Waiting patiently for Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant to arrive this Summer, the Grue-Crew whet their appetites for aliens vs human carnage with the Daniel Espinosa sci-fi/horror opus Life out in theaters March 2, 2017. The film plays close to type combining Alien with Gravity as a newly discovered alien rips through a small group of space scientists. Fun times! The best thing about the film is the Twilight Zone down-beat ending that is pretty spectacular. Getting there garners mixed results from the Grue-crew.
Shudder once again serves up new material with the premiere of Prevenge from writer/director and star Alice Lowe. Dave returns this week to share his affection for this film with Thomas passionately backing him up. However, Doc steps into the ring in the opposite corner and that never goes well. Regardless, you're going to want to hear the review and check out this horror film on Shudder.
Dave pilots this week's edition of Horror News of the Week with a possible Venom R-rated horror film and the Escape from New York remake finds a director. HNR and Gruesome Magazine are heading to a number of horror conventions and film festival in the coming months with Joey Fittos covering New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival March 31 - April 2, 2017. This week Doc Rotten discusses his visit to Mad Monster Party Carolina, March 24-26, 2017.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 208 – Life (2017)
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Hitting theaters this past weekend is the promising blend of Alien and Gravity as Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rebecca Ferguson face down the ferocious machinations from director Daniel Espinosa and Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Deadpool) in the sci-fi/horror film Life (2017). A team of scientist on the International space station circling Earth discover an alien life form that grows into a monster willing to kill to survive. While much of the film feels like seen-that/done-that, the ending of the film is quite memorable and thrilling. Great special effects and solid cinematography don't always win out over spotty character development and massive plot hole. Yet, the film is fun.
Heading straight to Shudder streaming site after a positive debut at SXSW, Prevenge from writer/director Alice Lowe features a pregnant mother-to-be facing either a massive mental break down or an evil force from within encouraging her to act out on her anger issues, slicing and dicing anyone who crosses her path to shreds. Fun is had by all, maybe. The Grue-crew dive into the the horror film with great respect from most and a hint of disdain from one. Uh, oh.
The Void
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic! But SCREAM! SCREAM FOR YOUR LIVES!” Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we get all touchy-feely with The Tingler and find out exactly what all the screaming is about. Don’t forget to bring your date and watch them TINGLE!
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 5 – The Tingler (1959)
Some films cannot be denied and 1959’s The Tingler is just such a film. With William Castle at the helm and Vincent Price as the lead, you can’t go wrong, right? But what about the implausible plot, you wonder? Or the ridiculous creature effects? And who can believe Ollie’s (Philip Coolidge) scared-to death plot that ends in a literal bloodbath. Our response to such queries? WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?! This is William Castle and Vincent Price! What do plot and special effects have to do with anything? By the way, we see nothing implausible about a microscopic creature that lives in your spine, feeds and grows on fear, has the power of a “hydraulic press,” and is thwarted by and shrinks at the sounds of your screams. At least, that's the way it works most of the time. All things become possible with William Castle.
Yeah, yeah, you’ve seen The Tingler a dozen times. But have you really SEEN The Tingler? How did Castle's House on Haunted Hill (1959) inspire Robb White's writing of the screenplay for The Tingler? Do you know what real world creature The Tingler is modeled after? It might be even more horrific than the film’s titular worm. What influence did Aldous Huxley have on the story told in The Tingler? What cinematic first is found in The Tingler? (It has do with a drug that’s not a drug - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.) Why would Darryl Hickman take a part in this film without pay? What’s the connection between Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) and The Tingler? Is it even possible that Alfred Hitchcock drew inspiration from William Castle? What’s the connection between The Tingler and the animated productions, Woody Woodpecker and Gumby?
And which of us made these memorable comments:
We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes It! (aka Curse of the Golem, 1967), The Thing from Another World (1951), Freaks (1932), and The Queen of Spades (1949).
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 movies 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, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you, a great big “THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!” from each of us!
