The Kaiju Transmissions Podcast

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!

Legendary's Ghidorah Speaks! Interview with Monster Actor Alan Maxson

Byrd and Matt welcome a very special guest, monster actor Alan Maxson!  Alan had the honor of being one of the three mo-cap actors to bring Legendary Pictures' King Ghidorah to life in next summer's Godzilla: King of the Monsters!  Alan gives us a taste of his experience on the film and discusses his life long love of monsters and his career as a monster actor working with Full Moon Pictures, Thankskilling 3 and more!  Enjoy!

KT Live at G-Fest 2018: The H-Man: 60th Anniversary Retrospective

In July of 2018, Byrd and Matt did a panel at the annual G-Fest convention on Ishiro Honda's 1958 classic sci-fi/horror film the H-Man!  We went in depth on the making of the film, covering the script, effects, cast, trivia, allegorical subtext, and the film's U.S. release.  We even left some time for audience Q&A!  Unlike our panel last year, we have nice, clean audio for this one!  So enjoy, as we take you through 50 years of blobby goodness! 

G-Fest 2018 Recap

Byrd and Matt are joined by Chris Marti and Kevin Derendorf (of Maser Patrol) to give their account of G-Fest 2018.  The 25th anniversary convention had plenty of guests, including suit maker Keizo Murase, Godzilla suit actor Ken Satsuma, actress Megumi Odaka, and ex-pro fighter/actor Don Frye, as well as plenty of great panels on kaiju movies.  And of course, for the collectors out there, the dealer's room was as loaded as ever.  We will discuss all that and more, as well as our personal takeaways from the show. 

Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018)- Spoiler Review

Byrd and Matt are back to review the new film Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, the second entry in Toho's Godzilla anime trilogy.  The film finds our heroes discovering a Mecha-Godzilla City made out of nanometal, as well as a bizarre race of people who have survived the monster apocalypse.  How did the newest entry in the Godzilla franchise fare?  Listen and find out!  But first we discuss two years of Kaiju Transmissions, and we wrap up with some talk of Legendary Films' viral marketing for Godzilla: King of the Monsters!