Planet 8 Podcast

Episode 107: I Want My Mummy! Planet 8 Explores Mummy Movies!

Here on Planet 8 we've dug deep into the lore of many creatures of the night. But this episode is the first time we've tackled that Egyptian menace, the Mummy! The Mummy arose from the popularity of the exploration/plundering of Egyptian tombs, especially King Tutankhamun. The discovery of King Tut's tomb was also associated with a curse, which fueled many imaginations and stories. The idea of a curse, or at the very least vengeance visited upon those who violated the tomb, became the basis for Universal's The Mummy in 1932, as well as most of the mummy films that have followed.
Your intrepid Planet 8 crew will take a journey through the history of mummy films, from the Universal films to the Hammer series, some independent films and TV productions, and then back around to more modern times with the mummy revival in the 90s with the Brendan Fraser films, and finally, the nail in the sarcophagus, the Tom Cruise film in 2017. 
The Mummy is a unique monster and there's a lot to appreciate in this genre of films. We hope you enjoy this trip and share your feelings too! We'd also like to point out that Karen was a guest on our friend Billy D's Magazine and Monsters podcast back in May, where they discussed the Hammer 1959 film in detail. Here's the link, please give it a listen!
For our Sensor Sweep, we actually manage to stay on topic. Chief Engineer Bob and Mission Commander Larry discuss the joys of owning a 12 foot tall, animated mummy from Lowe's! It may be hard to acquire one of these now, since they have all been replaced by Christmas decorations.
That's all this time! We hope you crazy kids are getting ready for Halloween! We'll see you in two weeks for our Halloween show!
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Ankh-es-en-Amon!

Episode 106: Top Ten Robots Times Two!

It's time for another Planet 8 Top Ten -only this time, it's a Top Ten times two! That's right, in this episode, we're giving you not one Top Ten list, but two Top Ten lists! And our subject this time around is near and dear to our hearts, and we hope to yours too: Robots! Sometimes friends, sometimes foes, these mechanical beings have always fascinated people. In this episode the Planet 8 crew shares their favorite robots, with a twist: we have one top ten list of giant robots, and a second top ten list of human or nearly human-sized robots! We hope you'll enjoy the lists and the discussion around the selections. We think some of them will surprise you!
For our Sensor Sweep, decidedly non-robot related, is a limited edition Creature from the Black Lagoon 1/3 scale bust sculpted by Jeff Wehenkel and painted by Michael Reagan. Bob was lucky enough to get one at Creatures-Con recently. Sorry folks - no links for these! They're all gone!
That's all for this time. Let us know what robots are in your top ten! 
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Klaatu barada nikto!

Episode 105: Meet Frank Dietz!

This episode our guest is Frank Dietz, who has had an amazing career in show business as a screenwriter, Disney animator, actor, and more. Frank shares his experiences in Hollywood with us. Frank is a wonderful storyteller. Sit back and enjoy!
For our Sensor Sweep, we shine a light on Frank's web presence. His web site, Sketchythingsart.com, is where you can find his art, screenwriting, and other work, as well as a calendar of his events. He can also be found on social media - Twitter and Instagram - at TheFrankDietz. 
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Thanks for listening!

Episode 104: The Most Dangerous Prey

In this episode your Planet 8 crew will discuss and review the newest entry in the Predator film franchise, Prey!  Prey was released on Hulu this month and did not have a theatrical release. It is set in 1719 and pits a predator against a young Comanche woman. It's a thematic departure from more recent efforts in the Predator series and a breath of fresh air. We'll talk about what we liked, what we didn't like, and how it compares to the original Predator -the only yardstick that truly matters.
Oh, and in case you wondered -the dog doesn't die!
Now on to the Sensor Sweep: this time Chief Engineer Bob has a double header: He scored this fantastic Zuni Warrior from the infamous Trilogy of Terror TV movie at Creatures-Con, and then got this Shin Godzilla that lights up while he was hosting Godzillafest a week later. Talk about lucky!
What did you think of Prey? Be sure to let us know via one of our communications channels:
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Come on, Do it! Do it now!

