The Best and Worst of 2020! New Video!

We have a new video episode up on the YouTube channel (click here) where the crew discusses the genre TV shows and films we enjoyed, and the ones we were not so happy with, in 2020. let us know your best and worst choices for the year.

Episode 63: Thankful for Bond, James Bond

 "Bond, James Bond." Those words have introduced us to the world's most dashing, ruthless, and seemingly indestructible spy, British MI6 secret agent 007. The creation of author Ian Fleming first appeared in the novel Casino Royale in 1953, and went on to appear in 11 more novels and two short story collections. But Bond is best known to the public for the long-running series of films, which started in 1962 with Dr. No. As we celebrate all things Bond, we'll discuss a little bit of everything, but focus on the films.

With 24 films in the series, there's a lot to discuss! We'll go over our personal favorite films. These are heavily colored by nostalgia, of course. There's a fondness for Live and Let Die, as it was one of the first Bond films all of us saw. And Goldfinger is a strong contender.

There are now six actors that played Bond in the series, and each bring their own qualities to the screen. Do you like Connery's toughness? or Moore's more light-hearted approach? Did Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby get enough time in the role? Daniel Craig has been playing Bond for 14 years now - who should replace him?

We can't talk about Bond films without talking about the music of the films. Besides the Bond theme, there have been so many songs connected to the films. You have the classic Shirley Bassey vehicles like "Goldfinger," "Diamonds are Forever," and  "Moonraker," and then the pop and rock songs like "Live and Let Die" by Paul McCartney, "For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton, and "Nobody Does it Better" by Carly Simon. Some have succeeded and some have fallen short of the mark. 

As usual, we'll ramble around a bit but it's sort of like a turducken - there's a whole bunch of things stuffed in here, but they're all good!

For the Sensor Sweep, Commander Larry shares an anniversary gift he got for his wife, Lieutenant Jasmine -hmm, sure he got it for her! Feast your eyes on Sideshow Collectibles "The Child" life-size figure. At 16.5" tall, you'll want to give it a cuddle! 

Here in the States, we are closing in on Thanksgiving. This year, it may seem a little harder to feel thankful. But while it has been a rough year for us all, let's hope that 2021 will be better. And despite it all, your Planet 8 crew is thankful for being able to put together new episodes every couple of weeks, and for the comments and feedback you have shared with us. We hope that in these difficult times, we may have provided a few moments of escape for you all. 

All right gang, let us know your thoughts! You know where to send 'em:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!

Episode 62: Bingeing the Stream

 

Like everyone else, your Planet 8 crew has been stuck inside, trying to keep ourselves entertained and sane. So we thought we'd discuss what we've been watching and what we think of it. So settle in and get ready for a show that goes from super-heroes to zombies, to androids, to starships, to bounty hunters, and who knows what else! Note, this is a SPOILER-FILLED episode!

Among the shows we cover are:

• The Boys
• Umbrella Academy
• Raised By Wolves
• Lovecraft Country
• Walking Dead/Fear the Walking Dead
• Truth Seekers
• Creepshow
• Star Trek Discovery
• The Mandalorian

As usual, we don't all agree on every show. But that's what makes it fun!

For our Sensor Sweep, Chief Engineer Bob brings our attention to the latest Mego figures, in particular the new Fly figure! Based off the classic sci fi film, it'll give you a chill. Bob also gives us the heads up on what's coming in the next waves of figures. Would you believe it ranges from Hammer Dracula to plush Stan Lee?  Also coming from Mego is the Creature from the Black Lagoon! The Fly can be found at Walmart, if you can track him down. You may also find Mego figures from other retailers online.

That's it for us this time. We want to hear from you what you're watching. What shows are keeping you company during the pandemic? Let us know!

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!

Episode 61: Live from Grover's Mill - The War of the Worlds!

 

In this episode your Planet 8 crew takes a look at the big one...the war to end all wars...we're talking War of the Worlds! This sci fi classic, first conceived by H.G. Wells, has been adapted to radio and film most successfully, as well as TV and comic books. We will focus on the two motion pictures, the first released in 1953, the other in 2005, but we'll touch on other adaptations too.

