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Episode 95: “The Zillo Beast Saga” | Ft. The Cel Cast | Star Wars: The Clone Wars & The Bad Batch | Patreon

Published July 10, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In our second Patreon pick of season 4, Nate is joined by Drew Dodgen of The Cel Cast (his co-host, Jacob, was too busy planning a wedding to come) to discuss kaiju in Star Wars! Specifically, the Zillo Beast, who appeared in two episodes of The Clone Wars  and three episodes (sorta) of its spin-off, The Bad Batch. This was an episode that grew since it was requested, going from two episodes of TV to five. Nate and Drew unpack all the kaiju tropes and homages throughout the “Zillo Beast Saga,” and Drew gives us a crash course in the history of Star Wars in animation. Meanwhile, MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, pops a few veins with all the prequel talk.

Jimmy’s Notes on this episode COMING SOON on the MIFV website!

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men, The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-12:09
  • The Clone Wars (background): 12:09-35:25
  • The Clone Wars – “The Zillo Beast”: 35:25-1:02:03
  • The Clone Wars – “The Zillo Beast Strikes Back”: 1:02:03-1:24:59
  • The Bad Batch – Background and “Metamorphosis”: 1:24:59-1:54:13
  • The Bad Batch – “Flash Strike” and “The Cavalry has Arrived”: 1:54:13-2:13:23
  • Toku Topic: A Brief History of Animated Star Wars: 2:13:23-2:33:46
  • Outro and Housekeeping: 2:33:46-2:54:57
  • Credits: 2:54:57-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 94: ‘Pulgasari’ vs. Tomi Trembath

Published June 27, 2024

I’ve survived the infamous War in Space. I battled the Virasians alongside by best friend and Gamera. I’ve seen and done things you can only imagine. But none of it prepared me for North Korea. I questioned the wisdom of the Board for sending us there to do Episode 94 on Pulgasari, and now I’m almost certain they must’ve cut a deal with the “Dear Leader” to make us “disappear.” They knew well that Nate would open his Venus-sized mouth and cause an “international incident.” Sarcasm is his native language, and it’s @#$%-ing illegal in that country! I smell a conspiracy of gay frogs proportions! But maybe I’m just “salty,” as the kids say, because that bullheaded punk, Pulgasari, ate part of my robot and technically ate my fiancée—before he petrified, exploded, and reverted to a baby. It’s been a weird week. Anyway, here are my notes on the episode.

  • The Kims suck at Counterstrike. All they do is try to use rockets. They’ll intentionally avoid using any other weapons but those.
  • I have a memo from Tomi to hound Nate to read Kaijumax. I keep telling him it’s fodder for the podcast, but does he listen to his producer? Negative, Ghost Rider!
  • Russian dolls of oppression are nasty things! I went on a mission toward the tail end of the Cold War to take some out…oh, wait…that’s still classified. I can’t talk about it.
  • I’ll talk to Elijah about acquiring the rights for a “Tickle Me Pulgasari.” After his success with Titanic Creations’ Yongary figure, that should be easy for him.
  • I used to eat farming implements until Tomi Trembath told me to “stop it!” But hey, I had an iron deficiency.
  • I wish I could dive into water when I’m hot and bothered. But then I’d hardly see Kaguya—you know, the reason I’m hot and bothered.
  • You wanted a “Pulgasari freakout face” gif? Here’s your Pulgasari freakout gif. (Although, Nate insists there’s a better shot for it).
  • James Bond movies aren’t real?! WHAT?! I’m rethinking my entire life! Next you’ll tell me, I’m not real!
  • I worked for a different “agitation department.” All we did was pull pranks. We were “Punk’d” before Punk’d.
  • I found an entire article detailing North Korean wedding customs. It’s both funny and depressing. For one thing, you can be arrested for going on a honeymoon (yikes!), but this line reads like something out of The Babylon Bee: “When someone gets married and has a baby in North Korea, people often say that another gun or bomb has been born. Some parents have even named their babies ‘gun’ or ‘bomb.’ That is the power of brainwashing.”

We here at MIFV are still busy, even after escaping North Korea. Depending on timing, our next episode will either be a Patreon pick from The Cel Cast for some kaiju action in Star Wars…and I have mixed feelings about it. Nate is calling it, “The Zillo Beast Saga,” and it will involve a discussion of two episodes of The Clone Wars and three episodes (sorta) of The Bad Batch. Then Nate and his friend Elijah Thomas from Kaiju Conversation have their annual Harryhausen crossover, “Monster Conversation,” with The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Next month, we move to Thailand (which is already safer than North Korea) to discuss The Lake and recapture its wild monster.

