"Do you read Sutter Cane?" It's the question on everyone's lips. Well, everyone except John Trent (Sam Neill), an insurance investigator out to find the truth. Always has the upper hand on any situation, including the disappearance of mega successful horror author Sutter Cane (Jürgen Prochnow). Of course, the world of Cane has so much more to reveal to Trent. Sights that may just make his head explode into a million pieces... or just wander in an endless existence. Whatever is the will of the Elder Gods behind it all. Join us as we sink further In the Mouth of Madness for Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 39 – In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
In the Mouth of Madness was quite the departure for John Carpenter. Coming of the heels of the disastrous turn to comedy that was Memoirs of the Invisible Man, this Lovecraftian dip into unimaginable horror wasn't quite what usually fit the image of Carpenter's filmography. Then again, maybe it did? The mysterious terror of Halloween's "The Shape", the cosmic unknown realms of Prince of Darkness and the underground society of those controlling us in They Live have Lovecraftian themes. In the Mouth of Madness just made it all the more literal with direct references to the works of HP Lovecraft and some demonic Eldrich Gods added into the mix.
To comment on all of this madness, Thomas Mariani inlists Caitlin Turner, Adam Thomas and Paul Cardullo to talk In the Mouth of Madness. It's a Lovecraftian Lovefest as the four all praise this as one of Carpenter's more underrated works. Paul praises the lack of what we see from the monsters. Adam considers Sam Neill's performance to be only second to Jurassic Park. Caitlin praises the ability to adapt Lovecraft without being a direct adaptation. Thomas is just staring deep into Sutter Cane's blue dueling pupils. Visit Caitlin's book blog mentioned in the show here and about The Hateful Life and Spiteful Death of The Man who Was Vigo the Carpathian here.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
The Others (2001)
"What he doesn't know about vampirism wouldn't fill a flea's codpiece." Wow! He must know a lot about vampires, right? Of course, the quote is referring to this episode’s subject. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr - as they feint, parry, and lunge along with this vampire swashbuckler Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter from Hammer Films.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 71 – Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
After killing his mother and sister when they became vampires, Captain Kronos (Horst Janson) has dedicated his life to hunting vampires. As Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter begins, Kronos is summoned by his old friend Dr. Marcus (John Carson) when young women in his village have the life sucked out of them, their corpses looking like old women. Kronos arrives with Grost (John Cater), his hunchbacked partner, and Carla (Caroline Munro), a young woman they rescued from a pillory along the way. (No dancing on Sunday!) After dispatching a multitude of ne'er do wells while demonstrating his master swordsmanship, Kronos, and his comrades zero in on the Durward family and their matriarch (Wanda Ventham) as the probable source of the vampire, even as more women die.
Known primarily for his writing, Brian Clemens adds the director’s chair to his duties for Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter for only the second time in his career and his only feature film. Filmed in 1972 but not released until 1974, the film reveals a studio in decline. The film was intended to be the first of a new series but after an inadequate marketing campaign and a dismal performance at the box office, the idea was scrapped.
The Grue Crew admits Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter has some problems. Chad thinks the idea has promise but isn’t executed very well. Doc admits having trouble staying awake during the middle section but loves the setup and the finale. According to Bill, there could have been better insults than calling the bad guys Ratface, Fatty, and Big Mouth. Jeff has questions about some of the details in the story and feels there are gaps in the exposition, both in the showing and the telling.
Despite its flaws, the Grue Crew highly recommends Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter as part of the Hammer Films canon. This version of a vampire film has a lot to offer - a swashbuckling vampire hunter, Caroline Munro, a spaghetti western style showdown, Caroline Munro, burying dead toads for vampires to bestrode, Caroline Munro, Kronos with a bag over his head, Caroline Munro, and don’t forget Caroline Munro. No matter what, Chad wants to make sure you don’t forget Caroline Munro. Come on Chad! Who can forget Caroline Munro?
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs The Evil Dead on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we’re mixing it up for season 3. Now, each week Thomas, Dave and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Unfinished Business," Brock Williams returns to visit with Ash ala A Wonderful Life to reveal a key moment of Brock's past. Ruby discovers what's up when she resurrects Dalton's body for one final shot at the truth. Meanwhile, Kelley teams up with Brandy to face off against Deadite Pablo. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs The Evil Dead.