Episode 103: If I Were a Carpenter: The Films of John Carpenter

In this episode we celebrate and explore the films of legendary filmmaker, John Carpenter! Carpenter is such a unique director, a man who has always done things his own way, with a real talent for storytelling. The Planet 8 crew will start by discussing Carpenter's early life and how he became a filmmaker.
We move on to a discussion of the qualities that define John Carpenter's style. Obviously, we'll talk about his work with his film soundtracks, but there are so many other aspects to a "John Carpenter film" - the 'slow burn' or building of suspense, his use of unusual camera angles or long takes, his distrust of authority figures, and so much more.
As we go through Carpenter's style, we'll talk about his films, lingering on some of our favorites, including The Thing (we dedicated a whole episode to it -you can hear it here), Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, They Live, and Big Trouble in Little China. But we also talk about some of his films that aren't on our favorites list too, just to balance things out.
Without a doubt, Carpenter has an impressive and varied portfolio that includes some real classics. If all he had ever done was make The Thing, he would be a master, but he's made so many films that exhibit incredible skill and style. He's truly an amazing filmmaker.
For the Sensor Sweep this week, we sadly note the passing of Nichelle Nichols, famed for her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek. Nichols was 89. Beyond the impact she had in her role as one of the very first African American women on TV who wasn't in a subservient role, Nichols went on to work with NASA to recruit women and people of color into the astronaut corps. A constant presence on the convention circuit, she was known for her warmth and beautiful smile. She will be greatly missed.
That's it for this go round. Please share your thoughts with us on anything we talked about -or forgot to talk about!
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Are you crazy, is that your problem?

Episode 102: Thor, Phase 4, and a Lot More

The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is here -Thor: Love and Thunder - and your Planet 8 crew has a lot to say about it. And it ain't necessarily good. Much like the previous Thor film, this newest look at the God of Thunder takes a decidedly goofy slant. It's a little too goofy for our taste.
Beware -there are spoilers ahead! 
Not to say there aren't some interesting or exciting things in the film. There are. But the whole film feels so unbalanced that it's hard to appreciate Christian Bale's performance as Gorr the God-Butcher, or Natalie Portman's appearance as Jane Foster, aka the Mighty Thor. Both of these characters have serious stories behind them; Gorr is a deeply grieving man, Jane is battling cancer. But they are undercut by the absurd situations and performances that surround them.
We're not against humor. The Marvel films have always had humor in them. But typically, it's been relegated to wise-cracking, not slapstick and utterly ridiculous situations. While some complain that Marvel films are too formulaic and there's no directorial freedom, in this case, it seems like Taika Waititi was given absolute free reign. Surely there's a happy medium, a balance between the serious and the absurd, formula and artistic license.
We move on from Thor to discuss Marvel Phase 4 and where it's going. What's the overarching plan? In Phase 3 we had Thanos and the Infinity Stones, what's the threat now? The multiverses colliding? It's also difficult to get excited when so many of our favorite characters are gone now. 
The conversation takes us to the Disney Plus Marvel shows, and even some of the DC films. You just never know where it's gonna go with us!
For our Sensor Sweep, all you fans of both tiki and kaiju will want to know about the King Ghidorah tiki mug from Mondo ! This is a mug nearly as big as the three-headed monster himself.  It stands a whopping 8 3/4" high and holds 26 ounces! You can buy it for $65 at Mondoshop.com.
And don't forget Godzillafest is coming up in August! The Planet 8 crew will be at Creatures-Con August 7th, and Bob will be selling passes for Godzillafest for $10 off at our table. Be sure to come see us and the fabulous guests at Creatures-Con in Orinda, California, including author David J. Skal and Sarah Karloff! 
That's all for now. Let us know what you thought of Thor, our review, what's going on with Phase 4, and anything else!
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By the bristling beard of Odin!!

