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Now displaying: July, 2017
Jul 28, 2017

First up for the Grue-Crew is the slow burn into survival horror Killing Ground from writer/director Damien Power. The Grue-Crew want to love Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets but just can't do it on pretty colors alone. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week with the loss of the character actor John Heard and a barrage of SDCC 2017 Horror announcements.  Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's Stump the Saint!

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 | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 225 – Killing Ground (2017) – Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planet (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

SHOW NOTES

INTRO [00:00:39]

CONTEST [00:02:37]

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK [00:05:03]

  1. RIP John Heard (C.H.U.D., Cat People, Home Alone)
  2. Stranger Things Season 2 trailer sends shivers down the spine
  3. Dark Universe Wants... CHANNING TATUM FOR VAN HELSING?!
  4. Blumhouse reboots Todd McFarlane's SPAWN... from director Todd McFarlane?!?!

SUPPORT HNR [00:28:59]

FEATURE REVIEW [00:30:51]

  • Killing Ground (2017)
  • director: Damien Power
  • cast: Harriet Dyer, Tiarnie Coupland, Aaron Pedersen

ANNOUNCEMENTS [00:51:56]

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING [00:53:08]

  • Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planet (2017)
  • director: Luc Besson
  • cast: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevigne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Sam Spruell, Alain Chabat, Rutger Hauer, John Goodman

STUMP THE SAINT [01:26:47]

FEEDBACK [01:33:34]

  • Feedback from Mike Hatfield
  • Thanks to Tear Out the Heart and Victory Records for use of the song Undead Anthem for the intro and outro of the HNR podcast

NEXT WEEK

  • Kuso and Atomic Blonde
Jul 27, 2017

"OOH! HEE! HAA! EEEEH!" Amilyn (Paul Reubens) has some pretty elongated death rows. All thanks to the titular vampire killer Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Kristy Swanson), who has to stake vamps ON A SCHOOL NIGHT?! Yes, instead of attending the senior dance, Buffy must contend with the dark forces of blood sucking evil. With the help of Merrick (Donald Sutherland), a Watcher who is sent to help train the young girl in the ways of destroying evil. Said evil includes Amilyn's master Lothos (Rutger Hauer), a vampire out to destroy all Slayers. How can young Buffy juggle her new responsibilities and still have time to be with the young hunk Pike (Luke Perry)? Decades of Horror is here to fill you in!

Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 20 – Buffy (1992)

Buffy is a bit of a sore spot for writer Joss Whedon. After getting his start writing sitcoms, Whedon's script about a high school cheerleader fighting vampires was picked up by 20th Century Fox. Unfortunately, he was not a fan of the final result. Claiming it took his dark script and turned it into too fluffy a comedy, Whedon went on to turn sequelize his script into a TV show that started in 1997. That show became a massive cult success, creating the cult fame that would lead to Whedon getting gigs making Avengers movies. Yet, seeds of that style are sewed into the fabric of this early work. For example, the valley girl talk would segue into Buffy Speak, the awkward vernacular everyone in Whedon's writing talks in.

Here to talk all things Buffy in their own vernacular are Thomas and his own Scooby Gang Jordan Cobb and Caitlin Turner. All being fans of the TV show, rewatching the movie is a bit rough. There are questions about many changes. Why is Buffy's mom so distant? What is up with the lazy wardrobe? Did Donald Sutherland give a single damn about anything? Still, there's plenty of things to praise, mainly surprising turns from Kristy Swanson & Luke Perry and the comedic highlights of Paul Reubens and Stephen Root. Of course, the show and its spin off Angel are also discussed in detail as the three mention their favorite episodes, biggest tear jerking moments and reasonings why Joss Whedon is so damned beloved as a creator. Don't worry. They get back to the movie... eventually.

Contact 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. 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.

Next Episode

The Dark Half (1993)

Jul 26, 2017

Once again, Thomas and Doc jump feet first into all the super-hero, sci-fi, and fantasy film - and some TV - news from SDCC. Joining this year is the ever-talented Chad Hunt from Decades of Horror: The  Classic Era podcast to discuss all the wonderful nuggets of nutty nonsense from WB/DC, Marvel, and more killer genre-related news from the 2017 edition of the biggest comic convention in the States. DC wows the crowd with a new Justice League trailer and a stellar line-up of upcoming films. Marvel brings down the house with Defenders, Avengers, Black Panther, and Thor Ragnarok. HBO brings a delightful Westworld Season 2 teaser. And Netflix thrills the audience with a sneak peek at Stranger Things 2. All this and more...

