Episode 68: HAL, open the podcast ap. It's 2001: A Space Odyssey!

 

Your Planet 8 crew has explored many realms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, but this time we are taking on one of the all-time greats: Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Still considered by many to be the finest science fiction film ever made, Kubrick, along with science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, developed a sweeping epic about mankind's place in the universe. It took almost three years from conception to the film's premiere in April 1968. Audiences had never seen anything like it, and many were simply dumbfounded by the ambiguity of the film. With 2001, Kubrick wanted to go outside conventional storytelling techniques and give the audience  "basically a visual, nonverbal experience" that "hits the viewer at an inner level of consciousness, just as music does." The film seems to be rather polarizing, with people either enjoying the mystery of it or finding the whole thing annoying.

Your crew has various levels of enthusiasm for 2001! Some of us -OK, one of us (Karen) loves the film! Other crew members are perhaps not quite as enthusiastic. But we all can agree on its importance to science fiction, and film in general. Without 2001, and the vast technological advancements it made, we certainly wouldn't have had Star Wars, or Battlestar Galactica, Space:1999, and pretty much everything that has been made after it. The pioneering techniques of Douglas Trumbull, Stuart Freeborn, and so many others paved the way for the science fiction films we all know and love. The effects still look surprisingly good today. 

Of course, the movie was made during the height of the space race, and that enters our conversation too. Kubrick and Clarke wanted to create something that showed the beauty and wonder of space exploration, and how it was mankind's destiny to leave Earth -the cradle -and go beyond. Certainly, the film must have had a different impact on audiences viewing it in 1968 than in 2021. 

2001 is nothing if not thought-provoking, and we get into some pondering of our own, as we wonder about the meaning and function of the mysterious monoliths, if progress is always fueled by aggression, what happened to HAL, and man's place in the cosmos. But hey, it's not all deep thoughts! You can be sure we'll talk about things like wobbly space stewardesses, cockney HAL, and Arthur C. Clarke in a towel!

Fittingly, our Sensor Sweep this time around centers on a massive tome, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece by Michael Benson. If you're a fan of 2001 or Stanley Kubrick, this is a fascinating look at how the film came together, from the initial meetings of Kubrick and Clarke, to preproduction and all the way to the film's reception by critics and audiences. It's amazing in its depth and detail. You can find it on Amazon, and be sure to check your local bookseller too.

That's all for us this time - we're shutting the pod bay doors now! Send final transmissions to:

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This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

Episode 67: Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

 

After nearly three years of podcasting on all things fantastic, we are finally getting around to one of the most fantastic, entertaining shows ever made: the 1960s classic, Lost in Space! We'll dive into the origins of the show, how it got made, what was in the pilot (which was never shown on TV), and some of the other actors considered for the roles of the Jupiter 2 crew. Can you say Carroll O'Connor??

Of course, you can't talk about Lost in Space without talking about the triumvirate of the Robot, Dr. Smith, and Will Robinson. Over the course of the first season and definitely by the second, these three characters became the focus of the show. We'll share thoughts and stories about them, as well as the rest of the Jupiter 2 crew. Maybe even Debbie the Bloop!

Your Planet 8 crew also talks about the special effects of Lost in Space. While people tend to focus on some of the cornier aspects of the show, it actually had some very cool effects - the scenes of the Jupiter 2 flying over planets look spectacular, for example. And of course, the Robot was great, and you had the chariot as well.

We'll reminisce about favorite episodes, what we liked about the show, and what hits us differently as adults as opposed to when we were kids. Oh, and how can we forget the music by John Williams? Yes, that John Williams! Years before Jaws or Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark, Williams scored a 60s TV show.  Lost in Space had some pretty terrific themes and incidental music which really set the show apart. 

For our Sensor Sweep...well, we actually forgot to prepare a Sensor Sweep! Just for fun, we left in our mad scramble to come up with something on the fly. Luckily Bob checked his recent Amazon purchases and found The Lost Adventures of James Bond by Mark Edlitz! This book covers all the films and shows that could have been made -but weren't -for James Bond. It's a must for any Bond fan.

With that, we bid you all adieu - let us know your thoughts on Lost in Space. Did you watch it as a kid? What do you remember? Have you watched it lately? Let us know what you think:

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Oh, you blithering booby!

Episode 66: Hidden Gems

 

This time around on Planet 8, each crew member has chosen a film that maybe didn't do well at the box office or get critical acclaim, but we feel deserves another look. Yes, we've picked out some hidden gems! We'll each take a turn talking about our pick, followed by some discussion. Hopefully we do a good enough job that you may be encouraged to check these films out! Our selections are pretty different from each other, and reflect our range of interests.

Chief Engineer Bob is up first with 2008's Speed Racer by the Wachowskis. Based on the famous cartoon series, the film captures the flavor of the cartoon, so if you're a fan, you'll definitely appreciate it. It's highly stylized and visually exciting, and well worth your time if you want to see something really unique. And how is Speed Racer connected to Elvis? Listen and find out!

Up next is Recon Officer Karen with the offbeat 1974 sci-fi film Zardoz, best remembered for Sean Connery in a red loincloth. The plot of the film is difficult to summarize, but if you like dystopian futures, giant stone heads, and weird psychedelia, this could be the film for you. 

Finally, bringing us to a close, Commander Larry tells us all about Phantasm, the Don Coscarelli film from 1979. This low-budget thriller has developed a true cult following. Larry gives us the scoop on the Tall Man and of course, the sphere. Did you know there were five films in the series? Neither did we! But Larry gives us the basic premise -which is that the Tall Man collects corpses and turns them into scrunched down zombie slaves to take back to his planet. What?. Anyway, it'll keep your attention!

