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Episode 64: Kaiju Weekly vs. ‘20 Million Miles to Earth’

Published June 9, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! MIFV’s season three theme, Ameri-kaiju, wouldn’t be complete without some Ray Harryhausen, so Nate invited both of his “co-hosts in kamen” (ba-dum-tsh!) to discuss 20 Million Miles to Earth. (Yes, Jimmy reminds Nate that he got his chronology wrong, because this film was released in 1957 and The Blob was 1958. Oops!). Harryhausen super-fans Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton, co-hosts of the Kaiju Weekly podcast, join Nate in a chat that veers perilously close to derailing at multiple points. Jet lag will do that to you, especially when flying to the Island in the Rad Bug. Regardless, 20 Million Miles was Harryhausen’s first truly iconic film, paving the way for his fantasy epics that followed. The intrepid Jimmy From NASA keeps trying to tell his story about seeing a herd of Ymir on their native Venus, but nobody cares. The Toku Topic is the Soviet side of the Space Race since this film begins with a rocket ship crash and was released several months before the launch of Sputnik I. Be prepared for many (bad) Russian accents!

To compete with this broadcast, Cameron Winter did a livestream where he sent one of his Cyber-Flies to track down the Ymir so he could be put on display for the film’s anniversary and Harryhausen’s birthday in June. Winter rambles about seemingly random things while doing so.

Special thanks to J.P. Gant for helping to edit this episode! Follow him on Twitter: @Homebrewed_SD (https://tinyurl.com/2jpc36r5).

Guest stars:

  • Jack “GMan” Hudgens as Cameron Winter

Additional music:

  • “Pacific Rim” by Niall Stenson
  • “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Intro: 0:00-13:44
    • Winter Livestream #1: 11:46-12:56
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 13:44-22:22
  • Toku Talk: 22:22-59:40
  • Promos: 59:40-1:02:17
  • Toku Topic: 1:02:17-
    • Winter Livestream #2: 1:02:38-1:03:54
    • Winter Livestream #3: 1:39:15-
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:41:17-end
    • Winter Livestream #4: 1:57:32-1:58:38

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault      #Amerikaiju   #kaiju            #giantmonsters

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Howell, Elizabeth. “Sputnik: The Space Race’s Opening Shot.” Space.com. 29 Sept. 2020. (https://www.space.com/17563-sputnik.html)
  • Monster Island Film Vault, The. Episode 15: ‘Battle in Outer Space’ (with Luke Jaconetti) (https://tinyurl.com/MIVF-S1E15)
  • Ray Harryhausen Podcast, The. Episode 15- 20 Million Miles to Earth: 60th Anniversary Special.
  • Petersen, Carolyn Collins. “A Short History of Roscosmos and the Soviet Space Program.” ThoughtCo. Updated 3 July 2019. (https://www.thoughtco.com/soviet-space-program-history-4140631)
  • Shreve, Bradley G. “”The US, the USSR, and Space Exploration, 1957-1963.” International Journal on World Peace, vol. XX, no. 2, June 2003.
  • Siegel, Ethan. “This Is Why The Soviet Union Lost ‘The Space Race’ To The USA.” Forbes. 11 July 2019. (https://tinyurl.com/3c2mkfcf)
  • 20 Million Miles to Earth 50th Anniversary Blu-ray Special Features:
    • Commentary by Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, and Arnold Kunert
    • “Remembering 20 Million Miles to Earth”
    • “Tim Burton Sits Down with Ray Harryhausen”
    • “Interview with Joan Taylor”
    • “The Colorization Process”
    • “David Schecter on Film Music’s Unsung Hero”
  • Warren, Bill. Keep Watching the Skies!: American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties, The 21st Century Edition. McFarland. 2016.
  • Wiki articles on 20 Million Miles to Earth:

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Episode 63: ‘King Kong vs. Godzilla’ | Godzilla Redux | Ft. AlyssaGojiGeek

Published June 7, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! Godzilla Redux continues! Nate is joined by YouTuber/author/musician/Navy sailor Alyssa Charpentier (aka AlyssaGojiGeek) for a film from his previous podcast life: King Kong vs. Godzilla. While, yes, Nate discussed a pair of related unmade films with John LeMay, today he and Alyssa compare and contrast the original Japanese version and the re-edited U.S. cut. The latter softens the satirical tone of the original and adds pointless scenes with two boring white guys who use a children’s dinosaur book to prove Godzilla is a dumb brute and Kong “is a thinking animal.” This leads to some talk about the subpar Criterion Collection box set—the only way to legally watch the Japanese cut in America—and how the Japanese economic miracle influenced the film. Even Alyssa never learned this stuff in school!

