"Now you're being rude, and I hate rude people." Surprise, Fannibals! The Hannibal Fan Podcast has been mostly dormant since the series Hannibal ended in 2015. The Grue Crew hasn't been totally silent about the titular cannibal in some form or another. After doing Manhunter on the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast and Silence of the Lambs on the 90s, we just couldn't stay away. Unfortunately, maybe we should have. Our topic for this special bonus episode - in honor of Alien Covenant being recently released - is Ridley Scott's Hannibal (2001). Featuring the return of Anthony Hopkins to the role that won him an Oscar, Hannibal came out to be a major box office success. But how well does it hold up? Listen as Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani discuss!
Hannibal Fan Podcast
Bonus Episode 1 – Hannibal (2001)
After a decade's worth of varying production attempts to get a Lambs sequel off the ground, Hannibal had a lot going against it on the way in. Lambs director Jonathan Demme and Hopkins' co-star Jodie Foster both declined to be involved due to their issues with the Thomas Harris novel. One can't really blame them, given the story of Hannibal centers on Clarice Starling (now played by Julianne Moore) sulking around dwelling on her past with the genius cannibal. She's offered a chance to find Hannibal - now in exile abroad - thanks to an investigation sparked by Mason Verger (Gary Oldman). He's a wealthy handicapped man with a grudge against the man who severely scarred his face. That man (Anthony Hopkins) is in Italy trying to lay low, impersonating a librarian and eating where he can. That is until a corrupt Italian detective (Giancarlo Giannini) attempts to spoil his peaceful life to bring him to Verger. Nothing a game of "bowels in, bowels out" can't fix.
The Hannibal Fan Podcast crew is happy to be back together discussing another product of Thomas Harris' universe. Unfortunately, they wished it was under better circumstances. No, the Crew isn't the hugest fan of Hannibal. Especially with how well Bryan Fuller integrated many of these elements into the TV show they mutually loved. There's a lot of comparing and contrasting of the Mason Vergers, the Clarice/Will Graham role and of course Hopkins vs. Mads in similar scenarios. One can guess which one wins out. There's also much discussion of Ridley Scott's style, the prosthetics used to show us Ray Liotta's inner workings and how much Anthony Hopkins actually cared. Mileage may vary, but one thing is for certain; Hannibal made this group appreciate their beloved departed TV show even more.
As always we want your feedback so drop us a line at docrotten@horrornewstv.com and we’ll talk next time as we continue to bring you our recipe for fear with HORROR NEWS TV HANNIBAL FAN PODCAST. Tell us if you want to see us cover Red Dragon (2002), Hannibal Rising (2007) or even the first season of the show! Send in your impressions today at http://horrornewstv.com/feedback/ or send an email to hannibal@horrornewstv.com!
The Alien franchise returns to theaters this past weekend with Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant. While it is a direct sequel to Prometheus, featuring fan-favorite David (Michael Fassbender), the film suggests a new origin for the xenomorph species....and a plethora of gory, gruesome special effects! For the What Have You Been Watching segment, Thomas visits David Lynch's Twin Peaks The Return on Showtime. Dave dives into the Horror News of the Week with the Sony announcement that Tom Hardy is Venom, George Romero is shopping Road of the Dead, and Universal has relabeled its upcoming monster franchise Dark Universe. Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's 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 216 – Alien: Covenant (2017) – Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
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“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:
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!”
"See you in the movies!" Eric Binford (Dennis Christopher) loves movies. The classic black and white films of old. Gangsters. Dashing cowboys. Universal Monsters. All are welcome in his escapist fantasies of the theater or his own memorability filled room to hide from reality. Sound a bit familiar? Yes, the protagonist of Fade to Black is a bit too close to home in certain ways to the average movie buff. But there's one line of his we haven't crossed yet... hopefully: Murder! But at least he has some cosplay appropriate attire to do it in.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 108 – Fade to Black (1980)
Fade to Black is a rather obscure footnote in horror film history. Released in 1980 to little fanfare, Fade to Black hasn't had a home video release since 1999, due to the endless licenses that would have to be approved. Showing clips from Creature from the Black Lagoon, White Heat and The Public Enemy, the legalities are pretty tied up. Not to mention some of the likenesses involved, like Marilyn Monroe look-alike Marilyn O'Conner (Linda Kerridge). She's the object of Eric's desires. The only non-movie related thought that gets him through being harassed by his Aunt Stella (Eve Brent), his boss Marty Berger (Norman Burton) and his beefy co-worker Richie (a fresh-faced Mickey Rourke). Eric is on edge and ready to snap at any moment. Luckily, he has plenty of elaborate costumes to show off his metaphorical Fade to Black.
Doc Rotten, Thomas Mariani and Christopher G. Moore managed to see this diamond in the rough thanks to Amazon Prime. While Doc enjoyed revisiting it, Thomas and Christopher viewed it for the first time. One found Fade to Black to be a tragically fascinating gem ahead of its time in predicting the type of obsession culture of the Internet age. One... wasn't as impressed. The results may shock you. The trio discusses the film references, Dennis Christopher's tragic performance, and that weird cop subplot. Yeah, they're not even sure why it's there. Still, Fade to Black is one to check out... while you still can!
