Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio

The Grue-Crew tackle the early Italian horror film THE VAMPIRE AND THE BALLERINA (1960, L'amante del vampiro) from director Renato Polselli. This is a first watch for each of the crew: Bill, Daphne, Doc, and Jeff. Walter Brandi makes for an interesting vampire appearing mostly in a oddly effective monster mask while Maria Luisa Rolando fills the role of Countess Aldo - also a vampire. Much of the...

Jeff, Bill, and Crystal are joined by Gregory Crosby to review the experimental, B&W, bizarre TETSUO-THE IRON MAN (1989). Enjoy as the Grue-Crew explore this difficult to explain classic. TETSUO: THE IRON MAN (1989) Episode 312 – Decades of Horror 1980s Quote: "Just show me. Nothing much scares me… Nothing shocks me…I told you I could take it. " – girlfriend Synopsis: A businessman accidentally hi...

The Grue-Crew tackle a bizarre, vaguely supernatural comic book adaptation BABA YAGA (1973) based on the works of Guido Crepax featuring his character Valentina (portrayed by Isabelle De Funès). In the story, Baba Yaga (Carroll Baker) is a mysterious witch occupying a creepy presumably abandoned mansion who sets her eyes on Valentina for a secretive agenda she may, or may not, share with the audie...

The Grue-Crew settle in to review EVIL SPAWN (1987) with special guest host Ralph Miller, who has a very special relationship with the movie. Written and directed by Kenneth J. Hall, the film features Bobbie Bresee as Lynn Roman facing an monstrous change and an aggressive appetite. Check the review to find out more. EVIL SPAWN (1987) Episode 311 - Decades of Horror 1980s Quote: "This sounds like...

With a film chosen by Jeff, the Grue-Crew tackle a bizarrely interesting vampire/possession/nun-sploitation film ALUCARDA (1977) from director Juan López Moctezuma. Tina Romero stars as the title character and makes a strong impression, the film firmly rests upon her shoulders. Bravo. Susana Kimini is Justine, Claudio Brook is both Dr. Oszek and the Hunchback Gypsy. Tina French is Sister Angélica....

"Do you understand what this means? These things want flesh, any kind of flesh. And once they sense it, they'll eat their way through anything that comes between them and their meat." Okay, okay. Ich verstehe! Join this episode's Grue-Crew – Bill Mulligan, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they take in  The Flesh Eaters   (1964), the low-budget cult classic from a...

Doc returns to join the Decades of Horror Grue-Crew to review BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) directed by John Carpenter. Is there a better hero than Jack Burton? Yeah, probably, but in this action comedy with hints of horror and supernatural, he is the best - cocky, over confident, and often ridiculous. It's all in the reflexes! Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, and Denis Dun lead a terrific cast wi...

The Grue-Crew delve into an early Lucio Fulci pre-Giallo mini-masterpiece with Don't Torture a Duckling (1972). In the film, you can see the beginning of Fulci's signature direction he would become known for with Zombi (1979) and his eighties gore-fest films. For this movie, the story is a murder mystery that contains hints of witchcraft and characters meeting a gruesome, bloody demise. It's pure...

Boris Karloff! Peter Lorre! The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942) is one of Karloff's Columbia pictures horror pictures from the 1940s. Each of these films, with the exception of The Black Room, has Boris in the role of a mad scientist; however, with Boogie Man, the film allows Karloff of Peter Lorre the opportunity to parody the genre and have a great time doing so. These two are so much fun to watc...

Jeff Mohr returns as the Grue-Crew for THE PROWLER (1981), a film the helped defined the slasher era of the 1980s alongside Friday the 13th, The Burning, My Bloody Valentine and more. In this entry, a killer returns after a 35-year absence to take out some college kids at a graduation party. Sound familiar? The big draw is Tom Savini's special makeup & FX work, but the film pulls in some old-timer...

Jeff returns to join the Grue-Crew with a review of the Seventies cult film, THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA (1976). This movie is weird, disturbing in its own way, and intensely sad. What do the Crew make of this indie film that is about as 70s as it gets? You'll have to listen to find out. Enjoy! The Witch Who Came in from the Sea (1982) Episode 265 - Decades of Horror 1970s Quote: "Why don't yo...

Jeff returns to Decades of Horror The Classic Era picking the Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur classic THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) for review. The Grue-Crew have a blast exploring this often overlooked RKO Radio pictures gem with its sharp dialog, exquisite black and white cinematography, and inventive direction. The cast is fantastic as well: Dennis O'Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks, James Bell, and more — o...

