Happy Saturday, readers!
A quick disclaimer: this update has almost nothing to do with the GNP. This is just something I wanted to share with everyone!
For those who might not know, the last three weeks have seen the release of an ambitious series of audio dramas called “Godzilla Unmade”. This series of podcast-based “radio” plays are adaptations of real Godzilla film pitches that never got produced. Steven Sloss, host of the Kaijusaurus Podcast, assembled an incredible team of writers and artists to help him create three full audio drama adaptions of a trio of lost G-films: Godzilla vs. Gargantua (here called Godzilla vs. The Last Gargantua), Godzilla vs. Hedorah II, and last but not least, the famously insane Bride of Godzilla? (and no, that question mark isn’t a typo).
When auditions opened up for the cast of characters back in the Spring, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I’m certainly no actor, but I’ve always had a fascination with voice acting, and a desire to give it a try one day. I decided to bite the bullet and audition, and I’m SO glad I did.
Amazingly, I scored the role of Dr. Shida in the Bride of Godzilla? episode. Needless to say, all these months later, I’m still pinching myself.
The first episode of “Godzilla Unmade” debuted during the Kaiju Con-Line panel on the project, which I was invited to participate in! That was two weeks ago, and since then, the three episodes have been releasing to incredible reception. Bride of Godzilla? hit the internet yesterday, and I’ve been blown away and truly humbled by the kind words and compliments I’ve been given for my performance. It seems I succeeded in being entertaining, and just like with the GNP, that’s all I could ever ask for. I had the time of my life hamming it up as Dr. Shida, and I’ll always be grateful for having been given the chance to play the role.
If you’d like to give it a listen and support Steven and the hard work of his team, check it out on YouTube here and on SoundCloud here!
(And while you’re at it, isten to Godzilla vs. The Last Gargantua and Godzilla vs. Hedorah II, as well! Auditory awesomeness awaits you!)
But remarkably enough, there’s more to talk about! As it turns out, “Godzilla Unmade” wasn’t the only kaiju-related project I’ve recently lent my voice to!
As longtime GNP readers may know, I’m a frequent collaborator with/supporter of The Monster Island Film Vault podcast, created and hosted by my friend Nathan Marchand. I’ve co-hosted an episode (with more appearences on the way!), suggested films for future episodes, and even flown across the Pacific Ocean with his preposterous producer, Jimmy from NASA. Over nearly a full year of creating the show, Nathan (the REAL Nathan, not the fictionalized version of himself that he’s playing on air) has steadily been growing a mythology around the podcast, creating a “meta-story” populated by familiar monster/human/alien/robot characters, and a few original characters, as well. In the world of MIFV, pretty much any kaiju you can think of is real, and most of them call Monster Island home. When everything is canon, the storytelling possibilities are endless.
During a chat between Nate and myself about the show’s development, a funny concept came up: the idea of a supremely weird scientist who studies the title creatures of Ishiro Honda’s 1963 horror masterpiece Matango, and enjoys his job a little too much. What started as a joke quickly evolved into a character he wanted to include in the show. In my mind, the character looked and acted a bit like two specific film characters: Jack Dante (an insane inventer who builds a killer robot in the basement of a military tech company’s HQ) in the 1994 movie Death Machine, and Dr. Jonathon Gediman (an insane scientist who helps clone a lab full of killer Xenomorphs) in 1997’s Alien Ressurection.
The connection? Both of those lunatics were played by one of my favorite character actors: Brad “Chucky” Dourif.
So naturally, I suggested we name this crazy Matango scientist Dr. Dourif. Nate loved the idea, suggested the first name of Dante (Brad’s last name in Death Machine), and just like that, we had a character.
Nate decided that the character should cameo in his Matango Mini Analysis episode, and after I’d developed a voice/characterization that we liked, we recorded a faux interview over Skype. I didn’t work from a script, and ad-libbed a minute or so of dialogue. By the time we were done, we were laughing our butts off. It was a blast. Nate edited the interview into the episode, added some creepy Matango laughter into the background, and presto! Dr. Dante Dourif was born.
The episode debuted last Wednesday, and can be heard on YouTube, the MIFV website, and various other pod catchers. (Be sure to listen to Nate’s other episodes, too! He puts on a great show.)
So yeah, it’s been an interesting week, to say the least! I now have two voice acting credits to my name, and people really seem to be enjoying both performances! Like I said before, I’m absolutely NOT an actor; I’m just a goof who loves doing silly voices. But if you were entertained by my silliness, then I sincerely thank you!
That’s all for this update! With any luck, the next one will be all about new additions to the Showa Timeline. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned for more updates as the GNP prepares to enter August!
The Godzilla Novelization Project 