Paul Cardullo returns with another Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold entry that should not be missed. Doc Rotten and Paul Cardullo ventured to the RetroFantasma event recently at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Caroline to catch a Sci-Fi classic double feature, the epic Forbidden Planet (1956) and the film Paul reviews here and now, The Green Slime (1968). Paul shares his views on the ups and downs of this z-grade classic that should not be missed with a theme song that will stay with you forever. Check out his review below.
The Grue-Crew welcomes Rafe Telsch to the fold to review Darren Aronofsky's latest cinematic wonder Mother! (2017). The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfieffer. Rafe confirms that if you are an Aronofsky fan, you will want to see Mother!; however, he warns the film goes a bit insane for its third act. Having just seen it prior to recording his review, Rafe suggests that his rating of the film could either climb a point or drop a point as he continues to digest the film itself. It seems Aronofsky has delivered a divisive but thought-provoking masterpiece. Check out Rafe's review below.
Jeff Mohr reviews the Sci-Fi epic Anti-Matter (2017) from director Kier Burrows which is described as a noir sci-fi version of Alice in Wonderland. Check out Jeff's review to see if he agrees. The film stars Yaiza Figueroa, Philippa Carson, Tom Barber-Duffy, Noah Maxwell Clarke.
Anti-Matter (2017) 4 out of 5 stars
Writer-director Keir Burrow's critically acclaimed sci-fi masterpiece "Anti Matter" hits theaters and VOD this September from Uncork'd Entertainment.
Experience "art-house psychological horror at its finest" (MovieCrypt.com) in a "stylish and intriguing" (Shadows on the Wall) take on "Alice in Wonderland".
Ana, an Oxford Ph.D. student finds herself unable to build new memories following an experiment to generate and travel through a wormhole. The story follows her increasingly desperate efforts to understand what happened and to find out who – or what - is behind the rising horror in her life.
Featuring a cast "anchored by a strong performance from Yaiza Figueroa" (Eye for Film), "Anti Matter" is a "taut thriller that should appeal to both hard sci-fi fans and those who don’t know their wormholes from their warp drives" (One Room With a View).
"Anti Matter" in select theaters and VOD September 8.
Director Andy Mushietti and star Bill Skarsgard have done the impossible - they've have delivered a kick-ass, box-office juggernaut with their remake of Stephen King's It bringing Pennywise back to the forefront of horror fans' collective nightmares. The Grue-Crew are joined by award-winning director Christopher G. Moore and welcome back The Black Saint to discuss the film. Christopher and Doc also share their experiences at the recent GenreBlast Film Festival. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week a pair of trailers for Insidious: The Last Key and Gerald's Game. Closing out the show Thomas has a few announcements about Stump the Saint.
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 232 – It ( 2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher
The Russian supernatural horror film The Bride (Nevesta, 2017) had its North American premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami, Florida on August 17, and Gruesome Magazine's Joseph Perry has one of the first English language reviews for the movie. Victoria Agalakova stars as Nastya, a young woman who rushes into marriage, only to find that her in-laws harbor a country house filled with dark, deadly secrets. Joseph gives his thoughts on what this foreign horror offers in the way of originality, as well as what it borrows from fright fare from other countries.
The Bride 3 stars out of 5
d. Syvatoslav Podgavesvskiv
cast:Victoria Agalakova, Vyascheslav Chepurchenko, Aleksandra Rebenok, Igor Khripunov
Synopsis: After a grieving husband photographs his dead wife in mid-1800s rural Russia, he sets into motion a supernatural terror that will link a modern-day university student with her new husband's abysmal family history.
“Whatever got her wasn’t human.” That is not what you want to hear while locked overnight in a haunted house. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era crew – Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr – as we brave an overnight in the House on Haunted Hill (1959). William Castle, Robb White, and Vincent Price? What’s not to like.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 17 – House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Directed by legendary gimmick-meister William Castle, House on Haunted Hill is a standard story about folks challenged to stay the night in a haunted house, but with a few twists provided by writer Robb White. Millionaire Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) carefully chooses five guests for his invitation only event -- Lance Schroeder (Richard Long), Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), Dr. David Trent (Alan Marshal), Ruth Bridgers (Julie Mitchum), and Watson Prichard (Elisha Cook Jr.) -- and offers them each $10,000 if they survive the night. Also in attendance are Frederick’s wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), caretaker Jonas Slydes (Howard Hoffman), and his wife (Leona Anderson).
