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Now displaying: April, 2018
Apr 26, 2018

“The question of death selection may be the most important decision in your life.”  What?! You get to select your own death? That’s usually not the case but in the world of John Frankenheimer’s Seconds (1966), that’s exactly what  the character played by John Randolph and Rock Hudson has to do. Yes, you read that right. They play the same character. Join Jeff Mohr, Chad Hunt, and Joseph Perry, along with guest host Bill Gabriel, as we spend a lot of seconds digging into Seconds!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 33 – Seconds (1966)

This film’s title does not refer to the seconds on your watch, but to second chances. Seconds tells the story of one Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph), a middle-aged banker that has lost all interest in his life, his job, his wife (Frances Reid), and even his daughter. An old friend (Murray Hamilton) who Arthur thought was dead, reaches out to give him an opportunity to begin anew, a second chance if you will. Arthur looks into this possible new life and after some debate and eventually some blackmail, “decides” to take advantage of the offer. After his “death” and some plastic surgery, Arthur looks a lot like Rock Hudson and is rechristened Tony Wilson. As you probably suspect, even though the Company has orchestrated some female companionship (Salome Jens) for him, Tony’s new lease on life turns out not to be the panacea he expected.

Adapted for the screen by Lewis John Carlino from the novel by David Ely, Seconds has gone from box office failure to classic in the 50+ years since its release. Director John Frankenheimer surrounded himself with a high quality crew on all accounts, including cinematographer James Wong Howe who received an Academy Award nomination for his work on Seconds. Frankenheimer also enlisted a superb supporting cast, including Will Geer, Richard Anderson, Jeff Corey, Khigh Dhiegh, Wesley Addy, Nedrick Young, and Karl Swenson.

This episode’s Grue Crew gives Seconds the highest accolades and recommends it to all Grue Believers. Each of them also holds the opinion that Rock Hudson and James Wong Howe should have received Academy Awards for their work on this films. Don’t give this underappreciated classic a second thought. You must see Seconds!

We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is the Poverty Row gem, Strangler of the Swamp (1946), selected 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 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!

Apr 26, 2018

Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs Evil Dead on Starz. Each week Christopher, Dave, and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Judgement Day," Ash faces Ruby and Kaya...and the Dark Ones, Pablo tries to close the rift, and Brandy battles the Deadites alone with only the Boomstick to save her. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Christopher G. Moore as they discuss Ash Vs Evil Dead.

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 like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead – Season 3  – Episode 9 - Judgement Day

 

Apr 21, 2018

George and the Rock give the Grue-Crew the finger this week as we review Rampage. Vanessa Thompson from the Gruesome Magazine Podcast joins Dave and Doc to take a look at some goofy, silly, but ultimately entertaining Kaiju action with this week's big theatrical release. Doc also takes a look at Blumhouse's Truth or Dare and Dave shares his thoughts on the book The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from author Michael Vaughn. And, of course, Horror News of the Week starts off the show.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at media(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 263 – Rampage
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INTRO

  • Use the promo code ‘GRUESOME’ for a 30 day free trial at Shudder!

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEKS

FEATURE REVIEW: Rampage

  • Rampage (2018)
  • Director: Brad Peyton
  • Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING: Blumhouse's Truth or Dare

  • Blumhouse's Truth or Dare (2018)
  • Director: Jeff Wadlow
  • Cast: Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Violett Beane

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING: Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema

  • Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema by Michael Vaughn

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

Apr 16, 2018

Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs Evil Dead on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we’re mixing it up for season 3. Now, each week Thomas, Dave and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Rifting Apart," Ash and Pablo formulate a dangerous plan to save Kelly and Brandy from the Rift. While Ash dives into the Rift for the rescue, Pablo faces a Deadite menace. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs Evil Dead.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead – Season 3  – Episode 8 - Rifting Apart

Apr 15, 2018

Be very very quiet. After all, it's a podcast. Yes, The Grue Crew are covering the mega-successful horror film A Quiet Place this week. John Krasinski has graduated from being Jim from The Office into the new "it" director/writer/actor as this small budget horror film managed to blind side everyone with a massive opening weekend. Now, Doc Rotten, Thomas Mariani, and Yonathan Habtemichael are here to see if the hype is real. But first, there's horror news of the week to talk about! Even without Dave Dreher, there's a gaggle of trailers ranging from Upgrade to The MegStranger Things heading to Halloween Horror Nights and Platinum Dunes promising no more horror remakes! It's so exciting you'll wanna scream... BUT DON'T!

