Paul Cardullo returns to review another entry in the GenreBlast Film Festival. While the fest hosts a number of genres, this movie is a full-fledged horror flick of the weekend. Lilith's Awakening (2017) is filmed in rich black and white tones with a deliberate pacing and exquisite cinematography. Paul dives into what makes this film tick and is fascinated with the varied reference to Dracula. Check out his review to this dreamlike vampire film below.
"Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna Play?" Chucky (Brad Dourif) - a doll possessed by the spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray - is one angry little dude. Stuck in a plastic body trying to find a flesh one to return to, Chucky has to dupe a young boy named Andy (Alex Vincent) into transporting him around to extract his revenge. Yet, it's all simply treated as Child's Play. But how playful will the Grue Crew be about this particular toy phenomenon? You'll just have to see how nice our boys play.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 117 – Child's Play (1988)
Chucky is the last of the iconic slashers from the 80s era. Coming off the heels of Freddy Kruger and Jason Voorhees, Chucky had more of a way with words like the former rather than the latter. A foul-mouthed doll that had the voice of a slimier Jack Nicholson impersonator. He may be little, but did he pack a punch. Child's Play was a major success, playing on the modern Cabbage Patch Kids and My Buddy doll crazes of the age with a sinister edge. Child's Play started one of the stranger horror franchises ever, but we wouldn't have the funnier antics that involve Tiffany without this one to set the groundwork.
To discuss all of this, Thomas Mariani brought along his own Goody Guy Doll, Chris...topher G. Moore! The two discuss the context of the late 80s boom in child advertising and how it impacts the world of the Child's Play universe. Despite the seedy underpinnings, the two revel in the sweetness of the adorable Vincent and his struggling single mom Hicks. The two build a solid base that Chucky try to chip away at with his Good Guy hammer. Plus, there are plenty of comparisons to talking dolls old & new, the direction of the Child's Play franchise and whether or not the special effects hold up that well. There's plenty to discuss with this small package, but just you wait until that toy bursts out of its box.
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!
Hellraiser (1987)
Vanessa returns with another supernatural review of the Joseph Lavender’s Ghost Witch (2017). The film features Mandi Christine Kerr and Gregory French in starring roles. Vanessa praises the film for his earnest charm and spirit but struggles with its misleading title and lack of a ghost that the title and post promise. She suggests it may have been better to leave the film under its original title The Legend of the Seven Toe Maggie. Regardless, it has some promise despite tripping on the delivery. Check out her review below.
Ghost Witch (2017) 2 out of 5 starts
Joseph Lavender’s terrifying supernatural thriller Ghost Witch is available on VOD this month from Wild Eye Releasing.
In the tradition of Insidious and The Conjuring, Ghost Witch tells of a group of investigators that spend the night at the house where one of them was attacked as a child by the spirit of a murdered Native American girl.
Based on true events. Mattie enlists a group of paranormal investigators to spend the night at the haunted house where she was attacked by an angry spirit as a child, and where a Native American girl was brutally murdered two centuries ago. Once there, they are stalked and possessed as the truth about what happened there is revealed, as they all become unwilling participants in the ghost witch's plan for vengeance.
Stars Mandi Christine Kerr (The Walking Dead) and Gregory French (The Walking Dead, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sleepy Hollow).
Ghost Witch is available on :
COMCAST
DIRECT TV
DISH
IN DEMAND
GOOGLE PLAY
iTUNES
XBOX
AMAZON
FANDANGO
SLING
VUDU
Studio:Wild Eye Releasing
Director: Joseph Lavender
Cast : Mandi Christine Kerr, Gregory French
"They call them the haunted shores, these stretches of Devonshire and Cornwall and Ireland which rear up against the westward ocean. Mists gather here... and sea fog... and eerie stories…’’ Oooo, that’s some pretty scary stuff! (Channeling a little Second City TV) Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era crew – Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr – as we journey to the haunted shores and brave the classic ghost story, The Uninvited (1944).
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 18 – The Uninvited (1944)
The Uninvited is based on Uneasy Freehold, a novel by Dorothy Macardle, and adapted for the screen by Frank Partos and Dodie Smith. It is considered to be the first real ghost story that isn’t predominantly a comedy and includes genuine supernatural elements.
The story follows Pamela Fitzgerald (Ruth Hussey) and her brother Roderick (Ray Milland) as they fall in love with and purchase a house on the haunted shore. It doesn’t take long for strange sounds and manifestations to spook the siblings. They try getting answers from the house’s previous owner Commander Beech (Donald Crisp) and his granddaughter Stella Meredith (Gail Russell) but to no avail.They are then introduced to the enigmatic Miss Holloway (Cornelia Otis Skinner) who only creates more questions without providing any answers. They soon band with the local doctor (Alan Napier) and the three strive to solve the mystery of the house’s haunting. The main cast receives marvelous support from Barbara Everest as Lizzie Flynn, the domestic help; and Dorothy Stickney as Miss Bird, an eccentric resident of an insane asylum.
The film benefits from not only a stellar cast and source material but an equally stellar crew. Director Lewis Allen’s first feature, The Uninvited sports crew that includes Oscar and other award winners such as Charles Lang (cinematographer), Victor Young (music), Hans Dreier and Ernst Fegté (art directors), Edith Head (costume designer), and Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings (visual effects).
If you’re paying attention, you’ll find out which of this episode’s Grue Crew made each of these statements:
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is Santo and Blue Demon Against the Monsters (1969-70), 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!”
Gruesome Magazine returns to GenreBlast this year to enjoy their brilliant selection of genre films from the horror films we typically cover to other similar genres worthy of our attention, Sci-Fi, Action, Fantasy, Comedy, WTF films. Doc shares his thoughts about Indiana (2017) from director Toni Comas and co-writer Charlie Williams. The film follows Michael (Gabe Fazio), a paranormal investigator who is struggling with this passion and life. His partner, Josh (Bradford West), convinces him to take one last case - a case that will prove to affect their lives in profound and emotional ways. Check out Doc's review of this terrific film exploring the characters behind the paranormal.
It's a somber mood for The Grue Crew this episode. Our Gruesome family received some devastating news this past week. Our brother in pods Santos "The Black Saint" Ellin Jr. passed on September 21st, 2017. A loyal host of the show since it started back in 2013, Santos was not just a fun voice and a bitter commenter. He was family. For this special episode of Horror News Radio, Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Thomas Mariani and Christopher G. Moore pay tribute to their favorite curmudgeon and try to make sense of all this sadness.
Next week, the entire HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans about this untimely passing. You can always reach out via email at media(AT)gruesomemagazine(DOT)com, feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Christopher G. Moore | Thomas Mariani or come to the Horror News Radio Facebook Group to help others in this harsh time.
Horror News Radio
Episode 234 – RIP Santos Ellin Jr.
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While GenreBlast is not strictly a horror film festival, it certainly features its share of horror fare along with many sci-fi epics, zany action films, and off the wall comedies. Paul Cardullo steps up to review one of the sci-fi entries at the 2017 GenreBlast Film Festival - and a favorite of the weekend - Future (2017). Directed by Rob Cousineau and Chris Rosik, Future features Joshua P. Cousineau and Phreddy Wischusen in the lead roles as Doug, a troubled young man down on his decisions in life, and the Time Traveler, who is prepared to offer Doug a second chance at a key moment in his life. But this offer comes with a price. Paul dives into how the film is driven by the characters instead of the sci-fi and how the two leads make the film, especially Phreddy Wischusen who anchors the film's heart and tone. Read his review below.
Paul Cardullo returns with another Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold retro review for the film Forbidden Planet (1956) which he and I saw at RetroFantasma at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina. It played on a double bill with The Green Slime. Paul shares his thoughts about seeing the film on the big screen, how amazing the film looks 61 years later, and how well both the story and the effects hold up. And, of course, there's always Anne Francis. Check out the review below.
Forbidden Planet (1956) - 4.75 out of 5 stars
On September 7-10, 2017, Paul Cardullo and I attended the terrific GenreBlast Film Festival in Winchester, Virginia. Run by Nathan Ludwig and his GenreCrew (Raygan Ketterer, Chad Farmer, and Charles Devin Hill), the festival is quickly becoming a fan favorite. This year, the festival opened with a UK comedy called Guardians (2017) that mixes in a hint of the supernatural, home-invasion, and the totally bizarre to great effect and delightful entertainment. Director Mark A.C. Brown and his cast, including Matt Prendergast, David Whitney, and Hattie Hayridge, deliver a film that became my personal favorite of the weekend. Check out my review below.
