Grue-Believers, the Grue-Crew is proud to present an early episode of Doc Rotten's MONSTER MOVIE PODCAST recorded nearly 10 years ago around the same time HORROR NEWS RADIO (and subsequently Gruesome Magazine) was being born. HNR co-host and extradentary human being, SANTOS ELLIN, JR. (The Black Saint), took on a guest spot to discuss his and Doc's favorite subject: HORROR MOVIES of the 1970s!
For over 2 hours The Black Saint and Doc rattled on about their favorite films from that Groovy Gory age of Horror, recounting an influential film from each year between 1970 and 1979, a concept that would give birth to DECADES OF HORROR 1970s. Join Santos and Doc for part one covering the first half of the decade.
Enjoy!
B-Movie drive-ins, blacksploitation, grindhouse and Roger Corman, beyond Jaws, The Exorcist and Halloween lies a graveyard of forgotten gems, underrated classics and much loved worst films ever. It’s the Seventies and co-hosts Doc Rotten and Santos Ellin, Jr. are joining forces to take a look at their favorite Horror Films from the grooviest decade of terror, from 1970 to 1979. Get Ready!
Despite constantly sharing opposing views on modern horror over at the Official HorrorNews.Net Podcast, Doc Rotten and Santos share a deep rooted love for all things horror in the Seventies. It’s the decade where horror grew up and began to take the genre serious producing huge hits and dozens of classic and influencial horror films. Check out a short list beyond those listed above: Dawn of the Dead, Alien, Phantasm, Last House on the Left and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But, this is not a podcast about those films, this digs just a little bit deeper.
To tackle the subject, Doc and Santos are picking on film per year to spotlight. They are choosing one film that affected them, made a particular impact, shaping their love for horror films. The two hosts dig the decade so much the conversation went well over length and is being brought to you in two parts. Part one, episode 54, takes on the first five years from 1970 to 1974. Episode 55, coming in one week, is set to contain the latter half of the best decade in horror, the 1970′s. Groovy!
Blood: “You know, Albert, sometimes you can be such a putz…” Vic: “A putz? What's a putz? It's somethin' bad, isn't it? You better take that back or I'm gonna kick your fuzzy butt!” Blood: “[sighs] Yep, definitely a putz.” Putz: a stupid, foolish, or ineffectual person; (US vulgar slang) penis (Merriam-Webster). Hmm. Yep, definitely a putz. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr and Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff - as they relish A Boy and His Dog (1975), based on Harlan Ellison’s Nebula award-winning novella, written and directed by L.Q. Jones, starring Jason Robards and a young Don Johnson.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 159 – A Boy and His Dog (1975)
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A young man and his telepathic dog wander a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
IMDb
Be forwarned. Bill and Jeff go all fanboy over Harlan Ellison during this episode. A Boy and His Dog is Bill’s pick and he already loved Ellison’s amazing writing by the time he saw this film. He was a little disappointed at first because of the low budget, but he has grown very fond of the film, liking it more each time he sees it. He also points out the direct line from A Boy and His Dog to George Miller’s “Mad Max” movies. The smiley-faced mushroom cloud on the poster put Chad off A Boy and His Dog for a long time, but he now sees it as a pretty cool apocalyptic story that gets a little weird at times. He loves the dog and the depiction of Man falling back to baser instincts. Chad first heard of Harlan Ellison in “The Brute that Shouted Love at the Heart of the Atom,” an incredible, classic storyline in The Incredible Hulk No. 140. The violence and the post-nuclear war setting disturbed Daphne the first time she saw A Boy and His Dog, wondering how people would be affected and how they would act in that situation. This time around, she really likes it and vows to read more Ellison. At first, Jeff had a little trouble reconciling the inherent differences between print and film media but has come to love A Boy and His Dog. He sees the creation of this movie, through the coming together of L.Q. Jones and Harlan Ellison, to be an amazing and serendipitous accomplishment.
When you rewatch A Boy and His Dog, and you know you will, it is readily available. At the time of this writing, the movie can be streamed from Kanopy, Tubi w/ads, and a variety of other subscription and VOD streaming services. A Boy And His Dog (Collector's Edition) [BluRay/DVD] is also available from Shout Factory and includes a fascinating and entertaining, 50-minute one-on-one between L.Q. Jones and Harlan Ellison.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, Decades of Horror 1970s is trying something new while taking a relatively short break from producing new episodes. Instead, you, Grue-Believers, will be treated to some classic episodes of Monster Movie Podcast featuring Doc Rotten, The Black Saint, et al. Monster Movie Podcast is the original incarnation of what led to Decades of Horror podcasts.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“It's elevens. Tens are for booties.” Shouldn’t that go without saying? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, and Jeff Mohr - as they cozy up to a film director Freddie Francis calls his favorite, which was originally released as Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girly (1970) in the UK, but retitled, somewhat salaciously, as Girly in the US.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 156 – Girly (1970)
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A wealthy, fatherless British clan kidnaps bums and hippies and forces them to participate in an elaborate role-playing game in which they are the perfect family; those who refuse or attempt escape are ritualistically murdered.