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 | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
SDCC 2017 Special Extra Episode
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

SHOW NOTES

INTRO [00:00:36]

CONTEST [00:02:16]

SDCC 2017 - Warner Bros. / DC Comics [00:00:00]

SDCC 2017 - Marvel & Marvel Cinematic Universe [00:20:39]

SDCC 2017 - All The Rest [00:37:17]

Jul 24, 2017

"I’ve been following you since the glory hole!" No, not that kind of glory hole, though you couldn’t be faulted for going there. You never know what to expect in writer/director Fredric HobbsGodmonster of Indian Flats. For the next few episodes of Decades of Horror 1970s, Doc Rotten is on super, secret, special assignment (actually, it’s not that secret, but it is pretty super-special) putting the finishing touches on the second issue of Gruesome Magazine and getting a good start on Issue #3. By the way, if you haven’t purchased Issue #1 yet, what are you waiting for? In lieu of Doc, The Black Saint and Jeff Mohr are joined by Chad Hunt, co-host of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and comic book artist/writer extraordinaire, and Bill Mulligan, film director/movie maven extraordinaire and fabricator of the title character of Christopher G. Moore’s award winning short film, Knob Goblins. Yes, it takes two “extraordinaires” to even attempt to make up for Doc!

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 55 – Godmonster of Indian Flats (1973)

Godmonster of Indian Flats is unlike anything this episode’s Grue Crew has ever seen. Bill Mulligan gives a brilliant 90-second synopsis of what the film might be about. Ultimately, the nearly, nonexistent plot is undecipherable with equal parts western, corporate conspiracy, eco-horror, mutant livestock, local legend, archaeological science fiction, creature feature, and landfill apocalypse, with a dash of Valley of the Gwangi thrown in for good measure. Despite the result, Godmonster of Indian Flats is an ambitious effort and may well be exactly as Hobbs intended it to be.

The cast members are fairly inexperienced unknowns with a few exceptions. The Black Saint remembers Christopher Brooks, who plays Barnstable, from The Mack, a 1973 blaxploitation film. Stuart Lancaster, as Mayor Charles Silverdale, was a frequent performer in Russ Meyer films such as Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) and later had bit parts in two Tim Burton films, Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Batman Returns (1992). The Sheriff of Silverdale is portrayed by Robert Hirschfield, who Jeff remembers for his 94-episode stint on Hill Street Blues (1981-1985). The Godmonster itself is indescribable and must be seen to believe. Starting life as a mutant-hybrid sheep embryo, it is nurtured to its full 8-foot height by Professor Clemons (E. Kerrigan Prescott) in his secret lab with the help of his assistant Mariposa (Karen Ingenthron), who seems to develop a strange relationship with the Godmonster.

Fredric Hobbs has been described as, “a freaky filmmaker who takes the art of bad and cheesy filmmaking beyond this world into another dimension. combining illogical writing, completely random plot development, B-movie horror, and cheese … Hobbs makes some of the most mind warping movies ever in the sense that your mind tries to run away from the black hole that is Fredric Hobbs, in any way possible.” The Grue Crew’s recommendations for this film are as inventive as the film itself but are also given with a strong warning. Watch Godmonster of Indian Flats if you dare!

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.

Jul 20, 2017

First up for the Grue-Crew is the unsurprisingly dull and quietly undemanding Wish Upon featuring The Conjuring's Joey King and Ryan Phillippe. The Grue-Crew rave about War for the Planet of the Apes praising the Matt Reeves, Andy Serkis, and the incredible achievements of Weta Digital. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week with the devastating loss of the legendary George A. Romero and Academy Award winner Martin Landau.  Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's Stump the Saint!