Chief Engineer Bob gives us the lowdown on Wells' original novel and how it was adapted to a radio play by Orson Welles in 1938. Welles' broadcast caused hysteria across the country as people mistakenly thought the world was actually under attack by Martian invaders. Similar radio broadcasts of War of the Worlds occurred in other parts of the world too.

A number of film-makers tried to bring War of the Worlds to the big screen but it was George Pal who succeeded in 1953. His film still looks brilliant, in large part due to the Martian war machines, with their sleek manta ray-like design. We'll talk about just why this film has such a strong visual impact, and we might go off on a tangent or two, but hopefully it will be entertaining!

Next we take a look at Steven Spielberg's 2005 film, starring Tom Cruise. In some ways this adaptation was closer to Wells' novel, such as including the Martian tripods. The film also had scenes that paid homage to Pal's film. Di we love it? Like it? Well, listen and find out!

Before we finish, Recon Officer Karen shares more War of the Worlds related stuff: the Tripods novels of John Christopher, and Marvel's Killraven comics. It's a Martianpalooza!

We round it out with our Sensor Sweep, with Commander Larry sharing his newest treasure. This time it's a rather thick tome called The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen by Jeff Bond, from Creature Features. Many of you will recall that Irwin Allen was the producer of Lost in Space, but he also was the man behind such TV shows as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants too. Allen also produced films, earning the title "The Master of Disaster" for such efforts as The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and The Swarm. The book is filled with amazing photos and tons of info on all of Allen's projects. It's the perfect read for fans of his work. It's sold out on the Creature Features site, but you might check secondary sellers to see if you can find it. 

That's all for us this time. Please share your thoughts and feedback with us in the comments section, or at our other sites: 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!

Episode 60: They're Coming to Get You, Barbara! Celebrating Night of the Living Dead

 

It's October, and that means Planet 8 is taking a turn into the creepier side of things! This episode we focus on that classic of cult films, and the one that really started the zombie craze, Night of the Living Dead! We have not one, but two special treats for you: first, an exclusive Planet 8 interview with actress Judith O'Dea, who starred as Barbara in the film. To add on to that, discussing the film with us is none other than the always-entertaining Mr. Lobo, host of Cinema Insomnia. Hey, what more could you ask for?

We open up with our interview with Ms. O'Dea, whose performance as Barbara in NotLD really sold the feelings of fear and confusion that the characters were experiencing. We'll learn about how she became an actress, her early career, and how she became involved in making the film. Ms. O'Dea was a generous and insightful interviewee and we had a wonderful time talking with her.

Then we move into a freewheeling discussion of the film with our special guest, Mr. Lobo. We'll reminisce about our first time viewing NotLD -that's something you never forget! - and how it made us think about how we would defend our homes from zombies!

Night of the Living Dead is definitely the grand-daddy of all our modern zombie films and TV shows. Before George Romero made his little film, zombies had always been connected to voodoo or sorcery and there had never been a connection to cannibalism. Of course, the creatures in NotLD weren't called zombies -that came later. But so many conventions of modern zombie lore came out of this film.

Even today, the film resonates with viewers. Maybe it's the almost documentary feel of the film, or the stark black and white look; but it is still compelling. There's a deep sense of despair, of nihilism, that pervades the film. Later films may have been gorier or filled with more stunts, but Night seems to have the darkest soul. If you haven't seen it in a while, give it a look. 

For our Sensor Sweep, we want to share all things Mr. Lobo! If you have never experienced Cinema Insomnia, never taken the pledge of the Sleepless Knights of Insomnia, check out episodes on Amazon Prime, Vimeo. his streaming channel OSI74 on Roku, the YouTube channel for Mr. Lobo, and of course, cinemainsomnia.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter -honestly, you can find Mr. Lobo everywhere! It's an invasion! Check him out!

That wraps it up for us. We hope you enjoyed this extra-special look at a classic horror film. Please share your thoughts, experiences, and feedback with us here, or at our two other locations: 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!

Episode 59: Game Over, Man! It's Aliens on Planet 8

In 1979, we learned that in space, no one can hear you scream. But there was plenty of screaming in movie theaters, as audiences jumped and shrieked, scared senseless by the phenomenon that was Alien. It was a film like no one had seen before, a horror story in space, with a truly terrifying alien creature. Pitched as "Jaws in space," it was just as suspenseful, but had a sense of claustrophobia and body horror that Jaws lacked. 

