While the IMDb suggests that Blood Harvest (2017) is "Onus meets the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," the film is something else entirely. It is a beautiful, silly, little film - lush, green, and vibrant with its Irish countryside locations. However, the film is full of alien vampires who have committed 36 murders that the local police are keeping hidden. Thankfully for horror fans, the killers provide the film with plenty of blood and gore. Blood Harvest is from writer/director George Clarke and features Alan Crawford, Racheal Galloway, and Griffin Madill. Filled with wacky one-liners and tonally bouncing between monster film and torture port, the film is all over the place and tough to follow. Catch the full review below.
“You have nothing to lose but your mind.” One of the final Amicus anthology films is prepared to drive you insane as Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) interviews the patients of a mental asylum searching for the head doctor who recently lost his mind in Asylum (1972). Roy Ward Baker directs from a script by Robert Block featuring Peter Cushing, Britt Ekland, and Hebert Lom. Doc Rotten and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt and Bill Mulligan along with special guest-host Eli Mohr.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 64 – Asylum (1972)
With titles like Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Tales from the Crypt, and Torture Garden, Amicus Films threatened to give Hammer Films a run for their money...but never quite reached that goal. By the time they caught up with the studio that gave us Horror of Dracula and Curse of Frankenstein, the horror genre was maturing into its modern era as films like Night of the Living Dead, Rosemary's Baby, and The Exorcist captured the audience's attention. Asylum is one of the final films in their series of portmanteau films - and quite possibly one of its forgotten best. The wrap around story is woven into the film's fourth tale "Mannikins of Horror" featuring a murdering toy robot while Peter Cushing stars alongside Barry Morse in a tragic tale called "The Weird Tailor". Britt Ekland guides Charlotte Rampling down a sordid path in "Lucy Comes to Stay" while Richard Todd faces his slain wife's revenge in "Frozen Fear". A terrific film that has the Grue-Crew enjoying every frame.
"See what the author of 'Psycho' is up to now!" - the poster tagline pimps the fact that the screenwriter, Robert Bloch, is the man responsible for Alfred Hitchcock's beloved horror classic.
The Grue-Crew are thrilled to welcome Jeff's grandson Eli onto the show to review Asylum. A new experience for the lad, Eli starts off things noticing how the music in the first segment, Frozen Short, uses unusual cues to signal the various terrors that threaten Richard Todd in his basement. The Crew agrees with him about the acting as well, as each of the cast - especially Peter Cushing - give the film their all, providing the film with a bit more class that may be expected. Chad shares his own terrifying tale of facing a mannequin in his grandmother's attic when he was young, a fear that he would have to face in the "Mannikins of Horror" segment. Except for Eli, who recently caught the film for this podcast, the rest of the crew remember catching the film when it was originally released - or, in the case of Doc, re-released under the title House of Crazies.
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.
In this edition of Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold, Paul Cardullo gets his first taste of 1970s Turkish Action Cinema with the funky classic The Sword and The Claw (aka Kiliç Aslan and Lionman) (1975). The film is an unusual mix of Tarzan and a sword-and-sandal epic. While Tarzan is raised by apes, Süleyman (Turkish megastar Cüneyt Arkin), the hero of The Sword and The Claw, is raised by lions. This helps him to develop his fighting technique, which mostly consists of slashing as his opponent's faces with his hands. This "Turkish Tarzan" is the long-lost son of King Solomon, who was murdered by an evil prince. Now, Süleyman must team with the resistance to overcome the usurper. Words almost cannot do justice the whacked-out action in this film, which features much acrobatic work choreographed to the repeated strains of the Adagio from Aram Khachaturian's classical ballet Spartacus. There is fun action throughout, but the highlight is the true wackadoodle ten-minute finale wherein good guys and bad guys go flying through the air, presumably propelled by unseen trampolines, and much blood is spilled. Is it a good film? Probably not. Is it an entertaining film? Most definitely. Paul has a ball relating to Doc the experience of watching The Sword and The Claw which is being released on January 23, 2018, by American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) in a new 4K restoration on Blu-ray made from the only surviving 35-millimeter print. Listen to his review below and see why you too just may become a fan of 1970s Turkish Action Cinema.
