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Now displaying: December, 2018
Dec 30, 2018

“I expected to be frightened on my wedding night, but nothing like this!” With a quote like that, you might be expecting a body-horror film. Come to think of it, with retractable needles in fingers and eyeballs on hands, you might be right. Join this episode’s Grue Crew - Joseph Perry, Whitney Collazo, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr - as they sing a chorus of “Old Man Larkin had a Phone” and laugh until the cows come home in Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 48 – Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)

Directed by B-movie legend Edward Cahn and written by Al Martin and Robert J. Gurney Jr., Invasion of the Saucer Men is all about some Brussels sprout-headed aliens with eyeballs in their hands and hypodermic needles filled with 100%-pure alcohol, which extend from and retract into their fingers. The Saucer Men use their finger needles to inebriate a couple young hoodlums and Farmer Larkin’s bull, Walt. They also manage to kill Joe-the-alcoholic by increasing his already high blood-alcohol-content to a lethal level. Between these injection events, there's a lot of driving back and forth by young “hoodlums” while encountering Farmer Larkin (Raymond Hatton) repeatedly uttering “consarn,” a pair of small-minded opportunists (Frank Gorshin and Lyn Osborn), an amazing collection of incompetent military and law enforcement personnel, and an assortment of clueless, adult townspeople. There's even a couple (Gloria Castillo and Steven Terrell) whose plan is to elope amidst all this chaos. Now that’s what you call fun!

Invasion of the Saucer Men is as much a comedy as it is science fiction/horror and the Grue Crew had a lot of fun with it. Though the laughs are plentiful, they all agree there are some genuine scenes of horror. Whitney gets a kick out of Farmer Larkin’s dialect and wonders about the construction of Paul Blaisdell’s alien design, all the while cringing at Walt-the-bull’s injection event. Chad loved the creature design and has his own theory of why the Saucer Men landed. A lifelong fear of disembodied hands was the film’s gift to Joseph, but he’s glad the alien hand had an eyeball so it could see where it was going. Jeff takes a short jaunt into Raymond Hatton's filmography and thinks he might have figured out the significance of the title of the short story that served as the screenplay source material.

If you want a fun time combined with a few icky parts and innovative creature design, the Grue Crew recommends Invasion of the Saucer Men. It’s a hoot!

The Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Grue Crew plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule will be another Edward Cahn extravaganza, Invisible Invaders (1959)!

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era! After all, without you, we’re just a bunch of nincompoops talking about the films we love. Send us an email at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com, leave a review on iTunes, or comment at either GruesomeMagazine.com or the Gruesome Magazine Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you from each of us, “Thank you so much for listening!”

Dec 29, 2018

It's that time of year again where the Grue-Crew take a look back at the Year in Review. For the segment this week, we take a look at the TOP 5 HORROR TV SHOWS OF 2018. The Grue-Crew also review AQUAMAN (2018) from director James Wan. While it may be a superhero film, you can count on James Wan to include a creepy, scary scene as Arthur and Mera face The Trench. Join Dave Dreher, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore, and Vanessa Thompson and special guest-host Jeff Mohr as we discuss Horror News of the Week and review the latest horror offerings.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you! Reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com. Also, please like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 304 - Aquaman (2018)
The Top 5 Horror TV Shows of 2018
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HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

FEATURE TOPIC: Aquaman

Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and be a hero to the world.

Director: James Wan

Cast: Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison

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YEAR IN REVIEW: The Top 5 Horror TV Shows of 2018

  • The Haunting of Hill House
  • Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3
  • Castlevania Season 2
  • The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
  • The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell

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Next Week on HNR: The Year In Review - The Best Horror Films of 2018

 

Dec 24, 2018

"But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, 'Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.'" a demented Santa Claus merrily cheers as he drives his sleigh covered van into the X-Mas night sky for the forgotten Yuletide classic, CHRISTMAS EVIL. Christopher G. Moore is joined by co-host, Doc Rotten, and special guest-host, Chad Lab, to discuss a holiday horror film that tackles the slaughtering Santa less like a slasher and more like a tragic character study. I guess it's coal for everyone!

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 143 – Christmas Evil (1980)

What better way to celebrate the holiday season than to consume the season psychotic slasher film of festive fear and crimson cheer. What's surprising is how Christmas Evil treats its lead villain, Brandon Maggart as Harry, a demented, blood-thirsty Santa. The film examines the motivation behind Harry's fall into uncontrollable and deadly fantasy with purpose and care, wrapping his demise in a bow of horror and spurts of splatter.