House on Haunted Hill is great fun and has some legitimate scares, but don’t spend too much time thinking about the plot. If you do, you might become obsessed with its holes and miss all the fun. The music by Von Dexter is suitably chill-inducing and is as good at setting the atmosphere as it is at setting the standard for horror films of its period.
Chad Hunt recounts his experience watching this in a theater that tried to duplicate Castle’s gimmick for this picture, which he called “Emergo.” Erin Miskell’s first memories of watching House on Haunted Hill are during a sleepover as a 10-year-old. Imagine the shrieks!
House on Haunted Hill treats its guests to the usual haunted house fare, including floating apparitions, mysteriously slamming doors, a hanging body, an unattached head, secret passages, a seriously scary old woman, an animated skeleton, blood dripping from the ceiling, and a conveniently placed vat of acid in the basement.
We also send out a hearty handclasp to our steadfast listener, saltyessentials for calling Decades of Horror: The Classic Era a podcast “you can’t do without.” Check out salty’s blog, which he calls Dead Man’s Brain or, what I watched last night.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is The Univited (1944), hosted by Chad Hunt.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
"It's finger-lickin' good!" Severen (Bill Paxton) gives an accurate description of how human blood tastes. Or so we assume. After being tossed to the side upon it's initial release, Near Dark is basically a western with a horror sheen. Caleb Cotton (Adrian Pasdar) is a modern hombre who gets mixed up with a group of marauders with a thirst for blood. The Grue Crew talk about all this gem live from DragonCon with a very special guest: C. Robert Cargill, writer of Sinister, Doctor Strange and the recently released book Sea of Rust! Now *that* sounds finger lickin' good to us!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 116 – Near Dark (1987)
Near Dark is notable on a lot of levels. The directorial debut of future Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker) was a curious debut. Near Dark has it all. Paxton chewing up scenery. Vampires wandering around in a mobile home. Some kick ass fire stunts. This western aesthetic creates a vast endless desert for our heroes to wander around, looking for blood to feed on as they avoid exploding in the wake of the sun. The moment your hear those spurs coming closer, it's not a gun you have to worry about. It's the fangs that'll tear out your throat.
To talk Near Dark, Thomas and Christopher are not only reunited with Doc Rotten and frequent Grue Crew co-host Bill Mulligan. No, for this live episode recorded at DragonCon, our boys are joined by C. Robert Cargill. You may have known him as film critic "Massawyrm" from Ain't It Cool News, screenwriter of films like Sinister & Doctor Strange or for his books like the recently released Sea of Rust. These five talk this gem of a vampire film in front of a live audience, asking the big questions. Is this peak Paxton? How much of this genre fare crept into Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar material? Did this need a sax scene to compete with Lost Boys that same year? All these questions and more are answered in this episode!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
Child's Play (1988)
Vanessa Thompson joins the Grue-Crew to review the Aaron Mirtes film Clowntergeist from High Octane Pictures. In the film, a demonic clown terrorizes a pair of far-from-helpless teens and mayhem ensues. Thom Seidman, Burt Culver, and Brittany Belland star. Check out Vanessa's review below and let us know what you think.
Clowntergeist 1 out of 5 starts
Poltergeist meets IT in Clowntergeist, premiering on VOD September 12 from High Octane Pictures!
Emma, a college student with a crippling fear of clowns, must come face to face with her worst fear when an evil spirit in the body of a clown is summoned terrorizing the town she calls home. One by one Emma and her friends receive a balloon with the exact time and date of when it will appear to kill them written on it. After receiving her balloon, Emma realizes that she has two days left to live, and must fight against the clock to find a way to survive.
