Kaiju Vs. History

61 Years ago this month the rights to make a King Kong sequel were sold from RKO to create a new 8th wonder of the world. Instead we got Alfred Pennyworth going on a murdering spree with his weapon of choice: a man in a gorilla costume. This is 1961's "Konga".

This week's episode starts season 2 of the podcast, as we enter into the swinging 60's and take a vacation from US and Japanese monster movies entirely. This week's episode comes from the heart of Europe, and a unique monster movie to start this decade off on the right foot. This week's episode in 1961's Reptilicus!

We finish watching early Kaiju cinema and the many different monster movies of the 1950's and talk about them in this season's wrap-up episode!

Join us as we look at some of the Kaiju-adjacent films that we skipped in the decade, talk about the themes and motifs of the 50's, and talk about our final scores. What made the top 5 films of season 1? What about the worst Kaiju film of the decade? Find out on this week's episode of Kaiju Vs. History!

We head to England for one of the first european Kaiju, but certainly not the last, in this weeks historic look at 1959’s “The Giant Behemoth”. With a script steeped in nuclear fears, production trying to recapture the Kaiju flame, and a beautiful shooting locale will this be a smashing hit or a dreadful daikaiju bollocks? Find out on this week’s Kaiju Vs. History.

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

We return to Toho, but take a step back from the last two prior Kaiju outings, as this week we look at the black and white originally made for TV film 1958’s “Varan the Unbelievable”.

Is this film as bad as many critics say? Was the production as irredeemable as Ishiro Honda remembers? Find out all that and more in this week’s Kaiju Vs. History!

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

A sequel to 1957’s original giant monstrous human, we discover the history behind another rushed sequel, with 1958’s “War of the Colossal Beast”. We get clip shows, new characters, and tenuous links to the original film.

With prosthetic makeup similar to Bert I. Gordon’s film “Cyclops” the Colossal Beast cuts a striking figure, but little is added to the original film. Will this film make a larger impact than the movie that proceeded it? Find out on this week’s Kaiju Vs. History!

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

One of the most influential pop culture icons of 1950s scifi comes alive on the big screen in 1958’s “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman”. With some of the most iconic poster art of all time, we dive into this campy classic to see if the film is worth the time.

Is this film worth of its long legacy or is it another in the line of over hyped and under performing American monster movies? Find out on this week’s episode of Kaiju Vs. History.

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

We return to the islands of Japan for a Toho classic that feels both ahead of its time and still out of place on the Kaiju list, its 1957’s “The Mysterians”. A much more different film from director Ishiro Honda’s past offerings, this super colorful sci-fi epic does have a Kaiju shoe-horned in on producer’s insistance.

Follow us through the stars and underground tunnels to discover the Daikaiju development on this week’s Kaiju Vs. History!

#Kaiju #Godzilla #Daikaiju

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

The start of a trend of giant human monsters pops up with an atomic blast and a radioactive growing man in 1957’s “The Amazing Colossal Man”. Come along with us when we discover that the real monster was the friends that we made along the way…and also Colonel Glenn Manning.

Discover the history of a cheaply made monster in the form of an actor that chews the scenery in this week’s Kaiju Vs. History!

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

With a new setting, a host of supposed King Kong armature, and a child actor getting into trouble, this week we dive into 1957’s “The Black Scorpion”. Mara Corday returns to play a wealthy rancher in the shadow of a Mexican volcano. A host of monsters are unearthed from an underground cavern.

Willis O’Brien and a Pete Peterson return to bring these monstrous scorpions to life, and an inaccurate goofy facial prop is used for close-ups. Find out if this movie holds up or is just another Them! knock-off on this week’s Kaiju Vs. History!

Twitter: @kaijuvshistory

Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory