Fellow Mysterious Order Agent Carol Borden from The Cultural Gutter joins me to discuss our favorite hairy beast in honor of Hairy Beasts month! What is that hairy beast you may wonder? Listen inside to find out! We have a really excellent conversation all about that beast and its significance in art, literature, and culture!

Also included is a short and appropriate reading from OVID’s Metamorphoses.

Check out Carol’s work at Monstrous Industry.

Also, check out my guest spot discussing Dark Shadows for The Cinementals!

Remember the days when you could count on some pretty horror-friendly late night TV? Well, SV Bell over at Black Flag TV is trying to recapture those days with his fledgling 24-hour online television station dedicated to horror, exploitation, and independent cinema!

Despite an insane schedule, SV Bell was able to join me on the Monster Island Resort all the way from Quebec to discuss his station, horror, film promotion, mature content, and favorite monsters!

Click here to check out the program schedule in Eastern Standard Time! Click the image above to go directly to the station’s feed!

I have another bonus MIR Storytime Edition for all of you. Last week Monday, I had the opportunity to read Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat during a new film series I’m co-presenting at Whistle Stop Bar, along with Beth Accomando of Cinema Junkie and Ian Forbes of The Sobering Conclusion called Shot by Shot. This was part of WriteOutLoud’s Shades of Poe Month, and it was a pleasure to participate! I am, of course, a huge admirer of Poe’s work, and The Black Cat is an especially vicious tale to read in front of a group of people.

I also had the chance to talk about the efforts to save Poe’s House in Baltimore. This historical site is endangerment of losing its funding. Please take the time to sign the petition to save Baltimore’s Poe House! They are still over 5,000 signatures short of goal.

What began as an innocent interview with filmmaker Dave Reda at Monsterpalooza became a crazy round table conversation about random topics with some of my favorite friends in indie horror cinema right now, including Shannon Lark, Tyler Ham, Phil Lorenzo, and Jesse Kozel! It was Saturday night at around 1am, everyone was enjoying several drinks at a Monsterpalooza after party, and everyone was a little extra jolly. I hope you laugh at this one as much as I did!

We talk horror, monsters, women behind the camera, and who would be on the RomCom Convention panels. Join us at the con! To see what my guests are up to, click the links below.

Dave Reda

Shannon Lark

Tyler Ham

Phil Lorenzo

Jesse Kozel

I recently spent a monsterific weekend at MONSTERPALOOZA, my favorite convention. I had plans to interview a great many people there, but, frankly, I was so overwhelmed by love for everything that was going on that I couldn’t help but ignore the microphone in favor of taking in the splendor around me. That said, I did get to talk to some great people. This week, I have my conversation with Raymond McDermott from Film Radar.

We talk about that great group of Los Angeles film lovers, as well as his work for the Joss Whedon-themed charity group Whedonopolis. We also talk about the joys of being surrounded by finely crafted monsters!

Finally, don’t forget to check out Black Flag TV, a Mecca of 24-hour independent and classic horror programming!

Next week, I’ll have more craziness from MONSTERPALOOZA! Until then!

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 1

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 2

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 3

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 4

 Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 5

I recently had the pleasure of joining director Tammi Sutton in her Los Angeles home to discuss her newest film Isle of Dogs. This brutal thriller was given a surprise sneak screening at my Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in November, and it has attracted enough attention that it will be getting a TBD theatrical release! Joining us is the lead actress in that film, the lovely Barbara Nedeljakova. Horror fans will definitely recognize her as the villainous Natalya in Eli Roth’s Hostel.

We discuss the upcoming feature film, horror, ghostly occurrences on set, and more! Please enjoy and remember to look out for Isle of Dogs, coming to a theater near you!

Song in this episode: Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Purchase it here!

This prompted me to think about horror and video games. It also helped me think about a discussion on horror in comics I wanted to mention. That is appropriate because I went to WonderCon, where I got to interview Locke and Key scribe JOE HILL, which I am also including in this episode! Enjoy!

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 1

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 2

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 3

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 4

Artwork by Monstrous Industry! Click Art for her ETSY Page!

This weekend I am at WonderCon at the Anaheim Convention Center, so how appropriate that today’s episode should feature a conversation with the hilarious and brilliant Rebecca Hicks–creator of the popular web series Little Vampires!

We are joined by her talentless hanger-on James Hicks. We talk comics, conventions, mythology, monsters, horror, Carrie Fischer, and more! She is a seriously hardworking comics artist and geekgirl extraordinaire! Check out her link and get her new book!

I am happy to introduce the director and several actresses of Bold Measures Films‘s upcoming giallo-inspired thriller short Vae Lacrimae! Boasting a cast featuring Asian-American women in key roles, director Phil Lorenzo, who himself plays a key role in bringing The San Diego Asian Film Festival to town, talks about his motivations in giving exposure to an underrepresented segment of the population, scaring audiences, and invigorating the horror genre. Also, JUST WAIT until you hear the stories about Italian Horror comics!

Seriously, monsters, those old Italian comics sound MESSED UP! ENJOY!

If you watched the Oscars last weekend or heard some of the talk among monster fans who did, you may have heard that Brad Pitt identified none other than the wonderful Toho monster bash War of the Gargantuas as the film that influenced his career choice. It was exciting for us to hear one our favorite films mentioned on a venue like the Academy Awards, and since then War of the Gargantuas has been brought up on Slate.com and other  places that wouldn’t necessarily mention it.

Brad Pitt makes his own choice!

So, for this episode, I have decided to first discuss War of the Gargantuas, and then look at a survey of Brad Pitt’s films and contemplate what part War of the Gargantuas played in his role choices and motivations. It was a super fun episode to record, and I hope you will find it as fun to talk about!

The Gargantuas have even informed Pitt's grooming choices!

I also talk about the Have a Heart for Horror Cookbook, which includes recipes, poetry, and artwork from various women in horror. All proceeds from this cookbook go to benefit     Project Get Safe. Click on the picture to order your own copy!

Until next time!

They are here to talk about their upcoming true crime shocker American Girls, as well as share their thoughts on genre cinema and the value of dark cinema.  

To read more about American Girls, also starring Bai Ling, Tawny Amber Young, and James Duval, check out the IMDB page. Be here next Sunday, when I talk about monsters in periphery pop culture! Until then, stay scared, monsters!

It’s time for another collaboration with that collection of creative minds known as the Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit (MOSS)! This month, the oft-ignored, yet highly prolific sub-genre of films known as the muscleman movie will be scrutinized by certain agents. For a list of what the other agents have accomplished in this mission, please visit the Big Muscle Tussle section of the MOSS website.

For my own contribution, I will focus on one muscleman in particular–military man and lifeguard-turned-superstar Gordon Scott. Tarzan was his claim to fame, and mythological figure was his destiny.

My muscles are THIS BIG!

I will also discuss a Gordon Scott film that I think also fits the monsterish theme of this particular podcast: the Italian epic Goliath and the Vampires! I hope you enjoy this wild ride on a titanic wave of testosterone! And forever hail the MYSTERIOUS ORDER OF THE SKELETON SUIT!

It’s been a long time since my last episode. The Resort had been temporarily closed while I organized a Women in Horror Event for my Horrible Imaginings Film Festival here in San Diego. As an aside, that was a very successful event!

Anyway, speaking of Women in Horror, I have a veritable horror spokeswoman on this episode! This is her second time at Monster Island Resort. It’s Canada’s only horror hostess with the mostess–the inimitable Miss.Gory Rae of the The Gory Hole!

This is truly a horror conversation of non-sequiturs, where we discuss pink eye, conventions, movies, and hear a little bit about the origin of Gory! You are truly a fly on the wallpaper for this one! I hope you enjoy!
,

As the highly anticipated FOURTH part of a series of Godzilla talks between The Vault of Horror Blog and Monster Island Resort Podcast, we decided to do a vidcast! The occasion? The inimitable B-Sol and I were able to get together IN PERSON to talk about the millenium series of Godzilla films! Special Thanks to my good friend and housemate Beth Accomando for the job of taping and editing this madness. You can read her superb film criticism over at Cinema Junkie!

GOJIIRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Listen to the first three parts for the Showa and Heisei series talks!

Part 1: The Showa Series

Part 2: The Showa Series Continued 

Part 3: The Heisei Series

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

It is the first episode on the first day of the year 2012! I have resolved to write more fiction, and so I offer you my latest story. It’s a Christmas horror tale about everyone’s favorite holiday beast, The Krampus! I hope you all enjoy it!

I want to extend my best wishes to all my listeners for an amazing 2012!

The music in this episode comes from Russian artist Oleg Serkov and French musician Marc Michel Bosche.

The Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit (MOSS)
Cinema Junkie
Re-Animator the Musical
The New Beverly Cinema
Terry Castle and William Castle Productions
Dark Delicacies Bookstore
Mando Franco, director of Edgewood Drive
and importantly, Jewel Shepard.

Jewel's book of B-Movie Girl interviews is a great read, and goes to a great cause!

I talk about this a lot in the episode, but I will say it here, as well. Dark Delicacies is having a fundraiser to help Jewel Shepard with the crippling costs of breast cancer. The health costs are enough to bear without the financial burdens to accompany them. Cult film fans have enjoyed Jewel for years, and this is a real way to show our support. I bought a book and a print this weekend. You can buy them online. Go HERE to check out what is available! Thanks!

What this episode is really about, however, is my response to my Secret Santa gift from fellow Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit member Karl Brezdin of The Fist of B-List Blog. He sent me a film to review, the type of film that he tends to write about. The interesting result being that I leave my specialized genre for an episode, turning me today into ACTION ISLAND RESORT! I hope you enjoy my discussion of . . .

AFTERSHOCK

I love this Saxon pose, and mention it in the episode!

I have a brief six-minute episode for you. It’s part of the Welcome Back Bob Tribute to the return of host Robert Osborne to Turner Classic Movies! Many people have contributed, so go check out great photos, anecdotes, videos at more at the Welcome Back Bob Tumblr!

Robert Osborne Interviews The Giant Claw

You might be interested to know about my love for classic film, and how an episode Robert Osborne ties to a monster show–it’s all in here! I kept it short and sweet. The important thing is, I’m thrilled to hear about Mr. Osborne’s return. Welcome back, Bob!

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 1

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 2

Herbert West: ReAnimator Part 3

Artwork by Monstrous Industry! Click art for her ETSY page!

William Castle reads his new post-ressurection book From the Grave: The Prayer to his ghouls!

For this holiday of horrors, I have my most special episode yet–a delightful conversation with none other than Terry Castle, daughter of William Castle! William Castle was, of course, the director and producer who specialized in some of the most fun and memorable horror films ever burned onto celluloid–he has truly reached mythological proportions. He is a real hero of mine, and the chance to talk to Terry Castle and hear some of the stories from the Castle household firsthand was more wonderful than I could have hoped. And now you can hear it, too!

