“Sometimes I have wondered whether life wouldn't be much more amusing if we were all devils, no nonsense about angels and being good.” The Decades of Horror: The Classic Era crew – Chad Hunt, Jeff Mohr and Erin Miskell – are missing their fourth member, Joseph Perry, this week. Filling in for him is fellow Horror News Radio (and Decades of Horror: the 1980s and Decades of Horror: the 1990s) host Thomas Mariani, as we discuss the 1935 gem Bride of Frankenstein.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 14 – Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

After a mob attack upon himself and his creation, Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) is approached by former mentor Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) to create a mate (Elsa Lanchester) for his Monster (Boris Karloff). The Monster, meanwhile, continues to elude angry townsfolk who want to destroy him before they get to know him.

A classic of the early horror era, Bride of Frankenstein features iconic performances by both Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester. Director James Whale – the same director that brought us Universal’s 1931 hit Frankenstein – returns to offer a continuation of a story of acceptance, loneliness, and creation.

Join our intrepid hosts and guest as we discuss our thoughts on Whale – the man, the myth and the legend – and the direction he decided to go with the sequel to his hit film. We also tackle the censorship issues encountered during the making of Bride of Frankenstein, as well as favorite characters and themes of loneliness, companionship, and morality. This episode’s Grue Crew also expresses their admiration for the score (Franz Waxman), photography (John J.Mescall), makeup (Jack P. Pierce), fantastic supporting cast (Una O’Connor, E.E. Clive, Dwight Frye, O.P. Heggie) and soon-to-be-famous bit players (Walter Brennan, John Carradine).

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming and very flexible schedule includes Night of the Living Dead (1968), Jû jin yuki otoko (the original 1955 Japanese version, aka Half Human), and House on Haunted Hill (1959).

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about thefilms we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

"’Death... eternal punishment... for... anyone... who... opens... this... casket. In the name... of Amon-Ra... the king of the gods.’ Good heavens, what a terrible curse!” intones Sir Joseph Whemple as he translates the inscription found within the tomb of Imhotep in The Mummy (1932), one of Universal’s classic monster films. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we conduct our own “dig,” dusting off the artifacts we discover, inspecting them from every angle, and discussing what we find.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 11 – The Mummy (1932)

Directed by famed cinematographer Karl Freund, The Mummy was Universal Studio’s response to the public’s apparent thirst for horror films while simultaneously taking advantage of the free marketing created by the discovery and archeological excavation of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. There had even been a story in the New York Times sensationalizing the tomb’s alleged curse by counting off fourteen associated deaths. Universal’s Carl Laemmle Jr. knew the foundation for a film legend when he saw one and he set writers Richard Shayer, Nina Wilcox Putnam, and John Balderston to work. Laemmle next paired Boris Karloff, fresh off Frankenstein (1931) and The Old Dark House (1932), with legendary Universal Studios makeup artist Jack Pierce; added the talented stage actor Zita Johann as the female lead; and rounded off the cast with supporting regulars Edward Van Sloan, David Manners, Noble Johnson, Arthur Byron, and Bramwell Fletcher. Thus a film icon was born.

Listen as we discuss the answers to these questions: How did Zita Johann and Karl Freund get along? How did the story morph from Putnam’s and Shayer’s vision of Allesandro Cagliostro to Balderston’s Imhotep? Why take a chance on first time director Karl Freund? What does Dracula (1931) have to do with The Mummy? For that matter, what does The Mummy have to do with 150 episodes of I Love Lucy (1951-56)?  Or Red Planet Mars (1952)? Or the 1961-64 seasons of Mister Ed? How does The Mummy’s classic poster rank historically?

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

• “The voices and speech patterns of some of the other actors struck me as just this side of the helium tank at times.”
• "Even without the mummified makeup he’s still a creepy-looking dude.”
• “I’m not sure what you’re asking.” “Neither am I. You’re just supposed to come up with an answer.”
• "He gives birth to one of the most unrealistic man-screams in the history of Hollywood."

