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 History Segment, we rewind to the release date April 11, 1986, covering what was happening in pro wrestling and metal at the time. James breaks down a massive WWF house show in Sydney, Australia, drawing over 9,000 fans and featuring Mean Gene Okerlund as a special ring announcer. Alison dives into metal history with Judas Priest’s Defenders of the Faith and why the album was such a big deal in the mid-’80s.
We then dig into the making of Critters, discussing the film’s writers and directors, the low-budget ingenuity behind the creature effects, and the cast—including Terrence Mann, whose real-life connections hit close to home for the show.
Finally, we deliver a full breakdown of the movie, from Killer Klowns-level chaos to bounty hunters, rolling balls of death, and why Critters still holds up as one of the most fun creature features of the 1980s.
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