Strangers: Prey At Night is the sequel no one was anticipating nor wanted. 10 years after the original and with none of the original cast or crew involved? It sounds like something destined to fail. Yet... The Grue Crew may have liked it more than you'd think. Strangers: Prey At Night isn't the only film on the docket, though. The genre-lite escapades of Thoroughbreds is also up for discussion as genre favorite Anya Taylor Joy joins up with a fellow teen played by Olivia Cooke with sociopathic tendencies. Yet, the true monster may not be who it seems. Plus, there's a small review for Disney's big release A Wrinkle In Time, the film that has so much creativity bursting at the seams... but maybe doesn't come together too well. Dave Dreher is out this week, so Doc Rotten, Thomas Mariani and Yonathan Habtemichael have to take on Horror News of the Week by themselves. There's plenty of stories of premieres from South By Southwest, a Jake Gyllenhaal horror film coming to Netflix and... Tommy Wiseau as The Joker? What a funny story, Doc. Ha ha ha! Then, Thomas closes things out by unmasking Phantom Factor! It's a packed night, but worth every second.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 258 – Strangers: Prey At Night
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“Keep behind me. There's no sense in getting killed by a plant.” Hmm, a killer plant, you say? Maneater of Hydra (1967)? We already did that in episode 2. The Thing from Another World (1951)? Nope, that was episode 7. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)? Wrong again. That was episode 24. Little Shop of Horrors (1960)? Huh-uh. We haven’t done that one yet, but that’s not a bad idea. No, this episode’s film is none other than The Day of the Triffids (1963), based on John Wyndham’s classic, 1951 science fiction novel of the same name. Join Chad Hunt and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Adam Thomas, as we blindly tiptoe through the triffids with you.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 30 – The Day of the Triffids (1963)
The first thing your faithful Grue Crew learned is the writer credited with The Day of the Triffids did none of the writing. Philip Yordan, listed as the writer on screen, was really a front for the actual screenwriter, blacklisted Bernard Gordon. The director of record is Steve Sekely, who did do the initial direction. The finished product was deemed too short, however, and Freddie Francis was brought in to direct a parallel storyline taking place entirely with a couple in a lighthouse.
The Day of the Triffids opens with Bill Masen (Howard Keel), blinded in an accident, about to get his bandages removed. At the same time, the rest of the world is experiencing a blindingly spectacular meteor shower. No really. Everyone who looks at it, which is nearly everyone, is blinded. The meteor shower also brings some magic which causes the walking, stalking, man-eating plants known as triffids to rapidly grow to a height of 8-10 feet. It turns out that triffids breed faster than rabbits and grow faster than weeds, and begin to feed on the blind and helpless humans.
Bill, who can see (remember the bandages), heads out through the devastated city and across the countryside. On his way, he encounters several other sighted people: Karen (Janina Faye), a young girl who escapes a train crash; Christine Durrant (Nicole Maurey), a French woman who owns a large chateau in which she is housing rescued blind children and adults; Mr. Coker (Mervyn Johns), an elderly man who is helping Miss Durrant; and a band of escaped convicts. None of these sighted people meet the also sighted Karen and Tom Godwin (Janette Scott and Kieron Moore) who are the only characters in the added lighthouse scenes.
Adam can’t stop bringing up how a few of the characters really abandon the blind people at the home and leave them at the mercy of the sighted convicts. He means, they’re really, really abandoned! Jeff once again extols the virtues of a John Wyndham novel and is amazed at what a good cliff diver Howard Keel is. Chad loves the scenes in the lighthouse and the relationship between the Goodwins. Rest assured, the three hosts consider The Day of the Triffids to be a bona fide genre classic, worthy of a Decades of Horror: The Classic Era treatment. Seriously, who hasn’t heard of triffids?
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Dead of Night (1945), selected by Jeff Mohr.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs The Evil Dead on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we’re mixing it up for season 3. Now, each week Thomas, Dave and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Apparently Dead," Ruby reveals herself to Ash as she tries to strengthen her bond with Brandy to defeat The Prophesized One. Meanwhile, Pablo and Dalton continue to spar, unsure of one another. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs The Evil Dead.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead – Episode 3 - Apparently Dead
Bigfoot just got a Predator-style makeover! Primal Rage breathes new life into The Missing Link as he hunts down a young couple lost in the woods with his hunting skills. Bows and arrows. Tactful stealth. The ability to just tear people in half. All service his... Primal Rage. The Grue Crew are joined by Vanessa Thompson to discuss Bigfoot but that's not all! Dave Dreher has witnessed sightings of Horror News of the Week, detailing horror winning big at the Academy Awards, a potential new season of Dexter and a House Shark may be swimming in close waters! Plus, Phantom Factor gets pretty hairy!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 257 – Primal Rage
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"Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my BOOMSTICK!" One of many unforgettable one liners that Ash (Bruce Campbell) spouts in Army of Darkness. The third in writer/director Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy is the cult favorite. For many, it's the first film in the franchise they saw. It gave us the most recurring pop culture variation on Ash as a character. The strapping hero with a quippy zinger and a chainsaw hand at the ready. Now, with Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 in full swing, it's only natural to take a look back at the film that makes many a fan scream "Hail to the King, Baby."