For What It’s Worth Dept.:

• Hear our second reference to The Honeymooners and our second reference to Iron Maiden.
• Hear Chad say Ankh-es-en-amon at least 6 times without stumbling once.

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming and very flexible schedule includes Village of the Damned (1960), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), and Jû jin yuki otoko (original 1955 Japanese version, aka Half Human),

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about thefilms we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

“You’re freaks! I’m a man! The last man…” Thus screams Dr. Robert Morgan at the vampires of the post-pandemic world depicted in The Last Man on Earth (1964). Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - for our somewhat historic 10th episode as we suit up alongside Morgan to do battle against the vampiric horde. Unfortunately, Erin Miskell, the glue that holds The Classic Era’s Grue Crew together, is on special assignment investigating Dr. Caligari’s cabinet … from the inside, and was not able to join us in this battle.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

Episode 10 – The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Based on Richard Matheson’s classic, dark, science fiction novel, I Am Legend (1954), The Last Man on Earth is a joint Italian-U.S. production, filmed in Italy and distributed by American International Pictures. Directed by Sidney Salkow on a shoestring budget, The Last Man on Earth follows Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) as he goes about his daily life as the titular character. By day, his time is spent scrounging for supplies and searching out, killing, and burning the infected vampires. By night, he fends off the still shambling remnants of the population or listens to jazz records backed with the weak cries from his infected, former colleague to “Come out Morgan … come out Morgan.”

Listen as we discuss the answers to these questions: Did the filmmakers construct a believable post-pandemic world? Since the story takes place in Los Angeles, how did they manage to create a piece of California in Italy? How does Price’s performance as Morgan in this low budget, Italian collaboration compare to his other roles? Exactly who the the heck is co-writer Logan Swanson? What did Richard Matheson think of The Last Man on Earth? How closely does this adaptation follow the plot of Matheson’s novel? How does The Last Man on Earth rank The Omega Man (1971) and I Am Legend (2007), the other adaptations of Matheson’s novel, I Am Legend? What happened to the script Matheson wrote for Hammer Films in the late 1950s? Why does The Last Man on Earth (1964) remind us so much of George Romero’s Night of the LIving Dead (1968)?

If you’re paying attention, you’ll also hear which of us makes these memorable comments:

• “I never turn down a stake.”
• “It’s not the garlic keeping them away; it’s the dirty underwear.”
• “We’re coming to get you Morgan.”
• “Everybody knows Vincent Price has Tyrannosaurus Rex hands.”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes Village of the Damned (1960), Viy (1967), and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

“This is a very rare book. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. … Who knows what you may learn from it. You might end up by gaining a fortune or losing your precious soul.” So said a wizened, antique bookseller (Ivor Barnard) to Captain Herman Suvorin (Anton Walbrook) as he sold him a tome of supernatural secrets. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as they journey back to 1949 and take a gamble on The Queen of Spades.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 7 – The Queen of Spades (1949)

Is The Queen of Spades the best horror film of 1949? It is according to Bloody Disgusting and Rotten Tomatoes. The film was thought to be lost until 2009 and when Jeff noticed it was now available for streaming, he excitedly added the film to the schedule as his next pick. The Queen of Spades tells the story of a young countess who strikes a Faustian bargain with the devil and exchanges her soul for the ability to gamble and win at Faro. Years later, a lower class, army officer, who resents the aristocracy and is obsessed with gaining comparable status in society, stalks Lizaveta Ivanova (Yvonne Mitchell), the ward of the now elderly Countess, to gain access to the secret of the cards. In the process, he causes the death of the Countess and finds himself haunted by the woman's spirit.

After viewing The Queen of Spades, your intrepid Classic Era Grue Crew couldn’t agree on whether it was a horror movie or not. Erin, Joseph, and Chad questioned its horror bonafides while Jeff stuck with the hand he dealt himself and played his “deal with the devil” and “evil haunting” cards. After all, it was the best horror film of 1949, right? However, Joseph is quick to point out the competition in 1949 was as thin as a playing card, causing us all to question the value of it being referred to as the “year’s best.”

