Chris Stewardson
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chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Chris Stewardson
@chrisstewardson.bsky.social
770 followers 300 following 200 posts
monster movies.

book on GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964) out now.

profile pic by Yuji Kaida.
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chrisstewardson.bsky.social
for @filmmasters.bsky.social, i recommended a few movies for the Halloween season.

www.filmmasters.com/post/five-fi...
a collage featuring images of Yuzaburo Sakaguchi in Masked Ninja Akakage (1967-68), the monster Guiron from GAMERA VS. GUIRON (1969), a giant alien skull from PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965), and two giant leeches from the poster for ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1958).
October 17, 2025 at 10:20 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Please give what you can to support Jakhi McCray.

givesendgo.com/freejakhi?ut...
A screenshot from Jakhi McCray’s fundraiser. It says, “Free Jakhi McCray Fundraiser! Jakhi McCray is a committed organizer in the Palestine and abolition movements and beloved member of many communities across New York and New Jersey. He is facing federal persecution for allegedly setting fire to police vehicles belonging to the 83rd precinct in Brooklyn, New York. The NYPD estimates $800,000 worth of damages and regards the charred remains of these cars as a direct attack on the police and the carceral system that they enable. Jakhi turned himself in on Monday, July 21, 2025. The next day, in a small but significant early win, he was released on a $300,000 signature bond into house arrest at his family home in New Jersey. He is currently living with his mother, stepfather, and siblings.” A second screenshot from Jakhi McCray’s fundraiser. It says, “At the age of 21, Jakhi faces a charge that carries a minimum sentence of 5 years of incarceration and a maximum of 20 years. In a letter he wrote to the movement prior to turning himself in, Jakhi spoke from a place of deep moral clarity and fortitude, stating: "I'm not, nor was l ever, scared. This scare tactic is nothing compared to other black people who are beaten and/or murdered, and their names dragged through the mud as the media does damage control for the officers that did it. It's not new to Palestinians and Arabs that are being assassinated, deported, and harassed. I've met immigrants that live under daily paranoia, not knowing whether ICE goons will bust through their doors and kidnap their families."
September 27, 2025 at 10:59 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
An image of an Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus petersii) standing up against the side of their enclosure. A UK lobby card for THE BLACK SCORPION (1957), showing the gigantic scorpion of the title reaching up to grab a helicopter.
July 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
if you’re headed to G-Fest this weekend, give us a shout if you see my book on sale!

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....
On an olive-green sofa, vinyl figurines of Rodan, Godzilla, Mothra (larval form), and King Ghidorah surround a book. The book itself is yellow with red text.
July 9, 2025 at 11:23 AM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
new flat, same morning double bill.
a picture of a television set. On the screen is the title card for Mobile Suit Gundam (1979). a picture of a television set. On the screen is the title card for Ultraman Ace (1972-73).
July 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Inoue’s skill was second-to-none. Just look at these research photographs of Nishitetsu-Fukuoka Station and the Iwataya Department Store in the 1950s compared to their miniature counterparts built for RODAN (1956).
a picture of two pages from the 2023 RODAN WORLD OF SPECIAL EFFECTS ARCHIVE book. The pages show two black-and-white photographs of Nishitetsu-Fukuoka Station, as well as the Iwataya Department store during the 1950s. a picture of a page from the 2023 RODAN WORLD OF SPECIAL EFFECTS ARCHIVE book. The page shows a black-and-white photograph of the miniature versions of the Nishitetsu-Fukuoka Station and Iwataya Department store constructed for RODAN (1956).
July 1, 2025 at 7:25 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Special effects art director Yasuyuki Inoue had the Yokohama port area meticulously recreated for GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). Behind-the-scenes photos illustrate how accurate it was, with many details like Yamashita Park sadly left unseen in the finished film.
a black-and-white photograph of the Yokohama set produced for GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). A green circle has been added to point out specific features of Yamashita Park. a recent photograph of Yamashita Park in Yokohama, with its features corresponding to the miniature in the prior photo. a screenshot from a section of a book about Yasuyuki Inoue’s work on GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). The excerpt reads as follows: “Recalling GHIDORAH’s production, Inoue explained, ‘When I first read the script, I thought it was very interesting. So, when I made the sets, my mindset was to recreate the real places, not just make miniatures for the monsters to destroy. As a result, I was very satisfied with what we made, especially with how the Yokohama sets turned out.’”
July 1, 2025 at 7:20 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
inaugural film in our new flat: the 4Front VHS for Toho’s export cut of EBIRAH HORROR OF THE DEEP (1966).
A picture of a television set. On the screen is the export title card for EBIRAH HORROR OF THE DEEP (1966).
June 19, 2025 at 7:58 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Two weeks of non-stop eco horror.

