Planet 8 Podcast

Episode 129: Thankful for Godzilla

Another year has passed, and despite all of the various crises of nature and man that we've seen this year, there is still much to be thankful for. We're thankful for good friends and family, great listeners, and for gigantic radioactive fire-breathing lizards. Yes, we're thankful for...GODZILLA!
In this episode, the Planet 8 crew share their undying love for Big G. We'll share our recollections of how we first encountered Godzilla, talk about our favorite Godzilla films and scenes, favorite kaiju co-stars, and on and on into Godzilla-mania. So tune in and reminisce along with us.
Our Sensor Sweep ties right into our theme, as Bob had the pleasure of attending the red carpet premiere of Godzilla Minus One in Los Angeles! He got to meet the director and many other celebrities, as well as see the new film, which he gives two big thumbs up! Don't forget, Godzilla vs. Kong is also coming out in April next year, which is the 70th anniversary of Godzilla! Also, check out Monarch on Apple TV, which tells the story of the organization that investigates the kaiju. And Godzillafest will be held in August, so stay tuned.
Whew! Everything after that is anti-climactic, but Karen shares a cool Godzilla reference book from the 90s, the Official Godzilla Compendium, an over-sized magazine which is chock full of photos and great illustrations by Art Adams. You might be able to find it on eBay.
We finally got him! Larry started watching The Invaders! He shared his 1st season DVD set. With all three of us watching it, look for an episode on the show to appear some time next year.
That's it for us this time. To those celebrating Thanksgiving, we hope you have a safe and happy holiday. And to all of you we say, a big "Thank you" for listening to us or watching us, reaching out to us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. We really love hearing from you! 
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Oh no, there goes Tokyo!

Episode 128: Tuesday is Soylent Green day!

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the film Soylent Green (1973), a dystopian thriller set in the year 2022, which has one of the greatest shock endings of all time.  ***SPOILER*** The crackers being distributed to the grubby crowds, called Soylent Green and supposedly made from plankton, actually come from a far more disturbing source. As star Charlton Heston shouts at the film's end (and which has become a popular meme), "Soylent Green is people!"
This was the third of Heston's dystopian science fiction films (fourth, if you count his brief appearance in Beneath the Planet of the Apes) - he started with the classic Planet of the Apes in 1968, moved on to the action-packed Omega Man in 1971, and then concluded it with this, what he called his only "message picture." Heston was concerned with the prospect of worldwide overpopulation, and wanted to make a film about it. His friend and producer, Walter Seltzer, gave the book Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison to Heston. They both tried to persuade MGM to adapt it to film. It was only when they added the element of the unwitting cannibalism to the script that the studio heads gave it a thumbs-up.
While the whole concept could sound corny on paper, and might have been B grade at best in the hands of others, it was a top-notch production. Heston and his fellow actors, especially Edward G. Robinson, really elevated the material. Heston and Robinson have wonderful chemistry in the film. Robinson's death scene is especially moving, given that the actor was ill, and passed away only a couple of weeks after filming.
In 2022, many articles were published dissecting the film, looking at what the film got right and where it was off target. While we're not eating people crackers (as far as we know!), some of the things in the film have hit kind of close to home. Issues with climate and global warming, the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, increasing militarization of police forces, the influence of corporations on governments and so on, all were shown in the film, and seem a lot more real than they once did.
We urge people to give Soylent Green another look. Do you feel differently about the film now than you did when you saw it before? 
For our Sensor Sweep, we gab about a bunch of stuff. Chief Engineer Bob has a whole lot of Godzilla stuff going on! That lucky guy is going to see the new Godzilla Minus One movie this Friday, November 11, at the red carpet premiere! Next time, he'll tell us all about it. He's also been able to see the 1st 8 episodes of the Monarch series on Apple TV and says it's pretty awesome.
Karen gives props to the Charlton Heston autobiography she referenced for this episode, In The Arena. It's a fascinating read if you have an interest in Heston or the 50s-70s era of Hollywood. 
Our Mission Commander, Larry, shared his vinyl album (what's that?) Songs from Beyond by the Bomboras, a surf guitar band, which he very much enjoyed and recommends. He's also hoping to get some celebrity interviews for Planet 8 at Fan Expo, which he has a press pass for. So keep your fingers crossed!
That's all for us. Next episode is our Thanksgiving special, which will feature our thanks for a very big legend - one that has stood out from the crowd for over 60 years now! See you next time!
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It's people! Peeeople!!

