Happy (war on) Christmas 💚
This month kaiju* superfan Jase Short guest-stars, as we review six kaiju flicks, focusing on the ecological themes of these genre classics.
We conclude with a No Fate Project report, on the surprise emergence of real Kaiju in our timeline.
*Japanese word for ‘strange beast’, popularised by Godzilla.
Hosted by Derek Johnson and Ani White, edited by Lidia Grigorut and Ani White.
Timecodes:
- Recs: 3.25
- Kaiju genre overview: 11.20
- Godzilla (1954): 15.20
- Mothra vs Godzilla (1964): 24.10
- Godzilla vs Hedorah (1971): 36.20
- Godzilla vs Biollante (1989): 50.50
- Shin Godzilla (2016): 1.01.00 / 61.00
- The Host (2006): 1.13.30 / 73.30
- No Fate Project report: 1.26.40 / 86.40
Recs:
- Feature films (chronologically): Princess Mononoke (1997), Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001), Pacific Rim (2013), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Rampage (2018)
- Essay: Jase Short’s “Monsters of the Rift: Kaiju as Ciphers of Unbalance” from Creatures in Our World: Essays on Kaiju and American Popular Culture, Camille D.G. Mustachio & Jason Barr (eds), McFarland & Company, 2017
- Music video: Holiday by Lil Nas X
- Podcast: Transnational Solidarity Pod
Featured tracks:
- Simon Says (Instrumental) by Pharoah Monch
- Where’s My Jetpack by Hotel Free Babylon
- Clair de Lune – Epic Version by L’Orchestra Cinématique
- Shin Godzilla by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
Further background music:
- Samples from It Came From Outer Space (1953) via jarichards99
- Nightingale by Konstantin Kovalski via Theremin Today – Терменвокс
- Leon Theremin playing his own instrument via slonikyouth
- 18 – theremin by rap2h
- Jovian synth 4 (synth imitating theremin) by thatjeffcarter
- Awaken + Search for Destiny + The Last Whisper – Royalty Free Zone
Media samples:
- All reviewed films + Godzilla 2000 (1999)
- Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
- Inside Out (2015)
Sound effects by SOUND Effects Public Domain, kangaroovindaloo
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