Perhaps the best way to enjoy Christmas Evil is to consider the film as being told by Harry, who is an unreliable narrator. How else to explain some of the bizarre experiences in the film, including but not limited to a mob of torch-wielding villagers and a skyward flight toward the Christmas sky. Christopher, Doc, and Chad take a long look at a forgotten and often overlooked entry into X-Mas horror films.

A toy factory worker, mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree.

Dec 22, 2018

It's that time of year again where the Grue-Crew takes a look back at the horror films from the past twelve months. And for the Year in Review segment this week, we take a look at the WORST HORROR FILMS OF 2018. The Grue-Crew also review YOU MIGHT BE THE KILLER (2018) from director Brett Simmons who takes a meta-fueled look at the slasher subgenre with a heavy injection of humor and gore. Join Dave Dreher, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore, and Vanessa Thompson as we discuss Horror News of the Week and review the latest horror offerings.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you! Reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com. Also, please like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 303 - You Might Be The Killer (2018)
The Worst Horror Films of 2018
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HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

FEATURE TOPIC: You Might Be The Killer

A camp counselor suffering from blackouts finds himself surrounded by murder victims. He turns to his horror movie enthusiast friend for advice, and to contend with the idea he may be the killer.

Director: Brett Simmons

Cast: Fran Krans, Alyson Hannigan, Brittany S. Hall

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YEAR IN REVIEW: The Worst Horror Films of 2018

Christopher G. Moore

  • Slice
  • Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich
  • Unsane
  • The Devil and Father Amorth
  • Hellraiser: Judgement
  • Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
  • Unfriended: Dark Web
  • Pacific Rim: Uprising
  • The Nun
  • Hellfest

Doc Rotten

  • Slice
  • Hell's Kitty
  • Bad Apples
  • The Open House
  • Curse of the Witch's Doll
  • Truth or Dare
  • Christmas Presence
  • Slender Man
  • The Possession of Hannah Grace
  • Winchester

Vanessa Thompson

  • Hell's Kitty
  • Day of the Dead: Bloodline
  • The Face of Evil
  • The Dead House
  • Bonehilll Road
  • The Toy Box
  • 7 Witches
  • Ouija Seance
  • Jurassic Dead
  • Herschel Gordon Lewis's Bloodmania

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EXIT

Thanks to Rocky Gray for our killer new HNR theme song
Next Week on HNR: Aquaman

Dec 20, 2018

"This is the story behind the most incredible series of murders to ever occur in the city of Seattle, Washington. You never read about them in your local newspapers or heard about them on your local radio or television station. Why? Because the facts were watered down, torn apart, and reassembled… in a word, falsified." Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - while they once again hangout with Carl Kolchak, this time in Seattle, as he solves the case of The Night Strangler (1973).

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 87 – The Night Strangler (1973)

After the success of The Night Stalker in 1972, Dan Curtis gathered the gang back together and the result was The Night Strangler. The gang, of course, included Richard Matheson to write the screenplay, and Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland to reprise their roles as Carl Kolchak and Tony Vincenzo. This time, producer Curtis would also direct and Bob Cobert would again provide the music. In his second appearance, Kolchak is after a killer that inhabits the Seattle Underground. His investigation discovers that six women have been murdered every 21 years since 1868, and guess what? Nobody believes Kolchak.

The crew of The Night Strangler is rounded out by seasoned veterans: cinematographer Robert B. Hauser and editor Folmar Blangsted. Curtis then gathered up some of the best character actors in the business to support McGavin and Oakland, including Jo Ann Pflug, Scott Brady, Wally Cox, Margaret Hamilton, John Carradine, Al Lewis, and last, but not least, Richard Anderson.

The Grue Crew loves The Night Strangler, almost without exception. Bill is not quite as enthusiastic as the rest but proclaims, “There is no bad Kolchak. There’s only great Kolchak and good Kolchak.” He also points out that Mathison’s script included one of the earliest depictions of a lesbian relationship on network TV, presenting Virginia Peters and Nina Wayne as husband and wife in a fairly matter-of-fact, sympathetic way. Chad once again voices his love, love, love for all things Kolchak with particular emphasis on the extra dose of humor in this outing. Doc is the Johnny-come-lately of the group as this was his first viewing of The Night Strangler, but that didn’t diminish his love for the film. In his view, this is when the relationship between Kolchak and Vincenzo depicted in the TV-series begins to take shape. Jeff also loves The Night Strangler despite its flaws, and provides a sampling of some of the extras included on the new Kino Lorber Blu-ray and pronounces it well worth the purchase price. As for as Richard Anderson? Long live Oscar Goldman!

