Episode 25: Big Bug Attack!

They're creepy! They're crawly! And oh yeah...they're gigantic!! We're talking about those irradiated, mutated, and sometimes prehistoric giant bugs that have been freaking us out on movie screens for decades. Come join the Planet 8 crew as we explore the films that feature these weird and wonderful critters.

We'll focus on classics including Them!, Tarantula, and Mothra, but also touch upon a few others. Well, maybe not touch upon them - we'll poke them with a long stick.

And what would you do if attacked by a 50 foot spider? Or a 20 foot ant? Have you given it any thought, friends? Maybe you should! The crew delves into the science of big bugs, discussing Professor Michael C. LaBarbera's paper, The Biology of B-Movie Monsters, and Professor Andrew Fraknoi's class on the Science of Science Fiction, to see what a real giant insect would be like, and what vulnerabilities they'd have. Finally, we face our fears and reveal what giant insect we'd be the most frightened of! 

Your crew -Larry, Karen, and Bob

For our Sensor Sweep, we shamelessly plug our Tee Public shop, where you can purchase nearly anything -t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, tote bags - with one of the Planet 8 logos (we have two designs now!) on it. We originally made a small number of tees and hats for ourselves, but we had so many requests from friends and family that we decided to open it up and see if anyone else wanted to show off their Planet 8 love. We get a part of the proceeds from each purchase and will use this to fund more equipment, products, and trips to conventions, where we can interview cool people we know you want to hear! If you do get something, send us a picture! We'll post it! We really appreciate your support, in whatever form, and we love hearing from you, which brings us to the next part of our message. Besides this site, you can chat with us at:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 24: Something about The Thing

No fewer than three major science fiction films have sprung from the original novella "Who Goes There?" by legendary science fiction author/editor John Campbell. And all three have been titled "The Thing" - well, the first one was actually titled "The Thing from Another World," but most fans just refer to it as "the original Thing." All three have similarities - the remote, icy outpost, the dangerous alien loose among an isolated group of people, a heightened sense of paranoia and suspense. But they have their differences, particularly between the first film and the later two.

Join the Planet 8 crew of Larry, Bob, and Karen as they discuss each film, what they enjoy about each one, what they think makes each one stand out, and their first experiences with each. The films are:

• The Thing from Another World, 1951
• The Thing, 1982
• The Thing, 2011

What's the thing about The Thing? It's got a certain special something...

We'll focus mostly on the 1951 and 1982 films. Both had excellent casts, ensembles that worked well together and really sold the story, despite how fantastic it might seem.

We'll also look at the effects, the limitations of the '51 film (and poor James Arness in gobs of make-up), and the insane practical effects of Rob Bottin in the '82 version.

The third film (2011) was actually a prequel to the '82 version. It covered a lot of ground concerning what happened at the Norwegian camp before the start of the previous film. Was it successful? The crew has differing opinions on that.

Just for fun, we also speculate on how the Planet 8 team would react to an invasion by the Thing. Who would survive? And who would decide to wipe out the team to protect humanity?

As an added treat, Larry and Bob interview science fiction and fantasy artist extraordinaire, Bob Eggleton. Mr. Eggleton is  illustrating a new version of Who Goes There -a novel-length version that's never been published before. It's going to be part of a book called Frozen Hell, which will also include a number of short stories by other authors continuing the story of The Thing. The book is a kickstarter project assembled by John Gregory Betancourt, who manages Campbell's literary estate. You can learn more at the kickstarter page here.  Mr. Eggleton shares news about this project, as well as his own personal thoughts on the Thing films.

Bob Eggleton and friend

And for the Sensor Sweep -completely off-topic -Engineer Bob talks about the new BluRay for Tetsujin 28 -aka Gigantor. It's a great anime series that you should definitely check out if you're not already a fan! You can find it at Amazon and other locations where videos are sold.

That's all the things we have to talk about this time, friends. You can comment here, or go to our other hangouts:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 23: Captain Marvel Blasts into the Marvel Universe

Marvel's newest superstar has hit the big screen this month - Captain Marvel! Your Planet 8 crew is here to share their thoughts about the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which takes us from the intergalactic Kree Empire all the way to 1990s Earth! Yes, you'll thrill to the sight of Blockbuster Video, giant cell phones, and a very young looking Samuel Jackson! Of course, this is a SPOILER-FILLED episode, so you may not want to listen until after you've seen the movie. 

Besides discussing Captain Marvel, we'll dip into myriad other topics, such as Captain Marvel in the comics, the Agents of SHIELD TV show, Thor Ragnarok, and, of course, Avengers: Endgame (and we'll be doing an entire episode on that film, so stay tuned!). It's a wide-ranging, perhaps even a bit rambling, discussion, but that's how we do things around here!

