The Kaiju Transmissions Podcast
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264 episodes
Our pals Trev (frequent KT guest) and Chris over at the Failure to Franchise podcast had Matt and Byrd on their show to discuss Godzilla 1998! We discussed how it came to be, memories of living through the marketing and release of the film, the backlash to it, and the lasting effects it had on the franchise. Did the movie impact the series for good or bad? Is it as bad of a movie as people say? How does it hold up all these years later? Listen and find out!
Byrd and Matt discuss Daiei's 1962 period monster movie, The Whale God (aka The Killer Whale). Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka (Zatoichi series), with a script written by Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba, Kuroneko) based on the novel by Koichiro Uno, it tells the story of a whaling village in the early Meiji period being terrorized by a gigantic whale. Two men, Shaki (Kojiro Hongo of the Gamera films) and Kishu (Shintaro Katsu of the Zatoichi films) to compete to be the one to kill the whale. For decades, this film was obscure to American audiences, but it just saw its first blu-ray release stateside. We'll give our review, as well as talk about whaling in Japanese culture, the awesome Akira Ifukube score, the themes of forgiveness and obsession, the influence of Moby Dick, and more! But first we have a news roundup with our thoughts on the new Godzilla x Kong trailer, Godzilla Minus One's Oscar nomination, and the passing of suit actor Ken Satsuma. Relax and enjoy the show!
Byrd, Kevin and Justin interview poet and Japanese literary translator Jeffrey Angles about his recent translations of Shigeru Kayama's 1955 novelizations of Godzilla '54 and Godzilla Raids Again (now available for the first time in English via University of Minnesota Press). We talk about Angles' interest in Japanese literature, his love of Edogawa Ranpo, the tightrope of maintaining an author's voice while translating, the life and career of Godzilla author Shigeru Kayama, Kayama's long-overlooked contributions to the creation of Godzilla, releasing a Godzilla book without needing Toho's permission, differences between the films and the novels, and more! Relax and join the conversation!
Byrd, Matt and Tom discuss Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the recent MonsterVerse spin-off series on Apple TV+. The story flashes between the 1950s and the 2010s as it follows the founding of the Monarch organization (introduced in 2014's Godzilla reboot) and two siblings trying to untie their family's mysterious history with it. Join us as we discuss the shows pros and cons, the charm of Kurt and Wyatt Russell, Legendary's lofty ambitions, the MonsterVerse's continuity problem, the current state of streaming television, what we would want from a second season, and more! What did we think of the show? Listen and find out!
Byrd and Lux ring in the new year by talking about two Showa-era "colliding worlds" epics. First is Daiei's Warning From Space, the first Japanese science fiction film made in color. It tells of a race of cyclops starfish aliens who warn humanity that a planet called Planet R is on a collision course with the earth. After that we discuss 1962's Gorath (technically a New Years movie!), Ishiro Honda's classic that tells of the titular star on a collision course with earth and the scientists tasked to prevent it with very little time. We also talk about the history of "worlds colliding" films, the weird post-film history of Gorath's walrus kaiju, Magma, and we determine which of these golden age classics holds up better. Relax and join the conversation!
Byrd, Matt, Kevin, Lux, Trev, and Tom assemble for a sprawling mega-sized, in depth review of Godzilla Minus One. Toho's latest entry in the franchise is a reboot taking place in the 1940s, as Japan rebuilds after World War 2. It follows Koichi, a former kamikaze pilot with survivor's guilt and PTSD as he struggles to find his lot in life and confront his trauma, as the H-Bomb mutated dinosaur called Godzilla emerges and devastates Japan. Our kaiju-sized crew of hosts discuss their feelings on every aspect of the film, as well as our varied interpretations of the subtext and themes within it. So what did we think? Relax and find out! But first we also give our thoughts on the new trailer for the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire!
In our lead up to Godzilla: Minus One, Byrd, Lux, Tom and Kevin examine more science fiction and fantasy films from director Takashi Yamazaki (Parasyte, Ghost Book, The Eternal Zero). Yamazaki made his first feature in 2000 and has been a consistent hit maker since, making some of the most successful Japanese films of recent years. For this episode, we discuss and review his debut coming of age/time travel feature, Juvenile (2000), the time travel action fest Returner (2002), and the whimsical yokai fantasy Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura (2017). We also give a crash course in Yamazaki's career, discussing the recurring themes of his work and the evolution of his career over the years. So before checking out Godzilla Minus One, hang out with us and learn about its revered director!
