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Tag: Eugene Lourie

Episode 105: ‘Gorgo’ vs. Bex vs. Encyclo | The Monster Island World Tour

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In this, the penultimate episode of the “Monster Island World Tour,” Nate is joined by MIFV staple (and Jessica’s “bestie”), Becky “Bex” Smith, but this time, she brings her “husbando,” Encyclo, along! They discuss arguably the best (or at least most iconic) British kaiju film, Gorgo, the last of the 1961 European kaiju movies. Why? To pay off a joke that goes all the way back to episode 18! This is the third Eugene Lourie monster film Nate has discussed on the show, so he may have to bent the podcast’s purview to include the fourth and final one. Bex is full of hot takes about the monster suit and special effects, while Nate argues this has the first ever “Kenny” in a kaiju film. That’s just a taste of what they discuss! Since this film takes place partly in Ireland and there are tensions between Ireland and England, the Toku Topic is Anglo-Irish relations.

“Jimmy’s Notes” on this episode COMING SOON!

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and 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, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, Michael Watson, Sam Allred, and Devin Torrence! 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: 0:00-27:06
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 27:06-36:22
  • Toku Talk (main discussion): 36:22-2:33:20
  • Podcast Ad – Henshin Power V3: 2:33:20-2:35:30
  • Toku Topic – A Brief History of Anglo-Irish Relations: 2:35:30-3:12:12
  • Outro (housekeeping, etc.): 3:12:12-3:28:32
  • Credits: 3:28:32-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    #Gorgo            #MonsterIslandWorldTour     #kaiju  #Britain           #England            #UnitedKingdom

© 2025 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2016.
  • Bogue, Mike. Apocalypse Then: American and Japanese Atomic Cinema, 1951-1967. McFarland & Company, Inc., 2017.
  • Derendorf, Kevin. Kaiju for Hipsters: 101 “Alternative” Giant Monster Movies. Maser Press, 2018.
  • Gorgo blu-ray special features (VCI Video):
    • “Before and After Restoration”
  • Gorgo blu-ray/4K special features (Vinegar Syndrome):
    • “9th Wonder of the World, The.”
    • Commentary by Stephen R. Bissette.
    • “Gorgo Lives.”
    • “Gorgo: Behind-the-Scenes.”
  • “Gorgo.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054938/.
  • Gorgo (film).” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgo_(film).
  • Gorgo (1961).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Gorgo_(film).
  • “Gorgo, Queen of Sparta.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgo,_Queen_of_Sparta.
  • Schoell, William. Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies. McFarlane & Company, Inc., 2008.
  • Warren, Bill. Keep Watching the Skies! (Vol. 1). McFarlane & Company, Inc., 2010.
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Bonus Episode #20: ‘The Giant Behemoth’ | The Monster Island World Tour

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In this solo bonus episode, which also features the return of the intrepid Jimmy From NASA to the producer booth, Nate discusses one of the lesser British kaiju movies, The Giant Behemoth (1959). This biblically-titled flick, which was directed by Eugene Lourie (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Gorgo), while pretty average, was the last film to feature special effects by the legendary Willis O’Brien of King Kong (1933) fame. However, some studio interference changed the story from one about extraterrestrial goo to a more “traditional” monster movie. Behemoth also had a screenplay by a blacklisted writer. Yeah, none of these were on Nate’s bingo card, either! Then Nate answers some long-overdue listener feedback.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and 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, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, Michael Watson, and Sam Allred! 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: 0:00-1:28
  • Main Discussion: 1:28-26:09
  • Outro (housekeeping, etc.): 26:09-37:43
  • Credits: 37:43-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    #kaiju   #daikaiju            #giantmonsters           #MonsterIslandWorldTour     #Britain           #England

© 2025 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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