"Cinema! CINEMA!" Ben (Benoit Poelvoorde) celebrates his place in cinematic history to the empty buildings outside. Of course, it's merely an echo chamber for his own inflated ego. An ego he's bound to feed with continuous bouts of homicide. And it's all captured in Man Bites Dog, the French/Belgian mockumentary that's been crucial to the found footage and horror genres in general in the quarter of a century since its release. Decades of Horror 1990s and Beyond goes classy with a film about human ugliness, urban decay and the line between filmmaker & subject. Still, there's plenty of gore to be had. Ça semble excitant!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 35 – Man Bites Dog (1993)
Man Bites Dog is a challenging experience. We follow serial killer Ben as documentarians Remy and Andre (played by Poelvoorde's co-writers/directors Remy Belavaux and Andre Bonzel) film his exploits. Right from the start, Ben is killing innocent men and women without much remorse. It's how he makes ends meet. Kill a postman. Dump a body over a bridge. Invade an old person's house to find their stashed away money. As any professional murderer would do. Yet, he's not a discrete assassin without humanity. He's got a girlfriend and family he loves as well as a personable charisma that engages the audience. Which makes the horror all the more disturbing and the actions of Remy and Andre being seduced sadly relatable.
To talk about the complex aspects of Man Bites Dog, Thomas brings on two new voices to the show. One is the founder of FoundFootageCritic.com Michael Steinberg. The other is video essayist Shannon Strucci of StrucciMovies. Michael educates the group about the history of found footage and why Man Bites Dog is a crucial early example. Shannon admits her complete adoration for the confrontational daring on display. Thomas rangles all this together by keeping the influences made and the homages that came later. This is more of a thinking man's episode as we dissect the Criterion Collection entry for all the disturbing truths in unveils about humanity in glorious black and white.
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.
Misery (1990)
“What terrifying craving made her kill... and kill... and kill...” the intriguing tagline for Frightmare (1974), aka Cover Up, provides just a hint of what Dorothy Yeates (Sheila Kieth) is up to when her husband Edmund (Rubert Davies) isn't looking. And what does this mean for their children, Jackie (Deborah Fairfax) and Debbie (Kim Butcher), and their eating habits? Perhaps they're chips off the old butcher block...? Eh? Eh? Doc Rotten and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt and Bill Mulligan to discuss this nearly forgotten British gem.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 67 – Frightmare (1974)
The film is from director Pete Walker who would give us similar intriguing genre movies House of the Whipcord, Schizo, and House of Long Shadows. The latter film features one of the last combinations of horror icons Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and John Carradine. Pete Walker's muse, Sheila Keith, would appear in most of them. In Frightmare, she stars as the elderly Dorothy, recently released from a mental hospital who is up to her old tricks once again...cannibalism. Rupert Davies plays her husband, Edmund, in what would be his last role. The terrific character actor would appear in many British horror films such as Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, The Conqueror Worm, The Brides of Fu Manchu, and The Oblong Box. Together Keith and Davies are the reason to catch this underseen, underappreciated nugget from 1974. That and all the goofy bright red gore. Good stuff.
"Worse than your most shocking nightmare!" - the poster tagline promises a nightmare to shock us all.
As soon as we mentioned "Pete Walker," Bill's ear perked up and he lauded with excitement. On the podcast, he shares why he enjoys the filmmaker so. Also, he discovers this is the one film of his he had never seen. In fact, none of the hosts had caught Frightmare before assigning it to this episode. A rarity, indeed. The film is similar to classic low budget horror films from England at that time, such as Pscyhomania which we covered in episode 49. Everyone shares their newfound admiration for this film and their shared hatred for the "Debbie" character, especially Chad who confesses it takes a lot for someone to elicit such disgust. But, it is all in service of the film itself.
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.
