Planet 8 Podcast

David Schecter with the late, great Julie AdamsMusic can make or break a film. It can set mood, create tension, tug on your heartstrings. And in a monster movie, the music really needs to heighten the excitement, the mystery, the fear factor. Some of the greatest film scores around can be found in the sci-fi and monster films of the 1950s. In this episode we talk with writer, film music historian and soundtrack producer David Schecter, owner of Monstrous Movie Music, about some of the most memorable genre soundtracks of the 50s and beyond. We learn from David how he got access to many missing film scores and re-recorded them with a full symphony. Some of the soundtracks Monstrous Movie Music has reproduced include Creature from the Black Lagoon, This Island Earth, Mighty Joe Young, It! Terror from Beyond Space, and dozens more. But that's not all! David also discusses his experiences with some of the stars of those films, like the wonderful Julie Adams from Creature from the Black Lagoon, Colleen Gray from The Leech Woman, and Joyce Meadows from The Brain from Planet Arous. If you'd like to get some of these soundtracks for yourself, head on over to David's site and purchase a few, and experience the thrill of listening to this wonderful music outside of the films! For the Sensor Sweep this time, David made us aware of some new BluRay releases from SHOUT! Factory that he has done some commentary on - films like Tarantula, The Alligator People, The Land Unknown, The Strange Door, and others! Click HERE for info. That's it for us this time. Let us know about your favorite sci-fi film music, either here, or at our other two hideouts: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

What would this world be without the wonderful films of master special effects artist Ray Harryhausen? Surely all of our childhoods would have been far less exciting. Who could forget seeing Jason and his men battle the children of the Hydra, or the deadly Medusa stalk Perseus, or the gigantic Ymir on the rampage in Rome? These and so many other fantasies were brought to life by Harryhausen in his legendary career. Come celebrate his achievements with us, as the Planet 8 crew, along with friend of the show and Harryhausen aficionado Butch Portillo, discuss the beloved works of the master, Ray Harryhausen. Butch Portillo and friend As for our Sensor Sweep - well, how would you like to spend three days doing nothing but watching Harryhausen films? And hearing stories about Ray from his friends and family, including his daughter, Vanessa Harryhausen? Then mark your calendars -on March 1-3, Bay Area Film Events will be hosting the Dynamation Celebration,  at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco! Over ten of Ray's films will be screened, along with panel and guest presentations, vendors, prizes, and a special benefit for the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation. It's going to be a terrific, one of a kind event! Click here for more info. That's it for us this time. Please share your memories of watching Ray's films with us, either here, or at our other two hideouts: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Pull up a chair and join us -today Larry, Bob, Karen, and their guest, Henry San Miguel from the Geek Speak Show are engaged in a lively discussion that ranges from what's right and what's wrong with The Last Jedi (and we promise, this is our LAST Last Jedi discussion!), to super-hero films, including thoughts on Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (can you guess which one of the crew is a fan of this film?). We also talk about the changing face of fandom, and Henry shares some news about cons the Geek Speak crew will be at later this year. So give it a listen and tell us what you think - are you excited for Episode 9 or not feeling it? Who should Rey's parents be? Was Batman V. Superman great or awful? We want to hear your thoughts! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

If you're reading this, it means you made it! Congratulations and welcome to 2019. Your Planet 8 crew survived multiple attacks by Zanti misfits and those creeps on Planet 9, and have put together a retrospective show on 2018 -we look back on the movies and shows that came out this last year. You might be surprised by some of our favorites, and the ones we thought missed the mark. We also salute those genre actors, artists, and others who left us in 2018. Finally, we discuss what we're most excited about in this new year. Which movies and TV shows are high on the Planet 8 crew's list? You'll have to listen to find out! For our Sensor Sweep, Mission Commander Larry brings to our attention the small but deadly Infinity Gauntlet Mini from Hot Toys (you can find the details here: https://www.sideshowtoy.com/collectibles/marvel-infinity-gauntlet-hot-toys-903359/). This little beauty looks just like the shiny glove that wiped out half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War. It stands about 6.5" high, and it even has light-up features. Want to impress and/or terrify your co-workers? Put this on your desk! We want to thank all of you listeners who have been tuning in and sharing with us. We appreciate your feedback! We'd love to get more comments from you, either here, or at the other places where we monitor  Earth transmissions: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Happy Holidays! Your Planet 8 crew is celebrating the season by getting together and talking about how much we enjoyed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse! This new animated feature was a perfect gift for your three hosts, as we are long-time Spider-Man fans. It's a fantastic-looking film that truly celebrates the Spider-Man mythos. This will be a SPOILER-FILLED discussion, so be sure to see the movie before you listen to the show! Believe us, you'll be glad you did. We also take some time to discuss the previous film incarnations of Spidey, as well as reminisce about how we first discovered old Webhead, our favorite Spidey artists, stories, and more. It's a web-slingin' extravaganza! A strange transmission from outside Planet 8 was intercepted this week. We're not sure what it means, but it was identified as something called "Monster Kid Radio." This could be the prelude to an invasion. We suggest you investigate, for your own safety! This episode, Chief Engineer Bob shows off an early Christmas gift for our Sensor Sweep, the Iron Giant "Riobot" articulated figure from Sentinel. This is a super-detailed 6.30" die-cast and PVC replica of the heroic robot. This figure is crazily poseable! Check out how Bob set him up below. You can find the little big guy for sale at Big Bad Toy Store. That's all from us this time around. Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays! We'll be back with a review of the major sci fi, super-hero, monster and other related happenings of 2018 next time. Be sure to drop by and let us know what you thought of Into the Spider-Verse, and tell us what Santa brought you! You can reach us here, or at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