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 38 – Army of Darkness (1993)
After the first Evil Dead was made for peanuts and Evil Dead II raised the production up to a modest low budget, Army of Darkness is a true studio blockbuster. Which is pretty odd considering the meager cult status of the first two. Yet, Universal and Dino De Laurentiis allowed Sam Raimi to go hog wild. And hog wild he did go. Pit demons, man eating books and an army of evil skeletons. All while having B movie sharp chin Campbell at the center. Between the surreal imagery and cartoonish slapstick, Army of Darkness is either your favorite of the trilogy or the one where it goes too far.
To debate this very topic, Thomas Mariani counts on the steel of Chad Hunt, Christopher G. Moore and Sam Brutuxan to break it down. Sam initially started with Army of Darkness and fell in love with the over the top comedy of the series. Christopher appreciated the darker roots of the original two and felt Army of Darkness went off the rails. Chad and Thomas just appreciate the weird Sam Raimi fly by the seat of your pants with the whole trilogy. The four ask the important questions about Army of Darkness. How did Ash get so buff within the span of a week in which the trilogy takes place? Does Ash vs Evil Dead carry on the legacy of the franchise well? Do skeletons have sex drives? All the answers are a click away!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
In The Mouth of Madness (1995)
"Dig a big hole in the middle of the house?" It might sound crazy, but if you really want to become an oily maniac, that’s how the instructions begin. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Jeff Mohr, Chad Hunt, and Bill Mulligan - as they slide their way through the pros and cons of The Oily Maniac.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 70 – The Oily Maniac (1976)
The Oily Maniac, aka You gui zi, is a Shaw Brothers production directed by Meng Hua Ho and written by Lam Chua. Starring Danny Lee, Ping Chen, and Lily Li, the film tells the story of Shen Yuan, a crippled man who pledges to protect the daughter of a man in prison. The woman’s father implores Shen Yuan to copy the tattoo on his back and to use the spell it describes to protect his daughter. Soon Shen Yuan is forced to invoke the tattoo’s spell and is transformed into … the oily maniac, an avenging superhero or a monster, depending on your point of view.
Doc Rotten often proclaims his love of (or should we say obsession with?) Asian horror films, so it should be no surprise that he brought The Oily Maniac to the Decades of Horror 1970s Grue Crew’s attention. Chad points out the cheezy costume looking like it’s dipped in oil, the exposed beating heart, and its teeth. Jeff mentions a vague similarity to The Greasy Strangler (2016) and Doc points out that the director of The Greasy Strangler lists The Oily Maniac as inspiration. Doc also loved the monster’s scream and the way it tried to do kung fu, slinging oily maniac goo around and then turning into a swimming goo-puddle, traveling to the theme of Jaws.
Bill did not appreciate the “exploity” nature of the film in regards to female nudity and rape, and would’ve enjoyed the film more if it was less sleazy. The rest of the crew agrees that it was uncomfortably exploitive and that the gratuitous sex and rape scenes prevalent in 70s grindhouse films like The Oily Maniac are even harder to view today.
The Grue Crew recommends the cheesy monster scenes in The Oily Maniac but it is not for everyone.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of ASH VS THE EVIL DEAD on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we're mixing it up for season 3. Starting here (or technically HNR episode 256 for S03E01), the Grue-crew are recapping and reviewing the series each week. This week, on episode 2, titled Family, Ash continues to deal with the fact that he has a daughter Brandy Barr, Pablo struggles with the addition of Dalton, and Ruby gives birth to a new character. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs The Evil Dead.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead - Episode 2 - Family
Synopsis: Ash's opening of his new hardware store and sex emporium is interrupted when a woman claiming to be his wife says that their daughter is in danger. Meanwhile, Ruby recovers the Necronomicon and Kelly meet up with a member of the Knights of Sumeria.