No, you didn't read that number wrong. Horror News Radio is celebrating 250 episodes of scream-inducing, spine-tingling and point off trailing discussions! To celebrate, The Grue Crew are joined by Vanessa Thompson of the Gruesome Magazine Podcast for a couple of movies that show the diversity of the show. There's Day of the Dead: Bloodline, a remake of the underrated George A. Romero zombie trilogy that... pretty much does the same thing with one crucial - and critically misguided - twist. Then, there's the lost Mike Flanagan feature Before I Wake which recently arrived on Netflix. More dark fantasy than horror, this is a bit more of a positive diamond in the rough. Dave Dreher takes on Horror News of the Week for an Insidious/Sinister crossover, a trailer for the 10th entry in the Hellraiser franchise and Critters coming to the small screen. Then, Thomas introduces a new game show segment to cap off this momentous occasion called Phantom Factor.
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 250 – Day of the Dead Bloodline – Before I Wake
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“I've harmed nobody, just robbed a few graves!” Right! What’s the harm in that? Especially if your name is Baron Frankenstein. Join this episode’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr - as they celebrate the podcast’s first anniversary by taking on The Curse of Frankenstein (1957). It’s an episode of firsts. Besides their first anniversary, it’s their first Hammer film, first Peter Cushing film, and first Christopher Lee film. Well, it’s about time!
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 26 – The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Directed by Terence Fisher and written by Jimmy Sangster, both Hammer regulars, The Curse of Frankenstein is Hammer’s first outright gothic horror film and their first color film. With Peter Cushing as Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the Monster, co-starring for the first time, the die was set for many future Hammer film collaborations between the two. The cast is rounded out with Robert Urquhart as Paul Krempe, Victor’s mentor and partner; Hazel Court as Victor’s cousin and fiance, Elizabeth; Valerie Gaunt as Justine, the maid who is also having an affair with Victor; and Paul Hardtmuth as Professor Bernstein and the donor of the monster’s brain.
Under threat of lawsuit from Universal, the filmmakers made numerous changes to the classic story. The monster in The Curse of Frankenstein bears no resemblance to the Jack Pierce makeup Boris Karloff wears in Frankenstein (1931). Another major change depicts the Baron as a completely unsympathetic character, masterfully played by Cushing.
Jeff is surprised that Victor is engaged to his cousin, but admits social mores might have been a bit different in the nineteenth century. Chad is genuinely angry with Victor’s total lack of moral character and how little regard he gives the other characters. Joseph points out how shocking the color and blood must have been in 1957. All three of them are wowed with the acting in The Curse of Frankenstein, especially that of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
On the anniversary of their first episode, the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Grue Crew take time to stress how thankful they are for their listeners and for Doc Rotten allowing them the freedom to do the podcast and for providing the structure to talk about what they love: horror films from the beginning of film through 1969.
They finish the episode by reading a listener comment from Saltyessentials about Episode 24 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Blood Beast Terror (1968), selected and hosted by 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 (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) 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 fool! You can not stop me! I am the ninja! No one, nothing can stop me!" Christie (Lucinda Dickey) is possessed by a killer ninja spirit and is out for blood. But how will this affect her career as a telephone poll worker and part-time aerobics instructor? Ugh, it makes you just wanna doing jumping jacks with weights, amirite? As one can clearly see, Ninja III: The Domination is a pretty silly movie. A blend of Flashdance, The Exorcist and every ninja movie out there. Then again, what else would you expect from Cannon?
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 128 – Ninja III: The Domination (1984)
After an elaborate fight sequence at a golf course, Ninja III: The Domination continues the train of insanity tenfold by having the killing machine Black Ninja (David Chung) die after a police shootout and struggle with Christie. Christie is haunted by bizarre dreams and swords on strings, which hurts her budding relationship with cop/creepy hairy stalker Billy (Jordan Bennet). Now under the possessive influence of the Black Ninja's spirit, Christie proceeds to murder each of the officers who participated in the shootout, baffling the cop who is literally sleeping with her on a nightly basis. The only person with any kind of effectiveness is the mysterious Yamada (Sho Kosugi), who arrives from Japan to get his vengeance on The Black Ninja who killed his master and left him with one eye. Ninjitsu and 80s hair ensue from here.
To break down all the insanity of Ninja III: The Domination, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani look into this genre mashup to find a method to the madness. There's much love for the silly manic energy that made Cannon such a unique film production company. All the bad ADR, excessive use of explosions and physics-defying martial arts are dissected here. Doc Rotten is delighted that genre favorite James Hong has a cameo. Christopher makes a strong argument for this being the most 80s film ever covered on the show. Thomas brings to light the serious struggle Ninja III: The Domination highlights of PTSF (Post Traumatic Stock Footage) Syndrome. All of this and more can be shoved into your eardrums like a shuriken to the face.
