Video Monsters

Those of you who listened to our previous episodes will know that we planned to do an Easter theme for our April coverage, but a steady stream of unforeseen circumstances and scheduling conflicts have caused a bit of a delay to our release schedule. However, if you think that Easter ending almost an entire month ago is going to deter us from doing this series, THINK AGAIN! In fact, we’re more determined than ever to bring it back from the dead because, after all, isn’t that what Easter is all about? So, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, we’re kicking off a little series that we like to call EASTER: RESURRECTION!!! For this first episode, Nathan and Eric will be discussing how the origins of Easter can be traced back to ancient pagan fertility festivals. But, of course, in true Video Monsters fashion, we will be discussing this topic in the most roundabout way possible via horror movies, specifically by reviewing David Cronenberg’s SHIVERS (1975), a film about parasites that drive people mad with a craving for flesh but, uh, maybe not in quite the same way that you’re used to seeing in a typical zombie film. So grab your… wait, no, actually don’t grab anything. Keep your hands to yourself, respect each other’s bodily autonomy, and for the love of God keep your belly-full of sex worms at least six(ty-nine) feet away from me because the last thing I want right now is a case of Cronenberg’s SHIVERS (1975).

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

Last month, we narrowed down our ultimate versions of Godzilla and Kong, pit them against one another, and crowned the King of the MARCHsters. Now it’s time for us to FINALLY dive into the movie that delivers the Titan Truth and settles the debate once and for all!....sorta. Dan Fleming of the Potato League Podcast joins Nathan and Eric once again as we briefly recap our March coverage before jumping into the ring one last time for our review of GODZILLA VS KONG. We’ll fight it out over the necessity of the human characters, plot logic vs narrative economy, how this film stacks up to the rest of the MonsterVerse and, of course, if the final showdown lives up to our expectations. So charge up your battle axe, guzzle down a skull full of your favorite monster goo, and listen closely because this may be the last podcast we ever record! (Just kidding!) It’s time to find out who really bows to no one in our review of GODZILLA VS KONG!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

Ladies and gentleman, the moment we’ve been waiting for all month long is finally here. It’s time for the main event!  In Nathan’s corner, we’ve got the Colossal Fossil, the Girth from the Hollow Earth, and reigning King of the Monsters: GODZILLA!  And in Eric’s corner is the killer gorilla swinging in to pound the crown from Godzilla’s brow; he’s the Pride of Skull Island and the Eighth Wonder of the World: KONG!  Joining us to referee our debate is returning guest, Dan Fleming (Potato League Podcast). So, without further ado, it’s time to step into the ring and decide once and for all who will win the coveted title of King of the MARCHsters!

*Godzilla and Kong art in episode image created by, and used with permission from, artist Travis Knight.

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

GODZILLA VS KONG releases at the end of the month and the crew at Video Monsters could not possibly be more excited! However, a debate between Nathan and Eric over who will win has been brewing for weeks now and threatens to eclipse the great kaiju slugfest itself. Nathan is rooting for Godzilla and Eric is backing up the under-Kong.

So, for the month of March, we have been settling our differences with our own spin on March Madness called King of the MARCHsters! We’ve put together a bracket to first narrow down which screen versions of King Kong and Godzilla reign supreme. Then, our chosen fighters will duke it out for true Kaiju supremacy and the coveted title of King of the MARCHsters! You can see the bracket for yourself @videomonsterpod on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Next week our Godzilla and Kong of preference will face off to determine the King of the MARCHsters BUT FIRST we’ve got an undercard battle lined up as a teaser for the main event. This week we’re pitting Otachi, the formidable acid-tongued kaiju from PACIFIC RIM (2013), against George, the bird-flipping albino gorilla from RAMPAGE (2018). And, of course, we spend a lot of time getting sidetracked to discuss the films themselves as well. So slip into your favorite red dress, power up your giant robot, and drift with us for a bit because it’s time for a PACIFIC RAMPAGE!!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

GODZILLA VS KONG releases at the end of the month and the crew at Video Monsters could not possibly be more excited! However, a debate between Nathan and Eric over who will win has been brewing for weeks now and threatens to eclipse the great kaiju slugfest itself. Nathan is rooting for Godzilla and Eric is backing up the under-Kong.