Terry Castle is every bit the delight that her father was (and is, as a ghost!)

We talk about Terry’s wonderful father and what kind of man he was, as well as his movies. We talk horror. We talk about the re-makes that Terry co-produced (House on Haunted Hill and Thir13en Ghosts). We talk about the darkness that followed the production of Rosemary’s Baby. This is a very frank and honest conversation!

Terry Castle's new novel! Available now!

The great news is that WILLIAM CASTLE HAS RETURNED FROM THE GRAVE! You can get his post-mortem, post-ressurection young adult novel From the Grave: The Prayer now! Terry Castle also has William Castle Productions up and going again. She has her own novel called FearMaker: Family Matters, which is available now, and a very exciting publication of the House on Haunted Hill Annotated Screamplay–scanned pages of William Castle’s personal copy, complete with handwritten notes and annotations in the margins. I have a copy myself, and it is so awesome!

That's William Castle's handwriting! From my copy of the House on Haunted Hill Annotated Screamplay

Over the years, William Castle has always provided a staple of my horror movie diet, and I’m thrilled to give you this episode, and to hear about all the exciting new things coming from William Castle Productions and the return of the man himself! I want to give a very special bit of gratitude to Lynn Tejada from www.greengalactic.com for helping to make this conversation happen. She is a super person, and you should check out the exciting things at the Green Galactic website (including the aforementioned House On Haunted Hill Annotated Screamplay)! Please enjoy this episode!

This is a great episode! My guests include my good friends from two big San Diego Film Festivals who are doing their part to promote the horror genre in San Diego with their own genre film nights. This was a lot of fun to record and I know you will enjoy listening to it!

Michael McQuiggan and Ana Pines join me from FilmOut San Diego to discuss their upcoming Thrill-O-Rama, which is happening NEXT SATURDAY on 10/8 from 12 to 12. It’s a great array of retro horror, including The Fog, Burnt Offerings, The Eyes of Laura Mars, Dressed to Kill, Black Christmas, and Suspiria! Click Here to get discount tickets!

FilmOut San Diego's Thrill-O-Rama on October 8th, 2011 from 12pm - 12am

I am also joined by Phil Lorenzo of the San Diego Asian Film Foundation. Phil talks about programming the Asian Extreme sidebar  of the festival. This year, they will be showing Cold Fish on the evenings of 10/21 and 10/28. They will also be screening Yakuza Weapon on the evening of 10/22.

San Diego's Asian Film Festival Will Include the Asian Extreme Sidebar

Finally, I discuss my own Horrible Imaginings Film Festival, which is happening on November 4th and 5th. I will be reviving Ishiro Honda’s Godzilla® and Georges Franju’s Eyes Without A Face. I will also be screening the features Long Pigs and The Taint, in addition to 29 short films and music videos. There will also be a full art gallery of twisted art work! I hope to see you there! Please donate to my IndieGoGo page!

Art by Monstrous Industry

Listen to Herbert West: Re-Animator Part 1

Listen to Herbert West: Re-Animator Part 2

For this episode, I discuss genre, collective fright mentality, and the challenge of writing different characters with Tone Milazzo, the author of a brand new horror novel called Picking Up the Ghost! Before I go on, the more tech-savvy among you can find out more with your smartphones right now by scanning this:

Let's hear it for the future!

Anyway, Tone was a really fun guy to sit and chat with. I actually ended up heading over to his place and talking for a lot longer with him and his wife Melissa. I am now about two-thirds of the way through Picking Up the Ghost. I am taken in by the characters, location, and–of course–the monsters. Pick up your copy!

I also give some time to my dear friend The Gothic Gourd Girl. Check out her creations over at http://www.gothicgourds.com/

Finally, the fundraiser for Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is in its home stretch! I still need about $1,300 to make my goal. Please consider donating and bringing the scares to sunny San Diego! Thank you!

In the last few years, there’s been a new name in horror who has endeared himself to horror genre fans everywhere. He has been called the modern day answer to the likes of Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney. He is also an incredibly gifted and versatile actor who has delighted audiences on stage in roles ranging from humorist Lewis Grizzard to Jesus of Nazareth.

Yes, I am talking about Bill Oberst, Jr.

Bill Oberst, Jr. gets suitably grimy for his role

When I met up with Bill at his favorite cafe in Hollywood, I was thinking of some of the questions I could ask him. Turns out I got one of the most rewarding conversations for Monster Island Resort yet. Oberst even begins to interview me at a couple of points, but that is because this is less an interview than a genuine conversation between two people. I think you all will really enjoy it!

Now, enough blabbering! On to BILL OBERST, JR!

One thing I’ve realized after watching hundreds of short films that were submitted to my film festival is that I am a sucker for kids who are the protagonists in a fright film. If you have a child who does a solid job acting and is the hero in your monster picture, your chances of getting into my film festival are dramatically increased! Many monster fans call themselves “Monster Kids.” Well, I have a fun (too cute) and brief (under 4 minutes!) special for you today! I got the chance to talk to three-year-old monster lover Autumn Manes the other day, mostly about her monster flower.

Autumn listens to our episode with Monster Flower

Autumn is the daughter of Carl Manes, the mastermind behind horror film reviewing behemoth ILIKEHORRORMOVIES.COM! Check out his site when you get the chance. In the meantime, a little unexpected gem of an episode. ENJOY!

The festival’s organizer Aaron Vanek was kind enough to take an afternoon away from the insanity of putting on the festival in order to visit Monster Island Resort and talk a little bit about the event.

In any case, you should head over to their BROWN PAPER TICKETS event page to get your tickets now! I will be there myself, so don’t forget to say hi!

The Beautiful and Endangered Coliseum Theater in Porthmadog, Wales

Hello Monster Fans!

For movie lovers, there is noting like seeing a film in a classic movie house, surrounded by friends and strangers, taking that trip together. In episode 33, I get a little romantic about the big screen and what it means to me before having a conversation with my good friend Aled Jones in Wales.

Aled is part of a dedicated group of people in his hometown called Friends of the Coliseum who have banded together to save their historic movie house from extinction. It is a worthy cause and I beg all of you to check out their site to learn more. We have a really great conversation about the EXPERIENCE of seeing a film. He says Monster Island Resort in WELSH! AWESOME!

Also, I do want to mention that I am in the middle of a fundraiser for my own HORRIBLE IMAGININGS FILM FESTIVAL in San Diego! Please click the banner below to donate! Many thanks to all my supporters! Now enjoy the show >:D

Some of the horror representatives at Comic Con International!

Hello Monster Fans! After a sad delay for a tribute for my late friend Joshua Medoff, I give you my San Diego Comic Con International horror special! I have here a few conversations about horror and horror at the convention that are worth listening to. Please feel free to share your thoughts!

Many thank yous to Troma Entertainment, Fangoria, The Blood Factory, The San Diego Asian Film Festival, and of course Graham Skipper and Jesse Merlin from Re-Animator: The Musical for lending their esteemed voices to this episode! So much fun!

Also, the dates for my Horrible Imaginings Film Festival have been announced! Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th! Be there or be some uncool shape!

Finally, on a very important note, the link to vote for the talented film maker and Monster Island Resort alum Nicolas Simonin’s short at the Halloween Horror Nights Contest is right HERE! PLEASE cast your vote for ERIC by Nicolas Simonin!

Until next time, monster fans!

Graham Skipper and Jesse Merlin and the greatest mic stand ever!

Josh, George Romero, and myself a few years back.

The music in this episode comes from two of Josh’s former bands:

RedDiedOut and Dirty Little Secret.

SCROLL DOWN TO PLAY EPISODE

Hello monster fans! It’s another Viscera Film Festival Special! Without spending too much time writing a ton, just know the festival was a huge success, the movies were awesome, and everybody had a great time. Congratulations to Heidi Honeycutt and Shannon Lark! Now listen to the episode and here’s a list of film makers to look out for!

Trailers:

American Mary by Jen and Sylvia Soska

Adventure Girls by Dara Moats and Jon Deitcher

Blood on the Flat Track by Lainy Bagwell and Lacey Leavitt

The Blood Shop by Annette Slomka

Women in Horror Month Blood Drive PSA by Jen and Sylvia Soska (they are so great!)

L.A.G.P. by Susan Bell (click to demand LAGP in your town!)

Shorts:

12-15-1996 by Mae Catt

Aftershock by Lori Bowen

Bon Appetit by Kate Shenton

Doll Parts by Karen Lam

Blood Bunny by Molly Madfis

A Fever and a River by Rachael Deacon

Short Lease by Jennifer Eiss and Prano Bailey-Bond

Box by Nikki Wall

The Ghost and Us by Emily Carmichael

The Party’s Over by Gigi Romero

Lump by Faye Jackson

Threnody by Tyrrell Shaffner

Nursery Crimes by Laura Whyte

The Key to Annabel Lee by Staci Layne Wilson

The Many Doors of Albert Whale by Marichelle Daywalt

Daddy’s Girl by Helen Komini Olsen

Also featured in this episode are:

Lia Scott Price

Dave Reda

Drew Daywalt

Gam3rCon Hits San Diego on July 19-24 at Tenth Ave Theatre!

Hello Monster Fans! Yes, it has officially been ONE YEAR since Monster Island Resort went live over the internet’s dark alleys! To celebrate, I am posting this conversation I had with Brian Bielawski and Walter G. Meyer, the creators of Gam3rCon–a five-day convention dedicated to gaming in all of its forms that will hit San Diego later this month! We had a great time talking and I know you will have a good time listening!

Gam3rCon was started last year by two San Diegans, Brian Bielawski and Walter G. Meyer, to promote the stage play they co-wrote GAM3RS. The play started at USD and has toured the country for the past six years from MIT to UCSD with stops in New York, New Jersey, LA, Montana, ASU and elsewhere. Last year’s event was successful enough that people asked if they could be part of it this year, including the first San Diego live performances of the Internet hit musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, produced and directed by Andy Lowe who help started the Asian Rep Theater in San Diego. This year’s Gam3rCon will also feature gaming panels, rooftop parties and gaming tournaments run by the San Diego-based group, The Box Arena. Sunday night we will have a fundraiser concert on the roof to benefit Get Well Gamers, an Orange County group that provides games for sick children to brighten their long hospital stays. The concert will feature local musicians Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale.

Click for tickets!

Also, I say that I will link the research of Jane McGonigal on the website. Well, I was too tired after putting all this together, but here is a Huffington Post article she wrote about video games. Enjoy!

I’m going to cut to the chase and continue to introduce you to the forbidden cabal acolytes of The Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit! Remember to keep these under lock and key!

Today’s introduction:

The Cultural Gutter

The Cultural Gutter has been friend and ally to the Monster Island Resort for several months now. You can even feast your eyes upon the artwork of Gutter columnist Carol Borden for the six-part MIR Storytime readings of Herbert West: Re-Animator!