They made Another Wolfcop? Yes, time to grab your liquor donuts and favorite Canadian brew of choice for the second lycan officer horror comedy adventure on Horror News Radio. It's an abbreviated episode of the show, but luckily Doc Rotten and Thomas Mariani have guest Vanessa there to help out. All three are here to to fight off lizard beings and snort some moon rocks. Before all that, our Grue Crew has Horror News of the Week to talk about. Stories include Sabrina The Teenage Witch going satanic, American Gods showrunner shake-ups and the mysteries of what a Guillermo Del Toro run Dark Universe could be. Oh well. A horror fan can dream.
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 244 – Another WolfCop
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The anthology film Monster Pool: Seven Deadly Sins (2017) explores each of the deadly sins with a series of unique twists and turns. A trio of directors unites to deliver the horror feature, Kyle Martellacci, Randy Smith, and Vincent Valentino. The cast includes Jennifer Allanson, Matt Armstrong, and Troy Arsenian. Gluttony wins the grossest award with its grisly scenes. while Lust wins the favorite trophy. The shorts creatively mix horror and Twilight-Zone inspired stories and tales of terror.
[powerpress]
“For all they’ve tried, the Mexicans haven’t been able to destroy it,” says the electronic voice of the Venusian’s computer when describing Mexico in The Ship of Monsters (1960), aka La Nave de los Monstruos. Our very own Joseph Perry was so enamored with “Tiki Brain Guy” and Cyclops in Santo and Blue Demon Against the Monsters (Episode 19), he decided to take us back in time to 1960 to experience their earlier roles as Tagual and Uk, respectively. Ride along as this episode’s Grue Crew - Joseph Perry, Chad Hunt, Jeff Mohr, and special guest host Kieran Fisher - take an interplanetary voyage on The Ship of Monsters!
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 23 – The Ship of Monsters (1960)
In The Ship of Monsters, the female population of Venus is in desperate need of men for the purposes of procreation and the survival of their race, To that end, the Venusians organize a mission whereby a rocketship and its crew will embark on a voyage to various planets to retrieve the best men from each and bring them back to repopulate Venus. The ship’s crew, Gamma (Ana Bertha Lepe) and Beta (Lorena Velázquez), start their mission suitably clothed for space travel in their one-piece swimsuits.
By the time they get to Earth, they’ve acquired several male specimens: Tagual, Prince of Mars; Uk, a slobbering cyclops from the Red Planet; Utirr, a half-tick, half-spider creature with telescoping appendages from the fire planet; Zok, a sabre-toothed primate skeleton creature; and Tor, a robot from a barren planet whose population had long gone extinct. They are, indeed, a ship of monsters when they land on Earth and encounter the best male Earth has to offer, Lauriano (Eulalio González, aka Piporro), a tall-tale-telling cowboy with a decidedly comedic bent. Throw in an incognito vampire’s plot to take over Earth and an interspecies love story or two and you have the ridiculous, but hilarious tale told in The Ship of Monsters.
This Mexican production is directed by Rogelio A. González and and the very smart script is written by José María Fernández Unsáin and Alfredo Varela. Don’t let the cheap monster suits fool you! The filmmakers successfully skewer the alien invasion film genre as well as racism, colonialism, and a few other -isms in a way that will have you laughing out loud. The members of this episode’s Grue Crew each give The Ship of Monsters a very strong thumbs up!
Listen and you’ll be able to tell which of us made these comments regarding The Ship of Monsters:
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), selected and hosted 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 (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!”
Gruesome's coverage of Blood in the Snow Film Festival continues with a fantasy, sci-fi thriller Darken (2017). Audrey Cummings directs from a script by RJ Lackie with a cast lead by Olunike Adeliyi, Paul Amos, and Rob Archer. In the story, Eve steps through a door into an alternate world where the denizens worship a woman named Mother Darken who hasn't been seen in many years. In her absence, Clarity rules with an iron fist. The film grows in interest as the mystery begins to unfold but the ambitious film's reach exceeds its grasp. The scope of the film feels better suited for an episodic television show than a single movie.