IMDb
Doc Rotten and Bill Mulligan couldn’t make it for this episode but Daphne filled in admirably, even choosing the movie to be discussed. Though Girly is a bit cringy at times, she thinks some of the kills are fun and she enjoys Vanessa Howard’s performance as Girly. Despite some eye-rolling, “oh brother” scenes, Daphne gets a strong dose of nostalgia while watching Girly. On the extreme other hand, Chad is at once bored out of his wits and angered by everything from the title down to the characters. He loves Freddie Francis but Girly does not feel like a Freddie Francis movie to him. Jeff had been looking forward to seeing Girly because of both the Freddie Francis direction and a Joseph Perry recommendation. Describing it as very strange and quirky, he enjoys Girly in a weird sort of way, and he, too, lauds Vanessa Howard’s performance
Girly is most assuredly not for everyone, but Freddie Francis’s direction and his description of it as his favorite of the movies he’s directed will make it worth watching for many. As of this writing, Girly is available to stream PPV from Amazon, but versions on physical media appear to be scarce or out-of-print.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Flesh for Frankenstein (1973, aka Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein), chosen by Doc. The Decades of Horror Grue-Crew can’t wait to yak it up about this eclectic 70s flick!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“He sought the ultimate in HUMAN AGONY... with instruments of TORTURE ghastly beyond belief!” Is he talking about Hellraiser? Wait. Wrong decade. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they check out yet another visual treat from the imagination of Mario Bava: Baron Blood (1972).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 155 – Baron Blood (1972)
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A young man, visiting the castle of a murderous ancestor in Austria, accidentally brings his dead relative back to life - searching for new victims.
Maybe surprisingly, Baron Blood was chosen not by Bill, our resident Bava maven, but by Chad. The story appeals to him and there were plenty of beautifully shot Bavaesque scenes to enjoy. Jeff also enjoys Baron Blood though he thought some of the execution was a bit clunky. Of course, Bava’s talent is apparent and he loves the castle setting. Bill didn’t care for Bava’s overuse of the zoom-in technique in Baron Blood and it feels to him a little like Bava is redoing some of his earlier films. On the other hand, he appreciates the usual Bava touches in shot setup and composition and he’d love to see more of the witch. Some shots in Baron Blood reminded Doc of House of Wax and The Haunting. He also would like to know, what’s up with the strange little girl in all these films?
Though not Bava’s best film, Baron Blood has plenty going for it. At the time of this writing, Baron Blood is available to stream from Tubi and Kanopy and on a Blu-ray disc from Kino Lorber.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Girly (aka Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny & Girl, 1970), chosen by Daphne. Time for bickies and tea!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Yeah! We're alive and we're safe... and we're shipwrecked. Two outta three ain't bad.” Yeah, that’s not a line from the hit Meatloaf song. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they check out some stop motion animation and a lot of walking in Planet of Dinosaurs (1977).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 154 – Planet of Dinosaurs (1977)
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A spaceship gets lost and is forced to make an emergency landing on an unknown planet. The planet looks much like Earth, only with no trace of civilization. Soon the crew discovers that there are dinosaurs on the planet and blood-thirsty buggers at that. The crew hopes to be found and rescued, but they have to struggle to survive until then.
IMDb
Being the lover of stop motion animation that he is, it’s not surprising that Bill picked Planet of Dinosaurs for this episode. For Bill, it’s immediately apparent that most of this film’s low budget is used to fund the stop motion animation. Bill enjoyed the effects and despite all the walking the characters do in Planet of Dinosaurs, he has a certain amount of affection for this film. Chad is a big fan of Doug Beswick’s and Jim Danforth’s work so he loves the stop motion animation in Planet of Dinosaurs. Outside of the dinosaurs, however, he calls it a horrible movie, stating that if you’re going to watch it, you should watch the RiffTrax version. Jeff, too, loves what he calls the amazingly smooth stop motion animation but laments that there is just too much not-dinosaur in the film. Doc went into Planet of the Dinosaurs with low expectations and those low expectations were met. He finds the movie to be charming, in a weird and cheesy sort of way, and even ambitious. In the end, though, Planet of Dinosaurs is just kind of awful.
If you’re a fan of stop motion animation, you should definitely check out Planet of Dinosaurs. At the time of this writing, the movie and RiffTrax: Planet of the Dinosaurs can be streamed from Amazon Prime and a variety of other streaming services.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Baron Blood (1972), chosen by Chad. Time for some more Mario Bava!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“I swear I'm telling the truth! Do I look like a sex murderer to you? Can you imagine me creeping around, strangling all those women with ties? That's ridiculous. For a start, I only own two.” Does that sound like a believable denial to you? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they check out Alfred Hitchcock’s penultimate film, Frenzy (1972).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 153 – Frenzy (1972)
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London is terrorized by a vicious sex killer known as The Necktie Murderer. Following the brutal slaying of his ex-wife, down-on-his-luck Richard Blaney is suspected by the police of being the killer. He goes on the run, determined to prove his innocence.