Click to go to The Cultural Gutter!

In addition to their regular scribes, The Cultural Gutter often employs guest writers from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. This is definitely a site to bookmark in order to look at pop culture, perhaps a little differently.

I present to all of you good friends the unveiling of one of the most esoteric coteries of writers and podcasters who share a passion for the illumination of pop culture artifacts that spend too much time collecting dust on the shelves of obscurity. This illuminati, or “loose confederacy” as it’s been called, won’t rest until ample deserved attention is given to the likes of Cuneyt Arkin, Paul Naschy, Sashi Kapoor, Gary Daniels, Dwayne McDuffie, and Harinam Singh—among others.

The Monster Island Resort is proud to have been offered entrance into this prestigious cadre of cultural archaeology that includes a number of talented and hard-working people from different areas of the globe! And YOU, dear listeners will now have a forbidden peek into this clandestine network. I will give to you an introduction to the members of M.O.S.S. (in alphabetical order), one entry per day. Just remember—if anyone asks where you got this information, it WAS NOT FROM MONSTER ISLAND RESORT! You can keep a secret cantcha?

Today’s revelation is:

Beth Loves Bollywood

Reporting on the largest film industry in the world! Bollywood popularity seems to be growing in hipster appreciation over the last few years, but it has yet to receive the attention and scrutiny that such a huge operation really deserves. The film sensibilities from Bollywood are so different from what many people are used to, but their charm, allure, and entertainment value can’t be denied!

Click to go to Beth Loves Bollywood!

She also can give information on how to find essential watching for the uninitiated!

Greetings to all you Monster Island Resort Podcast listeners and fans!  I’ve got a special request/offer for you.  Part of our Facebook staff–J.M. Perkins– recently finished the 2nd draft of his action horror novel CHEMO and he’s looking for ‘Beta’ readers.

(Image created by Brett Coulstock, courtesy of 19 Nocturne Boulevard, which previously adapted one of the CHEMO chapters into a radio drama.)

The novel is arranged into an episodic structure where individual chapters often work as short stories while still functioning as a narrative whole. Perkins is going for that whole season-of-your-favorite-television-show feel to the book.  If you’re interested, you can read one of the previously published chapters here.  After introducing yourself to his world in that chapter, feel free to check out Mr. Perkins’s website at Struggling Word Guy or email him a request to be added to the list of beta readers at john@strugglingwordguy.com.

Beta readers have the really interesting job of influencing how well an author’s story can turn out. If you decide to help John out, let me know what you think of his work!

Thank you all so much for helping to support creativity in the action horror genre. Here’s to great stories!

Sincerely your host,

Miguel Rodriguez of Monster Island Resort

Those of you who host a podcast or write a blog know how special it was when the first person who wasn’t already a friend, family member, or acquaintance first corresponded in reference to your work. This happened for me, miraculously, right after I posted my first episode last July. The person in question maintains his own blog, as well as an excellent taste in genre cinema, art, literature, and television. He was the first person to offer feedback and has been a regular listener ever since.

Jay Watson: Gentleman and Scholar

Jay Watson is the person I am speaking of. You can get to know him better by heading over to his blog The Roads of Autumn Dusk, where you can read about “Movies, Monsters, Mysteries, and more!” Not only has he been an eager listener and supporter of this humble show, but he has contributed to the discussion about our favorite genre, and, ultimately, perpetuating thoughtful discussion is what the Resort has always been about.

So, Mr. Watson, I thank you for your listenership, your blog, and above all the love you share for the darker side of life! Keep up the great work!

Jay is just the first who will earn his or her way into the halls of fame here at Monster Island Resort. I don’t know how often the announcements will be made, but keep your eyes peeled! You could be next!

Hello again, Monstrous Resorters! What a month this is for people celebrating their 100th birthday! Check out this selection of four greats who entered our world one century ago:

Ishirô Honda (May 7, 1911)

The seminal director who was instrumental in virtually inventing the dai kaiju, or giant monster, genre of films—beginning of course with his Gojira in 1954. Honda was born to a chief Buddhist priest in the Yamagata prefecture of Japan. Although his family had been priests for generations, Honda himself harbored only the desire to make films ever since being dazzled by his first exposure to the great silents.

Although his work would be intermittently interrupted by his drafts into WWII, Honda was able to secure work as an assistant director for Toho Studios before striking gold with Gojira. Of course, the success of Gojira would also seal his fate, locking him into the “tokosatsu,” or scifi/fantasy genre for most of his oeuvre. Although none of his films will have quite the profound resonance of Gojira, Honda always worked hard to tinge his films with human drama and, at times, tragedy. He wanted his monsters to be much more than beasts gone wild, and perhaps that is why their personalities have endured so well.

I have recently discussed Honda at great length with the author of his biographer Peter Brothers on my show. If you haven’t listened, you should check it out in two parts!

Peter Brothers Talks Ishiro Honda Part 1

Peter Brothers Talks Ishiro Honda Part 2

Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911)

The remarkable popularity of bluesman Robert Johnson can perhaps be partially attributed to the mythical story surrounding him. Blues legend Son House famously called Johnson an “embarrassingly bad guitarist.” Johnson later perfected the Delta Blues sound in a way that seemed miraculous—a feat which is likely part of what spurred the legend of him having made a pact with the devil in order to be a master of his craft.

Johnson’s premature death at the very young age of 27 is also surrounded by several myths and legends, many of which lend fire to the pact-with-the-devil myth. Whatever the circumstances surrounding Johnson’s sudden talent and untimely death, one thing can be certain—the world is a better place because he had the chance to commit his songs to record. Like many great artist before him, he never had the chance to enjoy the success and fame that his music would later garner.

Perhaps that is the price for cavorting with Satan . . .

“You may bury my body down by the highway side

So my old evil spirit can catch a Greyhound bus and ride.”

Gardner Fox (May 20, 1911)

Gardner Fox fell in love with early science fiction and fantasy at a young age after reading the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. That didn’t put him directly onto the path to writing comics and pulp stories, though; he actually practiced law for a couple of years. No, it was the Great Depression which led to him writing for extra money. We can call this one of the Depression’s silver linings, since without Fox we would be without the comics Golden Age’s finest offerings.

Batman would be without his famed utility belt. There would be no Flash—Golden Age Jay Garrick Flash, that is! Some other interesting characters that Fox had a hand in creating were Dr. Fate, Starman, and the Golden Age Sandman. He also created the first DC Superteam: The Justice Society of America. Of his creations, I think my favorite would be Hawkman, a strange character which would include themes of reincarnation, Ancient Egyptian Civilization, and archaeology.

Fox was never one to shy away from filling his stories with facts, real histories, and startlingly decent science. By the 1940s, he was pumping out several stories every month!

Vincent Price (May 27, 1911)

And finally we have the inimitable Vincent Price. Born in St. Louis, MO to a family living off of the wealth earned from his grandfather’s cream of tartar baking powder, Price was able to attend an expensive MO private academy before getting educated in art history at Yale. He enjoyed a handful roles in films, but it was in the 1950s when his voice and line delivery made him the perfect actor to join the ranks of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and the Chaneys as a horror film legend. House of Wax, The Fly, The Tingler, and Roger Corman’s 1960s Poe adaptations including The Raven, The Pit and the Pendulum, and House of Usher are just some of the titles that were successful largely because of the draw of Vincent Price. Price maintained his popularity through the 70s with more violent, but campy fare such as The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Theatre of Blood. Considering “Batgirl” Yvonne Craig also has a birthday this month, it is worth noting that Vincent Price’s run as Egghead was her favorite villain from Batman’s rouges gallery.

All of these roles made Price a legend long before his death in 1993. His voice and wild characters can be seen or heard in everything from The Muppet Show to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. He was a lover of art, music, and drama, but he rarely showed pretensions. Like Karloff before him, Price was tickled by his secure place in cinematic history as a master of scares and even of camp. Ultimately, it was lung cancer from lifelong smoking that claimed his life and shortened his role as the benevolent inventor in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands.

I am so happy to be hosting Vincent Price’s centennial birthday party at San Diego’s Central Library on May 25th. We will be showing Theatre of Blood, which is one of Price’s favorite roles. In it, we get the exemplary Price. He plays a killer, but he plays it with the slightest hint of irony, the most subtle of winks to the audience. You can almost hear him say what he says to Edward Scissorhands seventeen years later: “That’s right. Go ahead. Smile, it’s funny. That’s right.”

Hello to all you children of the night! I just wanted to make the official and exciting announcement that yours ghastly has been approached by none other than the San Diego Public Library to introduce a special screening of the Vincent Price horror classic Theatre of Blood, taking place at the Central Library on Wednesday, May 25th! The occasion is made more special because this screening is commemorating Vincent Price’s ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY!Theatre of Blood is one of my absolute favorite Vincent Price films. In it, he plays an actor who has had it with the critics who denied him recognition—so he kills them in a variety of entertaining ways while quoting Shakespeare! The film also stars the lovely Diana Rigg, who many know as Emma Peel from The Avengers, and was directed by Douglas Hickox, the man who gave giant monster fans The Giant Behemoth!

I’d like to sincerely thank Marc Chery and Alan Bugg, not only for this remarkable privilege, but also for giving classic genre films an official forum that is free to the public. That’s right, folks! In the 3^rd floor auditorium of San Diego’s Central Library at 820 E Street, one can find the aptly named SCHLOCKFEST program on the fourth Wednesday of every month. In the past, they have screened Mothra, The Tingler, Fearless Vampire Killers, Gamera, and more! Again, these screenings are free to the public!

If you are in Southern California, I invite you to spend Wednesday, May 25^th with me at the Central Library to celebrate Vincent Price’s centennial. Monster Island Resort will be providing cake and other prizes. The festivities will begin at 6:30 (after parking downtown goes free) and will end at around 8:30pm. Scare you later!

Click Here for the Official Press Release!

The characters of felt, foam, and other various materials were so brilliantly created that they were absolutely infused with personalities so real it was hard to argue their non-existence. As a sad example, I remember how devastated I was when I saw this on the grocery store magazine racks 21 years ago:

It’s hard to explain the amount of genuine emotion contained within one muppet, but there it is.

So, without further ado I’d like to introduce these new faces to all my boils and ghouls out there in internet land!

Profile: Jane Gutter

Jane, in the guise of her Godlike-protector Kingu Seesar!

For a while now we’ve been pleased to have the assistance of the incomparable Jane Gutter. Jane’s application of intellect to genre art is respectful to the form without abandoning her sense of humor or fun. She has thoughtful conversations about classic monsters, wrestling, and action film—especially action films from Hong Kong.

Profile: J.M. Perkins

This way madness lies.

