Episode 14: Can a Musical be Scary? ('Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory','Sinners', 'Smile 2', 'Sweeney Todd', more...)

We're back!!! It's been about 4 years and there have been so many changes. In our lives and in the podcast. Introducing our new addition, Hope, who married our resident crazy guy, Garett. We kick off this new season (in celebration of the spooky season) with our brand new discussion format asking the question: Can a musical actually scare you? This episode, we dive into the eerie, bloody, and surprisingly melodic world of horror and musicals. From Sweeney Todd’s chilling harmonies to Sinners haunting use of blues and folk music, we explore how music and fear play so well together — and why the scariest moments aren’t always what you expect.

Our discussion ranges far and wide:

-Why are fear and melody a perfect pair?

-What makes Sweeney Todd a horror musical classic?

-How do Sinners and Smile 2 blur the line between musical and nightmare?

-Why is Oklahoma!’s Dream Ballet still unsettling decades later?

-Has our nostalgia gone dark ?— Anastasia, Willy Wonka, and Beetlejuice

-What musical moments tickle the tension?

 Quick heads-up — about 30 minutes into this episode, we switch to backup audio for a bit cause we lost our main audio. You’ll hear a change in quality. Apologies if the shift bothers you, it definitely bothered our editor. Thanks for your understanding. 

All clips and music used in this episode are copyrighted material. They are included for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended, and all rights remain with the original creators and copyright holders. Specific sources are credited throughout the episode and in the show notes.

Clips and references used (with copyright):

•  The Office — “Sweeney Todd” episode (© NBCUniversal/Peacock)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) (© Warner Bros. Pictures/DreamWorks; short clips for commentary under fair use)
•  YouTube: WILLY WONKA-recut horror trailer (© Logan Rouse; credited with commentary/fair use )
•  Sinners — “Rocky Road to Dublin” & Miles Caton’s “Somebody Save Me” (© Sony Masterworks & Sony Classical Records; brief clips used under commentary/fair use)
•  Smile 2 — “New Brain” & closet scene (© Paramount Pictures; brief transformative clips and commentary)
• Oklahoma! — Dream Ballet sequence (© Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization; used for commentary)
• Beetlejuice: The Musical — Opening number (BroadwayWorld recording; © Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures/Ghostlight Records)
•  Saw — Reveal theme & closing seconds of first film (© Lionsgate;)
•  Anastasia — “In the Dark of the Night” & Bartok clip (© 20th Century Studios/Disney)

Royalty-Free / Copyright-Free Music

• Halloween Orchestra – Creepy by Infraction (royalty-free; used for transitions/background)
• Play With Me by Myuu (royalty-free; used for transitions/background)
• Halloween Spooky Town by WaveBeatsMusic (royalty-free; used for transitions/background)