A GODZILLA ALL-NIGHTER! Spending an Evening Watching Four Great Godzilla Classics on the Big Screen!

The incredible film lineup at the Shin Bungeiza theater. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday night, July 30, I returned to Ikebukuro's Shin Bungeiza movie theater for a Godzilla all-nighter that would start at 10:30 p.m. and wrap at 5:30 a.m. (Eek!) These all-nighters really aren't my thing (I value sleep way too much), but, when I saw the lineup -- Godzilla 1985 (1984). King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) -- all four were films that I really wanted to see on the big screen. So it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Three of the four flicks were presented in 35mm. King Kong vs. Godzilla was the recent 4K remaster that has earned rave reviews from those who have seen it. As nice as it is to see the KKvsG remaster on a TV set, nothing beats seeing it on a massive theater screen. This was my second time seeing it presented this way.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Godzilla 1985 and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla prints had their share of imperfections but otherwise looked excellent. The Megalon print was essentially flawless. And the King Kong vs. Godzilla remaster was as clear as a bell.

Even though I've seen all these films more times than I possibly could remember, I still noticed a few interesting details this time around. In Godzilla 1985, the Toho logo can be seen on the Yurakucho Mullion building as Godzilla crashes into it. (I guess that makes Godzilla's attack on the building a bit meta.) The Toho logo can be seen on the real-life building for those not in the know. Also, when Godzilla is approaching the bullet train tracks in the same scene, there's a sign for "Delish Curry." I found that kind of amusing. 

Photo by Brett Homenick.

In Godzilla vs. Megalon, there's what seems to be a waste basket with Mickey Mouse and Goofy on it. Most notably, however, the aliens in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla wear belts with ape faces as belt buckles. (I really can't believe I'd never noticed that before, but that's just one of the benefits of seeing these movies the way they were meant to be seen.)

Naturally, I stayed awake throughout the whole program, but I was completely exhausted by the end. All four of these Godzilla movies are personal favorites of mine, though, so there was no missing this all-nighter. Next time, I just hope they do it during the day!

'Space Sheriff Gavan' Comes to Blu-ray!

Discotek Media has just announced its upcoming Blu-ray release of the seminal Toei television actioner Space Sheriff Gavan (1982-83). I'm pleased to report that my article about the alleged (and debunked) connection between Gavan and the 1987 American blockbuster RoboCop was quoted in the liner notes by Mike Dent. Suffice it to say, these Blu-ray liner notes promise to be the best of any tokusatsu release in many years. Check it out!

Seeing a Double Feature of 'Frankenstein Conquers the World' and 'The Mysterians'!

The National Film Archive of Japan. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, July 29, I had the privilege of viewing two Showa-era Toho classics in glorious 35mm at the National Film Archive of Japan: Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) and The Mysterians (1957). It was part of the Archive's program entitled "The 90th Anniversary of Toho: A Film History of Modernization and Innovation," with a bevy of Toho screenings on offer all month. The only downside is that this was the only day I could attend. But what a day it was!

The poster for The Mysterians. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Frankenstein Conquers the World was screened first, and it looked better than ever in 35mm. I was surprised to see the alternate giant octopus ending used in this film print. There was no change in quality at all when the giant octopus appears, so, if you didn't know any better, you'd think that was simply the way the movie had always ended.

The poster for Las Vegas Free-for-All (1967). Photo by Brett Homenick.

The use of the alternate ending wasn't promoted in the brochure, so it makes me wonder why it was used. After the screening, I overheard one of the audience members (who was wearing an A Clockwork Orange T-shirt) on the phone to his friend (I guess), telling him that the giant octopus version was used and that it was his first time to see it. I hope it didn't make him spit out his Moloko Plus. 

The poster for Submersion of Japan (1973). Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Mysterians was shown next, and this was the big one for me. Seeing The Mysterians in 35mm was a bucket list item for me, and now I can happily scratch it off my list. It certainly didn't disappoint. This is one of my all-time favorites, and I'm so glad I finally got to see it the way it deserves to be seen. 

The poster for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Photo by Brett Homenick.

But that's not all! I have more movie-viewing happening tomorrow ... and the day after that. Well, sort of. You'll see what I mean. Stick around and find out!

Catching a Double Feature of Toho Classics in Ikebukuro!

