The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Slashers

This week's episode is on Cabin in the Woods, or should we call it the movie of a thousand movies? The film was written by Joss Wheadon (Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) and Drew Goddard (Daredevil, Cloverfield, Angel). The due apparently bunkered down in a hotel for three days to write the initial draft of the script.

The film stars a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth (Ghostbusters, Rush, Men in Black: International) as "the athlete." The "virgin" is played by Kristen Connolly (Zoo, Evil, Whispers). The "fool" is played by Fran Kranz (Bloodsucking Bastards, Dollhouse, JourneyQuest). The "scholar" is Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy). Lastly, Anna Hutchinson (Power Rangers Jungle Fury, Spartacus)

Two classic character actors complete the general framework of the film as the puppetmasters, orchestrating the doom of our campers: Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water, Step Brothers, Let Me In) and Bradley Whitford (Get Out, The Handmaid's Tale, Robocop 3).

After establishing the narrative of a group of college co-eds going to a secluded cabin for the weekend, we find that all is not what it seems... Even after being accosted by a deranged gas station attendant, the team pushes on for the promise of a relaxing weekend getaway. Through an elaborate series of events, the group ends up in the basement where they unwittingly choose the method of their own demise.

In this scene alone there are references to so many iconic horror movies and moments. There is Evil Dead, both in setting and through props, but there is the werewolf, wraiths, mutants as seen in The Hills Have Eyes by Wes Craven, a lemarchand's box referencing the Hellraiser franchise with its Lament Configuration, mummy, merman, scarecrow folk, and a snowman. They ultimately choose the Redneck Murder Family, which is of course a reference to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn, and Hatchet.

Later, we see on screen including an alien beast, dismemeberment goblins, sugarplum fairy, blob, unicorn, zombies, a "dragon bat," a giant snake, and so many others.

You find that this is all part of some ritual to sate the blood lust of The Ancient Ones. These malevolent pseudo-deities are meant to represent the audience and our craving for new methods the macabre, madness, and mammaries. On the show, we even talk about the novelization and the visual companion, which revealed more monstrosities.

The best non-movie monsters are undoubtedly the "snake pubic hair woman" and "woman with a toothed vagina." We discuss a potential superhero-style team-up for these two.

This week's "Hidden Track" is Paddle Cell with their song, Ghost Girl. http://www.paddlecell.de/

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Theme song is I wanna Die by Mini Meltdowns. https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZAk6lUDsaJj8EAhrhzZnh ; https://minimeltdowns.bandcamp.com/

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