Also, for the last week or so we’ve had J.M. Perkins posting, commenting and sifting the digital seas for content krill like some kind of Lovecraftian balene whale. J.M. Perkins is a writer with a few short story credits who’s first love is action horror or, as he recently put, it “stories where someone shoots a vampire in the f***ing face.” He writes over at www.strugglingwordguy.com and you can email John at strugglingwordguy@gmail.com.

And of course there’s me, Miguel Rodriguez.

I’m very excited about adding a bit of spice to our horror gumbo because–if you’ll allow me to switch metaphors–behind every great monster (podcast) is usually a couple of great minions (or at least a great makeup artist). We have a lot of great stuff coming (Group commentary for Netflix movies night, new features, guest blogging and contests!) but we can’t do any of that without all of you. So keep listening, keep telling us how we’re doing and we’ll keep sharing our love of movies, monsters and all things horror.

Hello monster fans! Never let it be said that monsters don’t appreciate the women who raise them. It’s Mother’s Day here on the Monster Island Resort, so I’ve decided to compile a list of of the most menacing mothers ever to grace the screen! And speaking of Grace, that brings me to my first maniacal matriarch:

13. Madeline Matheson from Grace.

When Madeline’s baby turns out to be a bloodsucking zombie, we see a mother who will to to any lengths to make sure her darling Grace gets what she needs.

12. Lenore Harker from It’s Alive

Speaking of mother’s who will do anything for their monster babies, here is Lenore with her loving monster baby. Loving because it loves human flesh!

11. Beverly Sutphin from Serial Mom

Beverly seems to be the perfect June Cleaver mother. Don’t mess with her family or break the rules of etiquette, though, or you’ll end up six feet under. Pussywillows.

10. Mother from Mother’s Day

It must be nice when a mother can be proud of her sons, but does that include when they commit horrible and sadistic acts? Look at the glee on her face!

9. Norman Bates’s Mother in Psycho

I argued with myself about putting Mrs. Bates later in this list, but I decided to keep her here because (spoiler!) she’s really in Norman’s head. Still, this has got to be one of the greatest films to watch on Mother’s Day. She wouldn’t even hurt a fly!

8. Morticia Addams from The Addams Family and Lily Munster from The Munsters

I couldn’t really mention one of these wonderful moms without mentioning the other. Lot’s of people argue over which show was better, but I love them both for different reasons and neither of them would be the same without mom.

7. Lucy Harbin from Strait-Jacket

Joan Crawford gave us some great cinematic moments, but as the mentally unhinged Lucy in William Castle’s Strait-Jacket, we get some real crazy mom gold.

6. La Femme from Inside

Oh, what a brutal mommy you are, la femme. It is a bit of a spoiler to include this nameless assailant in this list, but it really wouldn’t be the same without her. Truly one of the most frightening crazy mommies here.

5. Margaret White from Carrie

Oh the domineering, super fanatical mother love of Piper Laurie’s Margaret White. People always remember Carrie’s blood-stained rampage at the prom, but her mother was really the source of the horror.

4. The alien queen from Aliens

She loved her eggs! What more can you say and how can you keep her off the Mother’s Day list? Get away from her, you bitch!

3. Rosemary Woodhouse from Rosemary’s Baby

Rosemary spent so much time trying to escape the plans of her devil worshiping neighbors the Castevets. Even when faced with the Antichrist she gave birth to, her maternal instincts win out.  “You’re trying to get me to be his mother.” “Aren’t you his mother?”

2. Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th

Jason Voorhees has become one of the most enduring characters from the slasher genre, but in my opinion Betsy Palmer was a far more interesting killer as his mother in the original Friday the 13th.

1. Vera Cosgrove in Braindead (Dead Alive)

I tried to think of the ultimate deadly mom and I can’t help but settle on Vera Cosgrove in the splatter classic Braindead. She didn’t have to be a zombie to be a killer, and she couldn’t stop at just being a zombie:

Long live MUM!

Tonight–Wednesday, May 4th–sees the release of RAMMBOCK, a zombie flick from Germany that has been getting some pretty decent hype. Hopefully it will inspire an evening of big screen fun. Anyway, the efforts of Bloody Disgusting are to be supported. Look at their BLOODY DISGUSTING SELECTS website to see if the film is playing near you and to get tickets!

Honey Parker, living the life.

Now the news is abuzz about a badly decomposing body was found in Vickers’s home by a neighbor. As of this writing, DNA identification is still pending, but many journalists have already come to the conclusion that the body belongs to Vickers, who lived alone. What adds an extra, devastating dimension to this whole episode is that the remains had lain undiscovered for nearly a year. I am saddened at the image of loneliness this can’t help but to conjure, even though she, by all accounts, had chosen a more reclusive lifestyle.

Whatever the circumstances regarding the discovery at Yvette Vickers’s house, I know that she was loved by genre fans the world over. Wherever you are, break out your DVD of Attack of the 50-Foot Woman and watch it with her commentary as you see her performance on screen. Twice the Vickers!

It is Easter, which can mean only one thing–ZOMBIES! I mean, that’s what Easter is all about, right? What better way to celebrate than with a conversation with people who run a website dedicated to zombies?

Click to Hug A Zombie!

That’s right, you can listen to my talk with Baron La Croix and Dr. Fischer from HUG A ZOMBIE.COM! We discuss zombies in movies, video games, books, and their sudden proliferation in pop culture! Check out their website for news and reviews about upcoming zombie fun. Also, don’t forget to join the Hug A Zombie Facebook page! Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Don’t let those killer bunnies getcha!

Honda and a partially-transformed mushroom man!

And don’t forget to learn more about the legendary Ishiro Honda by getting Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men, on sale now!

The Cover to Brothers's Book on Ishiro Honda!

I had the pleasure of catching Mr. Brothers’s presentation on Ishiro Honda at this past weekend’s Monsterpalooza Convention before our interview. He has done his homework and has a lot to say about Honda, Japanese cinema, science fiction, and more. Our conversation was so enriching, in fact, that I have decided to present it to you in two parts. There is a lot of great stuff here to take in! Even so, it doesn’t cover all the wonderful information about Ishiro Honda the man that Brothers includes in his book. It’s well worth the order from Amazon or for your e-reader! Now, why delay any further? Enjoy!

Oh Monster Fans, I have been behind on some wonderful things to share with you. I’ve decided to make a list of things that I think are cool. First of all, though, don’t forget that this Thursday, March 31st is my BIRTHDAY:

1. Monster Island Resort Guest Spots

Your humbly horrible Monster Island Resort host has been a guest on a couple of recent podcasts for your listening pleasure! First of all, there is the third installment of the legendary Godzilla Discussion over at Brian Solomon’s Conversations in the Dark!

This has been an audio series of truly epic proportions, monster fans, and one of our most popular features. Part 1 was at Brian’s Vaultcast, Part 2 was here, Part 3 is there, and Part 4 (the final war) will be here at your very own Monster Island Resort. Here are the links for all episodes to prepare for that scrumptiousness:

Godzilla Talk: Showa Era 1

Godzilla Talk: Showa Era 2

Godzilla Talk: Heisei Era

Nunsploitation Talk over at Captain Cruella’s Cryptcast!

Many of you may remember my episode featuring the zombirific Captain Cruella of the Carniverous Cadavers! Well, I took a spin over on her new show the Cryptcast! She asked me what I wanted to discuss, and I decided to out myself as a fan of the nunsploitation subgenre. We sure had a blast, and I’m sure you will, too! Listen to that here!

2. Awesome Benefits for Japan

The major earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear catastrophes in Japan have left a mark an all of us. Many people are organizing events across the country to benefit disaster relief and help those in need. Here are only two of them, one on each side of the country, from friends of Monster Island Resort:

Tara Cardinal’s Japan Benefit: Celebrity Autograph Signing at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA.

Join concerned celebrities in an effort to support the relief efforts in Japan.

Thursday, April 7th
Come by, grab a photo or an autograph from:

Lance Henriksen (Alien Series, The Witches of Oz, Gemini Rising)
James Duval (Donnie Darko, Gone in 60 Seconds, Spreading Darkness)
…Stephen Kramer Glickman (Big Time Rush, The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It)
Sean Hood (Conan the Barbarian 2011, Hercules 2011)
Daniel Knauf (Spartacus Blood & Sand, Carnivàle) ++ just confirmed
Louis Mandylor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) ++ just confirmed

Rileah Vanderbilt – Schedule permitting (Hatchet 2, Frozen, Sexy Nightmare Slayers)

Organized and hosted by Tara Cardinal
Sponsored by: FanGirlTastic.com
Sponsored by: DARK DELICACIES
Sponsored by: BLEED FEST FILM FESTIVAL (we happen monthly)

Additional Special Celeb Guests: Elissa Dowling, Kevin Tenney, Camden Toy, Brett Wagner, Deedee Bigelow, Adam Weisman, Erik Preston and Josh Eisenstadt (more confirmations coming in by the hour – keep checking back daily for new names!)

A Dram for Japan benefit, co-sponsored by the great TELEPORT CITY

Whisky Benefit for Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Relief

* Whisky tasting and light snacks will be provided
* Cocktail reception
* Silent Auction and Raffle of Whisk(e)y, Art, and Robots

Monster Island Resort partner and friend Carol Borden of The Cultural Gutter has donated prints to this event! Check out other great monster art at Monstrous Industry!

All money raised will be donated to the Red Cross to continue humanitarian work in Japan and Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.

To purchase tickets, click here:
http://nycwhisky-japanbenefit.eventbrite.com/

Tickets also available at the door for $35.

Send all questions to:
ellie@nycwhisky.com

3. I Hate LA Premiere at Bleedfest’s ThrillHER

The Fies Sisters are at it again with another Bleedfest on April 3rd! This one looks particularly exciting, as they are premiering their anthology I HATE LA. Read more about it and visit bleedfest.com:

April 3rd is ThrillHer:
Suspense films by women.
Canadian filmmaker Maude Michaud will be present for a retrospective of her shorts and two world premiers. The feature film is the world premier of the anthology I HATE L.A. The genre suspense feature includes work by filmmakers Barbara Stepansky, Maude Michaud, Heidi Hornbacher, Marichelle Daywalt, Tyrrell Sheffner, Elisabeth Fies and Brenda Fies. Drew Daywalt will be receiving the Inanna Partnership Award. Lori Bowen of Hallowscreen Film Festival will co-present the Shorts In Competition block. Schedule subject to change, appearances dependent on schedule.

4. Hobo with a Shotgun opens across Canada

Canadian filmmaker Jason Eisener’s rollicking Christmas horror short Treevenge thrilled people at Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in December. Now, Hobo with a Shotgun, the pseudo-trailer he made for Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse has its feature release, a la Machete. I have heard nothing but good things about this return to 70s-style merciless exploitation. I can’t wait to see it for myself!

