The Black Saint and Doc Rotten are celebrating two years of recording the DECADES OF HORROR 1970s podcast, roughly one per month landing at 30 episodes strong. The show features a variety of films from this wondrous, groovy, gory and influential decade between the years 1970 and 1979, beginning with episode 1 recorded February 2014 featuring THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN (1977). DoH often includes knowledgeable guest hosts such as Bill Mulligan, Ormon Grimsby and many members of the Horror News Radio grue-crew.
Over the next few months, we are looking to see what films you – listeners and fans of the show – would like to see Decades of Horror cover in future episodes. Episode 30 is now out with the feature review of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD which was selected by the previous survey. Episode 32 is up to you as well!
Here are the films we are currently considering, in alphabetical order (dates are provided by IMDb):
Click on any name to go to the survey OR scroll to the bottom of the page to complete.
ASYLUM (1972) – d. Roy Ward Baker, w. Robert Bloch (AKA The House of Crazies) w/ Peter Cushing
Suggested by Doc Rotten, Asylum is one of the lesser known Amicus anthology films. The film is directed by Hammer director Roy Ward Baker and the script is from the talented Robert Bloch. The film stars Peter Cushing, Patrick Magee, Herbert Lom and Britt Ekland among others. The film follows a young psychiatrist who interviews four inmates at a remote mental hospital in England. Each of the patients share their own tale of horror and revenge.
CAPTAIN KRONOS – VAMPIRE HUNTER (1974) – d. Brian Clemens
Suggested by episode 30 guest-host Jerry Chandler, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter is a film mentioned on the show numerous times. It is one of the latter Hammer horror films which tries to establish a new horror hero in Captain Kronos as he rushes to a friend’s castle to help vanquish a family of vampires. Horst Janson takes on the title role with John Carson, John Cater and Shane Briant co-starring. The lovely Caroline Munro livens up the scenery as well. A unique film for certain.
EQUINOX (1970) – d. Jack Woods
Suggested by episode 30 guest-host Bill Mulligan, Equinox is a fascinating low-budget film from the onset of the 1970s with a lively, interesting history. It also features some fantastic, crude but effective, stop motion action. The film from Jack Woods and originally distributed by Jack H. Harris is available in a Criterion Collection which also features the 1967 student-film version/cut of the film.
KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (1977) – d. John “Bud” Cardos
Suggested by the Grue-believers from the episode 30 survey, Kingdom of the Spiders features Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner, facing off a swarm of killer tarantulas as they threaten to take over a small southwestern town. Decades of Horror has covered another film from director John “Bud” Cardos called The Dark. His nature-runs-amok classic is a favorite of both The Black Saint and Doc Rotten.
THEATRE OF BLOOD (1973) – d. Douglas Hickox w/ Vincent Price
Suggested by The Black Saint, Theatre of Blood is the first Vincent Price film to make the list. There a number of Price classics from the Seventies, each of which are destined to be discussed on Decades of Horror. This film, directed by Douglas Hickox goes hand in hand with the more recognizable Dr. Phibes films. But the film does NOT pale by comparison and features some of the more entertaining “kills” from the decade and Vincent Price at his hammiest.
TOURIST TRAP (1979) – d. David Schmoeller
Suggested by Decades of Horror fan Isaac Mendoza, Tourist Trap is an incredibly unique horror feature from 1979, late in the decade. Director David Schmoeller later directs classics (ahem) such as The Seduction, Crawlspace and the Charles Band epic Puppetmaster. Chuck Conners, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood and Tanya Roberts lead the cast. The story features a group of teens who encounter a psychopath who may have telekinetic powers.
Doc a lifelong fan of horror films, sci-fi flicks and monster movies first discovering Universal Monsters and Planet of the Apes as a young child in the 1970's searching out every issue of Famous Monster of Filmland (and, later, Fangoria). Favorite films include Jaws, The Car, The Birds, The Tingler, Vampire Circus and The Exorcist. Still a huge fan of horror films from the 70s, Doc continues consuming horror films to this day for the site, for the podcasts and for the fun of it all.
