Matinee Monday: Malignant
Digest
This episode of the podcast delves into the horror film "Malignant," dissecting its plot, characters, and themes. The hosts begin by introducing the "Scaretober" theme for the month of October, highlighting "Malignant" as a film that generated a lot of buzz and discussion. They then attempt to explain the plot without spoilers, ultimately revealing the killer to be the lead actress's imaginary friend, who turns out to be a parasitic twin. The hosts discuss the film's ending, where the protagonist traps the twin in a "mind prison" by creating a false reality, debating the logic and effectiveness of this solution. They also delve into the mystery surrounding the protagonist's birth mother and her decision to give up the twin, questioning the similarities between the protagonist and the footage of the birth mother. The hosts analyze various scenes, including the protagonist's birth mother falling through the floor of the attic, Malignant's hideout, the mirror scene where both the protagonist and Malignant are visible, and the prison fight scene. They also discuss the film's inconsistencies, such as Malignant's ability to move without hands, its supernatural abilities, and the lack of explanation for its personality. Despite its flaws, the hosts acknowledge the film's entertainment value, praising its unique premise, visually striking imagery, campy humor, and well-executed action sequences. They also discuss the potential for a sequel and Malignant's surprising personality, considering how it could be used for good. The hosts conclude their discussion by sharing a few IMDB reviews of "Malignant," highlighting the polarized opinions on the film. They recommend "Malignant" as a fun movie to watch during spooky season, acknowledging its length but praising its entertainment value.
Outlines
Introduction and Spoiler Warning
The podcast begins with a humorous introduction referencing the horror film "Malignant" and a spoiler warning for those who haven't seen it.
"How Did This Get Made?" Scaretober: Malignant
The hosts introduce the "Scaretober" theme for the month of October, focusing on horror films. They highlight "Malignant" as a film that generated a lot of buzz and discussion.
Plot Summary and Killer Reveal
The hosts attempt to explain the plot of "Malignant" without spoilers, but ultimately reveal the killer is the lead actress's imaginary friend, who turns out to be a parasitic twin.
Mind Prison and False Reality
The hosts discuss the film's ending, where the protagonist traps the parasitic twin in a "mind prison" by creating a false reality. They debate the logic and effectiveness of this solution.
The Mystery of the Birth Mother
The hosts delve into the mystery surrounding the protagonist's birth mother and her decision to give up the twin. They question the similarities between the protagonist and the footage of the birth mother.
Falling Through the Floor and Malignant's Hideout
The hosts discuss the scene where the protagonist's birth mother falls through the floor of the attic, questioning the plausibility of the event. They also debate the need for Malignant to have a hideout.
Enormous Sets and the Search for Clues
The hosts comment on the large sets used in the film, particularly the attic, and discuss their attempts to find hidden clues in the background.
The Mirror Scene and Malignant's Appearance
The hosts analyze the mirror scene where both the protagonist and Malignant are visible, debating how Malignant's appearance is achieved through hair and makeup.
Malignant on Multiple Levels and a Call to Action
The hosts discuss the various interpretations of Malignant's appearance and encourage listeners to try and "Malignant" themselves for Halloween.
The Trophy Sword and Surgical Excellence
The hosts question the realism of a surgeon receiving a trophy sword for "excellence in surgery" and its transformation into Malignant's weapon.
Malignant's Hands and Supernatural Abilities
The hosts discuss the lack of hands on Malignant and how it interacts with the world, questioning its ability to open the protagonist's skull.
Malignant's Fighting Skills and the Prison Fight Scene
The hosts discuss Malignant's fighting skills and the unique choreography of the prison fight scene, which reflects the character's backwards movement.
The Adoption Reveal and Unanswered Questions
The hosts discuss the reveal that the protagonist is adopted and question its significance to the overall plot. They also discuss the framing of the doctors in the film.
Malignant's Transformation and Backward Movement
The hosts debate whether Malignant transforms before or after going to the underground tour, questioning how it navigates the city and drives a car.
Sequel Potential and Malignant's Personality
The hosts discuss the potential for a sequel and Malignant's surprising personality, considering how it could be used for good.
More Malignant, Less Madison
The hosts express their desire for more Malignant and less Madison in a potential sequel, suggesting a scenario where the detective needs Malignant's help.
Malignant Man and Body Horror
The hosts discuss James Wan's previous work, "Malignant Man," and its connection to the themes of body horror and parasitic twins.
Final Thoughts and Call to Action
The hosts conclude their discussion of "Malignant," acknowledging its flaws but praising its entertainment value. They encourage listeners to submit their "Malignant" photos for Halloween.
