Monster Party

MONSTER PARTY TAKES A TANTALIZING TOUR OF TOKUSATSU TREMENDOUSNESS! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, join together to form a Voltron-esque robot of fun, as we storm the halls of THE BURBANK AIRPORT MARRIOT.  Accompany us on a Far East adventure in tropical stormy LA, as we bring you the...  JAPAN WORLD HEROES EXPO 2023!!! While interviewing super-talented artist, toy painter, mega-collector, and convention mogul, SCOTT ZILNER at MONSTERPALOOZA 2023, he offered us a booth at his upcoming JAPAN WORLD HEROES EXPO. This event celebrates the things MONSTER PARTY loves: Ultraman, Kamen Rider, super sentai, kaiju, celebrities, toys, art, collectibles, and all thing Japan-cool! The show is held only once every two years, and needless to say, we immediately accepted Scott's gracious offer. Cut to the convention: All our dreams are being realized! We're meeting fans and cosplayers, swimming in sea of rare/exclusive collectibles, hosting our own panel, and spending WAY too much money! If th

MONSTER PARTY SERVES UP A STREAMING PILE OF FUN!   JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, play catch up with some of Hollywood's latest offerings, as well as unearth a treasure from the past. It's time for another round of film criticism with a healthy dose of adolescent bickering, as we bring you.... WHAT WE'RE WATCHING VOL. 4!!!   First we address the elephant... well, more like alien whale in the room... AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER. With Matt finally seeing this box office-breaking blockbuster, the gang wages what can only be described as all-out movie bashing warfare.   Then, we move on to some divided and often volatile opinions on GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, SECRET INVASION, THE FLASH, BEAU IS AFRAID, OPPENHEIMER, BARBIE, and ALIEN 3, not to mention some other surprises. And finally, the boys discuss the1967 Korean kaiju classic... SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI. Thought to be a lost film, a print was recently located and is now available on Blu

MONSTER PARTY RETURNS TO COMIC CON! YEAH, WE DO A LOT OF NICE THINGS. JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, brave the halls of the San Diego Convention Center once again, to bathe in a veritable sea of fellow nerds. Join us post con, as we dissect the peculiar set of circumstances that was... COMIC CON 2023!!! I'm sure most of you know by now that Monster Party's origins can be traced back to the days of Comic Cons past. After the exhibit hall would shut down, we'd all go back to one of our hotel rooms for cocktails followed by impassioned nerd debates. It's been over a decade since those pre-Monster Party days, but some things never change. Join us as we discuss some of the unique aspects about COMIC COMIC 2023, including the strike induced lack of studio presence, the various treasures to be found at this year's show, some beloved children's show celebrities, the awesome cosplay team of James and Larry, the usual griping about Star Trek, and oh so much more! We also are graced by so

MONSTER PARTY WHIPS IT GOOD! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, pay tribute to an iconic character whose adventures have spanned over 30 years. He's everyone's favorite whip-wielding archeologist, which kind of narrows it down. Cue exhilarating John Williams music as we present an episode that could only be titled... INDIANA JONES!!! From that first screening of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK back in 1981, we all were unexpectedly awed by the epic heroism of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Sure, the following films and TV shows have been a mixed bag, but through better or worse, it's safe to say that Indy has always been a hero we've been rooting for.  In this episode, we dissect the Indiana Jones phenomenon in detail. Is Raiders a truly perfect film? Is Temple of Doom too violent and just not Indy enough? Does Last Crusade have too many gags? Is Crystal Skull way too Shia LaBeoufy? Who was The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles actually intended for? Did Dial of Destiny redeem the series? Wh

MONSTER PARTY CELEBRATES ANOTHER AUDACIOUS ANNIVERSARY! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, have defied the neysayers once again, and reached a monstrous milestone! Can your fragile minds fully comprehend the cataclysmic consequences of MONSTER PARTY finally reaching... THE 250TH EPISODE!!!? When MONSTER PARTY dropped it's first episode back in 2013, little did we know that nearly ten years later, we'd still be bickering about science fiction, horror, fantasy, comic books, toy collecting, and all the other odd offshoots of genre entertainment. But here we are, 250 friggin' episodes in, and not only are we as monster kid obsessed as ever... but we're still talking to each other! Well, yelling. In all seriousness, doing MONSTER PARTY has done much to enrich our lives. It's deepened our friendships, helped us weather a global pandemic, got us in both FANGORIA and  FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND magazines, got us all to JAPAN, introduced us to the world of Blu-ray commentary, nabbed us two