Your Planet 8 crew are big fans of the original Alien and its follow up, Aliens. These two films are so perfect, and complement each other so brilliantly, yet are so completely different in tone. We'll take a look at the ground-breaking 1979 film, its amazing visuals, impressive cast, and of course, the alien itself, the xenomorph, a true icon of creature design. The distinctive H.R. Giger designs made the film stand out from anything that had ever come before - and made your skin crawl!

It also made a star out of Sigourney Weaver. Alien was her first big film, and she gave a memorable performance as Ripley. It was unusual at that time for a woman to not only be the protagonist, but to be so self-sufficient and capable. Weaver wound up being the star of the franchise for years to come. 

The 1986 sequel, Aliens, went in a completely different direction thematically, and was more of an action film than a horror film. This worked surprisingly well. The space marines that Ripley teams up with were as interesting a group as the Nostromo crew from the original film. Actors we now know so well like Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, all provide classic performances. The film also gave us tons of aliens, including a giant alien queen. And just like the first film, everything was achieved with practical special effects, no CGI! Ah, those were the days.

Of course, we have to talk a bit about the soundtracks - the films had two well-known composers, Jerry Goldsmith on Alien and James Horner on Aliens. Both interesting soundtracks, but very different, and some of Horner's cues have been used on a number of trailers. And Aliens sure sounds a lot like parts of  his Wrath of Khan soundtrack!

These two films are still fantastic to watch and are true classics of science fiction film. If you haven't seen them in a while (or ever!), check them out. You will not be disappointed.

For our Sensor Sweep this episode, Karen appropriately shares an amazing coffee table book from Titan Books called The Making of Alien by J.W. Rinzler. This 300+ page tome does a deep dive into the origins of Alien, and is illustrated with production designs and behind  the scenes photos. If you are a fan, you will love this book!

That's it for us, folks. Send us your thoughts, your feedback, your insults, we'll take it all! You can leave comments here, or fire them off at our two other locations: 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!

Episode 58: We're Gonna Need a Bigger Podcast - Jaws

 

As summer comes to a close, we cast our attention to the granddaddy of all summer blockbusters - Jaws. Arguably one of the best films ever made, Jaws stands the test of time, still delivering suspense, adventure, and outright terror in one beautifully filmed package. Come along with the Planet 8 crew as we reminisce about one of our favorite films.

Jaws is an amazing film, especially given that the mechanical shark didn't work most of the time! Director Steven Spielberg had to work around this, filming in such a way as to indicate the presence of the shark without the shark actually visible. This actually made the film much more exciting, because you never knew exactly where or when the shark was going to attack. Thankfully, they got the shark to work just enough for the dramatic scenes in the final act.

But so much went right with Jaws. Despite the studio wanting big names, Spielberg was able to pull together the perfect cast.  The characters are all so believable, so watchable. Much of the dialog was ad-libbed. But that marvelous scene on the Orca, where Quint tells Brody and Hooper about his experience on the USS Indianapolis, is absolutely amazing. It's a testament to both great writing and acting.

Of course, you can't talk about Jaws without discussing that theme...duh duh...duh duh duh duh...only the legendary John Williams could turn such a simple theme into perfect fit for a film. How many times has someone hummed the theme while in a pool or the ocean? Everyone knows what that tune means.

Jaws set off a wave (pun intended) of copycats, none anywhere near as interesting as the originator. For that matter, none of the Jaws sequels were even close to their papa. It also had a huge impact on film-makers and the industry, paving the way for the summer blockbuster, and massive merchandising deals. Outside of film, it also changed the way people look at sharks, perhaps unfairly, and how we look at the ocean. Forty five years later, we're all still afraid to go back in the water.

Normally we end our show with our Sensor Sweep, but we were rocked by the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman on August 28th. The  news was heart-breaking. Only 43 years old, the Black Panther star had been battling colon cancer since 2016. It's mind-boggling to think that Boseman continued to act and do charity work through his illness and treatment. By all accounts, he seemed like a wonderful person. His impact on a generation of African American kids cannot be over-estimated. This is a big loss and we are truly saddened by his passing.

We welcome your thoughts and feedback! Please feel free to leave comments here, or at our other listening posts:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for listening!