{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) \u2013 Episode 282 \u2013 Decades of Horror 1980s","description":"\u201cOne 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. \u2026 They blew it.\u201d Will the Monster Squad blow it, too? Join your faithful Grue Crew \u2013 Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr \u2013 as they follow the battle between the young monster fighters and the pseudo-Universal Monsters in&amp;nbsp;The Monster Squad&amp;nbsp;(1987). Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 282 \u2013 The Monster Squad (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:&amp;nbsp;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:&amp;nbsp;Fred Dekker Writing Credits:&amp;nbsp;Shane Black&amp;nbsp;&amp;amp;&amp;nbsp;Fred Dekker Special Effects by:&amp;nbsp;Stan Winston Studio  Stan Winston&amp;nbsp;(monster creator) Alec Gillis&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Dracula and bat transformation) Shane Mahan&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Mummy) Matt Rose&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Gillman) Steve Wang&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Gillman) John Rosengrant&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Wolfman) Tom Woodruff Jr.&amp;nbsp;(head monster maker: Frankenstein)   Monster mechanical department:&amp;nbsp;Steven James, David Kindlon, Richard J. Landon, Dave Nelson, Wayne Sturm Monster art department:&amp;nbsp;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&amp;nbsp;as Sean (as Andr\u00e9 Gower) Robby Kiger&amp;nbsp;as Patrick Stephen Macht&amp;nbsp;as Del \u2013 Sean\u2019s Dad Duncan Regehr&amp;nbsp;as Count Dracula Tom Noonan&amp;nbsp;as Frankenstein\u2019s Monster Brent Chalem&amp;nbsp;as Horace Ryan Lambert&amp;nbsp;as Rudy Ashley Bank&amp;nbsp;as Phoebe Michael Faustino&amp;nbsp;as Eugene Mary Ellen Trainor&amp;nbsp;as Emily Leonardo Cimino&amp;nbsp;as Scary German Guy Jon Gries&amp;nbsp;as Desperate Man (as Jonathan Gries) Stan Shaw&amp;nbsp;as Detective Sapir Lisa Fuller&amp;nbsp;as Patrick\u2019s Sister Jason Hervey&amp;nbsp;as E.J. Adam Carl&amp;nbsp;as Derek  Carl Thibault&amp;nbsp;as Wolfman Tom Woodruff Jr.&amp;nbsp;as Gillman Michael Reid MacKay&amp;nbsp;as Mummy (as Michael MacKay) Jack Gwillim&amp;nbsp;as Van Helsing David Proval&amp;nbsp;as Pilot Daryl Anderson&amp;nbsp;as Co-Pilot Robert Lesser&amp;nbsp;as Eugene\u2019s Dad Gwil Richards&amp;nbsp;as Mr. Metzger (as Gwill Richards) Ernie Brown&amp;nbsp;as Night Watchman Sonia Curtis&amp;nbsp;as Peasant Girl Charly Morgan&amp;nbsp;as Vampire Bride with Possom Mary Albee&amp;nbsp;as Pantry Girl \/ Vampire Brynn Baron&amp;nbsp;as Pantry Girl \/ Vampire (as Joan-Carrol Baron) Julie Merrill&amp;nbsp;as Pantry Girl \/ Vampire Marianne De Camp&amp;nbsp;as Mrs. Carlsen    The Monster Squad&amp;nbsp;(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&amp;nbsp;Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein&amp;nbsp;(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\u2019re at it, take in&amp;nbsp;Wolfman\u2019s Got Nards&amp;nbsp;(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,&amp;nbsp;The Monster Squad&amp;nbsp;(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&amp;nbsp;Wolfman\u2019s Got Nards&amp;nbsp;(2018) Blu-ray disc, from KL Studio Classics. Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine\u2019s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode\u2019s film, chosen by Bill, will be&amp;nbsp;Critters&amp;nbsp;(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\u2019re doing! They want to hear from you \u2013 the coolest, grooviest fans \u2013 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. ","author_name":"Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio","author_url":"http:\/\/docrotten.libsyn.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/36119170\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/186982945"}