Tremors - Verbal Diorama

Episode 41

Tremors

Published on: 30th April, 2020

The perfect homage and satire of classic 50s monster B-movies, Tremors initially failed to set the box office alight. Like most cult classics it found a resurgence on VHS and ended up spawning multiple sequels, a prequel, a 2003 one-season TV show and a failed 2018 TV pilot starring Kevin Bacon, back as Val McKee.


Praised for its special effects work, the chemistry between Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward and a female lead character who's actually there to do something more than just look pretty and be damseled, Tremors remains a cult and fan favourite 30 years after its release in 1990. There's good reason why; it mixes humour and terror perfectly.


This movie gave me serious nightmares as a child, and watching it now it's easy to see why. The Graboids are more than just dumb monsters, they learn and evolve and attempt to outwit the humans at every turn. The creature design is equal parts phenomenal and terrifying. Emulating Jaws by not showing the monster initially and only what it could do, worked wonders for a creature that made you afraid to walk through the desert. Having fully practical effects meant each Graboid (and their little snakey mouths) felt tangible and a real threat to our heroes.


Substandard CGI-driven monster movies are ten-a-penny nowadays (thanks, Sharknado!) and Tremors is a movie that will no doubt be remade one day, but it'll never capture the heart, humour and horror that made the original such a classic.


Everyone seems to love Tremors (except my mother....!)


I would love to hear your thoughts on Tremors! You can get in touch on

Twitter @verbaldiorama

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Facebook @verbaldiorama

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or you can email me general hellos, feedback or suggestions:

verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com


Thank you to patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek and Jason, and new Patron Kristin for supporting Verbal Diorama.


You can rate or review the show in iTunes or at Apple Podcasts and Podchaser and I'd very much appreciate that!


My website is at https://verbaldiorama.com


Thanks to the following for their contributions to this episode:


Twitter peeps

@gundam_guyver

@ThatSequelGuy

@Le_Meanderthals

@VersusYours

@chriswelford6

@PheonixAnomaly

@geeksaladradio


Instagram folk

@moviesatthematt

@flick.face


Facebook chums

Sheena

Erik



Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)


Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.



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About the Podcast

Verbal Diorama
The podcast on the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.
Are you interested in how movies are made? Do you wonder how a film went from conception to completion? If so Verbal Diorama, hosted by Em, is the podcast for you!

Movies are tough to make, and Verbal Diorama is here to celebrate the coming together of teams of extraordinary cast and crew, bringing us movies that inspire us, delight us, make us laugh, make us cry and petrify us. This podcast discovers the stories behind the scenes, and proves how amazing it is that movies actually exist!

Welcome to Verbal Diorama. The podcast all about the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't! Subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and enjoy new episodes every week.
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About your host

Profile picture for Em .

Em .

Hi! I'm Em. I created Verbal Diorama in 2018, and launched the podcast in February 2019 to rapturous applause and acclaim.... from my cat Jess.

The modus operandi of Verbal Diorama is simple: movies are tough to make! The coming together of a team of people from all walks of life to make something to entertain, delight and educate us for 90+ mins is not an easy task, and yet so many succeed at it. That must be something to celebrate.

I'm here to do just that - to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us.

Episodes are audibly book ended by Jess. She sadly passed away in March 2022, aged almost 18. She featured in many episodes of the podcast, and that's why you can hear her at the end of every episode. The role of official feline producer is now held by the comparatively quieter Evie.

I love podcasts, and listen to many, but never my own.

I unashamedly love The Mummy (1999) and Grease 2. I'm still looking for a cool rider.