A cursed videotape. A cursed button. A cursed house.
Spooky Season begins with three iconic horror films built around a deadly curse.
Co-host Bella Efstratis is joined by writer, filmmaker, and horror expert Jessica McLaughlin to discuss an iconic triple feature: Gore Verbinski’s The Ring, Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, and Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Hausu (House).
We get into why The Ring still hits even if you’ve never used a VHS, the origin of the adaptation, and the various themes of its “viral curse." We also talk score, color palette, and the simple, yet satisfying structure that makes every reveal land.
Then we pivot into Drag Me to Hell as a moral fable where one bad decision turns into three days of escalating punishment. We debate the film’s tonal swings, what makes Christine such a tough protagonist to sit with, and why Raimi’s loud, gross, crowd-pleasing set pieces play completely differently in a theater versus at home.
Finally, Hausu blows the doors off logic entirely. We dig into Obayashi’s DIY magic, his daughter’s nightmares on screen, and the deeper grief underneath the candy-colored chaos, where a place can hold pain long enough to become a living curse.
If you love horror movies (especially those with cursed objects) and spooky season watchlist ideas, hit play, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. Which curse would you least want to face?
❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️
Support the show
Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast
You can keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd
You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd
Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.
