Planet 8 Podcast

Episode 119: Christopher Lee’s Dracula

You might ask, Why is Planet 8 doing an episode on Dracula in June? Well, when we recorded this, International Dracula Day, May 26th, had just passed, and coincidentally, so had actor Christopher Lee's birthday, on May 27th. Lee, of course, famously portrayed Dracula in a series of movies from Hammer Films spanning the late 50s to early 70s. In this episode, each member of Planet 8 takes a look at a specific Dracula film.
Larry starts us off with the first in the series, Dracula (aka Horror of Dracula), from 1958. This film not only introduced us to Lee's powerful version of the vampire, but also his adversary, Professor Van Helsing, ably played by Peter Cushing.
Karen follows up with the next Lee Dracula film, Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966). This film is notable for a few things: one, Lee refused to speak any of the lines in the script, so Dracula says nothing in this film! And notably, Van Helsing is absent. Dracula instead faces another vampire hunter, the gruff Father Sandor, played by Andrew Keir.
Bob wraps us up with Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968). This film is a direct sequel to the previous one. A revived Dracula grows furious that a priest put a cross on his castle door and decides to take vengeance on him. This film shows the ever-growing inventiveness in both reviving and killing the count.
Lee's Dracula is more threatening and more physical than any other Dracula actor we could think of. He doesn't creep around: he leaps, runs, and pounces on his victims. He also has such a commanding presence, not just because of his 6'5" height.  Certainly one can make the case for Lee as the greatest Dracula actor. This is a topic we may revisit!
In our Sensor Sweep, Bob shares his new Ultraman popcorn bucket! It looks pretty much like an Ultraman bust. He also wants to remind you of Ultra-Fest, happening July 21-23 at the 4 Star Theater in San Francisco! Come see Ultraman films, buy Ultraman stuff, and more! 
Going along with our Hammer film theme, Karen shares a favorite book, A Thing of Unspeakable Horror: A history of Hammer Horror Films by Sinclair McKay. If you want to know the story behind how the Hammer horror films came to be made, this is the book to get!
Larry rounds us out with a new acquisition for his tiki bar, a Creature from the Black Lagoon mug from Shrunken Monkey. These were limited edition mugs only available at the Spooky Empire Convention, but Larry had some connections!
We hope you enjoyed this episode. Remember, you can always share your feedback with us at our social spots: 
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Do not meddle, Van Helsing, or you will have to deal with me!

Episode 118: Invasion of the Body Snatchers x 4

How do you know that you're you? What makes us human? These questions, and more, await in the four versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers that your intrepid Planet 8 crew watched and discuss in this episode. We will take a look at the original, 1956 version, and then move on to consider the 1978, 1993, and 2007 films. 
Of course, the 1956 film, titled Invasion of the Body Snatchers, is a sci fi classic and the one that all of the others is measured against. It's also the only one in black and white, which it gives it a moodiness the others can't match. It sets the standard for paranoia and fear and plays off the cold war tensions of the time.
The second film, also titled Invasion of the Body Snatchers, incorporates many aspects of the original, but skillfully updates it to the 70s. This one plays off the distrust of authority post-Viet Nam and Watergate. And the end - it's a scene you never forget!
The next iteration in 1993 discards the "invasion" part and is just titled Body Snatchers. It shifts the scene to a military base and the protagonist is a teenage girl. It relies much more on action than suspense, but it keeps the pods and many other elements of the story.
Our final entry, 2007's The Invasion, drops the pods for microbes from space who arrive on a crashed space shuttle and proceed to take over the populace and turn people into emotionless drones. This one has a surprisingly upbeat ending, which separates it from the others.
What do you think? What would you do if you made a body snatchers film today? What would the pods be a metaphor for today?
For this episode's Sensor Sweep, Bob would like to plug his upcoming Ultraman show with Bay Area Film Events! Coming the weekend of July 21st, you Ultraman fans won't want to miss it! You can also submit your Ultraman art to their art gallery. Check out https://www.bayareafilmevents.com/ultraman for all the details.
Bob is also excited about his new book: Kong: An Original Screenplay by Edgar Wallace (at fine booksellers or at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Original-Screenplay-Edgar-Wallace/dp/1786368811.) This book prints the original screenplay for the 1933 film and has plenty of other goodies, including a beautiful cover by friend of Planet 8, Bob Eggleton!
Karen shares her new purchase, the Kolchak: The Night Stalker the complete series blu-ray  by Kino Lorber. It was about time she got that!
Larry shares his cool bumper sticker from Mahoning Drive-In, one of the biggest drive-ins in the US. The sticker features a plethora of 50s sci-fi creatures and was designed by Mitch O'Connell (https://www.mitchoconnell.com/) who draws a lot of crazy and cool stuff! 
This brings our show to a close. Let us know your thoughts, and remember -
They're coming! You're next!
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Episode 117: Celebrating our 5th anniversary with Star Trek: Picard!