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.
Welcome to American Gods Fan Podcast, episode 4 "Git Gone". This is the unofficial podcast about the hit Starz television program American Gods by fans for fans as brought to you by HorrorNewsTV.com, DocRotten.com, and GruesomeMagazine.com. The Grue-Crew behind the Hannibal Fan Podcast reunites to dive into the latest blood-soaked effort of Bryan Fuller as he brings to life the acclaimed novel from Neil Gaiman! Let's set on a cross-country trip across America with Shadow Moon and Mr. Wednesday.
Episode Four follows the life and death and life of Laura Moon (Emily Browning) as she meets Shadow, falls in love with him, marries him, and betrays him. Only to be resurrected by him. Her story takes place during the first three episodes of American Gods season one, ending on the very note presented in the previous episode. And, it is remarkable.
American Gods Fan Podcast: Season One
Episode 4 – Git Gone
Aired May 28, 2017, on Starz
For many in the Grue-Crew, this episode starts off troubling most of the hosts - all, except Thomas. At least, initially. By the midway point, however, the entire Crew is fully on board. The hosts discuss what it all means. Doc ponders does she now have the "sun coin" within her and what happens when Mad Sweeney insists on retrieving it. What will Shadow do now that he has been hurt so badly by Laura and finds her sitting across from him - apparently alive once again? Will she continue to color the show blood red with crimson splatter? The show continues to impress, proving worthy of the early second season renewal. Thank you, Starz!
Each week, the Grue-Crew will present some of their favorite scenes in two spotlight segments. The first segment is The OMG Moment of the Week where they choose the bloodiest, goriest, most bizarre, most outrageous moment of the week's episode. The second episode of American Gods offers more fantasy oriented choices, far less bloody than last week. Which shocking twist will the hosts decide upon? The second segment is The Folklore Feature of the Week where they look back at the Americana moment of the week or the historical moment dealing with the American Gods themselves. As their story unfolds and their journey across America continues what riches will they present to the audience. Discover which rich storyline peaked the hosts' interest this week.
We also want to hear from you! American Gods Fan Podcast is designed with the fan in mind and listener feedback is encouraged. That’s right, we want to hear from you! To help you out, we have a Speakpipe account set up for you to leave your Voice Messages. Click on this link and leave Dave, Christopher, Doc and Thomas your thoughts. The service is free and no number is required, all you need is a PC and mic.
We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “American Godcast’” which we use for the intro and outro
The Grue-Crew catch a pair of VOD horror offerings this week with Mike Mendez' Don't Kill It as the feature review and Dan Berk & Robert Olsen's Stake Land 2: The Stakelander in the What Have You Been Watching segment. What they find, despite both being written by the Berk & Olsen team, is that mileage varies. One of the films lands on the positive side of the draw while the other dips into a less favorable reaction. At least there's plenty of Dolph Lundgren! Dave sadly shares the Horror News of the Week with the passing of two legendary character actors: RIP Michael Parks and Power Booth. Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's 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 215 – Don't Kill It (2017) – Stake Land II (2017)
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"Through the darkness of futures past. The magician longs to see. One chants out between two worlds. 'Fire walk with me.'" The world of David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks was one of the more inventive examples of television in the early 90s. The titular Washington town had rich characters, surreal horrors and some damn fine coffee. However, in the 25 years since Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) first visited that sleepy town, has Twin Peaks stood the test of time? Or has it disappeared into The Black Lodge?
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 15 – Twin Peaks Retrospective
Twin Peaks was the surprise hit of the spring 1990 TV season. With a cast chock full of quirky characters and the major mystery of the death of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) at the heart of it's premise, it helped revolutionize what serialized television could be. Part over the top soap opera, part crime procedural, part surrealist horror. Twin Peaks wasn't like anything seen on television. Unfortunately, creators David Lynch and Mark Frost were forced by ABC to reveal their mystery early into the second season. Thus, we got a directionless tangent of episodes and an eventual cancellation on a cliffhanger. Lynch would return to the town of Twin Peaks with the feature film prequel Fire Walk With Me in 1992, which was met with diresion from critics and fans alike.
In celebration of Twin Peaks getting a mini-series revival for Showtime, Thomas Mariani and guest Christopher G. Moore are taking a look back at the influential series. Christopher describes his early love of the show during its heyday while Thomas came to the series much later. The two share mutual adoration for the balance of season one. And a mutual frustration over the wacky meandering of season two. Yet, there are plenty of clashing opinions, mainly over the resolve of Laura Palmer's murder and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Journey with them into The Black Lodge to discuss the gum that will come back in style over some damn fine coffee, won't you?
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.