Those are our picks. We have so many other films we could name, but we'll save them for another round!

This episode's Sensor Sweep is brought to us by Bob. This time it's a gigantic box set of 18 LPs from Waxworks Records for the Showa Godzilla films (1954 -1975)! Each film gets its own album, and a few get two-record sets. If you love the Godzilla soundtracks, and you have a few hundred dollars sitting around, check it out. These LPs are colored vinyl, and include exclusive artwork. Quite a collectors' item!

That's all for us. Let us know what you think of our hidden gems, and tell us about your hidden gems! What films would you include? 

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Thanks for listening!

Episode 65: Have Yourself a Very Mando Christmas

 

Season's greetings, friends! Welcome back to Planet 8. To wrap up the year, we'll talk about one of the bright spots of 2020: season two of The Mandalorian. It was an exciting season, full of great character appearances, amazing new worlds and creatures, and fantastic adventures. We also got to see the relationship between Mando and the Child grow. For us old school Star Wars fans, it was like being transported back to those days of stories from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. 

Warning -this is a SPOILER-FILLED episode! If you haven't seen season two of The Mandalorian, we suggest you watch it before listening, because this episode, and post, may give away details you don't want to know!

Your Planet 8 crew will discuss their overall impressions of this season and then dive into each episode. We all loved the show and had a variety of thoughts and ideas about how this season unfolded. It's safe to say, we were all pleasantly surprised, especially with the finale. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have done a phenomenal job bringing this show to us. It's the right mix of new and old ideas, characters, and designs. Every week was like getting a new Star Wars movie straight out of the original trilogy era.

The season gave us a lot of great action, with monsters to battle, lots of baddies, and some interesting planets too. But one of the highlights of the season was the impressive guest stars - Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze, and...Luke Skywalker?! Unbelievable! The great thing about this all was that they didn't seem forced -they made sense given the storyline.

Of course, the finale was a tear-jerker (especially for Commander Larry). The good-bye between Grogu and Din Djarin was touching, and well done by Pedro Pascal. Now we're left with many more questions. Will we see Grogu in season 3? Can the show continue to be as popular if Baby Yoda is gone? And honestly, considering what a marketing boon he is, is there any way they wouldn't have him on the show? But how do they do that? And what happens between Mando and Bo-Katan regarding the Dark Saber? And will Mando continue to follow his creed, or has he changed? We have a year to ponder these things....

It's the holiday season and we want to wish all of our listeners the very best, whatever you may be celebrating. Thanks for spending some time with us over the year -especially this year. We hope we've been able to provide some lightness and entertainment during these difficult days. We hope you have a wonderful holiday and that the new year brings all of us some much needed happiness.

That's all for now. Send us your thoughts about The Mandalorian -we'd love to know what you thought.

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May the Force be with you!

Episode 64: We will control all you hear: The Outer Limits

 

There is nothing wrong with your speakers. Do not attempt to adjust the sound. We are controlling transmission. For the next hour your Planet 8 crew will control what you hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery of the classic 60s TV show, The Outer Limits!

One of the last of the anthology series on television, Outer Limits is fondly recalled by many fans today. One of its hallmarks was its "bears" - the strange, striking aliens and monsters created for the show. Appearing in almost every episode, these creatures often featured outlandish designs, which have proved to be highly memorable, such as the ant-like Zantis, the twisted Thetan from  Architects of Fear, and the Ebontie interrogator from Nightmare. The Projects Unlimited team, including Jim Danforth and Wah Chang, produced designs which have stood the test of time.

But beyond the monsters, Outer Limits was a top notch science fiction show. It explored what it meant to be human, our flaws and  our potential. This was key for the shows creators, Leslie Stevens and Joe Stefano. Much like Star Trek, they wanted to impart a message about humanity. They also aimed high, for a more literary form of science fiction, although obviously they were balancing it with the crazy monster each week!

We'll discuss a number of episodes, some favorites and some that we just found intriguing. Of course, OL had an extremely limited run -just a season and a half, 49 episodes. But there are so many fun shows to discuss! And there are interesting connections to other 60s shows, like Batman, Hogan's Heroes, Star Trek, and so on. 

As usual, we'll look at other aspects of the production, including the lighting, staging, and of course, the unique music, which was composed by Dominic Frontierre. And who could forget the control voice, performed by actor Vic Perrin?

Outer Limits is definitely one of the most important SF series ever made, and its stories and creatures continue to provide entertainment and are influential decades later.

Appropriately for our Sensor Sweep, Karen shares a beautiful book, David Schow's The Outer Limits at 50. This large paperback was published by Creature Features in 2014. It is packed full of fantastic photos from the show, some from behind the scenes. It also has descriptions and details about making each episode. This book is hard to find now (there are some ridiculous prices on eBay). But if you see it in a used bookstore, grab it! You won't be disappointed! Schow's Outer Limits Companion is also highly recommended.

As we recorded this episode, news of the passing of actor David Prowse was just breaking. Your Planet 8 crew is saddened by this news. Of course, Prowse changed all our lives by being the physical presence of Darth Vader. But he also appeared in a number of Hammer films, and trained Christopher Reeve to bulk up for Superman. He was a remarkable gentleman, and we salute his life, and shall miss him.

That's it for this time. We return control to you! Send your transmissions to us:

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Thanks for listening!

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:

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Thanks for listening!