Claim OwnershipThe Monster Island Film Vault
Subscribed: 20Played: 1,038
Subscribe
© Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
Description
A podcast seeking entertainment and enlightenment through tokusatsu.
Origin Story: After vacationing on the Monsterland Resort, professional writer/raging nerd Nathan Marchand got a job as the curator of the Vault containing the films about Monster Island’s many kaiju residents. Now he and his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA (who miraculously survived the infamous War in Space), record a bi-weekly podcast critically and academically examining each of the films in the prestigious Vault with one to four guest hosts chosen from Monster Island’s many tourists.
Philosophy: Kaiju and/or tokusatsu fans will tell you these genres are undeniably fun. What’s often missed, though, are the deeper meanings below the sensational surface. Meanings entrenched in the story’s original historical and cultural context. That’s why this podcast believes in film appreciation. What’s that? It’s studying a movie’s script, direction, cinematography, and other aspects of filmmaking. It’s learning how and why it was created since movies aren’t made in a vacuum. This is especially true with foreign films. Non-native audiences are separated by both time and culture with them. There are things that will go over their heads that the original audience intrinsically understood. Listening to this podcast, listeners will gain a greater appreciation of the films and the respective cultures in which they were made.
Format: The podcast alternates between full-length film discussions with one to four guest hosts and “mini-sodes.” Full episodes are divided into three segments: The Entertaining Info Dump (plot and production details), Toku Talk (discussion with one to four guest hosts chosen from Monster Island’s Tourists), and Toku Topics (deeper analyses of issues brought up by the films). “Mini-sodes” include audio essays, comedy sketches, and interviews. Expect surprises!
Origin Story: After vacationing on the Monsterland Resort, professional writer/raging nerd Nathan Marchand got a job as the curator of the Vault containing the films about Monster Island’s many kaiju residents. Now he and his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA (who miraculously survived the infamous War in Space), record a bi-weekly podcast critically and academically examining each of the films in the prestigious Vault with one to four guest hosts chosen from Monster Island’s many tourists.
Philosophy: Kaiju and/or tokusatsu fans will tell you these genres are undeniably fun. What’s often missed, though, are the deeper meanings below the sensational surface. Meanings entrenched in the story’s original historical and cultural context. That’s why this podcast believes in film appreciation. What’s that? It’s studying a movie’s script, direction, cinematography, and other aspects of filmmaking. It’s learning how and why it was created since movies aren’t made in a vacuum. This is especially true with foreign films. Non-native audiences are separated by both time and culture with them. There are things that will go over their heads that the original audience intrinsically understood. Listening to this podcast, listeners will gain a greater appreciation of the films and the respective cultures in which they were made.
Format: The podcast alternates between full-length film discussions with one to four guest hosts and “mini-sodes.” Full episodes are divided into three segments: The Entertaining Info Dump (plot and production details), Toku Talk (discussion with one to four guest hosts chosen from Monster Island’s Tourists), and Toku Topics (deeper analyses of issues brought up by the films). “Mini-sodes” include audio essays, comedy sketches, and interviews. Expect surprises!
272 Episodes
Reverse
Join Nathan Marchand and some special guests as they celebrate seven years of kaiju podcasting! Featuring Matt Walsh (But Not THAT Matt Walsh), Elijah Thomas, Jake "The Metal Don" Hambrick, and later Neil Riebe.
Watch the original livestream: https://youtube.com/live/fpSGTt19cQ4?feature=share.
Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!
We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, Francis Chopin, and Geek 3D Art.
You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)
Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!
This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.
Podcast Social Media:
MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 20 monster podcasts! (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/monster_podcasts/)
www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com
#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #kaiju, #daikaiju, #giantmonsters
© 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media
Hello, Kaiju Lovers! History repeats itself in both MIFV and the Godzilla franchise, because Nate is once again dedicating an episode to a heavily re-edited Americanization of a G-film “starring” Raymond Burr: the notorious Godzilla 1985. Podcaster/writer Ben Avery and YouTuber Autistic Lizard Pro, who both have nostalgic ties to this movie, join him to discuss whether Roger Corman’s New World Pictures helped or hurt The Return of Godzilla (1984) when they imported it. Spoiler warning: Nate says “hurt,” but his guests disagree! Is “Mr. Martin’s” epic speech enough to overcome the poorly-done Regan-era “joke” about evil Soviets? They ask the Legal Action Team’s Raymund Martin, who reads “Uncle Steve’s” speech. The great debate is on!
For full shownotes, including a bibliography of sources, check out this episode's blog on the MIFV website: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2026/09/24/episode-115-godzilla-1985-ft-ben-avery-and-autistic-lizard-pro-godzilla-redux/.
Additional Music: “Ghost Planet/Steve Martin’s Theme” by Christopher Young
Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!
We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, Francis Chopin, and Geek 3D Art.
You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)
Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!
This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.
