Baragon and Frankenstein meet in a battle to the death. Who will win?
Incoming from Granny Creech…
Hmmm Hmmm…one scoop of this, one dash of that…one pinch of this…one smidgen of that…one shake of this….
Oh, hello. Your Old Granny is just making up a new batch of brew. A lot of ingredients go into my brew in order for it to taste just right…with that little extra kick at the end (hee hee). It’s sort of like this week’s special radio spot offering…a little of this, a little of that.
This week I offer a three-part series featuring a hodgepodge of radio spots from Toho’s monster collection reflecting a marketing trend that studios began adopting in later years.
I’ve been collecting radio spots for some time now, including the original vinyl records that the various-length radio spots were distributed on. At some point, studios began releasing records with only two spots, one for 30 seconds and one for 60 seconds, with fewer and fewer movies getting multiple, various-length spots.
I was baking some wry bread ( yes, that’s correct, because it has some “unusual” ingredients in it) the other day when I heard a knock on my front door. I went to see who it was. It was Uncle Oscar, and he held a small record in his hand.
“Another delivery from The Radio Reaper,” he said. “Another entry for your giant monster series.”
Good heavens, I thought. What started out as a five-part series has now grown to seven parts with no end in sight. But, that’s OK, because the spots that have been coming in to me are some really great and rare ones – Rodan, for example. In my years of collecting, I have never seen that vinyl record offered for sale, and I have never heard any spots anywhere! So, it is indeed a treasure, and I thank The Radio Reaper for giving the spots to me to share with you all.
And now, Ghidrah! I had one spot, not the whole complement of five spots, so I feel equally blessed now with all of them. The Reaper is indeed generous!
Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster came out in 1965, another Toho production which featured Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and a new monster threat, one that came from outer space. Ghidorah, as he was called in the 1964 Japanese release, was a formidable opponent who would later appear in other films. Technically he was a challenge for the film crew’s wire specialists who had to deal with a large body, three heads, two tails, two wings and legs! Plus, there was Rodan on wires, too! The coordination of all the wire systems must have been very taxing! As usual, the film included many great fight scenes with great visual effects and intricate miniatures. Cartoon animation provided Ghidrah’s gravity beams that emanated from each of his three mouths.
Here, then, are all the 20, 30, and 60 seconds Ghidrah movie radio spots heard in late 1965 on U.S. airwaves. Enjoy!
Crane apparatus allowing Ghidrah to fly.The elaborate, detailed miniature set constructed by Toho Technicians that will soon be destroyed by Ghidrah.The monsters attack! Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra battle Ghidrah.Shoichi Hirose inside the impressive Ghidrah costume.
Do you have any radio spots you would like to share? Contact Granny (Gary Fox) at [email protected].
Technicians make some final adjustments before filming a scene with the giant Rodan prop.
Granny Creech has something important to share from The Radio Reaper…
I was sleeping in my cozy little bed the other night while visions of ghouls and ghosts danced in my head when suddenly I was awakened by my phone ringing feverishly off the wall.
“Granny…this is Uncle Oscar over at Witchwood Cemetery. One of our new tenants is in a tizzy and says he must see you right away!”
Well, if Uncle Oscar says it’s important, it usually is. I got dressed and flew over to the cemetery. I met him in the front office.
“What in tarnation is going on?” I asked.
“I was making my rounds when I heard an awful commotion coming from the old section of the cemetery,” Uncle Oscar said. “I went over and discovered there was noise coming from one of the tombs we just gave to our newest tenant. I looked in and the occupant said he needed to see you immediately.”
We made our way to the old section and, sure enough, there was something going on in the tomb. We went inside and there was a ghastly apparition busying about, running hither and thither, while sorting through an ancient chest of some sort.
“What is going on here?” I asked.
“Are you Granny Creech?” The specter asked.
“I am. What do you want?”
“Thank heavens I found you in time,” he said. “I have something for you that’s very important.”
Getting ready to film the big battle. Notice the size of the Mothra prop.
Eekmail just in from Granny!
I was sitting at my little writing table the other night working away on Part Five of my series of giant monsters radio spots when I heard a knock on my door. Answering it, I saw my uncle Thaddeus standing there, a gleam in his sunken eyes set deep into his gaunt face.
