01.26.2012: Tokyo SOS Daikaiju Discussion

Someone ring some kind of bell or something, people; we’ve hit episode FIFTY!

I think this is only the 2nd time we’ve received so many submissions for our Daikaiju Discussions. The last one was for a long-time fan favorite, Godzilla vs. Megalon, so I was pretty surprised that this mouthful of a movie title was so well received by the listeners. Well done, class…well done.

Unfortunately that means that we had to do a lot more creative trimming in order to fit everyone’s thoughts into the episode. I don’t like having to cut anything out, but I think we got most of the highlights from everyone’s homework included. Apologies in advance if I missed something?  There weren’t a lot of news items to cover, so make sure you check out the supplemental reading material listed below and, especially if you live anywhere near the Portland area, check out some of these awesome local events!

Lots to cover in this episode, so we didn’t get a lot of music in, but as always the track listing for this episode is right here for those that want to know what was played during the episode.
MUSIC x MOTHRA x MECHAGODZILLA
1. Immortal Godzilla by Michiru Oshima from Godzilla x Megaguirus (2000)
2. Running Wild by Michiru Oshimafrom Godzilla x Mechgodzilla (2002)
3. Adult Mothra X Godzilla II by Michiru Oshima from Godzilla x Mothra x MechaGodzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003)
4. Counter-Monster Warfare by Akira Ifukube from Destroy All Monsters (1968)

SUGGESTED READING
Gamera The Brave Coming to Blu Ray
Alien Day in Japan
Godzilla Blu Ray Review by Matt Frank
Ultraman Street Article on Scifi Japan 

Paul Guinan & Anina Bennet’s Boilerplate & Frank Reade Projects
Doubleclicks CD available now

LOCAL EVENTS
Feb 4 Ladies Night Drink & Draw at Things From Another World (Hollywood Store) – 7pm
Feb 4 Geeklesque Sallies Forth at the Star Theater – 7:30pm & 11pm
Feb 7 Geek Trivia at McMenamin’s Kennedy School – 7pm
Feb 8 Frank Reade Book Launch Tour at Floating World Comics - 6pm
Feb 12 Walking Dead Returns to the Hollywood Theatre - 9pm
Feb 14 Burlynomicon – Heartbreak Edition at The Lovecraft Bar – 9:30pm
Feb 15 Frank Reade Book Launch Tour at Bridge City Comics - 6pm
Feb 17 Kirby Krackle w/Adam Warrock & the Doubleclicks at Mt Tabor - 6:30pm
Feb 21 Geek Trivia at McMenamin’s Kennedy School - 7pm
Feb 22 Frank Reade Book Launch Tour at Hollywood TFAW - 7pm

 

NEXT DAIKAIJU DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT
So our February film of focus is the 1968 battle royale (with cheese) known here in the U.S. as Destroy All Monsters! This film is one of the classics and I personally cannot wait to hear what people have to say about this one. Be aware that February is a short month, so the homework will be due by February 25th! I kind of let the deadline for January’s slide a little bit, but I won’t be able to do that for next month. Hopefully a lot of you have the Media Blasters BluRay or DVD that came out last year. Since it’s included, we’ll probably watch the AIP dub, since that’s the version I like the best. Not that this whole podcast thing is all about me! Anyway, I hope you can get your claws on a copy of the film if it isn’t in your collection. If you’d like to submit your thoughts, questions and reviews for the discussion, email me and include “Daikaiju Discussion” in the subject and I’ll make sure to get your comments into the episode.

01.16.2012: “Live” from the Monster Garage..err… ROOM!

Hey Kaijucast listeners! Welcome to episode #49 of the Kaijucast. Bad news, I’m getting over a killer head cold, so I was very happy to almost turn over the reins to some friends of mine. Ok, that’s not really what I did. But thanks to Skype and Bob Johnson setting up a cool recording space in his “Monster Room”, we were able to connect with this small group of fans “down south”.

Heather and I are joined by Bob Johnson, Kevin DeAntonio, Butch Portillo and Barrie Evans as these fellow kaiju enthusiasts share what it was like to be a young Godzilla fan around San Francisco in the 1970s. I’m still really amazed at what was happening in that area of the US at the time. And who knows? This may be the first of several long distance group calls – not just with the Bay Area crew, either!