One of the great joys of being a fan is attending conventions. Whether you're a fan of comics, Star Trek, Star Wars, horror movies, anime, or all of the above, there's nothing quite like the thrill of going to a con and seeing your favorite writers, artists, actors, and other creators and celebrities. Or maybe you enjoy spending hours hunting down treasures in the dealers room! Sometimes just hanging out with like-minded people can make your day. Cons can provide a wealth of experiences...and while most of them make for great memories, there are also those times you'd just as soon forget! Larry, Bob, and Karen  discuss the pros -and cons -of cons. Consider this our unvarnished look at something we generally love, but have no illusions about either. We'll go down Memory Lane and discuss conventions both old and recent, from small, grass-roots cons, to large mega-cons too. There are always those experiences you plan, and then there are those ones that just seem to happen - and sometimes, those are the most rewarding.  For our Sensor Sweep, we look at some Star Trek goodies from a company called Quantum Mechanix (QMX). They make some beautiful metallic insignia badges that are also magnetic, so when you wear them, you won't have to put a hole in your shirt or costume. You can get ones for all the branches (Command, Sciences, Engineering, etc.). They range from about $5-15 and you can get them at their website (https://qmxonline.com/) or look on Amazon. Let us know about your favorite convention experiences...or your worst! You know where to find us:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

It is with heavy hearts that we put together this episode of Planet 8. Stan Lee, the face of Marvel Comics, passed away on November 12th. It's impossible to adequately relate how much Stan meant to all of us, or the magnitude of what he achieved in his life. But there was no way we could let his passing go by unnoticed. Stan not only co-created so many super-heroes that we love, but he gave us a sense of belonging. He made Marvel, and comics, feel cool. He spoke out against bigotry and spoke up for equality. His promotion of Marvel eventually led to the amazing films we have now. He brought enjoyment to so many people across the world -truly, a life to be celebrated. Excelsior. For our Sensor Sweep, Bob salutes another person who passed on November 12th, Fred Patten. Mr. Patten was instrumental in bringing Japanese manga and  animation to America. Patten was the owner of the Graphic Story Bookshop in Long Beach, California in the 1970s, and discovered manga at Westercon in 1970. He began to import comics from Japan, and founded the Cartoon Fantasy Organization in 1978. He also consulted on a number of animated features. That's it for now -we'll be back in a week with our regularly scheduled episode. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us, either here or on our other locations:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening! Stan Lee interview clips courtesy Fandango. Closing song is Wallopin' Websnappers by Moxxi (Vaughn Smith) from the album The Spider-Man Swinging 60's Cartoon Retro Remix Collection.

To our listeners in the United States: Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, your Planet 8 crew is giving thanks of their own, for something that has had a major impact on the three of us (and we suspect, a lot of you, too): Star Trek! Each of selected an episode of classic Trek to discuss. We hope you enjoy the episodes we chose. It was hard choosing just three since we have so many favorites! But we're already talking about doing another show on Star Trek. There are just too many great episodes left to discuss! Here are our choices: Bob - Arena; Karen - Amok Time; and Larry, All Our Yesterdays This episode's Sensor Sweep looks at (appropriately) a fantastic tome from Titan Books called Star Trek Lost Scenes. This mammoth, 270 page treasure-trove was produced by David Tilotta and Curt McAloney, and is a joy to any Trekkie or Trekker's eyes. The authors have assembled a wonderful collection of  behind the scenes clips, deleted scenes, and bloopers. They've used modern technology to digitally scan and color-correct these old film clips, vastly improving the image quality. The truly exciting thing is that they've gathered pictures most fans  have never seen before, from scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor. It's truly worthy of being in any Star Trek fan's collection. Gorn anatomy 101Deleted scene, 'Elaan of Troyius' Besides Star Trek, we're thankful for all of you who listen to the podcast and leave comments, either here, or at Twitter or the Facebook page. We really enjoy hearing what you thought of each episode and what you'd like to hear us talk about in future ones. If you haven't found us in those other places yet, here's how:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening! And...live long and prosper! Our closing song this episode is "Surf Trek" by the Rubinoos. Other clips are copyright CBS.

