The Kaiju Transmissions Podcast

When Horror Came to Shochiku!

Byrd, Matt and Tom are back with another October horror special.  This time we will be talking about three horror films from Shochiku Studios; Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell, The Living Skeleton and Genocide.  Normally a studio known for family dramas and art house films, Shochiku made a run of genre films (also including their kaiju opus The X From Outer Space) to try and produce a hit in a time when the Japanese film industry was on life support.  How did this brief experiment go for the desperate studio?  Listen and find out!

The Invisible Man: Daiei and Toho

Byrd, Matt and Tom are back with another October horror episode, this time talking about Japanese Invisible Man films!  We've discussed Japanese takes on Frankenstein and Dracula, so its time another classic Western monster gets the Japanese treatment.  We discuss two films from Daiei Studios, The Invisible Man Appears (1949) and Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly (1957).  Then we go to Toho for 1954's The Invisible Man (aka Invisible Avenger).  We talk about Eiji Tsuburaya's involvement in two of the films, the state of the studios at the time, and we even discuss our favorite Invisible Man films.  These films languished in obscurity for decades until finally making it onto the fansub circuit.  So how do these old school obscurities hold up?  Listen and find out!

Body Horror Double Feature (Gakidama & Henge)!

Byrd, Matt and Tom kick off KT's October horror series with a double feature of obscure Japanese body horror short films.  Up first, we have Tsuburaya Production's Gakidama, about an unfortunate man who gives birth to a small gremlin (created by Toho monster maker Shinichi Wakasa).  Then we have the indie short semi-feature Henge (aka Metamorphosis) about a man who slowly transforms into a grotesque beast and turns into a giant rampaging monster (with effects by Ultraman vet Kiyotaka Taguchi).  But first, we have talk on our Halloween viewing plans, news on Godzilla: The Planet Eater, and Toho's involvement with the upcoming Monster Hunter film from Sony!

Godzilla: The Series (1998-2000)

Byrd and Matt are joined by Kevin Derendorf of Maser Patrol to talk about the 1998 Godzilla animated series!  Serving as a sequel to the 1998 Tristar Godzilla movie, this animated television series upped the monster action and gave us a more familiar Godzilla.  But was it any good?  It seems as though the further we get from the 1998 film, the more this series falls into obscurity.  Is it best left there or is it an underappreciated gem?  Listen and find out what our take is!

Toho Submarine Spectacular! (Atragon, Latitude Zero, Lorelei)

Byrd and Matt take a deep dive (no pun intended) into three submarine-centric Toho science fiction films.  First we tackle two Ishiro Honda classics with the iconic Atragon (1963) and Latitude Zero (1967).  Then we fast forward to Shinji Higuchi's World War II sci-fi epic Lorelei: Witch of the Pacific (2005).  All three of these movies are loaded with subtext and messages that we will get into and compare and contrast.  Join us in the deep end of Toho waters!

Lost Tokusatsu Films with John Lemay!

Byrd and Matt are joined again by author John LeMay to discuss his new book The Terror of the Lost Tokusatsu Films!  John's new book is a sequel of sorts to his last book The Lost Films, once again diving into rare and lost tokusatsu films.  This book revolves around unmade and rare non-daikaiju Japanese genre films.  We talk about unmade projects like Frankenstein vs. the Human Vapor, Invisible Man vs. the Human Torch, Inter Ice-Age 4, Toho's Time Machine co-production with George Pal and more!  We also discuss some of the more rare Japanese sci-fi, horror and disaster films like the Last War, ESPY, Horror of the Wolf, The Final War, Lady Vampire, Conflagration, and more!  Tune in and enjoy!

Interview with The Meg Author Steve Alten! (with Prehistory: A Traveler's Guide)

Byrd sits in on the Prehistory: A Traveler's Guide Podcast to be part of a panel interview with the best selling author of the Meg novels, Steve Alten!  We asked Steve a variety of questions about topics such as his writing process, scientific accuracy in his work, each entry in the long running Meg series, the Meg movie's long journey to the screen and his thoughts on the final film, what to expect from future Meg books, the infamous "Nessie Tooth" controversy, the influence of Jaws and kaiju eiga and more!  Steve also makes the special announcement about a brand new limited edition hardcover of the Loch!  The panel also consisted of Prehistory hosts Greg Noneman and Scott Mardis, as well as YouTuber Ryan George Collins/Omni-Viewer, paleoartist Joshua Ballze, and Primitive War author Ethan Pettus.  Enjoy!

Obscure Kaiju Movies with Kevin Derendorf!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Maser Patrol blogger and author Kevin Derendorf, who has just released the new book Kaiju for Hipsters!  Kevin's book explores obscure and rare kaiju films.  We talk to him extensively about his book and the large variety of lesser known kaiju flicks out there.  Why have so many of these films fallen through the cracks?  We'll get into that.  We also discuss a wide variety of topics including kaiju in anime, Gamera's obscure direct to video life, weird Taiwanese co-productions, kaiju short films, our favorite obscure kaiju discoveries, and more!  Tune in and enjoy!

Live at G-Fest 2018: Godzilla and Japanese Nationalism (w/ Steve Ryfle, Ed Godziszewski, and Chris Marti)

This past summer at G-Fest 2018 in Chicago, Chris Marti and authors Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski held a panel on the topic of Japanese nationalism in the Godzilla series.  From Godzilla (1954) to Shin Godzilla, the complex subject of Japan’s postwar identity and its relations with the U.S. and the world have periodically arisen in kaiju eiga.  This panel presents examples of how these issues are presented in the subtext of both new and old films.  Special thanks to Ed and Steve for letting us release this fascinating discussion.  Enjoy!

Giant Shark Movie Mania!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Eric and Trev to talk giant sharks!  We start with the recent Jason Statham blockbuster The Meg!  We talk about its years in development hell, comparisons to the book it was based on, and whether or not it was worth the wait.  Eric had to leave us after that, but it doesn't stop there!  Then we covered the Asylum's kaiju inspired Mega Shark series!  We also talk about our favorite and least favorite shark movies, including Shark Attack 3, Atomic Shark (Shin Jaws), Psycho Shark, and more!  Tune in!