Episode 101: Help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi

One of the most anticipated TV series in years has just concluded its first season, and there's been a lot of talk about it, especially between the members of Planet 8. We're talking, of course, about Obi-Wan Kenobi, the latest Star Wars show on Disney Plus.
Picking up threads from the prequel trilogy and the Clone Wars series, the show follows up on a downtrodden Obi-Wan Kenobi, years after the devastation of the Jedi Order and the fall of the Republic. Obi-Wan lives an unremarkable life on Tatooine, making a living harvesting meat from gigantic desert beasts, and living in a cave not far from the Lars homestead, where he can watch over the young Luke Skywalker. However, through a turn of events, Obi-Wan is called back into service, and must ultimately confront his former friend and now greatest foe, Darth Vader.
One of the problems of doing a story like this, where you're dealing with events that take place in a character's past, is you know they can't be killed off or face serious physical jeopardy, so the focus is much more on their development and growth. The show managed to believably take us from a defeated, self-doubting Obi-Wan to one who has rediscovered his self-worth. It's rewarding to watch, mainly due to the wonderful acting skills of Ewan McGregor. He fully embodies the former Jedi knight and makes him relatable and sympathetic.
A true delight was the unexpected appearance of ten-year-old Princess Leia as portrayed by the marvelous Vivien Lyra Blair. She perfectly captured the spirit of Carrie Fisher's performance.
The introduction of the inquisitor Reva, played by newcomer Moses Ingram, brings to mind questions regarding how the Jedi council functioned -or didn't - and the idea of redemption and how that works in Star Wars. It seems like a person can be truly reprehensible but repent and then be completely redeemed. Does that make sense?
This series, along with Rogue One, helps establish Darth Vader as a true villain again. He and Obi-Wan have several encounters, with Ben getting the upper hand only at the end. The last battle also sets up their encounter in the original film and explains Kenobi's somewhat cryptic remarks to Luke regarding his father. It's a bit of backwards dancing but it's done well.
All in all, we enjoyed the series. It provides some insight into established characters without breaking canon and gives us some new characters and developments that might allow for a season two. 
Our Sensor Sweep carries on the Star Wars theme, as Karen presents a fabulous book, Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross. This hefty tome moves chronologically through the history of the Star Wars films, animated series, and The Mandalorian via interviews with the people who made them. It's a treasure trove of great stories and information for any Star Wars fan.
Big News: Your Planet 8 crew will be appearing live at Creatures Con! Held in Orinda, California on August 7, all three of us -Larry, Bob, and Karen - will be hanging out at a table at the convention! The show is going to be a blast. This year author and film commentator David J. Skal will be a special guest, along with Sara Karloff, daughter of Boris Karloff, and many others. The show is hosted by our good friend, Lord Blood-Rah, and Tom Wyrsch, also friend of Planet 8. It's going to be a fantastic show, so please check it out. You can find all the info at http://www.creaturescon.com/. 
All right kids, that's it for this time. Please be good to each other and be safe!
Let us know what you think of Obi-Wan:
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Utinni!!

Episode 100: We did it!

They said it couldn't be done. They said we would never make it. They said hot dogs are sandwiches. But despite the nay-sayers, and against all odds, we made it to our 100th episode! 
When we started the Planet 8 podcast, we had no idea we would reach this kind of milestone. But here we are. Despite the hiccup of Recon Officer Karen getting hit with Covid right before we were going to record our 100th episode, and having to delay a couple of weeks, we bounced back to bring you this episode, where we celebrate this milestone by throwing a party in the Planet 8 Officer's Club.  
It wouldn't be a party without guests, and we have quite a guest list! Through the miracle of science, we're able to reach through time and space and bring to Planet 8 a collection of actors, artists, and more who have all contributed to our love for science fiction, fantasy, and horror media. We discuss why we would want to have them at the party and what we'd talk to them about. Who would each of us invite? You'll have to listen to the episode to find out!
Rounding out our episode is our Sensor Sweep, this time focusing on upcoming events that Chief Engineer Bob will be putting on through his Bay Area Film Events group. First up, on August 12, 13, and 14th at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco, is the annual Godzillafest. This year's theme is "Gamera crashes Godzillafest" and Gamera the Brave will be shown, along with a number of other Gamera films. Bob and his partners will also be showing two films in 35 mm format, Terror of Mechagodzilla and Godzilla vs. Gigan. If you're in the Bay Area, don't miss this kaiju bash! They'll also have artists and vendors on site, so you can buy all sorts of goodies! Click here for more information.
On October 1,2, and 3, Ultraman will be coming to the 4 Star Theater in Chinatown! Details will be posted soon on the Bay Area Film Events site.
Listeners, we want to thank you for sticking with us, for posting comments on our site, Facebook, and Twitter. We appreciate your thoughts and being able to engage with you! Hearing from you and knowing you're out there is what keeps us going!
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We would rather be with you people than with the finest people in the world!