The Grue Crew are joined by Paul Cardullo and Yonathan Habtemichael on a mission into The Shimmer to unravel Annihilation. Ex-Machina writer/director Alex Garland unleashes a heavy sci-fi premise that has bursts of horror... sometimes quite literally. Natalie Portman leads this expedition into a comet caused environmental abnormality that defies the laws of nature and humanity in ways we can't quite fathom. Also, it's rather pretty. Afterward, Doc Rotten, Thomas Mariani, and Paul talk about the adventures at the Nevermore Film Festival. Not only the What Have You Been Watching gothic ghost story The Lodgers, but also of the 40th-anniversary screening for The Manitou in honor of Santos Ellin Jr. Dave Dreher regales us with Horror News of the Week about the premiere of Ash Vs. Evil Dead, a Stephen King poem being adapted for TV and another surprise film from Netflix. Capping it off, Thomas unleashes another round of Phantom Factor. Get ready to be ANNIHILATED... or at least entertained.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 256 – Annihilation – The Lodgers
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“So, each day science, founded on years of research and truth, merges with feats, which put our old fashioned magicians to shame. Aladdin rubbed the lamp and the genie appeared. Today we can press a button, and the whole of mankind is obliterated.” Professor Norman Taylor (Peter Wyngarde) utters this pronouncement to his students while standing in front of a classroom blackboard filled with references to the supernatural, superstition, ghosts, and witchcraft, on which he has written and underlined, “I DO NOT BELIEVE!” Eventually, Professor Taylor is convinced otherwise in Night of the Eagle (1962), released in the U.S. as Burn, Witch, Burn. Erin Miskell is still on sabbatical, flooding the world with “pineapple on pizza” memes, but you can join the rest of your regular Grue Crew - Joseph Perry, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr - along with guest host Eli Mohr, as they attempt to navigate the academic politics of a university ruled by witches’ spells and talismans.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 28 – Night of the Eagle (1962)
Based on Fritz Leiber Jr.’s classic horror novel Conjure Wife (1943), Night of the Eagle is directed by Sidney Hayers and adapted for the screen by none other than Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. The story centers around Norman Taylor and his wife Tansy (Janet Blair) who casts spells and uses talismans to advance Norman’s career and ward off evil counterspells coming from other witches, though it is not clear which witches are which. The rest of the players in this academic world of Night of the Eagle are Flora (Margaret Johnston) and Lindsay (Colin Gordon) Carr, Evelyn (Kathleen Byron) and Harvey (Anthony Nicholls) Sawtelle, Hilda (Jessica Dunning) and Harold (Reginald Beckwith) Gunnison, and students Margaret Abbott (Judith Stott) and Fred Jennings (Bill Mitchell).
Jeff goes all fanboy over Leiber, Beaumont, and Mathison; Chad proclaims his love for the scene played out in the mausoleum; Joseph points out the errant tape reel; and Eli admits you should not be sleepy when you watch Night of the Eagle or you might miss the wealth of clues, details, and foreshadowing present in the first two acts of the film. The Grue Crew en masse highlight Matheson’s and Beaumont’s seemingly slow to develop, but very tight script and highly recommend Night of the Eagle.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Dead of Night (1945), selected by Jeff Mohr.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
"What is this? A homicide, or a bad B-movie?" Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins) asks a trick question with an obvious answer. It's both. Then again, Night of the Creeps isn't really bad by any stretch. A sci-fi horror comedy for the ages, Night of the Creeps tells a simple story. One of college love, space slugs and zombies from the grave. Haven't we gotten enough of those, guys? Well, writer/director Fred Dekker at least manages to inject some B-movie fan charm in the proceedings in ways that anyone can get behind. The good news is Night of the Creeps is here on Decades of Horror 1980s. The bad news is... nothing, actually. Hooray!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 131 – Night of the Creeps (1986)
Night of the Creeps is the story of two college freshman who - in order to impress a fraternity - awaken a long frozen zombie and unleash chaos on a sleepy college town. Only depressed drunken Detective Cameron (Tom Atkins) can save the day while facing against demons of his past. While Night of the Creeps didn't make a big splash in theaters back in the summer of 1986, but managed to become a cult favorite on video. Not a surprise, given it's a mash of sci-fi aliens, axe murdering killers and Tom Atkins dishing out one liners. A rolicking good time that goes from space to 50s Americana to the nightmarish world of mid-80s college sex romp. It's got everything and the kitchen sink... Dick Miller! There's plenty of terror, romance and "thrill me"s to go around.
