823. Famous Japanese Monsters of Filmland zine review!

There isn't a lot to add to the vast amount of reviews for this magazine, but I did it anyway!

767. Dai Kaiju Book reviews!

                       Here are seven books that I really enjoy!

KING KONG vs. GODZILLA (キングコング対ゴジラ) - Official Japanese Trailer [HQ]

                     Once again, Sven is airing King Kong vs. Godzilla tomorrow night.  I will watch this again, since I love the movie.

678. Super Scary 7 Song Friday! 10-31-2025

                 Now this is an excellent Super Scary 7 Song Friday, if I saw so myself.  And I do!

650. Reviewing the MAD MONSTER PARTY? from 1967

                           Here's a fun movie that is a fun way to start the Hallowe'en season!  It is considered a classic now.

571. Godzilla e Company by Luigi Cozzi!

              Here is a book I have had in my collection for 25 years now.  How is that even possible?  

387. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) US version review!

              This movie was a first for me- first Godzilla, first King Kong and first giant octopus!

King Kong promo!

One of the cool things (and useful things) about the internet is finding promotional material for various movies and shows.  It really helps with the published Xenorama- I can find all kinds of cool illustrations.  The King Kong Show was premiered on night time television- back when the networks could air any show any time.  This was pretty bold, but a great idea.  It was two parts as well, which is also very unique for the time frame.  My father may very well have watched it, which may be the reason my sainted mother knows the theme song.  I do wish the entire series had been released on DVD, instead of just two volumes.  I could live without Tom of T.H.U.M.B. though.  More dinosaurs, giant apes, monsters and robots!

The Lost World screening

Way back in the olden times I went to see two movies.  I read about them in the local newspaper and could walk to the theater.  I think I still have the program guide to this somewhere, and I may search for it for an upcoming project.  They screened both The Lost World and King Kong, which was just great.  They had a few of Willis O'Brien's silent movies to show as well.  A live orchestra played during The Lost World.  That was amazing as well.

Xenorama #57 is nearly ready!

 

This is the proposed cover for the next issue of Xenorama.  Any guesses as to which movie we are celebrating?  Yes, the most popular Godzilla movie (at least according to ticket sales) of all time!  This issue is well illustrated, and has articles by our usual gaggle of geniuses!  Long story short, we love this movie.  You will find out when you get this next issue!  It is the Xenorama belief that without this movie, the Godzilla fandom would not be nearly as large as it is today (as small as this niche fandom is).

King Kong and Godzilla vs. The Italians?

In doing research for the upcoming King Kong vs. Godzilla issue. I came across this interesting poster.  I wonder what goes on in the marketing heads when they do things like this.  I mean, it has to be about name brand recognition, at least for some of it.  I wonder how many people were disappointed when they went to this movie and got Destroy All Planets?  I mean, I would have loved it, but dang, not one of the monsters shown is in the movie itself.

Sven- Konga (1961)

 

Dr. Dekker returns to Britain from a year long stay in Africa.  This was the result of a crash landing.  He brings back a baby chimp as well.  He has named the chimp Konga, for some reason.  He also brings a ton of insectavorous plants back, and discovers he can make them larger.  Once he injects Konga with the serum he goes mental and uses the ape to kill his "enemies".  Much soap opera stuff ensues, and all the principles end up dead, by the end of the movie.

Konga Trailer (HQ)

                   

Robot MOTW- Mechanikong (1967)

 

This amazing robot is the creation of Dr. Who, the international Judas.  It is one impressive robot.  It does have some bombs to use, but only for the mining operation.

Dr. Who: “He's exactly like the original Kong. With this, the world is ours.”

Madame Piranha: “It's still not the original. You sure you didn't just build a giant toy?”

Dr. Who: “A toy? That's an insult! How can you say that? It is the strongest thing there is in the world today!”

― Dr. Who reveals Mechani-Kong to his benefactor Madame Piranha (King Kong Escapes)

America's Best TV Comics (1967)

Here is a strange item from the past- a comic book published by... some company.  It was done in conjunction with ABC's new Saturday morning lineup.  It featured characters from all their new series.  Where else would you see several different comic book companies all in one book?  The FF and Spidey were just reprints from older stories, and maybe the Casper story was as well.  The other stories starring King Kong, George of the Jungle and the crew from Journey to the Center of the Earth were almost assuredly originals.  I might have been interested in purchasing this 68 page giant had I seen it on the stands.  I was not quite reading anything yet, though.

Granny meets Joe Young

 

Yep, that's Granny in her early days.  She's an unnamed patron of the bar, and that's her boyfriend "Nicky" who calls her a sweet young thing.  Even  15 years before she starred on The Beverly Hillbillies she looked older than she really was.  I am enjoying this movie far more this time than the last time I watched it.  It's been so long since I have seen it, it is nearly a new movie.  It might have moved up a notch above Son of Kong now.  I didn't remember it being only 93 minutes long.  That was the perfect running time for this movie.

Sven- KING KONG VS GODZILLA (1962)

                                           As I have mentioned many times, this was the first Godzilla and King Kong movie I ever saw.  Sven has aired it before, but the last time the MeTV feed was somehow screwed up and we got to see Lone Ranger episodes for 90 minutes.  Sven didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know, but it's always fun to see giant monster movie on a Saturday night.

Movie Milestones #4

That darn John LeMay has done it again!  He's been publishing his own fanzine for a while now, and somehow I just noticed it.  Serves me write for not paying attention.  This is a companion zine to his Lost Films Fanzine. I'll be ordering those soon enough as well.  Anyway, this one is all about Gorgo, Reptilicus and... Konga.  As anyone who knows me knows I love Reptilicus, both the movie and the monster.  I also enjoy Gorgo quite a bit.  Konga... well, I have seen it once.  This issue talks about all the origins of the movies, and all the other stuff you would ever want to know about them.  It's really well laid out and looks great.  He publishes both color and black and white versions for both zines.

Lobby Cards

 I think an issue of Xenorama will be dedicated to lobby cards.  It will be in the same mold as the one about 8mm movies.  There are a lot of really cool lobby cards out there.  Many of them have images that don't appear in the movies at all.  I don't even think lobby cards are made any more.  I remember spending as much time as possible pouring over the lobbies for Godzilla vs Megalon when it was released in 1976.  I'd never seen pictures of the monsters in color like that before.  These preview cards were way more interesting than the re-release of Bambi, I'll tell you what.

King Kong Escapes... again!

 King Kong Escapes (1967) is being aired on Svengoolie again tonight.  It's been over five years since the last time it was one (as far as I know) and I am looking forward to it.  I have watched the movie since then, which should surprise absolutely no one.  It's really a fun movie, and I have enjoyed it since I saw it in the theater around the age of 8 or 9.  Those summer kiddie matinees were so much fun.  I like being able to watch nearly any movie any time I want to, but there sure was something fun about seeing these rare (at the time) gems on the big screen.