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 | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 224 – Wish Upon (2017) – War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

 

SHOW NOTES

INTRO [00:00:41]

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK [00:06:31]

  1. RIP George A. Romero
  2. RIP Martin Landau (Mission Impossible TV, Without Warning, Alone in the Dark, Ed Wood)
  3. Female Dr. Who - Jodie Whittaker is Doctor #13!
  4. Red band trailer debut for TCM prequel LEATHERFACE impresses some - pisses off others 
  5. Tarantino set to direct a Manson flick

SUPPORT HNR [00:47:21]

FEATURE REVIEW [00:48:46]

  • Wish Upon (2017)
  • director: John R. Leonetti w/ script by Barbara Marshall
  • cast: Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Ki Hong Lee

ANNOUNCEMENTS [01:13:25]

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING [01:14:18]

  • War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
  • director: Matt Reeves w/ Mark Bomback
  • cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn

STUMP THE SAINT [01:57:00]

FEEDBACK [02:03:44]

  • Thanks to Tear Out the Heart and Victory Records for use of the song Undead Anthem for the intro and outro of the HNR podcast

NEXT WEEK

  • Killing Ground and Valerian & the City of a Thousand Planets
Jul 19, 2017

“Du mußt Caligari werden! You must become Caligari!" Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we attempt the cinematic version of Volkswagen stuffing, climbing into The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari together and locking the door behind us. We are a rather close group.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 13 – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Sometimes referred to as the first horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is also a crown jewel of German expressionism. Producer Erich Pommer (Metropolis, Faust) put together a crew that included production designer Walter Reimann, who gave the film its unique and unsettling look. Directed by Robert Wiene (The Hands of Orlac), the film tells the story of Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss), a sideshow mesmerist, and his somnambulist Cesare (Conrad Veidt). Dr. Caligari uses his power over Cesare not only for sideshow performances, but to commit murders. Alan (Hans Heinrich von Twardowski), one of their early victims, is close friends with Francis (Friedrich Fehér) and Jane (Lil Dagover). After Alan’s murder, Francis becomes obsessed with exposing Caligari’s evil deeds while Jane begins to fall under Caligari’s spell.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is not, however, simply a slasher film.  The writers, Carl Mayer (The Haunted Castle, The Last Laugh) and Hans Janowitz (Der Januskopf), use personal experiences as the story’s foundation while interweaving several layers, leaving interpretation to the viewer.

Listen as we discuss the answers to these questions: What is German expressionism? How did this moment in German history influence the film? Who faked insanity to get out of military service in WWI? Who was known as a Nazi sympathizer in later years? Who was strongly anti-Nazi? Who was one of Hitler’s favorite actors? To whch famous director was the film first offered? How does the framing story change the film’s message? What should you do if you don’t like the score? How does The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari relate to the Batman TV-series of the 1960s (as all films must)?  What does the Babadook have to do with Dr. Caligari?

As always, if you’re paying attention, you’ll also hear which of us makes these comments:

  • “Or it could just be like a family sitting together at dinner and the father says to the mother, ‘So, we must become Caligari. When will we become Caligari?’ ‘It’s up to you. You’re the head of the house.’”
  • “We love everybody here at decades of Horror: The Classic Era.”
  • “My first time was on a family trip to Lake Tahoe, Nevada.”
  • “Chances are it would just be me, like screeching in this little high-pitched squeal that would attract ardent chihuahuas.”
  • “He is one creepy looking dude!”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming and very flexible schedule includes Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Jû jin yuki otoko (the original 1955 Japanese version, aka Half Human), and House on Haunted Hill (1959).

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, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening."

Jul 17, 2017

"I'd buy that for a dollar!" Despite 30 years of time passing, Robocop has satire that's pretty on point. The innocuous entertainment. Tonally disproportionate news items. Commercials that hawk consumer products that do nothing for their customers. All of it speaks to the world we currently live in. Luckily, Paul Verhoeven manages to slip in some ultra violence, amazing special effects and strong character work in between to make us a bit less depressed. Robocop may not be a horror film, but it speaks to many of the modern horrors we face today. Plus, that weird sewage mutant monster scene.

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 112 – Robocop (1987)

Our titular Robocop is Alex Murphy (Peter Weller), a good cop stuck in the decaying streets of Detroit. He loves his family and is a cop of extreme dutiful spirit. Even after the police force becomes controlled by the corporation Omni Consumer Products, Murphy still goes by the book to help people. Even at the cost of his life at the hands of Clarence Boddecker (Kurtwood Smith). Little does Murphy know that Clarence also works for OCP's Dick Jones (Ronny Cox), a man who lives up to his name. Trying to spearhead his initiative on ED-209, a faulty robot defense system that he wants to ship out for the millions it will bring. Luckily, Murphy is reborn as a cyborg cop thanks to young OCP executive Bob Morton. Yet, our heroic cop is haunted by dreams of his former life and struggles to rekindle his humanity with the help a young cop he met on his death day Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen).

