EPISODE · Mar 18, 2024 · 2H 41M
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
from The Pod and the Pendulum · host Mike Snoonian
This week we begin a new franchise. We are talking about Paranormal Activity which is arguably the most successful series of the 2000 tens. From its humble beginnings as a tiny independent movie meant to be shown small audiences to a global phenomenon that raked in hundreds of millions of dollars this is the series that launched so many other found footage titles over the next decade for better or worse. Along with special guest Mary Beth McAndrews (Dread Central, Scarred For Life) your cohosts discuss how creator Oren Peli self-taught himself the basics of filmmaking and with a minimal cast and crew, made this supernatural chiller in his own home. We also dive into the themes present throughout the movie such as the toxic relationship between Katie & Micah that only makes the haunting worse, the way the film predicts our growing acceptance of constant surveillance, and the demonic as a microcosm of rampant consumerism and an economic system on the edge of collapse. All this, plus a debate over just what separates a classic found footage movie from hand held garbage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What this episode covers
This week we begin a new franchise. We are talking about Paranormal Activity which is arguably the most successful series of the 2000 tens. From its humble beginnings as a tiny independent movie meant to be shown small audiences to a global phenomenon that raked in hundreds of millions of dollars this is the series that launched so many other found footage titles over the next decade for better or worse. Along with special guest Mary Beth McAndrews (Dread Central, Scarred For Life) your cohosts discuss how creator Oren Peli self-taught himself the basics of filmmaking and with a minimal cast and crew, made this supernatural chiller in his own home. We also dive into the themes present throughout the movie such as the toxic relationship between Katie & Micah that only makes the haunting worse, the way the film predicts our growing acceptance of constant surveillance, and the demonic as a microcosm of rampant consumerism and an economic system on the edge of collapse. All this, plus a debate over just what separates a classic found footage movie from hand held garbage.
NOW PLAYING
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Dec 5, 2025 ·50m
Oct 9, 2025 ·33m
Oct 3, 2025 ·40m
Sep 11, 2025 ·31m
Aug 27, 2025 ·39m
Aug 18, 2025 ·54m