Ed Wood
"Unfortunately, in the state of society, as it exists today, we are not permitted to experiment on human beings. Normal human beings." - Christopher Lee's line in The Creeping Flesh (1973) sets up the odd tone of the film. Let the fun begin! The Black Saint and Doc Rotten tackle another groovy horror film from the 1970s. Joining the grue-crew is Gruesome Magazine contributor and the host of Decades of Horror The Classic Era Jeff Mohr. Rounding out the co-hosts this episode is Chad Hunt, Jeff's frequent co-conspirator on the Classic Era, joining the usual crew to discuss another awesome collaboration between horror icons Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 51 – The Creeping Flesh (1973)
Anytime we get to cover a Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee film, Doc is happy as a clam. The Creeping Flesh, despite its many flaws, lands in the win column for the good doctor. Jeff is equally delighted with the film, as is Chad regardless of his reservations. The Black Saint, however, is not thrilled with The Creeping Flesh one bit. He often challenges the group to back up their love for this oddball film. It isn't easy. The film has wonky pacing, illogical character decisions, bizarre side storylines that distract from the main tale, and not nearly enough of the title character. The Grew-Crew fear that many horror fans will side with The Black Saint on this one unless they are a Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee completist.
From time to time The Creeping Flesh scores with great acting from the two horror icons and typical high standards with costuming and set design. The creature's skeleton is quite marvelous as well, large and fascinating. The creeping flesh element of the film - however brief - is a highlight. And while actress Lorna Heilbron scores with Jeff Mohr her character's motivations for the final act come under question from the Grue-Crew. And, as often stated, whenever Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee share the screen, the film becomes immediately more entertaining. And, for those who love their Hammer Films, The Creeping Flesh comes complete with a brief, but welcomed, appearance from the one-and-only Michael Ripper. There's always that!
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.
Welcome to American Gods Fan Podcast, episode 3 "Head Full of Snow". This is the unofficial podcast about the hit Starz television program American Gods by fans for fans as brought to you by HorrorNewsTV.com, DocRotten.com, and GruesomeMagazine.com. The Grue-Crew behind the Hannibal Fan Podcast reunites to dive into the latest blood-soaked effort of Bryan Fuller as he brings to life the acclaimed novel from Neil Gaiman! Let's set on a cross-country trip across America with Shadow Moon and Mr. Wednesday.
Episode Three begins with the introduction of Mr. Jacquel / Anubis (Chris Obi), guiding the recently departed to the afterlife to be judged by the weight of their heart. Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) wakes up in the middle of the night to find Zorya Polunochnaya (Erika Kaar) watching the stars. Shadow Moon challenges Czernobog (Peter Stormare) to another Checkers match and a new wager. Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) visits Zorya Vechernyaya (Cloris Leachman) for a discussion about the coming ... war. Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber) runs into a string of crazy bad luck. A down on his luck salesman (Salim - Omid Abtahi) encounters a Jinn (Mousa Kraish) driving a taxi. Shadow and Mr. Wednesday visit the bank they're going to rob... has Shadow thinking of snow. Mad Sweeney corners Shadow and Mr. Wednesday at a diner looking for his lucky coin. The show ends with the words "Hello, puppy."
American Gods Fan Podcast: Season One
Episode 3 – Head Full of Snow
Aired May 14, 2017, on Starz
For many in the Grue-Crew, this episode is a bit all over the place, bouncing between Shadow & Mr. Wednesday, Anubis, Salim & Jinn, and Mad Sweeney. However, that does not mean the show is off the rails just yet. The crew agree the show continues to be exquisite in its cinematography and direction and, when it is on point, the show is riveting. Dave thinks a few scenes went on for too long. Doc loved the show but wants to know what is up with Mr. Nancy and some of the other characters introduced thus far. Christopher shares some of the episode's best-filmed sequences while Thomas elaborates on the show's themes and character moments. "Head Full of Snow" leaves the hosts with plenty to discuss, ponder, and reflect. Check out what they have to say and leave your feedback.
Each week, the Grue-Crew will present some of their favorite scenes in two spotlight segments. The first segment is The OMG Moment of the Week where they choose the bloodiest, goriest, most bizarre, most outrageous moment of the week's episode. The second episode of American Gods offers more fantasy oriented choices, far less bloody than last week. Which shocking twist will the hosts decide upon? The second segment is The Folklore Feature of the Week where they look back at the Americana moment of the week or the historical moment dealing with the American Gods themselves. As their story unfolds and their journey across America continues what riches will they present to the audience. Discover which rich storyline peaked the hosts' interest this week.
We also want to hear from you! American Gods Fan Podcast is designed with the fan in mind and listener feedback is encouraged. That’s right, we want to hear from you! To help you out, we have a Speakpipe account set up for you to leave your Voice Messages. Click on this link and leave Dave, Christopher, Doc and Thomas your thoughts. The service is free and no number is required, all you need is a PC and mic.
We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “American Godcast’” which we use for the intro and outro of this show.