Daily Sun-News, Sunnyside, WA. 23 June 1977.
A newspaper advertisement for film screenings at the Starlite “Twin” Theatre in Sunnyside, WA. The ad shows EMPIRE OF THE ANTS (1977) and BUG (1975) playing together for a week in late June, before a new double bill engagement of TENTACLES (1977) and SQUIRM (1976).
May 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
CONQUEROR WORM similarly had no set co-feature in the US, leading to numerous unique billings like these!
A newspaper clipping from the Post Bulletin, Rochester, MN, dated 1 November 1969. The clipping shows an advertisement for a double bill engagement of Mario Bava’s PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES and THE CONQUEROR WORM. A newspaper clipping from the Post Bulletin, Rochester, MN, dated 1 November 1969. The clipping shows an advertisement for a triple bill engagement of Daniel Haller’s DIE, MONSTER, DIE!, Mario Bava’s BLACK SABBATH, and THE CONQUEROR WORM. A newspaper clipping from the Ludington Daily News, Ludington, Michigan, dated 26 March 1969. It shows an advertisement for a triple-bill engagement of THE CONQUEROR WORM, SHE-FREAK, and SHE BEAST (a.k.a. REVENGE OF THE BLOOD BEAST). A newspaper clipping from the Whidbey News Times, Oak Harbor, Washington, dated 30 January 1969. It shows an advertisement for a double bill engagement of THE CONQUEROR WORM and Mario Bava’s BLACK SUNDAY.
May 6, 2025 at 4:26 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
while DESTROY ALL MONSTERS had no official co-feature when released in the US during the summer of 1969, it was paired in several regions with THE CONQUEROR WORM (a.k.a. WITCHFINDER GENERAL). While this particular critic panned both films, they did end their review with a sensational suggestion:
A quote from a review featured in the Buffalo Evening News, New York, 19 June 1969. It says, “this double bill could only have outdone itself in mish-mosh monstrosity if Vincent Price were turned loose on Godzilla and they pulverized each other.” A newspaper clipping from the Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, New York, 19 June 1969. The clipping shows an advertisement for a double bill of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS and THE CONQUEROR WORM.
May 6, 2025 at 3:19 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
“Attention! Attention all citizens! The space monster discovered in Kurobe gorge last night has been identified. It is…GHIDORAH.”

Book is officially out 28 April but orders are being fulfilled at the moment!

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....
An image of a book in front of a television. The book’s cover is yellow with red lettering. At the top of the cover is the series title: “Constellations: Studies in Science Fiction Film and TV”. Below that is an image of a fiery, three-headed dragon set against a blue backdrop. Beneath the image is the book’s individual title: “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”. The author’s name is underneath. To the right of the book is a pile of copies of the same title. To its left is a Bandai vinyl figure of King Ghidorah in the original blue/rainbow colour scheme.
April 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
a balanced TV breakfast.
An image of a television set. On the screen is the title card for the 1979 series MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM. An image of a television set. On the screen is the title card for the 1972 tokusatsu series ULTRAMAN ACE.
April 6, 2025 at 11:02 AM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
glad to share the cover for my upcoming book on GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER, featuring beautiful artwork by @hamishsteele.bsky.social!

out 28 April!