"Great party, isn't it?" The ghosts are all calling this party a big success. Congrats to Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) for being pull it off. Especially with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) constantly nagging him about "please don't kill us." Pfft. Family, am I right? The Shining is a pretty big example of Stephen King adaptations, one commonly derided for not being too close to the book. Did Stanley Kubrick's lack of faithfulness stop it from being covered on the show? You're damn right it didn't!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 125 – The Shining (1980)
Based on the massive best seller from Stephen King, The Shining isn't too faithful to its source material. While the book heavily relies on knowing the madness behind Jack Torrance, Stanley Kubrick's film is more external. It shows the madness for what it is. Presenting the irrational haunts in a rational fashion. This dichotomy is what creates the conflicts of the Torrance family as they fall apart. The Shining isn't subtle, but the scares are just as big as Nicholson's wails of "DANNY!" Plus, Kubrick helped revolutionized the steadicam, creating smooth movements that revolutionized what cinema could be.
To celebrate all of this, Thomas, Doc Rotten and Christopher G. Moore attend the Overlook Hotel's July 4th Ball in the middle of winter. Now, some people on this crew admit they weren't huge fans of Kubrick's vision initially. Yet, it seems like there's a few converts to The Shining here. There's praise all around for Kubrick's direction, Nicholson's performance and the terrifying ghosts. However, there's also some crucial questions being asked. Could Chevy Chase have made a good Jack Torrance? Does Jack have "The Shine" like Danny? Wasn't Scatman Crothers also Hong Kong Phooey? All these and more are answered, folks!
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!
The Blob (1988)
Part fairy tale, part horror movie, The Gatehouse (2017) from director Martin Gooch delivers the goods. Scarlett Rayner, Simeon Willis, Linal Haft, Paul Freeman, Hannah Waddingham, Alix Wilton Regan, and Melissa Knatchbull star. Lead Rayner is exceptional, sucking you into her plights of dealing with the loss of her mom and facing the horrors of the forest nearby, including a fantastic practical effect creature. The gore is fun but the CGI is a little rough. Gooch provides a solid script as well. Well worth your time when you come across The Gatehouse.
Cody Calahan directs Let Her Out (2017) featuring Alanna LeVierge, Nina Kiri, and Adam Christie. The story finds Helen (LeVierge) discovering that she has a tumor that appears to be the byproduct of a "phantom twin" that was absorbed in utero. Part body horror, part supernatural, part "possession" story, Let Her Out provides plenty of cringe-worthy story and effects that will delight horror fans and Gruesome listeners. LeVierge is spectacular in the lead and Calahan steers the cast and crew through a promising tale of thrilling terror.
Doc Rotten reins in another found footage film for Gruesome Magazine, this time from our good friends a POV Horror and Found Footage Files. The film is called The Last Witch (2017) from director Carlos Almón Muñoz. Following a trio of friends investigating a local legend about a witch that was killed along with her entire cover but her body was never recovered. Since then, even now hundreds of years later, the rumors persist that she still haunts the local village. Feeling very much in the vein of Blair Witch Project, The Last Witch struggles to strike its own mark but involves its characters into the mythology far more than other similar films.
The Grue Crew needs some rubbing alcohol after Nails digged into them. Horror News Radio tackles this Irish horror film about a hospital bound woman (Shauna MacDonald of The Descent) haunted by a ghost. Thomas and guest Chad Hunt then celebrate the release of Coco, Pixar's latest film focused around Dia de Los Muertos and talking skeletons singing their rib cages out. Muy Bueno! Dave and Doc Rotten even manage to sneak in a few bites at Attack of the Killer Donuts! Before all of that though, Dave's got Horror News of the Week to unveil. Including stories about KISS teaming up with Ash to slay Deadites, Jason Voorhees hunting down Cheech & Chong and a new Children of the Corn film that we totally needed!
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 243 – Nails - Coco
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"A ghost is me." Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi) finally comes to terms with what he has become. As we all must do when facing The Devil's Backbone. Following the infamous production problems of Mimic, writer/director Guillermo Del Toro left Hollywood for a moment to collect himself. The film spawned from this - The Devil's Backbone - is a fascinating look at isolation, loss and destitution as a group of orphans try to fight for their lives. All while a mysterious spectre lurks in the basement. Thomas and his co-hosts are here to taste test that weird fetus juice as they dive into Del Toro in honor of his upcoming film The Shape of Water.
Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 31 – The Devil's Backbone (2001)
While considered an older sibling to Guillermo Del Toro's big Oscar nomination heavy splash Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone often feels left alone in the dust. Much like young Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is at the orphanage of Dr. Casares and his wife Carmen (Marisa Paredes). Carlos often gets picked on by the other orphans, particularly as Jaimie (Inigo Garces) picks on him. He eventually starts seeing some mysterious shapes and shadows, only to find out that this orphanage is haunted by the ghost of a young boy named Santi (Junio Valverde). Is this ghost out to kill or to protect the children?
Well, Thomas and his guests Caitlin Turner, Adam Thomas and Christopher G. Moore are here to answer such a crucial question. The Devil's Backbone is discussed at length by these four. All of them wonder why it isn't as well appreciated as other Del Toro films. Christopher G. Moore dishes out some intriguing trivia. Caitlin appreciates the more female gaze perspective. Adam is still frozen with tension at that door scene. Thomas just wants to know why the hell that one lady trying putting out a gas fire with a blanket. All this and more is revealed as they dive directly into The Devil's Backbone.
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 Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Indie horror icon Todd Sheets gets behind the camera once again to bring us an old school werewolf flick, Bonehill Road (2017). Proudly touting a CGI free film, Todd pays homage to the classic werewolf films of our youth and brings scream queen Linnea Quigley along to raise the decibel level. And a bloody pack of werewolves to satisfy every werewolf fan. Blood flows, teeth tear and hair sprouts in all its low budget indie spectacle. Join Dave as he harkens back to the good old days of straight-to-VHS horror gruesome greatness.
Straight from the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival held November 23 through November 26, 2017, in Toronto comes the holiday gorrific gem Once Upon a Time at Christmas (2017). Doc shares his reactions with Jeff Mohr praising the structure, the jolly villains, and the super splendid splatter. Simon Phillips and Sayla de Goede (credited as Sayla Vee) makes an entertaining pair of murderous misfits dressed as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. The film gives holiday favorites Silent Night Deadly Night and Christmas Evil a run for the money. A favorite from the festival, Once Upon a Time a Christmas from director Paul Tanter arrives just in time for some gruesome holiday cheer.
“Maybe you two kids are on a trip or something. I don't know and I don't care.” Sheriff Jones (Richard Webb) has little patience for Bobby Hartford (Robert Walker Jr) and Lisa Clark (Gwynne Gilford) as they describe being attacked by a monstrous man-eating blob in Beware! The Blob (1972). Jeff Mohr, Chad Hunt, and Bill Mulligan are ready to pounce on Doc Rotten for suggesting this disastrous "treat" of a goofy horror film from director Larry Hagman - yeah, J.R. Ewing from the Dallas TV show (and Major Anthony Nelson from I Dream of Jeanie decades earlier). Oh, boy, this is going to get ripe.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 63 – Beware! the Blob (1972)
On a minuscule $150,000 budget shot almost entirely using friends and neighbors, Larry Hagman and Anthony Harris would craft a horror comedy sequel to Jack Harris' 50's monster movie classic The Blob (1958). Sadly, Beware! The Blob comes nowhere near as iconic or thrilling (or professional) as the film that inspired it. The supporting cast would include a who's who of TV actors of the Sixties and Seventies: Godfrey Cambridge, Richard Stahl, Carol Lynley, Marlene Clark, Gerrit Graham, Dick Van Patten, Del Close, Cindy Williams, Tiger Joe Marsh, and Burgess Meredith. While most everything about the film is subpar, on a curiosity level, the film is mildly entertaining. Beware this movie!
"It's loose again eating everyone!" - the poster tagline promises far more than the film delivers.