MORE MONSTER PARTY FUN FROM HORROR'S MOST UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTION! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, stalk the halls of the Pasadena Convention Center, searching for more audio prey. Shine up your Phantasm orb and start sewing up your human centipede for this celebration of scares we appropriately call... MONSTERPALOOZA 2023 PT. 2!!! In MONSTERPALOOZA 2023 PT. 1, the MONSTER PARTY gang manned their convention booth and interviewed a variety of fans, new friends, cosplayers, artists, and industry professionals who attended the show on Friday night. The evening went went so well that we decided to do it again on Saturday, resulting in yet another excitement packed episode! If you've never had the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to this epic event, here's a chance to experience it through us! AND IF YOU WANT MORE, BECOME A MONSTER PARTY PATREON PATRON, AND EXPERIENCE MONSTERPALOOZA 2023 PT. 3!!!  

MONSTER PARTY RETURNS TO THE REAL HALLS OF HORROR! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, once again fired up the hearse, and headed out to petrifying Pasadena, for the horror convention that reigns over all! Pay a virtual trip to the MONSTER PARTY booth, as we we present... MONSTERPALOOZA 2023: PT 1!!! The action started as every MONSTERPALOOZA does. We spent all day Friday setting up our table and various accoutrements, just in time for when the doors opened to the public. And once that happened... it was pure magic!  In case you were born under a rock (which is quite horrifying in and of itself), MONSTERPALOOZA is the bi-yearly convention that celebrates all aspects of horror entertainment. It's got actors, writers, directors, special FX makeup, masks, artwork, clothing, toys, cosplay, rare treasures, limited collectibles, museum pieces, friendly fans, plus a whole lot more! And to make things extra special this year, Shawn Sheridan managed to take a break from employment, for a rar

MONSTER PARTY TAKES ON THE DANGEROUS MISSION OF DEFUSING SOME BOMBS! In this episode, JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, attempt to save the reputation of some of the genre's most maligned movies. It's a philosophical film challenge of monster kid proportions, that we've cleverly called... BAD MOVIE... OR IS IT?!!! When we consider the ingredients that make a genre movie "bad," we think of things like poor scripts, laughable acting, and questionable special effects. But in certain instances, those elements can result in something quite entertaining. And even films with all the right ingredients can be misundertood and under-appreciated by both critics and audiences. It can simply be a matter of bad timing. We're talkin' to you, Zardoz! Well luckily, the timing was right for booking the guest in this episode. She's a lifelong sci-fi fan and mega-talented writer, who has worked on such fan favorites as MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 and HANGIN' WITH DR. Z. Please welcome, for the first

MONSTER PARTY GETS A FEW THINGS OFF THEIR TOY CHEST! SHAWN SHERIDAN, JAMES GONIS, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, return to a topic that has shaped their lives, and maxed out their credit cards. So gather your Mego figures around your favorite podcast listening device, and brace yourselves for... THE MONSTER PARTY TOY TIRADE!!! It's no secret that the hosts of MONSTER PARTY love toys! Old, new, mint, loose, or custom, collecting toys is a passion that can  border on obsession. And with current world-wide acceptance of nerd culture, this love of so-called childish things shows no signs of stopping. In this frank and often bellicose discussion, MONSTER PARTY addresses the various complexities of having an ever-growing toy collection. How did this all start? How did/does it affect your love life? What are your toy pet peeves? What were the toys that got away? How do we keep up with all the great new stuff coming? And so much more, dear listeneners! Joining us for this riotous rant, is a Rondo award-winning jou

ONCE AGAIN, MONSTER PARTY GOES TOPIC-LESS! WILL IT ALSO FINALLY GO PANTLESS? JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, revisit the topic that is no topic, yet all topics! It's a no holds barred onslaught of off-the-cuff chit-chat that for absolutely no reason, we are calling... ANYTHING GOES: THE OBLITERATION!!! Welcome to a free range exploration of the peculiar mindscapes that occupy the MONSTER PARTY cast! We don't want to spoil anything, but if you like spicy banter about Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, gashapon, movie set archeology, future carpet tech, superhero streets, and sci-fi plumbling, this episode is definitely your jam! Joining us for this conversational cataclysm is a return guest and MONSTER PARTY pal, who never ceases to amaze! He's an ingenious painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and makeup FX wizard, who has lent his talents to such companies as KNB EFX GROUP and DON POST STUDIOS! Please welcome back the incomparable... MARK TAVARES! (LAND OF THE DEAD, SPY KID

