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?”

Kicking off ANP_TV with Reddit Stories!

Adam kicks of ANP_TV with the relaunching of his monthly live streams with Antonio!

TOPICS | ANP_TV official launch! | Return of ANP Monthly Live Streams! | Guest: Antonio Bottiglieri | New Years Resolutions! | Reddit Stories | & More! |

00:00 – Introductions
03:06 – Priapism
06:46 – So bad it’s good!
20:03 – New Year’s Resolutions
50:22 – Heated Rivalry Review
01:05:51 – Msc Talk
01:53:34 – Reddit Story 1
02:15:09 – Reddit Story 2
02:30:00 – Reddit Story 3
02:43:25 – Closing

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The MANY VERSIONS of War of the Gargantuas (1966)

War of the Gargantuas is a 1966 Toho Kaiju epic that has shaped the genre since its original release. But there’s a problem with this movie! It’s what version of the movie is readily available.

“War of the Gargantuas is a 1966 Toho Kaiju epic that has shaped the genre since its original release. It’s a cult classic, and besides the original Godzilla, is in my opinion the quintessential kaiju movie ever made. A movie that is schlocky and crazy, full of great monster action and beautiful miniature effects. But also a movie with a heart, one largely brought about by director Ishiro Honda’s intervention with the story.”

  • 00:00 – Introduction
  • 00:58 – US Re-edits of Classic Tokusatsu
  • 05:30 – Henry G. Sapterstein
  • 07:07 – Russ Tamblyn
  • 09:05 – Japanese International Dub
  • 10:59 – Sponsor
  • 11:41 – Different Versions of War of the Gargantuas
  • 18:23 – Preserving the US versions
  • 22:37 – Closing

Sources

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Listen to the podcast version here!

Recommended Playlist – FILM HISTORY

HAMMER’S FRANKENSTEIN! A Complete Retrospective!

It’s Halloween! Which means it’s time for ANP’s Annual Halloween Live Stream! New format! Adam lectures about all 6 of HAMMER’S FRANKENSTEIN FILMS featuring Peter Cushing!

‘So what exactly am I doing tonight? Well tonight I’m giving a brief retrospective and history of Hammer’s Frankenstein Series starring Peter Cushing. These films are, in order, Curse of Frankenstein, Revenge of Frankenstein, The Evil of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Created Woman, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, and Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell.”

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Also watch: The Gorgon (1964) Review

The HISTORY of South Korea’s Godzilla! (FULL DOCUMENTARY)

Yongary, Monster from the Deep (대괴수 용가리 – Daekoesu Yonggari) is considered South Korea’s Godzilla. Learn the interesting story behind the making of this film, the state of South Korean cinema, and who brought this interesting and unique Kaiju to life!

  • 00:00 – Yongary, Monster from the Deep
  • 01:28 – Why a Kaiju / giant Monster Movie?
  • 04:27 – Kim Ki-duk
  • 05:42 – South Korea in the 1960s
  • 07:22 – Self Promotion 08:07 – Korean/Japanese co-production
  • 12:22 – Yongary & Gamera
  • 16:19 – Yongary is MORE than just a Godzilla knock-off
  • 21:23 – South Korean masculinity
  • 22:56 – South Korean nationalism
  • 24:36 – Yongary Review & Final Thoughts

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Also watch: The Essential #Godzilla Movies from 1984-2023

Listen to the FULL audio commentary with Steve Ryfle & Kim Song-ho here!

(06-15-25) The HISTORY of Jason and the Argonauts (1963) – FULL PODCAST

Adam is joined by Frank & John to discuss the history and legacy of Ray Harryhausen’s greatest work… Jason and the Argonauts (1963). Please sit back and listen to our in-depth conversation about one of cinema’s greatest classics of Greek mythology!

Listen to the full podcast here!

Also watch: HOW BEAUTY KILLED THE BEAST | A King Kong (2005) Video Essay

Check out John here!

Check out Frank here!