Being good spirits, the Grue-crew desperately try to find good things about the film. Mostly, they get distracted by all the cameos. The dialog, rumored to be mostly improvised, has the crew plugging their ears instead of covering their eyes. Still, there are some silly moments that give the film some gas but the effects are shotty and the direction is...worse. It is not difficult to see that this is Larry Hagman's sole cinematic directorial effort. Bill Mulligan wins the trivia award of the week for pointing out that Del Close, who has a cameo in this picture, is featured prominently in the 1988 remake from Chuck Russell. Go, team!
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.
Playing at the Screamfest Film Festival this past October and the Atlanta Horror Film Festival, Ruin Me (2017) took home the "Best Feature Film" award at the latter event. Doc Rotten takes a seat to take a look at what all the buzz is about and confirms that Atlanta got this one right. Ruin Me from director Prestin DeFrancis and written by Trysta A. Bissett & Preston DeFrancis is an undeniable treat for all horror fans. It features an extreme sleep over campaign called Slasher Sleepout, an unreliable narrator, and a possible escaped convict picking off our cast one-by-one - serious, what is not to love! The film also has a great cast with Marcienne Dwyer in the lead supported by Matt Dellapina, Chris Hill, Eva Hamilton, John Odom, Cameron Gordon, and Sam Ashdown. Doc is excited to give this his seal of approval, check out the review to find out why.
Justice League lands with a 93 Million dollar thud. But the Grue-Crew find plenty to enjoy with the League while questioning some of the forced humor, vanishing mustaches, and the (yet again) terrible villain. What is happening with the superhero films? Dave Dreher is here to provide some news about George Romero's rare cut of NOTLD, Steven Soderbergh's new horror film, and The Rock's adventures in the Rampage game-to-movie adaptation. Also, Doc and Thomas share their misadventures with a Patreon Livestream Q&A.
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 242 – Justice League
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“Have a potato.” So said Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger), one of our hosts as we all sat down to dinner. Join this episode’s Grue Crew as we seek shelter from the storm in The Old Dark House (1932). It seemed like a swell idea at the time. Erin Miskell was not able to join us on this one, so Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr had to do all the heavy lifting themselves. (They all shouted in their best impersonation of Joey Starrett in Shane,“Come back, Erin!”)
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 22 – The Old Dark House (1932)
The story of The Old Dark House begins with five weary travelers caught between avalanches on a stormy night and searching for a place to spend the night. The first to arrive are the Wavertons - Philip (Raymond Massey) and Margaret (Gloria Stuart) - and their travel companion, a light-hearted chap named Penderel (Melvyn Douglas). They are joined a short time later by Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and his travel companion Gladys (Lilian Bond). Both groups of travelers are greeted at the door by Morgan (Boris Karloff), the owners’ mute and intimidating butler. They are soon joined by Horace Femm (Ernest Thesiger) and his sister Emma (Eva Moore). Eventually, the Femms’ guests learn of the third Femm sibling, the insane and dangerous Saul (Brember Wills), and meet his 102-year-old, bedridden father, Sir Roderick Femm (Elspeth Dudgeon). Many high jinx ensue in tandem with seriously dreadful and life threatening encounters.
The second of director James Whale’s four entries in the Universal horror pantheon, The Old Dark House is rife with the director’s signature shadow play, comedic overtones, and attention to detail. The entire film takes place during the clichéd dark and stormy night lit only by flickering candlelight, oil lamplight, and fireplace flame, but cinematographer Arthur Edeson still delivers clear but menacing depictions of the the goings-on in The Old Dark House. Boris Karloff receives star billing in contrast to his “hidden” credit in Frankenstein (1931), but still is not given a single line of dialogue to utter.
Chad and Jeff (he does go on) enthusiastically recommend repeated viewings of The Old Dark House. Joseph also recommends the film and promises repeated viewings in the future.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Ship of Monsters (1960) aka La Nave de los Monstruos, 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!”