Quite a double feature at Ikebukuro's Shin Bungeiza theater. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yesterday, I went to the Shin Bungeiza theater in Ikebukuro to take in a double feature of Akira Takarada films in 35mm as part of a tribute to the late actor, who passed away earlier this year. The theater is screening a variety of Takarada films from July 24 through August 2, although only two are tokusatsu-related: Godzilla (1954) and The Last War (1961).

A poster for the Toho crime thriller Blood and Diamonds (1964). Photo by Brett Homenick.

The first feature to be screened was Blood and Diamonds (1964), directed by Jun Fukuda, and starring Takarada, Yosuke Natsuki, Makoto Sato, and Kumi Mizuno. The black-and-white crime thriller was well directed by Fukuda. (Those who think he was a bad director just because they don't like his '70s Godzilla films really ought to check out his work here.) The story centers around a botched diamond robbery, during which Makoto Sato is nearly fatally shot, and the efforts by members of his gang to save his life.

The Toho films starring Akira Takarada that are being screened as part of the program. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It was absolutely fascinating seeing Yu Fujiki, who often played comedic characters in Toho's kaiju films, as slimy gangster with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Talk about casting against type! It was also interesting seeing Natsuki's police detective character interrogating actor Chico Lourant about the diamond robbery in English.

As impressive as the movie was, I was hoping its scope would have opened up a bit more. Maybe about half of the film takes place in the criminals' dreary hideout in or around a quarry. Overall, however, Jun Fukuda handles the visuals very well. Unlike the hardboiled crime films Kinji Fukasaku would make at Toei in the 1970s, this film has a typical crime-doesn't-pay ending. It's well worth checking out, even if the movie does get bogged down a bit in the hideout scenes.

A news report about the death of Akira Takarada on March 18 on a Hibiya Line train. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The second feature of the evening was the much lighter 007 spoof Ironfinger (1965), co-starring Mie Hama and Ichiro Arishima. The film print looked a bit worse for wear, but there is still no better way to experience a film. I'd only seen Ironfinger once before on DVD, so it was quite enjoyable for me to see the film as it was meant to be seen. I missed an opportunity a while back to catch this on the big screen, so I was especially glad to see it this time.

What a fun evening of classic Toho entertainment. I'll be checking out more Toho classics this week, so please stay tuned to this blog for more details.

A Visit to the Ghibli Museum!

One of the few sights at the Ghibli Museum you're actually allowed to photograph. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While I've been in Japan for a very, very long time, there is one place I'd never visited that many other fans of Japanese films went out of their way to make a destination: the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo. What can I say? I've just never been that interested in Ghibli films. In fact, I'm pretty sure that, to this day, I've only seen one: My Neighbor Totoro (1988), which I saw at school once. Suffice it to say, it didn't leave much of an impression on me.

The only reason I went there today was because it was part of a work-related field trip. If it were up to me, I probably wouldn't have gone. But I did think it was a good opportunity to do something a bit different for me, and -- who knows? -- maybe it would inspire me to check out more Ghibli movies.

As expected, however, I found myself mostly bored. If you're as unfamiliar with Ghibli as I am, and -- quite frankly -- if you're no longer a child, then I don't think there's much to recommend about it. All the kids I saw seemed like they were having fun, and more power to them. I'm just not the target audience. Still, I'm glad I gave it a shot, as it used to be something I gave some consideration about visiting. Maybe I should have gone on a day when the temperature was a tad less blistering!

Revisiting 'Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon' at a Special Screening!

Director Takao Okawara (left) and special effects director Kenji Suzuki pose with a mask from Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (1994). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today, I had the privilege of checking out Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (a.k.a. Yamato Takeru, 1994) in 35mm. I believe I'd only seen this film twice before -- and one of those times I fell asleep!

The first time was in mid-2000, just after it was released on VHS. Because I was attending college classes very early in the morning during that time, I remember dozing off toward the end. The second time was in late 2005 on DVD. That time, I was wide awake!

Yoshiaki Kondo. Photo by Brett Homenick.

So it'd been a long time since I'd last seen it, and there was a lot I'd forgotten about it. Overall, it's a mixed bag. Some parts are done very well, but it does start to drag toward the end, and I don't think Koichi Kawakita's mid-'90s-Godzilla-series style of special effects was a good match for a fantasy about ancient Japan. But I'm glad I saw it again, especially in 35mm. 

From left to right: Takao Okawara, Yoshiaki Kondo, and Kenji Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was surprised to that a mask from the film was brought to the event, which in a way made it a mini Tokusatsu DNA exhibit! Another surprise was the presence of Yoshiaki Kondo. Kondo-san worked as an assistant director on Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), Rebirth of Mothra (1996), and Godzilla 2000 (1999).