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!
From Beyond (1986)
The insidious Insidious franchise returns with The Last Key, the fourth installment in the series that James Wan started back in 2010. Now, Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan) takes the reigns as Elise (Lin Shaye) revisits her childhood home and the ghosts of her past. Both literally AND figuratively. Horror News Radio takes on the first theatrical horror film of January. More of the same dumping ground or does this one surprise? Listen to find out as The Grue Crew are joined by Joey Fittos. After that, they take a look at The Houses October Built 2, where we see plenty of diverse haunts and eventually get to something of a plot. Dave Dreher starts things off with Horror News of the Week, featuring congrats to Guillermo del Toro for his Golden Globe win, hilarity over the upcoming unintentional comedy of 2018 Truth or Dare and another George R.R. Martin adaptation that'll hopefully be as gory as Game of Thrones. Plus, a contest winner is announced!
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 249 – Insidious: The Last Key
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"I had a good day." Beth (Odette Yustman) declares her day at the carnival with Mike (Michael Stahl-David) to be a success. Little does she know that in a few months, their lives will be forever affected by the events codenamed Cloverfield. Ten years later, Cloverfield remains one of the few higher budgeted found footage films out there. It's ingenious viral marketing campaign and secrecy developed a huge amount of buzz out of so little. Just throw a mysterious trailer in front of the first Transformers movie with the date "01-18-08" and you'll gain a profit. But how does the film hold up long after the hype? Tune in to find out!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 34 – Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield was wrapped in mystery at the time it came out. Promotional websites helped build the hype started by the cryptic trailer. So many theories going in. Some suspected this was a secret new Godzilla film. Others even suspected a secret Lovecraft adaptation or Voltron live action film. Yet, Cloverfield ended up being... a completely original property about a giant monster attacking New York. In found footage style, we follow a group of young folks are shown having a party that's rudely interrupted by The Statue of Liberty's head roaring down the street. Now, they've got to find some way out as the monster and the little parasite creatures that come off it attack the city.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Cloverfield, Thomas Mariani enlists Adam Thomas, Sam Brutuxan and Ryan Corderman to dissect the footage left behind. There's much talk about the design of the monster, the underrated cast members and all the hype of the viral marketing. Plus, where does the monster codenamed Clover rank amongst other kaiju? Did Lily (Jessica Lucas) make it out at the end? Can the smooth vocals of Sean Kingston help us deal with the impending doom of New York? All those questions and more will be answered in this episode!
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.
Man Bites Dog (1993)
“The Fouke Monster always travels the creek...” the narrator of The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972) describes the nocturnal patterns of the Bigfoot-like creature spotted in Arkansas. The movie exploded onto the big screen and drive-in theaters nationwide in 1972 to the box office tune of $20 million big ones. And sparked a national fascination with the hairy cryptozoological monster. Doc Rotten and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt and Bill Mulligan, along with HNR co-host Dave Dreher, to discuss what may be the most influential Bigfoot movie of the Seventies.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 66 – The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)
The first film from director Charles B. Pierce, The Legend of Boggy Creek, is also one of the most successful b-movie Bigfoot movies of all time. The film is presented as a pseudo-documentary with non-actor recreating scenes where they encountered the beast from Fouke County, Arkansas. Pierce is also responsible for films such as The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976), The Evictors (1979), and the sequel Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1984). Full of local color and more passion than panache, the film inspired a decade of Bigfoot frenzy, "In Search Of" style copy-cats, and - quite possibly - films like The Blair Witch Project. Perhaps best appreciated now by those who experienced the film "back in the day." the film is a slow build to a showdown between a family and the Fouke Monster pounding at their door. Hurray for a frightened childhood of Bigfoot nightmares!
"Half-man, half-beast ... a mysterious creature has been stalking the woods and waterways near Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s" - the poster tagline get straight to the point needing little embellishment.