Director: Aaron Mirtes
Writers: Aaron Mirtes and Brad Belemjian
Cast: Brittany Belland, Aaron Mirtes, Eric Corbin
The Grue Crew - or what's left of them - is pretty out of it after another exhaustive weekend at DragonCon in Atlanta. Yes, the massive convention was enough to wipe out Doc Rotten, but Thomas Mariani steps in just in time along with fellow DragonCon Horror Track contributors Christopher G. Moore and Bill Mulligan! The three discuss all the panels they attended, as well as the gorgeous cosplays and drunken antics. Tales of crowded parade routes, meeting heroes and flirting with Grand Duchesses? All this and more is discussed here on Horror News Radio! Be sure to stick around to hear Thomas gab about the recent Twin Peaks finale and a truncated Horror News of the Week about another big shake up for Star Wars! It's an unusual episode of Horror News Radio, but it'll be one for the books!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 231 – DragonCon 2017 – Twin Peaks: The Return Finale (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher
"Oh yes... they float, Georgie. They float. And when you're down here with me... YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!" Pennywise (Tim Curry) - also known as It - sums up his MO as he kills young Georgie. This interdimensional being is out to prey on the local children of Derry, Maine. So naturally, the only people to stop It are a group of children. Who are all connected by... fate? And defeat this being through... belief? But not until It comes back 23 years later when they're all less interesting characters. There's a lot to talk about here. Literally over 3 hours worth. Luckily, Decades of Horror 1990s will only take an hour to float on through your eardrums!
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 23 – Stephen King's It (1990)
Following 1979's Salem's Lot, It was the mini-series that kicked off a major trend for the era. In the fall out of this two part story, we got Tommyknockers and The Langoliers. There was nothing hotter to do back in the day then trying to cram thousands of pages into a few hours worth of time. The results are... mixed to say the least. The children being terrorized are pretty compelling, including young turns from Ginger Snaps' Emily Perkins and Robot Chicken's Seth Green. Then their adult versions come about - played by familiar TV actors - who... aren't as compelling. To say the least. You may be dreading any of the moments where a kid or Pennywise aren't on the screen.
To dissect all three hours of It, Thomas brings aboard Christopher G. Moore, Dave Dreher and Adam Thomas. The four praise Tim Curry's iconic performance as Pennywise and are desperate to find something else that would be considered worth watching. There's plenty to dig at, from the Stephen King cliches to the infamous ending. Of course, the optimism comes in where the upcoming It film can diverge from this adaptation. Hopefully, there'll be less questions of whether Prince Albert is in a can and if he can be let out. WAH HA! WAH HA! WAH HA!
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
“Suzy, do you know anything about … witches?” Suzy Bannion doesn’t know much, but she’s about to find out a lot more, ... the hard way! As of the recording of this podcast, it’s just 12 days past the 40th anniversary of the U.S. release of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, a giallo masterpiece. Doc Rotten is still on hiatus, diligently working on the next issues of the Gruesome Magazine quarterly print and electronic editions. (Issue #2 is now available. Don’t miss out!) In the interim, your regular hosts, The Black Saint and Jeff Mohr, are joined by the capable and knowledgeable Bill Mulligan, film director, and Chad Hunt, comic book artist/writer and co-host of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast. Join them as they are completely entranced by the magic of Argento’s audio and visual feast.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 58 – Suspiria (1977)
Suspiria is the story of an elite dance school in Germany that is a front for some supernatural shenanigans. The school is run by Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett), and its head instructor is the disciplinary Miss Tanner (Alida Valli). Suzy (Jessica Harper) is a young American who has recently arrived at the school. Life at the school is a dreamlike, nightmarish experience. Suzy’s life there is soon rocked by the brutal murders of two fellow students, Pat (Eva Axén) and Sara (Stefania Casini), and the school’s blind piano player, Daniel (Flavio Bucci).
Co-written (with Daria Nicolodi) and directed by Dario Argento, the film’s plot is a train wreck. Luciano Tovoli’s cinematography and the Goblin’s score, however, are so masterful, no one seems to care that exactly what happens or why it happens is never made clear.
