The Monster Island Film Vault

Next week–much to Nate’s chagrin–MIFV begins the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera”! Twelve months, twelve movies–but only four of them are good! Hear all about what to expect from MIFV in 2021 in this promo!

Music: “Gammera” by The Moons

The post Episode 31.5: MIFV Season 2 Promo – ‘The Year of Gamera!’ appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Jimmy’s (former?) flame war nemesis, tokustasu scholar John LeMay, returns to discuss the second banned film to be covered on MIFV: Prophecies of Nostradamus. This infamous disaster film—which is as different from Submersion of Japan as night is from day—was Toho’s biggest hit of 1974 and features the last appearance by Takeshi Shimura in a Toho tokusatsu film, which only makes its banishment to the back of the vault all the more puzzling. Nate and John explain that the film was banned because of a 30-second scene (that wasn’t even real!) featuring “Soft-Bodied Humans” that was seen as offensive to atomic bombing survivors. Nate also gives a history lesson on who the popular but misunderstood French seer Nostradamus was and his book of prophecies, which inspired this bizarre film.

Yes, we know that this episode went over the Board-mandated time limit for “mini-sodes”—and we don’t care!

You can buy John’s latest books here and here on Amazon.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

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

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• Complete Works of Nostradamus, The. Compiled by Arcanaeum (2003).
• “Furylfuramide” (Wikipedia)
• Galbraith IV, Stuart. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
• LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
• LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition).
• LeMay, John. Terror of the Lost Tokusatsu Films!
• LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
• Lost Films Fanzine: Movie Milestones #3, The. (John LeMay).
• Nostradamus: The Prophecies. Translated by Richard Sieburth. Introduction by Stéphane Gerson. Published by Penguin Books (Penguin Classics).
• Roberts, Henry C. (translator, editor, and interpreter). The Complete Prophecies of Nostradamus. Updated by Robert Lawrence. Published by Three Rivers Press.

Hello, kaiju lovers!

This week’s episode is a “traditional” mini-analysis of Latitude Zero, an almost obscure 1969 Toho science fiction film directed by Ishiro Honda, who probably had to take a dip in the “Bath of Immunity” to endure the stress of making it. To say it was harrowing would be an understatement. This strange American/Japanese co-production has a troubled history full of clashing sensibilities and creative differences (which you can hear more about in MIFV episode six). However, the main topic of the episode is the concept of utopia because Latitude Zero seems to be a rare example in fiction of a successful one. Spoiler warning: Nathan doesn’t buy it.

Afterward, Nathan and Jimmy are visited by the Monster Island Board of Directors’ executive assistant, Ms. Perkins, who is the Island’s head of PR. She wanted to discuss recent “fake news” being spread by Jimmy From NASA and also announce the Board’s decision on Nathan’s proposals for season two of MIFV. All this plus listener feedback!

This episode features Celeste Mora as Ms. Perkins (Twitter: @VOCelesteMora).

The song heard in the episode is “Opening the Way” by Pablo Coma, which is a remix from the video game Shadow of the Colossus. It is from the OCRemix album, BadAss Boss Themes: Volume III.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

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

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• “The Ambiguous Necessity of Utopia: Post-Colonial Literatures and the Persistence of Hope” by Bill Ashcroft (Social Alternatives, Vol. 28 No.3, 2009)
• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition) by John LeMay
• “Dystopia: Who Needs It?” by Adrian Mourby (History Today; Dec 2003; 53, 12; ProQuest Research Library, pg. 16)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
• Kaijuvision Radio – Episode 52: Latitude Zero (1969) (The South China Sea Disputes)
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
• “News from Somewhere: Enhanced Sociability and the Composite Definition of Utopia and Dystopia” by Gregory Claeys (The Journal of the Historical Association)
• “Pragmatism, Utopia and Anti-Utopia” by Ruth Levitas (Critical Horizons: A Journal of Philosophy and Social Theory 9.1, May 2008, 42–59)
• “The problem with utopia” by Michael Shermer (This Week and Aeon)
• Utopia by Thomas More

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Nate is joined by podcaster/YouTuber/filmmaker Adam Noyes to cover something a bit different this week: the original 1973 tokusatsu disaster film Submersion of Japan (aka Japan Sinks). Think of it as a kaiju film without a kaiju. It’s based a novel by Sakyo Komatsu, who Adam describes as “the Japanese Michael Crichton.” The novel was a blockbuster, and this film was an even bigger hit. You can tell this was what Toho invested most of their money into and not Godzilla vs. Megalon that year. Adam and Nate discuss the film’s better-than-Hollywood special effects, the horribly truncated and re-edited U.S. version called Tidal Wave made by Roger Corman, and the film’s wrestling with Japanese national identity, among other things.

Also, Nate’s “pseudo-sister” magical girl superheroine clone, Jessica, meets him just before the broadcast to let him know she just moved back to Monster Island. He’s...overjoyed.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Featuring Sarah Marchand as the voice of Jessica Shaw.

Prologue script by Nathan Marchand.

Music: “A weird thing” by Chiro.
Sound FX sourced from Freesound.org.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:45
Main Discussion: 2:45-51:54
Outro: 51:45-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• 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
• Galbraith, Stuart, IV (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography
• Hammer, Joshua. “The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923” (Smithsonian Magazine)
• Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 54 (complete version): The Submersion of Japan (1973) (The 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake)
• LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982
• Schencking, J. Charles. “The Great Kant ̄o Earthquake of 1923 and the Japanese Nation” (Education about Asia, vol. 12, no. 2, fall 2007)
• Schnellbächer, Thomas. “Has the Empire Sunk Yet?—The Pacific in Japanese Science Fiction” (Science Fiction Studies, Nov. 2002, vol. 29, no. 3)
• “Sci-fi writer got the continental drift” (The Sydney Morning Herald)
• “Submersion of Japan (1973)” (Wikizilla)
• “Submersion of Japan: Television Series” (Toho Kingdom)

Hello. kaiju lovers!

The end has come...for MIFV’s first season, that is. It was supposed to be an epic episode on Godzilla vs. Kong...but instead Nathan is joined by Matt and Gratton from the “Giant Monster Ben Shapiro,” er, “BS” podcast to discuss Space Amoeba (aka Yog, Monster from Space), a weird lesser classic from the Toho tokusatsu library. Released in 1970, it marked a shift in the Showa era for Toho films. This was the year special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya died, the studio contract system was discontinued in Japan, and Ishiro Honda left Toho, just to name a few big changes. Jet Jaguar hung out with the intrepid Jimmy From NASA in the producer booth to act as a “dump button” in case the GMBS boys went full-tilt HBO on a family show. They along with Nathan discuss the film’s quirky characters and plot, its three well-executed but almost forgotten monsters, and the wonders of the “Weedmobile” before Jimmy is called away to quell a rowdy Godzilla and Kong with his newly rebuilt Mechani-Kong. That goes about as well as you’d expect, so Nathan, Matt, and Gratton have to pilot another giant robot to save his intrepidness.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, kaiju lovers!

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Listen to Matt and Gratton’s episode on Space Amoeba.

The prologue and epilogue were written by Nathan Marchand.

This episode features sound effects sourced from www.FreeSound.org, Brand Name Audio, and the Pipeworks/Atari Godzilla video games.

The music tracks heard in this episode are “Global Defense Force: Moguera” by Heavy Melody Music (from the Godzilla Unleashed OST) and “King Kong 2 – Main Theme (Metal Cover)” by Sharp Rain Music.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

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

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
• Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 53: Space Amoeba (1970) (Japanese Colonialism in Oceania)
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
• Writing Giant Monsters by John LeMay