IMDb
Frenzy is Jeff’s pick and, maybe not surprisingly, he loves it. He points out the huge jump from Hitchcock pushing the censorship line with a scene of a toilet flushing in Psycho (1960) to the lurid kills and their aftermath as depicted in Frenzy. Bill is impressed with Frenzy and finds it to be simultaneously old-fashioned and modern. He also identifies a few top-notch Hitchcockian sequences. Calling Frenzy pure unadulterated Hitchcock, Chad loves how small details early mean something big later in the film. He also delights in the scenes between the Chief Inspector and his wife. Doc is a huge Hitchcock fan but does not like Frenzy, finding it to be an indication of Hitch losing his touch. In fact, he doesn’t like the characters, the cast, the dialogue, or the ending and vows never to watch it again.
Depending on the Grue-Crew members’ individual points-of-view, Frenzy is either Hitchcock’s last hurrah or a film to be avoided. In either case, at the time of this writing, Frenzy is available to stream from the Criterion Channel and multiple PPV services, and on physical media as a Blu-ray from Universal Home Entertainment.
While you’re at it, check out Decades of Horror’s coverage of these Hitchcock classics: Classic Era #1 - Psycho (1960), Classic Era #32 - The Birds (1963).
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Planet of Dinosaurs (1977), chosen by Bill. Time for some stop motion animation!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Weird, man. Way out. I mean, spooks, hobgoblins, black magic. All that jazz.” Groovy, man. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they go tripping back to the faux, mod world of 1972 London in Hammer’s Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 152 – Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
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Johnny Alucard raises Count Dracula from the dead in London in 1972. The Count goes after the descendants of Van Helsing.
IMDb
Jeff has been watching a lot of Hammer films and reading “Little Shoppe of Horrors” (The Journal of Classic British Horror Films), but Dracula A.D. 1972 (with the exception of Stephanie Beacham, Caroline Munro, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee), though fun to watch, does not trip his trigger. He couldn’t get past what for him was an off-putting portrayal of the hip youth culture of early 1970s London. On the other hand, Bill likes Dracula A.D. 1972 despite its problems and even thinks it’s a great film in some ways. Dracula A.D. 1972 telegraphed too much of the plot for Chad’s liking and he too is bored to death with the young ‘uns. He does, however, find it far more interesting once Van Helsing and Dracula enter the scene and likes the cool way used to bring back the Count. Doc always loves Peter Cushing and Hammer and Dracula A.D. 1972 is no exception, especially the pre-title card scene. Despite the negative aspects pointed out by his crewmates, he loves every corny, zany minute of it.
As with all Hammer films, this is a must-see. As of this writing, Dracula A.D. 1972 is available to stream on HBO Max and various PPV services, and as physical media on a Blu-ray disc from Warner Archives.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972), chosen by Jeff.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“You realize what you're up against, don't you? Evil.” What? A horror movie with evil? Go figure. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they somewhat hesitantly approach Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 151 – Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
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A teenage girl once possessed by a demon finds that it still lurks within her. Meanwhile, a priest investigates the death of the girl's exorcist.
IMDb
Exorcist II: The Heretic is Chad’s pick and he’s really not sure what to think of it. He sees it as a confusing but intimate story about a man seeking redemption and trying to find his faith again. Even though it tries to be this epic story with a great cast, he is dumbfounded by where they took it. Bill went in with a negative attitude but does find some nuggets of gold. Good vs. evil where evil seeks out exceptional good is a nice idea, but it subverts the theme of The Exorcist (1973), according to Bill. He just plain dislikes this film. After hearing overwhelmingly negative reviews, Jeff managed to avoid it all these years. He tried to go in with an open mind but the filmmakers lost him early on with the weird synchronizing machine concept and never got him back. Exorcist II: The Heretic was very confusing and left a bad taste in Doc’s mouth. It seems to him that this film is the opposite of what The Exorcist is and what audiences wanted in a sequel. This time around, however, it’s not as bad as he remembers.
Despite the 1970s Grue-Crew’s generally negative take, Exorcist II: The Heretic definitely has its legion of fans. If you’re one of them. Let them know what they got wrong. In the meantime, Exorcist II: The Heretic is currently available to stream from HBOmax and various PPV services as well as on a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray disc from Scream Factory!
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), chosen by Doc. Welcome back Hammer Films, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“This place is gonna be rotten.” Hopefully, that sounds familiar, either from this episode’s subject or the original Horror News Radio introduction recording. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they celebrate their 150th episode and Halloween with Geroge Romero’s uber-classic, Dawn of the Dead (1978)!