The Black Saint and Bill Mulligan extol the effect the trailer had on them when they first saw it. Think involuntary bodily evacuation. The crew all think Suspiria is Jessica Harper’s film more than any other member of the cast. When they learn she got the part after Argento saw her performance in Brian de Palma’s Phantom of the Paradise, they throw some smack toward award-winning director and fellow Decades of Horror co-host, Christopher G. Moore (See Decades of Horror 1970s - Episode 40 - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)). Suspiria is filled with effective and memorable scenes that our fearless Grue Crew discuss in detail, especially the sequences that detailing the first murder, the razor wire girl, and the return of razor wire girl (more bodily evacuation). They also remark on the film’s omnipresent vivid and often inappropriate-to-life colors.
Find out that what Disney film The Black Saint has never seen. (What?!) Or hear The Black Saint’s story about meeting Dario Argento. Or find out why much of the time, the dancers’ behaviors seem juvenile.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at theblacksaint@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
Foreign correspondent Kieran Fisher steps in to review the Jane Goldman adaptation of "Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem" in Juan Carlos Medina's horror thriller The Limehouse Golem. The film spares no crimson bloodshed when it comes to displaying the horror of a killer striking London, England. Bill Nighy stars as Inspector Kildare with Olivia Cooke as a troubled witness to the murder. Check out Kieran's review below.
The Limehouse Golem (2017) 3.5 out of 5 stars
THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM - RLJ Entertainment
IN THEATERS AND AVAILABLE ON VOD AND DIGITAL HD: September 8, 2017
DIRECTED BY: Juan Carlos Medina
WRITTEN BY: Jane Goldman, based on the novel “Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem” by Peter Ackroyd
CAST: Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, and Eddie Marsan
SYNOPSIS: The city of London is gripped with fear as a serial killer – dubbed The Limehouse Golem – is on the loose and leaving cryptic messages written in his victim’s blood. With few leads and increasing public pressure, Scotland Yard assigns the case to Inspector Kildare (Bill Nighy) – a seasoned detective with a troubled past and a sneaking suspicion he’s being set up to fail. Faced with a long list of suspects, including music hall star Dan Leno (Douglas Booth), Kildare must get help from a witness who has legal troubles of her own (Olivia Cooke), so he can stop the murders and bring the killer to justice.
GENRE: Thriller
DISTRIBUTOR: RLJ Entertainment
JJ Fitt returns to review the haunted house fright fest The Domicile from writer/director Jared Cohn. The film starts off strong with a spooky apparition creating some terrifying havoc but the film quickly loses focus sliding into familiar territory. The film looks good with impressive makeup and design for the "ghosts" but ultimately fails to deliver. Check out JJ's review below.
The Domicile (2017) 1.25 stars out of 5
Director Jared Cohn (Devil's Domain) and Producer Gabriel Campisi (The Horde) invite you to The Domicile this August.
Russel Brody, a one-time successful playwright, works diligently on a follow-up play that could land him back in the spotlight he so dearly craves. With a baby on the way, however, and a strained marriage, stress, and frustration take center stage. When his wife accidentally stumbles down the stairs and dies from her injuries, Brody's mental state goes from bad to one of utter despair. In a bid to help his friend regain his sanity, Brody's co-writer David Stanley suggests he revisits Lucy, his former mistress. The ghost of Brody's dead wife awakens to the sordid details of his unfaithfulness, enraging her supernatural spirit to haunt him in every horrifying way imaginable. At first, Brody thinks he's hallucinating and hearing things in his head, the result of his state of mind and alcohol. But as things intensify, his grip on sanity quickly slips away, and he starts to go mad. Appearing in every shadow, and provoking him relentlessly, the ghost cranks up her onslaught, making his life a living hell. Brody reaches his breaking point when the ghost possesses his former mistress, and he's forced to confront the scorned entity -- resulting in a climax of both psychological and physical terror.
Starring Steve Richard Harris (Evil Nanny), Demetrius Stear (Death Pool), Katherine Flannery (Zombie Pizza) and Sara Malakul Lane (King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table), The Domicile from MTI Home Video, hitting DVD and VOD August 22.
Dave Dreher dives into Doc Rotten territory for a review of the found-footage epic horror tale The Monster Project (2017). Director Victor Mathieu weaves a tale of a group of "youtube" paranormal film makers looking to interview a real vampire, a real shape-shifter, and a real possessed person (ala The Ring). What they get instead is a night of terror, mayhem, and bloodshed - and a twist or two. Dave lets us know what he thought of the monsters, the directions, and the glorious effects. Check out his review below.
