Having Lunch with KG from 'KG'!

Kent Gilbert. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Friday, January 26), I enjoyed lunch with Kent Gilbert, a familiar face in Japan for viewers of film, television, and current events. Godzilla fans, of course, recognize him as the American ship commander from the World War II scenes in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991).

Kent Gilbert. Photo by Brett Homenick

Could you believe it had been 10 years since we last saw each other in person? I'm just as surprised as you are!

Today, we met in front of Meguro Station at noon and went to a nearby tonkatsu restaurant that he recommended. Although we had to wait a few minutes before getting seated, it was worth the wait. I'm not sure I'd ever had tonkatsu prior to our lunch, but it was quite delicious!

Our chat covered a wide variety of topics: Kent's experiences in the Japanese entertainment business, the recent goings-on in American politics, his King Ghidorah memories and co-stars, and my plans for March. 

To say the least, it was wonderful to catch up with Kent after so many years. We usually exchange several emails every year, but there is no substitute for face-to-face communication. Many thanks to Kent for his generosity today, especially for picking up the bill!

Retracing the Steps of Android M11!

Android M11 ran here! Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Tuesday, October 31, I took a trip to Keihinjima (an island in Ota Ward right next to Haneda Airport) to check out a filming location for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). It was the setting for the iconic (infamous?) scene in which Android M11 stops the jeep that Terasawa and Emmy are driving right in their tracks.

In the two photos above, you can see the spot where M11 started running to catch up to the jeep. (In the movie, flames from M11's burning car are partially obscuring the view of the street.)

In the photo above, as well as the one below, you can see where M11 passed the jeep on foot. (This is where M11 grins as he overtakes the vehicle while running.) Interestingly, this scene was shot on the street on the opposite lane (where traffic goes in the opposite direction) of the one in which M11 started running.

As you can see, Jacob and I did some mugging for the camera. I guess we couldn't help ourselves, given how silly things got in that scene.

When it comes to the photo below, this is around the spot where M11, well, does exactly what you see in the photo below. He stops running and braces himself to stop the jeep with his bare hands. I copy the pose below. This scene was shot on the same street on which M11 started running. So, interestingly, the filmmakers kept switching lanes, perhaps because they couldn't shut down that much of the street.

In the photo below, I get ready to run in the same spot from which M11 started running after he ripped off his burning clothes.

In the photo below, I give my approval to the same filming location spot.

Did I mention that this location is almost literally a stone's throw from Haneda Airport? It's true. Had the filmmakers turned their cameras around, you would have scene airplanes taking off and landing nearby. 

So, if seeing the iconic filming location of one of the Godzilla series' most laughable moments isn't enough to convince you, I'd imagine this excellent view of Haneda Airport ought to be.

And that's a wrap!

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!

A DAY WITH MECHAGODZILLA! A Fun Afternoon with a Great Toho Suit Actor!

Wataru Fukuda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Wednesday September 13), I was privileged to spend an afternoon with suit actor Wataru Fukuda. Fukuda-san is a very friendly guy, and I found our chat quite fascinating and enlightening.

Wataru Fukuda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Fukuda-san played Godzillasaurus in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Mechagodzilla in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), Utsuno Ikusagami in Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (1994), and Mogera in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). Of course, he was involved in many other projects as an action actor and stuntman.

This was only my second time to meet Fukuda-san, but I certainly hope there will be other such chances in the future. 

Many thanks to Fukuda-san for his generosity today!

A Kazuki Omori Double Feature in Ikebukuro!

A great double feature in Ikebukuro! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I attended a screening of Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) at the Shin Bungeiza theater in Ikebukuro. The screenings were part of the theater's tribute to the late writer-director Kazuki Omori, who passed away last year.

Both screenings were of 35mm prints, which looked wonderful. There were a couple of jumps and the usual scratches and splotches I've come to expect from such film prints, but overall they were in very good condition. Despite those blemishes, it sure beats watching a homemade DVD of Biollante that freezes halfway through the screening! (Yes, such a thing did happen once at some event in the U.S., as embarrassing as it was to the organizers.) But there was none of that kind of amateurishness at this event, thankfully. 

 

This was not my first time to see either film in 35mm, but I try not to pass up such opportunities when they come up. Besides, it was a great way to remember Kazuki Omori, who was always extremely friendly the many times I've met him over the years.

The stars of Biollante and King Ghidorah keep watch over the theater's soda machine. Photo by Brett Homenick.

All in all, it was a great afternoon of movies. I remember mentioning in a blog post last December that there would be a lot of film screenings this month, but I had no idea there would be so many! I've been kept way busier this month than I expected, which is not a bad thing at all.

Heisei Godzilla Series Director Kazuki Omori Passes Away at Age 70

Kazuki Omori in July 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Japan News has just reported the shocking news that film director Kazuki Omori has passed away:

Film director Kazuki Omori, who worked on several Godzilla movies, died of acute myeloid leukemia at a hospital in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Saturday at age 70.

Mr. Omori was scheduled to appear at a special event in the Tokyo area on Sunday, November 27, making the news of his passing all the more surprising. 

Kazuki Omori poses for a photo with SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano in October 2017. We lost both directors within months of each other. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was privileged to have met Mr. Omori on several occasions, including being able to interview him on two occasions. He was always approachable and open-minded when it came to such things, which I couldn't always say about others in his profession.

Kazuki Omori with actress Megumi Odaka, who played Miki Saegusa in six Godzilla films, in October 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Omori, of course, became a part of the Godzilla series when he wrote and directed Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), which he followed up by performing the same duties on Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). He also turned in the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). The Heisei Godzilla series was largely written in his voice, and it's no exaggeration to say that the Heisei series was largely driven by Mr. Omori's creative decisions.

Rest in peace, Omori-san. Thank you very much for your kindness.

The Great Godzilla Special Effects Kingdom!

Through June 27, Gallery Aamo at Tokyo Dome City will host a special exhibit called "The Great Godzilla Special Effects Kingdom." There are plenty of props, scripts, and suits on display. But, as they say, a picture's worth a thousand words, so let's check out the highlights.