Dave Dreher, self-professed Bigfoot aficionado, joins the regular Grue-Crew to revisit The Legend of Boggy Creek. Like, Doc, Chad, and Bill, Dave caught the film during its original run, remembering fondly the effect it had on his much-younger self; Jeff, however, only just this week finally saw the film for the first time. Time has not been a friend to Boggy Creek. Oh, well. The team shares their impressions of the film, their experiences with it in 1972, and the influence it had on their fascination with film and cryptozoology. Dave also chimes in with a rundown of director Pierce's accomplishments.
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.
Happy New Year, Grue Believers! To celebrate, Horror News Radio is going Beyond... Skyline! Yes, the sequel no one asked for is here and it's better than you'd think. Well, it's at least better than the first one. Join Frank Grillo and the guys from The Raid as they kick major alien ass. Afterward, The Grue Crew look towards the future and countdown The Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2018, as voted on by you! There are ghastly ghosts, returning slashers and even... a few horror bent superheroes?! Hey, it's 2018. Anything can happen at this point! Dave Dreher makes his triumphant return after being sick over the holidays with Horror News of the Week! There's an animated King of the Monsters, giant sharks and Nic Cage swinging a sledgehammer at children. What's not to love? Joining the Crew for all of this is South Korea correspondent & co-host of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Joseph Perry! What a way to ring in 2018!
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 248 – Most Anticipated Horror Films of 2018 – Beyond Skyline
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“Everything I ever loved has been taken away from me, but not you, my Marie Antoinette, for I will give you eternal life.” A strange line indeed, especially when you discover Prof. Henry Jarrod is talking to a wax sculpture as if it is a living human being. Then you realize Vincent Price is the actor portraying Prof. Jarrod. The master of the macabre makes it all seem so much more normal. In this episode, your Grue Crew - Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, & Jeff Mohr - wax poetic on the 3D groundbreaking House of Wax (1953).
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 25 – House of Wax (1953)
Directed by André De Toth and written by Crane Wilbur from a story by Charles Belden, House of Wax tells the story of Prof. Henry Jarrod, a brilliant sculptor whose works populate the wax museum he owns. Early on, his partner (Roy Roberts) burns down the museum in pursuit for ill gotten gains with Prof. Jarrod inside. Badly burned, Jarrod can no longer sculpt so he enlists the aid of two assistants (Charles Bronson, Nedrick Young) to create his wax statues in order to reopen the museum. His intent is to use two beautiful roommates (Carolyn Jones, Phyllis Kirk) as his “models” for Joan of Arc and Marie Antoinette. It seems, however, that Prof. Jarrod’s trauma has taken his artistic obsession to a new level and his plans are far more diabolical than they at first appear.
House of Wax holds the distinction of being the first major studio production filmed in 3D. Who can forget the paddle-ball-thumping barker in front of Jarrod’s museum for its reopening, repeatedly whacking the ball straight into the camera? Joseph proclaims his love for the 3D gimmickry of this era, various items thrown into the screen and all.
For Erin, this one is all about the actors, Vincent Price and Carolyn Jones in a supporting role, and she wonders if Price’s character is the protagonist or the antagonist. House of Wax is a remake of Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) and Jeff discusses the difference in the way drug addiction is portrayed in the pre-code original and how alcoholism is portrayed in the 1953 version. Erin broadens the discussion of addiction beyond drugs and alcohol to include behavioral obsessions as depicted in the film. Chad carries that on to relate to the attachment that artists feel for their creations. Joseph admits yet another childhood trauma (remember Invasion of the Body Snatchers?) relating to mannequins as the result of House of Wax.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), selected and hosted by Chad Hunt. Episode 26 will be our anniversary episode so we will also discuss the podcast’s first year.
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 (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) 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!”
