02.24.2026 MONSTER PARTY'S GENRE COMFORT FOOD!!!
MONSTER PARTY WANTS YOU TO LAY BACK AND CUDDLE WITH A GOOD FILM. AND YES, WE MEAN THAT LITERALLY.
JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD, share a banquet of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films that always give them a case of the warm and fuzzies. Get ready to dig in as we present… MONSTER PARTY’S GENRE COMFORT FOOD!!!
The film and TV tastes of the various hosts of MONSTER PARTY are as wide-ranging as the colors of the stars in Starcrash! Between the four of us, we go from high brow to low brow, mainstream to B movie, practical effects to CGI (within reason), and any other cool monster kid viewing we can lay our claws on. But there is a very unique class of cinematic serotonin that, during a stressful time or a lazy afternoon, can unfurrow our brows like a wet compress soaked in Romulan Ale.
In this intimate and revelatory episode of MONSTER PARTY, the guys reveal what special films have the ability to calm their nerves like a dog anxiety vest. But don’t expect just the usual easy-on-the-system classics like Forbidden Planet or Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. Because for some, comfort can come from killer robots, murderous “children,” or even some hills that have eyes. And speaking of which, what’s the mystery meat in your comfort food?
Joining us for this poo-poo platter of pleasing pictures is a guest making his MONSTER PARTY debut. And it’s long overdue! He’s not only a knowledgeable genre expert, but also the owner of one of the most amazing collectible stores in the country, BLAST FROM THE PAST! Please welcome… LARRY ROSS!
Larry is a wonderful guy, and his shop is located at 3117 West Magnolia Blvd in historic Burbank, California. BLAST FROM THE PAST offers a stunning collection of new and vintage toys, comics, statues, movie posters, artwork, books, cosplay items, clothing, cards, and so much more. The store is also known for hosting a regular stand-up comedy show, as well as a challenging horror trivia night that always packs the house! Oh, and the staff is pretty outstanding as well!
LISTEN TO MONSTER PARTY’S GENRE COMFORT FOOD! AND WHEN YOU’RE DONE, GO BACK FOR ANOTHER HELPING!
Guest(s)
Larry Ross, Blast From the Past:
Follow Larry/Blast From the Past: Blast from the Past (@blastftp) • Instagram profile | Comic Book Store & Collectible Action Figures in Burbank, CA | Blast from the Past | Burbank CA
Key Topics Discussed
Worlds You Want to Live In: The hosts discuss the "sink-in" quality of films like Blade Runner, The Time Machine, and Forbidden Planet, where the visual environment and world-building comforting. (In some cases, more than the actual plot.)
Dystopian Perspective: A deep dive into why bleak "end of the world" movies—specifically Soylent Green and The Road Warrior act as a security blanket by making the viewer appreciate how things in today’s world aren’t all that bad (none of us are fighting Thunder Road on the way to work!).
The Legacy of Blast from the Past: Larry Ross details the history of his shop, explaining how physical retail spaces and the "Star Trek Shirt" coincidences and store events foster a sense of belonging and nostalgia that fuels their comfort.
The "Warm and Fuzzies" of Physical Craftsmanship: A segment covering the comfort found in tangible artistry, ranging from the puppets of Gerry Anderson’s "Supermarionation" to the high era of stunts, car crashes and real fire in a pre-CGI world and fun stories about original comic art.
The 70s "Monster of the Week" Safety Net: A look at the ritual of watching shows like Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The Outer Limits and the range of quality in those productions.
Timestamps
00:02:13 – Welcome the guest for this episode, a Monster Party friend for years and a genre expert, Larry Ross the owner Blast from the Past. Blast from the Past, located in Burbank, is an amazing store, community space and the home of Dead Right Horror Trivia Nights.
00:07:29 – Larry R. explains why he'd rather "invite an old friend over" like the mutant family from The Hills Have Eyes than watch something new.
00:08:39 – Discussion on the Planet of the Apes franchise and why even the "downer" endings feel like putting on a comfortable glove.
00:09:51 – Moving into the Slasher discussion - the rituals of Friday the 13th and Halloween and why those familiar rhythms are relaxing.
00:16:20 – Discussion of George Pal’s The Time Machine and it’s combination of science fiction and horror.
00:23:10 – Discussion on the appeal of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation and why shows like Thunderbirds, UFO, and Space 1999 are the ultimate aesthetic "eye candy."
00:27:15 – The visual immersion of films like Blade Runner and Forbidden Planet.
00:33:15 – Discussion on why the post-apocalypse and dystopian films like Soylent Green and The Road Warrior are the ultimate comfort food.
00:43:40 – Talk about the film of Harlan Ellison’s A Boy and His Dog, Mel Gibson and Road Warrior. A lot of nostalgia for the real car crashes and real fire and crazy stunts in the pre-CGI film world.
00:55:53 – Larry R tells the story of the crazy luck of buying an original page of artwork from Watchmen - the comic that changed his life and is the reason Blast From the Past exists.