If it’s been a bit since you’ve seen The Night Strangler, give yourself a treat. McGavin’s and Oakland’s energetic performances are a joy to watch and the constant stream of legendary supporting actors are the frosting on this Kolchak cake. 

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.

Dec 15, 2018

It's crazy trailer week with the second trailer for GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS impressing with its stunning visuals and Kaiju aplenty. The rumored James Gunn produced horror film lands with a title and a kick-ass trailer - check out BRIGHTBURN. Another hot film gets a teaser and a title with AVENGERS: END GAME. the end is near. The Grue-Crew review LEPRECHAUN RETURNS (2018) from director Steven Kostanski; who would have thought that the response to a Leprechaun sequel would garner such a positive response - list to find out. Join Dave Dreher, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore, and Vanessa Thompson as we discuss Horror News of the Week and review the latest horror offerings.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you! Reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com. Also, please like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 302 - Leprechaun Returns (2018)
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HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

FEATURE TOPIC: Leprechaun Returns

The Leprechaun returns once again when a group of girls unwillingly awaken him when they tear down a cabin so that they can build a new sorority house.

Director: Steven Kostanski (The Void)

Cast:

Taylor Spreitler…Lila
Pepi Sonuga…Katie
Sai Bennett…Rose
Linden Porco…The Leprechaun
Mark Holton…Ozzie

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Thanks to Rocky Gray for our killer new HNR theme song
Next Week on HNR: You Might Be the Killer

Dec 13, 2018

“You can take all the baths you want. I’m not one to make a fuss about a thing like that.” Sounds like a great landlady, right? Join this episode’s Grue Crew - Joseph Perry, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr - as they take as many baths as they want and go dancing at the Carnival of Souls (1962)! After all, who would make a fuss about that?

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 47 – Carnival of Souls (1962)

Sprouting from the imagination of director Herk Harvey and writer John Clifford, Carnival of Souls didn’t exactly take Hollywood by storm and, in fact, almost faded into oblivion. In the fifty-plus years since its original release, however, the film has gone from hard-to-get mythical status to legitimate legend with a coveted Criterion Blu-ray edition. As their only fictional film, Carnival of Souls is quite a legacy for Harvey and Clifford, a pair of co-workers at Centron Corporation, the maker of industrial and educational films.

Carnival of Souls tells the tale of May Henry (Candace Hilligoss) who narrowly escapes death as the car in which she is a passenger crashes through bridge guardrails and plunges into the river. As Mary’s life moves forward after the accident, she encounters the landlady (Frances Feist) at her new apartment, her new neighbor (Sidney Berger), the minister (Art Ellison) at the church where she plays the organ, and a doctor (Stan Levitt) who notices Candace is acting strangely. Throughout these encounters, Candace is haunted by the recurring vision of a ghoulish man (Herk Harvey). What does the ghoul want and who is he? What’s wrong with Candace? How will this all end?

Joseph saw Carnival of Souls in a theater during its official re-release in 1989-1990 and dug the film’s dreamlike surrealism. Chad and Jeff saw the film much later and were not quite as impressed but agree that decades of viewing Twilight Zone-type fare may have jaded them. The winning interpretation of the story comes from Chad while Jeff seems more interested in Herk Harvey’s background. The Grue Crew is unanimous in calling Carnival of Souls a must see for all horror fans.

The Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Grue Crew plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule will be Invasion of the Saucer-Men (1957)! Whitney Collazo is on a film shoot and couldn’t be with us for this episode but she should be back for this one.

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era! After all, without you, we’re just some whack-a-doodles talking about the films we love. Send us an email at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com, leave a review on iTunes, or comment at either GruesomeMagazine.com or the Gruesome Magazine Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you from each of us, “Thank you so much for listening!”

Dec 12, 2018

"It's too bad we had to kill her. I really liked the outfit she had on." 80s scream queen Linnea Quigley as Spider delivers her lines in SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA as only she can - classic. This week brings a campy cult classic to the podcast from director David DeCoteau. Christopher G. Moore is joined by co-host, Doc Rotten, and special guest-host, Vanessa Thompson, to discuss the first film to pair up Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, and Brinke Stevens. Suddenly, all was right in the horror world, but watch out for that Imp!

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 142 – Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988)

Christopher has been clamoring for this film to be included on the podcast since long before he joined the show. It's been mentioned in passing and has been included on Patreon polls again and again, but it never seems to quite land in the right spot at the right time. Well, that all changed when HNR co-host, podcasting rockstar, and international cosplay queen, Vanessa Thompson,  mentioned watching the film on the Joe Bob Briggs' Last Drive-In Special which played on Shudder. And...that's all it took. Finally, the Grue-crew tackle a schlocky genre film with one of the best titles ever to grace a VHS cover, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama. Hold on to your Imps.