Takao Okawara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Takao Okawara was the headlining guest. Okawara-san began his career as an assistant director on Submersion of Japan (1973), Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980), and Godzilla 1985 (1984). After becoming a director at Toho, Okawara-san helmed the SFX productions of Godzilla vs. Mothra, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, and Godzilla 2000.

I brought my original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II poster for both Okawara-san and Kenji Suzuki (the chief assistant SFX director of the film) to sign. It was great to see Okawara-san in such a good mood, often laughing at the funny stories Kondo-san told -- and even telling a few himself! During the evening, I asked Okawara-san if he remembered the CNN story for which he was interviewed about Godzilla's demise in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. I was very surprised when he told me he had no memory of it. So I pulled out my smartphone, found the story on YouTube, and showed it to him. He found it interesting but still had no memory of it. Perhaps the interview clips were supplied by Toho and weren't actually shot by a CNN crew, which would explain why he doesn't remember. In any case, I thought that was noteworthy.

Kenji Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The other headlining guest was Orochi's chief assistant SFX director Kenji Suzuki. Before joining Toho, Suzuki-san was a freelance SFX director who did some work at Tsuburaya Productions, most notably Ultraman 80 (1980-81). At Toho, he served as an assistant SFX director on The Imperial Navy (1981) and Sayonara Jupiter (1984). On Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Godzilla vs. Mothra, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, Rebirth of Mothra (1996), and Rebirth of Mothra 2 (1997), he served as the chief assistant SFX director under Koichi Kawakita. On Rebirth of Mothra 3 (1998), Godzilla 2000, and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000), he was the SFX director. In the 2000s, Suzuki-san returned to Tsuburaya Productions and lent his talents to various Ultra-projects.

Whew, what a busy weekend it was! Suffice it to say, there was no time to stop and smell the roses. But it was a lot of fun, and I wouldn't have it any other way. More fun's yet to come. Stay tuned!

ALL MONSTERS ATTACK! Godzilla Series Suit Actors Gather to Celebrate the Genre!

Wataru Fukuda (left) and Hurricane Ryu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, July 23, after taking the new Tokusatsu DNA exhibit at Tokyo Tower, I went to a special event featuring Heisei-era Godzilla series suit actors. The suit actors in question were Wataru Fukuda and Hurricane Ryu.

Wataru Fukuda (left) and Hurricane Ryu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was especially excited for this event, as I'd never met Fukuda-san before. Since none of the guests was, say, under federal indictment, they were very easy to meet and accessible.

Wataru Fukuda (left) and Hurricane Ryu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I came to the event a bit late, as I had to work earlier in the afternoon (not to mentioned that I had a peek at the Tokusatsu DNA exhibit). But I arrived in time for all the good stuff.

It was a lot of fun watching Fukuda-san and Ryu-san striking their fight poses. All that was missing was Kenpachiro Satsuma there, too.

Wataru Fukuda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One thing that impressed me was how polite (and even shy) Fukuda-san. Whenever he made a joke or a reference to something that he felt the audience didn't immediately get, he would usually quietly apologize afterward. Who would have expected such shy behavior from Mechagodzilla? Talk about a gentle giant!

Hurricane Ryu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I brought my original poster for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) that was gifted to me from the family of one of the cast members for the two suit actors to sign. Their signatures look quite good on it!

Wataru Fukuda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Fukuda-san played Godzillasaurus in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Mechagodzilla in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and Mogera in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). He also played Utsuno Ikusagami in Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (1994). 

One funny story is that Fukuda-san told me that he learned how to spell "Mechagodzilla" in English by remembering that it's spelled like "Metchagodzilla" would sound (i.e., with a "ch" sound instead of a "ck" one). 

Hurricane Ryu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Hurricane Ryu played King Ghidorah in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Battra in Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Baby Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and Godzilla Junior in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), and Guilala in Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit (2008). He also played Kumasogami in Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon.

But that's not all! The weekend was even busier for me than what you've seen so far. But you can read all about it in the next blog post.

Tokusatsu DNA Invades Tokyo Tower!

 

On Saturday, July 23, I had an opportunity to check out the Tokusatsu DNA gallery at Tokyo Tower, which runs from July 16 until August 7. As expected, the displays were excellent, and, while it's a bit smaller than the one in Kamata from a few years ago, there were some new items not included in the previous ones. Here's just some of what I saw there. Enjoy!