x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Monster Island Film Vault

Moonlighting Ninjas Media

A Podcast Seeking Entertainment and Enlightenment through Tokusatsu. Hosted by the ”kaiju academic” himself, Nathan Marchand.

tv & film film history

All Episodes

02:16:16

Episode 36: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Gyaos’ (feat....

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/03/10

Hello, kaiju lovers! Nate and his guests, MIFV MAX members Michael Hamilton (co-host of Kaiju Weekly and The Kaiju Groupie) and Damon Noyes, reach the peak of the Showa Gamera series—which isn’t as high as Nate wants it to be. (Or does he just want to get high?) Once again as part of the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera,” the Tourists get to watch the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode featuring this film while Nate must view the original Japanese version to compare notes. Even so, Nate riffs

en-us

29:46

Special Report #1 – ‘Pacific Rim: The Black’ (Season 1)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/03/05

In the first of what I’m calling “Special Reports,” I give my immediate thoughts on the new Netflix anime series, Pacific Rim: The Black. I was supposed to review it on Redeemed Otaku with my friend Bex, but that ended up not working out. As someone who adores the original film but hates the sequel (Uprising), I was surprised by how good this show was, even when it used some elements from Uprising. Be warned: about halfway in, I dive into spoiler territory, so avoid that if you haven’t seen the

en-us

01:11:30

Episode 35: ‘Prophecies of Nostradamus’ (feat. John...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/02/24

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

en-us

01:46:44

Episode 34: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Barugon’...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/02/10

Hello, kaiju lovers! The Year of Gamera continues. (Yay?) Nate is joined by his friends Joe and Joy Metter to discuss the outlier of the Showa Gamera series, Gamera vs. Barugon. It’s the one that was actually aimed at an adult audience—and it flopped. As usual, the Tourists get to see the MST3K episode—which has Nate’s favorite line of those episodes—while Nate has to watch the original Japanese version. Even with Joel and the Bots’ riffs, Joe and Joy say they would’ve preferred to watch it

en-us

01:02:21

Episode 33: ‘Submersion of Japan’ (feat. Adam Noyes)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/01/27

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

en-us

01:43:51

Episode 32: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera the Giant Monster’...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/01/13

Hello, kaiju lovers! And welcome to MIFV season two! Much to Nate’s chagrin, the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera” begins with the “freakishly mediocre” 1965 movie Gamera the Giant Monsters (or Daikaiju Gamera). So saddened by this is Nate that he visits the Monster Island Chapel and speaks with Rev. Mifune, the Island’s chaplain. The reverend suggests watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes that featured Gamera films so Nate could at least get a good laugh watching them. But when

en-us

03:20

Episode 31.5: MIFV Season 2 Promo – ‘The Year of...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2021/01/06

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.

en-us

50:25

Bonus Episode 6: Power Rangers In Space – Countdown...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/12/30

Hello, kaiju (and toku) lovers! Nathan has been mandated by the Board to archive episodes of Power Rangers in the film vault. Their executive assistant, Ms. Perkins, was particularly insistent on him starting with Power Rangers In Space, for some reason. So, as a special bonus episode to close out 2020 and season one, Nathan and Chris Cooke (host of “One Cross Radio”) recorded a pair of watch-along episodes for that series’ two-part finale, “Countdown to Destruction.” While Chris is a

en-us

01:08:09

Episode 31: ‘Space Amoeba’ (feat. Giant Monster BS)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/12/23

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

en-us

37:57

Episode 30: ‘Latitude Zero’ (Mini-Analysis)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/12/09

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,

en-us

47:15

Episode 29: ‘War of the Gargantuas’ (feat. Ben Chaffins)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/11/25

Hello, kaiju lovers! In this episode, Nathan is joined by Sci-Fi Japan writer Ben Chaffins to discuss what is, honestly, an overrated classic: War of the Gargantuas. This “pseudo-sequel” to Frankenstein Conquers the World outdoes its predecessor in only one way: the kaiju. Sanda and Gaira are the best characters in the movie, which is sad given that it stars Toho staples Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, and Nobuo Nakamura. Unfortunately, it also features a belligerently apathetic Russ Tamblyn walking

en-us

01:52:55

Episode 28: Nick Hayden vs. ‘The Beast from 20,000...

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/11/11

Hello, kaiju lovers! The Beast! The Beast! THE BEAST! From 20,000 Fathoms! Nathan is joined by his friend and regular Monster Island Tourist Nick Hayden for the first Ray Harryhausen film covered on MIFV: The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. This 1953 classic—the Jaws of its time, as Nick says—is one of the seminal films in the kaiju genre. It was the first “atomic monster” movie. Without it, we may have not gotten Godzilla in 1954. It was “suggested by” a Ray Bradbury story, which delights Nathan and

en-us

01:07:06

Episode 27: ‘Frankenstein Conquers the World’ (feat....

