The Bloody Pit #38 - INVASION OF THE ASTRO MONSTER (1965) - a podcast by Rod Barnett

Toho Studio's Monster universe takes another turn for the
weird in this science fiction epic! This movie introduces the soon to be reused
idea of alien invaders taking control of the giant monsters and creating large
scale destruction in the hopes of worldwide conquest. No one should have
trusted those Emo looking freaks anyway. Just look at those evil glasses! As
this is the immediate follow up to GHIDORAH it is very strange that the American
release avoided that name entirely and went with MONSTER ZERO. I guess that
Ghidorah just doesn't have the same box office appeal as Godzilla which still
doesn't explain why they didn't title it Godzilla Goes to Planet X. Which would
lead to my favorite possible crossover ever - Buckaroo Banzai Meets Godzilla!
(Does anyone get that reference?)

 

We take a look at this one with the switch being that this
time out I am not the one synopsizing the movie's events. Troy leads this dance through two worlds,
three giant monsters, two affable astronauts, dozens of evil aliens and a host
of Kumi Mizuno clones. Yeah- this one has plenty of things to talk about! We
discuss the American actor Nick Adams as he rages against the alien horde and
chases after a lovely lady. We dig into the ideas and plot threads that are
brought up and left dangling as the movie speeds toward its conclusion along
with the ways this film points to how the future Toho SF movies would shift in
tone. Troy
comes armed with some interesting information on the amount of screen time the
monsters get in this picture making for some interesting questions about what
audiences want verses what they actually get. I get to express my love for trap
doors and also muse on the possibility of alien monsters made of funnel cake. I
might have gotten carried away with that last one.

 

Of course, this being a conversation between Troy and I we can't stop
ourselves from beginning the show with a couple of completely of irrelevant
topics. OK. To be honest, it was just me talking about 1970's Marvel comic
books and Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure novels but Troy could have stopped me at any time with a
bat or a bucket of water! And the tangent we take near the end of the show is
all on him! If you want to comment on our lack of professionalism and inability
to stay on a single topic please write us at thebloodypit@gmail.com and we'll
get back to you with our defense. Thanks for downloading an listening. If you
listen through iTunes please rate and review us over there as it really helps
get more eyes on us. 

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