Welcome to another episode of Death Don’t Do Fiction, the AIPT Movies podcast! The podcast about the enduring legacy of our favorite movies! It’s September, so that means it’s time for our “Mechtember” series, where we cover movies involving all things robotic! In this week’s episode, Alex, Tim, and guest Bill Mueller discuss Keita Amemiya’s 1995 robo-showdown, Mechanical Violator Hakaider!
Mechanical violation! Awkward sound mixing! A glowing brain! Cool, glowing hands! An evil, robotic Angel! Excessive use of smoke! Dramatic flower burning! Subtext so overt it’s effectively hypertext! Amazing use of dummies! Soldiers that look like the Minions from Despicable Me! Imaginative use of an 80s panel van! Extreme head violence! Bleeding walls! Unexpected arm removal! All this and more in a movie that’s possibly TOO ambitious, with incredible designs and special effects, that feels like it was made for fans of RoboCop, Power Rangers, and The Guyver!
In addition, Bill shares his spoiler-free thoughts on the original Terminator, while Alex does the same for 1989’s Tango & Cash, and the Hong Kong action classics, the Iron Angels trilogy!
You can find Death Don’t Do Fiction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. As always, if you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave us a positive rating, subscribe to the show, and tell your friends!
The Death Don’t Do Fiction podcast brings you the latest in movie news, reviews, and more! Hosted by supposed “industry vets,” Alex Harris and Tim Gardiner, the show gives you a peek behind the scenes from two filmmakers with oddly nonexistent filmographies. You can find Alex on Twitter, Bluesky, or Letterboxd @actionharris. This episode’s guest, Bill Mueller, can be found on Bluesky. Tim can’t be found on social media because he doesn’t exist. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Death Don’t Do Fiction crew, they can be reached at [email protected], or you can find them on Twitter or Instagram @aiptmoviespod.