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 262 – A Quiet Place
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

INTRO [00:00:38]

  • Use the promo code ‘GRUESOME’ for a 30 day free trial at Shudder!

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS [00:41:23]

FEATURE REVIEW: A Quiet Place [00:42:36]

  • A Quiet Place (2018)
  • director: John Krasinski
  • cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

SUPPORT HNR [01:31:35]

  • Patrons at Patreon who donate as low as $1 can vote for an exclusive HNR podcast and one Decades of Horror episode every month!

HNR LINKS:

Apr 11, 2018

“I have never known birds of different species to flock together. The very concept is unimaginable. Why, if that happened, we wouldn't stand a chance! How could we possibly hope to fight them?”  Yikes! The ornithologist has a darn good point! Join Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry (He’s ba-a-a-ck!), and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Dan Sellers, as we take a bird’s eye view of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 32 – The Birds (1963)

Based on Daphne du Maurier’s short story of the same title and adapted to the screen by Evan Hunter, The Birds tells the story of Bodega Bay, a California coastal town terrorized by inexplicably aggressive and belligerent birds.The film stars Tippi Hedren (Melanie), Suzanne Pleshette (Annie), Jessica Tandy (Lydia), Veronica Cartwright (Cathy), and Rod Taylor (Mitch) under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock.

The stars are surrounded by a cast populated with some of the best character actors in the business, including Ethel Griffies as the ornithologist, Charles McGraw as the fishing boat captain, Lonny Chapman as the innkeeper, Doreen Lang as the hysterical mother, Karl Swenson as the drunken prophet, Joe Mantell as the cynical businessman, Ruth McDevitt as the owner of bird shop, Malcolm Atterbury as the deputy, Richard Deacon as Mitch's neighbor in San Francisco, Doodles Weaver as a fisherman helping with a rental boat, and William Quinn as a man in the diner. You might not recognize all of their names, but if you watched many movies or television shows from the 1950s through the 1970s, you will most assuredly recognize their faces.

Jeff points out The Birds has been called Hitchcock’s monster movie. Chad proclaims his love of Albert Whitlock’s matte paintings and explains the method used by longtime Disney employee Ub Iwerks in providing the special effects for The Birds. Joseph marvels at Hitchcock’s ability to build and hold tension and suspense, and they all agree the credit should be shared with editor George Tomasini. Dan discusses the prototypical “Hitchcock blonde” and confides to the Grue Crew that he’s just glad to be doing a podcast without Sammie Cassell.

We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is John Frankenheimer’s Seconds (1963), selected by Jeff Mohr.

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email 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!

Apr 9, 2018

"There's a legend 'round here. A killer buried, but not dead. A curse on Crystal Lake, a death curse: Jason Voorhees' curse." Our narrator (Walt "Crazy Ralph" Gorney) details the legend of Jason Voorhees. After being stuck at the bottom of Camp Crystal Lake in the last film, Jason is awoken by a young lady named Tina (Lar Park Lincoln) with psychic abilities. It's essentially Carrie vs. Jason... at least that's the intent. So is this a slashing entry in the franchise or is Pamela going to warn her son that "They're All Gonna Laugh at You?" Listen to find out!

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 134 – Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Released in 1988, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood came out near the end of the slasher genre's reign. It was a time when the MPAA became more critical of violence, causing the iconic kills the franchise was known for to be cut down severely. Director John Carl Buechler has been publically against how this turned out and we've only seen daily footage of the kills. Some of them were pretty gruesome, but alas not to be. Which makes some of the teen stuff all the more of a slog to get through.

Luckily, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani are here to take a closer look at Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. All of them appreciate the final fight with Tina and the ambition of having a superpowered heroine fight Jason. Especially when that Jason is played for the first time by iconic stuntman Kane Hodder. Yet, there's plenty of issues to have with the editing and lack originality amongst the supporting cast. All this and more is discussed on Decades of Horror 1980s!