01:04:51 – Talk about watching Kokchak The Night Stalker television series and patiently waiting for the series to come out on various forms of collectable media.
01:08:37 – A deep dive into the cinematic beauty of The Outer Limits, the legendary work of cinematographer Conrad Hall, and why the show looks like a theatrical release. Various favorite episodes like "The Premonition" and the infamous budget-strapped tumbleweed episode with Eddie Albert are discussed.
01:18:16 – The lightning round of comfort films where everyone gets to mention a few of their favorites.
01:53:21 – The Monster Party crew mentions they will once again have a booth at Monsterpalooza this year - Larry R. will also be there with a booth!
01:58:51 – An ode to The Three Stooges that must be heard to be believed.
Resources/Links Mentioned
Films
Twins – Mentioned as part of a joke with the matching Star Trek shirts.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) – Discussed as Larry R.'s go-to comfort film.
Se7en (1995) – Cited by Shawn as a "downer" he would avoid.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes – Identified as the "downer" Planet of the Apets comfort film.
Planet of the Apes – The group discusses the original franchise as a whole.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes – Mentioned as the bookend of the original series.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes – Discussed regarding hope for Cornelius and Zira.
Jaws – Mentioned as a foundational film that requires no explanation.
Star Wars – Cited alongside Jaws as a film that requires no explanation.
Team America: World Police – Described as the "bastard child" of Thunderbirds.
Friday the 13th – Discussion of the franchise's early phase and "quaint" nature.
Graduation Day – Cited as part of the early phase of slasher films.
Prom Night – Mentioned as an early slasher film that feels like Saturday morning TV.
Terror Train – Discussed as part of the early slasher era.
Hell Night – Included in the list of early slasher films.
Jason X – Referred to as "Jason 10" or "the one in space."
Freddy vs. Jason – Larry R. notes he stopped at the 5th Friday film but loves this crossover.
The Time Machine (1960) – A pick for a George Pal comfort film that also just looks good.
It Came from Outer Space (1953) – Described as a "warm and fuzzy" classic directed by Jack Arnold.
Summer Lovers – Mentioned as the movie playing before the Blade Runner sneak preview in 1982.
Blade Runner (1982) – James' number one choice for atmosphere, visuals, and music.
Blade Runner 2049 – Mentioned as a beautiful film.
Frankenstein – Part of the discussion on foundational Universal monster movies.
Dracula – Discussed in the context of the order in which these films were originally released.
The Wolf Man (1941) – Cited as an essential atmospheric Universal film.
The Invisible Man – Included in the Universal monster comfort food list.
The Mummy – Mentioned alongside the other classic Universal monsters.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman – Cited as an early case of a shared universe.
Captive Wild Woman – Mentioned as part of the Universal comfort cycle.
Inner Sanctum – The series of films starring Lon Chaney.
Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters – Mentioned as part of the Universal comfort film cycle.
Creature from the Black Lagoon – Mentioned regarding its release date relative to the other Universal films.
Godzilla – Mentioned generally as a comfort franchise.
Night of the Living Dead – Discussed for its news reports and reality.
Dawn of the Dead – Discussed as a back-to-back loop with Night of the Living Dead.
Creepshow – Mentioned in relation to a George Romero signing.
Day of the Dead – Part of the discussion on Romero’s apocalyptic film series.
Soylent Green – Described as a dark film that makes the viewer appreciate an apple or steak.
A Boy and His Dog – Cited as a well-cast adaptation of the Harlan Ellison story.
The Road Warrior – Discussed for its real stunts, car crashes, and lack of CGI.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mentioned as a recent comfort film choice.
Avengers: Endgame – Last twenty-years pick for a satisfying conclusion to a big story.
The Avengers (2012) – Counter preference for how it set up the team dynamic.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil – Matt’s pick for a delightful horror-comedy.
Jurassic Park – Larry R.’s choice for a movie that held up and was well-directed.
City of Lost Children – Larry R.’s fantasy pick, noted for Ron Perlman.
Mad God – James' pick for a recent amazing visual experience.
Watchmen (2009) – Discussed by James as a comfort film that was done well enough.
The Princess Bride – Joke regarding “six fingered man” in Outer Limits discussion
Dreamscape – Suggested as a potential Eddie Albert film.
The Devil’s Rain –Comfort film with Shatner and Borgnine.
Horror Hotel – Suggested by as a double feature with The Devil’s Rain.
Race with the Devil – A 1975 action-horror recommendation.
Westworld – First pick for the Lightning Round.
12 Monkeys – Cited as genius, specifically Brad Pitt’s performance.
Moon – Mentioned as part of the sci-fi Lightning Round.
Source Code – Included in the list of modern comfort sci-fi.
Logan's Run – A favorite for several.
Andromeda Strain – Noted as a great comfort movie.
Beast from 20,000 Fathoms – Mentioned for the Ray Harryhausen effects.
Gamera Showa series – Pick for tokusatsu comfort viewing.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – Cited as a comfort musical.