This film feels very much like a "Charles Band" film, director David DeCoteau brings an innocent but dirty charm to the film with his direction, shot choices, and cast. Linnea Quigley, Michelle Bauer, and Brinke Stevens elevate the moniker of Scream Queen with their delightfully deadpan but incredibly humorous turns as Spider, Lisa, and Taffy. The Imp paves the way for future "Band" creations such as the Puppets in Puppet Master, Gingerdead Man, and other campy creatures. There are 80s cinematic classics that push the envelope, then there are films like Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama - and, sometimes, that's all you need. Enjoy!

As part of a sorority ritual, pledges and their male companions steal a trophy from a bowling alley; unbeknownst to them, it contains a devilish imp who makes their lives a living Hell.

Dec 7, 2018

Christopher returns from the Big Apple to discuss the 2018 New York City Horror Film Festival. The trailer for HAPPY DEATHDAY 2U (2019) and the director of the CANDYMAN (2020) remake top the Horror News of the Week. The Grue-Crew review THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACE (2018) from director Diederik Van Rooijen, featuring Shay Mitchell as a cop-turned-morgue-assistant encountering the dead body of a once possessed Hannah Grace. Join Dave Dreher, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore, and Vanessa Thompson as we discuss Horror News of the Week and review the latest horror offerings.

As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you! Reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com. Also, please like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.

Horror News Radio
Episode 301 - The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018)
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FILM FESTIVAL REPORT: New York City Horror Film Festival

  • Christopher G. Moore shares his adventures in New York City attending the NYCHFF: a screening of his film GUT PUNCHED; meeting Mick Garris and Tony Todd; and much more.

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

FEATURE TOPIC: The Possession of Hannah Grace

When a cop who is just out of rehab takes the graveyard shift in a city hospital morgue, she faces a series of bizarre, violent events caused by an evil entity in one of the corpses.

Director: Diederik Van Rooijen
Cast: Shay Mitchell, Grey Damon, Kirby Johnson

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Next Week on HNR (a toss-up, depending on which film the Grue-Crew gets to screen): Anna and the Apocalypse, Leprechaun Returns, or You Might Be the Killer

Dec 6, 2018

Who knew Dracula had a lake? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they go for a swim in Lake of Dracula (1971) volume two in Toho’s legendary vampire trilogy.

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 86 – Lake of Dracula (1971)

At one time, because it was so hard to get, Toho’s Legacy of Dracula trilogy was thought of as a holy grail by fans of Toho and vampire movies. Through the wonders of the world in which we live, all three films are available via streaming sources and as Arrow Video Blu-rays, repackaged as The Bloodthirsty Trilogy: Vampire Doll (1970), Lake of Dracula (1971), and Evil of Dracula (1974).

Written by Ei Ogawa and Masaru Takesue, Lake of Dracula (the middle volume in the trilogy directed by Michio Yamamoto), tells the story of a Japanese descendant of Dracula in search of women to serve as his “brides.” Owing to the film’s title, it comes as no surprise that he hunts these women on the shores of a lake. The action soon moves to the vampire’s secluded home, a castle that looks curiously European, and an all-out battle ensues between one of the women’s boyfriends and Dracula’s descendant.

Of course, the Grue Crew was excited to see Lake of Dracula and, it should again be no surprise, Bill is the only one to have previously viewed Lake of Dracula. Even so, he was excited to see a visually improved version. Everyone thought the film looked very much like what you would expect a Japanese version of a Hammer Film to look like. Bill surfaced several logic flaws in the story and the lack-of-depth of the characters but loved the look of the film. The somewhat plodding and visually muted early portions of the film were a distraction to Doc and Chad. However, Doc thought the final fight sequence was one of the better vampire battles he’d seen, and Chad thought the vampire himself (Shin Kishida) was the best part of Lake of Dracula. Jeff probably liked the film the most but couldn’t argue against the existence of the plot flaws and the generally lackluster early portion of the film. His judgment was understandably clouded by his infatuation with the porcelain-faced vampire bride. The entire crew agrees, whatever you do, don’t miss the scene with the crescent wrench-wielding Kyûsaku (Kaku Takashina). It defies … logic? Or physics? Or surely, something?

Even though Lake of Dracula is not the best vampire movie you will ever see, it is definitely worth watching for the place it holds in horror history as Toho’s contribution to vampire film canon and its unique take on vampire lore.

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. 

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