What would happen if a bunch of scrappy Goonies-esque pre-teen boys joined forces with a creepy old man, who happens to be a Holocaust survivor, to fight an all-star line-up of movie monsters, including The Mummy, The Wolfman, and Count Dracula? The Monster Squad, that’s what.
It’s one of Blain’s favourite childhood movies, but the rest of the Rewatchability gang was less familiar with it. Does The Monster Squad stand the test of time? Is there more than one way to kill a werewolf? Does Dracula need to use so much dynamite? Is it wrong to try and create narrative parallels between a bunch of kids fighting make-believe monsters and the tragedy of The Holocaust? We attempt to answer these questions and more!
We’re away next week, so look for the next episode on Oct. 25– the penultimate Halloween-themed episode!
WARNING: the podcast contains strong language and immature subject matter, please be advised.
Good show. I loved this movie when I was young. All the holocaust survivor stuff must have gone way over my head though. I must have just taken the old man’s word, that for some reason, ‘he knows a lot about monsters’.
I’d be interested to see what you guys though of that scene where the cool kid makes the bully eat the fat kids chocolate bar. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world back when I was a kid.
Yes, you’re right that is a pretty fantastic scene. Though I can’t help but feel that the bully (played by Jason Hervey, Marty’s uncle in Back to the Future, and the brother from The Wonder Years) was just as emotionally abusive as the the Monster Squad themselves, who call their friend Fat Kid instead of by his actual name…
Thanks for the feedback and hope you keep listening!