If you have not heard of the 1834 Alexander Pushkin story on which the film is based, you will find yourself in the same boat as we did when we were surprised to learn there had been over twenty adaptations of the story over the years. It’s also likely you have not heard of the film’s director, Thorold Dickinson. You will be shocked to learn what Martin Scorsese has to say about Dickinson in general and The Queen of Spades specifically. Even Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel) has something interesting to say about this film.

We also discuss the answers to these burning questions. Does the performance of Dame Edith Evans, as the elderly Countess Ranevskaya, live up to her reputation as the greatest actress on the English stage in the 20th century? Why did Anton Walbrook flee Germany? Where have I seen Ronald Howard, who plays Suvorin’s aristocratic friend Andrei, before? Which of these actors played Sherlock Holmes in the 1950s? What does Mary Poppins have to do with The Queen of Spades? Which of the film’s actors also appeared in a Hammer film? What was used for the snow to depict the Russian winter?

If you’re paying attention, you’ll also hear which of us makes these memorable comments:

• “I am down with the young people!”
• “There are many old bitty horror films ... you know, that’s a subgenre, I’m not being mean.”
• “The higher the hair, the closer to God.”
• “At first I thought it was film grain, but I think there were actual bees flying in and out of that thing.”
• “Because I’m anal.”

If you’d like to listen to the “The Queen of Spades” radio episode of Mystery in the Air, starring Peter Lorre and first aired in 1947, you can check it out here.

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes The Last Man on Earth (1964), Village of the Damned (1960), Viy (1967), and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

“Gooba gobble, gooba gobble, one of us, one of us. We accept her, we accept her, one of us, one of us…” Easy for them to say! Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we make a trip to the circus and take in Tod Browning’s legendary film, Freaks (1932).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

Episode 7 – Freaks (1932)

Loosely based on “Spurs,” a short story by Clarence Aaron 'Tod' Robbins, Freaks is the embodiment of the adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” all the way from its advertising taglines to the appearance of the film’s actors. Throughout the filming, Browning leans heavily on his experiences working in a carnival and exhibits a genuine affection for the title characters of Freaks.

The blatantly exploitative taglines - “The Love Story of a SIREN, a GIANT, and a DWARF!” and “Can a full grown woman truly love a MIDGET?” -  are so misleading as to constitute outright lies. Yet another tagline - “‘We'll Make Her One of Us!’ from the gibbering mouths of these weird creatures came this frenzied cry... no wonder she cringed in horror... this beautiful woman who dared toy with the love of one of them!” - has nearly nothing to do with the film and only works to entice the audience with the supposed luridness of a freak show using phrases like “gibbering mouths,” “weird creatures,” “frenzied cry,” and “cringed in horror.”

Despite their abnormal bodies, the title characters of Freaks are the beautiful ones, exuding love and caring for one another in this traveling community. On the other hand, Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), the beautiful siren; and Hercules (Henry Victor), the handsome strongman; turn out to be ugly beyond redemption, as they conspire to destroy Hans’ (Harry Earles) relationship with Frieda (Daisy Earles) and murder him in order to steal his inheritance. Throughout Freaks, these two villains pepper the sideshow community with derisive and disparaging insults, treating them as if they are less than human.

Hans and Frieda are supported throughout Freaks by their loving, understanding, and loyal friends in this big-hearted family - the half woman-half man (Josephine Joseph), the Siamese Twins (Violet and Daisy Hilton), the Armless Girl (Frances O’Connor), the Human Skeleton (Peter Robinson), the Living Torso (Prince Randian), the half-boy (Johnny Eck), Angeleno (Angelo Rossitto), Schlitze and too many others to list. Two normal-bodied members of their freakshow family are Phroso the Clown, played by consummate character actor Wallace Ford, and Venus, played by Leila Hyams.