Before the broadcast, Nate meets with Mr. Gold and his assistant, Ms. Kawaii. They try to sweet talk him with the gift of hot chocolate and promises of advancement. Nate feigns gratitude and endures accusations of brown-nosing from Jimmy. Afterward, Nate researches late into the night at the Sekizawa Library, where he tries—and fails—to accost the AWOL EDF Mutant Ozaki. Ozaki tells Nate about the shady operations he’s been investigating the last few weeks.

The prologue, “Secret Business, Part 1” was written by Michael Hamilton and Nathan Marchand. The epilogue, “Secret Business, Part 2,” was written by Nathan Marchand.

Check out Alyssa’s YouTube channels: AlyssaGojiGeek (https://www.youtube.com/c/AlyssaGojiGeek101) and Alyssa Charpentier (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDiBPlvC3ruGkrrjUvbSKmg).

Special thanks to J.P. Gant for helping to edit this episode! Follow him on Twitter: @Homebrewed_SD (https://tinyurl.com/2jpc36r5).

Guest stars:

Additional music:

  • “This Cowboy’s Hat” (instrumental) by Chris LeDoux
  • “Godzilla Vs. King Kong – The Island Natives (FANMADE COVER)” by AlyssaGojiGeek
  • “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo
  • “Final Wars Ending Theme | Piano Tutorial” by Patrick Ledwig

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop)

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Prologue: 0:00-3:49
  • Intro: 3:49-9:31
  • Main Discussion: 9:31-1:44:18
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:44:18-1:54:07
  • Epilogue: 1:54:07-end

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault      #GodzillaRedux            #KingKong     #Godzilla

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters.
  • Bogue, Mike. Apocalypse Then: American and Japanese Atomic Cinema, 1951-1967. McFarland & Company. 2017.
  • Brothers, Peter H. Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda.
  • Galbraith, Stuart IV. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
  • “Japanese economic miracle.” Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_economic_miracle)
  • Kaijuvision Radio – Episode 8: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) (The Japanese Economic Miracle (The Golden 60s), MITI) (https://youtu.be/BtOw8CkO0jU)
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, 2nd Edition.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition).
  • LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
  • Monster Island Film Vault, The. “Episode 5: John LeMay Presents ‘King Kong vs. Frankenstein’ & ‘Continuation: King Kong vs. Godzilla’.” (https://tinyurl.com/MIFV-S1E5)
  • Morton, Ray. King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon, from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. New York. 2005.
  • Ryfle, Steve, and Ed Godziszewski. Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa.

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Episode 62: Eric Anderson vs. ‘The Blob’ (1958)

Published June 6, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! Our season three theme, Ameri-kaiju, “creeps and leaps and slides and glides” along when MIFV MAX member Eric Anderson joins Nate to discuss 1958’s The Blob. This was Steve McQueen’s debut as a 30-year-old teenager dating the future TV wife of Andy Griffith. This classic of 1950s sci-fi cinema was an independent film produced by a studio known for making religious and educational films, which makes it doubly appropriate that the founder of Nerd Chapel (who’s also a substitute teacher) is on today’s episode. Being an influential indie film is also probably why, believe it or not. it’s in the Criterion Collection. The Toku Topic is a phenomenon related to the true story that inspired this kooky film: star jelly.

Check out all things Nerd Chapel here: http://nerdchapel.com/.

The “See the Goo” promo was written by The Monster Island Board of Directors. The epilogue, “Ozaki’s Message,” was written by Nathan Marchand.

Additional music:

  • “The Blob” by The Five Blobs
  • “Pacific Rim” by Niall Stenson
  • “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo
  • “Numbness & Knives” by HoboKa

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org, including those by InspectorJ.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Prologue: 0:00-0:47
  • Intro: 0:47-8:01
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 8:01-15:12
  • Toku Talk: 15:12-1:05:11
  • Promo: 1:05:11-1:05:49
  • Toku Topic: 1:05:49-1:25:13
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:25:13-1:37:39
  • Epilogue: 1:37:39-end

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault      #Amerikaiju   #kaiju            #giantmonsters

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Concerning All the MIFV Delays (Announcement 6-1-22)

Published June 1, 2022

I explain why MIFV has been plagued with delays the last few months. Spoiler warning: It’s because have an overachiever complex.

Read the blog post I mentioned here: https://tinyurl.com/3cxpx2fd.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Bonus Episode #11 – Godzilla: The Series | The Cameron Winter Trilogy | Ft. The Cel Cast

Published April 15, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! Our new boss here on Monster Island mandated that our first Fifth Wednesday Bonus Episode of 2022 be about him. So, Nate invites Drew and Jacob from The Cel Cast to return to Godzilla: The Series. Specifically, they discuss what has been branded, “The Cameron Winter Trilogy.” Namely the three episodes centered around the nefarious tech tycoon (“The Winter of Our Discontent,” “An Early Frost,” and “Lizard Season”). Jake and Drew have strong opinions about these episodes—and Nate has strong opinions about Cameron Winter. In other news, Godzilla is a kaiju.

