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Tag: Nathan Marchand

Episode 2: The Tourists vs. ‘King Kong’ (1933)

Published October 9, 2019

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Our “Kong Quest” begins! 😛 Nathan is joined by his core group of Monster Island Tourists—Nick Hayden & Timothy Deal of the Derailed Trains of Thought podcast and Joe & Joy Metter—to discuss one of the greatest movies ever made: 1933’s King Kong. What’s interesting is none of these Tourists had seen this classic film before coming to the Island, so you’ll hear their fresh reactions, opinions, and analyses to the Eighth Wonder’s first and greatest outing. Listen as each of them compete for best (or worst?) joke of the podcast (“No monkeying around!” says Nick). Along the way Jimmy From NASA gets sassy with the Tourists and has to corral a dog dubbed “Teddy Kong,” who keeps trying to make a cameo during the Toku Talk. The Toku Topic for this episode is the Great Depression since the film was made and released at the height of that period and indirectly mentions it several times.

Be sure to check out the latest episode of Nick and Tim’s podcast, Derailed Trains of Thought, where they visited Monster Island to discuss destruction as a story element with Nathan as a guest host. Their podcast is marvelous, and Nathan has appeared on multiple episodes.

Timestamps
Intro: 0:00-4:42
Entertaining Info Dump: 4:42-12:06
Toku Talk: 12:06-1:21:27
Toku Topic: 1:21:27-1:54:52
Outro: 1:54:52-end

Read Jimmy’s Notes for corrections, riffs, and more info on this episode!

#JimmyFromNASALives

© 2019 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading

“Depression, You Say? Check Those Safety Nets” by Charles Duhigg (The New York Times)

King Kong Wiki Articles:
            –Wikipedia
            –Gojipedia
            –Wikizilla

Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 2: Godzilla Origins – King Kong (1933) and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

King Kong (1933) Review – Kong-A-Thon Episode 1 (D Man1954)

King Kong: History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson by Ray Morton

Kong Unbound: The Cultural Impact, Pop Mythos, and Scientific Plausibility of a Cinematic Legend (edited by Karen Haber)

Kong Unmade: The Lost Films of Skull Island by John LeMay

“Prostitution – The Great Depression”

Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World Culture (2nd edition) by Cynthia Erb

Wikipedia Articles:
            –Great Depression
            –Gold Standard
            –Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
            –New Deal
            –Reflation
            –Roaring Twenties
            –Timeline of the Great Depression

“What Sex was Like During the Great Depression” by Melissa Sartone

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Meet the Tourists!

Published October 2, 2019

With the first big film discussion episode next week—which begins our chronological coverage of King Kong’s filmography with the 1933 classic—I thought now would be a good opportunity to introduce you all to the core group of Monster Island Tourists who will be guest-hosting with me on the podcast.

Ladies, gentlemen, and kaiju lovers of all ages, meet Nick, Tim, Joe, and Joy!

Nick (left) and Tim (right).

Nick Hayden and Timothy Deal are the co-hosts of Derailed Trains of Thought, the premiere podcast on storytelling for the creator and the consumer. I’ve known both of them since my college days. Nick is an accomplished writer (and you should be reading everything he writes!), and Tim studied film in grad school. I’ve collaborated with them on several writing projects like Children of the Wells and, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been a frequent guest on their podcast. Be sure to check out the links to their sites!

Joe and Joy.

Joe and Joy Metter are another pair of longtime friends of mine. I also met Joe back in my college days. Joe loves anime and Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (which is probably why we got along as well as we did), and Joy thinks she lives in a musical half the time and will randomly break out into song. The two of them just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary.

These four will be on the show most often, but they won’t be the only ones. Here’s a tentative list of the other Tourists who will be joining me during the podcast’s extended first season:

Eric Anderson (founder of Nerd Chapel)
Ben Avery (writer and podcaster)
Dallas Mora (co-founder of Geek Devotions)
John LeMay (kaiju scholar and author)
Daniel DiManna (creator/author of the Godzilla Novelization Project)
Bex Smith (host of the Redeemed Otaku podcast)

There are a few other names on my back-up list and my season two list. It’ll never be boring on this show with this lively group of newcomers and veteran fans!