"Did you say 'all aboard'? That's ridiculous! They can't be bored. I haven't even started." Ed (Howard Busgang) does his best Groucho impression to annoy the train staff... and everyone else. Ed is just one of many slasher archetypes that populate the Terror Train on New Year's Eve. Every college kid is wearing a different costume. The perfect claustrophobic area for a killer to hide. Can our heroine Alana (Jamie Lee Curtis) survive the night and get to the next stop? Take a listen to find out!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 127 – Terror Train (1980)
Terror Train was one of the early examples of the post-Halloween slasher boom of the 80s. Everyone was trying to take their crack at a contained low budget slasher. So, Canada figured "Why not have one take place on a train, eh?" Terror Train also manages to subvert a few things that others in the genre would stick to, mainly by not restricting the slasher to one costume. Our villain jumps from one outfit to the next in order to avoid detection. It's a real case of misdirection with our killer...one that mirrors the magic on display throughout.
Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani are here to dissect all the magic of Terror Train. Or perhaps, lack thereof. There are a few moments of surprise here. Mainly with how many familiar faces of the 80s pop up. Keep your eyes peeled for The Wild Bunch's Ben Johnson, model Vanity and Ellis from Die Hard himself Hart Bochner. And of course, magician David Copperfield. Then again, Terror Train stops dead many times to give him a spotlight, so he's hard to miss. The trio also discuss the direction, the kills and of course it's place in the decade. Some are fans, others aren't. You'll just have to listen to find out who is who. The answers may shock you.
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!
Ninja III: The Domination (1984)
The best is yet to come. Oh wait... it's here! Yes, it's the end of 2017 and now The Grue Crew of Horror News Radio are here to talk about their Top 10 favorite horror films of the best 12 months. Before all that, Horror News Radio dives deep into Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water. The story of a mute woman (Sally Hawkins) falling for a fish monster (Doug Jones) is full of flights of fantasy, film noir and horror that has enchanted many. Maybe enough to be talked about multiple times on the Best Of lists? Stayed tuned as The Grue Crew are joined by Jeff Mohr and Christopher G. Moore to look back on the year fondly. I mean, someone has to, right?
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 247 – Best Horror Films of 2017 – The Shape of Water
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Out now from Uncork'd Entertainment and filmmakers Tony Jopia, Nika Braun, Yannis Zafeiriou, and Alexander Zwart is the zombie opus - and creatively titled - Dawning of the Dead (2017). Taking place primarily in a newsroom studio, the film covers the zombie apocalypse while interrupting the narrative to show other areas of the world affected by the virus that is reanimating the dead. This allows for a number of different approaches to the attacking ghouls without feeling like an anthology film. This approach works for the most part but also exposes a wide range of effects from excruciatingly terrible to rather impressive. This film also contains some nice homages to Evil Dead and Dead Alive. Check out the review
"I hope I give you the shits, you fucking wimp." Spoon (Darren Morfitt) makes his last stand against the werewolves slaughtering his unit. All these soldiers have to contend with animalistic enemies of their own unit. They're a group of Dog Soldiers as it were. Chosen by our Gruesome Magazine Patreon patrons, Dog Soldiers is one of the few highly recommended werewolf movies. Especially in recent memory. The standards of The Howling or An American Werewolf in London get a lot of love, but otherwise it's a limited genre. Luckily, Dog Soldiers is still popular enough to get the word out there. But enough about the general public. What do the Decades of Horror 1990s and Beyond crew have to say? Find out!
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 33 – Dog Soldiers (2002)
Dog Soldiers follows a group of British soldiers stuck on assignment in the woods. They're attempting a simple training mission in the woods and all seems fine. Well, until they stumble upon Captain Ryan (Liam Cunningham) severely mauled in the woods. The team stumbles into a nearby cottage in order to find shelter from the mysterious creatures that are out in the woods. From there, it's a siege film of werewolves vs. humans.
To take a look at this tale of man vs nature, Thomas Mariani enlists Adam Thomas, Shakyl Lambert and Christopher G. Moore. They've all got plenty to say about Dog Soldiers. There's praise for director Neil Marshall's debut, mainly in how it separates itself from traditional werewolf films. Not to mention his knack for action that would serve him quite well later. Plus, all the questions you've been waiting for. Do werewolves perform ballet? Should werewolves go on all fours or stand upright? Was that really a Matrix reference? Listen to find out all the answers!
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.