Special thanks to J.P. Gant for editing this episode.

Additional music:

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Intro: 0:00-8:48
  • 1st Episode Discussion: 8:48-31:12
  • 2nd Episode Discussion: 31:12-54:26
  • 3rd Episode Discussion: 54:26-1:20:04
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:20:04-end

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #Godzilla        #CelCast         #GodzillaTheSeries

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 61: Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers – ‘Green with Evil’ | Ft. Michael Hamilton

Published April 15, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! In our first Patreon-sponsored episode of season three, Nate is joined by his co-host from The Power Trip podcast and frequent guest, Michael Hamilton, for some TV talk. (Although, first they have to resolve longstanding issues from the…“Yeti incident”). In this case, the epic five-part miniseries from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, “Green with Evil.” This introduced toku-loving kids to Tommy Oliver (Jason David Frank), the femme fatale Scorpina, and the iconic Dragonzord. But in true MIFV fashion, Nate and Michael have a deeper-than-you-would-expect thematic discussion about this miniseries and how it shows the corruptive nature of evil—and it includes quotations from J.R.R. Tolkien and St. Augustine! Yes, that’s the kind of podcast we are. Strap in, folks! It’s morphin’ time!

Beforehand, Nate receives some voicemails from both Karone and Raymund, with the former giving an update on how she’s coping with life after freeing herself from the Board’s influence, and the latter making excuses for not finding his Gorenger costume. Also, a drunk WHG3 calls into the show to speak with Michael.

This episode’s prologue, “Letters from Rangers,” was written by Nathan Marchand.

Guest stars:

  • Celeste Mora as Karone
  • Damon Noyes as Raymund Martin
  • Michael Hamilton as William H. George III

Additional music:

  • “Go, Go, Power Rangers” by Niall Stenson
  • “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org, including those by InspectorJ.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Prologue: 0:00-3:38
  • Intro: 3:38-12:16
  • Main Discussion: 12:16-1:46:47
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:46:47-end

Podcast Social Media:

  • Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheMonsterIsla1)
  • Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MonsterIslandFilmVault/)
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/monsterislandfilmvault/)
  • Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy (https://twitter.com/nasajimmy?lang=en)
  • Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD (https://twitter.com/MonsterIslaBOD)
  • Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
  • Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1 (https://twitter.com/CrystalLadyJes1)
  • Follow Dr. Dourif on Twitter: @DrDorif (https://twitter.com/DrDoriff)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #PowerRangers           #GreenwithEvil

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Culbreath, Jonathan. “The Shadow Can Only Mock, It Cannot Make: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholic Understanding of Evil.” Faith & Fairy Dust. (https://tinyurl.com/mf8u6zev)
  • Higgins, Kyle. Saban’s Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon. Illustrated by Giuseppe Cafaro and Marcelo Costa. Special consultant: Jason David Frank. BOOM! Studios. Jan. 2021.
  • Higgins, Kyle, and Ryan Parrot. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Rise of Drakkon. Illustrated by Hendry Prasetya, et. al. BOOM! Studios. Oct. 2020.
  • Higgins, Kyle, and Ryan Parrot. Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Shattered Grid. Illustrated by Daniele di Nicuolo & Diego Galindo, et. al. BOOM! Studios. Jan. 2020.
  • Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Complete Series DVD special features. Shout!Factory.
  • Petrucha, Stefan, and Ryan Buell. “Going Green.” Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Archive, Vol. Two. Illustrated by PH Marcondes. BOOM! Studios. Originally published by Papercutz.
  • RangerWiki. (https://powerrangers.fandom.com/wiki/RangerWiki).
  • Tolkien, J.R.R. “On Fairy-Stories.” Oxford University Press. 4 Dec. 1947.
  • Zahed, Ramin, and Jody Revenson. Power Rangers: The Ultimate Visual History. Insight Editions. 8 Nov. 2018.

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Episode 60: John LeMay vs. ‘THEM!’

Published April 7, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! We enter the 1950s era of “Ameri-kaiju” to discuss a film that released the same year as the original Godzilla and inspired a subgenre and countless imitators: THEM! (yes, it’s in all caps and has an exclamation point). Who better to join Nate on this than the kaiji film scholar from the state in which the film takes place, John LeMay. Thankfully, John and MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, have settled their differences so he could be there. While THEM! has the trappings of a B-movie, as Nate and John explain, it has far too good a production values (it was nominated for the best special effects Oscar!) and acting to be reduced to that. The film is genuinely horrifying at points, but what may surprise many modern viewers is it is strangely progressive with its female lead, who is a competent and professional scientist and not a “scream queen.” While Nate considered researching McCarthyism since this is very much a Cold War film, he instead discusses American nuclear tests in the 1940s and 1950s.