Until next time, remember…we shall overcome!

Social media:

#JimmyFromNASALives      #WeShallOvercome                #MonsterIslandFilmVault

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Episode 94: ‘Pulgasari’ vs. Tomi Trembath

Published June 27, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! Nate and Jimmy venture across the 38th parallel into North Korea to cover the most infamous kaiju film ever made and recapture its star monster: Pulgasari. Tomi Trembath of the Giant-Sized Violence podcast, who grew up with its strange American remake, The Adventures of Galgameth, joins Nate via video call (for obvious reasons) to discuss this “North Korean Godzilla,” which is surrounded by urban legends and even wilder true stories. It’s a pseudo-remake of a lost South Korean film and, arguably, the Daimajin trilogy–because it’s an ’80s movie that looks like a grungy ’60s movie. (Thanks, “Dear Leader”!) But it saved the life of its kidnapped director, Shin Sang-ok, and his actress wife, Choi Eun-hee, which is the subject of our Toku Topic.

Listen to this episode’s prologue: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/06/27/episode-93-prologue-the-hunting-of-the-snarky-nate-part-1/.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode on the MIFV website! (https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/06/27/jimmys-notes-on-episode-94-pulgasari-vs-tomi-trembath/).

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright,  Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

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Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-6:45
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 6:45-14:57
  • Toku Talk: 14:57-1:14:50
  • Ad (Toku Toy Town): 1:14:50-1:16:12
  • Toku Topic (The Story of Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee): 1:16:12-2:00:12
  • Outro: 2:00:12-2:14:30
  • Credits: 2:14:30-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 94 Prologue: “The Hunting of the Snarky Nate” (Part 1)

Published June 27, 2024
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Uber-Moguera lands in North Korea, and Nate meets a squad of soldiers on the airfield. He gives their Commander documents showing they have authorization to be in the country–but with one sarcastic comment, Nate finds himself on their “most wanted” list and dodging bullets! Can he survive this international incident?

Featuring Nate Chen as the NK Commander.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Special Report #7: ‘Ultraman: Rising’ Ft. Jeff Gomez of Ultraman Connection

Published June 24, 2024

Nathan is joined by the CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, Jeff Gomez, an “ultra-fan” who presides over the website Ultraman Connection, to discuss Netflix’s new animated Ultraman movie. Is it truly one of the best animated films of the year? We get into that and more!

Watch the video version here: https://youtube.com/live/B_pBsvH7CeE.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright,  Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #Ultraman            #UltramanRising        #Netflix

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Bonus Episode #17: ‘War of the God Monsters’

Published June 14, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! The South Korean leg of The Monster Island World Tour comes to an end in this bonus episode with a movie that exemplifies what Korean kaiju cinema did wrong before The Host: War of the God Monsters (aka The Flying Monster). This movie, which was released stateside by SRS Cinema, floundered in obscure infamy for years, and with good reason—it stole all of its monster footage from Ultraman! Yep, aside from one life-size prop, there’s nary an original monster in sight. If you thought the stock footage in All Monsters Attack and Gamera: Super Monster was bad, prepare to have those become your new favorite movies! Then Nate answers some listener feedback.

Edited by Christopher Riner with Nathan Marchand.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright,  Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

xr:d:DAF6Frev-3g:6,j:1021606928101988539,t:24011622

Timestamps:

  • Main Discussion: 0:00-16:19
  • Ad (Toku Toy Town): 16:19-17:41
  • Outro – Listener Feedback and Housekeeping: 17:41-29:53
  • Credits: 29:53-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #WaroftheGodMonsters            #SRSCinema

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 92: ‘The Host’ (2006) vs. the Omni Viewer

Published May 27, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! After several months in Seoul, Nate finally reaches the point where Korean kaiju cinema comes into its own: Bong Joon-ho’s The Host (2006). He’s joined by YouTuber and author Omni Viewer and his “kaiju” sidekick, Snazzy Chapeau, to discuss this momentous film. While it arguably has more in common with Jaws than Godzilla (1954), its effect on Korean culture was as significant as the latter was for Japan and King Kong (1933) was for America. It was inspired by a uniquely Korean issue/experience and catapulted Korean culture and Joon-ho onto the world scene. Speaking of which, the Toku Topic is the true story that is recreated and dramatized in the film: the McFarland Incident. Also, there are periodic reports from Sir Adam Lexington, a friend of Omni’s, as he repairs Uber-Moguera.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode!

