07.23.2025 MONSTER PARTY: THE 300TH EPISODE!!! WORST MONSTERS STRIKES BACK!
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IT? WE DID!!!
JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD celebrate an astounding anniversary of earth-shattering importance! Behold, the triumphant tricentennial that’s anything but a trifle… MONSTER PARTY: THE 300TH EPISODE!!! WORST MONSTERS STRIKES BACK!
From the days of our early (and sweaty) YouTube episodes, to our ongoing podcast series. MONSTER PARTY has happily provided monster kids with the kind of quality entertainment and life coaching they deserve. For over 13 years, we’ve featured a diverse range of guests, including industry professionals, celebrities, stand-up comedians, genre historians, a psychotherapist, and even an emergency room physician! It’s been an exciting ride, but it’s only the beginning. Okay, maybe more like the middle.
For the 300th episode, we present a look back at some of the things that have made this podcast special! Aside from allowing us to yak about horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, this show has provided unique opportunities to meet our heroes, gain new knowledge from experts, laugh, and make a whole lot of new friends. And speaking of friendship, this landmark episode also gives us a special opportunity to celebrate the genuine love we hosts have for each other. Awwww!
Of course, what would a MONSTER PARTY anniversary be without yet another dose of our very first topic... WORST MONSTERS? And we’ve got some doozies! Listen in as we take down alien amateurs, action figure elitists, a crummy Crumb, a dumb Dracula, Gamera goons, Klingon canines, kooky comic creatures, Korean kaiju, moronic muppets, silly Psychos, and more!
WE WANT TO THANK ALL THE FRIENDS OF MONSTER PARTY FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. YOU ARE THE DILITHIUM CRYSTALS THAT FUEL THIS STARSHIP. OH, AND CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT REFERENCE TO JAMES?
KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:
"Worst Monster" Nominations: James, Shawn, Larry and Matt each nominate monsters from various movies and TV shows they consider to be among the "worst," discussing the reasons for their selections.
Celebrating 300 Episodes: The hosts reflect on the podcast's history since its start in 2013, sharing memories of guests, fan interactions, and the opportunities the show has created.
The Nature of Collecting: A recurring conversation about the motivations behind collecting action figures and merchandise, including the "completist" mindset of needing to own an entire set.
Critiques of Star Wars Creatures: Several hosts discuss their issues with specific creature designs from the Star Wars franchise, particularly from Return of the Jedi.
Kaiju and Japanese Monsters: Multiple discussions focus on Japanese giant monsters (kaiju) from films like Gamera and Varan the Unbelievable, as well as monsters from the Ultraman series
TIMESTAMPS:
0:01:35 - The episode's theme, "Worst Monsters Strike Back," is officially announced.
0:11:58 - Shawn’s first nomination begins with a discussion of the CGI monsters in Dario Argento's Dracula 3D.
0:16:45 - James's first nomination centers on what he considers the disappointing designs of the monsters Iris and Legion from the 1990s Gamera films.
0:20:12 - Matt's first nomination involves a defense of the underappreciated Toho kaiju, Varan the Unbelievable.
0:27:43 - Larry's second nomination, the obscure Star Wars creature Amanaman, sparks a lengthy debate among the hosts about the nature of being a "completist" collector.
1:11:23 - In a unique pick, James nominates the version of Norman Bates from Robert Bloch's 1982 novel Psycho 2, contrasting him with the film character.
1:25:41 - A "Lightning Round" begins, where the hosts share more quick-fire nominations for worst monsters.
1:29:29 - Shawn shares a personal anecdote about living next to the studio where Tim Burton was filming the movie Ed Wood and getting his Batman script signed.
1:43:36 - The hosts begin a heartfelt reflection on their 300-episode journey, discussing the show's origins, memorable guests, and the friendships they've built.
2:23:47 - The "Listener Shout-Out" segment begins, where the hosts read an iTunes review and thank fans for sending them gifts.
RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED:
Movies
Night of the Lepus: Referenced as the topic of the very first Monster Party episode and a monster that is frequently brought up on the show.
Return of the Jedi: Discussed for its creature designs, particularly Salacious Crumb and the other aliens in Jabba's Palace, which some hosts felt were too much like "The Muppet Show". The obscure background character Amanaman was also nominated as a "worst monster".
