R. J. Kizer, Director of the American Version of 'Godzilla 1985,' Passes Away at 73

R. J. Kizer in November 2025. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to Godzilla 1985 (1984) producer Tony Randel, Robert (R. J.) Kizer, director of the American inserts of Godzilla 1985, passed away a few days ago after a battle with cancer. He was 73.

I was fortunate to interview R. J. twice (first in 2007 and then in 2020) and then meet him in person twice (in 2024 and 2025). During our first in-person meeting in 2024, R. J. told me about working with Roger Corman at New World on Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) and other such projects. I was genuinely surprised to learn just how mercurial Corman could be, as he always seemed so calm and level-headed in interviews. He also went into great detail about the making of the Roddy Piper vehicle Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988), the production of which was so bonkers I thought it'd make a great movie in its own right.

During our second visit, I gifted R. J. an unopened Blu-ray copy of Yojimbo (1961), which I no longer needed, as well as a VHS copy of Godzilla 1985 that I found at a thrift store. R. J. was very happy (though reluctant -- it took a bit of convincing on my part that I didn't need the disc anymore) to receive Yojimbo. He had a few Kurosawa movies in his collection, but Yojimbo wasn't one of them.

We talked more about Godzilla 1985 during our second meeting, and I was floored just how many more details he shared about the movie that weren't contained in either of our interviews. R. J. Kizer was a walking encyclopedia of film knowledge -- not just about his own movies -- and he was always willing to share his knowledge with me. 

In particular, whenever I had a technical question about things related to cinematography or film editing for the interviews I was doing with Toho alumni, I could always ask R. J. for guidance, who wouldn't hesitate to pull out old books and give me the best answer he could. He would help me put those technical answers in ways that were accurate and made sense in English, and I'll always be grateful that the director of the last great Americanization of a Godzilla movie made time for me when I asked.

When we were returning to our cars in 2025, I asked R. J. what project was he most proud of. I thought I knew what he would say, but he surprisingly said none of them. I thought for sure he'd say Godzilla 1985, as it went on to make money and is still revered by fans to this day. I'm not sure I was able to convince him that he should be proud of his work on the film, but I wanted him to know that I certainly was proud of what he accomplished.

Frogtown Lives, good sir. Rest in peace.

UPDATE (8/21): According to his younger brother Richard, R. J. Kizer passed away on August 12.

The Legend Is Reborn ... Again!

R. J. Kizer with a VHS release of his most famous movie. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

On Tuesday, November 4, I returned to Los Angeles and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the company of director R. J. Kizer, best known as the director of the American version of Godzilla 1985 (1984). We met at a diner near Warner Bros., which made me wonder if we'd perhaps catch a celebrity there. (More on that later.)

R. J. Kizer holds a Blu-ray copy of the film he helped bring to American audiences. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I came bearing gifts. I found a VHS copy of Godzilla 1985 at a nearby thrift store a couple of months ago and gave it to R. J., as I had no idea what else to do with it. (Not having a VCR has become a real inconvenience!) I also gave R. J. my extra copy of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961), which I bought last year during Criterion's summer 50%-off sale.

R. J. Kizer signs the Blu-ray sleeve of The Return of Godzilla (1984). Photo by Brett Homenick.

This year, I purchased the Yojimbo/Sanjuro (1962) double pack, so my other copy of Yojimbo became redundant. Interestingly, I found out that R. J. does own several Kurosawa titles but that Yojimbo wasn't among them. That was certainly welcome news!

R. J. and I spent a lot of time talking about Godzilla 1985, which we basically didn't discuss at all the first time we met. Despite the number of interviews I've done on the movie, it's still fascinating to learn new details about it. I'm surprised there's still so much to know!

While we were talking, I couldn't help but notice that Gary Busey entered the diner and sat down with another gentleman. Perhaps I was eyeballing Busey a bit too much because I noticed he was occasionally looking back at me. While I didn't approach him at all, but it was quite fun to see him in person. 