5. Monsterpalooza

Hooray for monsters! The weekend of April 8 – 10 brings the MONSTERPALOOZA convention to The Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Burbank, California! I am very excited since this will be my first Monsterpalooza convention, and I appreciate such an intense devotion to monsters. What I’m most looking forward to? The appearance of Haruo Nakajima, the titan himself who first donned the 200+ pound Godzilla suit!

6. Upcoming Monster Island Resort Guests!

Peter Brothers, the author of Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men – The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. Mr. Brothers will be presenting at Monsterpalooza on Friday night. On Saturday, he will grace the Monster Island Resort with a special visit! Let’s show him a great welcome! Order his book on Amazon.com!

HugAZombie: Zombie Easter! The good folk over at HugAZombie.com have agreed to join me for the first Monster Island Resort episode dedicated totally to zombies. Zombies have saturated our public consciousness lately, and I think Easter is the perfect time to ruminate on why that might be.

7. Horrible Imaginings Alumni Gaining Greater Exposure!

Derailed making Famous Monsters Film Fest

Congratulations to filmmaker Nicolas Simonin, who’s fantastic fright short DERAILED has been accepted to Famous Monsters Film Festival! It will be showing on Friday afternoon, April 8^th.

Dead Hooker in a Trunk’s UK DVD Release

Jen and Sylvia Soska’s impressive freshman grindhouse feature gets a DVD release in the UK! Cross your fingers for a North American release!

Dread Central premiere’s Dave Reda online

Horror aficionados Dread Central will be hosting the online premiere of Dave Reda’s hilarious short/music video The Horror of Our Love. The premiere is happening on March 30^th (the day before my birthday) on Dread Central’s website! Be there or be eviscerated!

8. The Space Art of Michael Overton

My friend Michael is a real craftsmen and artist. I’ve seen some of his handcrafted prop and costume work and it is truly impressive. My first introduction to his art came in the form of these space renderings, though, created completely by him. I love them!

9. Jess’s Monster Snacks

Finally, I just wanted to include this picture of my friend Jess. She and her husband Aled live in Wales and have sent me and my housemates a package of goodies that can be found there. This one is particularly interesting to me, for obvious reasons!

MONSTER MUNCH!

Check out their MovieDrome DVD store HERE!

Hello Monster Fans!

You have less than four more days to vote for the phantasmagorical Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards! For those of you who have been out of the loop for the last near decade, I will attempt to elucidate. In 2002, the classic monster maestro David Colton of the Classic Horror Film Board spearheaded what has become the most comprehensive and prestigious awards organization dedicated to recognizing the efforts and offerings of the horror genre (with a little sci-fi and fantasy thrown in for good measure). Unlike other unnamed awards shows, no panel of faceless judges oversees this annual event. Rather, the online horror community at large is asked to send in votes for every category.

Any genre fan knows that, with extremely rare exceptions, the films and art that we love receives little love from the mainstream world. The Rondo Hatton Awards gives us a voice in hailing the merits of our favorite artists, filmmakers, hosts, writers, bloggers, podcasters, and more.

The namesake of this award is, of course, the magnificent Rondo Hatton, whose visage and performances gained him immortality before tragically passing at the young age of 50 from a heart attack that was spurred by acromegaly, a pituitary gland disorder that was responsible for his distinctive look. One of his most recognized roles was The Hoxton Creeper, from the 1946 Universal film House of Horrors. That film includes busts of the Hoxton Creeper that provide the basis for the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award itself.

From the screen to the hands of artists!

Rondo Hatton is a fitting persona to symbolize what is quickly becoming our beloved genre’s most coveted honor. Whether you love monsters, the macabre, fantasy, thrills, or anything that goes bump in the night, the Rondos gives something for everyone. This can make voting seem overwhelming at first because there are such a great number of categories, each containing an ample number of nominees. Don’t feel like you have to vote for everything. Let your passion drive you and give a voice to the artists you admire.

You have until midnight on Sunday March 27^th (Saturday Night) to email your votes in! Head on over to the Rondo’s Official Website to check out the ballot! This is our chance to be heard!

As a cool aside, check out this Rondo Hatton 12″ action figure I found at Vault of Midnight Comics (you should totally shop there) in Ann Arbor, Michigan! It was 75 bucks and, sadly, I couldn’t afford it. I was pretty excited to note the logo on the back of the package, though!

Awesome Rondo Action Figure!

Check out the packaging!

Also, The Vault of Horror’s own Brian Solomon runs the Cyber Horror Awards, in which the blogosphere’s horror writers choose their favorites. Check out who they chose over at their website!

Lovecraft and his cat Felis

It will also be the opening of a 6-part block of HP Lovecraft Storytimes, as I will read all five parts of Herbert West: Re-Animator next! Stay tuned!

Also, if you are in any area around Saugerties, New York, then be sure to head over to Sugartown Vintage Boutique on Saturday April 9th at 2pm to hear live readings of Lovecraft poetry by none other than Monster Island Resort friend and collaborator Brian Solomon of the Vault of Horror!

Yes, that’s right monstrous vacationers! It’s time for another episode of Monster Island Resort Podcast! What fun awaits you at the resort tonight, for I review the brand-spanking new on-stage sensation RE-ANIMATOR: THE MUSICAL! Yes, my friends, I have seen Stewart Gordon’s musical theater version of his 1985 film of the same name. It is now playing at the Steve Allen Theater on Hollywood Blvd. You can get your tickets at www.reanimatorthemusical.com. How is it? Tune in to find out! But that’s not all this episode contains! Oh no, there’s more!

There was so much going on this past weekend that one episode could barely contain it! I also discuss the 5th monthly Bleedfest Film Festival. The wonderful Fies sisters presented us with a little something different this time around. Don’t worry, though, there was some darkness and even some monster stuff to talk about! I was especially happy with the retrospective of filmmaker Anna Biller. Check out her work at www.lifeofastar.com! It was a really enjoyable Bleedfest and I can’t wait for April’s!

What's an incubus doing on the stage, anyway?

Finally, I have to mention Saturday night’s triple feature of disaster movies at Birch North Park Theater here in San Diego, presented by FilmOut San Diego. They have great programming skills and Saturday was a blast! It’s all inside, friends! Enjoy!

The Esteemed Poet

When she composed this and shared it with me, I just had to spread it to the world. Very funny. If any of you have any poetry you think I would like to share, I’d be happy to let Monster Island Resort become a forum for it. Now, on with the show!

Acceptance Speech (In Case I Ever Win an Oscar)

by Gabriela Anaya Valdepeña

I’d like to thank everyone tonight, from the person

most involved in the production of this film–me,

to that old lady, ten years ago,

who sat next to me on the bus to Santa Monica.

I’d like to thank you, Academy, for your restraint,

your rectitude, and your impeccable taste.

I’d like to send many thanks to friends and family,

who though they never lent a willing hand,

will surely be the first, now, to hold theirs out.

And I’d like to dedicate this award to the poor saps,

who but for unlucky circumstance, could be standing

here in my place. I’m glad it’s me and not you.

And last of all, I’d like to thank God

for finding an idle moment in his busy schedule

to help me win this graven image of gold.

You can find more of the artist here.

Dwayne McDuffie

Dwayne McDuffie

I’ve spent four days trying to write a blog to you monster fans about all kinds of things that have been going on since my last entry. There is great news from Women In Horror Month, Bleedfest, my own Horrible Imaginings Film Festival, and more. I am going to set all that side right now for something that’s not horror related at all. I need to write about a comics and animation editor, writer, and producer named Dwayne McDuffie. Last night, I watched the McDuffie-penned Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, one of the animated features that have come from DC in the last few years. McDuffie’s characters and dialogue have a certain three-dimensional quality to them that is rare and often unrecognized in superhero cartoons. One such moment came at the end of last night’s feature when the hopelessly insane Owlman (an evil version of Batman from a parallel Earth, perfectly voiced by James Woods), defeated and facing death, smirks to himself and says “it doesn’t matter.”

Owlman Plans to End Reality

DC’s animated fare has set the benchmark for quality superhero storytelling since legendary producer Bruce Timm changed everything with Batman: the Animated Series back in the early 90s. This includes my favorite series, Justice League Unlimited, which focused a lot of attention on second string DC characters like Booster Gold, Red Tornado, The Question, Wildcat, and others—giving them more vitality than they ever had. The producer on that wonderful series was none other than Dwayne McDuffie.

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite websites dedicated to genre contemplation, The Cultural Gutter, featured a fantastic article on Dwayne McDuffie by their resident comics columnist Carol Borden. Until reading that article, I hadn’t paid enough attention to the accomplishments of McDuffie and his efforts in bringing diversity, thoughtfulness, and more well-rounded characterization to the oft-disregarded world of the superhero. McDuffie has written for the power comic book publishers, he has produced and written animated shows, and he has even started his own DC imprint called Milestone Media. I have re-watched a lot of Justice League and Static Shock with a new eye thanks to Borden’s article, and have looked forward to what comes next.

Yesterday, I found out that Dwayne McDuffie has passed away at the age of 49 following complications from surgery. For a great number of reasons, this is a major loss for the world of storytelling—superhero or otherwise—and it has profoundly affected me. Even though I was late in my appreciation for McDuffie the person, I have very fond and real memories of enjoying his work over the years. It may or may not be a surprise that a full-grown man can find moments of clarity in a children’s cartoon and have those moments endure in his memory, but story serves different purposes for everyone. There’s not a whole lot more I can say, so I will instead link here to a beautiful collection of colleagues’ remembrances from Comic Book Resources online.

He has dropped by the Monster Island Resortand brought the Edgar Allan Poe story “Ligeia” with him! Sit back, relax, and let B-Sol take you on a trip to a dark place.

B-Sol Does Me Justice!

Pure Awesome

This will be a very short episode. Since moving, I have not had a recording space, but I had to talk about Tura Satana, especially since this is WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH. Please give this intimate little show a listen, check out www.womeninhorrormonth.com, founded by the amazing Hannah Neurotica, support events that spotlight women like Bleedfest Film Festival, and do yourself a favor and watch Faster Pussycat, Kill Kill in memory of Tura Satana.

Don’t forget to preorder your tickets to see Bride of Frankenstein on the big screen in San Diego!

Bride of Frankenstein Valentine’s Day Event
February 12, 2011
10th Avenue Theatre
7 – 10:30 pm
ONLY 8 dollars!
Click here to go to the Facebook Event page!

The Bride of Frankenstein is a masterpiece. It is not only generally regarded as a rare example of a sequel surpassing the original in quality and merit, but it has made many lists as one of the greatest films of all time. It is also a stunning example of how reluctant people are to recognize the virtues of a work of art that comes from the horror genre.

Unlike many horror classics like Peeping Tom, which were misunderstood when they came out and only later gained critical recognition for their significance, The Bride of Frankenstein was acclaimed right at the beginning. What is interesting, however, is the necessity that nearly every critic felt for including the qualifier “for the horror genre,” as in: “this was a good film for the horror genre.” It is as if the reputation of these critics was at risk if they dared to just call a horror film a good film, without the qualifier or categorization.

