04.08.2016 MONSTER PARTY'S BONE PICKERS!!! With MONSTER PARTY!

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!

Key Topics Discussed

• The Multiplex Meltdown: The hosts kick off the show by debating whether the modern movie theater experience is still worth the cost. They dive into "price gouging" at the concession stand , the annoyance of sitting through 30 minutes of "banal" commercials , and the decline of audience etiquette—from bare feet on seats to glowing cell phone screens.

• The High Cost of Fandom: The conversation shifts to the broader "insane" expense of modern entertainment. The group tackles the soaring costs of visiting major theme parks and the shift in convention culture, where a "standard" celebrity encounter now often requires a separate, expensive fee for every autograph and selfie.

• Streaming Gripes and Media Preservation: A passionate discussion ensues regarding how streaming platforms are "altering" cinematic history. The hosts call out specific platforms for using old TV broadcast masters that include artificial fade-outs for commercial breaks and the "insulting" practice of minimizing end credits.

• The "Fort Knox" Packaging Problem: James leads a "furious" rant against modern shipping and retail packaging. The hosts bond over the shared frustration of receiving collectibles in flimsy wrappers and the absurdity of modern toy packaging that requires wire cutters just to "free" a figure that isn't trying to escape.

• Spotting the "Digital Fake": The crew discusses the rise of AI-generated content on YouTube and how it is tarnishing niche documentaries. They share tips for spotting these "fake" videos, such as egregious factual errors and the hilarious mispronunciation of legendary names in genre history.

• AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

Timestamps

• 00:00:16 - Opening Greetings: Matt, Shawn, Larry, and James introduce the "Bone Pickers" theme, explaining that while they are generally "shiny and happy," everyone has monster-kid gripes to kick around.

• 00:04:40 - The Death of the Multiplex: James vents about his experience seeing Godzilla Minus One, lamenting the loss of the "premium experience" due to high prices and banal pre-show content.

• 00:05:06 - 30 Minutes of Commercials: The hosts discuss the "insulting" modern practice of sitting through a half-hour of boring advertisements before the trailers even begin.

• 00:08:18 - The "Animals" in the Audience: A deep dive into the decline of theater etiquette, from people taking off their shoes to the distracting glow of cell phone screens during the movie.

• 00:11:30 - Concession Price Gouging: A breakdown of the "insane" profit margins on theater popcorn and soda, and why theater owners are losing the sympathy of fans.

• 00:20:45 - The Rising Cost of Entertainment: Expanding the conversation to include the astronomical prices of concerts, parking, and $18 plastic cups of beer.

• 00:30:44 - The Disneyland "Mortgage": The group discusses how "gougy" the Disney experience has become, debating the high cost of admission versus the immersive value of newer lands.

• 00:42:25 - The "Slave Leia" Controversy: The hosts tackle the reported "cancellation" of Princess Leia’s iconic Return of the Jedi outfit in official merchandise and its impact on collectors.

• 00:53:04 - Convention Photo-Op Pains: Larry picks a bone with the rising costs of celebrity autographs and the "standard" $20 add-on fee for a simple table selfie.

• 01:03:22 - Streaming and the "Fake Fade-out": James explains how streaming services use old TV broadcast masters, resulting in awkward, artificial fade-outs where commercials used to be.

• 01:08:12 - Spotting AI-Generated Content: The hosts share tips for identifying "fake" YouTube documentaries, specifically pointing out mispronounced names and glaring factual errors.

• 01:13:51 - Shipping and "Toink" Nightmares: James recounts his "furious" experience with online vendors shipping expensive collectibles in flimsy wrappers without protection.

• 01:28:25 - "Fort Knox" Toy Packaging: A relatable rant about modern retail packaging that requires wire cutters and extreme effort just to "free" a plastic action figure.

• 01:34:38 - The Great Cat Defense: Matt provides a spirited defense of cats.

• 01:38:53 - Website and Bio Highlights: Matt reads the hosts' brand-new website bios.

Resources/Links Mentioned

Films

• Godzilla Minus One: James identifies this as the most recent film he saw in a theater, using it as the catalyst for his rant about 30 minutes of boring pre-show commercials.

• Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker: James mentions he went to the theater for this release specifically because it was a Star Wars movie.

• Tron: Ares: Larry mentions seeing this in a theater equipped with D-BOX rumble seats and gives the franchise a "pass" because he specifically wants to see light cycles on the big screen.

• Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: Matt reminisces about the "joyous" communal experience of the audience going nuts when Han and Chewie return to save the day.

• Aliens: Matt cites this as a film with pivotal moments where the entire theater audience reacted in unison.

• Superman: Larry mentions this as a "big event" film that still draws people to theaters despite rising costs.

• Avatar Fire & Ash: Larry notes that Hollywood pours money into franchises like this to ensure massive returns.

• Raiders of the Lost Ark: Larry recalls the "magical" experience of seeing this film in the giant dome theaters of San Jose.

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: Larry lists this as one of the great films he saw in a dome theater; Matt later mentions it regarding Spielberg's decision to digitally remove guns.

• Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi: This film is central to the discussion regarding the "Slave Leia" merchandise controversy and James's story about finding his original throne-room figures while packing.

• Fahrenheit 451: Matt compares the digital manipulation and "whitewashing" of cinematic history to the book-burning themes of this film.

• Robinson Crusoe on Mars: Larry uses this film to highlight the failures of AI-generated YouTube documentaries, which incorrectly claimed the protagonist found water in rocks when it was actually air.

• Lisa and the Devil: Shawn expresses his fury after streaming this Mario Bava film on AMC+, only to find artificial fade-outs added for commercial breaks that weren't originally there.

• Galaxy Quest: It’s noted that streaming versions of this film also suffer from artificial fade-ins and fade-outs that disrupt the pacing.

• Reds: Discussion of Warren Beatty’s legal battle to prevent networks from speeding up the end credits when the film aired on television.

• The Return of the Living Dead: Matt shares a story about getting a mini-poster signed for free by the cast during a retrospective panel at a convention.

• War of the Worlds (Ice Cube version): Shawn critiques this "notorious" version of the story where the lead character watches the alien invasion take place entirely on a computer screen.

• Mercy: Shawn describes this as a "terrible" sci-fi film starring Chris Pratt as a man on trial before an AI judge played by Rebecca Ferguson.

• Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein: Shawn vents about the "bullshit" trend of releasing a film in theaters and then moving it to streaming just one week later.

• Logan's Run: Listed by Shawn as a property needing more merchandise representation.

• King Kong (1933): Larry credits this film with sparking his "sense of wonder" when he first saw it on a black-and-white TV at age five.

• Reptilicus: Larry jokes that this monster was simply "misunderstood".

• The Birds: Matt teases Larry by saying he would ruin this Hitchcock masterpiece by demanding a logical explanation for why the birds are attacking.

• Avatar: The Way of Water: Debate whether this sequel "underperformed" or was a genuine disappointment.

• The Ten Commandments: Cited as another 3-hour movie that is definitely watchable during one sitting.

• Lawrence of Arabia: Another another example of a long film that remains engaging throughout.

Television

• Star Trek (Original Series): Larry mentions specific characters like Apollo (Michael Forrest) from the episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" and Marlena Moreau (Barbara Luna) from "Mirror, Mirror" while discussing the high cost of meeting secondary guest stars at conventions. Later, the hosts discuss the "Star Trek mentality" regarding production values and how sets were designed for small television screens.

• Game of Thrones: Used as an example of a show with production values so high that episodes are nearly indistinguishable from movies, making it easier to justify watching genre content on a large home television instead of at a theater.

• Black Mirror: Matt references a specific segment ("Common People") regarding a future where people are forced to recite advertisements, comparing it to the current "insidious" state of streaming tiers.

• Columbo: Shawn identifies this as one of his top three properties that is desperately lacking a high-quality action figure.

• Red Dwarf: Shawn also lists this British sci-fi comedy as a show he wants to see represented with new action figures.

• The Mandalorian: Larry mentions this show while discussing how Disney uses successful intellectual property to keep audiences engaged with the brand for decades.

• Fallout: Shawn mentions attending a panel by "The Legal Geeks" at WonderCon that analyzed the legalities of this series.

• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Matt discusses a specific segment called the "Colbert Questionnaire" where celebrities like James Cameron are interviewed about their preferences.

Books & Comic Books

• The Godzilla First 70 Years: Matt discusses purchasing this specific book on eBay and his frustration with the seller's poor packaging.

• Playboy (Magazine): Larry mentions his history with the magazine and his recent experience shipping out batches of them to eBay buyers.