The Phantom of the Opera (1925) – Episode 42 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

October 5, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, The 70's Tagged Carl Laemmle, Gaston Leroux, Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry, Rupert Julian, The Phantom of the Opera, Universal Pictures

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“Feast your eyes–glut your soul on my accursed ugliness!” Remember the old if-a-tree-falls-in-the-woods question? If Lon Chaney has a line in a silent-film and no one hears it, is it still a quote? This episode’s Grue Crew says, “Yes! If it appears in quotes on an intertitle card!” Join this episode’s Grue Crew – Whitney Collazo, Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr – as they make their third trip to the land of silent screams and visit the Paris opera house as depicted in Universal’s The Phantom of the Opera (1925).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 42 – The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

After the success of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), Universal Pictures’ Carl Laemmle needed another vehicle for the considerable talents of Lon Chaney and seized on the timeless story told in Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra. Directed, at least in part, by Rupert Julian, The Phantom of the Opera tells the tale of a man, disfigured in both appearance and character. He is infatuated with a beautiful woman and plots to gain her trust by mentoring her singing career and follows that with subterfuge, manipulation, and coercion in an insane attempt to win her hand.

The cast of The Phantom of the Opera features Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, and Norman Kerry. Of course, Chaney is the star of the film. Not only does he knock it out of the park with another groundbreaking effort in makeup artistry, but his performance as the Phantom/Erik is truly inspired. Universal’s Stage 28 set, designed by Ben Carré, deserves its own star billing as the grandeur of the Paris Opera House is recreated complete with stage, giant chandelier, opera boxes, cellars, and underground torture chambers.

The members of the Grue Crew are universally moved by Chaney’s artistry and dedication. Whitney recounts the joys of using collodion for makeup effects, the impact of seeing the film as a five-year-old, and her affection for the metal-band musical connections to The Phantom of the Opera. The multitude of different versions of the film, which one should you watch, and the true story of Mary Philbin’s lost love send Jeff down the rabbit hole again. Joseph agrees that the various versions and the multiple, creative hands in the pie are evident in the film. The pain experienced by Chaney as a result of the makeup appliances used for the Phantom make an impression on Chad, but he still manages to find yet another connection to the Batman TV series.

The Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Grue Crew plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule will be The Return of the Vampire (1943)! More Bela Lugosi!

Please let us know what you think of Decades of Horror: The Classic Era! 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 or leave us a message, a review, or a comment at GruesomeMagazine.com, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcast, or the Horror News Radio Facebook group.

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

Halloween (1978) – Episode 82 – Decades of Horror 1970s

September 27, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Decades of Horror 1970s, Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The 70's Tagged Dean Cundey, debra hill, Donald Pleasence, Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles

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“I met this… six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and… the blackest eyes – the Devil’s eyes.” There’s absolutely no doubt you know who says that and who he is talking about. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they prepare for 2018’s neo-sequel by taking a nostalgic, but fear-filled trip back to Haddonfield and the first time he came back. Yup, it’s the big one. They’re talking Halloween (1978).

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 82 – Halloween (1978)

Whether or not you knew about John Carpenter before the release of Halloween, you certainly knew about him after its release. There have been a total of 10 Halloween films, 9 of which include the fellow with the “blank, pale, emotionless face, and … the blackest eyes – the Devil’s eyes,” but the first one is by far the best.

Carpenter’s and Debra Hill’s script takes its time developing a place in time and space and with people that feel familiar and even comfortable, making the presence of The Shape all the more menacing. Establishing the characters and relationships of the three girls – Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles, and Nancy Kyes – adds to the familiarity and comfortableness of the world the filmmakers have created. Donald Pleasence’s performance as Dr. Loomis exponentially ramps up the feelings of dread and Nick Castle’s performance as The Shape reinforces the idea of the presence of pure evil. Combine the script and the acting with Carpenter’s direction, his landmark, chill-inducing score, and Dean Cundey’s cinematography, and Halloween becomes one of the top horror films of the 1970s.

