1980s – What's in the Basket

17. Poltergeist (1982): You Obviously Don’t Know How Much a Skeleton Costs

Our Halloween theme continues this week with another notoriously “cursed” horror movie: Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s haunted house classic Poltergeist (1982). We tackle the question of just who actually directed the film, explore its iconic special effects, and confront the moral implications of the popular “curse” narrative. Please note that this podcast has not been and will never be censored by Pizza Hut. Finally, another content warning—today’s episode addresses the deaths of two of Poltergeist‘s young stars, Dominique Dunne and Heather O’Rourke, and in doing so includes some discussion of real-life violence against women.

11. Trading Places (1983): Eddie Movie

On this week’s episode of What’s in the Basket, we’re cornering the entire frozen orange juice market as we discuss the Eddie Murphy-Dan Aykroyd role-swapping comedy Trading Places (1983). We attempt to parse the ins and outs of commodities trading, determine whether or not Don Ameche was dead, and learn how Candice feels about Cats (2019).

Bonus 06. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) and Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987): Old People Orphanage

On this week’s bonus episode of What’s in the Basket, we’re revisiting our slasher movie origins with a research-free look at the Christmas horrors of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) and its sequel Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987). We discuss the series’ unexpected connections to Evangelicalism and The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, question the reasoning behind its elaborate soundtrack, and seriously consider launching an investigative podcast into a particularly compelling hot-dog related business venture of the 1980s.

09. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982): A Real Goddamn Movie

On this week’s episode of What’s in the Basket, we’re putting on our black dresses and shaving our tongues as we get into trubil wrapping up our Noirvember series with Carl Reiner’s film noir pastiche Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982). We discuss the ways the movie triumphs as an adoring tribute to its subject matter, its skillful use of archive footage, our love of Steve Martin, and some hot takes regarding the Academy, comedy, and film fandom in the social media age.

03. The Thing (1982): Is This the Most Hated Movie of All Time? (NOT CLICKBAIT)

https://www.spreaker.com/user/11560790/03-the-thing-1982-is-this-the-most-hated

Show Notes

On this week’s episode of What’s in the Basket, we’re zipping up our parkas for our discussion of The Thing (1982). We marvel over Kurt Russell’s luscious locks, tackle the film’s lack of women and its approach to gender, struggle to comprehend the negative critical response that it received upon release, and learn way, way too much about Candice’s love of puppets.

01. Basket Case (1982): Do You Think Belial Had the Dick?

https://www.spreaker.com/user/11560790/01-basket-case-1982-do-you-think-belial-

On the debut episode of What’s in the Basket, we take a trip to 42nd Street for our discussion of Basket Case (1982). Tiff learns why God invented pop filters, Amelia chows down on some hot dogs, and Candice wants to see Belial shake that nasty thing.