The Time Is Now To Save SPACE WARRIORS 2000 And Bring It To DVD!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Richard Gladman

Do you love Ultraman? Do you love giant Japanese monster movies? Do you love really weird obscure movies?

Well odds are if you are reading Monster Island News the answer is pretty obvious isn't it!

Let me tell you about a a very cool little film that you probably have never heard of called "Space Warriors 2000" which is a mish-mash of clips from old "Ultraman" episodes, and from the looks of it other Japanese monster movies, combined with new footage to create a stand alone movie.

Think of it like "Power Rangers", "Gamera Super Monster" or how Turkish sci fi films are made.

Anyway the film was produced in the mid 1980s and released to TV here in the United States. After the movie aired it disappeared into obscurity never to be seen again.

That is, until now. It seems that a distributor called Spectrum Ventures has gotten a hold of a print of "Space Warriors 2000" and has plans to possibly release it to DVD. Only one problem, the print has deteriorated to a point where it is no longer of any quality for such a release. Being that there would be both time and money issues in restoring SW2000 Spectrum is wavering on their plans.

This is where you come in.

Richard Gladman of the Cyberschizoid blog has engineered a campaign via email and Facebook to let Spectrum see just how much fan support there is for a "Space Warriors 2000" DVD release.

Here are the links:

Space Warriors 2000 on Facebook
Spectrum Ventures
Cyberschizoid
Spectrum Ventures Email

Plot summary/info:

Apparently cobbled together in the mid-eighties from footage taken from two Ultraman movies (one in fact a TV special called Ultraman Zoffy:The Ultra Warriors vs The Great Monster Army!!!) and released to American television, this is an immensely entertaining giant monster fest which is perfect for lovers of bad movies and trash cinema!

Here is a clip:



As Ultraman fans we all have a duty to persuade Spectrum Ventures to release "Space Warriors 2000" on DVD! Remember .... you have the power!

Opinion: David Goyer On Godzilla Is Excellent News

by Armand Vaquer

Even before the final reel of TriStar's Godzilla (1998) was even finished, it was my opinion that the movie was a big dog. I left the now-gone Mann's Tarzana Theaters very disappointed.

Although the special effects were pretty decent (except for a few things like the baby Godzilla chase in Madison Square Garden) and the marketing campaign was fantastic, the movie did not live up to its expectations.

What killed Godzilla (known by G-fandom as GINO, Godzilla In Name Only) was the story and script. It was basically a first-draft script and it showed. I could've forgiven the design of the monster had it been a good movie. But it wasn't. Besides not looking like Godzilla, it didn't act like Godzilla. To this day, that fiasco of a movie still leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of G-fandom.

It has been announced this week that David S. Goyer is the new writer for Legendary Pictures/Warner Brothers' Godzilla movie, now slated for a 2014 release. 2014 will also be the 60th anniversary of Toho's first Godzilla. It has been reported that Goyer will write the screenplay from a draft written by David Callaham.

Goyer wrote the screenplays for the upcoming Ghost Rider sequel, Zack Snyder's Superman: Man of Steel and Chris Nolan's Batman scripts, including the forthcoming The Dark Knight Rises. The Godzilla movie will be directed by Gareth Edwards.

Given Goyer's track record and the fact that his scripts successfully re-booted the Batman franchise, I find the news of his assignment to Godzilla to be excellent news. Hopefully, Goyer will do for Godzilla what he did for Batman.

It appears we'll have to wait a little longer for Godzilla (it was originally targeted for 2012). But if it turns out to be an excellent movie, the wait will be worth it.

I guess we'll have to start calling it Godzilla 2014.

David Goyer Brought In For Godzilla Screenplay

by Armand Vaquer



Just in from Reuters:

David Goyer is moving from Superman to a super ... lizard.

The "Man of Steel" and "Batman Begins" screenwriter is tackling the screenplay for Legendary Pictures' upcoming "Godzilla," TheWrap has confirmed.

David Callaham, who wrote "The Expendables" and "Doom" had previously written a draft.

Now, if only the 2008 "Godzilla" had a re-write or two...

For the full article, go here.

Japan Recognizing Mothra's 50th Anniversary

Above, studio workers walk past a mural of 1961's Mothra down the driveway from the main entrance of Toho Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Another kaiju in Toho's stable is seeing an anniversary in July: Mothra!

July 30th will mark the winged wonder's 50th anniversary.

According to Evan Brehany's Tokusatsu Eiga Times blog, the anniversary will be noted in Japan with special movie screenings and a new book.

To see Evan's write-up on Mothra's 50th anniversary, go here.

Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters #4

Source: IDW Publishing

Eric Powell & Tracy Marsh (w) • Phil Hester (a) • Eric Powell, Jeff Zornow (c)

France is in danger when the mysterious egg that washes ashore begins to hatch, but should the military be worried about what's inside the egg or those creepy kids who found it? Also, a community of monks has a religious experience of the 3-headed variety. And all the while, Godzilla seems hell-bent on coming to America...but hasn't Anguirus already claimed it as his turf? Fight! Fight! Fight!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99
*2 regular covers will be shipped in a 4-to-1 ratio (4 Eric Powell, 1 Jeff Zornow cover)

*Variant covers:
Matt Frank “Mothra” cover

Open publication - Free publishing - More eric powell

This Comic Is Available At My Comic Shop.com Along With Other Issues From Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters - GO HERE!