See you next week for King Kong (1933)!

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Episode 1: Welcome…to Monster Island!

Published September 25, 2019

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Listen as Nathan Marchand, co-creator and season one co-host of the Kaijuvision Radio, regales you with the origin story of his new podcast. It includes a vacation to a resort on the fabled Monster Island (formerly Monsterland), where he met his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA (who miraculously survived the infamous War in Space), and got a new job as the curator of the Island’s film vault. Between bantering sessions with his detail-obsessed, fact-checking interrupter of a producer, Nathan explains the podcast’s philosophy of film appreciation and lays the groundwork for the upcoming episodes.

And what will Nathan, Jimmy, and their many guests be discussing first? The filmography of Monster Island’s other most famous resident: KING KONG!

Hold onto your butts!

The Monster Island Film Vault: A podcast seeking entertainment and enlightenment through tokusatsu.

Check out the epic three-hour KVR episode on Shin Godzilla:
Episode 37: Shin Godzilla (2016) (Great East Japan Earthquake/Tsunami/Fukushima Meltdowns)

Check out Jimmy’s Notes, the companion blog series to each episode of The Monster Island Film vault!

#JimmyFromNASALives

© 2019 Nathan Marchand/Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Goji-kun and Bro Kong Meet Binty Kong

Published September 19, 2019

With only a week to go before The Monster Island Film Vault premieres next week (Sept. 25), the podcast’s mascots, Goji-kun and Bro Kong, are welcoming some visitors—until this happens!

“Bro Kong, what does the chopper say about his power level?”
“IT’S OVER 9,000! GRAH!”
“What, 9,000?! There’s no way that can be right!”
“I came here for the podcast premiere, not to pick a fight!”

Boys, what have I told you about treating guests? Especially when it’s my brother Jarod’s friend Binty Kong! Don’t make me sick Jimmy From NASA on you! Ugh!

All right, kaiju lovers, while I sort this out, you listen to the trailer for the podcast.

The Monster Island Film Vault—a podcast seeking entertainment and enlightenment through tokusatsu—drops in your favorite podcatcher next Wednesday!

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My Upcoming Appearances

Published September 15, 2019

(I’m pulling back the curtain a bit in this blog to repost an announcement from my author website).

I will be tabling at a small convention, and I have applied to table at another local author event. Both will be in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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The first will be Fantasticon Fort Wayne, which is being held September 21-22, 2019. Eric Anderson, founder of Nerd Chapel and my co-author on the 42 books, will also be there, but we’re not tabling together. The con announced that they would be selling five heavily-discounted tables last week, so I jumped at the opportunity. I wasn’t sure I’d snag a table, but I got lucky (or was “blessed,” if you’re the religious type). I’ll be selling and signing my books (although Eric will be selling the 42, so get them from him) and promoting my upcoming podcast The Monster Island Film Vault, which is launching September 25.

According to the convention’s website,

Fantasticon is a mid-size show created for true comic book and pop culture collectors and fans. The fans that come to our shows are true collectors that are looking for those rare items for their personal collections. Most leave very satisfied as we pride ourselves on having great dealers and artists at our shows. If you collect it, you will find it at a Fantasticon Show.

Fantasticon is proud to have a presence in multiple cities throughout the mid-west. Currently we are in five different cities, in three different states including Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.

We also, are very proud of the fact that our admission price is the lowest of any other comparable shows. And the cost for being an exhibitor or artist at the Fantasticon is far less than any comparable comic cons out there.

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While I haven’t received a confirmation yet, I have applied to table to table at the annual Local Author Book Fair, which will be held November 30, 2019, from 10am-4pm at the main branch of the Allen County Public Library. Find out more info here on ACPL’s blog.

Be there or be square!

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From the Vault: MIFV’s Tentative Season 1 Schedule

Published September 4, 2019
Logo by Tyler Sowles.