The Monster Project (2017) 3 out of 5 stars
Director: Victor Mathieu
Writers: Corbin Billings (screenplay), Shariya Lynn (screenplay), and Victor Mathieu
Cast: Toby Hemingway, Justin Bruening, Murielle Zuker
Synopsis:
When aspiring horror filmmakers post an online casting call looking for "real life" monsters to interview for their upcoming documentary called, The Monster Project, they find three individuals claiming to be a skin-walker, a vampire, and a demon. Meeting these monsters at a remote mansion in the woods on the night of a total lunar eclipse, the filmmakers invite the three subjects to share their haunting, personal experiences. Working on the crew is a recovering drug addict who suffers withdrawal and paranoia. As a person of faith, he fears his friends underestimate the dark powers they are summoning. When the interviews turn deadly, he must battle the demons, inside and out, to escape the house and defeat the rise of evil incarnate.
It's "Netflix and chill" on HNR this week as the Grue-Crew open the Death Note adaptation from director Adam Wingard and join The Defenders along side Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week with the passing of the legendary director Tobe Hooper - a sad day for horror fans. Closing out the show Thomas challenges Dave, Doc, and guest-host Caitlan Turner to a round of Stump the Schmucks!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 230 – Death Note (Netflix, 2017) – The Defenders (Netflix, 2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher
“In the midst of a mountain blizzard, I have experienced a terrifying incident unparalleled in human history. At the very moment we were about to die, I clearly saw the monster with my own eyes . . .” These words are read from the journal of a dead man who had come face-to-face with a half-man, half-beast monster living in the mountains of Japan. Join the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era crew – Erin Miskell, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr – as we discuss the hard to find, third film of the Toho Company, Half Human, aka Jû jin yuki otoko.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 16 – Half Human (Jû jin yuki otoko,1955)
Directed by tokusatsu legend Ishirô Honda, Half Human tells the story of a group of student mountaineers (Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi) and their professor (Nobuo Nakamura) searching for two friends lost in a blizzard during the previous winter. Watching the students’ every move is a ruthless animal broker (Yoshio Kosugi) and his band on the hunt for the creature rumored to live in the mountains. The monster’s den is in a mountain cave and where he is worshipped by the local indigenous people, led by a Grand Elder (Kokuten Kôdô). As the students and the animal broker’s gang get closer to their quarries, they begin to clash, having a devastating effect on the monster and the tribal people.
Half Human has been banned by Toho for years and none of your faithful Grue Crew could find a high-quality copy. Possibly aligned with the forced unavailability of the film, we all had mixed feelings about Half Human. We all condemned the way the indigenous tribe is portrayed and the treatment doled out to Chika (Akemi Negishi) as she receives beatings from the Grand Elder and the other men of the tribe. For the most part, they all appreciated the special effects by Eiji Tsubaraya, another tokusatsu legend, especially the adult monster design. While we can’t unreservedly recommend Half Human, it is the third monster film from Toho and many listeners will recognize the actors from other Toho productions. It also has its place as an example of the discrimination of a people and abuse of women in the world over sixty years ago.
On the other hand, there is no reason to seek out the U.S. version unless you love the sound of John Carradine’s legendary voice. The American version, released in 1958, has had roughly half the original footage removed and replaced by a much smaller combination of scenes of Carradine sitting in his stateside office narrating the story to two colleagues. If you’re going to watch it, watch Jû jin yuki otoko instead.
We also have some great listener feedback this episode from Rafael Fernandez and our old friend salty-essentials Listen and you might just find out which of us does the funny voices.
We plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule is House on Haunted Hill (1959), hosted by our resident Vincent Price fangirl Erin.
Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era and what films you’d like to hear us cover! We want to hear from you! After all, without you, we’re just four nutjobs talking about the films we love. Send us an email (chadhunt@gruesomemagazine.com, erinmiskell@gruesomemagazine.com, jeffmohr@gruesomemagazine.com, or josephperry@gruesomemagazine.com) or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, the Horror News Radio App, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.
To each of you from each of us, “Thank you for listening!”