A bunch of a-holes gathers to discuss Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The Grue-Crew are joined by American Gods Fan Podcast host Christopher G. Moore and Decades of Horror The Classic Era host Chad Hunt to share their love for the continuing adventures of Starlord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, and Baby Groot. "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" Yondu steals the movie. There is no doubt Marvel has another huge hit on their hands. Dave grabs the Horror News of the Week reigns with a trio of movie trailers including It, The Dark Tower, and Blade Runner 2049. Closing out the show Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's 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 214 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Subscribe – iTunes – Facebook – Stitcher
“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:
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!
"Obey me! Or I will return you to the diseased state I found you in... and then I will slay BOTH of you!" Radu Molasar (Michael Carter) warns Dr. Theodore Cuza (Ian McKellan) not to question his judgement. Or else! Why he's suggesting he's going to return him to his earlier state and then kill him instead of just doing the latter is up for debate. One of many things that will make you scratch your head in The Keep. With a troubled production and relative obscurity, The Keep isn't that fondly looked upon. In fact, there's only one true fan of The Keep... and he's on this podcast.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 106 – Poltergeist (1982)
The Keep came out in 1983 to little fanfare. It had a troubled production. This included excessive reshoots, the lead special effects designer dying and director/writer Michael Mann's vision being compromised from a three and a half hour cut to just ninety six minutes. The results are a rather convoluted mess of storylines. At the centered are a group of Nazis (lead by Jürgen Prochnow) overtaking a citadel in Romania known as The Keep. These Nazis take a Jewish historian (McKellan) out of a concentration camp to decipher ancient writings, who discovers a golem-like creature the citadel is keeping at bay. Meanwhile, some dude named Glaeken (Scott Glenn) has laser eyes and wants to destroy the golem... because. That's about as much plot as can be described for The Keep. The choppy editing and awful VHS quality transfer for the only copy available on streaming platforms (and not on DVD or Blu-Ray) can hardly be determined.
So in order to make any sense out of The Keep, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani seek the guidance of Santos Ellin Jr. He's been a fan of Michael Mann's film since he first saw it in a not-so-crowded theater. He describes the mastery of Mann's direction, the unique production design and just how awesome that Tangerine Dream score was. At least, in the original form, since it's not available on the crappy transfer due to music rights. Everyone else isn't quite as impressed. Thomas appreciates the vision, but thinks the only version that's available doesn't do it justice. Christopher thinks it should be imprisoned for all time in a citadel all its own. Doc is just flat out confused. It's an elaborate discussion that makes us wonder about what could have been. Is The Keep a keeper or should it be locked away? Listen to find out for sure!
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.
Welcome to American Gods Fan Podcast, episode 2 "The Secret of Spoons". This is the unofficial podcast about the hit Starz television program American Gods by fans for fans as brought to you by HorrorNewsTV.com, DocRotten.com, and GruesomeMagazine.com. The Grue-Crew behind the Hannibal Fan Podcast reunites to dive into the latest blood-soaked effort of Bryan Fuller as he brings to life the acclaimed novel from Neil Gaiman! Let's set on a cross-country trip across America with Shadow Moon and Mr. Wednesday.
Episode Two begins with the introduction of Mr. Nancy (Orlando Jones) on a slave ship sailing from Africa to America in the 1600s. "Angry is good. Angry gets shit done!" He implores to the slaves as he sets them free to burn the ship at sea. The show then follows up with Shadow Moon contemplating how he survived Technical Boy's lynching, returning to the hotel room to confront Mr. Wednesday about what exactly is going on. Instead of a straightforward answer, Mr. Wednesday leads Shadow to Chicago. Along the way, Shadow encounters Media (Gillian Anderson) on a store's TV screen posing as Lucy from I Love Lucy. But the show gets interesting once they arrive at the Zoryas' household in the windy city - Vechernyaya (Cloris Leachman) and Utrennyaya (Martha Kelly). It is not long before Czernobog (Peter Stormare) returns home raising the stakes.
American Gods Fan Podcast: Season One
Episode 2 – The Secret of Spoons
Aired May 7, 2017, on Starz
Dave quickly describes this week as "the best second episode you could possibly hope for." The rest of the Grue-Crew wholeheartedly agree. "The Secret of Spoons" offered riveting dialog, spectacular cinematography, and a delicious series of new characters to cheer for and ponder about. Add to that, where else are you going to hear Gillian Anderson inquire "Hey, you ever want to see Lucy's tits?" Truly brilliant! But it must be said that Peter Stormare stole the episode in a role he was born to play, Czernobog. Seriously, has a game of checkers ever been this tense? It is another great week for American Gods that immediately grabs you by the boo-boo with the spectacular performance from Orlando Jones glorious chewing the scenery with the Mr. Nancy dialog. Still it isn't all love fest for the Grue-Crew, there's still plenty to discuss and debate and enjoy with their dicussion about the second episode.