If you think Halloween came and went too soon, Byrd, Tom, Lux and Kevin are here to help soothe your Halloween Hangover with some more yokai-centric madness, with Toho's 2022 fantasy film Ghost Book (aka Yokaipedia). Directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One, Eternal Zero, Parasyte 1 & 2), this adaptation of the "Ghost Book Obakezukan" picture books tells the story of a group of children who share a wish that can only be granted if they accept a series of challenges given to them by a magical and otherworldly Ghost Book. The children are tasked with finding and defeating various yokai creatures (who join their quest once defeated). We'll give our thoughts on the film, Yamazaki's brand of family friendly fantasy, our hopes for Godzilla Minus One, and more. Relax and enjoy the conversation!
Our October horror series continues as Byrd, Tom, Lux and Kevin discuss Shinya Tsukamoto's cult classic Tetsuo trilogy! Tsukamoto burst onto the Japanese indie scene with the first film in 1989, cementing him as a master of surrealist outsider cinema, putting his name alongside directors like Sogo Ishii, David Lynch, and David Cronenberg, and also becoming an icon of the emerging Japanese cyberpunk scene. Tetsuo The Iron Man told the story of a Japanese salaryman slowly transforming into a mass of flesh, steel and raging libido. 1992's The Body Hammer took a less surrealistic approach to the material with a more straightforward narrative about a Japanese man who is tricked into murdering his son and his rage manifests in the form of guns and metal. 2009's The Bullet Man was an attempt to appeal to an American audience, with an English speaking cast and delving into the lore of the Tetsuo cyborg monster. Although Tsukamoto's films are NOT for the faint of heart, they've managed to be extremely influential on genre cinema the world over. In addition to the movies, we also discuss Tsukamoto's career, the definition of "cyberpunk," some of his famous fans and collaborators (including Martin Scorsese, Takashi Miike, Nine Inch Nails, and Quentin Tarantino), and how Tsukamoto's themes of destruction, sexuality, and man's merging with technology continue to be thought provoking years after his debut. Sit back and enjoy the show! Together, we can turn this world into rust!
Byrd, Tom, Kevin, and Lux are back to give a crash course on Japan's biggest yokai franchise, GeGeGe No Kitaro. The franchise, created by famous mangaka Shigeru Mizuki launched Japan's yokai folk creatures into the mainstream, where they have been ever since. GeGeGe No Kitaro is about a yokai boy named Kitaro and his friends often trying to resolve a conflict between the human world and the yokai world. For this podcast, we looked at a sampler of Kitaro anime adaptations from over the years: 1968's Daikaiju (loosely based on a 1958 Godzilla manga written by Mizuki) in which our protagonist turns into a giant whale monster. Next we have the 1986 movie version of The Great Yokai War (which Daiei would take inspiration from for several of their yokai films), in which Kitaro and friends go up against Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's Monster and the wicked witch. We follow that with 1997's Yokai Express: Phantom Train film, which combines the Great Yokai War storyline with the Ghost Train storyline, this time seeing the classic Western monsters hijack a train from hell. We close things off with two choice episodes of the recent 2018 Kitaro anime. We'll get into the history of Kitaro, the career of Shigeru Mizuki, and give our thoughts on the various adaptations. Relax and enjoy the show!
Byrd, Tom, Kevin and Lux pair up two independent horror films made in Japan by American filmmakers, with a mix of American and Japanese cast and crew. First up we have the Manster, an early body horror film directed by Kenneth G Crane (the American version of Half Human) and starring Peter Dynely (Thunderbirds), Terri Zimmern Jerry Ito (Mothra), and Tetsu Nakamura (Mothra, Latitude Zero). It is about an American journalist in Japan who becomes the subject of an evolution experiment that causes a monstrous creature to grow out of his shoulder and commit murders across Tokyo. Then we have the Revenge of Dr. X (actually titled Venus Flytrap), a film written by Ed Wood (yes, that Ed Wood) and shot in Japan by bored military personnel stationed there (we get into that insane story). It tells the story of a cantankerous NASA scientist who goes to Japan to "relax" and (for reasons left unclear) starts splicing plant DNA to create a violent plant-man. There's unhinged gas station attendants, pearl divers, mute hunchbacks and more. How do these compare to other b-movies of the times? Why did some guys in the military decide to buy an Ed Wood script and shoot it in Japan? Why is SO MUCH of the information out there about Dr. X false? Which of these movies nearly drove us to madness? We have the answers, so relax and enjoy the conversation!