"Sometimes, dead is better." Jud (Fred Gwyne) tries to warn Louis (Dale Midkiff) of the dangers of bringing back what has been buried. Will Louis heed these warnings? Can he recover from a major blow to his family? Or will he succumb to the temptations of the Pet Sematary? Take a trip down the dirt road (as pronounced RA-ODD like Jud would) and find out for yourself!
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 115 – Pet Sematary (1989)
Pet Sematary is a noteworthy Stephen King adaptation. It was the first adaptation he had creative control over (not including Maximum Overdrive, which no one had control over). He demanded that director Mary Lambert and her crew stick close to his script. King was very protective of his very emotional story of family turmoil, in which Louis and Rachel Creed (Denise Crosby) move their kids Ellie (Beau and Blaze Berdahl) and Gage (Miko Hughes) to the country. They're trying to raise their children and cat named Church. Unfortunately, a few members of that family die, leading Louis to attempt to bring them back via... a new burial.
Joining Thomas and Christopher to talk about dead kids and animals are Dave Dreher and Adam Thomas! Half have read Stephen King's novel, the other half hasn't. So, one side can help the other with answers. Answers to questions like: How much better would Bruce Campbell be than Dale Midkiff in the role of Louis? How much of Mike Hughes' performance is made in editing? Does Church actually eat the entire Thanksgiving feast for cats? All these answers and more rise out of the Pet Sematary! Just don't answer the door when the zombie questions knock at it. Unless you're into having sex with them. But we ain't judging.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
If you’re in the Atlanta area during Labor Day Weekend (Sept 1-4), make sure to visit us at Dragon Con Horror Track!
Special thanks to Neon Devils for their awesome song Bone Chillin!
Near Dark (1987) Recorded At Dragon Con!
Joseph Perry reports from BiFan about the latest Chad (Bite) Archibald horror film, The Heretics. Featuring Nina Kiri, Jorja Candence, and Ry Barrett, the film features a cult that returns from the dead to terrorize a young girl who once escaped their grasp. Joseph chimes in on the direction, the acting, and the horrific terror that lies within. Check out his review below.
The Heretics 3.5 starts out of 5
d. Chad Archibald w/ Jayme Laforest
cast. Nina Kiri, Jorja Cadence, and Ry Barrett
Synopsis:
A notorious cult kidnaps a young girl, and sacrifice themselves by the light of the locust moon. The next morning the girl awakes, caked in dried blood and surrounded by corpses...but safe - or so she thinks. Years later, the locust moon is about to rise again and the girl is captured once more by a surviving member of the cult. She is taken to a remote cabin where she learns that a demon has been growing inside of her all these years, and before the dawn, it will rise.
Paul Cardullo takes a look at an unusual Groovy Gory Gruesome Gold film this week — writer/director Dusty Nelson's Effects (1980). Though it was shot in 1978 and ostensibly released in 1980, it did not receive a proper release until the DVD came out in 2006. Paul takes a look at the new 4K Blu Ray restoration just released by American Genre Film Archive. The cast and crew is comprised of a number of once-and-future alumni of George A. Romero films, including Joseph Pilato (Rhodes from Day of the Dead (1985)), make-up genius Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead (1978) et al.), and John Harrison (composer and 2nd-unit director on Creepshow (1982) and Day of the Dead (1985)). Paul discusses the meta-contextual nature of the film and why sometimes things are not always as we expect them to be. Listen below to check out his review and find out just why you should seek out this lesser-known gem.
Effects (1980) 4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis:
While a crew is filming an ultra-low-budget horror film, most of them are also unaware that their director is simultaneously shooting a snuff film — with some of them as the unwitting subject.s
Director: Dusty Nelson
Writers: William H. Mooney (novel), Dusty Nelson (screenplay)
Cast: Joseph Pilato, Susan Chapek, John Harrison, and Tom Savini
Run time: 84 min
From American Film Genre Archive:
Effects
A new 4K transfer of this snuff-fueled frighmare starring Tom Savini and Joe Pilato
Cobbled together with loose change by George Romero's friends, Effects is a mesmerizing D.I.Y. frightmare that no one talks about, but everyone should. A group of coked-up filmmakers — including Tom "Dawn of the Dead" Savini, Joe "Day fo the Dead" Pilato, and John "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie" Harrison — gather in Pittsburgh to make a slasher. As filming begins and "accidents" happen, it's clear that something isn't right. And no one can be trusted. Landing somewhere between Snuff and a student film by John Carpenter, Effects is a meta-enhanced takedown on the philosophy of horror that doubles as a sleazy and terrifying movie on its own.