Cloverfield (2008)
Director Chris Parrish - along with co-writer Mason Parrish - delivers a lighthearted, fun monster-filled romp as a group of kids encounters all kinds of terrors as they explore an amusement park in search of Al Capone's legendary hidden treasure. The film has a Goonies and Monster Squad vibe in the best way possible. The film features an evil mermaid, bloodthirsty pirates, fire-breathing dragons, and an army of growling toothsome teddy bears. Oh, my! You know you're in for a nostalgic treat when the store the parents own is called Joan & Chachi's. Check out the Gruesome Magazine review below.
“Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me! Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me!” Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) comedically exclaims his realization of his true path...in his sleep...in Mel Brook's classic Young Frankenstein (1974). Brook's follow up to Blazing Saddles lovingly parodies the Universal Monster classics with a brilliant cast -- including Peter Boyle, Mary Feldman, Madeline Kahn, and Teri Garr -- and a witty, satirical script from Wilder. Doc Rotten and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt and Bill Mulligan, along with HNR co-host Thomas Mariani, to discuss what may be the best horror-comedy of all time.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 65 – Young Frankenstein (1974)
Toward the end of 1974, Mel Brooks moves from Rock Ridge to Transylvania to send up the B&W horror films he - and co-writer Gene Wilder - loved so much. From Frankenstein to Son of Frankenstein many of the elements of those original films find their way into the film: the blind hermit, Ygor, Inspector Krogh (in the form of Kenneth Mars' Inspector Kemp) - and so much more. Yes, those are the original scientific lab equipment (by Kenneth Strickfaden) from the original Universal classics appearing once again. The cast, led by Wilder, is superb with Marty Feldman as Igor displaying untoppable comedic timing. Peter Boyle makes an impressive monster with Teri Garr and Madeline Kahn as Inga and Elizabeth, respectively. Cloris Leachman is comedy gold as Frau Blucher [cue neighing horses]. Young Frankenstein works on a number of levels due to the script and the cast...and the reverence and respect Brooks holds for the source material. Even with the film being parody and satire, filmed in black and white, it could easily be considered a followup to the Universal films released decades before.
"The Scariest Comedy of All Time!" - the poster tagline makes a bold promise upon which Young Frankenstein seemingly effortlessly delivers.
The Grue-Crew lovingly recall their first encounters with Young Frankenstein with Doc, Jeff, Chad, and Bill catching it in the theaters upon its first release while Thomas shares that the film serves as a gateway from comedy into horror. Everyone has their favorites lines from "where wolf?" to "what knockers" to "footsteps footsteps footsteps" - the film is full of them. "Put the candle...back!" It also contains an endless series of visual gags that delightfully tickle the funny bone, most of them at the expense of Marty Feldman. Jeff notices that the clock chimes 13 times as the film opens and shares how much in common Inspector Kemp has with his inspiration Inspector Krogh, right down to sticking the darts into his wooden arm - a scene played for dramatic effect in Son of Frankenstein. Bill admits being concerned when the musical number with Wilder and Boyle began; but, by the time the monster growls "Putting on the Ritz," he was sold. The amount of love and respect for this film from the Grue-Crew is only matched by that from Brooks and Wilder for the Universal classics that remain beloved all these years later.
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.
Will Smith reunites with David Ayer to create Netflix's first "blockbuster" original, Bright (2017). With a $90M estimated budget, the fantasy horror cop thriller is a bold move for the streaming company. The film also features Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Edgar Ramirez, and Lucy Fry in key roles. Set in an alternate universe where man co-exists with fantasy creatures such as elves, fairies, and orcs, Daryl Ward (Smith), a human cop, is forced to partner with Nick Jakoby (Edgerton), the first orc policeman in a tale that involves a magic wand and the threat of the return of the "dark lord." Splicing together the fantasy creatures of Lord of the Rings with a gritty buddy cop story ala Bad Boys, Ayer has his heroes alternating between battling corrupt cops, facing down a gang of orc thugs, and fighting to survive the attacks of magical elves.
