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| Varan : 2 of 5 | |
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12.01.2009
12:37 PM | Link0 comments |
 This movie was the third DVD included in the Toho Pack I recently purchased, and although this is a pretty weak kaiju film, I still enjoyed watching this 1958 black & white classic. Actually the first thing I noticed was the incredible Ikufube score, which features lots of drums and chorus vocals (and even some unexpected piano), and also includes a few themes that would later be re-used in Godzilla movies. The main characters are scientists (what else?) plus a cute reporter named Yuriko, but unfortunately there's almost no character development. Sine Varan was made only a few years after Godzilla, it's interesting to see how movies from the same genre can be so different (perhaps aggravated by the fact that Varan was originally planned as a TV release). The monster himself appears at about 25 minutes into the movie (with no mysterious build-up, unfortunately), and he's designed mostly as a traditional lizard (on all fours). At times the costume is so convincing that it looks like a real reptile, with detailed skin texture and cool spikes. Varan's unusual power is he can fly with arm/leg membranes like a flying squirrel, which is pretty creative, but he only does it once! There are some interesting attacks both in the sky with planes and even underwater with depth charges, but truthfully the battles are quite slow moving and drawn out. The final showdown occurs on a nice miniature Haneda airport set, where poor Varan is tricked into swallowing bombs (because he likes to eat flares)! The DVD includes a great Japanese commentary track with one of the special effects artists, who loves to talk about the various techniques he used, as well as a fascinating Japanese TV show where the same artist demonstrates how Varan's skin was created (an incredibly long process that really shows the devotion of the special effects crew!). Although this movie isn't high on my "watch again soon" list, I'm still enjoying experiencing these Toho classics for the first time!
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| The Mysterians : 3 of 5 | |
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11.18.2009
12:00 PM | Link0 comments |
 It's time for another Toho science fiction gem, which came in the Toho Pack set that I bought when I decided I had to have Matango in my DVD collection. The Mysterians is much older than the other Toho films I've been watching lately, since it was made in 1957, not very long after the original Godzilla (in fact, it has practically the identical cast since the actors were all under contract, ready to go!). This is the first color Tohoscope (widescreen) film, and Tsuburaya takes every opportunity to show off his special effects skills in this new format. From convincing forest fire effects to devastating landslides, there are so many detailed miniatures to enjoy, although they certainly don't last long! All of these special effects leave little room for character development, but director Honda still manages to squeeze in his favorite theme of the world's nations joining together against a common foe. The plot involves aliens from the asteroids between Saturn and Jupiter, who build a huge domed base on Earth and make the simple demands of a little land and of course, women! In fact, one of the best scenes is when the Mysterians show the hero scientists a few snapshots of the girls they want! There are several other fun elements to the film, such as the robot kaiju called Mogera who breaks out of a mountain for the usual destruction, cool weapons and flying craft that take part in several lengthy battles against the dome (including awesome melting effects similar to the ones in Godzilla), and even a brief risque scene where Etsuko observes part of the battle from her window while taking a bath! Because of the global theme, there are several non-Japanese actors who alternate between bad-acting English and hilariously pronounced Japanese (with a British accent!). This DVD includes a nice commentary track (in Japanese, but subbed) with a couple older special effects gurus, and it's really cool listening to them reminisce and drool over the classic effects (often using technical terms that keep the moderator on his toes). The Mysterians wasn't as entertaining to me as later classics like Battle in Outer Space, but I enjoyed watching another iconic Toho film as usual!
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| The Human Vapor : 3 of 5 | |
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10.22.2009
12:09 PM | Link0 comments |
 After enjoying The H-Man recently, I wanted to watch another one of Toho's "mutant" films right away, so I tracked down a copy of the 1960 classic The Human Vapor (unfortunately not officially available on US DVD, but you can find it if you keep your eyes open!). Although this movie doesn't typically get good reviews (mainly due to a butchered edited US version, which thankfully I didn't have to endure), I really enjoyed it, especially since director Ishiro Honda creates a masterful slow-build with the plot. In my opinion, this is one of Honda's strengths (also present in my favorite Godzilla films), since this movie is able to keep the audience interested even though there isn't a real special effects shot until the 40-minute mark! The story is about Mizuno, a man who can transform into mist or smoke, who uses his strange power to rob banks (and even commit murders) and gives the money to his beloved Kasuga, a traditional dancer who dreams of holding a big recital. In many ways the plot reminded me of Phantom of the Opera (especially because of the tragic ending), but most of the film unravels like a good detective movie. The Gas Man (as he is known in the original Japanese) is pursued by a cop and his journalist girlfriend (who has some great spunky lines and nice conversation scenes), and they eventually decide to destroy him via combustible gas in the dance recital theater (making for an intense, emotional ending!). Tsuburaya's special effects shots are truly incredible for 1960, showing Mizuno transform into smoke as his suit billows to the floor, and he even throws objects and suffocates his victims (via an animated effect) before our very eyes! Yoshio Tsuchiya is totally creepy as Mizuno, driven by his love for Kasuga (that she helplessly returns as if by fate) to an almost maniacal state. There are several long dance sequences which are interesting to Japanese culture fans, and the way the final dance is integrated into the film's finale is fantastic. The list of Toho films I still want to see keeps growing with no end in sight!