Episode 127: Halloween Bloodsuckers (Vampire Films)

Happy Halloween! Sure, we're a few days early, but we know most of you have been celebrating all month (if not earlier).  We're back with more of those terrors from the tomb, vampires! Last time around, we looked at the birth of the cinematic vampire. This time, we move forward in time to more modern depictions. Each of your Planet 8 crew picked two films to discuss. So that gives us six films that range in tone, style, and of course, the type of vampires present.
We start off with a look at Salem's Lot (1979), the two-part TV movie that traumatized a generation.  Next up is the 80s classic, The Lost Boys (1987), with a pop soundtrack and kid vampire hunters. Things take a serious turn with Let The Right One In (2008), a dark entry from Sweden. The Hunger (1983) offers a sensual twist on the legend, while What We Do in the Shadows (2014) finds the humor in the vampire lifestyle. We conclude with Fright Night (1985), which asks what would you do if the guy next door was a vampire?
We hope you enjoyed our exploration of this classic monster. What are some of your favorite vampire films? Be sure to let us know!
For our Sensor Sweep, all three of the crew have books this time! Who knew we were so literate? Chief Engineer Bob brings the spooky with a collection of Asian Ghost Short Stories. It's over 400 pages of fascinating stories from all over Asia.  Next we have Karen with a choice ripe for Halloween, Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror by Michael Mallory. Full of great photos from the movies, it's a fun one to  look at. Finally, Commander Larry caps it off with Making It So by Patrick Stewart - he not only got this book by Sir Patrick, he got it signed and personalized!
Thanks for listening! We wish you all a very Happy Halloween!
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Children of the night, what music they make!
 
 

Episode 126: Birth of the Vampire

Vampires! These undead fiends have been a part of folklore for centuries, but they were born on the silver screen back in the age of the silent movie. In this episode, as an early Halloween treat, we explore three films based on the greatest vampire of them all: Dracula! The evil Count from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel was brought to life in a trio of films spanning from 1922 to 1931 that continue to enthrall viewers. 
Bob will introduce us to Nosferatu, a silent film made in Germany and released in 1922. This adaptation did not have legal rights to Dracula and had to rename its characters, with Dracula getting a name change to "Count Orlok." This vampire is not at all an attractive gentleman but rather a pointy-eared, bald, and fanged freak. Nosferatu has generated some classic imagery, so even if you've never seen it, you've probably seen pictures from it.
We move on to the classic Dracula from 1931, with the legendary Bela Lugosi. This is the film most folks think of as "the original" Dracula. Certainly Lugosi put his stamp on the character (although you can definitely make an argument for Christopher Lee).  Whenever you see a stereotypical portrayal of Dracula, it tends to be based on Lugosi. This version has wonderful atmosphere. Lugosi is what really sells it though; his Dracula is both charming and menacing. There's nothing sympathetic about this Universal monster though!
Our third and final Dracula is one that is seldom mentioned, except by true monster kids - it's the Spanish version of Universal's Dracula, filmed at the same time as the Lugosi version, but featuring a different cast, and made by a different crew. At that time, studios sometimes made Spanish-language versions of films to capitalize on foreign markets. This particular film was mostly a legend, until it was released in DVD and Blu Ray editions in recent years. Some viewers have stated an appreciation for this film, and even declare it better than the Lugosi film; you'll have to be the judge of that. Your Planet 8 crew has an opinion and we share it!
Moving on to our Sensor Sweep, we talk a little about what we're watching (Ahsoka!) and share a few goodies we recently bought, or may have just been looking at again. Bob has a new book called A Ring of Fear by Norman England, which collects his Fangoria articles on Japanese horror films. Karen shares a book she used to research this episode, Universal Horrors, by Tom Weaver and Michael and John Brunas. It's a great dive into the classic Universal horror films. Larry got a subscription to Scary Monsters magazine from his friend Dennis Brown! What a good friend. Larry also shared his Super 7 super soapies featuring the Universal Monsters.
We hope you enjoyed this look at early Dracula films, and maybe you're thirsty for more?? Good, because our Halloween episode will continue our look at vampires with more modern films!
Share your thoughts on Dracula, vampires, Count Chocula, and more -
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The blood is the life!
 

