BLUE MONKEY (1987) – Episode 277 – Decades of Horror 1980s
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
Release Date: 02/03/2025
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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 what Price does best. Incredible, chef's kiss. And Barbara Steele is flawless. The Crew is joined by Crystal Cleveland from Decades of Horror 1980s, making her Classic Era debut. Enjoy! THE PIT AND THE...
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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. Technically, however, the dialog is cringe, the acting is amateurish, the editing even more so. But, dude, it was filmed on SUPER-8 with mostly local talent and a screenplay with solid ideas for its...
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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 jockeys as they encounter a beautiful alien looking into the distance at scene cut from a little known Pilipino sci-fi film. The creatures include vampire cavemen, lobster men, bat men, and dinosaurs...
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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) Episode 224 - Decades of Horror The Classic Era Synopsis: "A man's obsession with his dead wife drives a wedge between him and his new bride." - IMDb Quote: "Christopher, not ten minutes ago...
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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 Weathers, Elpidia Carillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R.G. Armstrong, Shane Black, and Kevin Peter Hall as the Predator. And, let's not forget the quotes: "If it bleed, we...
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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 film that would change how Sci-Fi movies look and feel forever. That film, of course, was Star Wars. Will the Grue-Crew find any rewarding and memorable moments to discuss? Oh, yeah, but not for the...
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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, Vincent Price fans, and Edgar Allan Poe fans alike. Enjoy! - The Grue-Crew The Masque of the Red Death (1964) Decades of Horror The Classic Era - Episode 223 Synopsis: "A European prince terrorizes the...
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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 the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart." - IMDb Director: John Boorman Writer: John Boorman, Thomas Malory, Rospo Pallenberg Cast: Nigel...
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Horror Comedies from the1970s, Doc selects the often overlooked or outright forgotten horror comedy from the Seventies, ARNOLD (1973), from director Georg Fenady (Terror in the Wax Museum), featuring Stella Stevens and Roddy McDowall. ARNOLD (1973) Episode 260 - Decades of Horror 1970s The various murders are set up in a way The Abominable Dr. Phibes would relish and in the fashion of an imaginative whodunit or Giallo film. The humor is old-fashioned and more suitable for TV than the cinema. The cast - Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Ella Lanchester - are quite a joy to watch....
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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...
info_outline“I wonder if we’ll find anything down here? I bet we’re going to find a big blue monkey.” Or maybe you won’t. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Jeff Mohr, and guest Ralph Miller III – as they do their best to find the blue monkey in Blue Monkey (1987). It’s Canadian horror, ay.
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 277 – Blue Monkey (1987)
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Synopsis: Detective Jim Bishop and Dr. Rachel Carson must find a way to stop a giant monstrous insect before it procreates and spreads a deadly infection it’s carrying. Meanwhile, it’s eating people in Dr. Carson’s quarantined hospital.
- Directed by: William Fruet
- Writing Credits: George Goldsmith (written by); Chris Koseluk (story editor)
- Executive Producers: Sandy Howard, Tom Fox, Michael Masciarelli
- Special Effects by: Steve Neill (creature maker: Sirius Effects (uncredited) / creature supervisor: Sirius Effects (uncredited))
- Selected Cast:
- Ivan E. Roth as The Creature
- Steve Railsback as Detective Jim Bishop
- Gwynyth Walsh as Dr. Rachel Carson
- Don Lake as Elliot Jacobs
- Helen Hughes as Marwella Harbison
- Sandy Webster as Fred Adams
- Susan Anspach as Dr. Judith Glass
- Bill Lake as Paramedic
- Peter Van Wart as Oscar Willets
- Don Ritchie as Orderly #1
- Stuart Stone as Joey
- Marsha Moreau as Marcy
- Nathan Adamson as Tyrone
- Sarah Polley as Ellen
- Joy Coghill as Dede Wilkens
- Cynthia Belliveau as Alice Bradley
- John Vernon as Roger Levering
- Philip Akin as Anthony Rivers (as Phillip Akin)
- Laura Dickson as Desk Nurse #1
- Robin Duke as Sandra Baker
- Joe Flaherty as George Baker
- Jane Dingle as Desk Nurse #2
- Dan Lett as Ted Andrews
- Michael J. Reynolds as Albert Hooper
- Michael Caruana as Technician
- Gina Wilkinson as Nurse Michelle
- David Clement as Surgeon
- Ursula Balzer as O.R. Nurse
- Les Rubie as Rollo Jordan
- Reg Dreger as Policeman
- Karen Scanlan as ISO. Nurse
- Ralph Small as Security Guard
- Harry Booker as Bill Clemmins
- Jo Bates as Lobby Nurse (as Jo Anne Bates)
- Walker Boone as Johnson
- Rob Wilton as Orderly #2 (as Robert Wilton)
- Alan Rosenthal as Dr. Steinberg (as Allan Rosenthal)
- Ken Quinn as Patient
The 80s Grue-Crew and guest Ralph Miller III take a trip to a hospital in Canada to diagnose Blue Monkey (1987). This one features the beginnings of an epidemic, some ludicrous laser shenanigans, an extraordinary amount of green goo, and a freaky larva that magically metamorphoses (we think) into a giant insect that begins killing patients in the now quarantined hospital. All of this is accomplished with some generally good effects work and an abundance of pseudo-sciencing. Steven Railsback, Gwynyth Walsh, Don Lake, Susan Anspach, and John Vernon jump into the fray, accompanied by Marwella and Dede, a pair of golden girls getting drunk in the background, and Robin Dukes and Joe Flaherty having their first baby. Ah, yes. Canadian horror has such a unique flavor. As you can tell, there’s plenty of material for our talkabout… even though there’s no actual blue monkey.
At the time of this writing, Blue Monkey (1987) is available to stream from Tubi and multiple PPV sources.
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 Jeff, will be Angel (1984), starring… wait for it… Rory Calhoun! Joining him are Donna Wilkes, Cliff Gorman, Dick Shawn, Susan Tyrrell, and John Diehl, all cavorting on the strip. Unfortunately, there’s a serial killer on the prowl.
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