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Retro Blood

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70:05

Retro Blood 220: Critters (1986)

Retro Blood ·

2026/01/04

Happy New Year from Retro Blood! We kick off 2026 with Little Monsters & Creatures Month, and we’re starting strong by reviewing all four Critters movies, beginning with the original 1986 cult classic.James Kline and J.H. Alison explain a new show format, including expanding into some early ’90s horror, before giving their quick thoughts on Critters—is it a Gremlins ripoff or its own beast? We also shout out ’80s horror royalty Dee Wallace and her iconic run during the decade. In our Weekly

71:52

Retro Blood – Episode 219 Die Hard (1988) – A Very...

Retro Blood ·

2025/12/25

Welcome back to Retro Blood as James Kline and J.H. Alison continue our Big Blockbuster 1980s Movie Month with a special Christmas episode dedicated to the ultimate action debate movie — John McTiernan’s Die Hard (1988).We deliver a full scene-by-scene breakdown, reliving every barefoot step John McClane takes through Nakatomi Plaza, from the Christmas party invasion to Hans Gruber’s legendary fall. Along the way, we dig into the movie’s endlessly quotable moments and why Bruce Willis changed the

81:03

Retro Blood – Episode 218: Rambo: First Blood (1982)

Retro Blood ·

2025/12/24

Join James Kline and J.H. Alison as Retro Blood continues Big Blockbuster 1980s Month with a deep dive into Rambo: First Blood (1982) — the gritty action-drama that launched one of the biggest franchises of the decade. This week, we break down how First Blood is far more than an action movie, examining its roots as a character-driven Vietnam War aftermath film and how it reflects the tension between small-town authority and returning veterans in early ’80s America. We go scene by scene through

97:54

Retro Blood 217 – Batman (1989)

Retro Blood ·

2025/12/07

Hosted by JK Kline & JH Alison1980s Big Blockbuster Month Begins! Holy Retro Blood, Gotham! JK Kline and JH Alison return to swoop down into the neon-lit, gothic madness of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) for Episode 217! This week we go full blockbuster mode, diving deep into the film that reshaped superhero cinema forever. We break down everything: 🦇 Full Movie Breakdown We walk you scene-by-scene through Burton’s dark vision of Gotham City — Batman’s rise, Jack Napier’s fall into madness, the

63:15

Retro Blood 216 – Home Sweet Home (1981)

Retro Blood ·

2025/11/30

James Kline and J.H. Alison close out 1980s Killer Families Month with one of horror’s strangest forgotten Thanksgiving slashers: Home Sweet Home (1981). A PCP-crazed bodybuilder, a dysfunctional family gathering, and pure early-’80s chaos—this one has it all.We kick things off with our first impressions, including the amazing trailer and how James randomly discovered this long-lost DVD. Then we dive into the film’s behind-the-scenes history: Director Nettie Peña — one of the few female

67:06

Retro Blood 215: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2...

Retro Blood ·

2025/11/27

James Kline & J.H. Alison keep 1980s Killer Family Month rolling with a Thanksgiving feast of mayhem as we dive into The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2—Tobe Hooper’s wild, comedic, gore-soaked sequel to his 1974 classic.We kick things off by revisiting the legacy of the original film and how its raw realism reshaped horror. Then we explore Hooper’s return to the franchise through his three-picture Cannon Films deal, why he decided to lean heavily into dark comedy, and whether that tonal shift

91:40

Retro Blood 214: Mothers Day (1980)

Retro Blood ·

2025/11/15

James Kline and J.H. Alison continue 1980s Killer Family Month with one of the nastiest low-budget backwoods shockers of the era: Mother’s Day (1980).We kick things off with our first impressions—why this grimy hillbilly horror flick doesn’t hit the same cultural impact as I Spit on Your Grave or Last House on the Left, yet still carves out its own bizarre identity. We talk why the film was made, who made it, and how the Kaufman brothers brought their trademark off-beat grit to the project. In our

91:40

Retro Blood 212/213 – The Stepfather (1987) &...

Retro Blood ·

2025/11/09

James Kline and J.H. Alison kick off Killer Family Month this November with a massive Retro Blood double feature covering The Stepfather and Stepfather II—two of the most unsettling and underrated psychological slashers of the late 1980s. The boys dive into the real-life inspiration behind the story: the chilling case of mass murderer John List, whose crimes helped shape the blueprint for the Stepfather character. From there, they explore the behind-the-scenes history of both films, including the

82:05

Lights Out: Halloween H20 – 20 Years Later (1998)

Retro Blood ·

2025/10/31

It’s Halloween season on Lights Out, and James Kline & J.H. Alison are heading back to 1998 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original Halloween with the first big reboot of the franchise — Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later!The boys dive deep into how this movie resurrected Michael Myers for a new generation and whether it still holds up today. They discuss the chaotic history behind H20’s creation — how the success of Scream changed the tone, why Jamie Lee Curtis returned as Laurie

94:39

Retro Blood 211: The Howling IV – The Original...

