The HISTORY of Toho’s “Banned” Tokusatsu Epic!

Adam is joined by Nathan Marchand (Monster Island Film Vault) to discuss the history, myths, and legends behind Toho’s banned tokusatsu epic Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974) ノストラダムスの大予言 AKA The Last Days of Planet Earth

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Also watch: The MANY VERSIONS of War of the Gargantuas (1966)

Subscribe to Monster Island Film Vault HERE!
https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand

Sources

Kaiju, MM Books, and History! Oh My! – ANP Monthly Live Stream

Adam has a lot to talk about! Today he hosts three different topics of mediums he enjoys: kaiju, MM novels, & history! A bit of a disjointed live stream, but it will be loads of fun! Come join the conversation!

TOPICS | Variety Live Stream! | Discussion time | Monarch: Legacy of Monsters S2 | To Catch a Butterfly by noyEmmy Sanders | Khartoum (1966) Appreciation |

Watch the full video here!

More ANP Live Streams here!

Understanding Varan’s True Aspect Ratio

Varan The Unbelievable (Giant Monster Varan) is a 1958 black-and-white early kaiju film from the minds at Toho Studios. But we’ve been watching Varan totally wrong since its home media debut here in the States! How? Varan has the wrong aspect ratio!

Blogpost: “Varan: a 2:1 SuperScope Movie All Along?”

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  • 00:00 – Introduction
  • 01:54 – Widescreen Boom
  • 02:44 – Cinerama
  • 03:22 – Cinemascope & Anamorphic Widescreen
  • 06:21 – Tohoscope
  • 08:43 – VistaVision
  • 09:06 – Todd-AO & Super Panavision / Ultra Panavision 70
  • 10:49 – Matting & Techniscope
  • 12:12 – Superscope Widescreen
  • 15:22 – Varan’s complicated production
  • 19:52 – Varan’s aspect ratio
  • 26:14 – Conclusions

SOURCES

Clarke, Charles G. “The Techniques of CinemaScope Pictures.” American Cinematographer. 2001. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/page0-1.htm

Culvert, Brian R. “Toho in America: Varan.” Toho in America. 2005. https://www.historyvortex.org/tohoinamerica5.html

Foster, Frederick. “TECHNISCOPE – What It Is and How It Works.” The American Widescreen Museum. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingts2.htm

Hart. Brett A. “The Cinerama Camera & Lots of Production Stuff.” The American Widescreen Museum. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/cineramacam.htm

Hart, Martin. “Superscope: The Rich Man’s Poor Man’s Version of Cinemascope.” The American Widescreen Museum. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingss2.htm

Hart. Martin. “Super Panavision: The Inheritor.” The American Widescreen Museum. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingsp1.htm

Hart, Martin. “Todd-AO: 70mm Film Finally Makes The Big Time.” The Widescreen Museum. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingto2.htm

Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series. 2nd Ed. McFarland Press. 2010.

Kalat, David. “Audio Commentary.” Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Criterion Collection. 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUl9uPoD5mE&t=1130s

Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed. Ishiro Honda: A life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. 2017.

Vandenberg, Callum. ” What is Superscope? | The original Super 35 film.” May 9, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCDP_MbeX_k

“Varan” Academy Ratio Outtakes. The H-Man. YouTube Video. Jul 19, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvwCVClvQf0

“VistaVision.” The American Widescreen Museum. Paramount Pictures Corp. 1954. https://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/vvbook2.htm

Blogpost: “Varan: a 2:1 SuperScope Movie All Along?”

Utah Beach: Theodore Roosevelt Jr.’s Finest Hour | D-Day, June 6th, 1944

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. defied age, illness, and enemy fire to lead soldiers ashore on Utah Beach. This is the remarkable story of how he earned his Medal of Honor on D-Day, June 6th, 1944.

  • 00:00 – Introductions
  • 01:10 – Teddy Roosevelt Jr. Biography
  • 04:51 – Roosevelt leads the first wave on Utah Beach
  • 07:00 – Health Issues
  • 08:05 – H-Hour
  • 12:57 – “We’ll start the war from right here.”
  • 17:46 – Utah Beach is in Allied Hands
  • 18:49 – The Lion is Dead
  • 21:20 – Teddy Roosevelt Jr.’s Medal of Honor

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More Military History here


SOURCES

Balkoski, Joseph. Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing and Airborne Operations on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. 2006. https://archive.org/details/utahbeachamphibi0000balk_j3l9/page/n1/mode/2up

Harber, Kris, Cortariu.”Normandy, June 6, 1944: Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. – One of Only Two Generals on the Beach.” Congressional Medal of Honor Society. June 6, 2022.https://www.cmohs.org/news-events/medal-of-honor-recipient-profile/theodore-roosevelt-jr

Military Hall of Honor, BG Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Millitary Hall of Honor. Accessed December 10, 2025. https://militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=1622)

Paul, H. Jeffers. In the Rough Rider’s Shadow: The Story of a War Hero. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. New York: Ballantine Books. 2003https://archive.org/details/inroughriderssha0000jeff/mode/2up

The Battles of Isandlwana & Rorke’s Drift – ALL PARTS

This documentary dives into the Battle of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, uncovering the events of the Anglo-Zulu War. Witness shocking British losses, courageous last stands, and the powerful tactics of the Zulu army in 1879.