Each week, the Grue-Crew will present some of their favorite scenes in two spotlight segments. The first segment is The OMG Moment of the Week where they choose the bloodiest, goriest, most bizarre, most outrageous moment of the week's episode. The second episode of American Gods offers more fantasy oriented choices, far less bloody than last week. Which shocking twist will the hosts decide upon? The second segment is The Folklore Feature of the Week where they look back at the Americana moment of the week or the historical moment dealing with the American Gods themselves. As their story unfolds and their journey across America continues what riches will they present to the audience. Discover which rich storyline peaked the hosts' interest this week.
The Grue-Crew clash over the Nacho Vigalondo film Colossal, a killer Kaiju film with a kick-ass twist. It is also one of the most original films you will see this year. Thomas surprises everyone else on the podcast with a positive review of the Blumhouse film that snuck into theaters this weekend, Sleight from writer/director J.D. Dillard. Dave grabs the Horror News of the Week reigns with the sad news of the passing of legendary director Jonathan Demme, the man who gave horror fans Silence of the Lambs. He also shares news of M. Night Shyamalan's next film, the sequel to Unbreakable and Split titled Glass, coming our way January 2019 and the announcement that David Fincher is all but signed on the dotted line to direct Brad Pitt in World War Z 2. Who knew that would be a thing? Thomas and Santos participate in a battle of wits with this week's 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 213 – Colossal (2017)
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"In an insane world, a sane man must appear insane." Gorlic (Paul McGann) babbles true words to Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Clemens (Charles Dance) just before"The Dragon" attacks. Alien 3 was to many a rather insane proposition. After the incredibly beloved Aliens, Alien 3 decides to throw out many of the beloved characters introduced there and leave its audience wallowing in a nihilistic pit. Where the main journey of Ripley is centered around a desire to die. Perhaps that's why it wasn't too popular 25 years ago. However, does that impeded it from finding a modern audience now?
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 14 – Alien 3
Alien 3 - or as it's often stylized Alien3 - is often considered the black sheep of the Xenomorph ladened franchise. Not as beloved as Alien or Aliens, yet not quite as controversial as Alien vs Predator or Prometheus. While often dismissed by many - including its own director David Fincher - Alien 3 offers a unique perspective that sets itself apart from others in the franchise. Abandoning crowd pleasing nature of Aliens and doubling down on the thriller angles of Alien, Alien 3 seeks no light at the end of the tunnel. The prison planet of Fiorina 161 is a desolate pit covered in lice and bald angry prisoners. The only hope for Ripley, Dillon or any of the few remaining people on the planet is merely killing the Xenomorph as it's killing them. It's bleak, unrelenting and oppressive... meaning it really wouldn't be for everyone.
To examine this, Thomas Mariani not only welcomes back Adam Thomas from last week, but also recruits his Horror News Radio co-host Santos "The Black Saint" Ellin Jr. The Black Saint has been a heavy defender of Alien 3 since it was originally released, hailing it as his favorite film of the franchise. He praises the nihilism, the bleak outlook of the characters and Fincher's grimy atmosphere. Adam praises much of the same, though still considers Alien his favorite. Thomas has a few more issues, but respects the consistent dark tone and risky choices. Together, these three discuss the differences between the Alien 3 theatrical and Assembly Cut, the troubled production David Fincher went through and the controversy over killing off Newt, Hicks and Bishop. It's a spirited discussion that shows Alien 3 has far more depth than people give it credit for.
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.
Twin Peaks: The Series and Fire Walk With Me
"Good morning. You are one day closer to the end of the world. You have been warned." - the tag line for The Omen (1976) goes a long way in frightening audiences, then and now. Following cinema's fascination with possession and satanism since Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist changed the face of horror, Director Richard Donner brings the threat of Revelations to the forefront without resorting to full-on supernatural, grounding the terror in reality as much as possible. This results in one of the biggest hits of the year. Let the fun begin! The Black Saint and Doc Rotten tackle another groovy horror film from the 1970s. Joining the grue-crew is Gruesome Magazine contributor Jeff Mohr.
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 50 – The Omen (1976)
The Black Saint, Doc, and Jeff reflect on The Omen, remarking on how well the Richard Donner approached and manipulated the script. They examine a number of keys scenes pointing out how well they work in the genre, from the decapitation of David Warner's character to Lee Remick's character tumbling from the banister to the iconic scene where Patrick Troughton's priest is skewered by a severed lightning rod. Above all that is the incredible music provided by Jerry Goldsmith for which he won an Academy Award that year. The presence of esteemed actor Gregory Peck goes a long way in grounding the film and its terrifying themes. And actress Billie Whitelaw is absolutely frightening in the role of Mrs. Baylock.
For the fiftieth episode of Decades of Horror 1970s, we decided to tackle one of the big releases of the decade, also one featuring subject matter that is particularly unsettling for host The Black Saint. He has vowed to never watch The Exorcist again. Yes, for this show, he sets aside his reservations to view the film once again, share his thoughts and appreciation for the film, and comment on seeing the film back when it was first released. Jeff too saw the film in the theaters at that time and both he and the Black Saint remember the marketing that supported the film and the generally terrified reaction the audience gave during those screenings. C'mon Donner was dead set on scaring his audience, the editing and varied angels of Jenning's death scene alone illustrate how The Omen scared audiences then...and should still now.