Of course, the members of the Decades of Horror 1970s Grue Crew shout their praises for Halloween. Chad is impressed by Jamie Lee Curtis’ portrayal of Laurie Strode as the somewhat shy, good hearted girl without a boyfriend who obviously isn’t very experienced at smoking pot, but is a formidable opponent for The Shape. Jeff points out the time the filmmakers take to create suspense and dread, for example, Laurie’s 90-second walk across the street to come to her girlfriends’ aid. Cundey’s and Carpenter’s shot construction and camera movement earn Bill’s admiration. For Doc, it’s also about the time taken for each kill, building tension to the breaking point.

Yes, the lot of them slobbered and drooled their appreciation and love all over Halloween throughout the podcast. What did you expect? Frankly, this classic deserves a few more viewings in preparation for its new sequel, Halloween (2018).

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 docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

The Hideous Sun Demon (1958) – Episode 41 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

September 24, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The Classic Era Tagged Doane Hoag, E.S. Seeley Jr., Hideous Sun Demon, Nan Peterson, Patricia Manning, Patrick Whyte, Peter Similak, Robert Clarke

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“Whiskey and soda mix, not whiskey and science.” This statement is heard early in the cult classic, The Hideous Sun Demon, and this episode’s Grue Crew doesn’t buy it for a second. Join Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr as they study the statement’s validity and have a ball along the way with The Hideous Sun Demon (1958).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 41 – The Hideous Sun Demon (1958)

Dr. Gilbert McKenna has “an accident” when he is handling highly radioactive material while suffering from a hangover. Gil seems to quickly recover, but when exposed to direct sunlight, he rapidly transforms into the hideous sun demon. Gil’s doctor prescribes avoiding the sun’s rays, but for a guy like Gil, that’s not as easy as it sounds. When the sun is down, Gil restlessly cavorts about town and encounters the beautiful Trudy (Nan Peterson) who is singing and playing air-piano at a rundown nightspot. Unfortunately, he also runs into her thuggish boyfriend George (Peter Similuk), who proves to be a problem. While all this is happening, Gil’s coworkers, Ann (Patricia Manning) and Dr. Buckell (Patrick Whyte), work to find a cure for Gil’s newly acquired condition.

A low budget creature feature inspired by the financial success of The Astounding She-Monster (1957), The Hideous Sun Demon is the brainchild of Robert Clarke who produces, directs, co-writes, and plays the lead in the film. Primary writers of the screenplay are E. S. Seeley Jr. and Doane R. Hoag.

Your Grue Crew wasn’t sure what to expect with The Hideous Sun Demon, but it turned out to be a barrel of fun, despite its low-budget related flaws. Jeff points out Clarke’s extensive use of family members in bit parts on the film. Chad feels it was like watching two different movies; one a fairly standard, radiation-created creature feature and the other, a noirish story complete with brutish thugs and a femme fatale. Joseph agrees that at times, it seems like Nan Peterson was channeling Marilyn Monroe with the lilt of her voice and the way she played a scene. At any rate, The Hideous Sun Demon was fun throughout and the Grue Crew gives it a big low budget, cult classic thumbs up!

The Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Grue Crew plan to release a new episode every other week. The next episode in our very flexible schedule will be the silent scream, The Phantom of the Opera (1925)! They can’t wait to discuss the brilliance of the legendary Lon Chaney!

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

The Mighty Peking Man (1977) – Episode 81 – Decades of Horror 1970s

September 13, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, The 70's Tagged Danny Lee, Evelyne Kraft, Feng Ku, Kuang Ni, Meng Hua Ho, Shaw Brothers, The Mighty Peking Man

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“Action…Excitement…Spectacle beyond your wildest dreams!” Action? Check. Excitement? Check. Spectacle beyond your wildest dreams? Check! Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr (much to his chagrin, Bill Mulligan was unable to join us for this one) – as they discover a film that actually lives up to its tagline, and of course, it’s a Shaw Brothers film! Yes, they are talking about The Mighty Peking Man.

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 81 – The Mighty Peking Man (1977)

Initially released August 1977 in Hong Kong. The MIghty Peking Man didn’t see a U.S. release until March 1980. Directed by Meng Hua Ho and written by Kuang Ni, this film is the Shaw Brothers effort to cash in on the hoopla surrounding the Dino De Laurentiis production, King Kong (1976).