Timestamps:
0:00-14:17: Introduction
14:17-53:29: Synopsis and Production History
53:29-1:18:06: Discussion: KOTM56 vs. Godzilla 1985
1:18:06-1:28:32: Discussion: Raymond Burr, Special Effects, Stock Footage, and New Dialogue
1:28:32-1:30:46: Raymund’s Recollections and “Uncle Steve’s” Speech
1:30:46-1:38:16: Discussion: Raymond Burr, Part 2
1:38:16-1:58:54: Discussion: The Evil Soviets and New World’s Other Changes
1:58:54-2:14:43: Discussion: “7 Things Godzilla 1985 Did Better” by Anthony Romero (Toho Kingdom)
2:14:43-2:29:36: Critical Reception and Roger Ebert’s 1-Star Review
2:29:36-2:37:14: Final Thoughts on Godzilla 1985
2:37:14-2:38:05: Culture Box Ad – Retro Rewind
2:38:05-2:56:37: Outro (listener feedback, housekeeping, etc.)
2:56:37-end: Credits
Podcast Social Media:
MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 20 monster podcasts! (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/monster_podcasts/)
www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com
#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #kaiju, #daikaiju, #giantmonsters, #godzilla, #godzilla1985
© 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media
Hello, Kaiju Lovers! Kaiju author Neil Riebe returns to discuss the one Ultraman film he likes: Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace. This entry in the Ultra Series is unique in that it's a TV series tie-in that's arguably a standalone feature. Not only that, it's a surprisingly deep and dark meta story set in the "real world," and the protagonists are actually kids who aren't "Kennys." What a shock! It's a monkey's paw tale that examines the fallibility of human nature to boot! Plus, the main kaiju, King of Mons, is one of the most epic creatures in the Ultra Series. Since the film references Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, the Toku Topic is multiverse theory, a concept the movie introduces to the franchise.
For full show notes, including a bibliography of sources, see this episode's blog on the MIFV website: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2026/08/17/episode-114-ultraman-gaia-the-battle-in-hyperspace-vs-neil-riebe-the-ultra-journey/.
JIMMY'S NOTES COMING SOON!
Additional Music:
“A Slight Skirmish” by Alex North
Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!
We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, Francis Chopin, and Geek 3D Art.
You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)
Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!
This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.
Timestamps:
0:00-16:18: Introduction
16:18-26:05: Entertaining Info Dump
26:05-1:59:50: Toku Talk (film discussion)
1:59:50-2:00:42: Culture Box Podcast Ad – Untold Podcast
2:00:42-2:51:51: Toku Topic - Multiverse Theory
2:51:51-3:08:44: Outro (listener feedback, housekeeping, etc.)
3:08:44-end: Credits
Podcast Social Media:
MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 20 monster podcasts! (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/monster_podcasts/)
www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com
#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #kaiju, #daikaiju, #giantmonsters, #ultraman, #ultramangaia, #ultraseries, #ultrajourney
© 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media
Join us tonight for a special livestream reflecting on G-Fest 2026 in Rosemont, Illinois. Was it as great as the epic that was last year's con? Did Nathan survive the nine hours of programming he (foolishly) took on? Did Damon choke on his first panel? Will Omni Viewer explain why Snazzy was missing? All this and more in this fun discussion!
Watch the original livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/Egv1e-dv1Ac.
Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3! We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, and Francis Chopin.
You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)
Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!
This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.
Podcast Social Media:
MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 20 monster podcasts! (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/monster_podcasts/)
www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com
#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #Podcast, #kaiju, #MIFV, #Godzilla, #gfestxxxi, #gfest
© 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media
Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In a shockingly (but not shockingly) looooooong episode sponsored by Damon Noyes, Nate and his executive producer make the definitive podcast episode on a kaiju-adjacent film that marks the first Disney project covered on MIFV: Dragonslayer (1981). This co-production between the Mouse and Paramount has the best-named dragon ever--Vermithrax Pejorative--that had a massive impact on fantasy storytelling despite the movie flopping at the box office. The likes of Guillermo del Toro and George R.R. Martin count it as one of the greatest fantasy films of all time. Given that the filmmakers were inspired by Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and the legend of "St. George and the Dragon," it's no surprise. Nate and Damon go so deep in their discussion, this episode may have to be transcribed into a book. Strap in!
For full show notes, including a bibliography of sources, check out this episode's blog post on the MIFV website: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2026/07/22/episode-113-dragonslayer-1981-ft-damon-noyes-patreon/.
"Jimmy's Notes" COMING SOON!
Additional Music:
“A Slight Skirmish” by Alex North
Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!
We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, Francis Chopin, and Geek 3D Art.
You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)
Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!
This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.
Timestamps:
0:00-15:07: Introduction
15:07-1:12:39: Toku Talk – Synopsis, Background, and Production History
1:12:39-1:50:57: Toku Talk – Cast and Character Analysis
1:50:57-2:14:40: Toku Talk – The Disney Dark Age
2:14:40-3:07:26: Toku Talk – Vermithrax Pejorative and Go-Motion
3:07:26-3:10:41: Toku Talk - Miscellaneous Notes
3:10:41-3:44:32: Toku Talk – The Princess’s Death: Sacrifice or Suicide?
3:44:32-4:02:03: Toku Talk – What is Dragonslayer’s Attitude toward Christianity?
4:02:03-4:36:09: (Unofficial) Toku Topic - Dragonslayer Myths and “St. George and the Dragon”
4:36:09-4:55:20: Outro (listener feedback, housekeeping, etc.)
4:55:20-end: Credits
Podcast Social Media:
MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 20 monster podcasts! (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/monster_podcasts/)
www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com
#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #kaiju, #daikaiju, #giantmonsters, #Dragonslayer, #dragons, #disney, #paramount, #vermithraxpejorative
© 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States