To discuss Robocop, Thomas Mariani and Christopher G. Moore are in need of help. Doc Rotten is out and Adam Thomas & Mike Imboden are in to pick up the slack. The four discuss what makes this work for a horror show like ours. Sure, there's plenty of science fiction and action. But the gore and psychologically disturbing nature of Murphy is pretty terrifying in general. They all praise the performances of this incredible cast, namely Peter Weller in that suit. There's even a fair amount of talk about the Robocop franchise... and how it shouldn't have been a franchise. The sequels, cartoons, TV shows and remake couldn't capture an ounce of what made Robocop what it was. A horrific yet incredibly smart genre exercise.

Contact 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 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!

Next Episode

Brain Damage (1988)

 

Jul 12, 2017

First up for the Grue-Crew is the surprising bloody and entertaining Castlevania animated original series found on Netflix. Doc and Thomas cannot let the Spider-Man: Homecoming film swing by without spinning a wondrous web around the latest Marvel film. Dave drops into the Horror News of the Week with Scream Factory's release of The Poughkeepsie Tapes, a short horror film contest run by James Wan, and a scary discussion on "Post-Horror".  Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's Stump the Saint!

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 | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 223 – Castlevania (Netflix 2017) – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

 

SHOWNOTES

INTRO [00:00:39]

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK [00:02:16]

  1. John Carpenter signs TV deal with Universal - Tales For A Halloween Night heading to SYFY
  2. After nearly a decade - The Poughkeepsie Tapes finally to see the light of day
  3. James Wan want to include your short film in his Conjuring vision - Details!!!
  4. Scream Factory orders up a double dose of Collector's Edition Dead
  5. Article exploring new wave of horror brings the term "Post-Horror" to the world

SUPPORT HNR [00:37:37]

FEATURE REVIEW [00:40:49]

  • Castlevania (Netflix 2017)
  • director: Sam Deats w/ script by Warren Ellis
  • cast: Richard Armitage (Trevor Belmont), Graham McTavish (Dracula), Alejandra Reynoso (Sypha), James Callis (Alucard), Tony Amendola (The Elder), Matt Frewer (The Bishop), Emily Swallow (Lisa Tepes)

ANNOUNCEMENTS [01:03:15]

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING [01:04:44]

  • Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
  • director: Jon Watts w/ Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Jon Watts & Christopher Ford and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers
  • cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Tyne Daly, Kenneth Choi, Martin Starr, Michael Chernus, Michael Mando, Logan Marshall-Green, Jennifer Connelly, and Chris Evans

STUMP THE SAINT [01:46:02]

FEEDBACK [01:53:15]

  • Thanks to Tear Out the Heart and Victory Records for use of the song Undead Anthem for the intro and outro of the HNR podcast

NEXT WEEK

  • Wish Upon and War on the Planet of the Apes

 

Jul 12, 2017

"What about protection?" Dr. Stephen Arden (Alfred Molina) tries to practice safe sex, but Sil (Natasha Henstridge) wants to get it on. She's not in it for pleasure. No, she wants to keep the Species going. Specifically, her weird human/alien DNA hybrid. Luckily, she's attractive enough and is in a world with enough contrivances to find the perfect male specimen. Will us human manage to save our Species from extinction? Or will Sil sex us into submission? Given how attractive she is, the latter may be more likely.

Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 19 – Species (1995)

Species is a classic example of a good idea with a pretty underwhelming execution. Featuring designs from Xenomorph creator HR Giger and an intriguing plot about an alien/human hybrid on the hunt for a male to have sex with, Species stills had plenty of stumbling blocks. All the contrivances that get young Sil (future Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams) onto the train. The group of people sent to track her that includes an empath who states the obvious (Forest Whitaker) and a second rate John McClane as a mercenary (Michael Madsen). Even the totally butchering of the amazing design work during the dream sequences. Yet, there's never a point where Species disappoints as a total B-Movie... until that third act.