WE'RE BACK! That's right, no more best of episodes, the crew is back together, live, and we even got our great friend, Lord Blood-Rah to join us! Not only are we celebrating the return of Commander Larry, returning to Planet 8 after getting settled after that terrible home fire, but we're celebrating FIVE YEARS of podcasting together! Who would have thought we'd still have things to talk about? But we do! And the best thing is, we're all very happy to talk about this third and final season of Star Trek: Picard!
To say that we were unimpressed with the previous two seasons would be putting it mildly. In fact, we weren't even sure we would watch the third one, but we heard so many good things about it before it premiered, we decided to give it another chance. And boy, are we glad we did! What an amazing season it was. For long-time Trek fans like us (well, most of us), it was a treasure. Terry Matalas and crew gave us a fitting send off and last great adventure for the Next Generation crew. It was filled with shocks and surprises, laughs and tears. We really couldn't have asked for more.
So we hope you will enjoy this SPOILER-FILLED, freewheeling discussion of Star Trek: Picard, season three. 
For our Sensor Sweep, all four of us share what we're doing, reading, and watching right now!
Chief Engineer Bob, through his Bay Area Film Events organization, will be hosting Ultrafest! A Weekend Celebrating Ultraman, July 21-23, at the 4-Star Theater in San Francisco. Besides showing the new Shin Ultraman, they'll be premiering the new 4K versions of the 1966 Ultraman series, edited into 80-minute movies! Go to https://www.bayareafilmevents.com/ultraman for more information. Then August 18-20, Godzillafest returns to the Balboa Theater in San Francisco. You won't want to miss this colossal event! Follow https://www.bayareafilmevents.com/godzillafest for more details.
As usual, Lord Blood-Rah is keeping busy. He has his Nerve-Wrackin' Theater which can now be found on the Nostalgia Network. To find your local carrier, check this link: https://www.watchnost.com . The show airs at 9pm ET and 2am ET / 6pm PT and 11pm PT. 
Lord Blood-Rah is also hosting Chiller Diller Theater the third Saturday night of the month at the Orinda Theater in Orinda, CA. Coming soon: The Invisible Boy and Tales from the Crypt! Check Lord Blood-Rah's website for info on this and all his other happenings: http://www.lordbloodrah.com/home.html
Karen is still working -slowly - through the second season of Space:1999, and has also been watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for the first time.
Larry is still dealing with matters from the house fire his family suffered back in February, but is making time to relax and enjoy things like the Kolchak: Night Stalker graphic novel.
That's it for us. We want to thank you for hanging in there with us. We really appreciate you listening to the show and contacting us on Twitter, Facebook, wherever! And thanks for the support you have given Larry in the last few months. It really has been wonderful.
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Engage!

Best of Planet 8: Episode 6: Robots Invade Planet 8!