"You wanna see something really scary?" Submitted for your approval, a podcast looking back at an anthology film that's a remake of a classic TV show. Four segments. Four directors. Analyzed by four men. Attempting to figure out which is better. What caused the infamous tragedy on the film's set? Which one makes the most lasting impression? Who can possibly remember that Bill Mumy isn't Ron Howard? All these questions lay linger... in The Twilight Zone... The Movie... the topic of this edition of the podcast.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 104 – Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Twilight Zone: The Movie is a film obviously marred by tragedy. The deaths of Vic Morrow, Renee Chen, and My-ca Dinh Le during an infamous helicopter accident still loom over the film. Yet, aside from that, there's still a lot to enjoy about this anthology. Four directors - two at the height of their fame (John Landis & Steven Spielberg) and two others still up and coming (Joe Dante and George Miller) - were tasked to adapt four different episodes of the iconic anthology show into a segment. The results are eclectic, to say the least. There's a supernatural adventure about bigotry, a sepia toned character piece about old age, a darkly comedic fantasy about a child with God-like powers and a paranoia sweat soaked horror about a fear of flying. Oh, and there's also a prologue with Albert Brooks and Dan Aykroyd. Mix in a diverse cast that also includes Al Leong, Scatman Crothers, Kevin McCarthy, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan and Twilight Zone veteran Burgess Meredith & it's a rather interesting time.
Thomas Mariani and Christopher G. Moore are both out a Doc once again (don't worry, he'll be back next time), so they've recruited Gruesome writer Adam Thomas and filmmaker Bill Mulligan to talk about Twilight Zone The Movie. They talk the industry changing aspects of the tragic accident, contextualize the careers of all these directors from this specific time and compare the adaptations of the episodes to their television counterparts. In ranking all the segments, the results are far more varied than one might expect. Some prefer the heartwarming sugariness of Spielberg. Others prefer the canted angles of Miller. Even some prefer Landis' ability to turn a tragedy into a cohesive short story. It's a passionate discussion that'll show you something really scary.
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. We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “Bone Chillin’” which we use for the intro and outro of this show.
James Gunn (Slither, Guardians of the Galaxy) returns to the horror genre as the screenwriter and producer of THE BELKO EXPERIMENT. Remember, the popular Marvel director once wrote the screenplays for the Scooby Doo films and Zack Snyder's remake of Dawn of the Dead. With The Belko Experiment from director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek, Rogue), Gunn swipes heavily from Battle Royale working double time to shove in a healthy dash of Office Space. So, what exactly does the Horror News Radio Grue-Crew think of his efforts. What you hear may surprise you...be warned.
Thomas is leading this week's edition of Horror News of the Week with the sad news of the passing of comic horror legend Berni Wrightson who co-created DC's the Swamp Thing and illustrated the Creepshow adaptation along with a beautiful rendition of the classic Frankenstein novel. He will be missed. HNR and Gruesome Magazine are heading to a number of horror conventions and film festival in the coming months with Joey Fittos covering New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival March 31 - April 2, 2017 and Doc Rotten and John Black heading to Mad Monster Party Carolina, March 24-26, 2017.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 207 – The Belko Experiment (2017)
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The cast for THE BELKO EXPERIMENT is an impressive collection of fine actors for a modestly budgeted horror entry: John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona, John C. McGinley, Melonie Diaz, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, and Gregg Henry. The gore is splattered throughout and the surprises pile up as the body count rises. But the film steers clear of anything heavy with its social commentary and inventive kills. The pacing, the music, and the editing prevent the film from escaping the bland execution of a promising premise. Stick with the trailer...or check out the review from the Grue-Crew. The movie is D.O.A.
Life
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti." Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) says the iconic line that launched a thousand parodies. 25 year - nearly to the day - after sweeping the Academy Awards, Silence of the Lambs has become a cultural touchstone that people still recognize to this day. The interplay between Dr. Lecter and Agent Claire Starling (Jodie Foster) live on in the annals of horror history. Then again, is this groundbreaking piece of cinema a horror film? A thriller? A romantic comedy? It'll take a reunion of some experts from the Hannibal Fan Podcast to make that kind of call.
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 11 – Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Silence of the Lambs is only the third and so far last film to sweep the five big Oscar categories: Best Actor, Actress, Screenplay, Director & Picture. An amazing feat, but one that still remains earned. Following a young FBI agent at the end of her training, Clarice Starling is out to find the shadowy serial killer known as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). While on the hunt, she visits the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane to interview psychiatrist/disturbed cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter as to Bill's actions. The back and forth between the two quickly becomes a mind game, one that's brilliantly written by Ted Tally (based on Thomas Harris' novel) and directed with delicate control by Jonathan Demme. One intelligent study of the insane vs. the sane that spawned multiple sequels and copycats alike.