Popeye (1980) – Discussed for the Robert Altman atmosphere and Shelly Duvall.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut – This movie is called a miracle.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Mentioned as part of a family marathon.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Part of the rain-day marathon discussion.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – (Implied by the "all three films" marathon).
Superman (1978) – Pick for a Richard Donner comfort classic.
The Green Slime – Cited as a comfort film by Shawn.
Forbidden Planet – Included in Shawn's Lightning Round list.
House on Haunted Hill – Mentioned as a favorite Vincent Price/William Castle film.
Flash Gordon (1980) – Listed as a trio of sci-fi favorites for Shawn and Gina.
The Last Starfighter – Part of the comfort trio mentioned by Shawn.
Galaxy Quest – Part of the comfort trio mentioned by Shawn.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) – Matt’s go-to horror-comedy.
Alien – Discussed as comfort food with a gothic horror feel.
Aliens – Discussed as an action extravaganza with a family dynamic.
Yo-Kai Monsters Trilogy – Described as Shinto ghosts and creatures.
Daimajin – Mentioned as having a similar plot to the Yo-Kai films.
Shin Godzilla – A recent Godzilla film Matt watches repeatedly.
The War of the Gargantuas – Cited as one of the greatest kaiju films ever made.
The Brood – Matt’s pick for a Cronenberg comfort film.
Scanners – Mentioned as a Cronenberg film the group enjoys.
Naked Lunch – Included in Matt's list of comfort food films.
The Terminator – Discussed regarding the character arc.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day – Cited for the transformation of Sarah Connor.
Godzilla's Revenge – Mentioned as a film Larry R. previously hated but has a different eye for now.
The Cannonball Run – Mentioned as an example of a film with outtakes.
Working Girl – You’ve all heard this joke before!
Television
The Andy Griffith Show – Mentioned via the "Floyd's Barber Shop" comparison for the store.
Star Trek – Referenced regarding the "shag-like" painted shirt.
Thunderbirds – Discussed as the Gerry Anderson puppet favorite.
UFO – Cited by James as a live-action Gerry Anderson show.
Space: 1999 – Cited as a live-action Gerry Anderson show.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons – Recommended by Matt as a faster-moving half-hour puppet show.
Stingray – Mentioned as the "underwater version of Thunderbirds" from the 1960s.
Creature Features – The Bay Area horror host show featuring Bob Wilkins and John Stanley.
Seymour's Monster Midnite Theater – The LA horror host show featuring Seymour.
Chiller Theatre – The Pittsburgh horror host show featuring Chilly Billy (Bill Cardile).
Uncle Ted's Ghoul School – Mentioned as the show featuring Uncle Ted.
Shock Theater – Mentioned as the horror host program featuring The Creep.
Watchmen (TV Series) – Discussed as a sequel to the comic book; noted for including the "aftermath of the squid."
Kolchak: The Night Stalker – Discussed as the Friday night "monster of the week" ritual.
The Night Strangler (1973) – The follow-up TV movie.
Planet of the Apes (TV Series) – Recalled as part of the Friday night line-up on CBS.
The Six Million Dollar Man – Mentioned as part of the Friday night ABC line-up.
The Norliss Tapes – Mentioned as one of the 70s TV movies.
The Questor Tapes – Mentioned as a 70s TV movie with a specific aesthetic.
Killdozer! – Cited as a 70s made-for-TV movie.
Trilogy of Terror – Mentioned for its 70s horror tropes.
Gargoyles – Noted as a 70s made-for-TV movie.
Bad Ronald – Cited as an example of 70s TV horror.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark – Mentioned as part of the 70s TV movie "ritual."
The Horror at 37,000 Feet – Discussed for its 70s cast and setting.
Crowhaven Farm – Noted as a favorite atmospheric 70s TV movie.
The Twilight Zone – Mentioned as a "firework" that existed for a moment.
The Outer Limits – Larry R.’s pick for a scary comfort show; specific episodes like "The Zanti Misfits" and "Demon with a Glass Hand" are discussed.
Lost in Space – Explicitly mentioned by Larry R. regarding the Jonathan Harris line.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Matt’s comfort show.
H.R. Pufnstuf – Mentioned as a visual comparison for the Yo-Kai Monsters films.
The Three Stooges – Mentioned during the outtakes and snoring discussion.
Books, Comics, etc.
Animal Farm – Suggested as a potential book the Traveler could have taken.
A Boy and His Dog (Novella) – The original story by Harlan Ellison mentioned as a successful adaptation.
Watchmen (Graphic Novel) – The foundational book by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons that reset the guest's life.
Green Lantern (Comic Series) – The Neal Adams run mentioned specifically regarding high-value original art.
The Killing Joke (Graphic Novel) – The book by Alan Moore and Brian Boland mentioned in the original art discussion.
Preacher (Comic Series) – The comic series mentioned by a host who owns an original page from it.
Eightball (Comic Series) – The Daniel Clowes series described as "genius."
Killdozer! (Short Story) – The Theodore Sturgeon story mentioned as the basis for the film.
The Fog Horn – The Ray Bradbury short story that served as the basis for The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.