We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Robots Invade Planet 8!" from July 22, 2018. This will be our last "Best of" episode. On May 8, we'll be returning with all new episodes, as Commander Larry will be rejoining us, and the united crew will discuss season three of Star Trek: Picard! It will also mark our fifth year of podcasting, so be sure to tune in. For now, we hope you enjoy this episode from our inaugural year.
It's all about robots in this episode! Yes, robots, helpers or horrors? Will mankind wind up with friendly assistants like R2-D2, or are we more likely to create the Terminator? Join your Planet 8 crew Larry, Karen, and Bob as they discuss some of their favorite robots and androids from movies, TV, animation, and comics. We'll look at Data from Star Trek, a number of super-robots from Japan, The Vision from Marvel Comics, and well, a few more obscure characters. As usual, don't be surprised if the crew goes off on some tangents...including a discussion of Popeye? Be sure to tell us about your favorite robots in the comments section, or come over to our Twitter or Facebook pages:
 
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For our Sensor Sweep, Larry looks at the 1000th issue of Action Comics, featuring 11 stories about Superman by a virtual who's who of comics creators. Larry particularly enjoyed "Never-Ending Battle" by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, where the Man of Steel travels through time -and the different incarnations of Superman in comics and other media - to  return home to Lois. This special 80-page issue was released in June with at $7.99. It may still be available at your local comic shop. A number of variant-cover editions were published. 
 
 
Thanks for listening!
 

Best of Planet 8: Episode 22: Tracking Down the Night Stalker

We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Tracking Down the Night Stalker" from March 8, 2019. Your Planet 8 crew is currently on hiatus. Unfortunately our dear Commander Larry and his family were victims of a house fire, and while everyone is alive, the damages to the house were severe. Larry and family are focusing on recovering from the fire and getting their lives back in order. Once he feels he has the space to record again, we'll put together a brand new episode. Right now, the podcast is not the top priority. Please keep him in your thoughts. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help Larry and his family recover here: https://gofund.me/e6bcc768
Long before the X-Files, or the Winchester Brothers of Supernatural, there was intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak, chasing down every vampire, ghost, and monster that you could imagine. Premiering first as one of the highest-rated TV movies of all time, The Night Stalker was our introduction to Kolchak and a serious mysterious murders and abductions, which were ultimately revealed as the work of an actual vampire. A second movie, The Night Strangler, soon followed, and then a short-lived (but memorable) series ensued. Through it all, Kolchak encountered all manner of strange and frightening creatures. While it may not have lasted long, Kolchak made a powerful impression on many of us monster kids. Much of this can be attributed to the earnest performance of actor Darren McGavin, who portrayed Carl Kolchak as less than courageous, but so driven to discover the truth that he overcomes his fear. Kolchak had more than a little luck on his side too.
Join Larry, Bob, and Karen as they discuss their favorite episodes, monsters, and what they think made Kolchak so special.
For this episode's Sensor Sweep, Karen shares a fascinating new book called Infogothic: An Unauthorised Graphic Guide to Hammer Horror, by Alistair Hughes. This is a heavily illustrated book that looks at the Hammer horror and science fiction film catalog. It's an amazing trip through Hammer (and it dips into the Universal milieu and a few others as well), providing all sorts of details in infographic style. You could spend hours poring over this beautiful book! It's available from Amazon and other booksellers.
That's it for us. Please let us know about your favorite Kolchak memories -you can comment here, or go to our other hangouts:
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Thanks for listening!
 

Best of Planet 8: Mad about Universal Monsters

We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Mad about Universal Monsters" from August 22, 2018. Your Planet 8 crew is currently on hiatus. Unfortunately our dear Commander Larry and his family were victims of a house fire, and while everyone is alive, the damages to the house were severe. Larry and family are focusing on recovering from the fire and getting their lives back in order. Once he feels he has the space to record again, we'll put together a brand new episode. Right now, the podcast is not the top priority. Please keep him in your thoughts. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help Larry and his family recover here: https://gofund.me/e6bcc768
Who doesn't love the Universal Monsters? Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon - if you're like us, you grew up spending Saturday nights glued to the TV screen, watching these classic horror films. On August 28th, Universal will release a 30 film collection with all films in blu-ray format! Yeah, OK, they did release an 8 film set a few years ago...but this has got everything!
 
In celebration, your crew has sought out renowned horror film host, Lord Blood-Rah, to discuss our favorite Universal monsters! This is a topic near and dear to all of our twisted little hearts.  So grab some popcorn and tune in. We'll discuss the monsters, the films, the actors, you name it. Who was your favorite monster? Favorite film? Which actor did you enjoy the most as the Frankenstein Monster? Listen in and share your thoughts with us here or on our Twitter or Facebook pages.
 
As always, you can find us at the following places:
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Thanks for listening!
 