Byrd, Kevin, Tom and Lux are back with more Halloween chills and thrills to discuss Toho's two part live action Parasyte adaptation from director Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One). Based on the popular body horror manga of the same name, Parasyte is the story of alien body snatchers who have come to earth to prey on humanity. A high school boy Shinichi has his hand possessed by one of the parasites and the two have to work together to take down the alien predators. We'll discuss the films, how they compare to the anime and the original manga, and the stacked A list talent both in front of and behind the camera. Listen and enjoy!
With Matt on an extended hiatus, Byrd brings in Lux, Tom and Kevin to ring in our annual October horror series of podcasts by talking about Kaneto Shindo's folk-horror classic, Kuroneko! Set in feudal Japan, it tells the story of a mother and her daughter in law who are raped and murdered by a troop of samurai. The two come back as ferocious bakeneko (ghost cat) yokai by making a deal with the underworld to kill all samurai. Things get complicated when the husband/son-in law of the pair returns home as a samurai. Combining atmospheric black and white photography and influences from Japanese theater, Kuroneko has become one of the celebrated horror films of its time. So how does it hold up? Listen and find out!
Byrd, Matt and Tom take a look at the completely baffling experience of the independent film Dragon Lizard Lord Super Monsters and the animated sequel, Hammer of Draco. In 2022, director Omar Sayyah cobbled together a series of Godzilla fan films he made in the late 90s, removed references to Toho's monsters, and dubbed them over to make the bonkers Dragon Lizard Lord, a film that defies description, despite our best efforts. Equally baffling is the animated sequel Hammer of Draco (which looks like it was made with Microsoft Paint). Join us as we discuss the two bewildering films, the passion and sincerity of their enigmatic director, and more!
Byrd, Matt, Kevin and Lux come together to talk about the long awaited return of everyone's favorite flying turtle, Gamera! Gamera is back, this time on Netflix with the new anime mini-series, Gamera: Rebirth. Directed by Hiroyuki Seshita (Polygon's Godzilla trilogy), the show follows a group of kids in the summer of 1989 as they get wrapped up in kaiju attacks, conspiracies, and other wacky hijinks as Gamera faces off against a rogues gallery of villain monsters. How did the anticipated reboot fare? Listen and find out!
Byrd and Matt are joined again by author John LeMay (The Lost Films, Kong Unmade, Lost Films of the Lost World) to discuss two nostalgic stop motion dinosaur films, Dinosaurus (1960) and Planet of Dinosaurs (1977). 1960's Dinosaurus was directed by Irvin Yeaworth (The Blob, the 4D Man) and tells of a construction crew that awakens a brontosaurus, a t-rex, and a caveman. Planet of Dinosaurs is a low budget indie about a group of space explorers who become stranded on a planet infested with dangerous man eating dinosaurs. It launched the careers of of effects artists such as Doug Beswick (Star Wars, Terminator, Blade) and Jim Aupperle (The Thing, Ghostbusters, Hellboy). As usual, we have our reviews, as well as plenty of behind the scenes history to discuss. These were favorites of ours growing up, but how do they hold up now? Listen and find out!
Byrd and Matt are joined by author John LeMay (The Lost Films, Kong Unmade, Lost Films of the Lost World) to discuss Denmark's entry in the giant monster genre, 1961's Reptilicus! This co-production between Denmark's Saga Studios and America's AIP has a strange history, having filmed two versions with (mostly) the same cast for both countries. We discuss both versions, trouble behind the scenes, and more! We also talk about the canceled 2000's sequel, the novelization, the comic book (which was later rebranded as "Reptisaurus"), and the 2008 Reptisaurus film. Relax and enjoy the conversation!