Freaks is about that age old love-versus-greed conflict and in this case, love triumphs while the characters motivated by greed suffer hideous consequences. It’s unfortunate that the powers that be chose to pitch Freaks as the beautiful Cleopatra and handsome Hercules falling victims to a gibbering gang of weird creatures.

There’s some question as to whether or not Freaks is a horror film, but without a doubt, there are some horrifying scenes, especially in the last ten minutes. However, the horror is not in the appearance of the title characters as implied by the advertising taglines, but in what they do to Cleopatra and Hercules in return for the horrifying treatment the couple inflicts on them, especially Hans..

If you’re paying attention, you’ll hear which of us makes these memorable comments:

• “... you can just kind of picture us bouncing in our seats right now.”
• ‘“From the gibbering mouths of these weird creatures came this frenzied cry!” ... Actually our gibbering mouths were probably worse at the beginning of this episode.’
• “I cry like every five minutes in this movie.”
• “Tell me what you can do with your eyebrow.”
• “I would’ve smiled and then just spiked Cleopatra’s drink with as many laxatives as I could get my hands on.”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes The Queen of Spades (1949), The Last Man on Earth (1964), Village of the Damned (1960) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you, a great big “THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!” from each of us!

“What if he can read our minds?” “He’ll be real mad when he gets to me.” Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we go vegan and digest some tasty, carrot-like, side dishes cooked up from The Thing From Another World (1951).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 7 – The Thing From Another World (1951)

More than 30 years before John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) came The Thing From Another World. In fact, John Carpenter’s The Thing is often asked, “Who’s your daddy?” to which the answer is always, “The Thing From Another World.” Do they share some sort of prequel/sequel relationship? Absolutely not. The two films are more like fraternal twins, coming from the same source material, but ending up with a little different DNA. Being both daddy/offspring and fraternal twins does bring up questions of metaphorical incest, but we digress.

Our feature film for Episode 7, the original The Thing From Another World, was produced by Howard Hawks’ Winchester Enterprises, directed by Christian Nyby, and written by Charles Lederer from John W. Campbell Jr.’s award-winning short story, “Who Goes There?” The Thing From Another World tells the story of an alien found frozen near a polar outpost and then thawed when mistakenly covered by an electric blanket that’s cranked up to 11. Well, maybe not actually to 11, but it was definitely off-the-scale stupid! The title creature (see what I did there, Crew?), played by the James Arness, proceeds to make short work of two scientists and the sled dogs while escaping.

Lead scientist Dr. Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) is all for preserving the Thing at all costs, even losing human lives, in the interest of knowledge. The Air Force personnel at the outpost, along with some of the scientists, are all about their own survival. The titular leader of our intrepid good guys is Capt. Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) but Nikki (Margaret Sheridan) has his number and is the functional/spiritual leader of the team, providing most solutions in an offhand, oh-by-the-way manner. Topping off the mix, Crew Chief Bob (Dewey Martin) provides ongoing moral support while Scotty (Douglas Spencer) contributes comic relief grounded in common sense and reality. We also encounter some other recognizable faces (or voices), including John Dierkes, William Self, George Fenneman, and Paul Frees.
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During the podcast we try to answer some nagging questions about The Thing From Another World. Exactly who directed this film? Who contributed to the screenplay? What is the best way to kill James Arness? No one figured it out on Gunsmoke. Why would anyone put an electric blanket over a block of ice encapsulating an alien with creepy eyes? What did Jame Arness think about what turned out to be an iconic role? What execution was Scotty talking about when he was cut off by the Thing? What’s behind that sly smile on Nikki’s face and what does she have on Captain Hendry? And why does everyone talk so darn fast?

If you’re paying attention, you’ll hear which of us makes these memorable comments:

• You’re ugly, but hey, I’m not going to cover you up just because you’re ugly.
• You’re in danger, girl!
• We all kind of become plant food in the end.
• How about a rabbit with shiny things?