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....
An image of the front cover of a book about the 1964 Japanese science-fiction film, GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER. The background of the cover is yellow and all the featured text is red. At the top of the cover is the title of the series of which this book is a part, Constellations: Studies in Science Fiction Film and Television. Below that is a piece of artwork by illustrator and author Hamish Steele. It depicts King Ghidorah’s fiery birth scene from the film. Below that is the film’s title, with the author name beneath it.
March 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
White text on a red background. The text reads “‘israel’ does not have the right to exist.”
March 14, 2025 at 6:48 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
when assembling the trailer for Universal-International’s release of the John Beck US cut of KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, the National Screen Service used portions of Herman Stein and Henry Mancini’s score for TARANTULA. This video is a “what if”: what if those scores had made it to the finished film?
March 14, 2025 at 2:42 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
This is from the latest update on James’ GFM page. Please help!

gofund.me/3fe27b4a
An image with written information about helping James Ward, who is currently incarcerated. The text reads as follows: URGENT PHONE ZAP. JAMES "JAY" WARD (ID: A517461) IS BEING TARGETED FOR VIOLENCE AND IS ON A HUNGER STRIKE. PLEASE CONTACT MANSFIELD CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AND ASK TO GET HIM MOVED TO A NEW BLOCK. The phone number is: 419-525-4455 EMAIL: DRC.MANCI@ODRC.STATE.OH.US”
March 10, 2025 at 8:25 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Help Qusai!

gofund.me/365397b7
A post to promote the GoFundMe page of our friend, Qusai. Included is a photo of Qusai and his little sister, Sama. The text on the post reads as follows: “This March, for Ramadan, we're trying to raise £1,000 to boost Qusai's GoFundMe page. Qusai's family home was destroyed by the IOF. He's managed to find new accommodation but rent costs are high on top of other expenses. Many of you have already generously pitched in - let's go further! If you're seeing this post, please contribute £5 or more and send to five other people.” A QR code is also present which links to Qusai’s GFM page.
March 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
resharing this piece I wrote last year for @filmmasters.bsky.social, all about NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST and its specific articulations of anti-communist fear.

www.filmmasters.com/post/night-o...
A cropped screenshot from NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958), showing the titular creature. It has long, white claws. Its body is roughly textured. It has two large eyes and a sharp beak. A screenshot from the article. It reads, “The film’s focus on an invasion force gestating inside a man’s body is worth examining. When the pilot is still believed to be dead, the crew look at his tissue under a microscope, witnessing unknown cells consuming his blood vessels. Invasion is rendered on a cellular level, every fibre of the body – the individual’s body as evocative of the national body – at the mercy of takeover. That he eventually chooses self-destruction may have been intended to appear as a noble act of self-sacrifice, but, looking at the film as a Red Scare text and at the body’s national evocations, there is something salient about an American man choosing obliteration over the possibility of an alternative way of being.”
February 13, 2025 at 6:48 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
my book on GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER will be out in April 2025! many kind, generous, and brilliant people helped this project along the way, and for them I’m eternally grateful.

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....
A screenshot from GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER. The image shows King Ghidorah’s fiery birth. The monster is flying in the night sky, its body covered in flames.
December 31, 2024 at 2:28 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
60 years. A newly-heroic Godzilla as reflection of (and assimilation into) the curated images of post-war (and especially post-Tokyo Olympics) Japan in 1964. A lively high point for Toho’s golden-age SFX films.
A screenshot from GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). The image shows King Ghidorah’s three heads thrashing about in front of Mount Fuji.
December 20, 2024 at 3:50 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Recreating Toho’s original double bill for its 60th anniversary.
A picture of two DVD cases. On the left is GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964). On the right is IRRESPONSIBILITY OF THE GREAT EDO (1964).
December 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Qusay posted this today, shared here with his permission. Please pitch in and contribute whatever you can. Everything helps.