Second Opinions and IMDB Reviews
The hosts share a few IMDB reviews of "Malignant," highlighting the polarized opinions on the film.
Campiness and Informed Filmmaking
The hosts discuss the intentional campiness of "Malignant" and how it contributes to the film's overall enjoyment.
Recommendation and Conclusion
The hosts recommend "Malignant" as a fun movie to watch during spooky season, acknowledging its length but praising its entertainment value.
The Reveal and Re-watching
The hosts discuss whether knowing the reveal of the movie "M3GAN" would still make it entertaining. They agree that it might be even more fun to watch it again knowing the twist, as it allows for a deeper appreciation of the subtle clues and foreshadowing.
What We're Up To
The hosts share updates on their current projects, including the release of the first four episodes of "Grace and Frankie's" final season, the "Deep Dive" podcast with Jessica Stinclair, and June Diane Raphael's role in "Star Trek Prodigy."
Show Recommendations
The hosts recommend various shows and podcasts, including "Nailed It," the series finale of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," and the "Blank Check" podcast, where they discussed "Big Trouble in Little China."
Star Trek Lower Decks
Paul Scheer mentions his character, Lieutenant Phillips, getting a full episode in the current season of "Star Trek Lower Decks," with June Diane Raphael playing his mother.
Scaretober
The hosts discuss their respective "Scaretober" activities, with Paul Scheer emphasizing the importance of having a separate "Scaretober" for their podcast.
Thank You and Outro
The hosts express gratitude to their team, including the producer, audio engineer, and other contributors. They encourage listeners to join their Discord server and call in with questions for a mini-episode.
Keywords
Parasitic Twin
A rare phenomenon where a twin embryo does not fully develop and is absorbed by the dominant twin, often leaving traces of the parasitic twin's DNA in the viable twin's body.
Vanishing Twin Syndrome
A condition where one twin disappears during pregnancy, often due to the absorption of the non-viable twin by the viable twin.
Germoid Cyst
A type of cyst that can contain hair, teeth, and other tissues, sometimes associated with vanishing twin syndrome.
Mind Prison
A psychological concept where a person is trapped in a false reality or a fabricated mental state, often used in fiction to depict a form of imprisonment or manipulation.
Body Horror
A subgenre of horror that focuses on the grotesque and disturbing aspects of the human body, often exploring themes of mutation, disease, and the breakdown of physical boundaries.
Scaretober
A term used to describe the month of October, often associated with Halloween and the celebration of horror films and spooky themes.
M3GAN
A 2022 American science fiction horror film about a lifelike AI doll that becomes self-aware and protective of its human companion.
Q&A
What is the main plot twist in "Malignant"?
The main plot twist is that the killer is not a supernatural being, but the protagonist's parasitic twin, who has been living inside her body since birth.
How does the protagonist defeat the parasitic twin?
The protagonist traps the twin in a "mind prison" by creating a false reality, using the same psychological powers that the twin possesses.
What is the significance of the protagonist's adoption?
The reveal that the protagonist is adopted is somewhat ambiguous and doesn't seem to have a major impact on the plot, possibly serving as a way to highlight her desire for a biological connection.
What are some of the inconsistencies and unanswered questions in the film?
The film has several inconsistencies, such as Malignant's ability to move without hands, its supernatural abilities, and the lack of explanation for its personality. The ending also leaves some questions unanswered, such as how the protagonist learned to control her powers.
What are some of the strengths of "Malignant" despite its flaws?
The film's strengths include its unique premise, its visually striking imagery, its campy humor, and its well-executed action sequences. The film also benefits from James Wan's strong direction and the performances of the actors.
What is the main point of contention between the hosts regarding "Scaretober"?
Paul Scheer wants their podcast's "Scaretober" to be distinct from other "Scaretober" events, while June Diane Raphael is more open to the idea of a broader umbrella.
What are some of the projects that the hosts are currently working on?
Paul Scheer is involved in "Grace and Frankie," "Deep Dive," and "Star Trek Prodigy," while June Diane Raphael is working on "Star Trek Prodigy" and "Star Trek Lower Decks."
Show Notes
Paul, June, and Jason discuss the 2021 horror film directed by James Wan, Malignant. The crew gets hard to work on breaking down the big movie twist, the physicality of our villain, and the gorgeous cinematography. After watching, they were jonesing for a sequel where our villain Gabriel gets more screen time and just gets to have fun. Jason started a new social media challenge, the #MElignant—share your photos with us! (Originally Released 10/07/2021)
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United States
Maria Bello isn't in this movie