What a fun afternoon it was. Not only did we talk about movies, but R. J. gave me some advice about some locations around the city. I'm so glad we had this opportunity to catch up again!

DEEP DIVE: What Japanese Godzilla Movie Did Yoshimitsu Banno Work on After 'Smog Monster'?

Yoshimitsu Banno in April 2013. Photo by Brett Homenick.

By now, you've likely heard the old yarn about how producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was furious at director Yoshimitsu Banno after seeing Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) for the first time and angrily declared that the filmmaker had "ruined Godzilla." Of course, this apocryphal account has been debunked elsewhere on this blog, but it's a claim so blatantly false that it can be debunked even further. 

When Tomoyuki Tanaka was planning to relaunch the Godzilla series in the years following the disappointing box-office returns of Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), three science-fiction authors were tapped to develop stories for the proposed film: Yoshio Aramaki, Taku Mayumura, and Ryu Mitsuse. Nowadays, these names have been included in other articles about the making of the production that would eventually become The Return of Godzilla (a.k.a. Godzilla 1985, 1984). 

With Yoshimitsu Banno in April 2013.

Usually, these write-ups point to Tomoyuki Tanaka as the one who selected the writers to pen possible Godzilla scenarios, but this seems not to be the case. So, if it wasn't producer Tanaka, then who was it?

According to the man himself, it was Yoshimitsu Banno. In 1978, Banno became head of the planning department of Toho Eizo Co., Ltd., and it was in this capacity that Banno selected the aforementioned SF authors to submit their stories. According to Banno, Tanaka rejected their treatments for budgetary reasons. 

Hiring three science-fiction writers to develop a major, SFX-laden motion picture for Toho had worked well in the past. This formula ultimately led to the creation of Mothra (1961) after science-fiction authors Shinichiro Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga, and Yoshie Hotta were hired by Tanaka to flesh out the story for that production. Unfortunately, in the case of The Return of Godzilla, the formula didn't produce the same results.

The information contained in this blog post comes from a conversation the author had with Mr. Banno on April 2, 2013, supported by contemporaneous notes. 

An Evening with the Director of 'Godzilla 1985's' American Version!

R. J. Kizer poses with a photo of an old friend. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After spending the afternoon with Adryan Russ, I headed over to the Tallyrand restaurant to meet up with director and film editor R. J. Kizer, whom I've interviewed more than once. This was also our first face-to-face meeting. 

When I pulled into the parking lot, I spotted R. J. entering the restaurant. He saw me, as well, and waited for me to park my car. When I walked up to him, he commented that I was taller than he expected. That made me feel like I was back in Japan!

While we ate, R. J. shared quite a few stories about his time at New World Pictures, most of which I'd never heard before. But, because I'd never really spoke to him about anything other than his work on Godzilla '85, that was to be expected. 

The stories were just as often hilarious as they were fascinating. I felt someone could make quite an entertaining movie based on some of R. J.'s experiences. It certainly would be a lot more fun than the recent Jason Reitman flick Saturday Night.

I'm amazed it took us this long to meet in person, given how Godzilla 1985 is one of my favorite films. But I'm overjoyed it was finally happened. After dinner, R. J. gave me directions back to the freeway, which turned out to be spot-on. Many thanks to R. J. for a wonderful evening!

SAYONARA TILL WE MEET AGAIN! A Star Sister Comments on Her History with Godzilla!

Photo © Yvonne Keeley Paay.

One of the most unusual (and unexpected) aspects of The Return of Godzilla (a.k.a. the Japanese version of Godzilla 1985) is its inclusion of the pop song "Godzilla: Love Theme" during the film's closing credits. The song can be heard here:

The love theme was performed by The Star Sisters, a Netherlands-based trio of pop singers who began to achieve international fame in the early 1980s. 