Here to talk about all the successes and failures with Thomas Mariani are Bill Mulligan, Adam Thomas, and Sam Brutuxan. This quartet talks about all the misfires and hilarious oddities in Species. How do none of these people recognize Sil after a mere wig change? Was Whitaker's character meant to be a joke? Is this truly the first paycheck role for Ben Kingsley? There are many laughs had and moments of admiration as well. Mainly with HR Giger's alluringly horrific designs, the performance from Michelle Williams that disappears far too soon and Alfred Molina just being the Alfred Molina we all know and love. There's even talk of Species 2 and how it's essentially Terminator 2 Judgement Day, only instead of fighting, they're... well, you know. All this and more will make you stop and ask: "Want some candy?"

Contact 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. 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.

Next Episode

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Jul 10, 2017

"To Stop This Mutha Takes One Bad Brutha" - The tagline from William A. Levey's Blackenstein (1973) promises a smashing blacksploitation classic that fails to materialize. However, that does not mean the film doesn't have its own merits. Woot! 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 and the host of Decades of Horror The Classic Era Jeff Mohr.

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 54 – Blackenstein (1973)

Blackenstein was released on August 3, 1973. It made serious bank for its paltry $80K budget. The film itself is something to be seen. It is a disaster but yet somehow it is incredibly entertaining. The Grue-Crew dive into what makes Black Frankenstein enjoyable despite its many flaws. The cast ranges from the experienced - John Hart, who once played The Lone Ranger on TV - to the novice - Joe De Sue, who plays the titular monster. The plot mixes standard Frankenstein nonsense with imaginary science about DNA. Actress Ivory Stone stars as a doctor who reaches out to Dr. Frankenstein to save her boyfriend who returned from Viet Nam seriously maimed. The result is a creature that would make Karloff blush. On, my!

The Black Saint, Doc, and Jeff spend a bit of time - partially due to all the terrific extra content on the Severin Blackenstein Blu-ray - discussing the career and tragic death of the film's writer, Frank R. Saletri. If he had been able, he would have produced films such as Sherlock Holmes in the Adventures of the Golden Vampire, The Fall of the House of Blackenstein, and Black Frankenstein Meets the White Werewolf. Of course, rumor has it that his script for Black the Ripper was actually filmed. We may never know. Mr. Salertri was murdered in 1982 and his death remains unsolved. His story is as larger-than-life as the film on the Blu-ray.

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.

Jul 6, 2017

Award-winning director Christopher G. Moore joins the Grue-Crew this week for a look at forest demons and fast cars. First up is Patrick Rea's second feature film Arbor Demon, currently playing on Hulu. Patrick is interviewed by The Black Saint in the first issue of the Gruesome Magazine quarterly print edition. Later, the Grue-Crew take spin with Christopher G. Moore's favorite movie of the year, Baby Driver from director Edgar Wright. Perhaps it is a stretch for a horror podcast, but it is fine movie making. Dave drops into the Horror News of the Week with the release of the trailer for The Cult of Chucky, the surprise that Deep Blue Sea 2 is a thing, and a Grue-Crew fave is hitting VOD. Are you ready to finally see Night of Something Strange?  Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's Stump the Saint!

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 | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 222 – Arbor Demon (2017) – Baby Driver (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

SHOWNOTES

INTRO [00:00:39]

  • Special Guests Christopher G. Moore
  • Christopher updates the Grue-Crew on his short horror film GUT PUNCHED

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK [00:06:00]

  1. Chucky's back. Trailer and release details
  2. Deep Blue Sea 2 is apparently a thing
  3. Trailer for Polaroid tries to develop a new franchise
  4. Dracula show coming from creatives behind Sherlock
  5. Night of Something Strange hits VOD on Friday

SUPPORT HNR [00:25:24]

FEATURE REVIEW [00:27:04]

  • Arbor Demon (2017)
  • director: Patrick Rea
  • cast: Fiona Dourif, Kevin Ryan, Jake Busey

ANNOUNCEMENTS [00:49:53]

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING [00:51:47]

  • Baby Driver (2017)
  • director: Edgar Wright
  • cast: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eiza Gonzalez, Jamie Foxx

STUMP THE SAINT [01:34:04]

FEEDBACK [01:42:26]

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Jul 5, 2017

“People, especially children, aren't measured by their IQ. What's important about them is whether they're good or bad, and these children are bad.” Whether they’re bad children or the misunderstood vanguard of an alien race, the children of Midwich serve as the antagonists in Village of the Damned, a chilling tale of science fiction and horror. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we take a closer look at these odd children, their freakishly high foreheads, and their funky eyes.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 12 – Village of the Damned (1960)

Based on John Wyndham’s novel, The Midwich Cuckoos (1957), Village of the Damned tells the story of the village of Midwich as it is beset by a series of strange, connected events. As these events unfold, every woman of a child-bearing age in Midwich gives birth to strangely similar children. As the children age at an accelerated rate, they develop strange powers and foster a growing sense of fear and foreboding within the village residents.