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 150 – Dawn of the Dead (1978)
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Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia S.W.A.T. team members, a traffic reporter, and his television executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.
IMDb
Dawn of the Dead was the first time Jeff ever saws effects as graphic as those featured in the film and he admits he got a little nauseous. Watching the film now, he’s impressed by Romero’s depiction of the social conditions of the time and how relevant it still is today. During his first viewing of Dawn of the Dead, Bill saw people run from the theater during the exploding head scene early in the film and he loved the effect used when a male zombie bites a woman’s shoulder. In his view, Dawn of the Dead is more influential in creating the zombie movie as we know it today than any other film. Chad was already a fan of Night of the Living Dead (1968) when the radio spot for Dawn of the Dead made a big impression while scaring the crap out of him. He had never seen anything like the zombie carnage he’d seen in Dawn of the Dead and it became one of his top ten favorite horror movies. The creepiness of the empty mall in the center section of Dawn of the Dead pulled Doc in and he is fascinated with the character development that takes place during that section.
The 70s Grue Crew gives a big thank you to all of the Grue Believers who voted in the poll that chose Dawn of the Dead for this episode. You helped make the sesquicentennial episode of Decades of Horror 1970s a special one for all of us. If you haven’t seen this classic in a while, you owe it to yourself to give it a rewatch and this Halloween might be just the time.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), chosen by Chadl!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“They come here, they have a pretty nurse, then they can do a little something, bing-bang, then they study the liquid and tell you if you have a hereditary disease or if your gun's jammed.” Doesn’t he mean “bada-bing, bada-boom?” Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, and Jeff Mohr - as they experience The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971), a Giallo thriller from Dario Argento, starring Karl Malden and James Franciscus.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 149 – The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971)
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A newspaper reporter and a retired, blind journalist try to solve a series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company's top-secret experimental research projects; in doing so they become targets of the killer.
- IMDb
The Cat o’ Nine Tails is pure Giallo, according to Bill, but still pretty subdued for an Argento film. As a reasonably straightforward detective story, it held his interest and Karl Malden is terrific. Not being a big Giallo fan, Chad enjoyed The Cat o’ Nine Tails more than he thought he would, specifically pointing to a couple of cool murder scenes and Malden’s fantastic performance. Jeff agrees that The Cat o’ Nine Tails is more mystery than horror and, as such, is true to original Giallo themes. He adds his love for Malden’s performance to the chorus and enjoys seeing Argento’s progression from The Bird with the Crystal Plummage (1970) to this film to Deep Red (1975) to Suspiria (1977). The Cat o’ Nine Tails has Doc’s attention with the idea of the two different types of journalists getting together, a couple of fascinating kills, keeping track of the red herrings, and putting a child in harm’s way. And then there’s the strange love scene between Catherine Spaak and James Franciscus. Hmm.
Giallo and Argento fans will want to see this film! As of this writing, The Cat o’ Nine Tails is available to stream from Shudder and The Criterion Channel and on physical media as a brand new 4K restoration on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule, episode 150, will be George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978), chosen by a listener poll! Be there!
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“I am ready to return, but understand, I shall use undreamed-of measures, to conquer the evil.” If by “undreamed-of measures” the Judge means a BF sword, he ain’t wrong. No one dreamed of it. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, and Jeff Mohr - as they claw their way through the folk horror classic, The Blood on Satan’s Claw(1971).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 148 – The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971)
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In 17th century England, the children of a village slowly convert into a coven of devil worshipers.
IMDb
The Blood on Satan’s Claw is frequently mentioned alongside Witchfinder General (1968) and The Wicker Man (1973) as a seminal film in the folk horror subgenre. Daphne describes it as super 70s and she loved the creepiness of the woods and the environment. The film’s amazing title captured Bill’s attention but unfortunately, his first viewing of The Blood on Satan’s Claw was a version in which an essential scene had been cut. Having since seen the complete version, he believes it to be an interesting film worth seeking out. For Chad, The Blood on Satan’s Claw had some unique ideas, in particular how the demon was reconstructed. Jeff found The Blood on Satan’s Claw to be quirky and the story to be a bit uneven but he thought the effects were excellent, especially when some devil’s skin was removed from one of the characters. Doc finds The Blood on Satan’s Claw to be very disjointed, making it hard to tell the protagonist from the antagonist and to stay interested.
Whether you’re a fan or not, you owe it to yourself to check out The Blood on Satan’s Claw. As of this writing, it is available to stream on Shudder and will be available on physical media as a part of ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS: A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR [BLU-RAY BOX SET] due from Severin Films in December 2021.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Dario Argento’s The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971), chosen by Bill! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“They will dissect you! And they will kill you! In that order!” Well, that doesn’t sound good. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they do their best not to get dissected or killed on their journey Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 147 – Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
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The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission searches for the only survivor of the previous expedition. He discovers a planet ruled by apes and an underground city run by telepathic humans.