An expedition, led by an amoral and unscrupulous businessman (Feng Ku) and an altruistic and heartbroken hero (Danny Lee) plucked from a bar, sets out to capture the legendary, titular beast depicted in The Mighty Peking Man. In their search for the giant ape, the expedition also encounters Samantha (Evelyne Kraft), a female version of the Tarzan legend, who has devloped a deep bound with the beast. Eventually, the Mighty Peking Man is captured and transported to civilization where he is shackled and put on public display in a stadium. Not surprisingly, the beast breaks free of its chains, creating panic and chaos. Even less surprisingly, the story works its way to an epic battle atop a skyscraper. Does this sound familiar?

Despite the story’s similarities with past big ape movies, The Mighty Peking Man has one key plot difference that Chad, Doc, and Jeff greatly appreciated. Samantha has been living in the jungle ever since she was a child when the Mighty Peking Man rescued her from a plane crash, solidifying an explanation for their long term bond.

Despite its low budget and relatively high cheese factor, this film has it all, including a boatload of fun! Chad has always loved the opening scene as the giant ape emerges from its lost world after an earthquake, wreaking havoc on the nearby village. Doc is particularly enamored with the sequence in which Samantha, adorned as usual in her 2-piece animal skin, climbs a light pole to escape a crowd. The Grue Crew is in agreement on the hilarity of some of the dialogue, admitting something might have been lost in translation.

The Mighty Peking Man gets an emphatic recommendation from the Grue Crew! In fact, after covering The Oily Maniac (1976) on Episode 70 and now The Mighty Peking Man, the Grue Crew vows to cover Infra-Man (1975), another Shaw Brothers masterpiece starring Danny Lee, in the not too distant future.

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 docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

Black Sunday (1960) – Episode 40 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

September 6, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The Classic Era Tagged American International Pictures, Andrea Checchi, Arturo Dominici, Barbara Steele, Black Sunday, Ennio De Concini, Ivo Garrani, John Richardson, La maschera del demonio, Mario Bava, Mario Serandrei., Nikolai Gogal, The Mask of Satan

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“You, too, can feel the joy and happiness of hating.” Hmmm, words like joy and happiness used to describe hate? Sounds enticing, right? Join Chad Hunt, Whitney Collazo, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Bill Mulligan, as they celebrate the early product of Mario Bava’s genius known as Black Sunday (1960).

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 40 – Black Sunday (1960)

“Viy,” a short story by Russian writer Nikolai Gogol, provides a loose foundation for the film’s screenplay, written by Ennio De Concini and Mario Serandrei. Mario Bava is the director and cinematographer of Black Sunday and a beautifully shot film it is. Even though Black Sunday is Bava’s first official credit as the director of a feature film, he has dozens of credits as cinematographer as well as a few uncredited turns as director.

Released in the U.S. by American International Pictures, Black Sunday tells the story of a brother and sister burned at the stake as vampires. Or is it witches? Just before having spiked iron masks slammed home on their face with a gigantic mallet, they curse all future generations of the family. Flash forward 200 years when an incredibly inept doctor breaks the seals on Princess Asa’s crypt and then her coffin, initiates her resurrection by dripping blood on her (The Doctor That Dripped Blood?) so she can seek vengeance on the current incarnation of her family. Her plan includes raising her brother Igor from the dead and swapping bodies with her beautiful lookalike descendant, Katia. Barbara Steele is brilliant as Princess Asa/Katia and Arturo Dominici plays her evil accomplice, Igor. Other key players include Katia’s father (Ivo Garrani) and the two doctors (John Richardson and Andrea Checchi).

Whitney is impressed by Barbara Steele’s ability to play two such dichotomous roles: the consummately evil Asa and the innocent Katia. It is the spiked, iron masks and how they are pounded in place in the opening scene that leaves an impression on Chad. Bill, an avowed Bava fan, extols the virtues of the black and white cinematography, the set design, and the shot construction. Wholeheartedly agreeing with Bill, Jeff adds how impressed he is with the camera movement within those sets. You’re probably not surprised the Grue Crew thinks Black Sunday is a genuinely great film and is a sign of future promise Bava so expertly fulfilled.

We plan to release a new episode every other week. On the next episode in our very flexible schedule, we‘ll be covering the cult classic The Hideous Sun Demon (1958).