Welcome to American Gods Fan Podcast, episode 1 "The Bone Orchard". This is the unofficial podcast about the hit Starz television program American Gods by fans for fans as brought to you by HorrorNewsTV.com, DocRotten.com, and GruesomeMagazine.com. The Grue-Crew behind the Hannibal Fan Podcast reunites to dive into the latest blood-soaked effort of Bryan Fuller as he brings to life the acclaimed novel from Neil Gaiman! Let's set on a cross-country trip across America with Shadow Moon.
Episode One introduces Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) as he is released from prison early to attend the funeral of this recently deceased wife and best friend. His journey takes a strange turn once he encounters Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). As Shadow Moon's world is turned upside down and he reluctantly accepts Mr. Wednesday's job offer, he encounters a number of unusual characters including Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber) and Technical Boy (Bruce Langley). Meanwhile, Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) enters the fray as she consumes one of her worshipers.
American Gods Fan Podcast: Season One
Episode 1 – The Bone Orchard
Aired April 30, 2017, on Starz
Much like he did for Hannibal, Bryan Fuller wraps American Gods with visual flair and spectacular character revelations. David Spade directs the show as if it were a summer blockbuster with imagination and brilliant cinematography. Join Doc Rotten, Dave Dreher, Christopher G. Moore, and Thomas Mariani as they recap and review the first episode, "The Bone Orchard." They explore each character introduction and each major event in the first episode from the Vikings landing on American shores to the bloody finale as Technical Boy's gang is brutally dispatched by a mysterious ally. And, what exactly is up with Bilquis?
Each week, the Grue-Crew will present some of their favorite scenes in two spotlight segments. The first segment is The OMG Moment of the Week where they choose the bloodiest, goriest, most bizarre, most outrageous moment of the week's episode. The first episode of American Gods offers a variety of these moments to choose from. Which will the decide upon? The second segment is The Folklore Feature of the Week where they look back at the Americana moment of the week or the historical moment dealing with the American Gods themselves. As their story unfolds and their journey across America continues what riches will they present to the audience. Find out the first one this week.
We also want to hear from you! American Gods Fan Podcast is designed with the fan in mind and listener feedback is encouraged. That’s right, we want to hear from you! To help you out, we have a Speakpipe account set up for you to leave your Voice Messages. Click on this link and leave Dave, Christopher, Doc and Thomas your thoughts. The service is free and no number is required, all you need is a PC and mic.
We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “American Godcast’” which we use for the intro and outro of this show.
The Grue-Crew gather to see if the Phoenix can rise from the ashes and not be Forgotten on the 212th episode of Horror News Radio. Co-hosts Doc Rotten, The Black Saint, Dave Dreher, and Thomas Mariani ponder why Phoenix Forgotten even got a theatrical release and take a look at the Shudder Exclusive We Are The Flesh. Dave steers the Horror News of the Week segment with mentions of a King Kong Skull Island TV series and the announced release date - finally - for the Friday the 13th game. Thomas challenges The Black Saint to another round of Stump the Saint that should not be missed.
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 212 – Phoenix Forgotten (2017)
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“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:
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!
"They're Here." Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O'Rourke) becomes an iconic character in the history of horror. Poltergeist sent shockwaves through audiences when it premiered 35 years ago. Taking the traditional suburban landscape and sending ghosts through it. Giving a whole generation fears of trees, TV sets and clowns. The nightmare fuel is palpable to this day, as Poltergeist still has the type of imagery that resonates. Now, Poltergeist is getting the Decades of Horror treatment, as the show celebrates its one-year anniversary with another Tobe Hooper film. Well... whether or not it's that is up for debate.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 106 – Poltergeist (1982)
Poltergeist has a pretty solid pedigree. Written and produced by Steven Spielberg, the 1982 ghost story was made concurrently with Spielberg's directorial effort E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. To the point where Drew Barrymore got her role in the latter by auditioning for the former. Then again, who could possibly see Poltergeist without Heather O'Rourke as the adorable Carol Anne? Or Craig T. Nelson and Jobeth Williams as the endearing heads of The Freeling family? The entire cast makes for an incredibly convincing family unit, one whose struggles with the paranormal are made all the more terrifying by finding them investing. Even the paranormal investigative crew manages to have emotional resonance. Beatrice Straight grounds the investigation with a quiet sense of wonder and Zelda Rubinstein gives an authentic sense of authority that proves "size matters not."
This Poltergeist episode also means the first year anniversary for Decades of Horror 1980s! A year ago, Doc Rotten, Christopher G. Moore and Thomas Mariani covered Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre II. Now, they're debating if Mr. Hooper even had anything to do with this one! There's definitely plenty of Spielbergian touches, but Hooper occasionally peeks his head in for the more technical aspects of the haunts. Yet, Hooper doesn't seem as capable of capturing the afterlife's sense of wonder as Spielberg. Or the tight nit grounded family dynamic. Or the suburban solidarity that gets torn apart by the titular spectres. Whoever did end up directing, the results can't be denied. Poltergeist is still one of the most popular films of the decade and no amount of sequels, TV shows or remakes can recapture the unique blend of the original.