IMDb
This one is Doc’s pick. Surprise! As you probably know, he’s a huge Planet of the Apes fan with all the gear and memorabilia to prove it. Having said that, Beneath the Planet of the Apes is not one of his franchise favorites, especially because Roddy McDowell isn’t in it. Even though Jeff loves Planet of the Apes (1968), he didn’t care for Beneath the Planet of the Apes, especially the “beneath” parts. On the other hand, Bill loved the pulpiness of the “beneath” parts but didn’t care as much for the setup. Chad is also a huge Planet of the Apes fan but he has no affection for Beneath the Planet of the Apes. He is turned off by some of the ape effects, cheapened by budget cuts, and the film completely lost him when it went to mutants living underground. The 70s Grue Crew also waxes nostalgic about family-watching in the pre-cable, pre-recording devices era.
At the time of this writing, Beneath the Planet of the Apes is available for streaming from HBOmax and various other VOD services.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be a folk horror classic, The Blood of Satan’s Claw (1971), chosen by Jeff! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Don't be afraid. I'm an ugly old man, but I'm harmless.” Yeah, right. A likely story. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they try to figure out exactly what is going on in Messiah of Evil (1973).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 146 – Messiah of Evil (1973)
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A young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Her journey takes her to a strange Californian seaside town governed by a mysterious undead cult.
Messiah of Evil is Chad’s pick and he likes some of the ideas behind it, calling it interesting but weird. In particular, he liked the concept of the Dark Stranger but he wanted more. Bill points out that Messiah of Evil has a lot of supporters, describing it as an art film with some cool set pieces and backgrounds. In the end, however, it fits into the category of the whole not being equal to the sum of its parts. Messiah of Evil has an appealing plotline but the story leaves out too much detail for Jeff. On the other hand, he always loves a dose of Elisha Cook Jr. and Royal Dano. Doc thinks Messiah of Evil to be an absolute mess, calling it the longest 90 minutes of his life. Once in a while, you get a really cool shot that is visually interesting, but in the end, it feels like a student film to him.
If you are one of the film’s supporters or just want to check it out, Messiah of Evil is currently available to stream on Shudder and Paramount Plus
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), chosen by Doc! Be sure to join us for that one.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, the website or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“I think I should warn you that the police are watching our house right this very minute, Mr. Hallet.” You know, keeping an eye out for creepy dudes like you, Mr. Hallett. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they wonder at Jodie Foster’s performance in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 145 – The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
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13-year-old Rynn Jacobs lives alone in a high-class Quebec small town, but unknown to the neighbors, she is leading a secret and dangerous life.
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The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is Bill’s pick and for him, the film is worth a watch just for Jody Foster’s and Martin Sheen’s performances, describing the then 13-year-old Foster as having a presence and confidence achieved by few and Sheen as displaying his considerable talent for playing creepy. Chad agrees that The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is creepy, disturbing, and very well-acted, and he loves the ending even though it’s cringeworthy. The nude scene is unnecessary in Jeff's view, but he is impressed with the number of taboos included in the story. The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane made a huge impression on Doc at a young age, especially the whole almond thing. He’s also impressed by the pacing and loves Jodie Foster’s performance, calling the last scene a classic. Maybe it is redundant to reiterate (see what I did there?) that your 70s Grue-Crew is unanimously gah-gah over this film.
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is currently available to stream from Shudder and Amazon Prime and on physical media as a Blu-ray disc from Kino Lorber.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be a film chosen by Chad, Messiah of Evil (1973).
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Jill, this is Sergeant Sacker. Listen to me. We've traced the call... it's coming from inside the house.” You’ve all run into that situation, right? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they revisit an urban legend as depicted in When a Stranger Calls (1979).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 144 – When a Stranger Calls (1979)
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A psychopathic killer terrorizes a babysitter, then returns seven years later to menace her again.
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When a Stranger Calls is Jeff’s pick and he is surprised and impressed by nearly everything about the film, giving him a much greater appreciation after this viewing. Bill finds the structure interesting in which Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) is the central character for the first and third acts but disappears during the second act. He also points out that the telephone is almost a character and even though you know the punchline in advance, the first twenty minutes is very effective. This is the film Chad always thinks of when he thinks of Carol Kane and he describes the first twenty minutes as iconic. He goes on to call When a Stranger Calls incredibly scary and, even though there isn’t much blood, pretty gruesome. Doc, too, only remembered the first twenty minutes and is impressed with how well the entire film holds up. He goes so far as to say When a Stranger Calls is a far more important film than he’d given it credit for, calling it a film most horror fans should reconsider.
