02.28.2017: Short Film Double Feature with Negadon & Gehara

Pop quiz, hot shots! Wait, that’s not right… more like surprise homework! I actually don’t think anyone noticed that the show notes in the last episode mentioned (very late) that we were pulling a double feature of two short kaiju films for this month’s discussion. But really, I completely spaced mentioning this during the chaos of the Emergency Broadcast AND the last episode with Derek! Hopefully you will hear this and say to yourself “Oh wow! These movies sound incredible – where, oh, where can a desperate kaiju fan find these mini masterpieces?” Read on, gentle listener….

NEGADON: MONSTER FROM MARS (2005) was an independently produced all CGI love letter to the Showa era kaiju films. The old website for Negadon is down (almost certainly forever) but you can see ScifiJapan’s coverage of the press release here.

Want to watch Negadon: Monster From Mars?

GEHARA: THE DARK & LONG HAIRED MONSTER (2009) was produced for an NHK series entitled Play TV: Perform! It was directed by Kiyotaka Takaguchi and is a very loving parody of the kaiju genre. Using modern day CGI effects mixed with traditional practical “suitmation” and miniatures, Gehara is an incredible romp that lampoons some of our favorite aspects of these films. The official website is in Japanese, but August Ragone’s blog, The Good, The Bad and The Godzilla had some pretty great information about the production of this short movie. It’s absolutely worth watching – speaking of… Want to watch Gehara: The Dark & Long Hair Monster?

Also make sure to check out Scifi Japan TV’s interview with Kiyotaki Takaguchi, Gehara’s director.

OUR FEATURED AUDIO & MUSICAL SELECTIONS:
1. Destroy All Monsters (English Version) by 647F from Destroy All Monsters (2016)
2. Negadon Monster from Mars Japanese Trailer (2005)
3. Gehara The Dark & Long Haired Monster Japanese Trailer (2009)
4. Dream In True Color: The Sky in 2015 by Kenjiro Kato, Shingo Terasawa & Akane Yumoto from Negadon Monster from Mars (2005)

SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Godzilla Anime News
– Concept Artwork 1 & Concept Artwork 2
– Anime Japan 3/23 – 3/26 (Event on Sunday @ 9:20am)
Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters News
– Kyle Chandler added to cast
–  Vera Farmiga added to cast (So new it didn’t get recorded!)
Ultraman Orb Movie Details on Scifi Japan
Mazinger Z Movie in the works from Toei Animation
Shin Godzilla continues to play around the world: Spain & Korea
ToyFair Godzilla displays by NECA, Diamond (X-Plus) and Bluefin
NECA Shin Godzilla figure coverage on Scifi Japan
X-Plus Godzilla 2000 (Mire-Goji) Poster Version
Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns – April 16th on Netflix!

CATASTROPHIC EVENTS:

3/24 – 3/26 MAD MONSTER PARTY SC Rock Hill, SC with Haruo Nakajima & Bin Furuya 

3/25 – 4/3 YASUYUKI INOUE EXHIBITION at Ebina Civic Art Gallery in Ebina, Japan with Toshi Miike production designer / SFX director

4/7 – 4/9  MONSTERPALOOZA in Pasadena, CA with Mizuho Yoshida & Keita Amemiya

*If you are going, we are planning a Listener Party for Friday night (4/7)!

4/21 – 4/23 CHILLER THEATRE in Parsippany, NJ with Megumi Odaka (Miki Saegusa)

5/19 – 5/21 MAD MONSTER PARTY ARIZONA in Scottsdale, AZ with Haruo Nakajima & Bin Furuya 

6/30 – 7/2 DAYS OF THE DEAD in Indianapolis, IN with Haruo Nakajima

7/14 – 7/16 G-FEST XXIV in Rosemont, IL with composer Michiru Oshima, artist Yuiji Kaida, director Shinji Higuchi & suit actor Ryuki Kitaoka

** No live panel this year but expect another Listener Party!

DIABOLIQUE MAGAZINE: Check out the new issue (#26) of Diabolique for a special look at Asian horror. Featuring essays on Hideo Nakata and Japanese folk horror, Korean war horror, Kurowasa’s Throne of Blood, The Handmaiden and, the best of them all, Godzilla.

 

AWARD SEASON:
Woohoo! The Kaijucast has been nominated for a Rondo Hatton Award in the BEST MULTI-MEDIA HORROR SITE category. Don’t worry – I’m not going to hound you guys for votes, but if you would like to vote for us and/or other nominees, head over to the Rondo Blog and check out all the giant monster goodness in the running this year. Don’t just vote kaiju for me… vote kaiju for YOU! 

MARCH’S DAIKAIJU DISCUSSION:
Go see the big ape! Seriously, we are tackling the new KONG: SKULL ISLAND (2017) for March’s Daikaiju Discussion. Make sure that if you’d like to take part in the discussion, you submit your homework no later than Thursday, March 23rd. You can use our handy contact form to send in your thoughts, questions and reviews for the episode.