While GenreBlast is not strictly a horror film festival, it certainly features its share of horror fare along with many sci-fi epics, zany action films, and off the wall comedies. Paul Cardullo steps up to review one of the more comedic entries at the 2017 GenreBlast Film Festival - and his favorite of the weekend - Camino (2017). The film features a pair of Texan teens who drive around in an El Camino and like to steal unattended coolers hoping to score beer ... or tasty sandwiches, at the very least. When they lift a cooler loaded with a pair of kidneys from a group of gangsters things get dangerous, bloody, and downright hilarious for our no-good heroes. Check out why Paul digs this riotous blend of Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino.
[powerpress]
Camino (2017) 4 out of 5 stars
Director: Justin Herring
Writers: John Patrick Hughes & Justin Herring
Cast: Matthew James, Cody Michael Davids, Bonnie Gayle, Simon Phillips, Reynolds Washam, and D.B. Stewart
Joining the Grue-Crew this week for the in-depth review of Darren Aronofsky's Mother! is the one-and-only Caitlin Turner, the JLaw to Thomas' Bardem. Theories and interceptions abound as the Crew and guest alike try to decipher what the hell Mr. Aronofsky was really trying to tell his audience. Woof! Doc steps in for Dave with Horror News of the Week starting off with the loss of two iconic horror greats: the terrific character actor Harry Dean Stanton of Alien fame and the indelible Famous Monster artist Basil Gogos. Closing out the show Thomas has a few announcements about 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 233 – Mother! ( 2017)
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"I see dead people." - Cole (Haley Joel Osment) reveals his secret to Dr. Malcolm (Bruce Willis) in the line that launched a thousand pop culture references. M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense was a phenomenon upon release in August of 1999. It made M. Night the new talk of Hollywood, being nominated for multiple Oscars and giving the twist ending a whole new revitalized image. However, as M. Night's career has gone through a real roller coaster experience over the past near 20 years, one wonders how well this film holds up. Luckily, Decades of Horror 1990s is here to investigate if The Sixth Sense still packs a punch or if there's a twist in it's legacy.
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 24 – The Sixth Sense (1999)
Th Sixth Sense is mainly remembered for the influential twist. Obviously, it took the world by storm and has been parodied countless times. Yet, there's more going on here. The central theme of lacking communication plagues all our characters. Malcolm's wife Anna (Olivia Williams) is distant from him. Cole has to struggle with hiding his secret from his overworked mother Lynn (Toni Collette). Even the ghosts are unable to properly communicate with anyone other than Cole, who is at the short end of their confused and sometimes violent outbursts that scare the hell out of them. It's a subtle yet beautiful examination of regret, loss and connection that resonates between these characters, proving that horror can make us cry genuine tears of sadness in between fits of terror.
Well, at least for some of us. For this episode, Thomas Mariani enlists the help of a few others who can communicate with the undead, Doc Rotten and Caitlin Turner. Our trio harmoniously agrees that drama at the heart of The Sixth Sense is still palpable. Praise is spread for the entire cast, though Toni Collette gets the lion's share of the praise for grounding Haley Joel Osment from becoming a full-blown M. Night parody of a character we're used to. However, there's plenty of debate as to whether the ghosts are malicious and how much the film leans on the twist to support its storytelling. It's a... "spirited" discussion to say the least. Plus, there's a big announcement about a major change in the podcast to stay tuned for!
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.
A Big Change! Listen to Find Out!
The vampy vixen Vanessa returns with another wacky review. Up this episode is the supernatural superhero epic Demon Hunter (2017). Niamh Hogan, Alan Talbot, Kevin O'Malley, Nic Furlong, Sarah Tapes Jenkinson, and Margarita Grillis star in writer-director Zoe Kavanagh's latest feature. Vanessa gives us a rundown of the plot, her opinion of the film, her score, and her favorite scene. Could this be the supernatural heroic adventure we've all been waiting for...?
Popcorn Frights Film Festival featured the Florida premiere of postpartum-themed chiller Still/Born on August 16, and Gruesome Magazine's Joseph Perry checks in with his thoughts on the film. Director/co-writer Brandon Christensen's psychological horror film stars Christie Burke as Mary, a new mother, and Jesse Moss as her husband Jack. The couple is the proud parents of a boy, but the baby's twin was stillborn. Mary becomes suspicious that the non-surviving baby is making its presence known in the house.