Reach out. Can you feel that? Is that... Horror News Radio?! Oh yes it is! Of course, Horror News Radio is known to stray off the titular path of the genre, but this is a pretty special movie to do that for. Star Wars The Last Jedi has fans as divided as the two sides of The Force. Some say it's the best entry in the saga yet. Others are demanding it be removed from the Star Wars canon. Where does The Grue Crew lie? Well, take a listen as Doc Rotten and Thomas Mariani are joined by Christopher G. Moore and Joey Fittos to discuss the new chapter in a galaxy far far away. Of course, there's some Horror News of the Week before that. Dave Dreher is out this week, but Doc & company still give the news its fair due. There's Fox being bought by Disney, horror repping at the Golden Globes and a long lost Mike Flanagan film finally being accessible. Listen in on this extended Horror News Radio episode!
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 246 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Coming from the director of Pulse (2001) and Creepy (2016), the drama horror thriller Daguerrotype (2017) attempts to scare up some chills and goosebumps. Originally titled "Le Secret de la Chambre Noire", Kiyoshi Kurosawa's film is heavier on the drama than the horror and may be found as a bit of sluggish chore for many horror fans craving gore and ghoulish delights. Tahar Rahim as Jean joins photographer Stephane (Olivier Gourmet) in capturing images using a complicated technique called daguerreotype. When the photographer's daughter (Constance Rousseau) falls ill and is perceived as dead, the story takes some creepy twists and turns providing the film with some highlights in its atmospheric cinematography. In the end, the film is too laborious to enjoy as a horror film... or a drama.
“I've been afraid a lot of times in my life. But I didn't know the real meaning of fear until... until I had kissed Becky.” Have you ever kissed someone and realized they weren’t who they were? That’s the horror Miles Bennell is describing in this episode’s quote. Join Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr as they harvest the paranoia binbuster known as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Don Siegel's classic, black and white, science-fiction shocker. They had to hurry before they fell asleep and became ..., well, someone who wasn’t them.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 24 – Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is ably directed by Don Siegel (The Beguiled, Dirty Harry, The Shootist, and Escape from Alcatraz) and adapted by Daniel Mainwaring from Jack Finney’s novel The Body Snatchers. The film tells the paranoiac story of an alien invasion that consists of giant pods that take over people’s memories and replicate their bodies, all while they sleep. No one will ever be the wiser! Well, almost no one. Talk about a good motivation for insomnia. In fact, one of the films working titles was Sleep No More.
Including a cast of topnotch, veteran, character actors - Kevin McCarthy (Dr. Miles Bennell), Dana Wynter (Becky Driscoll), King Donovan (Jack Bellicec), Carolyn Jones (Theodora Bellicec), and Larry Gates (Dr. Dan Kaufman) - the film delivers what it’s selling. Coming on the heels of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s communist witch hunt and even though Finney and Siegel claimed no hidden, political message, the Invasion of the Body Snatchers resonated with the public’s fear of unfair prosecution and the resulting drive for conformity. It is an example of a perfect sychronicity between a film and the time in which it appeared in history.
Each of the Grue Crew was affected by this film in their “formative” years and have carried some image or theme from the film throughout their lives, Joseph Perry shares an especially personal story of how the film affected him and his nightmares. When it comes to the rules of the “science” in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Chad Hunt points out some contradictions, but in the end, agrees they don’t detract from the impact of the film. Jeff Mohr wishes the studio hadn’t added a narration and changed the ending with the addition of a prologue and an epilogue, but still considers the film to be one of his favorites of the 1950s. Being a product of its time, Erin Miskell points out the homogeneity of the people and pod people populating the story and laments the problem still existing to some extent today.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is House of Wax (1953), selected and hosted by Erin Miskell.
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 (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) 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!”
"I'll be good I swear... I'll never see a movie ever again." Eddie Beckner (Douglas Emerson) tries to wrap his young mind around the horror that is The Blob. Thirty years after the iconic Steve McQueen vehicle became one of the definitive 1950s drive-in classics of the sci-fi/horror genre, director/writer Chuck Russell - along with his Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors co-writer Frank Darabont - took a stab at remaking it. While not a revered at the time, the remake of The Blob has gained some minor recognition as one of the better horror remakes out there. But does this digest well with the Decades of Horror 1980s crew or are they going to put that reputation on ice? Find out as they walk through a winter wonderland free of snow.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 126 – The Blob (1988)
The Blob decided to up the ante on one major aspect of the original film. 30 years after taboos on violence were a bit more lenient, Chuck Russell decided to show off as much gore and horror as possible with the concept. Right from when Paul (Donovan Leitch Jr) is consumed, The Blob shows that it is not afraid to kill at any moment. And brutally so. Perhaps this is why it failed as much as it did upon initial release.