Before the broadcast, Nate gets an e-mail from Dr. Elsie Chapman, a member of H.E.A.T., after receiving an announcement that the Island’s beaches are closed. She says she has something to show Nate. After the broadcast, he meets her, Dr. Mendel Craven, and Monique Dupre on the shoreline and learns the shocking reason why the beaches were closed.

Check out John’s books and magazines on Amazon!

This episode’s prologue and epilogue, “They Might be Gi-Ants,” was written by Nathan Marchand.

Guest stars:

  • Rebecca Hudgens as Elsie Chapman
  • Travis Alexander as Mendel Craven
  • Dani Cruz as Monique Dupre
  • Daniel DiManna as N.I.G.E.L.

Additional music:

  • “Pacific Rim” by Niall Stenson
  • “Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo
  • “The Edge Calls Me” by MkVaff
  • “Son of Chaos” by Xaleph

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Prologue: 0:00-3:29
  • Intro: 3:29-10:32
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 10:32-17:21
  • Toku Talk: 17:21-
  • Promo: 1:08:43-1:09:49
  • Toku Topic: 1:09:49-1:31:34
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:31:34-1:48:40
  • Epilogue: 1:48:40-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #Amerikaiju

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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MIFV MAX #6: Remembering Akira Takarada

Published March 22, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers. This is the audio from an impromptu livestream held over the weekend that I, Nathan, wish was done under better circumstances. On March 13, 2022, the legendary actor Akira Takarada, star of six Godzilla films among other things, died at age 87. I was joined by several of my friends in the kaiju content creator community—Daniel DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), Elijah Thomas (the Kaiju Conversation podcast), and Kaiju Kim—to discuss the life and career of Takarada-san. We share our personal stories about him and discuss out favorite films and performances of his. This is emotional and a bit long, but I hope you enjoy this celebration of a life well-lived. We could all stand to follow Takarada’s example.

Watch the original livestream video on YouTube.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #RIPAkiraTakarada

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Episode 59: ‘Mothra’ (1961) | Godzilla Redux | Ft. Becky ‘Bex’ Smith

Published March 9, 2022

Hello, kaiju lovers! Our subseries “Godzilla Redux” continues with what some call Toho screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa’s masterpiece: Mothra (1961). Becky “Bex” Smith of the Redeemed Otaku podcast joins Nate to discuss this film—because apparently Nate can’t talk about a Mothra film without her. While Bex seems weirdly obsesses over the genus names of insects, Nate regales her with kaiju-sized info bombs related to the making of the film, the historical backdrop against which it was made (controversial treaty renewals with the U.S.), and the often crazy interpretations academics and critics have of the film (blackface, anyone?). That’s just some of what you’ll learn about this kaiju classic!

Beforehand, Nate meets with his pseudo-sister, the semi-secret magical girl Jessica, who’s just been promoted to director of tourism on the Island. They discuss her new job and awkwardly talk about her seeming crush on Legal Action Team paralegal, Gary. After the broadcast, though, Nate and company discover “Bex” isn’t who she appears to be—and Crystal Lady has to get involved.

This episode’s prologue and epilogue, “Bexy a Traitor?! The Church of Mothrianity Attacks!”, was written by Nathan Marchand with Becky Smith and Daniel DiManna.

Guest stars:

  • Sarah Marchand as Jessica Shaw/Crystal Lady
  • Becky Smith as Peppermoth
  • Daniel DiManna as “Old Janitor”
  • Damon Noyes as Motte-Priester Herzog Jerry Nachtfalter
  • Hoshiko as Luna

Additional music:

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org, including those by InspectorJ.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, and Ted Williams! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by Cameron Winter and the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

  • Prologue: 0:00-4:57
  • Intro: 4:57-11:31
  • Main Discussion: 11:31-1:34:57
  • Housekeeping & Outro: 1:34:57-1:46:01
  • Epilogue: 1:46:01-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #GodzillaRedux          #Mothra

© 2022 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters.
  • Commentary on Mothra by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski (Mill Creek blu-ray).
  • Galbraith, Stuart IV. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
  • Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 7: Mothra (1961) (Renewal of the US-Japan Security Treaty in 1960)
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, 2nd Edition.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition).
  • LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
  • Ryfle, Steve, and Ed Godziszewski. Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa.
  • Rhodes, Sean, and Brooke McCorkle. “Chapter 4: “Mothra, Marx, Mother Nature.” Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema.

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