Jazzy Jeff Mohr returns to review another Sci-Fi joint. This go-around, the movie is Beyond the Trek (2017), a confusing retitling of a film previously known as Teleios. Director Ian Truitner guides the cast, which includes Sunny Mabrey (Snakes on a Plane, Species 3), Michael Nouri (The Hidden, TV’s “Damages”), and Lance Broadway (Olympus Has Fallen), through a space adventure filled with genetically enhanced humans, snazzy space sets, and a WTF plot that keeps you guessing. But the film may be undone by "ill-fitting pieces of apparel' - uh, oh.
Beyond the Trek (Teleios, 2017) 1.5 out of 5
Beam up one of the most exciting science-fiction adventures of the month, Beyond the Trek available September 5 from Screen Media.
Winner of at least nine major film awards including Best Feature Films at the Los Angeles Movie Awards and Best Sci-Fi Feature at the New York Science Fiction Film Festival, Beyond the Trek is “Visually stunning and thematically engrossing...” (Indie Horror) and is “Reminiscent of an episode of Star Trek or 2001: A Space Odyssey...you feel completely immersed in this futuristic world” (Tai Freligh, Flickering Myth).
Five genetically engineered “perfect” humans are sent on a rescue mission to Titan, where only one man has survived a ruined expedition to retrieve a vital cargo. Under the stress of isolation in outer space, the five perfect humans begin to exhibit formerly-concealed character flaws that threaten to tear the mission (and their chances for survival) apart.
Sunny Mabrey (Snakes on a Plane, Species 3), Michael Nouri (The Hidden, TV’s “Damages”), and Lance Broadway (Olympus Has Fallen) star in an Ian Truitner film, available on VOD and DVD (exclusively from Walmart) September 5.
Says director Ian Truitner, “Beyond the Trek reflects back to classic Sci-Fi in its aim to challenge how we see the world and ourselves. It's not the frantic spectacle of special effects extravaganzas made by huge studios, rather we aimed to draw audiences in with suspense, multidimensional characters, and thought-provoking themes. After a successful festival run that saw the film screen for Sci-Fi fans around the world, Beyond the Trek is now available to everyone!”
Studio: Screen Media
Director: Ian Truitner
Cast: Sunny Mabrey, Michael Nouri
“Rabbits aren't your bag, Roy.” It’s pretty safe to say rabbits aren’t anyone’s bag in Night of the Lepus, especially the pseudo-savage, overgrown, mutant versions in this film. The Black Saint was unable to join us for this episode and Doc Rotten is still on hiatus, diligently working on the next issues of the Gruesome Magazine quarterly print and electronic editions. Sometimes, you just can’t do everything you want to do, can you, guys? In the interim, your regular host, Jeff Mohr, is joined by the capable and knowledgeable Bill Mulligan, film director, and Chad Hunt, comic book artist/writer and co-host of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast. Join them as they weave their way through the killer rabbits of Night of the Lepus.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 59 – Night of the Lepus (1972)
Night of the Lepus is director William F. Claxton’s only entry in the horror film. Most of his experience is in the western genre, so it’s no surprise that most of the cast are frequent performers in westerns. Highly recognizable leads and supporting cast are played by Janet Leigh, Rory Calhoun, Stuart Whitman, DeForest Kelley, and Paul Fix, who all give it the old college try, but they don’t have much with which to work.
The screenplay is written by Don Holliday and Gene R. Kearney and is based on The Year of the Angry Rabbit (1964), an Australian, comic/horror/science fiction novel by Russell Braddon. Though the plot is outrageous, the novel is appreciated for its comic shadings. In Night of the Lepus, however, the filmmakers forsake any attempt at humor and go straight for outright horror, a fatal mistake. Unfortunately, no matter how ominous the script or intense the acting, the special effects are not up to the task of inciting horror from domestic rabbits performing on miniature sets.
Despite its flaws, Night of the Lepus still holds a special place in the hearts of the members of your faithful Grue Crew. Jeff Mohr has on an ongoing bromance with Rory Calhoun. Though he agrees it is a terrible film, Bill Mulligan professes a love for many of the images in Night of the Lepus and uses them in his party videos. Now there’s a party we’d love to attend! Chad Hunt, well, Chad Hunt can’t figure out why, but when he’s channel surfing and runs across Night of the Lepus, he can’t keep from pausing to watch the proverbial trainwreck.
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.