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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/stores/the-monster-island-gift-shop?ref_id=35533). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

xr:d:DAF6ER2fHto:3,j:8779057263152164811,t:24011617

Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-10:38
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 10:38-19:52
  • Toku Talk: 19:52-1:31:59
  • Ad (Crisis on Ulalu by Ryan George Collins): 1:31:59-1:32:42
  • Toku Topic (The McFarland Incident): 1:32:42-2:03:42
  • Outro: 2:03:42-2:21:11
  • Credits: 2:21:11-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #Reptilian       #Yonggary            #MonsterIslandWorldTour

© 2023, 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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Episode 91: ‘All Monsters Attack’ | Ft. Neil Riebe and John LeMay | Godzilla Redux

Published May 11, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! This film was popular to hate and now it’s popular to “reevaluate” it: All Monsters Attack (aka Godzilla’s Revenge). Nate is joined by not one but two fellow kaiju authors to unpack this grossly misunderstood G-film: Neil Riebe (who’s practically Nate’s new co-host) and the most-cited man on MIFV, John LeMay. They get into the cultural contexts that birthed this strange kids’ movie (starring the first Godzilla “Kenny”) set in the “real world” and not the “Showa-verse,” including urbanization, industrialization, and latchkey kids, among other things. To say the dub did this film no favors would be an understatement. Unfortunately, John had to leave early during the episode, but fortunately Neil reads a 2005 e-mail he got from a 19-year-old John for a special listener feedback segment. Prepare to have your mind changed about this film!

Read “Jimmy’s Notes” on this episode !

Additional Music:

  • “Crime Fiction” by Ervin Jereb

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 Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright,  Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

xr:d:DAF6EXLsG5w:3,j:5779659911910858687,t:24011617

Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-8:27
  • Synopsis and Main Discussion: 8:27-1:53:38
  • Outro: 1:53:38-2:10:01
  • Credits: 2:10:01-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #Godzilla            #GodzillaRedux          #GodzillasRevenge    #AllMonstersAttack

© 2023, 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • “All Monsters Attack.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Monsters_Attack.
  • “All Monsters Attack (1969).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/All_Monsters_Attack.
  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters.
  • Brothers, Peter H. Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda.
  • Commentary by Richard A. Pusateri. All Monsters Attack Classic Media DVD. Published by Sony.
  • 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 15: All Monsters Attack (1969) (Escapism, Industrial Society, International Bullies). Youtube. https://youtu.be/x03o07OoQPI?si=U5WK8ErZLxp7N-o3.
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, 2nd Edition.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, Vol. 1: 1954-1982.
  • LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
  • Osbourne, Randall E. (Ph.D.). “Godzilla as a Parenting Tool.” The Official Godzilla Compendium by J.D. Lees and Marc Cerasini. Random House. 1998.
  • Rhodes, Sean, and Brooke McCorkle. “Chapter 8: “Smog, Sludge, and Hippies: Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema.
  • Ryfle, Steve, and Ed Godziszewski. Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa.
  • Skipper, Graham. Godzilla: The Official Guide to the King of the Monsters.

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The Snarky Boneheads with Rito and Wade (April Fools’ Day Special)

Published April 1, 2024

Ever wonder what would happen if Rito Revolto and Deadpool had a radio show? No? Well, you’re gonna find out, whether you want to or not! The Board replaces Nate’s radio show in his absence—without telling him—with a new one hosted by Nate’s hated old roommate…and some dude named Wade. They report some local Monster Island news, take a music request from Bonnie Lass, and get into all kinds of shenanigans.

Starring:
-Nathan Marchand as Rito and Wade
-Olivia Reed as Bonnie

Written, directed, produced, and edited by Nathan Marchand

MUSIC:
-“Deadpool MvC3 Theme Metal Version” by 331ERock
-“Tenfold True (Instrumental)” by Breaker
-“Every Country has a Monster” by Jonah Ray

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 Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Edwin Gonzalez, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

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

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #AprilFoolsDay            #SnarkyBoneheads     #Deadpool      #RitoRevolto

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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