ERRORS CORRECTED FOR THIS UPLOAD

  • It should be 1st Lt. Cavaye, not Capt.
  • Conical Hill corrected.
  • Photo of James Brickhill was actually Rev. Smith.
  • Bradstreet led the Newcastle Mounted Rifles, not the Natal Mounted Rifles.
  • Russell’s Rocket Battery was carried on mules, not wagons.
  • Porteous was a Lt., not a Captain
  • No.3 Column had 7 companies of 2/24th.
  • Natal Native Contingent corrected
  • Rifle calibers corrected
  • Major Spalding’s picture corrected

Time Stamps

Sources:

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Also watch: Countdown to War | The Anglo-Zulu War, 1879

Recommended Playlist – Military history

The FORGOTTEN Battle of Crampton’s Gap – Maryland Campaign, 1862

Adam and two guests discuss the forgotten Battle of Crampton’s Gap (1862) — a crucial yet overlooked clash in the Maryland Campaign leading to Antietam. Learn the strategies, heroes, and outcomes that shaped history.

  • 00:00 – Introductions
  • 01:30 – The Maryland Campaign & Antietam
  • 04:44 – Army of Northern Virginia
  • 09:09 – Army of the Potomac
  • 13:01 – Special order 191
  • 19:32 – Crampton’s Gap
  • 29:53 – The Delay
  • 35:02 – Battle Layout
  • 38:45 – 1st New Jersey Brigade
  • 44:03 – The Battle of Crampton’s Gap
  • 49:45 – Union Charge
  • 55:49 – Casualties
  • 01:04:24 – Crampton’s Gap is Forgotten
  • 01:12:58 – Closing statements

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Listen to the unedited podcast in full here!

Recommended Playlist – MILITARY HISTORY

HEP Ep. 17 – The Battle of Crampton’s Gap – Civil War History

The Battle of Crampton’s Gap was a part of the Maryland Campaign of 1862 in the American Civil War. Today, Adam is joined by two experts who – together – discuss the battle, what happened, who was there, and its strategic value for the campaign leading to the Battle of Antietam.

  • 00:00 – Introductions
  • 07:04 – Why would General Lee invade Maryland?
  • 12:32 – The Army of the Potomac
  • 20:27 – Special Order 191
  • 34:52 – Soldiers at Crampton’s Gap
  • 46:42 – VI Corps
  • 51:48 – Battle of Crampton’s Gap
  • 01:02:59 – 1st New Jersey Brigade
  • 01:11:13 – Union Maneuvers
  • 01:26:27 – After the battle
  • 01:33:41 – Story of the 4th New Jersey Vol. Regiment
  • 01:41:09 – After Action Report

Listen to full podcast here!

More military history here!

Battle of Isandlwana – The Real Story of Zulu Dawn

“For my father, who introduced me to the Anglo/Zulu Wars when I was in 2nd grade.” -AN

The Battle of Isandlwana marked a shocking British defeat in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Discover how Zulu warriors defeated a modern army, key commanders involved, battlefield tactics, and why this battle changed imperial warfare forever.

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00:00 – Invasion
04:20 – British & Zulu Forces
12:47 – January 22, 1879
20:18 – Ad Break
21:01 – First Zulu Sighting
24:15 – Durnford Arrives at Isandlwana
26:36 – Durnford’s Folly
30:06 – The Zulu Chest
34:14 – Ntshingwayo’s Shock
35:39 – Stranded Rocket Battery
37:53 – Isandlwana Camp 11:30am
39:35 – Durnford is Stopped
42:33 – Right Horn Spotted
45:06 – Zulus Reach Isandlwana
49:45 – Durnford’s Fighting Retreat
52:04 – Main Firing Line
54:56 – Durnford’s Retreat
58:52 – Pope’s Mistake
01:00:45 – Speculation
01:01:28 – The Thin Red Line Breaks
01:09:09 – Forgotten Right Horn
01:12:47 – Pulleine’s Demise
01:15:38 – Durnford’s Last Stand
01:18:15 – Buffalo River
01:21:27 – Younghusband’s Charge
01:23:19 – After the Battle

Sources:

Beckett, I.F.W., Isandlwana: Battles in Focus (Casemate Publishing, Havertown, PA, 2003),
https://archive.org/details/isandlwana0000beck/mode/1up

David, Saul, Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (Penguin Publishing, London, 2005), 137
https://archive.org/details/zuluheroismtrage0000davi_l3w9

Greaves, Adrian. The Zulus at War: The History, Rise, and Fall of the Tribe that Washed Its Spears. Skyhorse Publishing, NY. 2014. https://archive.org/details/zulusatwarhistor00unse/page/n7/mode/1up

Knight, Ian (2002). Isandlwana 1879: The Great Zulu Victory. Osprey.

Lock, Ron, Quantrill, Peter, “Isandlwana – The Missing Five Hours”, The Battle of Isandlwana (Rorkes Drift VC, September 2010), https://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/isandhlwana/isandlwana-the-missing-five-hours.htm

Lock, Ron and Quantrill, Peter. Zulu Victory: The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-Up. Jonathan Ball Publishing, Johannesburg. 2005. https://archive.org/details/zuluvictoryepico0000ronl/mode/1up

Morris, D.R. The Washing of the Spears: A History of the Rise of the Zulu Nation Under Shaka and its Fall in the Zulu War of 1879. Book Club Associates. 1972. https://archive.org/details/washingofspearsh0000drmo

Niderost, Eric, “The Battle of Isandlwana: Zulu Wars with the British”, War History Network (June, 2000)
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-battle-of-isandlwana-zulu-wars-with-the-british/

Memoirs of An Officer in Napoleon’s Imperial Guard Artillery

“…I then saw the army approaching the bridges. What magnificent troops, what splendid cavalry! I can still picture them marching past us as if on parade.” -Lt. Hubert Joseph Lyautey

The epic journey continues with the memoirs of Hubert Joseph Lyautey of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard Artillery!

The following was graciously translated by Jonas De Neef. Check out his website here!

Check out Jonas De Neef’s amazing books here!

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