To dissect all the remaining gory bits of mayhem, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani are here and hopefully the space slugs won't get them first! Marvel as Christopher admits the influence Night of the Creeps had on one of his short films. Shudder as Doc realizes he hasn't seen the Director's Cut ending that crept up on him upon this watch. Ponder with Thomas at the possibility of a Tom Atkins detective story comeback movie. Plus, plenty of discussions about Fred Dekker's love of the genre, distinguishing between Kevin Pollack & David Paymer and making a drinking game out of all the director name tributes. Of course, we don't condone irresponsible drinking. You'll be dead within the first 20 minutes. Or at least screaming like banshees! Heh heh... "screaming like banshees."
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
Beetlejuice (1988)
The Grue Crew along with guest Yonathan Habtemichael return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a tour through Wakanda as they discuss Black Panther. After making a splash in Captain America: Civil War, Prince T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) has to take the reins of his father and the title of Black Panther in the film that's blowing up the box office. Then, The Grue Crew sees a faded sign on the side of the road and head over to the Dead Shack, baby! This independent zombie comedy is streaming on Shudder, but the question is... did we really shudder during it? Tune in for more! Dave Dreher gives us Horror News of the Week! This includes killer teddy bears, the return of Fangoria and Netflix gobbling up more films for us to consume! Plus, Thomas Mariani presents another round of Phantom Factor and Doc Rotten makes some big announcements. All for your ear holes!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 255 – Black Panther – Dead Shack
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"I want your eye, man. I want those things you see through." Jim Hudson (Stephen Root) reveals the true purpose of injecting himself into Chris Washington's (Daniel Kaluuya) brain. Get Out was the movie of 2017. Released nearly a year ago, it managed to capture the paranoia, oppressively bleak and gradually bizarre facets the 10 months that would follow. It lasted so long in the popular consciousness that it earned writer/director Jordan Peele multiple Academy Award™ nominations. Yet, why exactly has Get Out maintained just a hold over the cultural zeitgeist? To examine this, Thomas enlists the help of a few friends who may just relate to the struggles Chris has. Luckily, they haven't gone through the Coagula transplant... or have they?!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 37 – Get Out (2017)
Get Out is a story of simmering racial tension. Jordan Peele decided to go with not an overtly racist family of white folks as the antagonist. No, instead Chris must go up against the seemingly well-meaning if an unintentionally cringy family of his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams). While the seemingly harmless Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy Armitage (Catherine Keener) are very inviting, something sinister lies beneath their smiles. Especially with the unusually chipper house staff of Georgina (Betty Gabriel) and Walter (Marcus Henderson) who make Chris raise a few eyebrows. Hopefully, he can raise his legs quick enough to Get Out before things get too crazy.
Even though Thomas just discussed Get Out on a Horror News Radio episode a little under a year ago, he just had to get a new one out. Not just because of the Oscar nominations or February being Black History Month. No, the big reason was simply this; there weren't any black people on a Gruesome Magazine podcast discussing the film yet. So, Thomas enlists familiar voices Yonathan Habtemichael and Shakyl Lambert as well as newcomer Torrey Depina to discuss Get Out as a film that represents the Black experience. Yes, even a horror film like Get Out speaks to race relations, cultural fetishization, and systemic oppression. But don't worry. There's plenty of silly talk about Denzel Washington, wrestling and horror cliches to lighten the mood.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
Army Of Darkness (1993)
"Open the window, Mark. Please! Let me in! It's OK, Mark, I'm your friend. He commands it!" If a floating Glick boy ever says this to you, no matter what, don’t open the window! Doc Rotten is off on assignment for this episode, but regular hosts Jeff Mohr, Bill Mulligan, and Chad Hunt are joined by Joey Fittos, the Thug with a Mug, as they travel to the not-so-quaint and disturbing New England village of Salem’s Lot to discuss the equally disturbing 1979 miniseries, Salem’s Lot.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 69 – Salem’s Lot (1979)
The literary juggernaut known as Stephen King had already made the book-to-movie transition with Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976) when Warner Brothers Television decided to adapt ‘Salem’s Lot, King’s second novel, to the TV miniseries format. Horror icon Tobe Hooper was enlisted to direct as was Paul Monash to provide the screenplay adaptation of King’s novel for an all star cast that includes James Mason, David Soul, Lance Kerwin, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres, Reggie Nalder, Geoffrey Lewis, George Dzundza, Julie Cobb, Elisha Cook Jr., Marie Windsor, Fred Willard, Ed Flanders, Kenneth McMillan, and more. The result was Salem’s Lot, a now legendary, 2-part miniseries first broadcast November 1979 on CBS.
