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
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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....
info_outlineDecades 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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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,...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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...
info_outlineDecades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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?...
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)
Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel!
Subscribe today! Click the alert to get notified of new content!
https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine
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: 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.
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.