BONUS MATERIALS
The Black Saint chimes in with his review of the sci-fi horror thriller Alien: Reign of Man (2017). The film is by writer/director Justin Price. The cast includes Khu, Torrei Hart, and Deanna Grace Congo. And you can count on The Black Saint to not let anything slip by him - hold onto your hats, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Listen below to see if this release can cut the mustard.
Alien: Reign of Man (2017) 1 out of 5 Starts
Uncork’d Entertainment’s Alien: Reign of Man invades VOD this August.
Come face to face with a deadly new race of alien in writer-director Justin Price’s frightening new sci-fi horror.
Stranded on a distant planet, a team must fight aliens and activate a machine meant to restore Earth to a time before its downfall. Deanna Grace Congo, Torrei Hart, Khu, and Cameron White star.
From the director of Dark Moon Rising and The Cloth, Alien: Reign of Man on VOD August 1 and DVD November 14.
The Black Saint and Thomas check out the latest film from Ana Lily Amirpour called The Bad Batch. Also, the entire Grue-Crew discover the mysteries of What Happened To Monday from Netflix and director Tommy Wirkola. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week with the passing of Sonny Landham from Predator fame. He also discusses the new Punisher trailer from Netflix and teaser news about the possibility of a Dead Snow 3. Closing out the show Thomas challenges The Black Saint to another round of Stump the Saint!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 229 – The Bad Bad (2017) – What Happened To Monday (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher
"Hasta La Vista, Baby." What?! Terminator 2 on a horror podcast? What kind of insanity is this? If you're asking those questions, it's only fair. Terminator 2 is far more beloved as a sci-fi actioner than for its horror thrills. Yet, looking at the T-1000 (Robert Patrick) and his cold pursuit of John Connor (Edward Furlong), it's pretty horrific. Kind of like a slasher film only with a sci-fi twist. He's an unstoppable killing machine out to destroy. The only thing that may stop him is the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger). That is, if Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) will allow the visage that killed John's father to help out. It's a story of survival, family and the run that made Tom Cruise famous.
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 22 – Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Terminator 2 is inarguably the peak of writer/director James Cameron. It's an actioner full of set pieces most action films could only dream to have as their climactic finales. A sequel that ups the ante of the original Terminator's scrappy efficient thrills. We get full role reversals as the T-800 saves the day. Having to contend with Sarah Connor's doubt and John's affection while trying to defeat the sleek new model of the T-1000. And boy is he sleek. Winner of four Academy Awards, Terminator 2 revolutionized computer generated effects. Yet, much of what made such effects work is helped by the presence of practical effects alongside them. Afterall, would the T-1000's helicopter crash be nearly as good without an actual helicopter being crushed on the road? Probably not.
To help cover all the time paradoxes and high pitched noises from Edward Furlong, Thomas sends two perfect robot co-hosts back in time to cover Terminator 2; Christopher G. Moore and Shakyl Lambert. Together, these three ask the important questions. What is more terrifying: Robert Patrick's run or Danny Cooksey's mullet? Would Denzel Washington have been a better Miles Dyson? Will we see a nuclear holocaust as terrifying as the opening scene in our lifetime? All these and more are answered as Decades of Horror the 1990s finds out exactly why you cry.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, most gruesome fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1990s podcast hosts at thomasmariani@decadesofhorror.com or tweet Thomas @NotTheWhosTommy. Also, make sure to give us some love via iTunes reviews and ratings. Helps us get more notice along the way.
If you’re in the Atlanta area during Labor Day Weekend (Sept 1-4), make sure to visit us at Dragon Con Horror Track!
The intro and outro is “Suck City” by Black Math. Look for more of their music via Free Music Archive.