Each of this episode’s Grue Crew viewed Salem’s Lot during its premiere broadcast. Joey proclaims Salem’s Lot as one of his all time favorite horror films. Bill also loved it, but was a little put out by specific scenes present in King’s novel that are not included in the miniseries. David Soul (Starsky and Hutch, 1975-79) as the star gave Jeff some misgivings prior to seeing the film and he was annoyed at first by the changes made in the transformation of his beloved ‘Salem’s Lot (the book) into Salem’s Lot (the movie). It didn’t take long, however, for him to be won over by what was, in truth, an excellent horror film. Chad, along with Joey and Bill, in hindsight, saw definite similarities between Salem’s Lot and Fright Night (1985).
The film’s over 3-hour runtime is surprisingly even-paced and despite the length, the viewer is never caught wondering how much time is left. Scenes that have been frozen in your grue Crew’s nightmares are discussed, including, but not limited to, the floating Glick boys and Geoffrey Lewis in a rocking chair. The story is so well told, there are several unscary scenes that are memorable for their dialogue or visual impact alone. Salem’s Lot gets an enthusiastic thumbs-up from the whole Crew.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
The Grue Crew and guest Vanessa Thompson are stuck in the swamps of Louisiana with Victor Crowley hot on their tails. That's right! Horror News Radio is returning to the Hatchet franchise to see what slasher kills and laughs writer/director Adam Green has in store. The gore and guffaws continue from there as the slasher genre get a young feminine perspective with Tragedy Girls. The 80s slashers have bred the Generation Z killers who slice for the followers. Then, Dave Dreher settles in for Horror News of the Week with stories of a Child's Play series, Chris Columbus taking on Five Nights at Freddy's and Metallica's James Hetfield catching Ted Bundy. Thomas then closes it all out with a Phantom Factor all about Significant Slashers. Listen and fall to pieces!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 254 – Victor Crowley – Tragedy Girls
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“Please don't treat me like a mental patient who has to be humored. I also majored in psychology.” As a horror fan, how many times have you said those very same words? It gets old, doesn’t it? Erin Miskell is still on sabbatical binging on pizza with pineapple, but you can join guest host Jerry Chandler and the rest of your regular Grue Crew - Joseph Perry, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr - as they attempt to hide behind a facade of sanity while, a little too gleefully, discussing one of Jacques Tourneur’s masterpieces, Night of the Demon (1957). Or is it Curse of the Demon? It’s hard to remember while faking sanity. We owe this selection to our faithful Patreon listeners who chose this film from a poll of six classic era titles.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 28 – Night of the Demon (1957)
Directed by Jacques Tourneur. That statement, alone, should be enough to interest viewers in Night of the Demon. Written by Charles Bennett. That, too, should be enough for fans of early Hitchcock to perk up and take notice. Adapted from the M. R. James story, “Casting the Runes.” Now the interest of 20th century ghost story fans is peaked.
Night of the Demon tells the story of Professor John Holden (Dana Andrews), a hardline skeptic of the occult, as he does battle with the evil Doctor Karswell (Niall MacGinnis), the leader of a cult of Satan worshippers. Holden is joined in his fight by Joanna Harrington (Peggy Cummins), whose father was murdered as the result of a Karswell curse. The intrepid professor is also aided by Karswell’s mother (Athene Seyler) and fellow professional Mark O'Brien (Liam Redmond).
This episode’s Grue Crew universally loves Night of the Demon. They discuss the difference between the 95-minute U.K. version and the shortened 82-minute U.S. version, retitled Curse of the Demon, and which one they prefer. Hal E. Chester’s heavy-handed approach as a producer and its effect on Night of the Demon are also topics fcovered. You will also discover where each of them stand in the more demon vs. less demon debate. Which side are you on?
A bundle of listener feedback is also read this episode. A hearty handclasp and your loyal Grue Crew's love go out to Symon O’Hagan, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Aaron Albrecht, Rafael Fernandez, Leontyne Jacquart, and saltyessentials for your feedback and your time!
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Night of the Eagle, (1962), aka Burn, Witch, Burn, selected by our very own Joseph Perry.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
"You bastards. Why are you torturing me like this? WHY?!" Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) ponders this aloud to the Deadites torturing them. Or maybe this question is more directed toward writer/director Sam Raimi hauling abuse at Bruce. Either way, The Evil Dead is definitely a punishing film, both toward its cast and the audience. Every time someone gets stabbed in the ankle or thrown into a bookshelf, both the actor and the audience feels it. Raimi started his illustrious career with this independent horror flick and it sure did shape where he'd go from here. There's gore, mayhem and low budget craziness abound. Might as well... JOIN US for it!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 130– The Evil Dead (1981)
The Evil Dead is sort of a black sheep in the franchise from a modern perspective. While Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness resemble more of what fans love about the franchise, The Evil Dead is a straight up horror film with little comedy to be found. Basically, the foundation from which the surreal comedy would spring forth. That doesn't mean it's without merit. By no means. Sam Raimi even this early has so many dynamic camera moves that would later revolutionize blockbusters come Spider-Man. Helps that Bruce Campbell gets the crap beat out of him.