Of course, this practice continues today. What seems to give credibility to genre films is the ability for them to remain in the public consciousness over time. The dramatic and symbolic nuances of The Bride of Frankenstein have led to decades of film interpretation and debate. This is partly due to the performances of Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Ernest Thesiger, Colin Clive, and others, partly to the brilliant score and sound by Franz Waxman, partly to the cinematography by John Mescall and make-up effects by the legendary Jack Pierce–but significant credit must be given to director James Whale. Whale’s vision is consistent and rich throughout the picture, with little meddling from the studio. Barring some minor censorship issues, he had what is quite rare in the world of filmmaking: a combination of creative freedom and profound artistic ability and vision.

The complexity of James Whale the man is evident in The Bride of Frankenstein; it is there that we get so much to talk about–so much that is memorable. What could possibly prove the vitality of a film more than its endurance in the public consciousness for generations?

Whale’s affection for his monsters and Karloff’s ability to bring empathy to a reanimated corpse goes beyond Mary Shelley’s technophobic warning against “playing God.” Whale and Karloff created an inverse Christ figure, an indictment of the mob-mentality and cruelty of good people, and most importantly they have shown how the overwhelming need for companionship is rooted more deeply than we imagine.

Resurrection, THEN Crucifixion

I couldn’t be happier than to present The Bride of Frankenstein for Valentine’s Day on the big screen in downtown San Diego. I know this will be a first viewing for some people, and I envy such an introduction. The sound and picture at 10^th Avenue Theatre have proven a delightful viewing experience. I offer sincere gratitude to theatre owner Jeff Cotta for making this event possible.

For more information
email me at: miguel@horribleimaginingsfilmfest.com

This Episode: Roxsy Tyler!

You can catch new and archived episodes on VIMEO and YouTube! I do recommend that you check them out! It’s good to see people have so much fun!

ROXSY

Don’t forget to check out Big Boots and Black Hair Dye!

This Episode: Miss Gory Rae!

I’m sure you will have as much fun listening as I had talking. That’s why I’ve left the conversation more or less intact, right down to the phone ringing at the beginning. Sit back, and fill your mind with fright!

The internet age saw a boost in exposure to the great Dr. Creep, with episodes available on YouTube and other streaming websites. For well over three decades, he also helped families over the holidays by founding Project Christmas Smiles–a local Dayton charity that donates toys to the needy.

As Dr. Creep, Barry Hobart has joined that extremely special group of monsters who have spread the love of horror over the television and the internet for several decades. He saw the staggering evolution of independent media through television, home video, and the internet–and for many of us out there, Dr. Creep will be a revered household name.

I am very sad that at this time, when I am talking to many great horror hosts for Monster Island Resort, that I will not get the chance to chat with Dr. Creep or his alter ego Barry Hobart. Many fans got the chance to shake his hands in November at the gathering of horror hosts at HorrorHound Weekend Convention. Godspeed, Dr. Creep.

Juan Piquer Simón

He is probably best know in the USA for his 1988 creature feature SLUGS, and his bloody psychological slasher PIECES (1982), but he has made his mark in Spain as a writer, director, and producer, with notable credits such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Cthulhu Mansion, The Pod People, and The Rift to his name. Simón’s dedication to classic special effect techniques, and more importantly his sincere reverence for horror and fantasy imagery, truly make him stand out among his peers.

And so, the filmmaker known to Americans as JP Simon joins the list of those who have gained immortality through creative endeavors that many of us hold so dear. Adiós Juan Piquer Simón! You will be missed!

This episode: COUNT GORE DE VOL!

And, I couldn’t feel luckier! I live in San Diego now, but for most of my life, I called Maryland my home. And for years, the ruling horror host of that area was none other than a longtime idol of mine—Count Gore de Vol! Count Gore has not only been delivering the scary goods for over 35 years, but he spearheaded the horror host internet phenomenon. It’s an honor to begin Horror Host Resort with his leader of the frightening!

Count Gore wins the coveted Rondo Award!

I hope you enjoy the show, and don’t forget to check out EVERY OTHER DAY IS HALLOWEEN, on Amazon now!

Mike was a guest at my Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in November, and I have been a fan of his artwork ever since discovering it. He has worked in the comics industry since he was in high school, and he has considerable skill in rendering the indescribable cyclopian pantheon of beasts from the Cthulhu mythos. He has a lot of great prints and commission work available from his blog The Art of Mike Dubisch.

Click for the Black Velvet Cthulhu trailer!

You can also read The People That Melt in the Rain, the award winning web comic he created with his wife Carolyn Watson Dubisch! In the meantime, please enjoy our conversation. I am really happy with this podcast episode! Sweet dreams, monster fans!

The song I open up with is Fishmen, as sung by the HP Lovecraft Historical Society Singers! Check out other stuff from HPLHS here!

The Bleedfest Award: Inanna

The Bleedfest event happens on the first Sunday of every month at CAP Theater in Sherman Oaks, CA. Their mission is to give exposure to female film makers of genre pictures. It is a blast, affordable, fun, and definitely worth checking out if you are anywhere in the area.  The next one is on Sunday, January 2nd! Ringing in the New Year!

Go to www.bleedfest.com to learn more, and don’t forget to support them by donating to their IndieGoGo campaign! For schedule information, see the press release below:

January: GENRE GOULASH (sci-fi-western, domestic abuse western, superhero, horror, period piece thriller, and werewolves!!! Oww–ewwww, genre blenders!) Sunday January 2nd, 2011

FEATURE FILM A FOUNDLING (2009) 90 minutes sci-fi/western Virginia – a young Chinese woman in the old west – rescues her long lost sister, Mattie, from a brothel in Arizona. On their journey home to San Bernardino, they discover the strange, steaming wreckage of an otherworldly craft. Inside the vehicle, Mattie finds a very mysterious baby. Carly Lyn

I love literature, which has its fair share of horror stories. In fact, it is the horror genre that helped shape the rise of the short story format. Many short gothic tales are available in the public domain, and I wish to read many of those as part of MIR Storytime. If you have any requests for stories that are in the public domain, please don’t hesitate to email me! I’d love to honor them!

Robert Lewis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson, best known for Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, can be counted on for exploiting the fears and apprehensions that many Victorian readers had for the rapidly growing field of medical science. This can be morbidly experienced in his short story “The Body Snatcher,” in which medical students use less than moral means of procuring corpses for their dissecting tables. Pull a chair up to the fireplace, warm some cocoa, and please enjoy the read!

Jean Rollin fully understood how horror and sex came from the same primal and instinctual part of our subconscious, and he would exploit both on the screen with a very recognizable and reverent style. Once familiar with a Jean Rollin film, one could recognize his touch easily. Rest in peace, Monsieur Rollin! As with all great artists, you will live forever with your work!

I had little idea of what to expect when I was handed a screener for an ultra low-budget shocker called The Taint. Check out the website over at www.taintmovie.com! It was a non-stop, completely over-the-top and absurdly offensive exercise in just about anything that can make people furious. Filth from the beginning to end. And I was completely entertained! I do warn you, this one is not for the faint of heart (or the overly PC).

I am sad to say that the sound is difficult to understand in parts, especially when director Dan Nelson speaks. I’m sorry Dan! I worked for hours trying to get it to sound intelligible, and believe me it’s much better than what it was. You will be able to understand the whole conversation, though. Hear us talk about the film, the surprisingly effective special effects, people’s reactions, and the almighty Richmond, Virginia–a place I used to call my home.

Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a goth-industrial track from the spectacular Nurse Hatchet AKA Mixtress Demonatrix, along with Laggy Luk and Lady Venom. The filthily appropriate song is called Orally Obsessed (Severe Tongue Lashing)–use your imagination

Nurse Hatchet is also known for her SFX work on a popular little show you may have heard of called CHAINSAW SALLY. Find her here.

Yes, this is their FIRST PUBLIC INTERVIEW about the American Mary trailer. Listen to hear about some of the thematic elements of the new film, among other things that go off topic–but never dull! Be sure to head over to www.twistedtwinsproductions.net first, to watch the trailer and prepare yourselves for the levels of auditory excellence within this, my 15th episode!

By the way, the size of this episode’s mp3 download is 66.6 MB! Can’t be THAT with a stick!

That’s right, folks! B-Sol and I have spent two entire episodes talking about the Showa Era of Godzilla films–and this is only the beginning! I could write more here, but why waste more time? You’ve got some listening to do!

ANDROID APP now available!!! Search “Monster Island Resort” in the Android Market. It’s a one-time fee of $1.99–I wanted to make it free, but I couldn’t. If you order the app, email me and I will mail you a bunch of stickers and other goodies!

I had the pleasure of attending the first Bleedfest event in July when they screened In Memorium, Dead Hooker in a Trunk, Simone, and The Commune. You may have listened to my reviews back in Episode 4. Not only was it a great time and definitely worth the drive to Los Angeles (which is saying something), but it had that magic that the best film festivals have of introducing me to wonderful films, people and partners in crime. While the original vision was to spotlight women in the horror genre, Brenda and Lis has broadened the scope to all genres. December 5th will feature a suspense theme, and include special sneak peeks at upcoming features and short films. The schedule for Sunday is now on Bleedfest’s Website, and the picks look fantastic!

Short Films:

ALGESIA by Cathy Alberich (15 minutes)
MOCKINGBIRD by Marichelle Daywalt (3 minutes)
MORBID CURIOUSITY by Cindy Baer (6 minutes)
DEAD BOYFRIENDS by Xstine Cook (7 minutes)
BAD GIRLS by The Soska Sisters (7 minutes)

SCREAM MACHINE Written by Julia Camara (15 minutes)
UP UNDER THE ROOF Produced by Danielle Stallings (20 minutes)

Bleedfest will also feature work from male filmmakers who include strong, well-rounded female protagonists in their films. They will receive a “Partnership Award” in recognition of this honor. This month, the recipient of that award will be:

THE HORROR OF OUR LOVE by Dave Reda (6 minutes)

Finally, Bleedfest will end with one highly anticipated new French feature:

IN THEIR SLEEP (90 minutes)

By Caroline du Potet and Eric du Potet

Some of you may recognize the names of the du Potets. They are responsible for one of the most gut-wrenching films to come out of France: INSIDE. It was cringe worthy in every way that it was intended to be, and I am excited to grab a seat for IN THEIR SLEEP.

The show will start at 10:45am with a Red Carpet event with the film makers, a professional photographer, and special guests including the ravishing stunt master and actress Tara Cardinal. During this superlative affair, people will have the opportunity to network with other artists, filmmakers, and promoters while sipping drinks from the open bar. The price they are charging for the entire day’s worth of activities, including the Red Carpet Engagement, is only ten dollars. I don’t know how they are doing this without selling the house, but it’s true. Not only that, Goldstar.com and Bleedfest’s IndieAGoGo program is offering discount tickets over the next few days.