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/10/28

Hello, kaiju lovers! “FRONKENSTEEN! FRONKENSTEEN!” In what has to be a providential “accident,” our Halloween episode is the perfect kaiju film for the spookiest time of the year: Frankenstein Conquers the World. Nathan is joined by Travis Alexander, co-host of Kaiju Weekly and the biggest Baragon fan we know (#Justice4Baragon), to discuss this wild if uneven Toho classic directed by Ishiro Honda. We discuss the film’s relation to the hibakusha, the discriminated survivors of the atomic bombings,

en-us

01:35:28

Episode 26: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin Strikes Again’

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/10/14

Hello, kaiju lovers! The “Daimajin Days” come to a close with Joe and Joy Metter returning to discuss Daimajin Strikes Again. The final film of the Daimajin trilogy, while it has the same basic set-up with an evil lord oppressing the people, focuses on four boys who set out to rescue their commoner fathers and brothers from slavery. The Metters’ dogs Teddy Kong and Bitzilla make more cameos as they and Nathan make frequent comparisons between this film and Lord of the Rings, Naruto, and

en-us

02:29

KAIJU QUARANTINE 3 Promo Trailer

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/10/09

Adrift in the Giant Monster Fandom, Travis sends a message to his friends as his passion starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Podcasters, Kaiju Groupie, Giant Monster BS, Kaiju Conversations, Monsters vs. Men, and Monster Island Film Vault must figure out a way to bring back their once enthusiastic allies for one more epic live stream of their favorite giant monster movies. But has the feeling of isolation during COVID grown too powerful to be stopped? Join the Discord

en-us

02:24:53

Bonus Episode #5: First Anniversary Special

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/09/30

Hello, kaiju lovers! Today’s special bonus episode is long, but can you blame us? It’s for MIFV’s first anniversary! Nathan makes a rare OOC (out of character) appearance and is joined by Patron and former guest Danny DiManna, author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project, to party like 2020 is finally over. In the first half, they present a “George Lucas extended version” of their Kaiju Con-Line presentation, which was titled “The Original MCU: Connecting Showa Era Continuity.” Essentially,

en-us

01:04:50

Episode 25: ‘Dogora, the Space Monster’ (feat....

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/09/23

Hello, kaiju lovers! Making his third trip to Monster Island—but his first appearance on MIFV—is none other than the Kaiju Groupie himself, Michael Hamilton. He paid Nathan and Jimmy a visit to discuss Dogora, the Space Monster, which was one of three kaiju films released in 1964 by Toho. The titular space squid is a nightmare straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft story—minus the sorta lame weakness. (To quote Batman, “Bees. My god.”) Nathan and Michael also discuss Japan’s infamous mafia, the Yakuza,

en-us

01:38:26

Episode 24: The Metters vs. ‘Return of Daimjain’

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/09/09

Hello, kaiju lovers! We have many happy (and not-so-happy) returns in this episode. Nathan’s friends Joe and Joy Metter are back to continue the “Daimajin Days” by discussing Return of Daimajin. They also brought their dogs, Teddy Kong and Bitzilla, although they’re a little quieter this time around. Regardless, this is the second of the Daimajin trilogy from 1966, and while it’s mostly a rehash of the first film that doesn’t quite rise to its heights (until maybe the last 10-15 minutes), it

en-us

31:27

Episode 23: ‘Atragon’ (Mini-Analysis)

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/08/26

Hello, kaiju lovers! This month’s mini-sode is yet another excerpt from the paper Nathan wrote for his Ishiro Honda independent study in grad school, and it’s on one of his favorite tokusatsu films: Atragon. This Jules Verne-ian sci-fi adventure story has deep connections to the Japanese national spirit as it was inspired by a militaristic 1899 novel and the ongoing newspaper stories about World War II stragglers being found on Pacific islands. The film also comments on resurgent Japanese

en-us

01:39:20

Episode 22: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin’

The Monster Island Film Vault ·

2020/08/12

Hello, kaiju lovers! Despite some recording/broadcasting issues with a new microphone (which will be remedied for future episodes), Nathan was joined once again by his friends Joe and Joy Metter, who were vacationing on Monster Island. They started the “Daimajin Days” by screening and discussing the first film in Daiei’s Daimajin trilogy from 1966. These films combine the kaiju and chanbara (“samurai”) genres to create some of the most unique examples of both. While Joe and Joy aren’t connoisseurs

en-us

249 results

Similar Podcasts

BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE

David Yontef

Nerd Culture - A Gamekings Podcast

Blammo Media

UPodcast

UPodcast

The Writers Hangout

Sandy Adomaitis

The Sarah Fraser Show

Sarah Fraser