It's time for a new Cinema Jam Versus! This week, Sebastian and Pablo pit two found footage giants against each other: the Spanish original REC (2007) and its American remake Quarantine (2008).
Both films emerged from the 2000s wave of "infected" resurgences and found footage, but which one did it better? We analyze the six rounds of our battle: from the plot (demonic possession or rabies virus?), the performances of Manuela Velasco and Jennifer Carpenter, to the iconic line "Record everything!"
Only one can be "kept," and the other will be "destroyed forever." Listen and find out which one survives!
In this episode, we discuss:
(00:00) Introduction: REC vs. Quarantine.
(04:34) The Context: The revival of zombie and found footage films in the 2000s.
(07:50) The Rules: The 6 rounds of the battle .
(09:25) Round 1 (Story): Demonic virus or apocalyptic cult?.
(14:05) Round 2 (Acting): Manuela Velasco vs. Jennifer Carpenter.
(17:15) Round 3 (Visuals): The raw look of REC vs. the production of Quarantine.
(22:12) Round 4 (Vibe): Why does REC feel more authentic?.
(23:55) Round 5 (Quotability): "Pablo, record everything!".
(25:41) Round 6 (Rewatchability): Which one would you watch again?.
(27:20) Wildcard Rounds: WTF moments and Plot Holes.
(31:53) The Final Verdict: Which film wins?.
(33:47) Next Week: Warrior (2011) vs. Red Belt (2008).
Other Films Mentioned:
REC (2007, dir. Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza)
Quarantine (2008, dir. John Erick Dowdle)
The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)
28 Days Later (2002)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Paranormal Activity (2007)
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