With the premiere of The Monster Island Film Vault just a few weeks away, I thought I’d give you a preview of the upcoming (extended) first season. Since I’m starting in September 2019, this season will go until December 2020. Future seasons will start in January and run through the entire year.

The theme for this season is twofold: 1) Cover the other big names in the kaiju genre who aren’t Godzilla, and 2) pick up where I left off on Kaijuvision Radio. To that end, the primary episodes will focus on the likes of King Kong and Mothra, among others, and the minisodes will cover the films discussed in season two of KVR (I’d already the research before I left, so I figure I may as well use it).

September 2019
Welcome…to Monster Island! (minisode)

October 2019
King Kong (1933)
The Godzilla Anime Trilogy (mini-analysis)

November 2019
Son of Kong
John LeMay Presents King Kong vs. Frankenstein and Continuation: King Kong vs. Godzilla (minisode)

December 2019
King Kong Escapes
Half-Human (mini-analysis)

January 2020
King Kong (1976)
King Kong Lives

February 2020
King Kong (2005)
Kong: Skull Island

March 2020
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) (mini-analysis)
Godzilla vs. Kong

April 2020
The Mysterians (mini-analysis)
Varan the Unbelievable (mini-analysis)

May 2020
3 Treasures (mini-analysis)
Battle in Outer Space (mini-analysis)

June 2020
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
The Last War (mini-analysis)

July 2020
Rebirth of Mothra
Gorath (mini-analysis)

August 2020
Rebirth of Mothra II
Matango (mini-analysis)

September 2020
Rebirth of Mothra III
Atragon (mini-analysis)

October 2020
Daimajin
Dogora, the Space Monster (mini-analysis)

November 2020
Return of Daimajin
Frankenstein Conquers the World (mini-analysis)

December 2020
Daimajin Strikes Back
War of the Gargantuas (mini-analysis)

You may have noticed that I’m skipping 1962’s King Kong vs. Godzilla. That’s because I covered it on KVR. My opinions on it are unchanged, and the Toku Topic I would’ve discussed would be the same. I recommend listening to it now or in conjunction with the new show (KVR, Episode 8: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) (The Japanese Economic Miracle [The Golden 60s]). In place of that, I’ll have kaiju author John LeMay on to talk about two lost Kong films associated with King Kong vs. Godzilla that he wrote about in his new book, Kong Unmade.

As I said, this is tentative. I’ve already had to change it once to accommodate the new release date of Godzilla vs. Kong (hence why there are several months in a row with full-length episodes followed by several with minisodes). While I intend to keep the main episode schedule set, the minisodes will change depending on how much listener feedback I receive (they’ll be answered on the air) and any interviews/content I get at conventions like G-Fest.

If all goes well, I have a second season planned. What will it be about? Stay tuned!

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Introducing: Jimmy’s Notes

Published August 29, 2019
It’s me, Jimmy From NASA, the intrepid producer of The Monster Island Film Vault.

Hello, folks!

The podcast’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, here. With The Monster Island Film Vault launching next month and recordings underway, it dawned on me that Nate couldn’t share everything he researched about the films. I also learned in our first big recording session with the Tourists (i.e. Nate’s friends) that I couldn’t catch every incorrect fact they brought up. I’m a stickler for details. Like white on rice in a blizzard.

It turns out there’s a clause in the contract we signed that states I get to have a blog on the podcast website. So, after talking this over with Nate (for about 30 seconds), I decided that on the podcast’s off-weeks between episodes (they release the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month), I’ll write and post a blog with everything Nate and the Tourists left out and any corrections on what they said. And trust me, I’ve already got a long list on Nate. There’s a lot more snark coming his way. 😛

Plus, it gives me something to do when I’m not busy here on the Island. All work and no play makes Jimmy a dull boy. And I avoid having flashbacks to the War in Space—

Those horrible spinning egg ships….

My…family….

I’m not crying. No, not at all.

…

Anyway, my first blog will be October 16, the week after Nate and the Tourists cover the 1933 classic King Kong.

#JimmyFromNASALives

#WeShallOvercome

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Discussing Daikaiju: Guest Hosting Other Podcasts

Published August 14, 2019

If you finished binge-listening to my first podcast, Kaijuvision Radio, which I wrote about last week, here some more kaiju content from me!

