KISS ME DEADLY (1955) – Episode 192 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
Release Date: 12/14/2024
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
“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 (1964), the low-budget cult classic from a one-time director and a screenplay written by a comic book legend. Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Episode 229 – The Flesh Eaters (1964) Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine...
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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 with James Hong nearly stealing the entire movie as David Lo Pan. Brilliant! BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) Episode 310 - Decades of Horror 1980s Quote: "Like I told my last wife, I says, 'Honey, I...
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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 early 70s Italian film making at its best. Check it out. Enjoy! DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING (1972) Episode 266 - Decades of Horror 1970s Quote: "That's why she tore off the head of the doll and the...
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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 watch as is the remaining cast of eccentric characters. Tune in to Decades of Horror The Classic Era to find out what the Grue-Crew think of this often overlooked horror-comedy gem. Enjoy! THE BOOGIE MAN...
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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 star power with Farley Granger and Lawrence Tierney, as well as Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, & Cindy Weintraub. This has everything a growing slasher films needs -- gore, boobs, and a...
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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 you act like a man and go hide in the closet, cowboy?" - Molly Synopsis: "A disturbed woman is haunted by memories of childhood abuse, which culminates in a murder spree." Director: Matt Cimber Writer:...
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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 — oh, and Dynamite as The Leopard. Synopsis: A seemingly-tame leopard used for a publicity stunt escapes and kills a young girl, spreading panic throughout a sleepy New Mexico town. Producer: Val...
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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 Bowen, and Ray Oliver. For those old enough, you likely watched this movie multiple times on cable movie channels, not because it was good but because it was bonkers. Enjoy! FORBIDDEN WORLD (1982)...
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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 of haunted houses, they most likely think of this house - even to this day decades later. Despite it feeling somewhat tame today, The Amityville Horror frightened audiences world wide to the tune of...
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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-pilot. The film also incorporates scenes from a 1934 German movie GOLD. While it doesn't feature a "Monster" in typical terms, the threat of the Magnetic Monster is no less formable. Check this one...
info_outline“Look, Mike, I like you. I like the way you handle yourself. You seem like a reasonable man. Why don’t we make a deal? What’s it worth to you to drag your considerable talents back to the gutter you crawled out of?” Wow. Where would you want him to drag himself if you didn’t like him? Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, Doc Rotten, and Jeff Mohr along with guest Bill Mulligan – as they take a deep, deep dive into Kiss Me Deadly (1955), a horror-adjacent, science-fiction film noir.
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 192 – Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era!
Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website.
Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/
Synopsis: A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious “great whatsit.”
- Directed by: Robert Aldrich
- Writing Credits: A.I. Bezzerides (screenplay); Mickey Spillane (novel)
- Cinematography by: Ernest Laszlo (photography by)
- Produced by: Robert Aldrich (producer); Victor Saville (executive producer) (uncredited)
- Selected Cast:
- Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer
- Maxine Cooper as Velda Wickman
- Cloris Leachman as Christina Bailey
- Gaby Rodgers as Lily Carver
- Wesley Addy as Lt. Pat Murphy
- Albert Dekker as Dr. G.E. Soberin
- Paul Stewart as Carl Evello
- Nick Dennis as Nick Va Va Voom
- Jack Elam as Charlie Max
- Jack Lambert as Sugar Smallhouse
- Mort Marshall as Ray Diker
- Marian Carr as Friday (as Marion Carr)
- Juano Hernandez as Eddie Yeager
- Marjorie Bennett as Manager
- Fortunio Bonanova as Carmen Trivago
- Strother Martin as Harvey Wallace
- Mady Comfort as Nightclub Singer (as Madi Comfort)
- James McCallion as Horace
- Jesslyn Fax as Horace’s Wife
- Robert Cornthwaite as FBI Agent
- James Seay as FBI Agent
- Silvio Minciotti as Mover
- Paul Richards as Attacker
- Percy Helton as Doc Kennedy
- Leigh Snowden as Cheesecake
- Jerry Zinneman as Sammy
- Kitty White as Club Vocalist
- Ben Morris as Radio Announcer
- Sam Balter as Radio Announcer (voice)
- Joe Hernandez as Radio Announcer (voice)
- Bing Russell as Police Detective (uncredited)
- Charles Lane as Doctor (uncredited)
- Eddie Beal as Sideman (uncredited)
- Leonard Bremen as Man in Parked Car (uncredited)
- Yvonne Doughty as Receptionist (uncredited)
- John George as Popcorn Vendor (uncredited)
- Art Loggins as Bartender (uncredited)
- Mara McAfee as Nurse (uncredited)
- Leonard Mudie as Athletic Club Clerk (uncredited)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) might not be a certifiable horror movie, but this extraordinary film noir is certainly horror adjacent. Director Robert Aldrich, cinematographer Ernest Laszlo, and screenplay writer A. I. Bezzerides do themselves proud in this adaptation of the Mickey Spillane novel. Ralph Meeker, as antihero Mike Hammer, is supported by superb performances from a long list of recognizable character actors. Film noir — even horror adjacent science fiction film noir — is not for everyone, and indeed, the Classic Era Grue Crew are divided. Either way, Kiss Me Deadly must be seen, and there is much for the crew to discuss. Where else will you find a search for a “great whatsit?”
At the time of this writing, Kiss Me Deadly (1955) is available to stream from the Classic Sci-Fi Movie Channel and on physical media as a Blu-ray disc from Criterion.
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Next in their very flexible schedule – this one chosen by Daphne – is Earth vs. the Spider (1958), aka The Spider! Yes, it’s time for a B-I-G movie, as in Bert I. Gordon! The Grue Crew can’t wait!
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To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”