Byrd and Matt talk about Ray Harryhausen's classic dinosaur Western, the Valley of Gwangi! It tells the story of some showmen and a scientist who go on an expedition into a valley in Mexico to find a prehistoric miniature horse. What they also find is a flesh craving Allosaurus. They bring it back to put it on display for the public and well... things don't go so well. We'll discuss the history of the film, dating back to Willis O'Brien's failed attempts to get it made in the 1940s, the differences between O'Brien's version and Harryhausen's completed film, the lasting influence of Gwangi, the stop motion effects, and whether or not we think it holds up. Relax and join the conversation!
Byrd, Matt and returning guest host Trev take the dive into the trench to talk about Meg 2! In this sequel, we not only have a giant Megalodon, but also a bunch of other hungry prehistoric beasties trying to eat Jason Statham and friends. It is also the first big blockbuster from British indie horror darling Ben Wheatley. We'll give our thoughts on the film, the career of Ben Wheatley, the tepid critical response, and the state of the modern creature feature. How does Meg 2: The Trench compare to the first movie? Listen and find out!
Shin Kamenheimer! We are joined by Kevin and Lux to discuss Hideaki Anno's new film Shin Kamen Rider, the latest entry in the "Shin" series of reboot films. The film works as a retelling of the classic story of Takeshi Hongo's transformation into everyone's favorite Karate Bugman, Kamen Rider! We discuss the trouble behind the scenes of the film, how we feel it works as a reboot of the classic series, and how/if we would like to see more franchises get the Shin treatment. But first we also have our own mini-review of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's biopic about the "father of the atomic bomb," and what the Godzilla series could learn from it. How do these films stack up to us? Listen and find out!
Byrd and Kevin (with bystander Lux Edwards and sort of Matt) give a rundown of this year's G-Fest convention (which took place this past July 14-16). We talk about the panels we both held and witnessed, the guests, and other highlights. We also review the films we saw at the film festival, including Yoshikazu Ishii's Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo, Mike Cheslik's Hundreds of Beavers, Kiyotaka Taguchi's Daikaiju Bugon, and more! But first we have a lengthy news roundup, including the latest on Godzilla Minus One, Gamera Rebirth, the new Kong video game, and the Godzilla and Kong vs Justice League comic. Relax and enjoy the show!
We're joined once again by special guest Bob Johnson (SciFi Japan, Planet 8 Podcast, Bay Area Film Events) for another interview, this time discussing not one but two weekend long tokusatsu film festivals happening this summer in San Francisco. Bob has organized UltraFest coming to the 4 Star Theater from July 21-23rd and GodzillaFest, coming to the Balboa Theater from August 18-20th. Bob talks about the film and guest lineups, and, as always, regales us with many stories from his years in the fandom. The interview covers post-Covid theatrical exhibition, the early days of tokusatsu tape trading, cursed Ultraman statues, tokusatsu on home video, the modern state of the genre, and more! Kick back and enjoy the conversation! For tickets and updates, go to https://www.bayareafilmevents.com!
Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the brand new Skull Island animated series. Made for Netflix by Legendary and Powerhouse Animation Studios (Castlevania) and developed by writer Brian Duffield (Underwater, Love and Monsters), the series follows a group of shipwreck survivors trying to survive on King Kong's home island. How does the series fare as the first animated series and television venture for the Monsterverse? Does it improve Kong's unfortunate track record in animation? And why do we disagree with the marketing's use of the word "anime?" Listen and find out! But first, we discuss Toho's recent crowdfunding effort for a new Jet Jaguar suit and PlutoTV's announcement of a 24/7 Godzilla channel. Relax and join the conversation!
Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the South Korean obscurity, 1967's Space Monster Wangmagwi! Made (cheaply) to compete with the same year's Yongary, Wangmagwi has been a rarity up until 2023 when it got its first home video release (in any country!) via SRS Cinema in The United States. The film was thought lost until the Korean Film Archive started doing rare showings at festivals in the 2000s, which only made giant monster fans even more curious. The film tells of a space monster sent to destroy the population to make room for its alien overlords to populate the earth. Along the way we have interrupted weddings, someone falling in their own poop, and a homeless child getting stuck inside the monsters head in one of the most stream of consciousness monster movies we've ever seen. We expected weird, but nothing could have prepared us for the madness that is Wangmagwi. So how does the film hold up to the hype it has built in its decades in hiding? Listen and find out!