“I have something for you,” he said with a sly grin . He held up a small sack, held tightly between his bony fingers.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Open it,” he said.
I quickly opened the sack and found two 7” vinyl records containing radio spots for Godzilla vs The Thing (1964) and King Kong Escapes (1967). I shrieked. “Where did you find these?”
“I found them in an antique shop over in Spooky Hollow,” he said. “I knew you would want them.”
I thanked him over and over again. I offered to pay him, but he declined.
“But, I will take a bottle of your brew,” he said.
Done! And with that, he left. I was thrilled, but I had work to do. My five-part series had now turned into a six-part series and there was a new Part Five to write. Godzilla vs The Thing! Ahh, what was “The Thing”? The one-sheet poster had a giant question mark with Godzilla, and the half-sheet depicted a tentacled beast which was censored in its entirety, being too horrible to see. What was it? The scary, horrible monster turned out to be….Mothra! What? Cute little (big) Mothra? Hmmm. Okay, it was a reworking of Toho’s Mothra vs Godzilla, but the gang at American International Pictures decided to take a different approach in their marketing campaign and played up the “what is it?” angle. But no matter: It was a fun movie with the usual good effects.
R to L: Rhodes Reason, Linda Jo Miller, Haruo Nakajima as King Kong and Arthur Rankin, Jr. ham it up during a break in filming.
King Kong Escapes was equally fun with Haruo Nakajima portraying King Kong and Hiroshi Sekita playing Mechani-Kong and Gorosaurus. There are many similarities to the original King Kong (1933), and the effects and battles are especially good. The new King Kong suit was an improvement over the one used in King Kong vs Godzilla.
The radio spots for these two movies are excellent, with both playing up the spectacle of the conflicts. Exciting narrations with lots of sound effects add to the appeal of these spots. So sit back, get comfortable, and listen as the giant monsters attack! Let’s start with Godzilla vs. The Thing Radio Spots!
Here’s a question for you: What’s better than one or two giant monsters in one movie? The answer? Eleven!!
Yesireebob, Toho really outdid itself when it released its all-out monster spectacle DestroyAll Monsters in 1968. Developed as a kind of finale to the whole Godzilla series due to declining box office receipts, the producers thought, “Why not?” and decided to go out with a bang, and developed a story that would feature most of their famous giant monsters.
What a collection! The monsters featured include Godzilla, Anguirus, Rodan, Manda, Kumonga, Varan, Baragon, King Ghidorah, Minilla, Mothra, and Gorosaurus. The final battle of the good-guy monsters against King Ghidorah set at the base of Mount Fuji tasked the costumed performers and the wire-specialists to the hilt. It was spectacular and every monsterkid’s dream.
Aside from the giant monsters, the movie featured spaceships, flying saucers, female aliens, mind control, a moon base, and great miniature and special effects work. You all know my appreciation for Toho’s great miniature department, and the scene of Gorosaurus rising up from underneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is one of the best anywhere! The way the miniature breaks apart and topples amazes me every time I see it! American International Pictures released only four radio spots for the American release and they are really good, although they only highlight four monsters, not the eleven fans get to eventually see. Each of the four destroys a city before teaming up against Tokyo and the radio spots reflect the excitement.
So, while you are listening, visualize the chaos and destruction, and let your battle-cry be, “DESTROY ALL MONSTERS!”
Destroy All Monsters 30 and 60 seconds radio spots!
The monsterific cast. Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla leads the other performers in the classic battle royale finale.Gorosaurus rises up beneath the streets of Paris to topple parts of the famous Arc de Triomphe. The incredible miniature breaks apart in a most realistic way, depicting the sheer mass of the structure.
Do you have any radio spots you would like to share? Contact Granny (Gary Fox) at [email protected].
A look at the Reptilicus model with the amazing miniature buildings.
REPTILICUS! “Like nothing you’ve ever seen before!”
Nope, that is not a comment about my kitchen after a round of cooking up some witch’s brew. But many people do say that very thing about the Danish movie Reptilicus: “I’ve never seen anything like that before!”
Reptilicus has always received a bad rap from monster movie fans ever since its release in 1962. From over acting to unnecessary comedic relief, to a phony-looking monster to poor special effects, the movie doesn’t fare too well on the popularity scale. And yet, it still has a certain charm about it, and most monsterkids are inclined to cut it some slack.