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

The House That Dripped Blood (1971) – Episode 80 – Decades of Horror 1970s

August 30, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, The 70's Tagged Amicus, Chloe Franks, Christopher Lee, Denholm Elliott, Geoffrey Bayldon, Ingrid Pitt, Jon Pertwee, Peter Cushing, Peter Duffell, Robert Bloch, The House That Dripped Blood

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“That’s what’s wrong with the present day horror films. There’s no realism. Not like the old ones, the great ones. Frankenstein. Phantom of the Opera. Dracula – the one with Bela Lugosi of course, not this new fellow.” Could the speaker be referring to Christopher Lee, one of the stars of this episode’s topic? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they investigate the case of The House That Dripped Blood. Their first question? Where’s all the blood!

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 80 – The House That Dripped Blood (1971)

The House That Dripped Blood is the fourth Amicus Productions horror anthology your Grue Crew has covered on Decades of Horror 1970s. Directed by Peter Duffell and adapted by the legendary Robert Bloch from four of his stories, the four segments are tied together by a police detective investigating a disappearance from a peculiar house with a series of occupants who have all experienced decidedly sinister fates. The stories include “Method for Murder” – a writer’s thuggish, literary creation seems to have come to life; “Waxworks” – a forlorn man sees his lost love in a wax museum; “Sweets to the Sweet” – a stern father doesn’t want his daughter reading the wrong books or playing with dolls; and “The Cloak” – an over-the-hill actor in horror films purchases a cloak that unbeknownst to him, has mysterious powers.

The film’s all-star cast includes fan favorites Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee. Additional standout performances in The House That Dripped Blood are given by Jon Pertwee, Denholm Elliott, Tom Adams, Joanna Dunham, Joss Ackland, the enigmatic Geoffrey Bayldon, Nyree Dawn Porter, and Chloe Franks.

The 70s Grue Crew is not bothered by the lack of blood (not a single drop, mind you) in The House That Dripped Blood. Bill goes on at length on how much he thinks of Ingrid Pitt, ,,, and he likes her performance in the film as well. Or maybe it is Chad who says that. Come to think of it, they are all a bit infatuated with Ms. Pitt. They all also remarked as to how disturbing Chloe Franks is as Christopher Lee’s innocent-looking daughter with the devilish smile. Jeff brings up Bloch’s tendency to build stories around ironic twists or jokes and how that tendency is in evidence in the segments of this film. Chad expresses his love for anthology films, and almost in unison, they all marvel at Geoffrey Bayldon’s quirky portrayal and just as quirky makeup as the proprietor of the shop in which the cloak is purchased. Rest assured that your Gure Crew think The House That Dripped Blood is well worth a repeated watch and that they will definitely be covering more anthology films in the future.

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 docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

The Wolf Man (1941) – Episode 39 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era

August 23, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The Classic Era Tagged Bela Lugosi, Claude Rains, Curt Siodmak, Evelyn Ankers, Fay Helm, George Waggner, Jack P. Pierce, Lon Chaney Jr, Maria Ouspenskaya, Patric Knowles, Ralph Bellamy, The Wolf Man, Universal Monsters, Warren William

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“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” Of course, that poem is in reference to the Universal Classic Monster film, The Wolf Man! Join Chad Hunt, Whitney Collazo, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Jacob Allen, as they take a midnight stroll with Larry Talbot through the fog-shrouded woods on a moonlit night. Be sure to bring your walking cane, the one with the silver wolf’s head! You will most certainly need it.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 39 – The Wolf Man (1941)

This episode’s Grue Crew loves The Wolf Man so much, they recorded this podcast twice! Whether beset by electromagic gremlins or cursed directly from film by Maleva, the first recording didn’t take, so they all went back for seconds. And you thought they’d been goofing off.

The Wolf Man might embody Universal’s most original monster. Based on an original screenplay by Curt Siodmakand directed by George Waggner, the film started much of the werewolf mythology still used in film today. The solid cast, sporting seven Oscar nominations among them, is led by Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, and includes Claude Rains as his father, Evelyn Ankers as the female lead Gwen, Ralph Bellamy as Colonel Montford, Patric Knowles as Gwen’s boyfriend, Warren William as Dr. Boyd, and Fay Helm as Gwen’s friend. To top it off, the cast is blessed with Maria Ouspenskaya as Maleva and the inimitable Bela Lugosi as her son, Bela. The supernatural elements of the story or rendered entirely believable by the work of Jack Pierce, makeup artist extraordinaire.

