The Laser Age: ‘Them!’ with Dan McCoy
A five-episode season dedicated to giant animals kicks off with a visit from The Flop House's Dan McCoy and a discussion of the '50s giant-ant classic 'Them!'
The Laser Age is now up and running again with a slightly tweaked approach. Going forward, we’ll be doing five-episode seasons, if that’s the right word, built around a theme. First up: giant animals!
If you’d like to watch along, here’s what’s coming up:
Mighty Joe Young (1949)
Night of the Lepus
Godzilla vs. Biollante
King Kong (1976)
And, as before, I’ll be discussing these films with the help of some smart guests who are similarly enthused about giant animal movies. First up, Dan McCoy of The Flop House was kind enough to revisit one of the most influential giant animal movies: 1954’s Them! It’s a movie I’d somehow never gotten around to seeing, despite seeing plenty of Them! knock-offs over the years, either on their own or as part of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
If you don’t know it, Them! is a film about giant, irradiated ants who terrorize the American Southwest and Los Angeles. Could they spell our doom? Maybe! Could Miracle on 34th Street star Edmund Gwynn prevent that doom from happening? Again: Maybe!
Finally, here’s a tip of the hat to the Every Sci-Fi Film Ever* podcast, whose episode on Them! helped inform this Laser Age installment. Give it a listen. It’s a good show. I hope you enjoy this episode. Look for another episode in two weeks when we pay a visit to Mr. Joseph Young. And check out The Flop House, too, if you're not already a listener.
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