I called my grandson, Big Abner, and asked him if he knew about Reptilicus. He said he did, and I asked him what he thought was the best part of the movie.
“Ann Smyrner,” he said.
Hmmm. Boys will be boys, I guess.
Was the movie so bad? Well, the story itself was ok, it was just how it was presented that got it into trouble. The most criticism goes to the design of the marionette/puppet used to portray Reptilicus. Although the head was pretty good, the way it moved and flopped around was rather pitiful. The small wings and useless feet were also subjects of derision. No wonder the scene of Reptilicus flying was cut from the Danish version for the American release. Also, the added use of acid saliva that Reptilicus spewed at various times was not convincing.
Apart from a few process shots, some double exposures, and one obvious paste-up of a farmer being swallowed alive by Reptilicus, no grand visual effects were used. The Reptilicus model was always combined with realistic miniatures. The live-action scenes of the military firing on Reptilicus were well done, however.
If one can suspend disbelief just long enough to sit through the movie, it does prove to be somewhat entertaining. The visuals aren’t all that bad if one can overlook the shortcomings.
The radio spots are pretty good, using the same general pattern Konga used the year before. Paul Frees does an excellent job of selling the highpoints of the movie, although I still snicker when he says, “See …and you still won’t believe what you saw.” Hype or sarcasm? You be the judge. So, sit back, remember Ann Smyrner, and listen to Reptilicus!
Here are the 20, 30, and 60 seconds radio spots to terrorize you!
Gulp! A quickly-made composite using an existing close-up sequence.Technicians line up a shot using the Reptilicus model.
Do you have any radio spots you would like to share? Contact Granny (Gary Fox) at [email protected]. You can also read the comic book!
Producer Herman Cohen, Jess Conrad, Claire Gordon, and Konga.
KONGA! Yep, I go ape every time I think of this movie!
It hadn’t been since 1933 when King Kong came out that the screen had exploded with such mighty fury and spectacle or so the posters exclaimed. The boys at American International Pictures went all out in hyping this movie, creating awesome poster art and an over-the-top marketing campaign. Speaking of posters, the 40×60 inches (ZC Note: also known as the bus stop or subway poster) is spectacular. In fact, seeing that particular poster in the snack bar lobby of the Parkway Drive-in was what caused my nephew, Crazy Gary, to start collecting movie posters.
Although not nearly as good and awe inspiring as King Kong or Mighty Joe Young, Konga does have its moments. The split-screen visual effects are good, the miniatures are excellent, the music exciting, and the performances adequate. Michael Gough (pronounced “Goff”), as Dr. Charles Decker, is his usual maniacal driven self.
The movie is interesting, although rather slow-paced to begin with. It isn’t until Konga is injected with a super dose of growth serum and bursts out of Decker’s house that the movie really takes off. His walk through the streets of London with Decker in hand is really impressive. I especially like actor Paul Stockman’s eye movements as the giant Konga.
The radio spots, released on a 7-inch, 45 rpm record, are interesting and full of excitement, although they paint a more stupendous picture than the movie actually delivers. But, no matter: The last fifteen minutes provide enough “fury and spectacle” to make for an enjoyable experience. So, enough monkeying around: Listen to Konga!
Konga 20, 30, and 60 second spots from Granny C.
It’s 20 minutes to midnight. Do you know where Michael Gough is? (ZC Hint: he’s in Konga’s right hand screaming his head off.).Paul Stockman plays Konga and goes on a tear with the well-constructed house miniature.
No, it’s not Halloween already, although if you hung around my house long enough you would think so, with all the creepy and scary-looking relatives of mine who just drop in whenever the spirits move them. But, the monsters ARE coming, or, more correctly, the GIANT monsters are coming.
This week’s offering begins a five-part series of spots featuring giant monsters on the attack. With one exception they all feature actors in costumes representing all sorts of creatures. I’ve always been a fan of these movies because of the awesome split-screen effects combining the monster with crowds running for their lives, and for the intricate models said monster usually destroys. How they made the miniature buildings crumble as realistically as they did has always amazed me.
This week I feature spots from Godzilla, King of the Monsters, a 1956 reworking of Toho Studio’s Gojira, released in 1954. The American version features new scenes with Raymond Burr expertly inserted into the Japanese version and dubbed into English. Both versions are interesting to watch. Aside from the movies themselves, the one thing I always appreciated about these movies was the poster art: colorful scenes of destruction with the giant beast front and center.