Yet, there's plenty to appreciate now as each of the hosts - Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore, and Thomas Mariani - take their own look back. Thomas marvels at the evolution of the look of the titular Blob from a jelly mold in the original to cancerous tumor here. Doc Rotten is surprised by just how many popular character actors show up. Christopher G. Moore notices all the nuances of set-up and pay-off written in by Frank Darabont. To hear even more details, take a listen! Plus, you'll find out what a "bubblegum tongue" is. Or not. We're still not sure, to be honest.
Modern horror likes to chase current fears and with Bedeviled (2017) that remains the case. In this feature from the writing-directing team of Abel Vang and Burlee Vang, the fear is the app on your mobile device, the little bit of software gleefully downloaded into your private world and space. Yes, it's a horror film so this app, Mr. Bedeviled, is downloaded to kill you, playing on your fears. The direction is strong with beautiful cinematography and terrific locations but the script tries to over-explain things. Bedeviled misses the opportunity to enjoy its own campiness. The film features Saxon Sharbino, Bonnie Morgan, and Alexis G. Zall. Even being a near miss, there may be room for more Mr. Bedeviled.
In this episode of Groovy Gorey Gruesome Gold, Paul Cardullo goes back to the mid-1970s for the Blaxploitation classic J.D.’s Revenge (1976). In the 1940s, gangster J.D. Walker (David McKnight) witnesses the murder of his sister (Alice Jubert) and then is gunned down by her murderer. Flash forward to 1976 . . . Isaac, played by Glynn Turman (Cooley High [1976], Gremlins [1984]), is a law student who drives a cab to make ends meet. After being hypnotized during a nightclub act, Isaac’s personality begins to change as he is slowly taken over by J.D.’s spirit. J.D. is seeking revenge on the men involved in his murder, former-gangster-turned-preacher Reverand Elija Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.) and his brother Theotis (Fred Pinkard). Directed by Arthur Marks and written by Jaison Starkes, the film is refreshingly good and sports a top-notch cast, in spite of the fact that Turman’s portrayal of the possessed version of Isaac can seem a little over-the-top at times. Even though the viewer thinks they know where the story is going, Starkes’ script has J.D.’s actual revenge take a slightly different form than one would expect, giving the film a bit more depth than the usual exploitation fare. Give a listen below and hear why Paul says that this is one for which views should keep an eye out.
Dancing between found footage, video blogging, and conventional film, The Follower (2017) makes the most out of its concept of a ghost hunting Youtube celebrity, David Baker (Nicolas Shake) encountering a supposed haunting that is far more than he anticipated. The interaction between David and the homeowner Carol (Chloe Dumas) drives much of the first half of the narrative. While the film presents evidence of a haunting, David is convinced that Carol is the problem and leaves. At this point, The Follower begins anew as David discovers something may have followed him home. Nicolas Shake admirably carries most of the film as the lead, David Baker, making a strong impression while Chloe Dumas has fun with the zanier side of Carol. The chemistry between the two is awkward but interesting. An entertaining and solid but gruesomely lightweight effort from director Kévin Mendiboure, The Follower is a perfect film to catch and chill.
Hope for the best, expect the worst! That's The Grue Crew's motto as Horror News Radio dives head first into The Worst Horror Films of 2017 with special guest Joey Fittos. Each panelist has a fair share of dreck to wade through. There's talk of Tom Cruise battling wrapped up Egyptians, the latest return to the Amityville House and... whatever the hell Kuso was. What other films made the list? Listen and find out! The Grue Crew also discusses Better Watch Out, the yuletide home invasion thriller. It's Home Alone with a twist... but maybe not the one you're thinking of. Plus, there's still plenty of Horror News of the Week to gab about. Mainly involving the trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, AMC's historical horror mini-series The Terror and a remake of Romero's Day of the Dead. What is this world coming to?
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 245 – The Worst Horror Films of 2017 – Better Watch Out
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