We are joined once again by our Kaiju Masterclass co-conspirator, writer Patrick Galvan (SyFy, Our Culture, Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career), this time for a full audio commentary for 1991's Godzilla vs King Ghidorah! This 90s rematch between Godzilla and his arch-nemesis has plenty of fans, but it's often considered one of the more confusing and sloppy films in the franchise. However, we believe it is actually more subversive than people often give it credit for, and we'll state our case on why we think it is actually one of the most misunderstood entries in the franchise. Along with that we also talk plenty on the film's themes of Japan's bubble economy, the career of late director Kazuki Omori, common misreadings of the film's (admittedly muddled) messaging, behind the scenes details of the production and more! So throw this Heisei classic on the tube and enjoy the show!
We finally take our first step into the vast "giant bug" subgenre with the granddaddy of them all, 1954's classic Them! Along with the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms and Godzilla, this film helped kick off a new era of atomic monster film, warning the public about the threat of nuclear weapons. Written by Ted Sherdeman (Latitude Zero) and directed by Gordon Douglas (Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye), it tells the tale of giant radioactive ants terrorizing New Mexico, as our main characters fight to stop the threat before it spreads around the globe. This film has gone on to become one of the most influential monster films of the 50s, kicking off a whole subgenre of giant bug films and inspiring films like Rodan and Aliens. In addition to our review of the movie, we'll talk about its turbulent production history, its far reaching influence and lasting relevance, and how the nuclear bomb has been trivialized by Hollywood in the years since its release. Tune in and relax!
Byrd, Matt, and guest host Trev (Days of Future Podcast, Failure To Franchise) run through a superhero double feature. First up is the recent Power Rangers reunion special from Netflix, which sees many of the original Power Rangers team return to face a robotic reincarnation of their arch enemy, Rita Repulsa. We'll talk about how nostalgia drives the narrative, the lack of certain prominent cast members, and more. After that we have the French Super Sentai pseudo-parody, Smoking Causes Coughing, directed by prolific surrealist director Quentin Dupieux. This postmodern send up asks the question "What if a Super Sentai team sucked at their jobs and were ordered to go on a team building retreat where they told each other weird stories around a campfire?" We'll talk about subverted expectations, the merits of surrealist humor, and more.
For our first comic book review, we are joined by Trev and Tom to talk about IDW/Boom Studio's crossover comic miniseries, Godzilla vs The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, written by Cullen Bunn (Deadpool, The Sixth Gun, Godzilla: Cataclysm) and drawn by Freddie E Williams II (Batman/TMNT). When Rita Repulsa decides to go to a universe without the Power Rangers, she gets more than she bargained for when she's met by the likes of Godzilla and other Toho kaiju. When the Power Rangers follow her, they have to deal with both Godzilla and co, as well as Rita and her army of monsters. In addition to our review, we'll talk about the challenges of adapting kaiju to comics, the conundrum of expectations, and more! Relax and enjoy the discussion.
We are joined by Tom and Trev to tackle another Asylum movie, this time with the sequel to 2021's Ape vs Monster. Ape vs. Mecha Ape brings the giant ape Abraham face to face with a mechanical doppelgänger that is carrying nuclear weapons. Can an ape stop a mecha ape?! Can Tom Arnold help from the comfort of his desk? We answer these riveting questions and more. But first, we have discuss the latest on the upcoming (and newly titled) Monsterverse film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Relax and enjoy the show!
We are joined by our Kaiju Masterclass partner, writer Patrick Galvan (SyFy, Our Culture, Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career) to discuss Ishiro Honda's banned 1955 film Half Human (aka The Beastman Snowman). Made immediately after the original Godzilla, the film tells the story of a mountain expedition to search for the abominable snowman (and a sleazy promoter looking to kidnap the creature). The film is under a self-imposed ban by Toho due to its offensive depiction of the Burakumin minority group, and can only be watched on VHS rips from a copy that was smuggled out of Toho years ago. In our discussion we will discuss the making of the film and explore the topic of Burakumin oppression and the very real struggles that the group still faces to this day. We also give some time to the bizarre and incomprehensible American version of the film starring John Carradine. Relax and enjoy the discussion!