MONSTER PARTY WANTS TO HAVE A WORD WITH YOU! This time, JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, take a psychiatric approach to fun! No, it's not getting juiced up on meds and wrestling each other in a padded room. It's... THE MONSTER PARTY WORD ASSOCIATION GAME!!! This game works just the way you think! The members of MONSTER PARTY take turns presenting a word to the others, and must immediately respond with the first horror, sci-fi, or fantasy thing that pops into their heads. It's just that simple... and disturbing! This topic was first stress-tested in a special, PATREON ONLY episode, and was proven to be sound. It also proves that there's nothing better for body and mind than becoming a MONSTER PARTY PATRON! Well, there may be a few things better. Like some med-fueled padded room wrestling! We think you'll enjoy this rare peek inside the collective subconscious of MONSTER PARTY, and hope you'll try this game out with your family and friends. If they can handle it!

MONSTER PARTY HAS A CULT FOLLOWING! AND WE CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO CATCH US! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, take another in-depth look at the films that fly below the mainstream, yet have managed to gain a loving and loyal audience. Can your viewing queue handle the stress as... THE KILLER CULT FILMS STRIKE BACK! Like in our previous cult film episodes, we present a more than ample helping of mind-blowing, genre-bending cinema, gauranteed to spice up any midnight movie night. We've got imaginative foreign films, unhinged horror gems, sci-fi curios, outrageous comedies, rock-n' roll fantasies, cult film classics, fun failures, and more! So much more, we'll have to do another episode! Joining us once again for this orgy of oddities, is our go-to guide to the off-beat. He's a celebrated film historian, author, journalist, reviewer, and host of the eternally-running cable TV show, MEDIA FUNHOUSE! Please welcome back, our MONSTER PARTY cult film curator... ED GRANT! (THE MOTION PICTURE

MONSTER PARTY BRINGS YOU A PETRIFYING PROGRAM OF PECULIAR PAIRINGS!  JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, delve the depths of their film knowledge, to create the ultimate in imaginary movie mashups. Get your hot-oiled popcorn ready for... THE MONSTER PARTY MOVIE MARQUEE!!! In a game that we're fairly confident you've all played, we come up with our own dream billings of horror, science fiction, and fantasy films. We're talkin' double features, triple features, and even "Go Ape" style movie marathons. We've linked the films by theme, but also by title, with the later primarily for comedic effect. Because we love comedic effects! But only if they're practical. Joining us for all this marquee-noclastic merriment , is a film connoisseur, a valued friend, and a return guest! He's not only a renowned actor, TV host, filmmaker, and comedian (from The Tonight Show!!!), but a long time MONSTER PARTY supporter and fan! Please welcome back, the eternally entertaining... MARK PITTA! (THE TONIGHT

MONSTER PARTY GOES TO WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE FACE! SHAWN SHERIDAN, JAMES GONIS, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, genuflect at the feet of the artform that has shaped them! Raises your glasses and man your bladder pumps, as MONSTER PARTY salutes... THE ART OF PRACTICAL EFFECTS!!! MONSTER PARTY loves practical effects! Sure, CGI is now all the rage, but nothing puts a spring in our step like seeing an actor bring life to a foam rubber makeup appliance! Or an animatronic alien wreaking havoc!! Or latex skin bubbling! Or stop motion dinosaurs! Or live action dinosaurs! Or... Sorry.  Sometimes we get a bit carried away. In this episode, we champion the genius of classic makeup legends like Lon Chaney, Jack Pierce, John Chambers, William Tuttle, and the Westmore family, as well as the groundbreaking work of trailblazers like Dick Smith, Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, and Stan Winston. And in the SFX category, we've always got some love for greats like Willis O' Brien, Ray Harryhausen, and Eiji Tsuburaya!  Joining us

MONSTER PARTY WANTS TO BE YOUR VALENTINE! BUT... IT PROBABLY WON'T WORK OUT. JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, fully embrace the true VALENTINE'S DAY spirit, with an episode that explores the genre pitfalls of love. Get ready for Cupid's arrow to tear your heart out and show it to you, as MONSTER PARTY presents... DOOMED ROMANCES!!! Let's face it, when it comes to maintaining a healthy relationship in horror, sci-fi, or fantasy films, the track record isn't good. Sure, at the end of some films, it my seem like the happy couples go off to live happily ever after... but what about after that? And what if you're in love with a monster? Or an alien? Or a murderer? Or all three at once? And don't get us started about dudes who don't tell you about their army of rats! To help us understand the complexities of all these dubious hookups, we enlisted the best romance expert we could find, with the least amount of effort. She's an Emmy Award winning comedian, actor, writer, director, produc