As usual, we have a little bit of news to share and discuss, not too much but there are plenty of local events, too, for those in the Portland area. And because the Kaiju-sation -ok, you have to agree that’s a terrible name- was so long, we were only able to play a few songs (and the episode still came in at one hour and twenty minutes!). But here are those songs for you!

MELODIC MONSTROSITIES
1. Storm On Odo Island by Akira Ifukube from Gojira (1954)
2. Attack To The Dune by Akira Ifukube from Mothra vs Godzilla (1964)
3. The Diet Building by Miichiru Ooshima from Godzilla Mothra MechaGodzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003)

SUGGESTED READING:
Gojira Articles on SciFi Japan: Curtis Tsui Interview & Initial News
Packaging “Fiasco” with Criterion’s Godzilla?
Bay Area Film Events
Facebook Pages of Kevin, Bob, Barrie & Butch

LOCAL EVENTS:
Jan 18th: The Doubelclicks at Backspace
Jan 21st: Mythbusters’ Behind The Myth
Jan 24th: Geek Trivia by TFAW at the Kennedy School

DAIKAIJU DISCUSSION REMINDER:
Don’t forget that this month we’ll be watching and discussin’ the 2003 Toho film, Godzilla Mothra MechaGodzilla: Tokyo SOS. If you want your thoughts, questions and reviews to be included in the next episode, make sure you get your homework emailed to me with the subject of “Daikaiju Discussions” by January 22nd. The reason the deadline is sooner is that the last week of the month is a very short one. If you don’t have it yet, we’ll be watching the subtitled version of Sony’s DVD – which is a pretty decent version of the film.

 

12.30.2011: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah Daikaiju Discussion

Ahh, what a year this has been for the Kaijucast! And what a way to end it… with episode 48, the Daikaiju Discussion for 1995′s kaiju battle royale Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. Obviously this is one of my favorite movies in the franchise and there’s not enough time in one podcast to talk about all that makes me swoon as a Godzilla fan within this film.

I was happy to have a cadre of kaiju commentators with me for this episode: Martin Vavra, Cindy Okumoto, the Mad Marquis (of Critical Hit Burlesque) and T’Igor all joined me while my very patient visiting parents waited downstairs. Also, many thanks to those who submitted their homework, you guys made some great points. As usual, there were bit of news and local events to share (see the show notes below). And if you are curious about the music played in this episode, here’s the coveted set list from this episode!

MERRY MONSTER MUSICAL MELODIES
1. Hoshi No Yo Ni by Misia from Mega Monster Battle Ultra Galaxy Legend The Movie (2009)
2. Battra’s Theme by Akira Ifukube from Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)
3. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah II III by Akira Ifukube from Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
4. Godzilla vs. Tokyo by Zebrahead from G.Lasts… Tribute To Godzilla 50th (2004)

SUGGESTED READING
Pulgsari producer and dictator Kim Jong Il Dies
Is Ishiro Honda’s family actually suing Toho?
Godzilla Legends issue #2 was released on December 16th
Godzilla Kingdom Of Monsters 10 was released on December 21st
Entertaining SH Monsterarts Godzilla Review
LOCAL EVENTS
Jan 6th: Cort & Fatboy Present ET: The Extra-Terrestrial at the Bagdad Theater
Jan 10th & 24th: TFAW’s Geek Trivia at the Kennedy School
Jan 15: The Videogame Quiz Show at Ground Kontrol (the world’s best arcade in case anyone was wondering)
Jan 16: Doubleclicks at Backspace
Jan 21: Mythbusters Behind The Myths Tour at Keller Auditorium

Big Monstrous Congratulations to Heather and Justin on getting hitched!

DAIKAIJU DISCUSSION
So the first film up for our Daikaiju Discussion in 2012 will be the 2003 Godzilla Mothra MechaGodzilla: Tokyo SOS directed by Masaaki Tezuka. This is important (and I mention it in this episode), but normally I ask that the homework gets turned in before the last week of the month. January’s last week is a too short to schedule the screening, recording and posting of that episode, so make sure that if you want to be included in the Daikaiju Discussion for January, you turn your homework in no later than January 22nd!

And if you are a first-timer, just send your thoughts, questions and reviews with the subject of “Daikaiju Discussion” via email and I’ll include you in the episode. This film is legitimately available on DVD with the Japanese language track and English subtitles from Sony (which will be the version we watch), so you should all have it in your collections!