This time around, for the Sensor Sweep segment, we decided to shine a light not on a product but on the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards, which were created by David Colton and Kerry Gammill in 2002 to allow fans to vote and honor various horror-related efforts,  in film, books, and so on. This is the 17th year of voting! You can go to the link above and vote by April 20th for your favorites. We would like to humbly make a few suggestions. 

• Best Book: You can't beat Where Monsters Walked by friends of Planet 8, Gail and Ray Orwig.
• Best Website: Chief Engineer Bob has another gig -for years he has been the co-producer of SciFi Japan, with Keith Aiken, the best resource for all things kaiju-related.
• Best Multimedia Site (podcasts, etc.): We have two (OK, really three) suggestions: Kaijucast, run by Kyle Yount, devoted to Godzilla,  and Monster Kid Radio, Derek Koch's show, about classic (and not so classic) monster films -both Kyle and Derek have been really helpful to the Planet 8 crew as we've been finding our way, and they're great guys, with fun shows! And if you feel like it, you could write in a little show called Planet 8...maybe some day we'll actually get on the ballot!
• Favorite Horror Host: For us, there's no choice except Lord Blood-Rah! He's just the best, and we've had him on two episodes so far (episodes 8 and 11), and he deserves to be honored.
• Best Convention: For our money, it's gotta be Monsterpalooza! 
• Best Soundtrack: Engineer Bob recommends the Valley of Gwangi soundtrack from Intrada!

OK friends, please let us know your thoughts. Did Captain Marvel blaze, or fizzle? You can comment here, or go to our other hangouts:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 22: Tracking Down the Night Stalker

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:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 21: The Beautiful Sounds of Monstrous Movie Music

David Schecter with the late, great Julie Adams

Music can make or break a film. It can set mood, create tension, tug on your heartstrings. And in a monster movie, the music really needs to heighten the excitement, the mystery, the fear factor. Some of the greatest film scores around can be found in the sci-fi and monster films of the 1950s. In this episode we talk with writer, film music historian and soundtrack producer David Schecter, owner of Monstrous Movie Music, about some of the most memorable genre soundtracks of the 50s and beyond. We learn from David how he got access to many missing film scores and re-recorded them with a full symphony. Some of the soundtracks Monstrous Movie Music has reproduced include Creature from the Black Lagoon, This Island Earth, Mighty Joe Young, It! Terror from Beyond Space, and dozens more. But that's not all! David also discusses his experiences with some of the stars of those films, like the wonderful Julie Adams from Creature from the Black Lagoon, Colleen Gray from The Leech Woman, and Joyce Meadows from The Brain from Planet Arous.

If you'd like to get some of these soundtracks for yourself, head on over to David's site and purchase a few, and experience the thrill of listening to this wonderful music outside of the films! For the Sensor Sweep this time, David made us aware of some new BluRay releases from SHOUT! Factory that he has done some commentary on - films like Tarantula, The Alligator People, The Land Unknown, The Strange Door, and others! Click HERE for info.

That's it for us this time. Let us know about your favorite sci-fi film music, either here, or at our other two hideouts:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 20: A Dynamation Celebration of Ray Harryhausen

What would this world be without the wonderful films of master special effects artist Ray Harryhausen? Surely all of our childhoods would have been far less exciting. Who could forget seeing Jason and his men battle the children of the Hydra, or the deadly Medusa stalk Perseus, or the gigantic Ymir on the rampage in Rome? These and so many other fantasies were brought to life by Harryhausen in his legendary career. Come celebrate his achievements with us, as the Planet 8 crew, along with friend of the show and Harryhausen aficionado Butch Portillo, discuss the beloved works of the master, Ray Harryhausen.

Butch Portillo and friend

As for our Sensor Sweep - well, how would you like to spend three days doing nothing but watching Harryhausen films? And hearing stories about Ray from his friends and family, including his daughter, Vanessa Harryhausen? Then mark your calendars -on March 1-3, Bay Area Film Events will be hosting the Dynamation Celebration,  at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco! Over ten of Ray's films will be screened, along with panel and guest presentations, vendors, prizes, and a special benefit for the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation. It's going to be a terrific, one of a kind event! Click here for more info.

That's it for us this time. Please share your memories of watching Ray's films with us, either here, or at our other two hideouts:

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

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 19: Geeks in Garages Drinking Blue Milk

Pull up a chair and join us -today Larry, Bob, Karen, and their guest, Henry San Miguel from the Geek Speak Show are engaged in a lively discussion that ranges from what's right and what's wrong with The Last Jedi (and we promise, this is our LAST Last Jedi discussion!), to super-hero films, including thoughts on Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (can you guess which one of the crew is a fan of this film?). We also talk about the changing face of fandom, and Henry shares some news about cons the Geek Speak crew will be at later this year.

So give it a listen and tell us what you think - are you excited for Episode 9 or not feeling it? Who should Rey's parents be? Was Batman V. Superman great or awful? We want to hear your thoughts!

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

Thanks for Listening!