Directed by Wolf Rilla, who also co-authored the screenplay with Stirling Silliphant and Ronald Kinnoch (as George Barclay), Village of the Damned stars Barbara Shelley and George Sanders as Mrs. and Professor Zellaby, the lead couple. Their son David is played by Martin Stephens while all the children as toddlers are played by an uncredited Kim Clarke Champniss. Michael Gwynn as Major Alan Bernard, and Laurence Naismith as Doctor Willers, provide able support. There is also a brief appearance by Richard Vernon that holds special significance for Jeff.

Listen as we discuss the answers to these questions: Why do these odd-looking children elicit such horror from adults? What does A Hard Day’s Night (1964) or Fawlty Towers (1975) have to do with Village of the Damned? How does the film differ from John Wyndham’s book? What’s the connection between Village of the Damned and The Death Wheelers (1973) aka Psychomania (Decades of Horror 1970s - Episode 49)? How did the filmmakers find kids with such high foreheads? Once again, our film has a connection to the Batman and I Love Lucy TV-series. What are those connections this time? What are the two connections Ronald Colman has to Village of the Damned? Originally planned as a U.S. production, why was production switched to MGM British Studios? How does this 1960 production compare with the 1994 production directed by John Carpenter?

We also read some feedback on Episode 8: Freaks (1932) from Saltyessentials (check out his blog, Dead Man’s Brain) and Mike Hatfield. Thanks so much to both of you for taking the time to comment!

As always, if you’re paying attention, you’ll also hear which of us makes these comments:

  • “De monical? Is that the thing Mr. Peanut wears on his eye?”
  • “Hey, I’ve watched wrestling enough to tell the difference between natural blondes and unnatural blondes.”
  • Maneater of Hydra screams, ‘Leeroy Jenkins!’ and goes dashing into battle when it comes to that particular crown (as strangest science fiction story ever told).”
  • “Creepy children are infinitely creepier when they’re in packs and when they have British accents.”
  • “They all look the same to me. They’re all blonde children with similar haircuts.”
  • “Wigmaster 2: The Weaving!”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming and very flexible schedule includes The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), and Jû jin yuki otoko (original 1955 Japanese version, aka Half Human).

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 thefilms 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 from each of us, “Thank you for listening!

Jul 3, 2017

"Every nightmare has a beginning... This one never ends." The dream logic of Dressed to Kill is ever present. Director Brian De Palma isn't nearly as interested in a coherent story as he is the visuals. So many elaborate split diopter shots. More than a few split screens. That weird soft focus that was a thing in the 1970s. But none of this answers the question. Is Dressed to Kill more than just a technical exercise? Tune in to find out!

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 111 – Dressed to Kill (1980)

Dressed to Kill has a pretty familiar story. Stop me if you've heard this one before. Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) is distant from her partner. While in an enclosed space, she is killed by a person dressed as a woman very early in the movie. Thus, our protagonist is gone and the rest of the film follows the investigation into her death. Yup, that's pretty much the structure of Psycho. Shocking that De Palma would ape Alfred Hitchcock, I know. Yet, there are a few details that are different. Our protagonist isn't committing a crime, but cheating on her distant husband. That enclosed space is an elevator, not a shower. And that killer is explicitly transsexual, but who could be the one Dressed to Kill? How can our new protagonist (Nancy Allen) live with seeing that murder? Is she going pork Kate's teenage son Pete (Keith Gordon)? And what does the other most prominent character Dr. Elliott (Michael Caine) have to do with this?

To uncover the mystery, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani debate the effectiveness of Dressed to Kill. Christopher admires the style over substance that made De Palma famous. Doc is conflicted about the film as a whole once Dickinson exits. Thomas just wants to know how the hell Dennis Franz lost all that hair! The trio bicker, but definitely agree that De Palma shoots Dressed to Kill with his usual expert visual eye. One that gives us plenty to examine... even if the story doesn't really try. Nor does Nancy Allen.

Contact 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 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

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Robocop (1987)

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