So, for the month of March, we are settling our differences with our own spin on March Madness called King of the MARCHsters! We’ve put together a bracket to first narrow down which screen versions of King Kong and Godzilla reign supreme. Then, our chosen fighters will duke it out for true Kaiju supremacy and the coveted title of King of the MARCHsters! You can see the bracket for yourself @videomonsterpod on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Last week we determined the apex (see what we did there?  Apex... ape-x) Kong. This week we select his opponent. Six Godzillas compete in this all-out attack and all but one monster is destroyed. So charge up with a literal boatload of tuna, grab a mint for that atomic breath, find a cozy spot in your subterranean lair and recharge with us as we bow down to anoint the God of Zillas!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

GODZILLA VS KONG releases at the end of the month and the crew at Video Monsters could not possibly be more excited! However, a debate between Nathan and Eric over who will win has been brewing for weeks now and threatens to eclipse the great kaiju slugfest itself. Nathan is rooting for Godzilla and Eric is backing up the under-Kong.

So for the month of March, we’ll be settling our differences with our own spin on March Madness called King of the MARCHsters! We’ve put together a bracket that we will be using to first narrow down which screen versions of King Kong and Godzilla reign supreme. Then, our chosen fighters will duke it out for Kaiju supremacy! You can see the bracket for yourself @videomonsterpod on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

First up, we’ve got six Kongs entering the arena... but only one will be deemed worthy of taking on the great Godzilla! So, grab a box of jawbreakers, try not to pass out from too much special berry juice, and hold onto your butts as we emerge from the hollow Earth and find out who will be crowned the King of Kongs!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

We’ve got one last treat for you before the final moon sets on FURbruary. In true Video Monsters fashion, we’re capping off a month of werewolf movies with a werewolf movie without a werewolf.... if that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense then, well, wait until you see WOLF GUY (1975). To describe this werewolf kung-fu superhero spy flick is folly. Much like werewolfism itself, you just have to let the movie take you over. Which is exactly what we do on tonight’s episode with returning special guest, Dan Fleming, of the Potato League Podcast. So grab your pocket mouse (not a euphemism), sharpen your tiger’s claws, and cuddle up next to your favorite enraged lycanthrope as you fall through the trap door of insanity that is WOLF GUY!!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

We’re celebrating FURbruary across the pond this week and facing off against Neil Marshall’s DOG SOLDIERS (2002)! This low-budget siege flick pits a group of soldiers in training against a vicious pack of werewolves. Dan Fleming of the Potato League Podcast joins Nathan and Eric once again to discuss the way this film handles masculine vulnerability, it’s wicked streak of dark humor and, of course, how well the werewolf designs and action hold up. So round up the squad, put a kettle on, and don’t forget your silver letter opener. It’s time to hole up until sunrise as we spill our guts with DOG SOLDIERS!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

Dan Fleming of the Potato League Podcast joins Nathan and Eric for week 2 of FURbruary, our month-long tribute to werewolf movies! On this episode, we’re tearing into a decidedly different take on the typical werewolf formula. This subgenre tends to be heavy on the Y chromosomes but this week’s film, GINGER SNAPS, cleverly uses werewolf tropes for an insightful female coming-of-age story about the everyday horrors of being a young woman dealing with the terrifying, confusing physical and psychological changes of puberty, and all of the absurd social stigmas that come along with it. So, grab your wolfsbane, bring the dogs inside, and meet us at the greenhouse because it’s time to take a bite out of GINGER SNAPS (2000).

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons

A new month brings a new series and we could not be more excited to finally shapeshift into FURbruary! We’re celebrating full moons and fangs here on Video Monsters with a month-long cycle of werewolf movies! First up, Nathan and Eric give you a piece of their minds with Joe Dante’s THE HOWLING (1981); a true classic of the genre with remarkable practical effects from Rob Bottin, a cast loaded with legendary character actors, and a clever John Sayles script that subverts werewolf tropes and delivers a story that feels just as socially relevant now as ever. So come on, Bright Boy. Head over to The Other Side with Dick Miller, grab your silver bullets, and join us by the campfire for our discussions of THE HOWLING!

Video Monsters is brought to you by the Chattanooga Film Festival and Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or online at chattfilmfest.org and centralcinema865.com. Links for each of these can also be found on our pages, so be sure to follow us at videomonsterpod on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. 

music for Video Monsters by Evan Simmons