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!

Remember to vote in our two year anniversary poll about The Top 10 Best 80s Horror Music Videos!

Next Episode

Top 10 Best 80s Horror Themed Music Videos!

Apr 9, 2018

Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs Evil Dead on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we’re mixing it up for season 3. Now, each week Thomas, Dave and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Twist and Shout," Ash and Ruby finally face off as Brandy confronts her guidance counselor at a school dance - shades of Carrie ensue. Pablo discovers that Kelly met a terrible fate finding her on the other side of the rift - so, he asks, who is inside Kelly's body? Meanwhile, the creepy baby from a few episodes back evolves into a grown version of Ash - let the slaughter begin.  Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs Evil Dead.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead – Season 3  – Episode 7 - Twist and Shout

 

Apr 7, 2018

The Grue Crew are celebrating an enormous milestone this week. Yes, five years ago Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Thomas Mariani and the late Santos Ellin Jr. recorded the first episode of Horror News Radio. This week, the Crew are joined by Christopher G. Moore and Caitlin Turner to talk Ready Player One. Steven Spielberg's latest is a sci-fi action romp, but many famous horror characters can be spotted through the endless pop culture references. It's a divisive discussion that'll leave you torn asunder! Then, the gang counts down the Best Horror Films of the Last Five Years as voted on by you! Plus, Dave unveils Horror News of the Week all about Martin Freeman fighting zombies, new Stephen King adaptations, and Freddy Krueger cereal? Sounds delicious. Also, stay tuned for a spine-tingling edition of Phantom Factor! Hooray!

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 261 – Ready Player One – 5th Year Anniversary
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher

 

INTRO [00:00:39]

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK [00:06:38]

FEATURE REVIEW: Ready Player One [00:30:49]

  • Ready Player One (2018)
  • director: Steven Spielberg
  • cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Lena Waithe, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg

ANNOUNCEMENTS [01:24:31]

SPECIAL FEATURE: Top 5 Horror Films of Horror News Radio's Five Years [01:27:56]

SUPPORT HNR [02:04:52]

  • Patrons at Patreon who donate as low as $1 can vote for an exclusive HNR podcast and one Decades of Horror episode every month!

PHANTOM FACTOR [02:09:23]

  • Our Game Show Segment In Which You the Listeners Forge Suggestions For The Grue Crew To Guess!
  • This week’s topic: Iconic Horror Characters
  • The March winner for a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema: is: Brian Davis!

HNR LINKS:

 

 

Apr 4, 2018

"Now children, are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin... " Grace (Nicole Kidman) has a story to share with us. This story is of The Others, in which Grace and her two children Nicholas and Anne (James Bently and Alakina Mann). Living in their giant mansion hiding from the sun. But perhaps there are more presences than meets the eye. Spooky frights are all about in Alejandro Amenábar's The Others and Decades of Horror 1990s & Beyond is here to talk about it!

Decades of Horror 1990s And Beyond
Episode 40 – The Others (2001)

In the wake of The Sixth Sense (previously covered on the show), The Others handed us another iconic twist ending on a platter and was extremely successful as a result. Immaculate production design, gorgeous cinematography and an emotional character based story that still hooks people in to this day. This and Moulin Rouge made for a banner year for Nicole Kidman, who delivers a beautifully tragic turn that keeps you on your toes.

To discuss all of this, Thomas Mariani brings along Caitlin Turner, Adam Thomas and Sam Brutuxan! The Others brings out the emotions in all of them. Thomas admits it's one of the few horror films to make him cry. Caitlin admires the elaborate set design. Sam's mind is still blown by how perfectly constructed the twist is. Adam is inspired by Christopher Eccleston to make a Malekith fan page. It's a night of inspiration and awe as these four dissect one of the best horror films of the modern era.

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 And Beyond podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.

The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.

Next Episode

Disney Channel Original Horror Movies Retrospective

 

Apr 2, 2018

"The Day The Earth Was Turned Into A Cemetery!" the tagline for Phase IV promises a horror film the heady, occasionally trippy, sci-fi film cannot live up to. Yet, the film succeeds in establishing dread and exposing mankind's fragile relationship with nature and the planet. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they face an attack of killer ants who burrow into their fears.