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes Freaks (1932), The Queen of Spades (1949), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1924), and The Last Man on Earth (1964). Sorry folks, but Waxworks (1924) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) have been rescheduled due to circumstances beyond our control. That and we changed our minds. Don’t worry, though. We will most assuredly cover them in the future.

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 nut jobs talking about the movies we love. Send us an email (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you, a great big “Thank you for listening!” from each of us!

“There are certain unseen things that are more real than those which you can see and touch. I know that.” Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we go for It! … NO, NOT THE STEPHEN KING It. Give us a break! After all, we are The Classic Era Grue-Crew. We’re talking about the exclamation-point-ended, 1967-released, Roddy McDowall starred-in, pseudo-Hammer produced, tree-golem monstered IT!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 6 – It! aka Curse of the Golem (1967)

Written and directed by Herbert J. Leder, whose other accomplishments include Fiend Without a Face (1958) and The Frozen Dead (1966), It! builds on the Jewish folklore of the golem. What if a nervous nebbish of an assistant museum curator named Arthur Pimm (Roddy McDowall) discovered the long lost Golem of Prague? What’s more, what if he discovered the power to control the golem? What would this nervous, nebbishy, assistant museum curator do with such power? Well, it’s definitely not what we would do.

When the omnipotent golem runs amok, as all indestructible creatures are want to do, how would you stop it? Even though it might sound like Superman, Kryptonite won’t do the trick. I mean come on, IT!’s made of clay. Can IT! be drowned? Can IT! be burned? Can IT! be destroyed by any man-made means?

By the way, what the heck is Mr. Pimm doing with his mother? I guess he does look a bit like a shorter Norman Bates, but his mother has much nicer jewelry than Mrs. Bates does. And what integral part does Pimm’s mother fetish play in the plot of IT!? Or does it!?! (See what I did there?).

Find out why Erin talks so much about The Legend of Hell House when we’re discussing IT! Speaking of Erin, how does Pimm’s infatuation with Ellen Groves (Jill Hawarth) lead Erin to bond with her in sisterhood. Erin also philosophizes on whether she is a pickle or a hamburger. It’s not what you think! Hear about Chad’s bro-mance with the square-jawed American (Paul Maxwell) that comes to Ellen’s rescue! And what possible connection can there be between IT! and Lucio Fulci?

Of course as usual, if you’re paying attention, you’ll hear which of us makes these memorable comments:

• I’m picturing Pimm punching the golem to the moon!
• Too much cheese before the podcast.
• Oh, he dug up his mother and took her coffin with him and they’re off with that silly statue to do whatever.
• I AM THE MASTER!

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes The Thing from Another World (1951), Freaks (1932), The Queen of Spades (1949), and Waxworks (1924)

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you, a great big “THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!” from each of us!

“Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic! But SCREAM! SCREAM FOR YOUR LIVES!”  Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we get all touchy-feely with The Tingler and find out exactly what all the screaming is about. Don’t forget to bring your date and watch them TINGLE!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 5 – The Tingler (1959)

Some films cannot be denied and 1959’s The Tingler is just such a film. With William Castle at the helm and Vincent Price as the lead, you can’t go wrong, right? But what about the implausible plot, you wonder? Or the ridiculous creature effects? And who can believe Ollie’s (Philip Coolidge) scared-to death plot that ends in a literal bloodbath. Our response to such queries? WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?! This is William Castle and Vincent Price! What do plot and special effects have to do with anything? By the way, we see nothing implausible about a microscopic creature that lives in your spine, feeds and grows on fear, has the power of a “hydraulic press,” and is thwarted by and shrinks at the sounds of your screams. At least, that's the way it works most of the time. All things become possible with William Castle.

Yeah, yeah, you’ve seen The Tingler a dozen times. But have you really SEEN The Tingler? How did Castle's House on Haunted Hill (1959) inspire Robb White's writing of the screenplay for The Tingler? Do you know what real world creature The Tingler is modeled after? It might be even more horrific than the film’s titular worm.  What influence did Aldous Huxley have on the story told in The Tingler? What cinematic first is found in The Tingler? (It has do with a drug that’s not a drug - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)  Why would Darryl Hickman take a part in this film without pay? What’s the connection between Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) and The Tingler? Is it even possible that Alfred Hitchcock drew inspiration from William Castle?  What’s the connection between The Tingler and the animated productions, Woody Woodpecker and Gumby?