Retro Blood ·

2025/10/26

James Kline & J.H. Alison close out Howling October 2025 with the strangest (and slowest melting werewolves ever) — The Howling IV: The Original Nightmare!The boys break down how this one tries to return to the original book roots but ends up feeling more like a weird South African tax write-off. They talk behind-the-scenes chaos between director John Hough and writer Clive Turner, producer Harry Alan Towers bringing back Steven Lane, and that haunting theme song by Justin Hayward. In our

120:21

Retro Blood 210: The Howling III – The Marsupials (1987)

Retro Blood ·

2025/10/19

Join James Kline & J.H. Alison as Retro Blood continues its Howling October 2025 celebration—reviewing every Howling movie from the 1980s! This week, the boys head Down Under for the strangest and most bizarre entry in the franchise—The Howling III: The Marsupials!We kick things off with Alison explaining his love for this weird, mutant marsupial masterpiece—while James shares stories from his trip to Sydney and how he recognized real filming locations used in the movie. Then in our Weekly

122:34

Retro Blood 209: The Howling II – Your Sister Is a...

Retro Blood ·

2025/10/12

Join James Kline & J.H. Alison as Retro Blood continues its Howling October 2025 celebration—reviewing every ’80s Howling movie! Up next, the most outrageous and sleazy entry in the series: The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf! We kick things off with our thoughts on Christopher Lee’s surprisingly serious performance amidst werewolf orgies and synth-fueled chaos. Then, in our Weekly History Segment, we travel back to July 4, 1986—talking a wild WCCW title change between Rick Rude and Chris

98:33

Retro Blood 208: The Howling (1981)

Retro Blood ·

2025/10/05

James Kline and J.H. Alison kick off October 2025 and celebrate 4 years of Retro Blood by diving fang-first into The Howling (1981)—the movie that redefined werewolf horror and launched a wild franchise through the ’80s.The boys start with their thoughts on the film (and James’ legendary long intro), then hit the Weekly History Segment covering what was going on in Metal and Pro Wrestling around The Howling’s release, March 13, 1981. James breaks down a wild WWF match between Andre the Giant and

85:30

Retro Blood 207: Death Ship (1980)

Retro Blood ·

2025/09/27

James Kline and J.H. Alison close out Ghost Month Part 2 with one of the wildest nautical horrors of the 1980s—Death Ship! This haunted German vessel isn’t just drifting at sea—it’s captained by one of the decade’s most underrated horror villains, the sinister Captain Ashland.We kick things off with first impressions before diving into our History Segment, exploring what was happening in Pro Wrestling and Metal around the release date of March 7, 1980. In wrestling, James questions whether the true

89:39

Retro Blood 206: Witchery (La Casa 4, 1989)

Retro Blood ·

2025/09/21

James Kline & J.H. Alison continue Ghost Month Part 2 with one of the strangest Italian horror sequels that isn’t really a sequel—Witchery aka La Casa 4. Yes, this is the infamous David Hasselhoff Italian gore movie… and it’s everything you think it is.We kick things off with quick thoughts on the film, debating why the Hoff did this and why we secretly love it anyway. From a fun (and bizarre) story, to Linda Blair’s possession, to upside-down burning crosses and lip-stitching nightmares—this

95:58

Retro Blood 205: Ghost House (La Casa 3) (1988)

Retro Blood ·

2025/09/14

James Kline and J.H. Alison return for Ghost Month Part 2 with a hidden Italian horror gem—Umberto Lenzi’s Ghost House (aka La Casa 3). We kick things off with our thoughts on the film, the confusing La Casa title change, and whether this supposed Evil Dead “sequel” has any real connection to Sam Raimi’s classic.In our weekly history segment, we cover the darker side of 1988: the tragic death of Bruiser Brody in Puerto Rico and the Wrestling Observer’s coverage of the aftermath. Then Alison dives

90:04

Retro Blood 204: The Woman in Black (1989)

Retro Blood ·

2025/09/07

James Kline & J.H. Alison kick off the Road to Halloween with 1980s Ghost Movies Round 2! First up is the chilling British made-for-TV classic, The Woman in Black (1989)—a haunting tale that brought gothic ghost stories back into the spotlight. We open with our first impressions of the film and dive into the tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve, a long-standing British custom that adds to this movie’s eerie charm. Our history segment takes us to December 24, 1989: in wrestling, we

01:27:52

Retro Blood 2003: The Touch of Death (1988)

Retro Blood ·

2025/08/31

James Kline & J.H. Alison close out Lucio Fulci Month with his straight-to-video dark horror-comedy Touch of Death! We kick things off discussing Fulci’s late-‘80s decline, his struggles with producers, and the home video market that pushed many Italian horror films out of theaters. We also break down the film’s unique blend of gore and pitch-black comedy—at first trashing the humor, but slowly finding charm in its absurdity.Our history segment takes us back to 1988: in wrestling, a bizarre WWF

01:43:56

Retro Blood 202: The Devil’s Honey (1986)

Retro Blood ·

2025/08/24

James Kline & J.H. Alison continue Lucio Fulci Month with one of his most bizarre and controversial films — The Devil’s Honey (1986), also known as Dangerous Obsession. This erotic thriller/drama is a far cry from Fulci’s gore-drenched horror classics, but still packed with his unflinching, boundary-pushing style.We kick things off with our thoughts on how different this movie is compared to early Fulci, its experimental Euro-arthouse vibe, and the question — who exactly was this movie made

01:23:00

Retro Blood 201: The Black Cat (1981)

Retro Blood ·

2025/08/17

James Kline & J.H. Alison continue Lucio Fulci Month with one of his strangest films—The Black Cat (1981). A moody mix of Edgar Allan Poe inspiration, European gothic vibes, and Fulci’s signature brutality, this movie asks the question: what happens when a psychic professor uses a cat to control minds and kill his enemies?We kick things off with thoughts on the film’s connection to Poe’s short story and James checking in from Australia this month. Then it’s time for our Weekly History

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