LOOK! UP IN THE SKY! IT'S A BIRD! IT'S A PLANE! IT'S... WE HAVE NO IDEA! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, unearth some of the strange, stupid, or forgotten superheroes of yesteryear. Get ready for a heapin' helping of hazy heroics, as MONSTER PARTY presents... SUPERHERO OBSCURA!!! In this current golden age of superhero films, TV shows, video games, and of course, comic books, there has been no shortage of A-list meta-human material. And during this time, a few lesser known characters like The Guardians of the Galaxy have blasted their way to being household names. Does this mean that some other forgotten heroes may have a chance to re-surface and make it to the big time? In this podcast, we hope to make that happen! We've got obscure superheroes from golden age funnybooks, defunct publishers, little known satirical sendups, short-lived cartoons, failed TV pilots, and more! Joining us in "The Fortress of Monster-tude," is a long-time friend and supporter of our show. He's an accl

ONCE AGAIN, MONSTER PARTY IS READY FOR A ROOM RUMBLE! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, return to the hypothertical "room" where your favorite genre characters get up in each other's grill. Get ready for another round of ferocious face offs, as we bring you... WHO WOULD WIN? VOL. 7: CARNAGEPALOOZA!!! Long time listeners know how these episodes work, but for those of you just tuning in, here's the deal. It's just like the classic schoolyard game where you choose fictional characters from sci-fi, horror, and fantasy, put them in a room, and force them to do battle. Why? Because you can! Joining us for this pugnacious podcast is a long-time friend of the show, who always knows a good fight when he sees one one. He's not only a successful actor, director, producer, and voice artist, but also the founder of the enormously popular, BIF! BANG POW! TOYS. And if that were not enough to make you swoon, he's currently the host of the YouTube sensation, PLASTIC SOUL: THE POP CULTURE SHOW BY E

THE TOPIC FREE-FOR-ALL IS BACK, BUT A CERTAIN PROP HAD OTHER PLANS! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, return to the topic that is all topics! But due to a slight hiccup, we don't have our beloved plastic skull full of exciting, and sometimes moldy talking points. Thus, we present... TOPIC FREE-FOR-ALL: OUT OF OUR SKULL EDITION!!! In past "TOPIC FREE-ALL" episodes, we'd usually pull strips of paper with random topics out a plastic skull, and discuss whatever was written on them. But at the last minute, we discovered the skull was inaccessible. Not giving in to defeat, we quickly retooled our topic choosing process, and the show was saved! But we're not going to lie... the skull was missed. One thing that did go very right was our choice of a guest! He's an acclaimed comedian, writer, cartoonist, friend of the show, and no stranger to TOPIC FREE-FOR-ALL! MONSTER PARTY is pleased to start the new year with the lovely and talented... JOHN MATTA! (MATTA NAPKIN, BEWARE THE BATMAN, THE E

IT'S MONSTER PARTY'S END OF THE YEAR OFFICE PARTY, AND WE'VE SPIKED THE PUNCH WITH... PIZAZZ! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, celebrate this magical season with an event of modestly epic proportions. To make things extra exclusive, we winnowed the "A-List" down to the four of us, and... YOU! We invite you to  attend... THE MONSTER PARTY HOLIDAY BASH 2022!!! Get your party groove on with a rambling, off the cuff, anything goes, conga line of nerd talk, aided by a hellish helping of demon booze! And hey, it's a party! You might get lucky! Speaking of nerd talk, this raucous round robin includes delighful debates over Soylent Green, Andor, Avatar, Star Trek 5, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Christmas movies, genre documentaries, Pluto TV, and soooo much more! HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPY NEW YEAR MONSTER PARTIERS! NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE US, ASS CHEEKS DON'T PHOTOCOPY THEMSELVES!

IT'S TIME FOR MONSTER PARTY TO TELL YOU WHAT IT WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS! JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, once again share their ultimate wishlists for the gift-giving  season! Prepare to max out your credit cards and drain your bank accounts, as we present... THE MONSTER PARTY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2022!!! Like many years past, the MONSTER PARTY gang helps you with that sometimes tricky task of finding the perfect present for that persnickety monster kid. It's the least we could do to stop you from ruining Christmas. As this holiday tradition goes, we are yet again joined by a friend of the show, a past smooth young intern, and monster toy maker extraordinaire! We love him but we hate him because he always tells us about too many cool things. Please welcome back... KEVIN SMITH! (SEA DEMON VINYL, H.O.P. TOYS, SPIRAL TOY, OTAKUMERICA) NOW GET SHOPPING PEOPLE!!!