To talk all things The Evil Dead, Christopher G. Moore, Doc Rotten and Thomas Mariani are joined by Adam Thomas. Thomas discusses the evolution of the franchise. Christopher elaborates on how big an influence Sam Raimi had on his young filmmaker mind. Doc talks about how much it created the cabin in the woods genre. Adam winces while describing how brutal Campbell's painful moments are. Listen to find out all the details!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Horror is in the home and in the stars this week on Horror News Radio! The Grue Crew viewed the theatrical release Winchester! Decades of Horror: The Classic Era host Jeff Mohr to witness acclaimed actress Helen Mirren battle ghosts in this based-on-a-true story horror film. Now, this is the only film planned... until Netflix threw us for a loop during The Super Bowl for the surprise reveal of The Cloverfield Paradox that came right after the game. Yes, The Cloverfield Paradox continues the mystery box ladened series with sci-fi/horror to... intriguing results. Speaking of the Super Bowl, Dave Dreher brings the big genre trailers to Horror News of the Week, along with news of Roxanne Benjamin making her debut and Sundance darling Hereditary blowing horror expectations out of the water. Thomas wraps it all up with another round of the game Phantom Factor and some listener feedback!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 253 – Winchester – Cloverfield Paradox
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"He didn't get out of the cock-a-doodie car!" Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) won't be taking any guff from her favorite author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) about cliffhangers. Which isn't ideal for Paul. At the mercy of his number one fan who's abusive and pretty much off her rocker. Paul's in pain and needs to get out real quick. One could say his situation leaves him in... Misery. Based on the acclaimed novel from Stephen King, Misery helped legitimize the horror genre in the 90s with an Academy Award-winning performance. However, how does it hold up to this day? The answers are contained in Decades of Horror 1990s and Beyond!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 36 - Misery (1990)
Misery was based on a novel that writer Stephen King said was a metaphor for his substance abuse. Yet, the film adaptation feels more like a meditation on fandom. Kathy Bates' Oscar-winning turn as Annie Wilkes feels like a meditation on the type of fans we see on a daily basis on the internet. After saving Paul from a blizzard, she forces him to essentially write her fan fiction. All in order to bring back Paul's titular character from the dead. It's a brutal case of holding a twist on the captive audience. Rather, it's the captive writer providing a story for is captor.
To break down all of this, Thomas Mariani enlists Dave Dreher, Scott Johnson, and Kaycee Jarrard. Resident Stephen King expert Dave describes how well the novel embodied everything he imagined while reading the novel. Kaycee notes how James Caan's performance really is one that needed to be played by a supporting actor. Scott notes just how scarily accurate this ends up being to modern fan culture. Thomas notes how this is part of the damn impressive first decade of Rob Reiner's career. Truly, they know that Misery loves company.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
Get Out (2017)
“It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature...... it can be HORRIFYING!” the overzealous tagline for The Mutations (1974), aka The Freakmaker, promises a monster film for the ages. To be fair, some stills from the film of the main "Venus-fly-trap" monster may back up that claim. However, most of the Grue Crew may beg to differ. And, then, there's Bill. Doc Rotten and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt and Bill Mulligan to discuss this nearly forgotten British gem. Special guest host Adam Thomas settles in to help put Donald Pleasence in his place.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 68 – The Mutations (1974)
Learning that Vincent Price was the first actor cast as Professor Nolter in JackCardiff's The Mutations puts a lot of that role into perspective. With Donald Pleasence (Halloween) settling into the part in Price's place leaves all the necessary scene chewing off the cuff. But, hey, we still love as much Donald Pleasence as we can get. The fan-favorite fourth Doctor, Tom Baker (The Vault of Horror, Doctor Who) plays Lynch, Nolter's "henchmen" who continually gathers the mad scientist victims for his evil experiments...all in hopes that the good doctor will cure him of his deformities. In a subplot. Lynch is also the leader of a troop of "freaks" (as they are called in the film) who entertain patrons at a local amusement sideshow. Enter in a group of Nolter's students who get in the way of the madman's plot, including Julie Ege (The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires) as Hedi. Before you know it, Hedi's friend Tony (Scott Anthony) is kidnapped by Lynch and turned into a horrific monster by Nolter. Chaos ensues. Hurray!