The Grue-Crew unleash the New World Picture's Alien rip-off, FORBIDDEN WORLD (1982) from Roger Corman. Directed by Allan Holzman, this trashy cult classic features effects from John Carl Buechler, Mark Shostrom, and more handling the Mutant gooey and gory designs and make-up. The cast includes Dan Oliver, Jesse Vint, June Chadwick, Linden Chiles, Scott Paulin, Dawn Dunlap, Fox Harris, Michael Bowe...

The Grue-Crew head to New Jersey to visit THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979), directed by Stuart Rosenberg. The cast includes James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger, Don Stroud, Murray Hamilton, and Natasha Ryan. Based on a "true story" and the best-selling novel by Jay Anson, the movie cements the Amityville house with its eerily lit pair of attic windows into horror film history. When people think o...

The Grue-Crew return to the 1950s to battle the fear of the atom bomb with the better than you'd expect, often overlooked THE MAGNETIC MONSTER (1953), directed by Curt Siodmak and Herbert L. Strock (uncredited). The cast includes Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe, Leo Britt, Leonard Mudie, and Byron Foulger. And Strother Martin appears briefly in one scene as an airliner co-...

The Grue-Crew head back to the Eighties, back to school, and back to senior prom for the cult favorite HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II (1987). Directed by Bruce Pittman and written by Ron Oliver, the film features Michael Ironside, Wendy Lyon, Louis Ferreira, and Lisa Schrage as Mary Lou Maloney. It feels a bit like a supernatural infused "Carrie" clone but it contains fun kills, gore when it needs...

The 70s Grue-Crew are finally reviewing KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK (1978) to Chad's delight... well, maybe all of ours, Bill, Dave, and Doc. Turns out we are all KISS fans -- Chad even sports his KISS ARMY cap -- and we all watched this when it originally aired on NBC TV in the States on Saturday, October 28, 1978. This episode is a fun discussion on the film, the cast, and each member of...

The Classic Era Grue-Crew tackle another of the Corman-Poe-Price series of horror movies, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961). Roger Corman hones his talent with this one with a solid, expertly crafted direction. Richard Matheson provide a richly entwined adaptation of Poe. And Vince Price is... well, Vincent Price at his best. His portrayal of Nicolas Medina's decent into madness is an example of wha...

Chad picks the direct-to-video Eighties "treasure," THE DEAD NEXT DOOR (1989). The then teenage director, J.R. Bookwalter, truly accomplishes something remarkable given his age and his choice of film stock: Super-8 film. Is the film any good? Well, that's the debate. The practical special effects are quite enjoyable and bloody, quite possibly making the film and the viewing experience what it is....

The Grue-Crew travel to outer space on Al Adamson's XB-13 spacecraft in his Seventies shlock fest, HORROR OF THE BLOOD MONSTERS (1970). John Carradine is along for the ride sitting comfortably in lawn furniture space chairs. The alien skies are red, green, blue, and yellow in Spectrum-X color effects. Uh-huh. The groovy opening vampire scenes are quickly replaced with a lack-luster crew of space j...

The Grue-Crew continue their Roger Corman - Vincent Price - Edgar Allan Poe adventure with THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964). All cats beware! The conversations explore the cast of characters, the director (Roger Corman), the screenwriter (Robert Towne), the cinematographer (Arthur Grant), Vincent Price, Elizabeth Shepherd, and… what's up with Lady Ligeia and Lady Rowena. Enjoy! THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964)...

The Grue-Crew revisit the Arnold Schwarzenegger action, sci-fi, horror fan favorite, PREDATOR (1987). The direction from John McTieran, the creature design from Stan Winston, the score from Alan Silvesti, the cinematography from Donald McAlpine, and the cast all add up to a marvelous, thrilling cinematic experience that holds up today. And that case, c'mon, in addition to Arnold, the boasts Carl W...

For episode 261 of Decades of Horror 1970s, Chad picks the troubled Seventies disaster sci-fi flick, DAMNATION ALLEY (1977), featuring Jan-Michael Vincent and George Peppard. The Grue-Crew somehow find the fun and adventure in this awkward train-wreck dud. The film was doomed from the start: bad special effects, botched adaptation of a popular novel, and a race to the finished line against the fil...

For this episode, Doc decided it was time to dive into Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe films with the lush, chilling classic, THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964). The film's cast includes Vincent Price, Hazel Court, and Jane Asher. The cinematography from Nicolas Roeg is exquisite. Revisiting this film illustrates Roger Corman's talent at its best. A must-see for horror fans, Roger Corman fans, Vinc...

The Grue-Crew line up for Bill's pick, EXCALIBUR (1981), a fantasy horror-adjacent epic featuring an amazing cast and stunning visuals. This take on the Arthurian legend is a must watch and deserves attention and discussion. EXCALIBUR (1981) Decades of Horror 1980s - Episode 304 Quote: "A dream to some, a nightmare to others!" - Merlin Synopsis: "Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite th...