Your Grue Crew marvels at the many facets through which Larry Talbot’s affliction can be viewed. Siodmak was surely thinking of the persecution he fled in Nazi Germany, but the story can be seen as a metaphor for a multitude of other conflicts common to most individuals’ lives, thereby explaining the film’s resonance with so many viewers.

Whitney proudly admits to being inspired by Jack Pierce’s makeup art. Claude Rains is only 17 years older than Lon Chaney Jr., who plays his son, and Jeff wonders how old Daddy Talbot must have been when his oldest son was born. Jacob is awed by the direction and organization it must have taken to complete the film in a short amount of time especially while working around the lengthy makeup process. When it comes to The Wolf Man, Chad is all about the mythic stature of Maria Ouspenskaya. As you may have guessed, their recommendation, assuming you’ve already seen this film, is see it again and again! Now!

We plan to release a new episode every other week. On the next episode in our very flexible schedule, we‘ll be covering Mario Bava’s Black Sunday (1960).

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

Summer of Fear (1978) – Episode 79 – Decades of Horror 1970s

August 15, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, The 70's Tagged Carol Lawrence, Fran Drescher, Jeff East, Jeremy Slate, Lee Purcell, Linda Blair, Lois Duncan, Macdonald Carey, Stranger in Our House, Summer of Fear, Wes Craven

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“Well, I can’t stand a thing about you, and that includes your hair!” How would you feel if your cousin came to stay and took over everything you own, including your family? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Jeff Mohr, Bill Mulligan, and Chad Hunt – as they take a short staycation with just such a family during Wes Craven’s Summer of Fear!

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 79 – Summer of Fear (1978)

This subject of this episode is the result of the podcast’s latest Patreon poll and as such, has been foisted on, … er, rather, carefully selected for the Grue Crew by the loyal listeners of Decades of Horror 1970s. Adapted from the novel Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan, a renowned writer of young-adult novels, the film was originally released as a TV-movie under the title Stranger in our House. Directed by horror icon Wes Craven, Summer of Fear is his first direct-to-television effort and premiered over a year after The Hills Have Eyes (1977). Summer of Fear tells the story of a family whose fairy tale existence is shattered when a cousin/niece comes to live with them after her parents are killed in an automobile accident. However, there is one big problem. Their guest is a witch, not a relative, and she is after everything they own.

The key figure in the story is the witch, as played by Lee Purcell, but the film’s starpower comes from Linda Blair as the family’s daughter. Her parents are played by Carol Lawrence and Jeremy Slate with Jeff East as her brother. Rounding out the cast in supporting roles are Macdonald Carey as an occult expert and early-career Fran Drescher as the daughter’s friend.

Amazingly, none of the Grue Crew had seen this film prior to preparing for the podcast. Neither Wes Craven nor Linda Blair nor even Fran Drescher had garnered their interest. Bill couldn’t figure out why the witch couldn’t be seen in photographs, wondering when that became part of the witch canon. Jeff recalls Jeremy Slate from his earlier days in biker movies and westerns and gets a kick out of his portrayal as the bewitched father. Doc likes the film the most and enjoys seeing that much of Linda Blair, but, oh, the hair! Chad was not impressed with the witch’s here-again-gone-again Southern accent but still thought she was the most interesting character i the film. The Grue Crew universally agreed even though Summer of Fear is one of Craven’s lesser works, it’s worth a watch viewed as a picture on the world of the cast and crew at that point in their careers.

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 docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

A Bay of Blood (1971) – Episode 78 – Decades of Horror 1970s

August 1, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Decades of Horror 1970s, Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The 70's Tagged Bay of Blood, giallo, Mario Bava, Nicoletta Elmi, Twitch of the Death Nerve

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“Diabolical! Fiendish! Savage… You may not walk away from this one!“ The Grue Crew are on a giallo kick, and as everyone knows, there’s always room for giallo. (Groan …) Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, and Chad Hunt, along with guest host Chad Lab – as they count the baker’s dozen of kills delivered in Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood.

Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 78 – A Bay of Blood (1971)

Like a lot of foreign films released in the U.S., A Bay of Blood had a bit of an identity problem as it experienced several re-titles. Originally known as Reazione a catena, among its many other titles are Twitch of the Death Nerve, Carnage, Blood Bath, and even The Last House on the Left, Part II.

