THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) – Episode 282 – Decades of Horror 1980s
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
Release Date: 04/18/2025
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
For episode 222, Chad chooses the often overlooked spectacle from Toho and Ishiro Honda, THE MYSTERIANS (1957). The movie begins with an entertaining, albeit goofy-looking, pointy-nosed kaiju Moguera. Somehow this robot giant monster still works in its own way and the Grue-Crew have their fun with all the shenanigans. Then the actual alien race of Mysterians ghost-light the cast as they plan their invasion. Earth is prepared to battle, however. Check out the review of THE MYSTERIANS and share your thoughts. “The tragedy of the Mysterians is a good example for us! Don’t use science in the...
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Exploring 80s Slashers - HELL NIGHT (1981) Decades of Horror - Episode 303 Doc Rotten selects a little known, often overlooked slasher from the early 1980s featuring Linda Blair, Peter Barton, and Vincent Van Patton. HELL NIGHT (1981) sends four college fraternity and sorority pledges to Garth Manor to stay the night in the haunted mansion. Fake Scooby-Doo scares throughout... until the actual monster shows up to pick the cast off... one by one. Sounds like a great premise, right?! Gory, gruesome fun certainly, Eh?! Sigh, only 25% of the Grue-Crew champion the results while the others are...
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Join The Grue-Crew as they take a look back at the original The Town That Dreaded Sundown from 1976. The blueprint for slasher films of the 80s is clearly drawn in the film's plot including inventive kills, borrowed heavily from the Italian Giallo genre. Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, and Gilligan's Island star Dawn Well head up the cast. Check out what the crew think of Charles B. Pierce's Seventies horror film. Enjoy! Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 259 - The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) Director: Charles B. Pierce Writer: Earl E. Smith Cast: Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, Dawn Wells,...
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The Grue-Crew settle in to review the early Sixties fantasy film THE MAGIC SWORD (1962) from director Bert I. Gordon. To the Crew's surprise the film balances it's fantasy with some bonified creepy horror elements with monsters at each curse Sir George, Sir Branton, and the six Knights encounter. For a Mr. B.I.G. feature, the effects, cinematography, acting, and sets are above expectations with Basil Rathbone and Estelle Winwood hamming it up with delicious relish. Also, keep your eyes open for a fun performance from Maila Nurmi... "Vampira" herself! Decades of Horror: The Classic Era...
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For episode 302, The Grue-Crew discuss the House series slasher film, THE HORROR SHOW (1989) on Decades of Horror 1980s. “Never sneak up on a man when he's blasting Metallica” is the perfect quote to sum up the vibe of often overlooked horror movie featuring Lance Henricksen and Brion James. Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! Click the alert to get notified of new content! Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 302 – THE HORROR SHOW (1989) Synopsis: "Detective McCarthy finally catches "Meat Cleaver Max", a serial killer, who promises revenge during his...
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Join us for a review of the Andy Milligan horror movie from the 1970s, BLOOD (1973). Classic Retro Horror Movie reviews from the GRUE-CREW. Grue-Believers, You knew the day was coming, the day Bill Mulligan finally delivers on his frightening promise, the Andy Milligan selection for the Grue-Crew to dive into with his creature feature opus, BLOOD (1973). Dave Dreher joins the crew in Jeff's absence just in time for all the bad movie shenanigans. Somehow, even though the film is truly bad cinema, the Crew find themselves enjoying it for what it is... crap. Maybe we all need therapy. Who knows?...
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“This mysterious germ of the bacillus vampiris creates in the body of the vampire a fiery fluid, similar in chemical composition to that of hot glue, so that no bullet can cause any damage whatsoever to the flesh of the body of a vampire. The hot glue renders the bullets harmless, but wood turns the glue into water!” And now you know… the rest of the story. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Doc Rotten, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they take in this unique Filipino horror film from National Artist of the Philippines for Film,...
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“My curiosity is justified by the fact that I am writing a book.” That, and you’re just plain nosey. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they take in a bit of ‘70s Eurohorror starring the one and only Klaus Kinski: (1974). Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 257 – The Hand That Feeds the Dead (1974) Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! ANNOUNCEMENT Decades of Horror 1970s is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL,...
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“A little bit nuts? You’re an unmitigated madman! You don’t have to tell me how weird you are. I know how weird you are!” It takes one to know one? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they discuss a true classic: Ken Russell’s (1980). Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 301 – Altered States (1980) Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! Click the alert to get notified of new content! ANNOUNCEMENT Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI...
