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Coming to Now Playing Podcast in February 2021

It’s happening again. With COVID-19 vaccinations lagging in parts of the country and America’s leading immunologist warning that a “return to normal” may not come until fall, Hollywood studios are pushing their 2021 films back several months, hoping to release would-be blockbusters at a time when moviegoers can safely return to theaters.

That’s thrown the Now Playing Podcast schedule off balance once more, but fear not, there’s still plenty to talk about in the month of February, including The Omen retrospective finale, a return to Stephen King, and the 2021 Spring/Summer Donation Drive.

Here’s what’s coming to Now Playing Podcast in February 2021.

February 2 – Needful Things

After several years reviewing adaptations of Stephen King’s 1970s and 1980s stories, Now Playing delves deeper into the author’s 90s works. The adaptation of King’s 1991 novel Needful Things arrives on February 2. Released in 1993, the film stars Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, and J.T. Walsh as residents of a small town that is suddenly afflicted with mayhem and murder following the arrival of soul-sucking antique store owner Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow).

February 5 – The Omen (2006)

Now Playing’s The Omen Retrospective Series wraps on February 5 with a review of the 2006 Omen remake, with swaps Gregory Peck and Lee Remick for Liev Schrieber and Julia Stiles. This time, Damien is played by creepy AF kid actor Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick. The story sticks close to the original, although fans will notice some differences and obvious updates for the period. Listeners can get the complete five-film Omen retrospective by supporting Now Playing’s 2020 Fall/Winter Donation Drive.

February 9 – Sleepwalkers

The buzz around 1992’s Sleepwalkers is that it was the first Stephen King project written specifically for the big screen, with the author penning a script that was helmed by frequent collaborator Mick Garris. Sleepwalkers tells the story of shapeshifting energy-suckers who are afraid of cats. Also, there’s incest. And Ferris Bueller’s parents. It’s as weird as it sounds, and for some reason, the script includes a lot of unintentional and intentional-but-poorly-executed humor. Should make for a fantastic conversation.

February 16 – Gerald’s Game

A woman and her husband decide to get freaky in a secluded cabin, but things go bad when the husband dies, leaving the wife handcuffed to the bed with no hope of escape. Nuff said. The Now Playing review of the 2017 Stephen King adaptation Gerald’s Game arrives on February 16.

February 23 – The Stand

If you’re not all caught up on the CBS All Access (soon to be Paramount Plus) adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand, you’ll want to get there before our hosts review the series on February 23. The Stand limited series is the first on-screen adaptation since the four-night ABC miniseries in the 1990s, and arrives with a bigger cast, bigger budget, and a whole lot of fanfare. But can it outdo the original and live up to the decades-long expectations of King fans. We’ll find out. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_VkXlT6F2Q

Podbean Patron Exclusive – The Manitou 

February will also feature another exclusive review for Now Playing’s Podbean patrons. This time, the honor goes to 1978’s The Manitou, starring Tony Curtis, Susan Strasberg, and Burgess Meredith. The Manitou tells the tale of a woman who discovers the tumor growing on her neck is actually a creature of some sort, and it wants to live! The episode will be available to Podbean patrons of $25 or more, and patrons will also unlock access to the Silver Level donation drive episodes. 

And if that’s not enough for ya, Now Playing’s 2021 Spring/Summer Donation Drive kicks off on February 19. We’ll announce the new retrospectives in our February 5 The Omen review, and you can look forward to fresh episodes every Friday throughout the donation drive. 

January 27, 2021 Posted by | News, Now Playing Podcast | , | Comments Off on Coming to Now Playing Podcast in February 2021