Bleedfest Creators Brenda and Lis Fies

This is only the second in what promises to be a long and excellent string of Bleedfests that thematically explore women working in different genres. They will occur on the first Sunday of every month, with January already in the works. And for all you horror fans out there, February will feature a return to Bleedfest’s dark routes as they celebrate the all-important Women in Horror Month! Good tidings, indeed!

Remember the good information!

Time: 10:45a-11:15a
Where: CAP Theatre 13752 Ventura Blvd Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

After facing and surviving real-life monsters in a German Concentration Camp, Poland-born Ingoushka Petrov’s big acting break into bigger films came when she landed a role in the classic 1968 war film Where Eagles Dare with Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton. With her gorgeously dangerous look, and more importantly her Eastern European accent, Ingrid Pitt was a perfect match for the vampire horror flicks of a certain legendary British film company. Yes, to us horror fans, Ingrid Pitt will be forever immortalized as a beloved member of the pantheon of Hammer Horror icons.

Her sexual allure was put to full use in her first film with Hammer–The Vampire Lovers. She was also in Countess Dracula, The House that Dripped Blood, and the fantastic The Wicker Man. Doctor Who fans may also remember Ingrid Pitt from 1972s The Time Monster and 1984s Warriors of the Deep.

Ingrid Pitt has since written several books and columns. She will forever be remembered as one of the most magnetic and chillingly classic film stars to grace our little genre. Today is a very sad day, but we can always put The Wicker Man or The House that Dripped Blood on TV, and Ingrid will live on in all her glory! Viva Ingrid Pitt! Monster Island Resort salutes you!

Join us as we discuss the new French Extreme, film making, travel, and what to expect from Nicolas in the future!

In the meantime, please show your support for independent film making and donate to Nicolas’s Kickstarter for Vincent. There are some great rewards to be had, and there is talent here that is worthy of support!

You can learn more about Vincent at aboutvincent.com

and don’t forget to check out the creepy www.detour.fr

But, even so, there’s a short wait ahead. The first teaser trailer for American Mary will be available to the public on Saturday, December 11th. And, let me tell you, it’s something to look out for. As for any specific details, those are currently confidential on pain of death. My lips and keyboard are sealed.

What you can expect from the teaser trailer is something that looks perhaps a little more focused or more disciplined from the Soskas. It’s cleaner, more mature, without losing the depravity we’ve come to know and love. It does a teaser’s job of giving away very little, yet showing just enough to whet our appetites.

Which makes having to wait for just the teaser all the more famishing–especially if you are one of the growing number who have seen Dead Hooker in a Trunk and fallen under its spell. It’ll be worth the wait, and then we’ll have to patiently wring our hands in anticipation of the actual film, hoping for little tidbits and production notes along the way. Well done, Jen and Sylvia Soska, I am definitely paying attention!

Coming soon:

BLEEDFEST! Celebrate female filmmakers at Fais Do-Do, located at 5253 W. Adams Blvd. in Los Angeles! This will be on Sunday, December 5th! Film, Music, Art! Stay tuned for more!

Ho Ho Horrible Imaginings Christmas with Treevenge and Chrismas Evil! Featuring director Lewis Jackson! Wednesday, December 22nd at 10th Avenue Theater in San Diego!

Please, don’t forget to read the greatest film criticism blog CINEMA JUNKIE at http://www.kpbs.org/news/blogs/cinema-junkie/

And Carl Manes’s horror blog http://www.ilikehorrormovies.com

Also, it saddens me to announce the passing of legendary Italian producer Dino de Laurentis. I offer my respects and bow my head to you, immortal. RIP.

Until next time, monster fans! Go to the Horrible Imaginings Official Website for more pictures from the festival!

We talk Halloween!

We talk superstitions!

We talk future plans and past memories–and TOILET PAPER! You have to listen to find out! BIG thanks to Jen and Sylvia for taking the time to vacation at Monster Island Resort!

The Weekend of Horrors turned out to be a lot of fun, despite some annoyances. I talk about that, including Jeffery Combs’s excellent show Nevermore.

Also, shake your monster booty to The Monster’s Ball by Dean Farnell!

And now, because I promised, the trailer for Troll Hunter.

According to the good folks over at Dread Central, he is not in serious condition and plans to continue his appearance at the con. What a champ! I know all the fans join me in wishing you the best, Mr. Carpenter!

That’s all for now!

Miguel Rodriguez

This whole thing has been less about excitement for Hatchet II, and more about sticking it to the outmoded and ridiculously powerful MPAA—and it almost looked like that could have been a slight possibility. Most of my social networking connections are part of the horror community, so it certainly appeared as if the geeks would turn out in droves. This is not the first time this has happened. Kick Ass seemed like it was going to be a hit because of the nerd hype it was receiving—that didn’t quite happen. Now we have the gore-drenched slasher, something with an even smaller loyal following.

I think from the perspective of fans who live and breathe the offerings of their beloved genres, those who surround themselves with like minded people, the persuasive powers of your legion’s numbers can seem somewhat exaggerated. I saw many Facebook profiles with the “support Unrated horror” profile pictures going up, and from that it seemed like this was something that can happen. Of course, for every person who will buy tickets online to support an unrated horror movie, there are probably hundreds of thousands of people who (at BEST) couldn’t give a rat’s ass.

I am the lone horror fan in my entire company. I was the lone horror fan at my last major place of employment. Until I decided to start Horrible Imaginings Film Fest, there wasn’t a horror film festival in the city of San Diego. The horror community is filled with some of the most generous, giving, and kind people I have ever met. Sometimes it seems like there are a great number of us out there. I’m afraid the reality is that our numbers are simply not big enough for a feat like giving an unrated gore movie wider theatrical exposure.

Yes, we are all tired of the bland PG-13 stuff that Hollywood tends to poop out, but there are some great unrated horror movies that are independently released, even if straight to DVD. I am going to choose not to let this get me down. If I thought Hatchet II was an actual work of art, I may be inclined to feel greater ire, but as it stands, I just feel the reality that extreme horror fans are a really small segment of the population.

I recall that many people, for some stupid reason, were leery of attending this theater. That didn’t stop me and a group of my friends, filled with tremors of excitement, from making the trek to Westview on the opening night of Paul W.S. Anderson’s Mortal Kombat. Late nights of sneaking out of the basement and heading over to my friend David’s house for endless Mortal Kombat tournaments contributed to the anticipation of the sheer cinematic excellence that we were bound to experience in mere moments.

We all bought our tickets and headed for the screen with the familiar MK Dragon insignia on display—and a line of people queued up, waiting to get in. Not because they hadn’t started letting people in yet, but because they had significantly oversold the showing. Had the fire marshal arrived, we would have been forced to bid Westivew Cinema a heartrending adieu. But no fire marshal ruined our night, OH NO, the show was to go on!

We were at the end of the line, so we joined the legions of moviegoers sitting in the aisles between cacophonous rows of Mortal Kombat fans going completely apeshit. I remember thinking that it would die down as soon as the film started. Boy, was I wrong. All through the movie, popcorn and gummy bears were flying through the theater, people were performing martial arts atop their seats, and every few minutes someone would shout “MORTAL KOOOOMMMMBAAAAAAAAAAAATTT!” I did think that maybe we were going to be the ones to experience a “FATALITY.”

GET OVER HERE! and watch my movie

When all was said and done, the experience of watching Mortal Kombat in that theater on that night, with the audience bringing the real spectacle, far outshined the movie in question. Maybe I should give it another shot, but I didn’t really love it. It’s sad when the violence from the video game makes the film version look like a bad Nicktoons movie.  And also, I had always wanted to the lightning guy from Big Trouble in Little China to play Raiden, and who did I get? Christopher Lambert. Fuck.

What it should have been.

What you got.

Join us as we talk zombies, Halloween, and make a special announcement regarding my film festival Horrible Imaginings and the Hudson Horror Film Festival! Also, experience the horror rock of ZOMBIE! The song is called Return of the Living Dead.

Watch the new trailer created by Nicolas Simonin! Thank you Nicolas! Catch his excellently creepy short DERAILED at the film festival!

Remember! 1pm at 10th Ave Theater, 930 10th Ave, San Diego. Saturday November 6th! Be there or be vaporized!

Love and fixins!

Miguel Rodriguez

Anyway, I did promise another giant monster list for your reading pleasure. This time, I have a smaller list of giant monsters from five different countries. No Japanese gargantuans here, boars and ghouls! There were only a few rules they had to adhere to:

• They couldn’t be from Japan
• They had to be either suits or marionettes like Manda or Kamakuras, no stop motion or CGI allowed

Ok, no need for a lengthy introduction here! On to my Top 5 list of International SuperBeasts!

The Giant Claw (American) This one makes this list due to its sheer notoriety as the most asinine looking giant monster ever committed to celluloid. I mean, this makes Guilala look downright villainous in comparison! In order to save money and time, the producers at Columbia contracted a Mexico City model maker to create their vision of terror from an antimatter galaxy. The result was this turkey with a flaccid neck, flaring nostrils, and hairdo only Tintin could love.

Reptilicus (Danish) Ok, to be fair this was co-produced by American International Pictures and Denmark’s Saga Studios. For the sake of this list, I will stick to the Danish version of Reptilicus, which is different from AIP’s version in only a couple of ways. First of all, Reptilicus flies on his crazy bat wings! And second, the oft-scorned cartoon saliva slime is absent. Other than that and a few other dull character scenes, the American and Danish versions are relatively the same film. Reptilicus is the marionette-type giant monster, similar to Manda and (sigh) The Giant Claw; however, I have a serious affection for the look of Reptilicus’s head when it’s shot in certain angles. It has the strange quality of appearing either cool or ridiculous, depending on how we can see it.

Yonggary, Monster From the Deep (South Korean) This 1967 schlockfest was South Korea’s attempt to capitalize on the popularity of Japan’s oversized pantheon of creatures. Yonggary has the honor of being based on a classic Korean beast, but sometimes his wacky face can be distracting. When roaring, it almost looks like you could dub a baby’s laughing and have it fit the look on Yonggary’s face. There is a young boy in short shorts who follows Yonggary around and becomes the film’s hero—a popular kaiju dynamic. Pay close attention to the scene where Yonggary gets itchy and does a wacky dance.

Gorgo (British) I have a lot of love for this British beastie with winged ears. It is nice to see the West attempt an honest-to-goodness man-in-suit picture. There is a disappointing scene where Gorgo is repelled, not by fighter jets or tanks, but by a cadre of scientists and fishermen hurling (gasp) torches! Of course, they make up for it when Gorgo turns out to be only a baby. Some of the underwater scenes are actually fun to watch, and I do like Gorgo’s monster design. It borrows a lot from Godzilla, but that can only be a good thing.