Paul Cardullo returns with another Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold entry that should not be missed. Doc Rotten and Paul Cardullo ventured to the RetroFantasma event recently at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Caroline to catch a Sci-Fi classic double feature, the epic Forbidden Planet (1956) and the film Paul reviews here and now, The Green Slime (1968). Paul shares his views on the ups and downs of this z-grade classic that should not be missed with a theme song that will stay with you forever. Check out his review below.
The Grue-Crew welcomes Rafe Telsch to the fold to review Darren Aronofsky's latest cinematic wonder Mother! (2017). The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfieffer. Rafe confirms that if you are an Aronofsky fan, you will want to see Mother!; however, he warns the film goes a bit insane for its third act. Having just seen it prior to recording his review, Rafe suggests that his rating of the film could either climb a point or drop a point as he continues to digest the film itself. It seems Aronofsky has delivered a divisive but thought-provoking masterpiece. Check out Rafe's review below.
Jeff Mohr reviews the Sci-Fi epic Anti-Matter (2017) from director Kier Burrows which is described as a noir sci-fi version of Alice in Wonderland. Check out Jeff's review to see if he agrees. The film stars Yaiza Figueroa, Philippa Carson, Tom Barber-Duffy, Noah Maxwell Clarke.
Anti-Matter (2017) 4 out of 5 stars
Writer-director Keir Burrow's critically acclaimed sci-fi masterpiece "Anti Matter" hits theaters and VOD this September from Uncork'd Entertainment.
Experience "art-house psychological horror at its finest" (MovieCrypt.com) in a "stylish and intriguing" (Shadows on the Wall) take on "Alice in Wonderland".
Ana, an Oxford Ph.D. student finds herself unable to build new memories following an experiment to generate and travel through a wormhole. The story follows her increasingly desperate efforts to understand what happened and to find out who – or what - is behind the rising horror in her life.
Featuring a cast "anchored by a strong performance from Yaiza Figueroa" (Eye for Film), "Anti Matter" is a "taut thriller that should appeal to both hard sci-fi fans and those who don’t know their wormholes from their warp drives" (One Room With a View).
"Anti Matter" in select theaters and VOD September 8.
Director Andy Mushietti and star Bill Skarsgard have done the impossible - they've have delivered a kick-ass, box-office juggernaut with their remake of Stephen King's It bringing Pennywise back to the forefront of horror fans' collective nightmares. The Grue-Crew are joined by award-winning director Christopher G. Moore and welcome back The Black Saint to discuss the film. Christopher and Doc also share their experiences at the recent GenreBlast Film Festival. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week a pair of trailers for Insidious: The Last Key and Gerald's Game. Closing out the show Thomas has a few announcements about 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 232 – It ( 2017)
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The Russian supernatural horror film The Bride (Nevesta, 2017) had its North American premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami, Florida on August 17, and Gruesome Magazine's Joseph Perry has one of the first English language reviews for the movie. Victoria Agalakova stars as Nastya, a young woman who rushes into marriage, only to find that her in-laws harbor a country house filled with dark, deadly secrets. Joseph gives his thoughts on what this foreign horror offers in the way of originality, as well as what it borrows from fright fare from other countries.
The Bride 3 stars out of 5
d. Syvatoslav Podgavesvskiv
cast:Victoria Agalakova, Vyascheslav Chepurchenko, Aleksandra Rebenok, Igor Khripunov
Synopsis: After a grieving husband photographs his dead wife in mid-1800s rural Russia, he sets into motion a supernatural terror that will link a modern-day university student with her new husband's abysmal family history.
“Whatever got her wasn’t human.” That is not what you want to hear while locked overnight in a haunted house. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era crew – Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr – as we brave an overnight in the House on Haunted Hill (1959). William Castle, Robb White, and Vincent Price? What’s not to like.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 17 – House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Directed by legendary gimmick-meister William Castle, House on Haunted Hill is a standard story about folks challenged to stay the night in a haunted house, but with a few twists provided by writer Robb White. Millionaire Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) carefully chooses five guests for his invitation only event -- Lance Schroeder (Richard Long), Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), Dr. David Trent (Alan Marshal), Ruth Bridgers (Julie Mitchum), and Watson Prichard (Elisha Cook Jr.) -- and offers them each $10,000 if they survive the night. Also in attendance are Frederick’s wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), caretaker Jonas Slydes (Howard Hoffman), and his wife (Leona Anderson).
House on Haunted Hill is great fun and has some legitimate scares, but don’t spend too much time thinking about the plot. If you do, you might become obsessed with its holes and miss all the fun. The music by Von Dexter is suitably chill-inducing and is as good at setting the atmosphere as it is at setting the standard for horror films of its period.