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.
Welcome to American Gods Fan Podcast. This it the unofficial podcast about the hit Starz television program American Gods by fans for fans as brought to you by HorrorNewsTV.com, DocRotten.com, and GruesomeMagazine.com. The Grue-Crew behind the Hannibal Fan Podcast reunites to dive into the latest blood-soaked effort of Bryan Fuller as he brings to life the acclaimed novel from Neil Gaiman! Let's set on a cross-country trip across America with Shadow Moon.
Returning to co-host the American Gods fan podcast is Doc Rotten, Thomas Mariani, Dave Dreher and Christopher G. Moore. For the following 8 weeks, they will recap and review each episode. Tonight, they are looking forward to the upcoming season with a special episode ZERO show to examine the cast and characters. Thomas, Christopher, and Dave share their thoughts about the book and what they think the show will have to offer.
American Gods Fan Podcast: Season One
Episode 0 – OMG!
Join us on episode 00 for an introduction to the hosts of the podcast, the source material, and the cast & crew of the first season of American Gods premiering on Starz in the US on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Bryan Fuller is the main creative force behind developing the show based on the acclaimed book by Neil Gaiman. He is joined by but not limited to Dauri Chase, David Coatsworth, Adam Kane, and Michael Green. David Slade, Adam Kane, Vincenzo Natali, Guillermo Navarro, and Craig Zobel take rotating director's duties with scripts by Fuller, Gaiman, Green, and Robert Richardson. The music is by Brian Reitzell with cinematography by Darran Tiernan, Jo Willems, and Aaron Morton. Most of these individuals are familiar names to the Fuller family, coming to this show from NBC's Hannibal.
The cast for American Gods is nothing short of spectacular with Ricky Whittle poised to take American by storm as the lead character Shadow Moon. Fan favorite Ian McShane stars alongside Whittle as Mr. Wednesday with Orlando Jones rounding out the crew as Mr. Nancy. Yetide Badaki and Pablo Schreiber appear early in the series as Bilquis and Mad Sweeney. Everyone is excited to see Peter Stormare as Czernobog. Rounding out the cast are Emily Browning, Cloris Leachman, Gillian Anderson, Kristin Chenoweth, and Crispin Glover. Check out what the Grue-Crew think of these maestros of madcap mayhem on this episode and then join us each week as we review each episode.
We also want to hear from you! American Gods Fan Podcast is designed with the fan in mind and listener feedback is encouraged. That’s right, we want to hear from you! To help you out, we have a Speakpipe account set up for you to leave your Voice Messages. Click on this link and leave Dave, Christopher, Doc and Thomas your thoughts. The service is free and no number is required, all you need is a PC and mic.
We also want to be sure to thank Neon Devils for their killer track “American Godcast’” which we use for the intro and outro of this show.
The Grue-Crew rev up their engines for a brief detour this week as they cover the star-studded over-the-top action film THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS. The cast includes regulars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Nathalie Emmanuel as Dominic Torreto's lovable rat-pack of street racers turned International spies. It's Bond on wheels and all about ... family. Jason Statham returns in a major way to punch things up while Kurt Russell makes a welcomed appearance and Helen Mirren cameos. Mad Max: Fury Road's Charlize Theron is on board as Blofeld...er...Cypher, the film's villain. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Thomas grabs the wheel in attempts to course correct HNR back into the world of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy with a look at Netflix's Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return. The Black Saint and Dave ring in with their thoughts on Joel Hodgson's reigniting the franchise as it looks satirically back a number for forgotten gems...well, maybe not "gems" but...nevermind, they're bad...oh, so, bad. You know you're in for a special time when it is "Avalanche" for the win.
Dave pilots this week's edition of Horror News of the Week with the long-anticipated trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the rumor that Universal is eyeing Bill Condon to direct The Bride of Frankenstein, and the casting of Sam Elliot in The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. HNR and Gruesome Magazine are heading to a number of horror conventions and film festival in the coming months Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival in May to Dragon Con in September.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 211 – The Fate of the Furious (2017)
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Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's not a horror film but the Grue-Crew, on occasion, dive into the action pool to see what else lies in the cinematic wasteland of Hollywood offerings. The Fate of the Furious is just crazy enough to lure HNR's attention in that direction. Combined with some genre favorites (c'mon Kurt Russell!) and the promise of incredible stunts, it's too delicious to resist. Well, for everyone save Dave, who still refuses to join Dom's family. High octane hilarity awaits!
Netflix continues to win genre fans' hearts with the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Thomas leads the review of the first four episodes of every madcap, laff-track minute, featuring riffs on everything from Reptilicus to Avalanche. Even Peter Cushing isn't spared as they skewer his film At the Earth's Core. Check out how Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return fares and stands up next to the original.