Mario Bava serves as director, co-writer, and cinematographer in this giallo gem. An heiress is murdered at the outset and from then on, it is no holds barred as the rest of family schemes, maneuvers, and murders while trying to secure the family inheritance for themselves. You might need a scorecard to track who is being killed, how they are killed, and who the killers are. Yes, there are killers, as in plural. The first and second murders quickly reveal A Bay of Blood as not your ordinary run of the mill slasher flick.

Speaking of slasher flicks, Doc identifies several very familiar looking kills and the influence A Bay of Blood must have surely had on Friday the 13th (1980), and hence, other 1980s slasher fare. Bill reveals, not that it was a big secret, that Bava is his favorite director and notes the appearance of for the second episode in a row following her role in Deep Red (1975). Most of the film’s characters have little to like, creating a bit of a hurdle for Chad Lab, but as the innovative kills mount, he quickly gets over it and comes to love the film. Chad Hunt helps the rest of the Grue Crew keep the characters straight and recounts his repeated cries of, “What? … What?! … What?!!” as the killings unfolded. With so many murders from which to choose – hanging, spear, octopus, billhook, etc. – the Grue Crew can’t resist picking each of their favorite kills

Of course, this episode’s Grue Crew gives a unanimous recommendation to this classic giallo film. If you haven’t seen A Bay of Blood, it is guaranteed you will not guess who commits the final murders.

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 docrotten@decadesofhorror.com.

Die, Monster, Die! (1965) – Episode 38 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

July 25, 2018 by Jeff Mohr Posted in Featured, Gruesome Podcasts, The Classic Era Tagged American International, Boris Karloff, Daniel Haller, Die Monster Die!, H.P. Lovecraft, Jerry Sohl, Monster of Terror, Nick Adams, Patrick Magee, Sheila Raynor, Suzan Farmer, Terence de Marney

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“It looks like a zoo in Hell!” Indeed it does! In fact, the whole film is a bit of a zoo. Join Chad Hunt, Joseph Perry, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Mike Imboden, as they visit the zoo in question, or in other words, discuss AIP’s Die, Monster, Die!, a film that tied for first place in our latest Patreon poll. In the process, maybe they can figure out why the monster has to die twice.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 38 – Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

Die, Monster, Die!, also known as Monster of Terror, is helmed by first time director Daniel Haller. Loosely based on the H.P. Lovecraft story, “The Colour Out of Space,” the screenplay is written by Jerry Sohl. In this version, the story depicts Nahum Witley (Boris Karloff) as the head of the Witley family. Some years ago, the family property was hit by a radioactive meteorite that caused mutations, followed by decay, in all living things. Of course, Nahum thought it a good idea to bring the meteorite into the house for experiments there and in the greenhouse.

Not surprisingly, the radiation causes the physical deterioration of Nahum’s wife (Freda Jackson), her maid, and his butler (Terence de Marney). Nahum’s wife summons their daughter’s boyfriend (Nick Adams) from America to come save their daughter (Suzan Farmer) from the same fate. However, Nahum’s not having it. The cast is rounded out nicely with supporting roles from Patrick Magee as Dr. Henderson and Sheila Raynor as the Dr.’s housekeeper.

This episode’s Grue Crew have a mixed reaction to Die, Monster, Die! They all agree Boris Karloff is the main attraction and does a fine job and that the film looks great. Jeff appreciated the set design and furnishings in the English mansion. The opening scenes of the Nick Adams character’s attempts to find a ride to “the Witley place” tripped Mike’s trigger, but more importantly, he wants more Merwyn! Joseph, Chad, and Mike are fans of Nick Adams from his appearances in a few Toho productions while Jeff favors his output in westerns, purely from a nostalgia viewpoint. Though this film has a lot of issues, the script being the major one despite Jerry Sohl’s other credits, the Grue Crew think it’s worth a watch, especially if you’re looking for something different. After all, they don’t make them like Die, Monster, Die! anymore.

We plan to release a new episode every other week. On the next episode in our very flexible schedule, we‘ll be covering Universal’s The Wolf Man (1941), the other film that tied for first place in our latest Patreon Poll.

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