And which of us made these memorable comments:

• "We need a monster arm, boys! A monster arm!"
• "He found these war surplus motorized vibrators."
• "Did he have the little, scare-’em-to-death fairies working for him?"
• "Let’s throw this in at the end boys, get one last scare out of them!"

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes It! (aka Curse of the Golem, 1967), The Thing from Another World (1951), Freaks (1932), and The Queen of Spades (1949).

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

To each of you, a great big “THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!” from each of us!

"Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast." REALLY!? Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we  discuss just exactly what was the cause of Kong’s demise. The newest Kong film, Kong: Skull Island released on March 10, 2017, has already grossed $148M worldwide as of March 15, 2017, proving the iconic Kong is still alive and well. Listen as we “wrestle” with the original King Kong, the 1933 classic that started it all!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

Episode 4 –King Kong (1933)

As is the case with many films of The Classic Era, our Grue-Crew experienced this film through the electromagic wonders of television, and we were shocked, SHOCKED we tell you, when we eventually learned it had been cut by the scoundrels administering the Hays Code. Yes, many of the most violent, people chewing scenes or most salacious and sensual scenes (Fay Wray’s dunk in the river) had been removed.

We were also in awe of Merion C. Cooper and Ernest B. Shoedsack as these adventurers cum filmmakers brought their vision to fruition in one of the most highly thought of films in history. King Kong was truly a groundbreaking film in nearly all aspects of the technology of filmmaking, from special effects to sound design to musical score. We spotlight Willis O’Brien’s stop motion animation which inspired Ray Harryhausen, as well as Curtis Delgado’s models, Harry Cunningham’s model armatures, Mario Larrinaga's matte paintings, Murray Spivack’s sound design (Exactly how do you create the roar of a mythical creature?), and Max Steiner’s score.

And what of the acting? Cooper bragged at getting double duty from leads Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray while simultaneously filming The Most Dangerous Game (1932) on some of the same sets, but the overtime doesn’t show in their performances.

So many questions arise when discussing an 84-year-old classic. Who was Noble Johnson and what role did he play in film history? What was the relationship of Ruth Rose, one of the screenwriters, to Cooper and Shoedsack? What do the Nias Islands have to do with the film and who would ever want to go there? How do the characters hold up against current cultural norms? What themes and tropes backdrop the film? How many films did Fay Wray act in that year? What's the connection between King Kong and Gone with the Wind?

And which of us made these memorable comments:

• - “There's one (a naked Barbie doll) in my bathroom right now.”
• - “What gibberish are you talking?”
• - “I’m willing to bet if you just give her a pair of pants, she could sail that whole thing herself.”
• - "AAAARRRGGGHHHYEEEAAAHHHH!!!!"

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes The Tingler (1959), It! (aka Curse of the Golem, 1967), The Thing from Another World (1951) and Freaks (1932)

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 movies we love. Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

Thanks for listening, from each of us to each of you!

“We didn’t come here to fight monsters! We’re not equipped for it!" Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we take a deep dive (and we do mean DEEP!) into the legendary Black Lagoon and talk of all things Creature. Chad Hunt picked this one  - it’s one of his “favorite movies of all-time”  - so listen as he leads us on our expedition into the Amazonian jungle in search of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The erudite Erin Miskell was under the weather for this one, but we sallied forth aboard the Rita and motored into dangerous waters without her, foolhardy as that may seem.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 3 – Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

All three of us first experienced Creature from the Black Lagoon on television via our local creature features and fell in love at first sight, but that didn’t stop us from being surprised at what we learned about it.