Pheonix Forgotten (2017)
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tagline "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror filmmakers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
"What's the matter? Afraid of the rough stuff? Welcome to showbusiness, morons!" The snarky spirit of Alex Winter's Freaked continues to entertain nearly a quarter of a century after its release. Jabs at everything from the entertainment industry to corporate overreach to... milkmen? Well, they had it coming especially. It's a zany manic ride that may just be thee most 90s thing the show has yet to cover. The question is, does this Liquid Television-era MTV inspired film still get many laughs all these years later? Also, is it a horror movie? Was this the role Randy Quaid was born to play? Or, perhaps most importantly... is someone could to wipe Worm's ass?
Decades of Horror 1990s
Episode 13 - Freaked
Freaked is probably the least horror related production to be covered on this show, but it was especially chosen by our listeners in a poll. Freaked beat out heavy hitters like Interview with a Vampire and Tales from the Hood to get here. How in the hell did that happen? After all, when it was first released in 1993, no one really payed attention to it. The satiric comedy follows sleazy actor Ricky Coogan (Alex Winter) and his buddies being mutated into hideous freaks by a crazed carnival broker/freak show proprietor (Quaid) and a key part in the resistance of freaks he's imprisoned. Freaked eventually found a following on home video, but then again one can't be certain that it would have been all that successful even if it had a wide release. With its edgy 90s satire and extensive disturbing creature design, Freaked couldn't really be made at any other time, before or since.
To join Thomas Mariani is Gruesome Magazine's own Adam Thomas. Adam considers himself a child of the 90s and Freaked to be right up his alley. The two talk about the insanely eclectic cast, which includes Keanu Reeves as a dog man, William Sadler as the head of the Everything Except Shoes corporation and Academy Award Nominee John Hawkes as a half man/half cow creature. There's also much talk about the amazing practical effects work throughout, designed by Screaming Mad George, Steve Johnson and The Chiodo Brothers amongst others. It's probably the most horror driven aspect of Freaked, but that doesn't stop Thomas and Adam from talking about it. Or, occasionally talking in between fits of laughter.
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.
Alien3
The Grue-Crew settle down to tackle the latest film from director Sean Byrne titled The Devil's Candy. The film universally surprised the crew with its heavy metal sensibilities and strong family core brilliantly blended with a horrific tale of madness, murder, and possession. Featuring Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Kiara Glasco, and Pruitt Taylor Vince, The Devil's Candy hits hard and fast with a quick paced 79 minutes. Highly recommended, a review to grab your attention.
For this episode's What Have You Been Watching Segment, the Grue head over to Netflix to take in a sci-fi thriller from director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader. The film is The Discovery. The premise is strong where a group of scientist proves the existence of the afterlife but the film drives off course for its over-explained finale. Regardless, the ideas are fascinating and the cast is rich featuring Robert Redford, Jason Segel, Rooney Mara, and Jesse Plemons.
Dave pilots this week's edition of Horror News of the Week with the trailer for Thor Ragnarok, the announcement of a Haunting TV series from Mike Flanagan, and unearthed alternate endings for The Blair Witch Project. HNR and Gruesome Magazine are heading to a number of horror conventions and film festival in the coming months Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival in May to Dragon Con in September.
Co-hosts Santos (The Black Saint) Ellin Jr., Dave Dreher and Thomas Mariani are back again this week to give you the best in horror as they recap, review and obliterate all that is horror this week! Oh, and don’t forget – Stump the Saint! (Brought to you by Gruesome Magazine)
Horror News Radio
Episode 210 – The Devil's Candy (2017)
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The first three months of 2017 are already promising enough with films like Split, Get Out, and The Void claiming spots in the Grue-crew's top 10 for the year. The film this week, The Devil's Candy, is a last minute substitute feature review when the original choice was discovered to be unavailable. Wow! What a fortuitous alternative. The Devil's Candy is yet another strong contender for the best of the year with great performances from its cast, a killer soundtrack, and shocking tale of horror. Check this one out!
With a cast like this, expectations are high for The Discovery. Certainly, Robert Redford, Mary Steenburgen, and Rooney Mara are fantastic, Jason Segel and Jesse Plemons are no slouches either. But the film, directed by Charlie McDowell, despite its incredibly fascinating setup, drops the ball, in the end, leaving the Crew a little underwhelmed. Yet, the journey was not entirely fruitless. The divisive film gets put through the wringer this week.
Fate of the Furious (2017)
Gruesome Magazine Spring 2017 is coming! That's right, the very first issue of an all-new horror magazine from the Grue-Crew behind Horror News Radio and Gruesome Magazine website will land late February 2017. The tag line "Horror Festival Hits - Independent Films - The Future of Horror" reflects the focus of the magazine on the up'n'coming horror film makers and their films in Horror Film Festivals across the globe. Check out the GM page for more details.
“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:
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!