To suss out all of this, Thomas gets the band back together from the Hannibal Fan Podcast for a reunion! Doc Rotten speaks to the intimate close ups Demme uses to get us into the characters. Dave Dreher denotes the lingering horror of the tension filled finale. Christopher G. Moore gushes about every frame of his second favorite film of all time. While denoting some datedness, Thomas can't help but marvel at the cohesively constructed Silence of the Lambs. This band of Hannibal fans discuss the iconic performances, legendary characters and masterful horror on display. Plus, there's a bit of fan casting for Bryan Fuller if he ever returns to the world of Thomas Harris. Bryan: call us!
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 podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy.
Decades of Horror the 1990s needs your help! We need to find a topic for episode #13 and we're asking YOU to vote on it! In the below link, vote for how excited you'd be for each individual option from Golden (super excited) to Dead (not excited at all). The one with the greatest average will be chosen. Deadline to vote is April 1st! You can vote here.
Perfect Blue (1998)
Legendary continues their MonsterVerse with the release of Kong: Skull Island, following up the American version of Godzilla (2014). With director Jordan Vogt-Roberts at the helm, the film is a B-movie picture with an A-movie cast and budget, including increasing Kong's size to become over 100 feet tall. It may be the best big dumb monster movie ever. The Grue-crew hunker down in the podcast jungle to share their thoughts on the furry Kaiju beast and his battles with helicopters, a giant octopus, some deadly "skull crawlers", and one mean looking Samuel L. Jackson. While the film is a gas, it may be the stinger that has the crew all giddy.
Dave is back with another edition of Horror News of the Week with talk of Behind the Mask getting a comic book, another Friday the 13th game trailer, and Netflix picking up the Godzilla anime feature. HNR and Gruesome Magazine are heading to a number of horror conventions and film festival in the coming months with Joey Fittos covering Monster-Mania this past weekend and Doc Rotten and John Black heading to Mad Monster Party Carolina, March 24-26, 2017.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 206 – Kong: Skull Island (2017)
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Check out this killer A movie cast: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz, Tian Jing, Toby Kebbell, Jason Mitchell, Shea Wingham, Thomas Mann, Eugene Cordero, and Richard Jenkins. Too bad most of them are nothing more than fodder for Kong and his monster mates on Skull Island to stomp, eat, and squish in glorious monster movie mayhem. Kong is truly King! He is amazing in the film, wonderfully rendered and perfectly integrated in the world of Kong. The film also sets up the eventual Godzilla vs Kong MonsterVerse confrontation due in 2020 with a fun little stinger at the very end of the credits. With a simple Godzilla roar, imaginations soar. But, first, what do the Grue-Crew thing of Kong: Skull Island.
The Belko Experiment
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
"Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast." REALLY!? Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we discuss just exactly what was the cause of Kong’s demise. The newest Kong film, Kong: Skull Island released on March 10, 2017, has already grossed $148M worldwide as of March 15, 2017, proving the iconic Kong is still alive and well. Listen as we “wrestle” with the original King Kong, the 1933 classic that started it all!
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 4 –King Kong (1933)
As is the case with many films of The Classic Era, our Grue-Crew experienced this film through the electromagic wonders of television, and we were shocked, SHOCKED we tell you, when we eventually learned it had been cut by the scoundrels administering the Hays Code. Yes, many of the most violent, people chewing scenes or most salacious and sensual scenes (Fay Wray’s dunk in the river) had been removed.
We were also in awe of Merion C. Cooper and Ernest B. Shoedsack as these adventurers cum filmmakers brought their vision to fruition in one of the most highly thought of films in history. King Kong was truly a groundbreaking film in nearly all aspects of the technology of filmmaking, from special effects to sound design to musical score. We spotlight Willis O’Brien’s stop motion animation which inspired Ray Harryhausen, as well as Curtis Delgado’s models, Harry Cunningham’s model armatures, Mario Larrinaga's matte paintings, Murray Spivack’s sound design (Exactly how do you create the roar of a mythical creature?), and Max Steiner’s score.
And what of the acting? Cooper bragged at getting double duty from leads Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray while simultaneously filming The Most Dangerous Game (1932) on some of the same sets, but the overtime doesn’t show in their performances.
So many questions arise when discussing an 84-year-old classic. Who was Noble Johnson and what role did he play in film history? What was the relationship of Ruth Rose, one of the screenwriters, to Cooper and Shoedsack? What do the Nias Islands have to do with the film and who would ever want to go there? How do the characters hold up against current cultural norms? What themes and tropes backdrop the film? How many films did Fay Wray act in that year? What's the connection between King Kong and Gone with the Wind?
And which of us made these memorable comments:
We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes The Tingler (1959), It! (aka Curse of the Golem, 1967), The Thing from Another World (1951) and Freaks (1932)
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 movies 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, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
Thanks for listening, from each of us to each of you!