The film is co-written by Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross and is directed by Jack Arnold. Do you know which one of them had a hand in Gilligan’s Island (1964-66) and Rawhide (1959-64)? How about The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and Octaman (1972)? Or even Satan’s School for Girls (1973)?

The film features the Gill-Man, the last of the Universal Studios Classic Monsters, as played by Ricou Browning and Ben Chapman. Why do they need two actors to play the Gill-Man? And is the Creature designed and built by Bud Westmore with assistance from Millicent Patrick or is it the other way around?

The quintessential cast for a 1950s science fiction / horror film - Julie Adams, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell, and Antonio Moreno - plays a team of scientists in search of the source of a fossilized, clawed hand they found up river. They travel aboard the Rita, whose captain is played by the inimitable Nestor Paiva with over 300 acting credits to his name. wonders why anyone would want to fish for rocks.

So many questions and so little time. Share 70 minutes of your time with us and find out:

• Exactly what does Creature from the Black Lagoon have to do with Citizen Kane (1941)?
• Who is Carl Dreadstone and why should we care?
• Why the heck aren’t there any bubbles?
• What happened to the Gill-Man’s “suit?”
• Why would anyone want to fish for rocks?

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes King Kong (1933), The Tingler (1959), and It! (1967).

Please let us know what you think and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

"Promise me, my baby. . . Take me with you, sweetheart! Take my blood! Oh, my blood!" Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - as we get lost in the wondrously bad, yet somehow memorably disturbing, Maneater of Hydra, aka Island of the Doomed, aka La Isla de la Muerte, aka Bloodsuckers. Come along on the island tour (don’t forget your baggage and lab equipment) with Joseph as our guide, while he explains his love for this eclectic film and the impact it had on him as a horror fan. Trust us; it explains a lot. Follow our journey as Joseph, much to our surprise, manages to register the rest of the Classic Era Grue-Crew as card-carrying members of the Maneater of Hydra fan club.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 2 – Maneater of Hydra (1967)

Maneater of Hydra is a foreign film “probably” written and directed by Mel Welles, who adds another killer plant film to his credits. You may remember him as Gravis Mushnick in Roger Corman’s The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) or maybe from his appearances in Abbott and Costello Meet The Mummy (1955), Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), Chopping Mall (1986) or even the Spectreman TV series (1971). He is joined by the immediately recognizable Cameron Mitchell, whose over 200 credits include The High Chaparral (1967-1971), Blood and Black Lace (1964) and The Toolbox Murders (1978). Mitchell plays Baron von Weser who has genetically engineered some uniquely flavored vegetables.

Part of the films quirky appeal is the dubbing as the actors recited the lines in English through syllabic memorization and are then dubbed. The intent is for the audio to more closely match the actors lip movements, but in the case of Maneater of Hydra, the result is as we already said, … quirky. Anne Meara provides the uncredited, hilarious dubbing of Myrtle, the tour’s unofficial photographer. We all went slack-jawed at the vampire tree’s sexually implicit, or rather explicit, killing organ. The final scene will haunt your nightmares for years, just ask Joseph.

Listen and learn which one of us says:

• “It must be well-dressed plant food.”
• “This is gold, people. This is gold.”
• “That was a knife? I thought it looked like a sharpened nail clipper.”
• “How did they get this past the censors?”
• “It’s literally a hairy tube engorged with blood.”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), King Kong (1933), and The Tingler (1959).

Please let us know what you think and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

“We all go a little mad sometimes.” So says Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock classic, Psycho (1960). In this episode, the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era’s Grue-Crew - Chad Hunt, Erin Miskell, Jeff Mohr, and Joseph Perry - proclaim their love for and take a deep dive into Hitchcock’s masterpiece and the mind of Norman Bates. Yes, you read it correctly. We love Norman’s mind and take a deep dive into it. After all, he’s such a nice boy.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 1 – Psycho (1960)

At the films original release, Hitchcock resorted to a multitude of marketing gimmicks to help promote his  new, fairly low budget, black and white film. The crowds responded in droves, piling up box office receipts more than 32 times the cost of making the film. Erin hosts this episode as we all try to get inside Hitchcock’s mind and end up feeling like Norman Bates could be our special friend (especially Erin!), if it just wasn’t for that whole murdering people thing. Is Norman Bates a nice boy suffering from mental illness or an iconic horror villain?