Pulgasari (North Korean) And finally, we have Pulgasari. This one wins the number one spot because of the insane story behind its inception. Sang-Ok Shin, a prolific South Korean producer and director was actually kidnapped along with his wife by Kim Jong-Il so that he could make films for North Korea. The film that came to be before their escape to the United States was a giant monster flick called Pulgasari. Pretty wild! This one can now be watched for free on any streaming website, and, disturbing history aside, it’s a pretty entertaining film. I actually like the Minotaur-esque look of Pulgasari, and the period setting is interesting. Check it out here.

Well, there you have another list, dear listeners! I hope you enjoyed it! I promise to get to episode 9 shortly. I have the first Los Angeles HP Lovecraft Film Festival to discuss, among other things. Until then, stay scared!

I have struggled with whether or not to limit this list to the Toho pantheon of monsters. They are certainly the most recognizable of the genre’s offerings. After some soul searching, here are the two commandments I have decided to enforce upon myself:

• Stick to Japanese monsters
• Some monsters go without mentioning. I’ve decided to omit Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra, and King Ghidorah from this list. I adore all of them, but inclusion on this list is just silly.

There will always be disagreements with lists like these. Frankly, I’m not so good at making them because I hate leaving any off. I guess it goes without saying that most of these monsters make the grade because they have particularly caused my eyebrows to raise at some point in my life. I invite anybody to leave comments with a list of their own favorites. Let’s keep the fun going! Now, without any further ado:

10. Baltan: Baltan is probably the most recognizable villains out of the many who populate the universe of Ultraman. I can’t remember exactly when it was that I first stumbled upon footage of these evil insectoid aliens, but I do remember that their freaky psychedelic light clones used to burn themselves into my brain long after I tried to go to sleep at night. Becoming a stand-out in a rogue’s gallery as extensive as Ultraman’s is no mean feat, and there’s a reason Baltan frequently stands out as number one.

9. Daimajin: I always used to love to watch Daimajin because it seemed to combine two things dear to me: a Samurai setting in Feudal Japan and giant monsters. Many people have complained that Daimajin never makes an appearance until late in the movie, but that never bothered me too much. I think the first time I saw one of this trilogy, I thought I was watching a regular samurai picture until—what do you know—a giant monster shows up and inflicts some serious damage. I just love the way this statue looks—it’s classic Japan and it’s really scary.

8. Manda: I like Manda for the same reasons that I like Daimajin. Both monsters really feel like classic Eastern creatures come to life. I caught my first glimpse of Manda when he was crushing a bridge in Destroy All Monsters. Years later I finally was able to see his first appearance in Atragon, and it gave me a feeling of joy. Also, as a kid, Manda was the easiest monster for me to draw.

7. Biollante: Oh my, my, my. If only this sequel to Toho’s 1984 Godzilla re-launch could have made them some money. We may have had a Heisei series with creative new foes, rather than constant rehashes of Mothra, King Ghidorah, or MechaGodzilla. Sure, Biollante spends most of the movie a giant rose, but the final creature is SO cool looking with tentacles and an alligator mouth full of teeth. Plus the industrial espionage side story is more fun and tongue in cheek then what later entries in this series offered.

6. Guiron: The Showa Gamera foe that makes the list. I mean, he has a butcher knife for a head! AND he shoots ninja stars out of his ears. The Gamera baddies were always very creative, and, for me, this one takes the cake. When I first saw this, it was in a badly edited version. If you get the full version, you get to see Guiron slice and dice Gyaos into many, many little pieces.

5. Legion: I had a hard time deciding between Legion and Irys for the better Gamera villain. Honestly, Irys is probably better thought out and more interesting, but I’ll never forget when I first saw Legion in its smaller form. A legion (sorry) of these creatures attack a subway in a scene which is more reminiscent of a creature horror movie than a typical daikaiju eiga. I think I may have actually exclaimed aloud when I saw it. Unforgettable.

4. Hedorah: The Smog Monster is like four monsters in one! With different forms for water, land, air, before his final form, Hedorah proves to be a tough and terrifying enemy for Godzilla and humankind alike. Yoshimitsu Banno created this extremely strange environmentally-friendly movie with a heavy hand and what would seem to be copious amounts of narcotics. The producer Tomoyuki Tanaka apparently was incensed at the result, proclaiming “you ruined Godzilla!” Banno never made another BigG picture. Now he is a producer on the upcoming Legendary Pictures 2012 Godzilla. Let’s hope it’s good!

3. Sanda and Gaira: What? Two in one? Well, I couldn’t decide on one over the other, and they really can’t be separated. These two hairy behemoths appeared together in War of the Gargantuas, a sequel to the equally good Frankenstein Conquers the World. It is really interesting to see Giant Monsters look so humanoid, and gives the effects scenes a really interesting feel. Plus, the OG himself, Haruo Nakajima, plays the mean, green Gaira. After this movie, mention of these two virtually disappeared from future films until their strange inclusion in flashback form in 2002’s mediocre Godzilla X Mechagodzilla.

2. Final Wars Gigan: I like Gigan’s look overall—two scythe-like hands and a freaking buzzsaw on his chest—but, the 2004 updated Gigan for Ryuhei Kitamura’s Godzilla Final Wars has to be one of the coolest redesigned characters I’ve ever seen. They streamlined his previous tubbiness, and he looks genuinely menacing. In a movie that has some questionable re-designs (Rodan, Anguirus) this one stands out.

1. Anguirus: Ok, ok, make fun of me all you want. This is definitely one that comes from childhood nostalgia. I’m not talking about the Anguirus from Godzilla Raids Again. I’m talking about the monster who essentially becomes Robin to Godzilla’s Batman in films like Godzilla Vs. Gigan and Godzilla Vs. MechaGodzilla. Why do I put this virtually helpless, spiny-backed armadillo at the top of the list? Well, as a kid, when watching Godzilla Vs. MechaGodzilla, I looked on in awe as poor Anguirus is practically decimated by MechaGodzilla disguised as Godzilla. Humans looked on in shock, exclaiming “but Anguirus is Godzilla’s friend!” I think a single tear rolled down my young cheek.

Well, there’s my first Monster Island Resort Top 10 list. Next time, I will count down my favorite giant monsters from outside the borders of Japan. Stay tuned!

Godzilla's infamous drop kick!

You can listen to that “Conversation In the Dark,” online NOW!

It should also be mentioned that the Soska Twins’ fantastic debut effort will be screened at my upcoming November 6th Film Festival: Horrible Imagingings!

I also discuss two films:

Prophesies of Nostradamas

and

Premutos

Nacho Cerda’s Aftermath also sneaks its way into the discussion.

Enjoy the show! Here is the list of the short films that were screened at the Blacklist Art and Film Festival:
Key Lime Pie
El Ciclo
Spider
Next Floor
Far Out
Treevenge
Il Bruto
Zombie Movie
Demi-Urge Emesis
Magini
The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow
Kirksdale

In this episode, I talk Joshua Grannell’s All About Evil! Piranha 3D was fun, but makes me rant about 3D in general. Rifftrax jokes on Reefer Madness.

I also review a 1974 made for TV movie called Bad Ronald, talk about some DVD news and promote the upcoming Blacklist Art and Film Festival in San Diego next week! It’s good fun at Monster Island Resort! Come join us!

I also talk about Crawl of the Dead–a Zombie Crawl, happening in the Village of Saugerties in New York, that my friend is organizing on October 16th. The HP Lovecraft Film Festival in Los Angeles on September 11th.

Aaaaaannndd . . . MY OWN FILM FESTIVAL! That’s right, friends, it’s happening here in San Diego on the first weekend of November at 10th Ave Theater. Horrible Imaginings: The Horror Film Festival of San Diego. I am very much looking forward to it!

Today is Mario Bava’s birthday! I tribute the macabre master today.

Things I enjoyed at Comic Con in San Diego (this will be briefer than I anticipated).

The SDCC Promo T-shirt for Legendary Pictures’s 2021 Godzilla!

Check out some upcoming events around the US:

Hollyshorts Film Festival – short films in Los Angeles. See Elisabeth Fies’s Scream Queen at 2pm on August 12th.

Super 8 Movie Madness every month in St. Louis. 15 min super 8 versions of classics at The Way Out Club.

Horrorfind Weekend! A great horror convention in Gettysburg. Sept 3-5

And I make a MONSTER special announcement for San Diego!

Without any further ado, this is the Women In Horror super special! There’s so much stuff that I had to make it in three parts! Two super great interviews, and then some reviews of the films I saw. This is all inspired by the wonderful Viscera Film Festival and Bleed Fest, which happened last weekend in Los Angeles.

In part a, I interview Elisabeth and Brenda Fies. They discuss organizing an event for women filmmakers, and why it is necessary. We also talk Iva Lupino and Elisabeth Fies’s nomination for Best Emerging B Filmmaker at The B Movie Celebration, a celebration of genre cinema and free spirited filmmakers.

In part b, I talk to Jen and Sylvia Soska–the brains behind Twisted Twins Productions! They talk up their movie Dead Hooker in a Trunk, and other nerdy goodness.

Finally, I give thoughts on some of the films I saw in part c.

Here is the list of films from the Viscera website:

The Date - Jennifer Gigantino and Natasia Schibinger - Cleverly uses an old dating instructional video.

Salome’s Picnic - Victoria Waghorn

Fantasy - Izabel Grondin

Beautiful As You Are - Doug Mallette and Mary Katherine Sisco

Legend of the Red Reaper (Trailer) - Jose Zambrano Cassella, Matt Dean, Tara Cardinal

Side Effect - Liz Adams

The Resurrectionist -  Susan Bell

17th Man - Yimeng Jin

Don’t Lose Heart - Matt Mitchell and Talieysn Brown

Mockingbird - Marichelle Daywalt

Wretched - Heidi Martinuzzi and Leslie Delano

Switch - Melanie Light

Void - Meredith Berg

Consumed - Elisabeth Fies

In Memorium – Amanda Gusack

Simone - Jenine Mayring

Dead Hooker In A Trunk – Jen and Sylvia Soska

The Commune – Elisabeth Fies

Episode 3 is NOW ONLINE and ready to go for your listening pleasure! I interview the director of an upcoming indie vampire film called BITE MARKS. It was a great interview, and I recommend checking it out.

Also, listen to the song Shapeshifting by Baltimore superband Gunwife Gone!

As always, thank you for listening and I welcome any comments!

Stay spooked,

Miguel Rodriguez

Godzilla Reading:

Godzilla On My Mind by William M. Tsutsui

Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters by August Ragone

Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of “The Big G” by Steve Ryfle

And for the artwork and marketing trailer for the Universal Monsters reboot by Famous Monsters of Filmland and Halcyon International Pictures: http://www.halcyonpix.com/view.php?id=56