"Some say the world will end in fire. Some say in ice." Or, maybe it will end in a plague of vampires or zombies. Perhaps civilization will crumble and bands of car crazies will roam the land. Maybe there will be massive overpopulation and we'll start making crackers out of each other! Movies and TV shows have explored many, many different ways that life as we know it could come to a nasty end. On this episode of Planet 8, your crew takes a strange and terrifying trip on the road to apocalypse! Come join Larry, Karen, and Bob as they travel from one dystopian future to the next, trying to figure out which one gives them the best chance of survival. Try to guess along with the crew which movie or show they've blundered into as they ride their mystery tram. In our Sensor Sweep, Larry talks about the amazing Universal Monster action figures from Super 7 (http://super7hq.com/). Making their debut at this summer's San Diego Comic Con, these 3.75" retro, or ReAction, figures, are just what the doctor ordered. If you couldn't make it to SDCC, or pay those eBay resale prices, you can also get the regular figures from Super 7's website, mounted on cardstock with some gorgeous Ed Repka art. Super 7 also has t-shirts and other great products. What dystopian future do you think you'd fare best in? Which one would you dread getting stuck in? And...we know we forgot a few! So let's talk about those too! You know where to find us -in the comments here, or in our other locations: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening! Our closing song this episode is "Who's Next" by Tom Lehrer. This episode also contains part of "It's The End of The World as We Know It" by REM. All rights are retained by their respective owners.

From the Disney film, Lonesome Ghosts, 1937 What was that? You thought you heard footsteps upstairs? But we're the only ones here... Join your Planet 8 crew as we explore the mysterious world of ghosts and the undead! We talk to intrepid investigators of the paranormal on this Halloween episode. Devin Sisk and Ellen MacFarlane take us  for some spectral encounters on the Napa Ghost and Legends Walking Tour (https://www.napaghosts.com/). Then Mina Harker tells us all about her Vampire Tour of San Francisco (http://www.sfvampiretour.com/), a creepy night-time journey through the Nob Hill area of the City. On top of all this, you'll get to hear Engineer Bob's own hair-raising ghostly encounter! We  want to thank the folks at Creatures Con for making these interviews possible. We hope everyone has a fun-filled Halloween! Be sure to let us know what you thought of this episode, and if you have had an experience with the supernatural, feel free to share it with us in the comments here, or at the other places where you can find us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening! Our closing song this episode is The Zombie Stomp by the Del Airs. 