As of this writing, When a Stranger Calls is available to stream from Amazon Prime and on physical media as a Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) with Martin Sheen and Jody Foster, chosen by Bill! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“For a few coins I will hypnotize you and I will read your future in your sleepy eyes.” Sleepy eyes? Might there be a translation problem? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they fight off the alien invasion with Count Waldemar Daninsky and the boys in Assignment Terror (1970).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 143 – Assignment Terror (1970)
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An alien scientist and his team are sent to earth from their dying planet to exterminate the human population by unleashing monsters like vampires, werewolves, and mummies in order to inherit the earth.
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Doc selected this return to the world of Paul Naschy’s Count Waldemar Daninsky. Bill describes Assignment Terror as a movie with a strong opening, a strong ending, and a long lag in the middle, although he does appreciate the film’s version of a mummy. Chad has a tough time making any sense out of the film and agrees with Bill that the mummy is great, adding that its versions of Frankenstein’s monster and Dracula are horrible. Assignment Terror can’t decide if it wants to be an alien invasion movie or a monster movie according to Jeff, who found it to be a quirky, crappy movie with interesting tidbits. Doc went for the movie with the poster that had the monsters on it and did not like the experience. Although he liked the monsters, he found the middle of Assignment Terror to be slow, boring, and dull.
Assignment Terror is available to stream from multiple sources but the 70s Grue-Crew is unanimous in their recommendation to make the effort to seek out the best quality source. The film is also available on physical media as a Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray from Ronin Flix.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be When a Stranger Calls (1979), chosen by Jeff. Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“This will go far beyond every STRETCH of the imagination.” What if you don’t want your imagination STRETCHED in that direction? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff from the Classic Era - as they, maybe foolishly, push through the ordeal of watching and discussing Sardu, Ralphus, et al in Joel M. Reed’s Bloodsucking Freaks (1976).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 142 – Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)
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Sardu, master of the Theatre of the Macabre, and his assistant Ralphus run a show in which, under the guise of 'magic', they torture and murder people in front of their audience. But what the spectators see as a trick is actually real.
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Bloodsucking Freaks. What can they say? Well, Chad says it’s full of wanton destruction, gore, and misogyny, and is the epitome of 70s exploitation. On a similar note, Bill describes watching Bloodsucking Freaks as an ordeal consisting of a series of atrocious scenarios with bad special effects, emphasizing that he would not recommend the film to anyone he likes. Jeff agrees Bloodsucking Freaks has no redeeming value whatsoever, recommending that if you must watch it, choose the Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs treatment. At least that way, you’re able to digest it in 15-minute doses interspersed with interesting and humorous stories about the filmmakers. Finally, repugnant, repulsive, and degenerate are the words Doc uses to describe Bloodsucking Freaks, adding that he was thinking at least we didn’t see anyone’s genitalia cut off, … oops, spoke too soon.
As of this writing, Bloodsucking Freaks is available to stream on Shudder and on physical media as a Blu-ray from Troma.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Assignment Terror (1970), a Paul Naschy film chosen by Doc! Be sure to join us for that one.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, on the website or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com
“Oh man, you're weird.” That ain’t the half of it! Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff from the Classic Era - as they check out Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, and Lilli Palmer in The Boys from Brazil (1978).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 141 – The Boys from Brazil (1978)
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A Nazi hunter in Paraguay discovers a sinister and bizarre plot to rekindle the Third Reich.
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The Boys from Brazil is Bill’s pick, but alas, busy summer schedules created conflicts that could not be resolved. Luckily, Daphne was able to join the 1970s Grue-Crew on short notice. However, she was disappointed in The Boys from Brazil, especially with its amazing cast and being based on an Ira Levin novel. Chad didn’t enjoy the film either, calling it boring. He just couldn’t believe the batshit-crazy ending and refers to The Boys from Brazil as an oddity. On the other hand, Jeff loves the film. Being an Ira Levin fan, and having recently seen Gregory Peck in The Omen (1976) and Laurence Olivier as a Nazi doctor in Marathon Man (1976), Jeff thinks he was predisposed to like The Boys from Brazil. Doc splits the difference by admitting he enjoyed the movie even though he didn’t like it. To be clear, Doc enjoyed The Boys from Brazil for the acting and the cast of great character actors, not for the story and the weird ending. He will probably watch it over and over again just for the cast and even though it “zoinks,” he somehow had fun with it.
The Boys from Brazil is currently available on a variety of streaming services and on a Blu-ray disk from Timeless Media.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Bloodsucking Freaks (1976), chosen by Chad! Be sure to join us for that one.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment at the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, on the website, or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Dead? Not dead. Look at me. Look at me! I am the one who is dead. All safe and dead. All safe and dead.” You certainly wouldn’t have to worry about being killed if that’s what you mean by being safe. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff from the Classic Era - as they check out The Haunting of Julia (1977), starring Mia Farrow, Tom Conti, and Keir Dullea.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 140 – The Haunting of Julia (1977)
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After her daughter's death, wealthy American homemaker Julia Lofting moves to London to restart her life. All seems well until she is haunted by the ghosts of other children while mourning for her own.