The Witchwood Cemetery had a rummage sale the other day to raise money to purchase additional land (people are just dying to get in there!). Anyways, I was just browsing the tables when I came across an old Dell movie comic for a film I hadn’t thought of in a long time. It was December, 1959, when 20th Century Fox offered something different to movie goers. Up until then, science fiction movies had been concentrating on things “out there” in the vastness of space: where we could go, or who – or what – could come to visit or invade us. So, it was a nice change to turn our vision inward as Fox released Jules Verne’s 1864 epic thriller, Journey to the Center of the Earth.
As I remember it was quite a cinematic adventure, with great special effects, grand sets and vistas, and what many call the most realistic use of fin-backed lizards representing dinosaurs to be pictured on the screen. The music, by famed composer Bernard Herrmann, was awesome, too. Featuring a great cast, including James Mason, Arlene Dahl, teen heartthrob Pat Boone (minus his white bucks), Diane Baker, Peter Ronson, Thayer David (who can forget him in Dark Shadows?), and Gertrude the duck, moviegoers were believably transported to an underground world where sights hitherto unseen by man were presented. It was pure escapist adventure.
I went digging through my musty boxes and found the old record that was sent to theaters to promote the movie on the radio. The ten spots included here are excellent and capture the excitement of the film.
Are you ready…to don your spelunking gear and begin your Journey to the Center of the Earth?
“Two-and-a-half years in the making!” No, that is not how long it took me to come up with the recipe for my witch’s brew: it was a selling point for one of Universal International’s best-loved movies, This Island Earth. Completed in 1955, it was a science-fiction fan’s dream. It had everything: spaceships, strange-looking aliens, lots of scientific talk, an interplanetary communications device, a war-torn planet, “demolition rays”, spectacular special effects, and…a mu-TANT! I bat-mailed my nephew, Crazy Gary (he works in the dead letter office over at the local post office), and asked if he had any thoughts on the movie. This is what I received back: …
Is it formic acid or Granny Creech’s witch’s brew? (There’s a difference? –editor)
Cough, Cough, ah-choo! Oh…Hello. Sniff, sniff… You’ll have to excuse me. Old Granny has been doing some cleaning here in the Crypt and it’s a little dusty. I’ve been looking for some old radio spots and I think I’ve found them. Yesindeedy! Over there beside cousin Jasper’s tomb and behind some old shelves, I found a stack of old Famous Monsters of Filmland and World Famous Creatures magazines, and under them I found some radio spots for the 1954 movie “Them!,” the first big bug movie. These go ‘way back. I remember hearing about this movie when I was a wee little thing: It was one of my dad’s favorite movies. I really didn’t know what it was about…the title doesn’t give it away…and it wasn’t until I was older that I finally got to see it and understood what “them” was….or who “them” were…or who they were…or…
Anyway, here are the spots to Them!, a movie about GI-ANTS! Ahem, cough, sniff…
Them! Radio Spots: 15 seconds a, 15 seconds b, and 55 seconds to ant-tagonize your ears!
Technicians prepare the set for filming of one of the giant mechanical ants used in the movie “Them!”Them! movie theater banner used for promotion.
Do you have any radio spots you would like to share? Contact Granny (Gary Fox) at [email protected].
Greetings, kiddies. I was just sitting here in my old rickety rocking chair, basking in the light of the full moon coming through my bedroom window, when I heard a knock on my front door. Opening the door I found my neighbor, Harry Talbot, standing there, panting frantically.
“Granny,” he said, “Do you have a razor I can borrow? I need to shave my face before I go out tonight.”
“Why’d gillette it grow out so much? I asked.
He said he’d been busy, but tonight he was off to have a howling good time on the town. I snickered to myself. Most of the ladies I knew thought him to be just another old wolf, so I doubted he’d have much success with any of them.
“Just a minute,” I said.
I rummaged through some of Uncle Edgar’s old things and came up with an old straight razor. I gave it to Harry. He thanked me and bounded away to enjoy whatever adventures he could find. I returned to the comfort of my old rocker and thought about this week’s radio spots. Hmmm. Well, last time I did spots about vampires and the undead, so this time I should feature spots about werewolves. Great idea! …