Dracula 3D (or Argento's Dracula): A 2012 film nominated as a source for a "worst monster" due to its terrible CGI effects. The hosts specifically call out a scene where Dracula inexplicably transforms into a giant praying mantis.
Gamera Franchise (1990s trilogy): While the films themselves are praised as some of the best kaiju movies ever made, the monsters Legion and Iris from the second and third entries are nominated as "worst monsters" for being unoriginal, unmemorable, and lacking personality.
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (GMK): Mentioned as a film that featured a great and "badass" updated design for the classic monster Baragon.
Varan the Unbelievable: Nominated as a "worst monster," though the host defends it as an underappreciated and original kaiju that looks like a "monstrous flying squirrel" and deserves a modern comeback.
Godzilla: Final Wars: Used as an example of a film that successfully modernized a classic monster design, specifically Gigan.
Eternals: The creatures known as "Deviants" are nominated as "worst monsters.". They are described as boring, unimaginative, forgettable, and looking like bad CGI from a video game.
Jaws Sequels ( Jaws 2, Jaws 3D, Jaws: The Revenge ): The mechanical sharks from these films are nominated as "worst monsters," described as clunky, fake-looking, and inferior to the shark from the first film.
The Last Shark: An Italian exploitation film and Jaws ripoff that the hosts find more entertaining than the official sequels because it is so ridiculous.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: The "Klingon Monster Dog" is nominated as a "worst monster.". It is criticized for being an obviously fake puppet with poor articulation in a major studio film.
The Dunwich Horror (1970 film): Nominated for having a disappointing monster reveal. Instead of showing a physical creature, the film uses psychedelic, posterized images and flashing lights.
Psycho II (film): Praised as an extremely underrated sequel that treats the character of Norman Bates with sympathy.
Bride of the Monster: The rubber octopus from this Ed Wood film is nominated as a classic "worst monster," with the hosts recounting the story of how the prop was allegedly stolen from another studio's film, Wake of the Red Witch.
The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow: The monster in this film is nominated because it is the classic "She-Creature" costume worn by its creator, Paul Blaisdell, who plays himself as a bitter, washed-up monster actor.
House of Dracula: The "hunchback" nurse character is nominated as a "worst monster" because it was seen as false advertising; she was a sympathetic character with a physical deformity, not a real monster.
Pinocchio (2022 live-action remake): The sea monster that replaces Monstro the whale is nominated as a "worst monster," with the host calling it a pointless change in a "shockingly bad" film.
Space Monster Wangmagwi: The title monster from this 1967 South Korean film is nominated but defended as a "great" shitty monster, full of charm and personality.
The Six Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army: A Thai film where the monster Hanuman, a Hindu god-like figure, is nominated because his design clashes with the sleek, silver look of the Ultraman characters he teams up with.
Prometheus and subsequent Alien films: Every version of the Xenomorph alien from Prometheus onward is nominated as a "worst monster," with the host arguing that the designs were "smoothed out" and are no longer frightening.
TV Shows:
The Muppet Show: Jabba the Hutt's palace in Return of the Jedi is repeatedly compared to The Muppet Show.
Star Trek: The Original Series: The aliens from the episode "Cat's Paw" are nominated as "worst monsters.". They are revealed to be small puppets made of "yarn and feathers and Styrofoam balls," though the hosts credit the show for attempting a truly non-humanoid design.
Ultraman: The monster Pestar is nominated as a "worst monster.". He is described as a bat's head positioned between two halves of a starfish, making it obvious that it was two actors in a single costume.
Collectors' Call: Mentioned as a show on MeTV that has featured the hosts and their collections. (Meet Matt! Meet Larry! Meet Shawn!)
Doctor Who (2024) Doctor Who (2005) Classic Doctor Who (1963): Named as a major topic that the podcast has not yet covered but plans to in the future.
Books:
Dracula by Bram Stoker: The hosts note that the original novel, unlike the film Argento's Dracula, does not feature a 12-foot praying mantis.
Psycho II by Robert Bloch: Nominated for presenting a "worst monster" version of Norman Bates. The host argues that this 1982 novel turns Norman into a generic, Michael Myers-like slasher who escapes an asylum by killing a nun, a characterization that Universal Pictures rejected when making their film sequel.
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