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| Gorath : 3 of 5 | |
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10.08.2009
11:54 AM | Link0 comments |
 Since this part of Ishiro Honda's "space opera trilogy" (which includes The Mysterians and Battle in Outer Space) isn't available on US DVD, it took a little effort to see this film, but I'm so glad I did! Gorath is another Toho science-fiction masterpiece from 1962 with an incredible story and jam-packed with special effects. Set in the far-flung 1980s (you can tell since everyone has a video phone!), the Earth is in danger from a runaway star called Gorath, which happens to have 6,000 times the gravity of Earth! This gravity is so strong that it destroys the first rocket sent to collect data (the crew screams "Banzai!" as they hurtle to their doom), and somehow causes amnesia for one of the crewman of a second mission. The entire world unites (an extremely strong theme in all of these films) to find a way to save the planet, and they decide to build huge jets at the South Pole to push the Earth out of the way! The miniatures used in the construction scenes are simply incredible and so detailed, including long shots of ships moving through the icy waters as well. Along with the amazing miniatures, there are also fantastic full-size sets, such as the spaceship interiors and the huge mission control room. Kumi Mizuno stars as the girlfriend of one of the astronauts, looking cute as ever (there's even a brief bubble bath scene!), and along with the regular Toho actors I also noticed the comic relief character from Ultraman in the crew. Most of Gorath is kaiju-free, but there is a brief sequence where a giant walrus is released from the ice (which famously was cut from the US version of the film) that has some nice composite work (even if the monster is kind of silly). When the star Gorath finally passes the Earth, its gravity causes tremendous tides that destroy Tokyo, but the message of the film, that mankind can do the impossible, is clear. I absolutely love these Japanese science fiction classics, and I intend to keep watching all I can!
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| The H-Man : 3 of 5 | |
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10.02.2009
12:20 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm really developing a taste for classic Toho films of all types, so I've completely enjoyed watching the Icons of Sci-fi: Toho Collection DVD set, finishing up with the 1958 classic The H-Man (released in Japan with the more poetic title Beauty and the Liquid People). This is another Honda/Tsuburaya collaboration (along with the usual set of Toho actors), once again without giant monsters, but with plenty of suspense and science fiction horror to take their place! The plot begins like a standard crime drama involving a routine drug-runner case, but soon the scientist Masada shows up and reveals that the cops are actually dealing with something much more bizarre. It seems a fishing boat crew was exposed to high levels of radiation during an H-bomb test, causing their bodies to liquify into blobs, and now they feed on other humans by dissolving them with a single touch! The blob effects are really amazing, using clever techniques to make the gloop appear to move up walls and uphill, or even through an open window. The blobs can also stand upright in a glowing humanoid form, which looks just unusual enough to be totally creepy. The female lead is a nightclub singer named Chikako, who sings sultry songs in English during some seedy club scenes (which also include some wild bikini dancing!). There's a scene where a jazz drum solo is intercut with some cop/gangster violence that's really unique, and I thought the editing was simply brilliant! The film's finale involves a last-ditch effort to get rid of the blob people by filling Tokyo's sewers with ignited gasoline (giving Tsuburaya an opportunity for some awesome effects shots), but unfortunately the pacing is a little slow, almost like they padded the ending a bit because they ran out of story. But overall I really enjoyed this film, and I'm completed dedicated to discovering more Toho classics. I feel like I'm only getting started in this genre of 50s-60s Japanese cinema!