It's October, so it's time for all things creepy and spooky! Come with us as we go back and explore the history of horror hosts with our good friend, the knowledgeable and witty Lord Blood-Rah. For many of us, our memories of classic horror and monster movies are inseparably bound with the unique characters who presented these films to us, late on a Saturday night. Bob Wilkins, Count Gore De Vol, Svengoolie, Elvira, Seymour -  the list goes on and on. We reminisce about these classic hosts, as well as talk about some of the newer ones,  the ins and outs of procuring films to show, and how many hosts have transitioned to the internet. If there's anything you wanted to know about horror hosts, you need to listen to this episode! Commander Larry, Lord Blood-Rah, and Engineer Bob at the Chouinard Winery Lord Blood-Rah has a couple of big shows coming up that are not to be missed. First, on October 13th, is Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theatre Halloween Horror Show at the Landmark Cinema in Peoria, Illinois! Our Lordship will be showing a bunch of scary short subjects followed with the cult favorite, Horror Express! You haven't lived til you've seen  Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Telly Savalas(!) together in a film. Then on October 27th, Lord Blood-Rah brings the chills to Moraga, California and the Rheem Theater for his Halloween Psycho Show, where he'll screen selected shorts and the classic Dementia 13! For more details on both shows, and also info on how to catch Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theatre, go to his site: http://www.lordbloodrah.com/ Our closing song for this episode is from the talented Mr. Lobo of Cinema Insomnia (http://www.cinemainsomnia.com/). Many thanks to him for allowing us to use it. We hope you enjoy "Halloween Candy." That's it this time -we'll be back with more Halloween fun in a couple of weeks! Please tell us about your favorite horror host and your thoughts on the show either here or at:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Back when we were at Creatures Con in August, we were able to sit down with fellow podcasters Henry San Miguel and Annie Yang (well, Annie was on camera duty!) from the Geek Speak Show and have a great discussion about how we all got into podcasting, our favorite Star Trek series, what we thought about Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi,  - you name it! Henry and his fellow Geek Speakers have been running their podcast since 2010, so they're veterans. We hope you enjoy some behind the scenes talk and some plain old geeking out! You can find the Geek Speak Show at http://www.thegeekspeakshow.com/home.html Annie, Larry, Karen (on iPad), Henry, and Bob at Creatures ConWe hope to team up with the good folks of Geek Speak again soon! Perhaps they can come visit the command center at Planet 8? Stay tuned... This episode, we also wanted to give a few shout outs to some listeners who we've had interactions with. We really appreciate all of you who take the time to let us know what you think. Hearing from you and knowing our signal is not just getting lost in the vast reaches of intergalactic space makes this all worth it. So many thanks and keep those messages coming! You can leave comments here, or at our other outlets: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Darth Vader...the Dark Lord of the Sith. One of the greatest villains in cinema history. From his fearsome look to his commanding voice to his dangerous mastery of the dark side, everything about him screams 'ultimate bad guy.' He's been impressing audiences since his first appearance in Star Wars in 1977 and now generations of fans have grown up with him through movies, animated shows, games, books, and toys. Join your Planet 8 crew as we discuss this legend - our earliest memories of Vader, favorite moments, and other thoughts. Then, join us as we talk to... Darth Vader! Of course, fans know that David Prowse played Vader in the original trilogy (and James Earl Jones has provided the iconic voice of the character). But Prowse has not been the only actor to portray Vader. At Creatures Con in San Ramon, California, we had the good fortune to interview C. Andrew Nelson. Nelson has had an extensive career in the motion picture industry, beginning in visual effects with LucasArts and ILM. It was there that he was tapped to play Darth Vader! Nelson has played Vader in games, commercials, TV shows, and in the Special Edition. We got to talk to him about what it was like putting on that costume, and the many amazing experiences he has had! He's a fantastic storyteller. You can find out more about him at his site: http://candrewnelson.com/ Larry, C.Andrew Nelson (applying Force choke), Karen (on ipad), and BobFor our Sensor Sweep, Karen looks at Marvel's Darth Vader comic series. She recommends the first 25 issues, by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, which picks up with Vader right after the destruction of the Death Star (the first one!). It's a great glimpse into the personality of the Dark Lord. These comics have been collected into trade paperbacks and can be found in stores, libraries, or at Amazon or sellers like In-Stock Trades. That's all for this time! We hope you enjoy the show. Please share your thoughts in the comments section, or head over to Twitter or Facebook:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Who doesn't love the Universal Monsters? Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon - if you're like us, you grew up spending Saturday nights glued to the TV screen, watching these classic horror films. On August 28th, Universal will release a 30 film collection with all films in blu-ray format! Yeah, OK, they did release an 8 film set a few years ago...but this has got everything! In celebration, your crew has sought out renowned horror film host, Lord Blood-Rah, to discuss our favorite Universal monsters! This is a topic near and dear to all of our twisted little hearts.  So grab some popcorn and tune in. We'll discuss the monsters, the films, the actors, you name it. Who was your favorite monster? Favorite film? Which actor did you enjoy the most as the Frankenstein Monster? Listen in and share your thoughts with us here or on our Twitter or Facebook pages. Larry, Lord Blood-Rah, and Bob in the Monster Garage Our guest Lord Blood-Rah has some great events coming up. On Saturday, September 1st, you can catch Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theater live at the Chouinard Winery in Castro Valley, CA for a classic monster double feature: Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein. The films will be shown outdoors when the sun sets, so bring a picnic basket, and enjoy some of the fine wines available. On October 13th, in Peoria, IL, Lord Blood-Rah will present his Nerve Wrackin' Theater Halloween Horror Show at the Landmark Cinemas. His Lordship will present a variety of shorts followed by the classic Horror Express.  For more information, please see Lord Blood-Rah's page, http://www.lordbloodrah.com/events.html.  As always, you can find us at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!

Have you ever watched a classic sci-fi or monster movie and wondered, "Where the heck did they film this?" If so, this is the podcast for you! This episode the crew -Larry, Bob, and Karen - have a sit down with Gail and Ray Orwig, authors of the terrific book, Where Monsters Walked: California Locations of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, 1925-1965. Gail and Ray discuss what drove them to write the book, the secrets to finding so many filming locations, and the many adventures they had along the way! What was the hardest, but most fulfilling movie location to find? You'll have to listen to find out -but it involved some enlarged critters... Ray, Gail, Bob, and LarryTo get your copy of this marvelous book, check out Amazon or the publisher, McFarland. Ray and Gail will be appearing at Creatures Con, on August 12th, in San Ramon, California. For more information, visit https://www.creaturescon.com/home.html. Be sure to stop by and say hi, and get a copy of the book! Your Planet 8 crew -at least Commander Larry and Engineer Bob - will take some shore leave and  also attend Creatures Con! Come by their table and get some goodies, and you may wind up on a future episode! As always, you can find us at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8CastFacebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast Thanks for Listening!