Episode 125: We Want to Believe: The X-Files Seasons 1 and 2

Listeners, this episode has been a long time coming. We have wanted to do an episode on the X-Files practically since we started Planet 8 over five years ago. But we had a number of starts and stops, initially thinking we could just jump in and discuss it, then realizing we needed to break it up and then planning to do seasons 1-4, then we had the break due to Commander Larry's unfortunate house fire, and we finally regrouped and settled on what you have here, which is a discussion on the creation of the show and seasons one and two. That was more than enough!
The X-Files was always about belief, the need to have something to believe in, the difference between belief and faith, and the search for truth. This underlies every episode in one way or another. 
Although The X-Files was famous for its rich "mythology" episodes which focused on the conspiracy to keep extraterrestrial activity secret, the non-mythology episodes offered just as many intriguing stories. The show was also able to weave humor into many of the episodes. The amazing chemistry between Mulder, played by David Duchovny, and Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, was a huge component of the show's success.
We hope you enjoy our spirited discussion of the first two seasons of this pivotal series. We'll be looking at more seasons soon.
For our Sensor Sweep segment, we talk a bit about what we're watching now, which includes Ahsoka. We're enjoying this show! Larry is watching a show on Apple TV called The Changeling, which he recommends. Bob's choice is Daryl Dixon, the Walking Dead spin-off. Karen has gone back in time to watch The Invaders!
Both Larry and Karen are overjoyed with a new book, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the Classic Film by John and Maria Jose Tenuto. It's a fantastic look at the film and well worth your bucks.
Fitting for this episode, Bob has The X-Files Official Archives: Cryptids, Biological Anomalies, and Parapsychic Phenomena, an illustrated guide to the creeps of the X-Files.
Plus we'll share the Blu-Ray of Picard Season 3, X-Files soundtracks, and more!
Thanks for listening. You can share your thoughts on the X-Files with us at any of our sites: 
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The Truth is Out There

Episode 124: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: Movies that Deserved a Sequel

This episode, come with us as we take a trip into a never neverland of movie sequels that could have, and perhaps, should have happened! Each member of the Planet 8 crew has dream movie sequels they would have loved to see come to fruition. If you're a long-time listener, you may even be able to guess what they might be! But we may also surprise you with a few curveballs. And to wrap the discussion up, we touch on those films that should NOT have had sequels! Those might deserve an entire episode of their own!
We'll also have our Sensor Sweep, where we'll share some thoughts on the Ahsoka series,  12 foot tall skeletons, and tiki mugs. Something for everyone!
If you have a coulda, woulda, shoulda sequel, let us know:
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We'll be back....
 

Best of Planet 8: Disney Halloween

Dear Listeners, unfortunately we have been struck by the dreaded deadline doom and are unable to bring you a new episode this time around. However, we will be back with a new show on September 8! Please enjoy this encore presentation of Disney Halloween from November 2022. And check out our YouTube version, which includes the video interview with our Disney guests.
In this Halloween episode, we take a look at the scary animation, films, and park attractions of Walt Disney. Typically we think of Walt Disney features as being funny  family-fare, but there were quite a few memorable frightening moments or characters in Disney features. We're fortunate to be joined by the hosts of the Walt Disney Family Museum official podcast, Bri Bertolaccini and Chris Mullens, who share a ton of amazing stories and details with us! So get comfy as we take you on a tour of Disney frights, from the Skeleton Dance to Pinocchio, from Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent to Dr. Syn, all the way to Disneyland's famed Haunted Mansion. You'll be covered in goose bumps when we're done!
You'll also be itching to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum! Our two guests Bri and Chris not only host the WD-FM podcast, but they are also part of the team at the museum too. So for the Sensor Sweep, they share what's going on at the museum, which is located at the Presidio in San Francisco. Currently, the museum is featuring a special program, Walt Disney's The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece (link) through January 8, 2023. Coming soon is Spirit of the Season, a community art exhibition (link) opening November 17th which runs through the holiday season. And don't forget to tune into the Walt Disney Family Museum official podcast, where you can hear more from Chris and Bri on a range of Disney-related topics! You can find WD-FM on most podcast aps, at https://www.waltdisney.org/podcast, or at their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/WDFMuseum.
That's it for us. We hope you enjoyed this special Halloween episode. Please share your thoughts with us at any of our social outlets below:
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Episode 123: Planet 8 Stream of Consciousness

The Planet 8 crew decided to sit down and have a conversation, a free and wide-ranging talk about recent geek and geek-adjacent topics. Among the things we discuss are recent convention and show experiences, what's going on with Strange New Worlds (and do we like it?), the big summer movies, the passing of Pee Wee Herman, and even the congressional hearings on UAPs (aka UFOs). We just kind of went all over, but hope you'll enjoy it!
We also do the usual Sensor Sweep, where we cover the latest books, toys, and what have you that we are excited about! Be sure to check it out.
We'd love to hear from you - what are you up to this summer? What movies are you going to, what comic cons are you attending, how do you like Strange New Worlds? Let us know!
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I know you are, but what am I?