Chad Hunt recounts his experience watching this in a theater that tried to duplicate Castle’s gimmick for this picture, which he called “Emergo.” Erin Miskell’s first memories of watching House on Haunted Hill are during a sleepover as a 10-year-old. Imagine the shrieks!
House on Haunted Hill treats its guests to the usual haunted house fare, including floating apparitions, mysteriously slamming doors, a hanging body, an unattached head, secret passages, a seriously scary old woman, an animated skeleton, blood dripping from the ceiling, and a conveniently placed vat of acid in the basement.
We also send out a hearty handclasp to our steadfast listener, saltyessentials for calling Decades of Horror: The Classic Era a podcast “you can’t do without.” Check out salty’s blog, which he calls Dead Man’s Brain or, what I watched last night.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Univited (1944), hosted by Chad Hunt.
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!”
"It's finger-lickin' good!" Severen (Bill Paxton) gives an accurate description of how human blood tastes. Or so we assume. After being tossed to the side upon it's initial release, Near Dark is basically a western with a horror sheen. Caleb Cotton (Adrian Pasdar) is a modern hombre who gets mixed up with a group of marauders with a thirst for blood. The Grue Crew talk about all this gem live from DragonCon with a very special guest: C. Robert Cargill, writer of Sinister, Doctor Strange and the recently released book Sea of Rust! Now *that* sounds finger lickin' good to us!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 116 – Near Dark (1987)
Near Dark is notable on a lot of levels. The directorial debut of future Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker) was a curious debut. Near Dark has it all. Paxton chewing up scenery. Vampires wandering around in a mobile home. Some kick ass fire stunts. This western aesthetic creates a vast endless desert for our heroes to wander around, looking for blood to feed on as they avoid exploding in the wake of the sun. The moment your hear those spurs coming closer, it's not a gun you have to worry about. It's the fangs that'll tear out your throat.
To talk Near Dark, Thomas and Christopher are not only reunited with Doc Rotten and frequent Grue Crew co-host Bill Mulligan. No, for this live episode recorded at DragonCon, our boys are joined by C. Robert Cargill. You may have known him as film critic "Massawyrm" from Ain't It Cool News, screenwriter of films like Sinister & Doctor Strange or for his books like the recently released Sea of Rust. These five talk this gem of a vampire film in front of a live audience, asking the big questions. Is this peak Paxton? How much of this genre fare crept into Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar material? Did this need a sax scene to compete with Lost Boys that same year? All these questions and more are answered in this episode!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
Child's Play (1988)
Vanessa Thompson joins the Grue-Crew to review the Aaron Mirtes film Clowntergeist from High Octane Pictures. In the film, a demonic clown terrorizes a pair of far-from-helpless teens and mayhem ensues. Thom Seidman, Burt Culver, and Brittany Belland star. Check out Vanessa's review below and let us know what you think.
Clowntergeist 1 out of 5 starts
Poltergeist meets IT in Clowntergeist, premiering on VOD September 12 from High Octane Pictures!
Emma, a college student with a crippling fear of clowns, must come face to face with her worst fear when an evil spirit in the body of a clown is summoned terrorizing the town she calls home. One by one Emma and her friends receive a balloon with the exact time and date of when it will appear to kill them written on it. After receiving her balloon, Emma realizes that she has two days left to live, and must fight against the clock to find a way to survive.
Director: Aaron Mirtes
Writers: Aaron Mirtes and Brad Belemjian
Cast: Brittany Belland, Aaron Mirtes, Eric Corbin
The Grue Crew - or what's left of them - is pretty out of it after another exhaustive weekend at DragonCon in Atlanta. Yes, the massive convention was enough to wipe out Doc Rotten, but Thomas Mariani steps in just in time along with fellow DragonCon Horror Track contributors Christopher G. Moore and Bill Mulligan! The three discuss all the panels they attended, as well as the gorgeous cosplays and drunken antics. Tales of crowded parade routes, meeting heroes and flirting with Grand Duchesses? All this and more is discussed here on Horror News Radio! Be sure to stick around to hear Thomas gab about the recent Twin Peaks finale and a truncated Horror News of the Week about another big shake up for Star Wars! It's an unusual episode of Horror News Radio, but it'll be one for the books!
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 231 – DragonCon 2017 – Twin Peaks: The Return Finale (2017)
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