A few years ago, I reached out to one of The Star Sisters, Yvonne Keeley Paay, regarding a possible interview about her involvement with "Godzilla: Love Theme" and Toho in general. On May 16, 2020, I received this reply from Ms. Paay (which has been edited for clarity and is quoted with permission):

There is not a lot to tell. We were asked to sing the track. The tape was sent to Holland. We had the same producer, Jaap Eggermont, who had done our album. We sang it, and it was sent back to Japan. I think it did something in the chart, but I'm not sure. We were invited to come over, but our schedule was so full at the time that we didn't have the time to go to Tokyo for 2 days! I'm glad it is available on YouTube. It's a rare recording.

Years went by, and I decided to reach out again to see if we could do a full-length interview on the topic. Ms. Paay responded on June 28 and reiterated that there just isn't much to say about the process but did add this bit of information (which is also quoted with permission):

It was [number] 1 on the chart I think for one week in Japan, and we didn't have the time to go there.

And there you have it. 

A New 'Godzilla 1985' Q&A on Vantage Point Interviews!

Nigel Reid. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Check out my interview with actor Nigel Reid, who played the lieutenant commander of the Soviet submarine in Godzilla 1985 (1984). The interview covers much more ground than just his turn in the Godzilla series, such as the time he worked as Ryan O'Neal's stand-in for a movie shot in Hong Kong. 

All this and more is covered in my interview on Vantage Point Interviews. Give it a look today!

Mizuho Suzuki, 'Godzilla 1985's' Foreign Minister Emori, Passes Away at Age 96

Mizuho Suzuki.

Actor Mizuho Suzuki, best known to Godzilla fans for his role as Foreign Minister Emori in Godzilla 1985 (1984), passed away due to heart failure in Tokyo at 11:01 p.m. on November 19. He was 96. A private funeral has already been held. 

Aside from his turn in the Godzilla series, Mr. Suzuki's other notable credits include the Daiei period horror film The Snow Woman (1968), Kihachi Okamoto's Battle of Okinawa (1971), Submersion of Japan (1973), The Last Days of Planet Earth (1974), Conflagration (1975), the Toei all-star actioner The Bullet Train (1975), and Deathquake (1980). 

He was also responsible for dubbing Charlton Heston in the theatrical version of Solar Crisis (1990). On the small screen, Mr. Suzuki provided the voice for Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) in The Godfather (1972), as well as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, for the Nippon TV broadcasts of those films. 

Born in Manchuria on October 23, 1927, Mr. Suzuki moved to Japan after the war at the age of 18 with his father, who was a Japanese soldier, and began his acting career in 1952 when, after graduating from college, he reportedly helped establish the Mingei Theatre Company, although the theater troupe's home page does not mention Mr. Suzuki's involvement in its founding. (It should also be noted that this source only asserts that Mr. Suzuki dropped out of Kyoto University and makes no mention of his graduating from another university.)

By 1958, Mr. Suzuki had made the transition from the stage to the big screen, appearing in several movies for Nikkatsu. In the 1970s and '80s, he would appear in numerous tokusatsu productions at Toho, usually playing government officials, which would earn him a measure of international recognition. 

In September of this year, I reached out to Gekidan Dora, the theater company Mr. Suzuki helped found in 1972, about interviewing the actor. I never received a reply, but, given his advanced age, I wasn't too surprised. Unfortunately, it turned out that Mr. Suzuki would pass away less than two months later.

Rest in peace, Mr. Suzuki.

Memories of a Gaijin Talent in Japan!

 

Earlier this afternoon (Sunday, November 12), I had a great time meeting the lieutenant commander of the Soviet nuclear submarine from Godzilla 1985 (1984). It probably won't shock you to find out that the actor wasn't really Russian, despite what I thought as a kid. In all seriousness, it was great to meet and get to know him.

I learned many stories from his days as an actor in Japan, and it was quite fascinating. I'm always trying to learn new things about the films I grew up watching, and I couldn't be happier to have learned some more new things.

It's safe to say that these stories will be published on a certain interview website before long, so keep your eyes peeled. Once it's published, you'll get to read all the details, too!

Out and About in Shinjuku in the Fall!