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The Haunting of Julia, aka Full Circle, is Jeff’s pick and he loves the gothic atmosphere and the surreal feel to the film. Bill identifies The Haunting of Julia as a slow burn, superficially reminiscent of Don’t Look Now (1973), with evidence of a cult following on the internet. Daphne got sucked into the “is-it-or-isn’t-it-supernatural” nature of the story, appreciates the dark place it goes, and loves Mia Farrow’s performance. Mrs. Fludd, the quirky seance conductor, is one of Chad’s favorite characters, and though he agrees The Haunting of Julia is a bit slow, he also thinks the last 15-20 minutes are well worth the wait.
Though your Classic Era Grue-Crew is divided regarding some aspects of the film, they agree that Mia Farrow’s performance and the last act are the best parts of The Haunting of Julia, currently streaming VOD.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be The Boys from Brazil (1978), chosen by Bill! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“In the future, you'll have my life of vice on your conscience and when I lay some delicious pig, I'll think that I'm laying the blame on your shoulders, buster, and that'll be my revenge, that's what.” So there! Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they bravely, or maybe foolishly, venture outside his “Blind Dead” series to discuss Amando de Ossorio’s Demon Witch Child (1975).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 139 – Demon Witch Child (1975)
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A young girl becomes possessed by a woman from a witch’s cult, who seeks vengeance, terror, and confusion around her family and the town folks.
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Your Decades of Horror 1970s Grue-Crew thought it was time to check out something from Amando de Ossorio other than a film in his infamous “Blind Dead” series, and that’s how they ended up covering Demon Witch Child (aka, The Possessed; aka, La endemoniada) on this episode. Despite loving Tombs of the Blind Dead, Doc quickly recognizes Demon Witch Child as a very poor attempt to cash in on the success of The Exorcist (1973). Despite it being a mess of a movie, he admits he has fun watching it. Chad is a little harsher, in fact, guaran-damn-teeing he will never watch Demon Witch Child again. The only positive thing about a low-budget movie like this, according to Bill, is that you get real-looking people in the roles, leading him to wonder what nightmare would result if the little boy from Burial Ground (1981) and the girl from this film had a child. Jeff thought the so-bad-it-was funny dubbing was hilarious, almost like a “Bad Lip Reading” video.
As you may have guessed, your 70s Grue-Crew can’t recommend Demon Witch Child, unless, of course, you are an Amando de Ossorio completist or your thang is bad dubbing. Seek it out at your own peril.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be The Haunting of Julia (1977), chosen by Jeff. Be sure to join them for that one.
They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
“Let me make it very clear to you, Mrs. Jacquard. I am boss cocky in this hospital.” Hmm. Is boss cocky an Australian thing? At any rate, join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they attempt to determine how the title character’s powers work in Patrick (1978).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 138 – Patrick (1978)
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A comatose hospital patient harasses and kills using his powers of telekinesis to claim his private nurse as his own.
IMDb
Chad enjoys Patrick even though he is generally not a big fan of telekinesis movies. It got to him when the supposedly comatose Patrick finally turns his head and looks at a nurse. He is also impressed with Susan Penhaligon’s performance as Kathie Jacquard. Bill enjoyed the movie’s weird quirkiness and finds the idea of a monster that doesn’t move throughout the film to be an interesting concept. He also notes that the matron and doctor are the kind of characters you love to hate. The amount of attention given to character development impressed Jeff and he too is a fan of Susan Haligon’s performance. When Doc first saw Patrick as a teenager, he thought it was boring. This time around, however, he finds it to be a mature horror film that delves into its characters.
Patrick is one of the first Ozploitation films to achieve a wide international release and success. Your Decades of Horror 1970s Grue-Crew thinks you ought to give it a watch or a rewatch, whatever the case may be. As of this writing, Patrick is available to stream on Shudder and Amazon Prime and as physical media on a Blu-ray from Severin.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Amando de Ossorio’s Demon Witch Child (1975), chosen by Doc. Be sure to join us for that one. It should be, shall we say, interesting.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com
"Death is the keeper of secrets.” In other words, three can keep a secret if two are dead? Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they check out exactly how many secrets are kept in Torso (1973), Sergio Martino’s giallo all’italiana.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 137 – Torso (1973)
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A string of appalling lust murders shocks the University of Perugia as a sadistic serial killer strangles to death beautiful college girls with a red and black scarf.
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Jeff sees several giallo tropes present in Torso and thinks the first hour seemed a bit pedestrian. During the last half-hour, however, the tension really ramped up. Though not a big giallo fan in general, Chad also thinks the first hour is a tough slog, but the third act more than makes up for it. The trailer for Torso is one of Bill’s favorites and he agrees the film’s tone flips about an hour into it. He also gives it credit for being pretty stylistic, especially for the time in which it is released. Doc, however, found himself rather surprised that he likes Torso as much as he does, citing its brutality, the switch in the main character, and the abundance of suspects as reasons why.