Both Doc and Bill fondly remember reading about The Mutations in Famous Monsters in the Seventies but were unable to catch the film until much later. Bill a decade or so ago, but Doc only this week for this show. Both were eager to watch the film to discuss here on Decades of Horror along with Chad and guest host Adam Thomas. However, while the finale is fun with the monster finally set loose and on the rampage, the plot meanders through each of its loosely connected subplots. Bill still champions the film while Adam curses Doc's name. Oh, dear. There's plenty to discuss, speculate, demonize, and enjoy with The Mutations and the Grue Crew cover it all.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
The diagnosis for The Grue Crew is a pretty mixed bag. The main topic for this episode of Horror News Radio is Inoperable starring Danielle Harris as a woman wondering an evacuated hospital. Not only does she have to face an oncoming hurricane, Danielle also has to face her time displacement that's driving her up the wall. Then, The Grue Crew countdown the Most Anticipated Genre Films of 2018. Yes, it's the other non-horror films of science fiction, fantasy and superheroes. Still, there's plenty of weird monsters, gore galore and post apocalyptic nightmares. Dave Dreher then dispenses Horror News of the Week, with horror Academy Award nominations, a new Steven Soderbergh horror film trailer and the passing of a great horror author. Thomas then wraps up with another edition of Phantom Factor. Award winning filmmaker Christopher G. Moore is also in for all the fun on an extended Horror News Radio!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 252 – Inoperable – Most Anticipated Genre Films of 2018
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“Galvanism isn’t working. It needs nourishment.” “Blood?” “Yes, blood. Human blood.” “The blood of a young girl?” “That would do perfectly.” Yup. That’s where they immediately went with no explanation, leaving your Grue Crew to wonder, “Why is it always the blood of a young girl?” Join this episode’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, Jeff Mohr, and guest host Mike Imboden - as they brave the film Peter Cushing considered to be the worst of his many films. The Blood Beast Terror (1968).
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 27 – The Blood Beast Terror (1968)
A Tigon British Films Production, The Blood Beast Terror is tells the story of a series of murders, the victims of which are mysteriously drained of blood. Inspector Quinnell (Peter Cushing) is on the case, with the help of the intrepid Sergeant Allan (Glynn Edwards), and soon crosses paths with Dr. Mallinger (Robert Flemyng) and his beautiful daughter Clare (Wanda Ventham). Mallinger, an entomologist, has discovered a way to transform humans back and forth between a giant death’s head moth and their human form. As Quinnell’s and Allan’s investigation progresses, the body count rises and the clues become more and more alarming. The cast is rounded out with a morgue attendant (Roy Hudd) providing comic relief, Mallinger’s manservant Granger (Kevin Stoney), and Inspector Quinnell’s daughter Meg (Vanessa Howard).
Your Grue Crew is unanimous in their opinion that the story has potential, but the film seems to be missing essential bits while at the same time, includes lengthy scenes with no apparent value. The Blood Beast Terror is directed by Vernon Sewell, known as a director of British B-movies, and written by Peter Bryan, who scripted such films as The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), The Brides of Dracula (1960), and The Plague of the Zombies (1966). With those two filmmakers involved, it is difficult to see why the film feels so disjointed.
The saving grace of The Blood Beast Terror is Mr. Cushing’s acting and the film’s male and female versions of it’s monster. Jeff mentions that Mallinger’s manservant, Granger, looks more like a street thug than a butler and also wonders what’s up with the bird? According to Joseph, the entomological presentation Mallinger gives to his students is a spot on representation of a boring university lecture. Chad agrees that the low budget might have led to the missing chunks of the story. Even though the story seems to be missing pieces, Mike thinks the 88-minute run time feels much longer and points out the beginning of the film feels like three different movies, … and don’t forget the wiener dog. The entire Grue Crew thinks this film is ripe for a remake.
On this episode, the hosts also read listener feedback on the House of Wax (1953) episode from the Golden Age of Monster Movies FB Group: Steven Nevin, Leo Doroschenko, Viki Burns-Oexman, and Robert Browning; and the Horror News Radio FB Group: Albert Torres, Bill Gabriel, Jacob Allen, and John Slattery (for some reason, that name sounds familiar).
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Night of the Demon (1957), aka Curse of the Demon, selected by a Gruesome Magazine Patreon poll and hosted by Jeff Mohr, with guest host Jerry Chandler.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”