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (left) and the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building (right). Photo by Brett Homenick.

While in Shinjuku earlier tonight, I snapped some photos of the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Both buildings feature prominently in the Godzilla series, namely Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) and Godzilla 1985 (1984), respectively. The photos came out quite nicely. Also included are a few other random spots in the area, including the Shinjuku Eye. Enjoy!

DEEP DIVE: Godzilla (1985) Redacted?

The cover of the script for the Toho-produced PR film The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow (1977).

For those interested in the history of the cooperation between Toho and the Japan Self-Defense Forces, one of the most intriguing examples is The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow (1977), a 26-minute Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force PR film produced by Toho Eizo Co., Ltd. (It should be noted that the script is dated 1976, but most sources state the movie is a 1977 production.)

The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow was directed by Hideyuki Inoue (born on September 4, 1947), who joined Toho in 1969. Prior to helming this film, Mr. Inoue worked as an assistant director on Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) and went on to work as chief assistant director under Masato Harada on Gunhed (1989) and Kazuki Omori on Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). 

The SFX, to the extent there are any, were directed by Teruyoshi Nakano, the longtime special effects director at the studio. In addition, the music was composed by Akira Ifukube ... well, sort of. The music is all stock music, just like in Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972). Some of the stock cues heard in the film are the Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) march (which was also used in Gigan), the Monster Zero (1965) march, and a few others.

So what does this have to do with the Godzilla series? Several shots from this movie were used as stock footage in Godzilla 1985 (1984) during the scene in which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is searching for Godzilla. While researching this topic, I also discovered on Japanese Wikipedia that stock footage was also used in Godzilla vs. Biollante during the Uraga Channel scene. 

I saw the film in June 2020 at a fan gathering shortly after actor Shigeo Kato passed away. In the film, Mr. Kato plays the part of a fisherman thrown overboard during a storm, who gets rescued by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, so this rarity was shown in honor of his life and career.

Most of the movie plays more like an NHK documentary than a scripted drama. It's really not flashy or exciting -- except during the sea rescue scene with Mr. Kato. 

So there you have it. Another piece of the puzzle in the history of Toho's working relationship with the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

Kamen Rider and Ultra-Heroes Unite for One Night!

Mitsuhiro Sano, Yumiko Tanaka, and Keiko Nishi pose for pictures. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, July 15, I attended a special event with some surprise guests. The main event was the variety show in which actress Yumiko Tanaka performed onstage with a number of other actors. After the show, I was invited to a dinner with Tanaka-san's friends and supporters. That, for me, was the real attraction.

Yumiko Tanaka. Photo by Brett Homenick.

If you don't know by now, Tanaka-san stars in Kamen Rider Super-1 (1980-81) as Harumi Kusanami and also appears in a small role toward the beginning of Godzilla 1985 (1984) in a scene with Ken Tanaka (which was edited out of the American release). 

At the end of the show, Tanaka-san and her co-stars sang and danced to the Japanese version of the Village People classic "YMCA." I thought that was quite amusing. After the show, our group gathered in front of the venue, which was in Tsukiji, before heading off to dinner. Before I knew it, actress Keiko Nishi joined our group and greeted me by touching my arm. (It's always a plus when the most beautiful woman in the history of the Ultra-series makes contact!)

Actor Mitsuhiro San wasn't too far behind Nishi-san. He and I talked about the song "YMCA," but he's a much bigger fan of the song "Massachusetts" by the Bee Gees, which he can do a pretty good job of singing in English. After that, we headed to the restaurant.

Mitsuhiro Sano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Of course, Sano-san TAC member Kozo Yoshimura in Ultraman Ace (1972-73). I sat across from Sano-san at the table and close to Nishi-san. Naturally, it was a great experience to be in the presence of such Ultra-series royalty! 

Sano-san commented that he was good at signing in English but not good at English conversation. Well, I hope one day he can master English conversation, too. But, in any case, it's always a blast hanging out with him.

With Keiko Nishi.