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 72 – Phase IV (1974)

In the early Seventies, every studio had their Sci-Fi epic, a version of their own 2001: A Space Odyssey. And Paramount wanted one too. What they got was Saul Bass's horror/sci-fi oddity Phase IV. Bass, better known for creating memorable title sequences for films such as Psycho, North by Northwest, and It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, brings a distinct artist's touch to the film giving it a heady, trippy aesthetic that makes the film stand out from the crowd. Sadly, the film did not connect with 1974 audiences, but the film has gained a cult following.  The cast includes Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy, and Lynne Frederick as they face an army of intelligent ants of various kinds uniting to take over humanity.

Having never seen the film, Doc Rotten was able to finally catch Phase IV at a theatrical screening at the FantasticRealm Film Series. Having listened to The Black Saint and Bill Mulligan champion the film episode after episode, this was a must, as was including it on the Decades of Horror schedule. Now he can join Bill and Jeff Mohr in discussing the film's use of "nature" style film to chronicle the ants' attack on the desert community, it's distinctive set-design, and much of the movie's haunting imagery. The slow pace of the film builds towards a chilling and provocative conclusion that only Saul Bass could provide.

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans:  leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

Apr 1, 2018

Horror on TV has never been as spectacular as it is at present, genre fans are getting everything from Stephen King adaptations to American Horror Story to franchise reboots on the small screen. None have been as deliriously gory and fun as the addition of Ash Vs Evil Dead on Starz. For the first two seasons, Thomas covered the show in written form but we’re mixing it up for season 3. Now, each week Thomas, Dave and Doc will cover the show on a weekly basis. On this episode "Tales from the Rift," the Grue-Crew discovered the joy of the toasted pop-tart. Woot! Ash and Pablo head to the cellar under Brock Williams' Hardware store to open the portal to the rift. In tow, our duo drag along a new collection of the Knights of Somaria. Meanwhile, Kelly faces Ruby in a battle royale.  Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani as they discuss Ash Vs Evil Dead.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Ash vs The Evil Dead – Season 3  – Episode 6 - Tales from the Rift

 

Apr 1, 2018

"The Third Dimension is TERROR" The tagline for Jaws 3-D works hard to convince its audience that the film is full of chills and thrills. Buried in the Eighties coming-at-you 3-D effects is a butchered story about the Brody boys all grown up and facing a great white shark of their own...at a famous sea park, no less. Dennis Quaid and Bess Armstrong lead the cast while first-time (and only-time) director Joe Alves lobs fish, arms, and shark teeth into the audience's lap. Seen in 3-D for this episode, Thomas, Doc, and Christopher are joined by Paul Cardullo to relish in the wacky 1983 cinematic fad.

Decades of Horror 1980s
Special Edition – Jaws 3-D (1983)

Jaws 3-D credits the legendary Richard Matheson as its screenwriter. The resulting film, however, does not feel like any other example of Matheson's work. He has gone on record stating his original script was "bedeviled by script-doctors."  Along with Quaid and Armstrong, the cast includes Leah Thompson, Simon MacCorkindale, and Louis Gosset Jr. while the film includes two sharks, the classic "Bruce" great white is nowhere to be seen. Yes, despite its flaws, the film is stupid fun in its original 3-D form and was a success in its time holding the record for highest gross for a 3-D film until Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over in 2003

Guest host Paul Cardullo joined Doc Rotten and Christopher G. Moore to catch Jaws 3-D presented in 3D at the FantasticRealm Film Series at The Carolina Theater in Durham, North Carolina while Thomas is confined to the standard "flat" edition. Thomas has yet to forgive Doc for this... In addition to Jaws 3-D, the Grue-Crew discuss the other four 3-D films featured during the series: Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985), Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983), Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983). Doc Rotten also had the opportunity to interview Jim Carl, the director of the film series about 3D films, who reveals what The Carolina has in store for horror fans and Harry Guerro, from Exhumed Films, discusses 3-D films, his collection of cinema history, and some of the most rare 3-D films in existence.

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!

Remember to vote in our two year anniversary poll about The Top 10 Best 80s Horror Music Videos!

Next Episode

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

 

 

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