily allow for empathy and understanding.
Evil balances the line between real and supernatural horror, allowing viewers to assess a situation with plausible deniability. Seeing through the eyes of a skeptic, Dr. Bouchard, amplifies the fear and trauma a demon’s appearance ought to bring.
In terms of direct horror, Genesis 1 sets up what will come. It often provides an unsettling experience, building tension for future episodes. Where Genesis 1 becomes terrifying are those moments of juxtaposition, such as the initial monologue.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
While little is shown in the show of Orsen’s crimes, he is a rapist and murderer. To clarify, any depictions mentioned focus more on the murder.
As David aims to become a Catholic priest and the central trio act as assessors on behalf of the Catholic church, there will be religious elements that might rub some the wrong way. An example is the shady history of the church briefly mentioned as a throwaway jab by the antagonists. However, these elements are only lightly touched upon here.
A brief seed remains planted between Kristen and David, an attraction that might indicate an infidelity. This tension plays a role within the series. In my opinion, it’s handled well and adds to the complexity of the characters, but it’s a point worth mentioning for those troubled by such things.
What I Dislike about Evil: “Genesis 1”
Truthfully, there’s nothing I disliked. The only potential weakness worth mentioning is that the focus on Kristen remains so dominant one might easily assume it’s her story alone. Eventually, Mike Colter’s David becomes a co-lead for the show. While there remains a clear purpose for this decision, it’s the one gripe worth mentioning in terms of fully living up to the premise.
Another nitpick is the court procedure. Kristen gives her statement and is meant to return after new evidence to reaffirm her given statement as if they paused her testimony. Evil doesn’t explain its version of court procedure here.
Final Thoughts on Evil: “Genesis 1”
Genesis 1 provides a great foundation for Evil to thrive, sowing the seeds for future episodes to build upon. The only area that falls short remains communicating its leading cast, which future episodes aim to fix. If you’re hesitant about the series, Genesis 1 provides a great glimpse of what to expect.
(5 / 5)
My Haunted Hometown interview – Barb Dexter
To start off check out our exclusive interview with Barb Dexter from My Haunted Hometown! Prepare for spine-tingling tales as Barb Dexter unveils her shocking personal ghost encounters on T+E Channel’s gripping paranormal series, “My Haunted Hometown”. Don’t miss exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and emotional revelations that will leave you questioning reality. Premieres Friday, September 6th at 10 PM ET/PT.
Click the trailer for My Haunted Hometown and set your clocks for the premiere 6 Sept!
Want to know more about T+E Channel’s My Haunted Hometown?? Check out the trailer below (and make sure you watch the show as it airs Friday 6 September, 10PM PT/ET only on T+E!
If you ever wondered what it was like to be in a town with a dark history–and live in a forever home that might be forever occupied by spirit energy, then you need to check this episode out!
Why T+E Channel’s My Haunted Hometown hits
The production value works. The camera. The crew. The sound. The editing. The PR team. These are all great assets–and the best asset of them all? The people in the show.
We have all seen shows where the ghost story is made up. It’s usually some quick cash grab for a celeb (although there were some great truly well done celeb ghost stories, too!) or just some channel/content filler type thing. This is not that….this is what every ghost show should be.
The crew sits down. The people are taken seriously. They are giving a channel to voice their story and by sharing their story, they get to grow and sometimes heal from the telling. We draw strength in knowing we are not alone.
When the episode starts, your emotions range from being afraid for the people to being all warm and fuzzy with knowing that these people are opening themselves up to you and you are not alone.
If you have any paranormal experience, these stories will help you feel a bit more whole.
If you are a believer, this is your show.
If you are a doubter, this is your show. You might still doubt, but you won’t doubt that these are real down to earth people giving witness to what they saw.
See why we call the T+E Channel the Blumhouse of TV and catch the free preview on T+E Channel from Sept 2 to Nov 3
The Setting
I think small towns work well as a setting. If you recall most of Seth Breedlove’s movies are SMALL Town monsters. If you recall our interview with Harker Jones’s interview the scary horror wasn’t the city of LA but the SMALL Town where you are a bit more isolated.
Not only does the setting work because of the more remote feel, but it works because of the people. The people in the show make the show. They are relatable. They are down to earth. They are easily your next best friend after moving into the neighborhood.
Also, if you are a fan of cats and dogs–there are a few of the most adorable furry friends ever in this episode.
The Rating and Where to Watch
After watching the first episode, I can’t wait for the rest! I’m sure to check it out when they drop every Friday in September! Won’t you join me? 🙂
See what all the rave reviews are about (5/5 Cthulhu!) and see why we call the T+E Channel the Blumhouse of TV and catch the free preview on T+E Channel from Sept 2 to Nov 3 – your gateway to the supernatural! Tune in and share the thrills with #MyHauntedHometown and #TEonTV. Are you brave enough to watch?
(5 / 5)