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum." Nada (Rowdy Roddy Piper) comes out of his consumer coma and is ready to blow some aliens away. The satirical sci-fi actioner from horror master John Carpenter is a schlocky example of 80s cheese... with an actual brain behind it?
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 103 – They Live (1988)
They Live is a bit of a departure for Decades of Horror, given the bigger emphasis on sci-fi and action. Yet, what's more horrifying than realizing you live in a dystopian world ruled by cruel uncaring overlords that trick you in a commercialized sense of ignorance? Well... actually living in that world on a daily basis. Yes, Carpenter's jab at Reagan-era politics still permeates our culture. After all, how many celebrities have been turned into a They Live-style alien to indicate the media obsessed world we live in is all consuming? Unfortunately, we don't have a Rowdy Roddy Piper to suplex the corporate overlords into submission. But hopefully this and many generations to come can be inspired by Piper's lack of hesitation in taking out those that stand in the way of American progress. Or at the very least admire the stamina it takes for him to kick the crap out of Fred Armitage (Keith David) in order to see the truth via his sunglasses.
Luckily, three people here are in awe of Roddy's prowess. Thomas and Christopher G. Moore return to gush about this 1988 John Carpenter film, but are unfortunately short a Doc Rotten to help them out. Luckily, a nomadic drifter has decided to take his place around the fiery trashcan. That is Gruesome Magazine's own Adam Thomas, a man who knows his wrestling as much as he knows his horror and genre filmmaking. Together, these three gush about the infamous fight scene between David & Piper, spotlight the vulnerability under Piper's performance and marvel with disturbed regret at They Live's lasting political relevance. It's a damn good time that's pretty contemplative when you look past the brute force and one liners.
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. We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “Bone Chillin’” which we use for the intro and outro of this show.
"See A*P*E ... defy the jaws of a giant shark ... destroy a teeming city ... demolish an ocean liner ... vanquish a monster reptile" - the tag line for A*P*E (1976) promises as much as the incredible poster for this race- to-the-theater King Kong rip-off from director Paul Leder. Yes, Yes! This is the film where the giant gorilla flips off the army ... in 3D, no less. Let the fun begin! The Black Saint and Doc Rotten tackle another groovy horror film from the 1970s. Joining the grue-crew is Gruesome Magazine contributor Jeff Mohr and NC effects artist and film maker Bill Mulligan.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 48 – A*P*E (1976)
With a massive budget of $24,000, the team behind A*P*E created a King Kong rip-off film that has to be seen to be believed. Insanely goofy, horribly made, dreadfully written, hilariously inept, the film originally known as Super Kong is a disaster ... and bloody brilliant because of it. It is a true so-bad-it-is-good treasure ... and in 3-D to boot. It is getting a terrific 3D Bluray release from Kino Lorber Video and for those who love schlocky, horrible films that desperately want to be called guilty pleasure, then A*P*E is the film for you. Oh, the joy, the pure stupid joy! The Black Saint and Doc Rotten are joined by Jeff Mohr and Bill Mulligan to recap and review this bizarre entry into 1970s solid gold. Enjoy!
A*P*E features one of the worst gorilla costumes committed to film, ever. The seems are evident and the stitches come loose in the opening scene when APE fights a giant shark, revealing the undershirt underneath. Amazing! The film feels padded at 80 minutes long and features scene after scene of random locals running from the 36 foot gorilla, many of which can be seen smiling and laughing as they run. Rich! The army shows up late in the film so they can point their guns into the camera in "stunning" 3D effects. Marvelous! The gorilla shimmies, shakes, and dances his way across the South Korean landscape scaring villages, stepping over fake cows, wrestling live snakes, and tearing down buildings with glorious glee. Ah! There's nothing else left to say... watch the film if you dare. Regardless, listen to the Grue-Crew discuss A*P*E.
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 theblacksaint@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
The X-Men franchise go raw once again with the R-Rated Logan from director James Mangold. Last year we were treated to Deadpool, this years brings Wolverine as we've longed to see him since debuting seventeen years ago. Hugh Jackman reprises the role of James Howlett one last time with Patrick Stewart in tow as Professor X. The Grue-crew champion the film's gritty, violent tone and praise the performances. Give Stewart a Supporting Oscar, now, please.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 205 – Logan (2017)
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X-Men fans are treated to the most mature super hero film to reach theaters in some time. Deadpool was more raunchy and the DC films are missing the mark, James Mangold's Logan nails the delivery. The story is gripping, the conflicts are dire, and the stakes are more personable. The film doesn't skimp on gory action - plenty crimson enough to satisfy horror fans with decapitations and dismemberment galore. Jackman and Stewart give their best performances as Logan and Xavier while Dafne Keen makes an impressive debut as Laura Kinney, X-23. Oddly enough, the best super hero film is one that plays less like a super hero film than all the rest. Go figure.