The Decades of Horror 1970s Grue-Crew appreciate Torso, some more than others, but they all agree it is worth a watch, especially if you're a fan of giallo films. As of this writing, Torso is available to stream from Shudder and on physical media as a Special Edition Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Patrick (1978), chosen by Chad! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
"Welcome to Starlight Hotel. Your room is reserved...Check-in...But never check out!” Well, they better have free breakfast and wi-fi. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - and as they check out the dwindling number of lodgers at the cut-rate hotel in Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive (1976).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 136 – Eaten Alive (1976)
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A psychotic redneck, who owns a dilapidated hotel in rural East Texas, kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.
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Eaten Alive is not one of Tobe Hooper’s better films. Even so, the cast is filled with horror-cred: Marilyn Burns, William Finley, Robert Englund, Carolyn Jones, and Kyle Richards. Jeff loved the cast and is a big fan of Neville Brand’s work, but the crocodile was, at best, suspect. Chad really hated the film. Eaten Alive should be a good film but he wonders if big ideas and available resources were confined by the budget leaving the film with characters being weird for the sake of being weird. Bill reminds us that Tobe Hooper left before production ended and goes on to describe the story as having no narrative, William Finley as being off the wall, and the crocodile as terrible. Having said that, however, he also describes Eaten Alive as interesting in that some of the scenes are beautifully shot. Doc agrees with Chad that there seems to be a vision buried in this movie that doesn’t materialize, making it hard to watch as ideas fail to gel and in the end, it doesn’t work.
Check this puppy out if you are a Tobe Hooper completist or if you want to see Neville Brand chew some scenery and see William Finley chew even more scenery. Eaten Alive is currently available to stream VOD and as physical media on Blu-ray discs from Arrow Video (2-disc Special Edition).
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Torso (1973), chosen by Bill! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
"No! The Beast has no brother! Don't call me your brother!” What a mean thing to say to your brother! … er, cousin. … er, the antichrist? On second thought, maybe it’s not that mean. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they catch up with The Omen's Damien and find out what the incorrigible teen has been up to in Damien: Omen II (1978).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 135 – Damien: Omen II (1978)
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Damien, the Antichrist, now about to turn thirteen years old, finally learns of his destiny under the guidance of an unholy disciple of Satan. Meanwhile, dark forces begin to eliminate all those who suspect the child's true identity.
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Damien: Omen II followed its predecessor, The Omen, by only two years but did not perform near as well at the box office. For Chad, the tone was completely different from The Omen, not having near the dangerous vibe, but it was still a fun watch with great kills. Bill found it to be better than he remembered and though it certainly doesn’t have the memorable imagery from the first one, it does have a great cast and some interesting political manipulations. Jeff also thinks Damien: Omen II is missing something found in The Omen and thought the music, though still by Jerry Goldsmith, fell short of setting the necessary mood. Damien: Omen II is Doc’s pick and he loves this movie! For him, the joy is in the preposterous kills and the excellent cast but he laments that you do not feel the presence of the Antichrist.
As of this writing, Damien: Omen II is available to stream on Hulu and on Blu-ray as part of various packagings of The Omen Collection.
The 1970s Grue-Crew (The Black Saint, Doc, and Jeff) covered The Omen (1976) in May 2017 on episode 50. You can check it out here: The Omen (1976) — Episode 50 — Decades Of Horror 1970s
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive (1976), chosen by Jeff! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
"When the red moon sets and the sun rises in the West, two monsters will appear to save the people.” But first, you have to listen to the song. Join your faithful Grue Crew - Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - and as they try to keep the aliens, monsters, and good guys straight, while learning a few wrestling moves on the side, in the kaiju romp from Toho known as Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 134 – Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
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Ape-like aliens build a robotic Godzilla to destroy Japan, and the true Godzilla may not be powerful enough to destroy it.
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It’s Chad’s pick this episode and he first learned of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla from a trailer he saw while watching Sanford and Son and he immediately knew he had to see it, even if he had to walk uphill both ways the three miles to the theater. He is a big fan of The Six Million Dollar Man and thought Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was the best thing he’d ever seen. Even now, he had a blast watching the movie despite its cheese factor. Bill, a huge kaiju fan, has always liked Mechagodzilla and its Swiss Army knife arsenal of weaponry. As always, Jeff is playing catch up with the rest of the 70s Grue-Crew when it comes to kaiju, but he loved the explosions! They “blowed” up stuff real good! Doc is also a lover of kaiju and monster films and was gaga over the four monsters in this one - the title characters, Anguirus, and King Shisa - and the wrestling moves the monsters utilize.
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla gets a big thumbs up from the 70s Grue-Crew! (Don’t they all?) The film is currently available for streaming on HBOmax and The Criterion Channel, and on Blu-ray disc in the Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 Box Set from Criterion.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Damien: Omen II (1978), chosen by Doc! Be sure to join us for that one.
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 feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.