gofund.me/d11facff
A screenshot of an Instagram post. It shows white text on a black background. The text says: “Hello, l'm Qusay, reaching out to you from the heart of Gaza, in the midst of the genocide we are living through. We've been enduring war for over 400 days, something that cannot be simply borne by watching it on the news and feeling sorrow for what's happening. What if you were in my place, living through war, genocide, massacres, hunger, and the cold of winter? You step out of your house and live in a tent that doesn't protect you from the cold or the shelling, made of thin nylon. We are living in the worst conditions. Our dreams have become the end of the war and eating healthy food, even if it's just a clean loaf of bread without worms in it. I hope you look at your friend Qusay with compassion and understand how my family and I are suffering from hunger, killing, and hardships. I ask you to donate to provide the basic necessities of life, and I hope you'll share my link with your friends to help me.”
December 16, 2024 at 7:22 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
Qusay shared this today. Please pitch in and contribute to his page.

gofund.me/d11facff
A screenshot from an IG post caption, written by my friend, Qusay. The caption reads as follows: “Hello my friends, I am Qusai. As you know, I am a Tawjihi student. I have completed my studies after more than a year of interruption and being deprived of education. Thank God, I am very grateful to Him, and I thank you all for always standing by my side. I need your help, and I hope you can assist me. I am taking private lessons at some centers in Khan Younis, and I hope you can help me raise $300 to pay for the lesson fees so I can achieve my future like any student. I will be very happy and deeply grateful to you. Please don't forget to share my link.”
December 5, 2024 at 4:09 PM
chrisstewardson.bsky.social
New updates from Jay’s GFM page. Please pitch in and contribute.

gofund.me/7c6ee675
A screenshot from James Ward’s GoFundMe page update. It reads as follows: “To all friends and comrades! It seems that things have recently taken a turn on me once again. And I say that because, I recently had an appointment to talk with the lawyer Jon Rion and his associate Catherine (their the ones I been talking to bout options to help me get out and the ones that said I had to do 3+ more yrs before I can file for judicial). I spoke to them concerning my last case in hopes to get it back in court to get 6 yrs taken off my sentence, that way I'd be able to file for judicial. But they ended up telling me that they don't think the courts will pick the case back up unless someone comes forward and admits to writing the letters.” A second screenshot. It reads: “The case was about 2 threatening letters that got sent to prosecutors on 2 other cases that I'm doing time for. The only thing the courts had on me in that case was my info as the return address on the envelop. They never did DNA test, handwriting analysis or fingerprinting on the envelopes to have proof that it was me that wrote the letters. The letters was wrote in 2 different handwritings. My lawyer at the time never got any test done, because he was working with the prosecution. So I believe if I could find a lawyer that can help me get that case back into court (on a post conviction) and get test done on the letters to prove my innocence, then l'd have a chance to get out soon. But Jon Rion thinks otherwise.” A third screenshot. It reads: “And then they also told me that they never said I can go up for judicial in 3+ yrs, they said that they told me that l'd have to do 10 yrs after I do my mandatory time. But that was a lie. They told me that since I am under senate bill 256, that | have to do 50% of my whole sentence (which is 43yrs) then I can go up for judicial. But now their telling me differently. Then on top of that, they said that they don't think that the government will pardon me through a clemency. So honestly, I'm really feeling like I'm at a lose on what to really do. I'm right back at square 1 on trying to find another lawyer that will help. But without having enough money to be able to pay it all, I feel like this journey is gonna be a lil longer for me.” A fourth and final screenshot. It reads: “We still have all of the money on the fundraiser. We haven't paid any of it to any lawyers yet because we want to be absolutely certain that they can and will help me first. The only problem though is not really having all of the money I need in order for a lawyer to be 100% on board. They hear that I only have a certain amount and they don't really put much effort into helping. It’s all about money these days. If its anybody out there that knows anything that can help, then please get in contact with me. In my last update I provided a few ways you can reach out, but my messaging isn't really work in right now. You can leave me a message on the number I provided and I will get in contact as soon as I can. Please don't hesitate.... I need your help!”
December 1, 2024 at 11:43 AM