Kong: Skull Island
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
"I kick ass for the Lord!" Father McGruder (Stuart Devenie) kicks some zombie ass in the defining example of 'divine intervention.' Peter Jackson's cult classic Dead Alive (or Braindead for international audiences) has been a mainstay of the zombie genre for 25 years. The zany horror/comedy takes the example of Sam Raimi and builds layer upon layer of creative creature effects & gallons upon gallons of gore. His early splatstick style might not have gotten him Academy level prestige, but it made Jackson a key figure in the evolution of zombie cinema. Now, armed with a lawnmower and a tarp, Thomas and his co-hosts are out to get to the meat of what makes Dead Alive endure for as long as it has.
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 10 – Dead Alive (1992)
Set in 1957 New Zealand, Lionel Cosgrove (Timothy Balme) is a momma's boy, under the strict thumb of his mother Vera (Elizabeth Moody). He looks after her enormous house and does her every whim, without a single bit of time for himself. Even when Lionel tries to take the lovely local market girl Pequita (Diana Peñalver) out on a date to the local zoo, she has to tag along. Unfortunately, this zoo trip turns dire as a rabid Sumatran Rat Monkey from the monkey exhibit bites Vera and catch a zombie virus that slowly degenerates her condition. Lionel tries to keep her upright, only for her to crave human flesh. Even after her funeral, Vera's lust for carnage ravages this small New Zealand town, which Lionel tries to keep contained in his house as he keeps a nurse, a greaser punk and a preacher who have been bitten and transformed by his mother in the basement. This comedy of errors escalates further as Lionel's misogynistic idiot Uncle Les (Ian Watkin) blackmails him into his mother's inheritance and celebrates with a party at the house. What could possibly go wrong?
Thomas is joined by returning guests Sam Brutuxan and Christopher G. Moore to discuss this early example of Peter Jackson's extensive ambition. The variety of zombie creatures, endlessly creative camera tricks and stunning displays of gore mastery still impress to this day, showing off the extensive world building and incredibly detailed madness that would be needed to bring Middle Earth to the big screen less than a decade later. The trio praise Dead Alive for its ability to be an homage to everything from King Kong to Evil Dead, while at the same time carving a new path towards cult fame. They revel in all their favorite zombie character, from the zombie baby Lionel throttles with to Void the greaser's personified gastrointestinal tract. It's a love fest all around, with Christopher clamoring it as his favorite zombie film of all time.
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 podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy.
"There's a girl out there who might be running for her life from some gigantic turned-on ape." - the line for King Kong (1976) illustrates the odd tone to the high-profile, big-budget creature feature remake. Dino De Laurentiis' monstrous epic provides fans with a U.S. man-in-suit Kaiju turn at the furry beast with a young Rick Baker in the ape suit. Let the fun begin! The Black Saint and Doc Rotten tackle another groovy horror film from the 1970s. Joining the grue-crew is Gruesome Magazine contributor Jeff Mohr.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 47 – King Kong (1976)
Joining Santos, Doc, and Jeff is the host of Decades of Horror 1980s and co-host of Horror News Radio Thomas Mariani who immediate jumps into how Dino De Laurentiis presents Kong himself. The giant gorilla is seen ogling Dwan played by Jessica Lange in a questionable manner that deserves the description in the show's opener "some gigantic turned-on ape." While there's always been a connection between Kong and Anne Darrow (from the '33 picture), the way they treat his attraction to Dwan is far less appealing than intended, for certain. Kong's motivation is all over the place as the Grue-Crew struggle to find good things to say about the 1976 rendition of this classic monster from the movies. The film was highly promoted upon its release in December of 1976 as Doc, Jeff, and Santos all remember, but the film failed to live up to the hype. While Doc and Jeff admit liking the film now more than prior, the film still disappoints in a huge Hollywood blockbuster-gone-wrong way.