Stephen King's It (1990)
"Things only seem to be magic. There is no real magic. There's no real magic ever." With this line, Martin laments the lack of real magic in life, even while claiming to be an 84-year-old vampire in a 20-year-old’s body. Join your Grue Crew as we pay tribute to George Romero by discussing Martin (1978), his personal favorite of his films, a truly unique and innovative take on vampires. Doc Rotten is still on hiatus, diligently working on the next issues of the Gruesome Magazine quarterly print and electronic editions. (Issue #2 is now available. Don’t miss out!) In the interim, your regular hosts, The Black Saint and Jeff Mohr, are joined by the capable and knowledgeable Bill Mulligan, film director, and special guest Thomas Mariani, the hardest working man in podcasting.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 57 – Martin (1978)
Written, directed, and edited by George A. Romero, Martin is an intense and realistic treatment that follows the exploits of Martin (John Amplas), a seems-to-be young man who claims to be 84 years old, and who certainly drinks human blood. The boy arrives in Pittsburgh to stay with his Uncle Kuda (Lincoln Maazel), who promises to save Martin's soul and destroy him once he is finished, but Martin's loneliness finds other means of release. Also in the mix are Martin’s cousin Christina (Christine Forrest) and her boyfriend Arthur (Tom Savini).
The Grue Crew doles out heaping helpings of praise for Martin. Bill Mulligan marvels at the high quality of the acting performances even though several key members of the cast have minimal film credits. Bill and Jeff Mohr point out Romero’s masterful editing and how it efficiently tells the story while eliciting tension, horror, and feelings of isolation and loneliness. Thomas Mariani observes that much of Martin’s interaction with other people might place him somewhere on the autism spectrum. Jeff is intrigued by the use of the call-in radio show to add insight into Martin’s mental state. The crew also discusses how the characters all seem trapped in one way or another. Martin and Kuda are trapped by their family legacy, while Christina and Arthur plot to escape the traditional trap set for everyone by the comfortable, slow torture of their surroundings.
Bill, Thomas, and Jeff each owned the finger guillotine magic trick Martin demonstrates in the film (The Black Saint ignored the trick and actually severed fingers) and we all remark on the effectiveness of Tom Savini’s simple and cost effective gags. Finally, as The Black Saint loses all semblance of control, we take a trip down memory lane and wax nostalgic about the different ways we each fed our hunger for horror films.
Check out the other Decades of Horror episodes that delve into the films of George Romero: Night of the Living Dead (1968), Creepshow (1982), Day of the Dead (1985), and The Dark Half (1993).
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave us a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at theblacksaint@decadesofhorror.com or docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.
The Grue-Crew hug their dollies tight as they witness Annabelle: Creation. Dave launches into the Horror News of the Week with the first trailer for mother!, whispers of a Hannibal TV revival, and plans for The Munsters returning to NBC. Closing out the show Thomas challenges The Black Saint to a double round of Stump the Saint!
As always, the HNR Grue-Crew would love to hear from you, the listeners, the fans. You can always reach out via email at feedback(AT)horrornewsradio(DOT)com or find us on Twitter: Doc Rotten | Dave Dreher | The Black Saint | Thomas Mariani. Also, like us on Facebook and join the Horror News Radio Facebook Group.
Horror News Radio
Episode 228 – Annabelle: Creation (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook –
Joseph Perry shares his thoughts on a film he caught at the Buchon Internation Film Festival called Better Watch Out (2017). The film will also screen at the Popcorn Fright Film Festival. It also took the "gold prize" for "Best North American, South American, or European Feature Film" at the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival. Better Watch Out is from director Chris Peckover and features Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Virginia Madsen, Ed Oxenbould, and Patrick Warburton. Listen to Joseph's review below and let us know what you think.
Better Watch Out (2017) 4 out of 5 starts
Better Watch Out opens in select theaters and Video on Demand October 6, 2017, from WellGo USA.
Synopsis:
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it's far from a normal home invasion.
Director: Chris Peckover
Writers: Zach Kahn and Chris Peckover
Cast: Dacre Montgomery, Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Virginia Madsen, Ed Oxenbould, and Patrick Warburton
Run time: 1h 25min
Previously known as Safe Neighborhood