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“You didn’t mean it. You never mean it. You didn’t mean it the time when you put up the bouquet with the get-well card in the funeral parlor. And sent the black lillies to the old lady in the hospital, you didn’t mean it. But this time, I, Gravis Mushnick, mean it!” Hmmm, Gravis Mushnick? Weird name, but it sure sounds familiar. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Doc Rotten, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they take in this legendary film from Roger Corman and crew, (1960). Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Episode 219 – The...
info_outline“One hundred years before this story begins, it was a time of darkness in Transylvania, a time when Dr. Abraham Van Helsing and a small band of freedom fighters conspired to rid the world of vampires and monsters and to save mankind from the forces of eternal evil. … They blew it.” Will the Monster Squad blow it, too? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they follow the battle between the young monster fighters and the pseudo-Universal Monsters in The Monster Squad (1987).
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 282 – The Monster Squad (1987)
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Gruesome Magazine is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of Decades of Horror 1980s and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
Synopsis: A group of 12-year-olds form a Universal Monsters fan club called The Monster Squad and have to save their hometown from Count Dracula and his monsters when they show up for real.
- Directed by: Fred Dekker
- Writing Credits: Shane Black & Fred Dekker
- Special Effects by: Stan Winston Studio
- Stan Winston (monster creator)
- Alec Gillis (head monster maker: Dracula and bat transformation)
- Shane Mahan (head monster maker: Mummy)
- Matt Rose (head monster maker: Gillman)
- Steve Wang (head monster maker: Gillman)
- John Rosengrant (head monster maker: Wolfman)
- Tom Woodruff Jr. (head monster maker: Frankenstein)
- Monster mechanical department: Steven James, David Kindlon, Richard J. Landon, Dave Nelson, Wayne Sturm
- Monster art department: David LeRoy Anderson, Eric Fiedler, Emilio M. Gonzales, Leonard MacDonald, Lindsay MacGowan, Dave Matherly, Steve Patino, Anton Rupprecht, Shannon Shea, Brian Simpson, Michiko Tagawa, Jackie Tichenor
- Selected Cast:
- Andre Gower as Sean (as André Gower)
- Robby Kiger as Patrick
- Stephen Macht as Del – Sean’s Dad
- Duncan Regehr as Count Dracula
- Tom Noonan as Frankenstein’s Monster
- Brent Chalem as Horace
- Ryan Lambert as Rudy
- Ashley Bank as Phoebe
- Michael Faustino as Eugene
- Mary Ellen Trainor as Emily
- Leonardo Cimino as Scary German Guy
- Jon Gries as Desperate Man (as Jonathan Gries)
- Stan Shaw as Detective Sapir
- Lisa Fuller as Patrick’s Sister
- Jason Hervey as E.J.
- Adam Carl as Derek
- Carl Thibault as Wolfman
- Tom Woodruff Jr. as Gillman
- Michael Reid MacKay as Mummy (as Michael MacKay)
- Jack Gwillim as Van Helsing
- David Proval as Pilot
- Daryl Anderson as Co-Pilot
- Robert Lesser as Eugene’s Dad
- Gwil Richards as Mr. Metzger (as Gwill Richards)
- Ernie Brown as Night Watchman
- Sonia Curtis as Peasant Girl
- Charly Morgan as Vampire Bride with Possom
- Mary Albee as Pantry Girl / Vampire
- Brynn Baron as Pantry Girl / Vampire (as Joan-Carrol Baron)
- Julie Merrill as Pantry Girl / Vampire
- Marianne De Camp as Mrs. Carlsen
The Monster Squad (1987), underappreciated at its release, has, nonetheless, risen to become a fan favorite over the years. With effects provided by the Stan Winston Studio and dialogue from the pens of Shane Black and Fred Dekker, the film follows the proven template used in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), i.e., the copies of Universal monsters are deadly serious while the youthful monster fighters provide humor. In light of current events, it is an excellent time to revisit this horror comedy with a heart and a happy ending. And while you’re at it, take in Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018), the documentary about the film and its growth in popularity. It might bring a tear or two to your eyes.
At the time of this writing, The Monster Squad (1987) is available to stream from Hoopla, PlutoTV, Prime, and several PPV sources. It is also available on physical media as a 3-disc set that includes a 4K UHD disc, a Blu-ray disc, and Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018) Blu-ray disc, from KL Studio Classics.
Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Bill, will be Critters (1986), another franchise-starting film showcasing the effects work of Chiodo Brothers Productions (Killer Clowns from Outer Space, 1988) and an experienced cast featuring Dee Wallace and M. Emmet Walsh. The Grue Crew is excited about discussing this one.
Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans – so leave them a message or comment on the Gruesome Magazine Youtube channel, on the Gruesome Magazine website, or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.