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| Battle in Outer Space : 3 of 5 | |
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9.24.2009
12:43 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm really excited about exploring all of the classic non-Godzilla Toho films, so I was thrilled to read about this new inexpensive DVD set on the Giant Monsters on the Loose blog. The Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection includes the original Mothra (which I previously reviewed), along with two other movies which I'll review separately, starting with the 1959 science fiction film Battle in Outer Space. While this movie doesn't feature any kaiju, it was made by the Godzilla masters (direction by Honda, effects by Tsuburaya, and music by Ikufube), so it really has that Showa era feel. Battle in Outer Space is primarily a special effects showcase with almost no character development at all. Of course, this would normally be a bad thing, but the miniatures and effects shots are so fascinating that they completely make up for it! The plot is pretty simplistic, with aliens from the planet Natal establishing a base on the moon so they can attack the earth using their ultimate weapon, an anti-gravity ray that can lift entire buildings so they crumble to pieces. The governments of the world unite to send two ships to the moon to destroy the base, beginning a long sequence of beautiful shots. I loved the classic rocket and saucer designs, and the various maneuvers (especially using thrusters to rotate the ship for landing) were incredible! The moonscape itself, which is the setting of a nice laser battle, was great (even if their rover vehicles look a bit like wiener-mobiles). This scene also provides the one emotional moment of the film, when Iwamura, who sabotaged the mission while under alien mind control, sacrifices himself to let the other crew members escape. Eventually the aliens do attack, which starts a huge dogfight in space, with exciting effects that are especially incredible when you consider this movie was made 18 years before Star Wars! The destruction of both New York City and the Golden Gate Bridge was pretty impressive as well. This DVD (along with Mothra) contains a brilliant commentary by some of the same kaiju scholars from the Classic Media Godzilla releases, which provides so many fascinating facts that it's almost as good as the film itself. I can't wait to watch the third movie in this set and then move on to other Toho classics!
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| Matango : 4 of 5 | |
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8.25.2009
12:57 PM | Link0 comments |
 After reading about Eiji Tsuburaya and all the interesting movies he made with Ishiro Honda, I really wanted to see some of these Toho masterpieces! Thankfully there are a few available on DVD (and more finally being released), so I started with the bizarre sounding Matango from 1963 (released in the US with the ridiculous title Attack of the Mushroom People), mainly because it stars my favorite Toho beauty, Kumi Mizuno. This is an incredible movie, because even though it features creatures to some extent (though certainly not kaiju), it's primarily a well-crafted, suspense/horror film that had me on the edge of my seat! The story has often been compared to Lord of the Flies since it depicts how people break down to their selfish desires when forced to survive on a deserted island. In this case, there are seven well-off passengers and crew who suffer through a sudden storm at sea, and soon after they wash ashore, they find a derelict shipwreck covered in mold (one of the most detailed full-size sets I've seen in a Toho film) and strange clues about a species of mushroom called matango. There is excellent acting from everyone (most of whom are in various other Godzilla movies), especially when comparing flashbacks of their former Tokyo nightlife to their base existence on the island, desperately digging for potatoes and turtle eggs, then actually stooping to sell them to each other at high prices. Of course, there is even sexual tension and fighting over the two girls (and Kumi Mizuno's racy character loves the attention), eventually leading to violence. This is definitely not the kind of study of humanity you find in a typical "monster movie"! The DVD includes a full commentary track in Japanese with subtitles (which strays far from talking about the actual film, but is always interesting), plus a great 30-minute interview with the assistant special effects director, who describes front screen projection and optical printing techniques with wonderful nostalgia. Matango feels like an excellent 90-minute episode of The Outer Limits with an incredible story filled with social commentary. If anyone doubts that serious drama can co-exist with Toho-style horror, this is the movie to change your mind!
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| Rodan : 4 of 5 | |
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11.29.2008
7:41 AM | Link0 comments |
 Although Classic Media seems to have released all the Godzilla films they can get the rights to, they are continuing their fantastic kaiju DVD series with the excellent double-feature of Rodan and War of the Gargantuas (which I'll review separately)! The original 1956 Rodan (which interestingly is actually Radon in Japanese) is a fantastic film with just the kind of pacing that I enjoy. The first half of the movie is almost like a murder mystery in a small mining town, and the first monster to make an appearance isn't even Rodan, but rather some giant insects that have been killing miners! Once the huge pteranodon does show up, the introduction is made though quick attacks and blurry photos - I love how they can delay the first full-on shots of Rodan until about 55 minutes into the movie! Director Ishiro Hondo really knows how to pull off suspense and build tension, as well as a nice romance between characters Kiyo and Shigeru, in a way that goes far beyond the usual kaiju film. I was impressed and surprised with Rodan when I watched the US version back in 2006, but it's even better in the original Japanese, and it looks great on this DVD (although the added detail means a few more visible strings!). The miniature effects are pretty incredible, especially the destruction of Fukuoka (all those shingles blowing off!), and those scenes end up getting reused in countless other Toho movies. I was really looking forward to a great commentary track, but unfortunately Classic Media didn't do one this time. Instead there is a nice hour-long documentary on Japanese special effects with tons of rare on-the-set photos and insightful interviews. The documentary is wonderful, but I really missed the commentary track! But even without that bonus feature, there no question that all kaiju fans should get this DVD!
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