I’ve appeared on several other podcasts as a guest before, during, and after my time on KVR. I discussed multiple topics, but a frequent one was, of course, kaiju. An almost complete list can be found here on my author website, but below are links to all the episodes I was on to discuss kaiju. Enjoy!

Derailed Trains of Thought
A show on storytelling and creativity hosted by my friends Nick Hayden and Tim Deal.

–Episode 17: Magic, Muggles, and Morals – I read an excerpt from my kaiju novella, Destroyer.
–Episode 50: Guest Starring…Everybody! – In this anniversary episode, I’m one of several returning guests who “audition” in multiple segments to be a third co-host. One of those segments was a discussion of GMK with my future co-host, Brian Scherschel, which ended with Tim joking that we should start our own podcast.
–Episode 100: Journey to Tanner Mountain – Believe it or not, this features both me and Jimmy From NASA! In this huge milestone episode, we cameo as an eccentric Innkeeper and his assistant, respectively. I try really hard to get Nick and Tim to read kaiju novels.

Strangers and Aliens 
A show about faith, fantasy, and science fiction co-hosted by my buddy Ben Avery, who’s a comic writer.

–Episode 127: GODZILLA (Summer Movie Series)* – I review the 2014 Godzilla film with host Ben Avery.
–Episode 255: COLOSSAL Feat. Nathan Marchand – I review another kaiju movie with Ben: the unique indie film Colossal that stars Anne Hathaway.
Episode 315 – GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS – It was only appropriate that I return to review the sequel to 2014’s Godzilla; this time with Ben and co-host Evan David.

Forever Classic Podcast
This is a show that “seeks enlightenment through video games” started by my former colleague Alex McCumbers (from my GigaGeek Magazine days). Here’s their main website.

–Episode 11: Kaiju Games With Nathan Marchand – Remember what I said about being the kaiju guy? Anyway, Alex invited me on to talk about two of my favorite things: giant monsters and video games. We discuss existing kaiju games—past and present—and what we think would make for a great kaiju game. (Little did we know that there would be a G-Fest XXVI presentation on this very subject!)

Redeemed Otaku
A podcast created and hosted by Bex Smith that seeks to “redeem your love for anime by turning to the truth found only in God’s Word.” Follow the show on Facebook and Twitter.

–Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters – Bex has me on to discuss/review part one of the Godzilla anime trilogy. Being that its kaiju and anime, it was the perfect crossover.
–Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle – I return to Redeemed Otaku—this time joined by my friend and fellow Godzilla fan Eric Anderson—to discuss/review part two of the Godzilla anime trilogy (that has a title weirdly similar to a classic Star Trek episode). 
–Godzilla: The Planet Eater – In one of the best English-language analyses of the entire Godzilla anime trilogy, Bex, Eric, and I breakdown part three and put the other films into perspective. It truly is the best episode of Redeemed Otaku yet! (Don’t take my word for it—that’s what Bex said!)

Many of the voices you hear in these episodes will be visiting Monster Island as Tourists to discuss more giant monsters. Not only that, but these analyses will serve as the backbone of what you’ll hear us discuss on MIFV.

September can’t come soon enough!

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My First Podcast: Kaijuvision Radio

Published August 7, 2019

The Monster Island Film Vault is set to premiere next month (release date coming soon!), but you can still hear me talk about film appreciation and kaiju in the meantime!

For those who don’t know, I was the season one co-host on Kaijuvision Radio, a podcast I created and developed with Brian Scherschel. There I cut my podcasting teeth and opened my mind to seeing kaiju films, among other media, in a new light. Since the Monster Island Film Vault is picking up where I left off with that show, I recommend listening to these episodes in anticipation of the new podcast. Here’s a YouTube playlist with all the episodes plus a few bonus interviews. Enjoy!

Episodes 1-37 of my first podcast, Kiajuvision Radio, plus an interview on Geek Devotions and interviews with John LeMay and Daniel DiManna. Enjoy!
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