"Who the hell is going to believe a ritual sacrificial murder in 1982?!" Sgt Powell (Richard Roundtree) asking the question on everyone's mind. Yet - in a film with a flying lizard creature, cop drama and an interpersonal struggle of an ex-junkie - a ritual sacrifice is the bottom barrel in the list of weird crap in Q The Winged Serpent. Our Patreon picked episode! Do we owe our friends a skyscraper roof sunbathing session? Or are we hoping they get covered in Q poop? Listen to find out!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 124 – Q The Winged Serpent (1982)
Q The Winged Serpent is a hodgepodge of so many film tropes. There's the giant flying monster eating people, which is one we're all more than familiar with. Leading to a buddy cop drama where Sgt. Powell and his partner Detective Sheppard (David Carradine) investigate the string of ritual sacrificial murders in the wake of this creature. Meanwhile, an ex-junkie turned thief (Michael Moriarty) becomes seduced by the power of the titular bird and holds leverage over the city while arguing with his girlfriend (Candy Clark). Needless to say, it's all over the place.
To decipher all the plots, Christopher G. Moore, Thomas Mariani and Doc Rotten sit down to discuss Q The Winged Serpent in detail. Christopher is baffled by Michael Moriarty's crazed performance. Thomas praises the barrage of influences that crafted a pretty unique package. Doc really wants to know what happened to all the Q poop. Regardless, they're all very happy that the folks at Patreon gave them an interesting film to discuss. After all, how many monster flicks have improvised jazz piano? Exactly!
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!
The Shining (1980)
Paul Cardullo sits down with Doc Rotten to review one of the unsung classics found in the George A. Romero collection from Arrow Video, Between Night and Dawn. The film is Season of the Witch (1972) originally called Jack's Wife and released under the title Hungry Wives. Paul shares the strange and unusual history of Romero's "witchcraft" offering. He praises actress Jan White who plays the lead and encourages horror fans - especially Romero fans - to hold out until the third act which pays off this early Romero film. Check out the review for more.
Talented actor Nicholas Vince, who played The Chatterer Cenobite in Clive Barker's Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Kinski in Barker's Nightbreed, makes his horror short writing and directorial debut with The Night Whispered. This short will remind viewers of classic supernatural tales, perhaps ones that they read or viewed in their younger years or even today. Check out Joseph's full audio review below, and then rent or buy The Night Whispered at http://www.nicholasvince.com/the-night-whispered!
Doc Rotten dives into another film from the fantastic Cinepocalypse Film Festival held in Chicago from November 2nd through the 9th. Downrange (2017) proves to be a gripping thriller from director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Midnight Meat Train) featuring Kelly Connaire, Stephanie Pearson, and Rod Hernandez. The plot is extremely minimalistic with a group of friends stranded on an isolated stretch of rural country road with no cell reception. Soon, they discover that a sniper is in the trees nearby taking them out one by one, toying with them as the day creeps into night. The premise is wrought with tension but the current real-life environment makes this a difficult film to watch with a sense of entertainment which is unfortunate for the filmmakers. But, it is also too hard to ignore. The film is either a few years too late or a few years too early to make the most of the story. The movie itself has its own troubles as the conclusion robs much of the film of its tension. However, the acting from leads Kelly Connaire and Stephanie Pearson is the film's strongest asset.
Tackling another Sci-fi/Horror film, Jeff Mohr discovers Skybound (2017) is more an action-thriller with an interesting plot, a good mystery, and solid cinematography but with weak acting and cringe-worthy dialogue. Writer-director Alex Tavakoli guides his cast Scarlett Byrne, Gavin Stenhouse, and Rick Cosnett through his disaster-filled in-flight feature. Jeff shares his thoughts, his score, and his favorite scene with another much-anticipated Gruesome Magazine review.
Vanessa invites Doc Rotten to reveal his thoughts on the latest film in the DC cinematic universe, Justice League (2017). The film is directed by Zack Snyder (with some reshoot help from Joss Whedon) with a script by Chris Terrio and Whedon. The story has Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) forming a team to defeat Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds, voice), providing Jack Kirby a "New Gods" credit. Sadly, the world is in a tailspin after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill) in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice leaving it vulnerable with only Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) to lend a much-needed hand. The cast is up to the challenge providing the film with many character building sets of dialogue and exchanges. The "new kids" size up alongside Batman and Wonder Woman quite nicely. The film drags a bit when it returns to the foe with Steppenwolf proving that superhero films continue to have issues developing good villains. Still, he is still better than the villains in the past DC films. Full of entertainment and laughs, Justice League succeeds yet it still stops short of delivering much needed "wow!" moments