MONSTER PARTY

MONSTER PARTY TAKES THE STAND! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD submit this new episode into evidence as to why you need to listen to this podcast! Consider yourself amicus curiae as we partake in a bit of… LEGAL GEEKING!!! The world of horror, science fiction, and fantasy is a wondrous realm where the incredible and impossible come to life. But how does the law apply to all these fantastic shenanigans? What responsibility does the Weyland-Yutani Corporation have when it comes to the events portrayed in the classic 1982 film Alien? Do robots, androids, and other artificial lifeforms have access to civil rights? How is Willy Wonka still in business? And who do you sue when giant rabbits lay waste to your property? Helping us find the answers to these important legal questions is a longtime friend of the show—and, get this, an actual lawyer! Yeah, and one of the scrupulous kind! He's also the co-founder and host of the shockingly appropriate-titled blog and podcast, THE LEGAL GEEKS! Please welcome back Monster Party's answer to Matt Murdock… JOSH GILLILAND! IF YOU THINK THIS EPISODE IS OUT OF ORDER, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER!

MONSTER PARTY GETS OFF TO A "ROCKY" START! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD put out the welcome mat for our potential friends and enemies from amongst the stars. Join us for a cinematic close encounter of the audio kind as we celebrate… FIRST CONTACTS!!! With the box office success of PROJECT HAIL MARY, the world has once again embraced the feel-good concept of first contact with a benevolent alien race. But have these initial interactions with extraterrestrials always been as satisfying for movie and TV viewing audiences? In this episode, we'll examine the near-universal love of PROJECT HAIL MARY and provide a counterview from some of MONSTER PARTY's best-loved curmudgeons. We'll also examine other first contacts portrayed in films and TV shows, and see how their effectiveness holds up under scrutiny. We'll look at film classics like THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY; the quite unpleasant first contacts that occur in movies like ALIEN, THE THING, and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS; modern first contact films like THE ARRIVAL, NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU, and ANNIHILATION; and soooo much more! Leading us as Earth's ambassador for this epic event is a longtime friend of MONSTER PARTY who always has a refreshing take on the sci-fi genre. She's an immensely talented comedian, actor, producer, and director who has worked on such iconic programs as THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, CHELSEA LATELY, and WANDA AT LARGE. Please welcome back the always outstanding… SUE MURPHY! WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS NUMEROUS SPOILERS! LISTEN AT YOUR OWN SENSE OF WONDER PERIL!

MONSTER PARTY HAS A LIST OF GRIEVANCES. NOW THERE'S A SHOCK!!! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD have a Jason Voorhees-sized axe to grind with a whole series of genre-related annoyances. We're so ticked off that we decided to have a beastly bitch-fest that we're calling… MONSTER PARTY'S BONE PICKERS!!! The cast of MONSTER PARTY has never been shy when it comes to "bones to pick" about certain aspects of their individual monster kid experience. Whether it's Comic-Con exclusive hoarders, film logic flaws, or the age-old slow zombie versus fast zombie debate, we'll call it like we see it. But despite our occasional impromptu rants, sometimes it's not enough. So, for us to maintain our overall childlike wonder during these difficult times, what we needed was an episode that was all about venting! Join us for a hosts-only edition of MONSTER PARTY, where we take aim at a number of hot-button issues, including movie theater vs. home theater, ridiculously expensive autographs, Bava film tampering, scantily clad Leia canceling, Disney gouging, James Cameron cat hate, wondrous website bios, and soooo much more! MONSTER PARTY HAS A BEEF! IF ONLY IT WAS GERRIT GRAHAM FROM THE PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE. LOOK IT UP, PEOPLE!

MONSTER PARTY IS GOING TO DRIVE YOUR BLU-RAY PLAYER MAD!!! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD plunge into the depths of delightful depravity as they seek to dig up the world's most unusual cinematic treasures. Whether it's a birthday, Valentine's Day, or an anniversary, give your loved ones some… TWISTED BLU-RAY GEMS! In these days of video streaming, many have prematurely predicted the fall of physical media. While mainstream sales of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays have declined, several niche companies are thriving by offering hard-to-find and sometimes virtually unknown horror, sci-fi, fantasy, martial arts, and exploitation films. This kind of entertainment may not be for everyone, but if, like us, you like your entertainment on the wild side, have we got some movies for you! In this episode, the gang will be celebrating a selection of films ranging from works by cult film masters to Z-list auteurs, and everything in between. It's a subgenre where the restrictions of taste, budget, and production actually led to the creation of some truly unique artistic visions. We'll also get a first-person account of the loving care that goes into preserving these often overlooked celluloid classics. And what classics they are! We've got folk horror frights, kung fu-capable combatants, a forty-year-old child, a voting-age infant, a zoom lens with no shame, a sasquatch who smashes a crotch, and so much more! Joining us for this bacchanal of Blu-rays is a first-time guest and a man perfectly suited for this topic. Aside from being a member of the DJ collective RENDEZVOUS! and founder of the record label EMPIRE OF TOMBS, he is content manager and representative for the company that will fulfill all your twisted Blu-ray dreams, SEVERIN FILMS! MONSTER PARTY is very proud to welcome… ETHAN HULL! AND A WARNING: IF YOU'RE EVER IN BIGFOOT COUNTRY… HOLD IT!

MONSTER PARTY MAKES A PARDO PROGNOSIS! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD make a virtual housecall to check on the status of a past guest's geek standing. It's an episode that begs the question… ARE YOU A BIGGER NERD NOW?!!! Approximately ten years ago, the hosts of MONSTER PARTY made a very special visit to a friend and fellow podcaster's recording studio. The main reason was that this podcaster, who had been a guest on our show, was severely allergic to the cats that roamed the carpets of our own studio. But since this was still in the relatively early days of MONSTER PARTY, this situation also provided us a glimpse at the setup of an A-LIST podcast. The topic of the episode we recorded was, "WHY AREN'T YOU A BIGGER NERD?" and the guest was the seismically hilarious comedian and host of the groundbreaking/award-winning podcast NEVER NOT FUNNY, JIMMY PARDO! It was a fantastic experience—Mr. Pardo was nothing short of delightful—and we feel we made significant headway in his journey toward healthy nerdism. But after the episode was posted, we lost track of Jimmy's progress. That is, until now! In this singular life-affirming event, Jimmy Pardo returns to catch us up on how much his world of genre entertainment has opened up since he last appeared on our show. And what he has to say might surprise you. We really don't want to give away any spoilers, but if you struggle with middle-aged action figure impulse buys, prefer practical apes to CGI ones, and enjoy the happening sounds of Chicago, Journey, and REO Speedwagon, this episode is the audio intervention you've been clamoring for. WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT JIMMY PARDO IS A BIGGER NERD NOW? WE'D GUESS IT'S 25 OR 6 TO 4.