John Guillermin (from The Towering Inferno) directs the film which stars Charles Grodin, Jeff Bridges, and Jessica Lange in lead roles. Rick Baker's Kong is superimposed into many shots with noticeable matte outlines giving the high production and low-grade sheen. While the ape costume itself is noteworthy, the integration of the effects into the film often fail their efforts. The huge mechanical King, which was all the rage in the promos and press at the time, is barely seen in the film, perhaps for the better. The film's tone dances between serious and satire - or, at least, feels like satire, regardless of original intention. According to Thomas, Grodin acts with his teeth in an amazing fashion while Bridges likely filled the large pit to capture Kong with smoke all on his own. Yeah, man. Prepare for Kong: Skull Island with this look back to a classic - or not so classic - King Kong adventure from 1976.
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 theblacksaint@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Emmy Award winning comedic actor and first time writer/director Jordan Peele gets his first bite at feature filmmaking with Get Out, a racially charged horror/comedy about a young man (Daniel Kaluuya) taking a trip with his girlfriend (Allison Williams) to meet her parents, only for horror to be lurking in their secluded house. The Grue Crew has a spirited conversation about the topic, all without the help of their fearless leader. Yes, for the first time in over 200 episodes, Doc Rotten is out sick and the children will come out and play... or kill each other. Whatever comes first.
The remaining crew also dive into the female driven horror anthology XX. Five segments from five different female directors, all centered around women dealing with a variety of horror. Children who won't eat. A secret that could ruin their child's birthday. Camping with the opposite sex. A son with an absent father who has far darker ties than she has let on. Plus, it's all wrapped in a package of spooky stop-motion! What's not to love?
Dave guides the Crew through Horror News of the Week, lead off with the remembering the dearly departed Bill Paxton. HNR continues its trek through film festivals and conventions, the next stop being Mad Monster Party in Rock Hill, SC March 24th - 26, 2017!
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 204 – Get Out (2017)
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Meeting your girlfriend's family is tough for anyone. It's even worse when they're a bunch of crazy white people. The Grue Crew may be short one Doc, but award winning filmmaker Christopher G. Moore is there to spread all sort of love for Jordan Peele's Get Out. The crew commends the clear displays of love for horror, the daring racial themes and masterful balance of horror with humor to both alleviate and strengthen the tension. Yet, there's still plenty of discourse here, mainly over the extensive praise that's been lauded on the film and the concept of hype backlash. Santos and Thomas go head to head... even though they both really enjoyed the movie. Must be an HNR episode!
XX isn't just the correct chromosome pattern for the directors of this horror anthology. It's harbinger of the many deaths that take place over this horror anthology. Directors Karyn Kusama, Roxanne Benjamin, Sofia Carrillo, Jovanka Vuckovic and Annie Clark (or St. Vincent, for indie rock music fans) have crafted five segments all themed around women and horror. Santos and Thomas discuss the foibles and charms of this horror anthology, arguing over which ones work and which ones don't. There's an unevenness like most horror anthologies, but the nuggets of pure gold are worth searching for!
Logan
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
“We didn’t come here to fight monsters! We’re not equipped for it!" Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we take a deep dive (and we do mean DEEP!) into the legendary Black Lagoon and talk of all things Creature. Chad Hunt picked this one - it’s one of his “favorite movies of all-time” - so listen as he leads us on our expedition into the Amazonian jungle in search of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The erudite Erin Miskell was under the weather for this one, but we sallied forth aboard the Rita and motored into dangerous waters without her, foolhardy as that may seem.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 3 – Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
All three of us first experienced Creature from the Black Lagoon on television via our local creature features and fell in love at first sight, but that didn’t stop us from being surprised at what we learned about it.
The film is co-written by Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross and is directed by Jack Arnold. Do you know which one of them had a hand in Gilligan’s Island (1964-66) and Rawhide (1959-64)? How about The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and Octaman (1972)? Or even Satan’s School for Girls (1973)?
The film features the Gill-Man, the last of the Universal Studios Classic Monsters, as played by Ricou Browning and Ben Chapman. Why do they need two actors to play the Gill-Man? And is the Creature designed and built by Bud Westmore with assistance from Millicent Patrick or is it the other way around?
The quintessential cast for a 1950s science fiction / horror film - Julie Adams, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell, and Antonio Moreno - plays a team of scientists in search of the source of a fossilized, clawed hand they found up river. They travel aboard the Rita, whose captain is played by the inimitable Nestor Paiva with over 300 acting credits to his name. wonders why anyone would want to fish for rocks.
So many questions and so little time. Share 70 minutes of your time with us and find out:
We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes King Kong (1933), The Tingler (1959), and It! (1967).
Please let us know what you think and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! 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, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.