Nishi-san appears in Ultraman Ace as TAC member Noriko Mikawa. Even though her cafe closed a while back, it's a joy to see Nishi-san attend events like these. 

And that's a wrap! It was a much more fun evening than I expected, but I'm definitely not complaining! Hope we can do it again soon.

A Salute to Nobuyuki Yasumaru

Nobuyuki Yasumaru in September 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

January 24 marks what would have been Toho suitmaker Nobuyuki Yasumaru's 88th birthday. I was privileged to visit with him in late September 2021, which turned out to be mere months before he passed away on March 1, 2022. 

Safety first is the way it goes. Yasumaru-san wanted us to wear masks in this photo.

I interviewed him that day about a variety of topics I wasn't able to cover when I first interviewed him in December 2018. The second interview will hopefully be published in the next couple of months. Yasumaru-san discussed a variety of projects he worked on that usually don't get much coverage, so I think folks will enjoy it. We conducted the interview in a cafe near his home and changed locations afterward to continue the conversation. The photo above was taken in the second location.

During the time of COVID, first bumps have become more common in Japan. When Yasumaru-san met me at the train station on the day of the interview, he offered a fist bump, which I thought was extremely cool. I definitely wanted to recreate it in the photo above.

We exchanged New Year's cards a few months later. It turned out he sent his New Year's greetings to me literally just two months before he passed. I'm extremely grateful I got to spend time with Yasumaru-san, and I still miss him to this day. 

I just wanted to say a few words to celebrate his memory on what would have been his 88th birthday.

SHOWA SONGS! Attending a Live Performance Featuring a Tokusatsu Actress!

Tsukiji Hongan-ji. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday evening, January 14, I attended a performance featuring actress Yumiko Tanaka. The show was held next to Tsukiji Hongan-ji, a beautiful Buddhist temple, in Tsukiji. Due to my work schedule, I missed the first half of the show and arrived during intermission. I only caught the second half of the performance, which was essentially a comedic variety show that featured a lot of Showa-era songs, styles, and dances.

Yumiko Tanaka (right) sings onstage with her fellow performers. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tanaka-san stars in Kamen Rider Super-1 (1980-81) as Harumi Kusanami and also appears in a small role toward the beginning of Godzilla 1985 (1984) in a scene with Ken Tanaka (which was edited out of the American release). Tanaka-san's various performances during the show were highly entertaining. She's certainly a multi-talented performer! 

The main reason I attended the show was to participate in the dinner that was being organized by one of my friends. After the performance, a group of us headed to a nearby izakaya for a special New Year's celebration. At the dinner, I became acquainted with a couple of fellow tokusatsu fans whom I'd never met before at any other event.

Tanaka-san sat at the table next to mine, so I was able to communicate with her fairly easily. She's just as friendly as she's always been. I always get a kick out of seeing her.

She signed autographs for anyone who brought items for her to sign. I've had her sign a few things over the years, so I didn't bring anything to get autographed. But it turns out I didn't have to. My friend gave out a signed photo to each attendee featuring both Tanaka-san and actress Keiko Nishi, who played TAC member Noriko Mikawa on Ultraman Ace (1972-73).

Yumiko Tanaka. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Speaking of Nishi-san, she also attended the show and dinner, which was a big surprise to me. I hadn't seen her since her cafe in Ginza closed a couple of years ago. When she saw me just after the show got out, she mentioned that it had been a long time since we last met.

Yumiko Tanaka signs Kamen Rider Super-1 memorabilia for a fan. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Nishi-san joined the dinner on the private basis, i.e., not as a featured guest, but she was still friendly enough to sign the photos for attendees and posed for the photo below. Also there was actor Mitsuhiro Sano, who played TAC member Kozo Yoshimura in Ultraman Ace, who was just as awesome. It's always great to spend an evening with such friendly people.

With Keiko Nishi.

And that's a wrap! It was a fun evening, and, even though I got home close to midnight, it was a great time. Hope to do it again!