The story of Psycho unfolds as if it were two separate movies. First is the one telling the story of Marion Crane’s embezzlement from her employer, subsequent flight from the law, and change of heart after meeting Norman Bates. The second story begins with Marion’s murder and its afermath as we learn more about Norman’s relationship with his mother. After all, he’s such a NICE boy.

The Classic Era Grue-Crew is blown away with Psycho by everything from the leads (Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles) to the supporting cast (Martin Balsam, John McIntire, John Anderson, Simon Oakland, Mort Mills, Pat Hitchcock); from Hitchcock’s direction to Saul Bass’ titles and Bernard Herrmann’s score; from Robert Bloch's source material to Joseph Stefano's script.

Listen and learn which one of us says:

• “You need to stop playing with your seat or we're going home.”
• “The first time I saw that scene I was 10-years-old and I know some pee came out.”
• “His initials are G. G., something with a G.”
• “You might want to rephrase that as, ‘I really need to watch more Kolchak: The Nightstalker.’”

We plan to release a new episode every other week. Our upcoming schedule includes Maneater of Hydra (aka Island of the Doomed, 1967), King Kong (1933) in conjunction with the March 10, 2017 release of Kong: Skull Island, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), and The Tingler (1959).

Please let us know what you think and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! Send us an email  (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

“I have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk…” – is the answer Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, frequently gave when asked where he got his ideas. Mr. Bloch’s answer gave us an idea on how to kick off our new podcast. We asked each of our co-hosts where they got their love for horror. Then we asked each of them to choose their favorite films of each decade from the 1920s through the 1960s, or as we call it, The Classic Era. Please allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr, the co-hosts of the new podcast, Decades of Horror: The Classic Era.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode Zero – Introductions and Favorite Films by Decade

As the Grue Crew for this podcast, we come from several different generations and backgrounds, so our reasons for becoming, or maybe being born, horror nerds are as varied as you might expect. From unsuccessfully strict parents to “wicked” uncles; from reading Clive Barker at a young age (Yikes!) to pixie sticks addictions, from local “creature features” to monsters, monsters, monsters and keiju, liberally sprinkled with comic books.

We also go through our favorites from each decade, having particular difficulty narrowing down the horror rich 1930s and 1950s. In some cases, like minds think alike and in other cases, vive la différence. In the 20s we chose films from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu (1922) to The Fall of the House of the Usher (1928) and The Cat and the Canary (1927). In the 30s, our favorites range from Dracula (1931) and Freaks (1932) to Murders in the Zoo (1933) and Mad Love (1935). For the 1940s we talk about films from The Wolf Man (1941) and Cat People (1942) to Dead of Night (1945) and The Spiral Staircase (1946). In the 1950s, it’s everything from The Thing from Another World (1951) and The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) to A Bucket of Blood (1959) and Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959). Finally, in the 1960s, our picks focus on films from Psycho (1960) and Night of the Living Dead (1968) to The Green Slime (1968) and Doctor Blood’s Coffin (1961).

Listen and figure out which of one of us says each of the following quotes:

•       “Oo, oo, eyeball things…”
•       “Good thing I was already out of Pampers and knew where the bathroom was.”
•       “Gre-en Slime!” (sung, perfectly in key with the theme song)
•       “Nothing’s before my time.”

We plan to record a new episode every other week and henceforth, we’ll focus on specific films. In upcoming episodes, we’ll cover films such as Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Tingler (1959), Maneater of Hydra (aka Island of the Doomed, 1967), Psycho (1960), and King Kong (1933), in conjunction with the March 10, 2017 release of Kong: Skull Island.

Please let us know what you think and what films you’d like to see covered! We want to hear from you! Leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror The Classic Era hosts at jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com.