 

Best of Planet 8: Episode 33: Planet 8 Goes Ape!

We hope you will enjoy this encore performance of "Planet 8 Goes Ape!" from August 22, 2019. Your Planet 8 crew is currently on hiatus. Unfortunately our dear Commander Larry and his family were victims of a house fire, and while everyone is alive, the damages to the house were severe. Larry and family are focusing on recovering from the fire and getting their lives back in order. Once he feels he has the space to record again, we'll put together a brand new episode. Right now, the podcast is not the top priority. Please keep him in your thoughts. If you are so inclined, you can donate to help Larry and his family recover here: https://gofund.me/e6bcc768
Welcome to a special episode here on Planet 8! This is one we've been wanting to do for a long time, and with the help of our special guest, the incomparable Lord Blood-Rah, we finally explore the 1968 classic, Planet of the Apes.
This is is one of our all-time favorite genre films. Planet of the Apes, or POTA as we like to refer to it, was a milestone in cinematic history. A serious, allegorical science fiction film that was only made possible through John Chambers' ground-breaking make-up techniques, POTA blew audiences away, especially with its shocking twist ending.
We focus on the first film only (we plan to devote later episodes to the sequels), discussing  every aspect - the amazing make-up, including the early make-up tests; the script and the many changes it went through in the hands of Rod Serling, Michael Wilson, and others; the brilliant Jerry Goldsmith score; and the memorable scenes and dialog.
The crew plus Lord Blood-Rah also take a look at each of the main characters and their complexities. Taylor, Zira, Cornelius, and of course, Dr. Zaius, all have their own agendas and the actors who portrayed them -Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, and Maurice Evans -did an incredible job.
We might also dip into some other areas of POTA, like the TV show or the cartoon, the comics and novels, but just briefly. And we have questions! Like - who made the scarecrows in the Forbidden Zone? What happened to the Moon? What did Zaius know, and when did he know it? We're getting deep into apedom here people! Even so, POTA seems like an inexhaustible subject, and we'll be back at it soon with another episode.
That's all for us kids! We hope you enjoy the show. Just remember -the Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Our breed made a desert of it!
 
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Episode 116: It’s a Disaster!

Tidal waves, fires, earthquakes - the world is a dangerous place, full of natural disasters! And on this episode of Planet 8, we talk about three of our favorite disaster movies: The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Submersion of Japan, aka Tidal Wave (1973/1975), and The Towering Inferno (1974). All three are excellent examples of the disaster genre, which came into its own in the 1970s, but is still going strong today. Disaster films take the real world and flip it sideways -sometimes literally - turning a realistic situation into a frightening fantasy of survival. Like fantasy and science fiction films, these movies also rely on special effects to convince the audience that the characters are in peril.
Karen starts us off by remembering The Poseidon Adventure. The brainchild of producer Irwin Allen (you'll hear that name again), it was a big Hollywood epic at a time when the studios were putting out smaller, more intimate, and cheaper stories. Poseidon brought big name stars and spectacular thrills to the screen, even winning a special achievement in special effects award from the Academy Awards. It also ushered in the genre of disaster films.
Disaster films were not exclusive to the US, as we discover when Bob tells us about Submersion of Japan, later released in the US as Tidal Wave. This film depicted an apocalyptic vision of the entire island of Japan being wiped out by a massive tidal wave. It was a huge hit in Japan, and two years later, Roger Corman released a much-altered version which cut a bunch of footage and replaced it with footage of Lorne Greene! Bob wants to thank Oki Miyano for additional details on the film.
Larry brings us home with another Irwin Allen spectacular, The Towering Inferno. The backstory of how two books were combined and Allen finagled his way into making the film is pretty amazing. People had questioned if Allen could duplicate his success with Poseidon Adventure - with Towering Inferno, he succeeded, both at the box office and by winning a Best Picture award from the Academy.
We round out the episode with our Sensor Sweep, this time focusing on some of the latest things we are watching or reading, like The Last of Us on HBO. Maybe you're watching some of the same things!
We hope you enjoyed this episode. Let us know some of your favorite disaster films by reaching out to us on our various platforms: 
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How many more sacrifices? How much more blood?!