Yutaka Hayashi in February 2024. Photo by Brett Homenick.
My interview with Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) star Yutaka Hayashi, who played race car driver Hiroshi Jinkawa, is now available. The article features many rare photos provided by Mr. Hayashi from his personal collection.
This February 2024 Q&A was my first interview conducted in person with Hayashi-san. In 2008, Hayashi-san and I did an interview via correspondence, which you can read here. One reason I wanted to do the second interview was to cover more aspects of Hayashi-san's acting career.
If I may say so myself, it's a great interview. I'm also pleased that I've conducted in-person interviews with each of the three leads of Megalon -- a rare feat! Each interview, of course, is available on Vantage Point Interviews where content is king!
On Saturday, March 16, I was lucky enough to have dinner with Toho actor Katsuhiko Sasaki, the star of several 1970s-era tokusatsu productions at the studio. Sasaki-san is best known for headlining Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975).
We met at Futako-tamagawa Station and headed to a restaurant that Sasaki-san is quite fond of. We spent at least two hours there, and the conversation covered a wide range of topics. I was especially interested in Sasaki-san's memories of filming Evil of Drcaula (1974) and how unexpectedly difficult and dangerous it was. The fight scene with Toshio Kurosawa was already tough, but having to film the scene in which Sasaki-san's character drowns was much more dangerous.
Katsuhiko Sasaki signs autographs. Photo by Brett Homenick.
Sasaki-san also reminisced about his father, actor Minoru Chiaki, and how director Akira Kurosawa scouted him while watching him perform onstage as part of the Bara-za theater company. Sasaki-san enjoys Ikiru (1952) among his father's Kurosawa's films.
I must say that Sasaki-san was quite generous when it came to signing things. I brought a bevy of Megalon-related items to sign, and Sasaki-san graciously signed everything I wanted. Definitely a one-of-a-kind gentleman!
In particular, I was extremely glad to add his signature to my Blu-ray sleeve of Megalon that already featured that autographs of Yutaka Hayashi and Hiroyuki Kawase. With Sasaki-san's signature, I now have the autographs of all three leads of the film on that Blu-ray cover. Suffice it to say, it's one of my favorite pieces.
I should also point out that Sasaki-san paid for our dinner, which, again, was very kind of him. It's this level of generosity that I will miss after I leave Japan.
As we were walking back to the station, I reminded Sasaki-san that Megalon was my first Godzilla movie, to which he patted me on the back. It was a small gesture, but, when considered through the prism of my personal history with the genre, it means a lot. This was truly an evening I'll always remember. Many thanks to Sasaki-san for making it possible!
Wednesday, February 14, proved to be a Valentine's Day for the history books. I was privileged to spend an evening in the company of former actor Yutaka Hayashi, best known as one of the stars of Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973). I last got to visit Hayashi-san in 2019 when he performed in a concert, so, to say the very least, this visit was long overdue.
When I arrived at the venue, I spoke with Hayashi-san's friend and business colleague Akio-san before I saw Hayashi-san. Sometime after Akio-san stepped away, I noticed that someone entered the area directly behind my seat and was speaking to others. I had a feeling about who that person might be, and, when I turned around, I was greeted by Hayashi-san, who immediately extended his hand to me.
Hayashi-san showed me several photos of his younger days on his smartphone, most of which were from his acting and music careers. He was also curious to know about the origin of my interest in his acting work, so I told him that Megalon was my first Godzilla movie that I saw when I was around five years old. He also talked about his golfing in Palm Springs before, which was quite a surprise to hear about! When he had to go, Hayashi-san extended his hand again before we parted ways.
Sitting next to one of the stars of the first movie I ever really liked in my life will never not be exciting for me. I have to thank Hayashi-san for taking time out of his busy schedule to see me. It was certainly a memorable evening!
The street corner from which the Seatopian agents flee after having kidnapped Rokuro. Photo by Brett Homenick.
Today, Friday, January 19, I paid another visit to Suzukakedai Station in Machida, Tokyo, after last having been there less than a year ago. As I posted about at the time, this area was used as a Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) filming location. The specific place was Yanagi Park (Willow Park in English), which is about a five-minute walk from the station.
This is where Rokuro (Hiroyuki Kawase) is kidnapped by the Seatopian agents while riding his Baby Rider. The location can also be seen when Hiroshi Jinkawa (Yutaka Hayashi) tries to catch up with the kidnapped brothers Goro Ibuki (Katsuhiko Sasaki) and Rokuro in his car, just before getting chased by other Seatopian agents.
When I visited the spot last year, it was pretty easy to find the general area where certain scenes were shot. One thing I didn't identify until after I got home, however, was the Spirit of Willow (Yanagi no Sei) monument. This monument can be seen very briefly when Rokuro is kidnapped, but it is much clearer when Hiroshi Jinkawa is driving past it after escaping his Seatopian captor. Photos of the monument are below. (It's the tall, narrow structure with two points at the top.)
As a result, one of my goals was to pay more attention to the monument, which looks exactly as it does in the movie. (It's just interesting that I never noticed it until comparing photos of the present-day park with what we see in the flick.)
There's not much else to say, except that it was a lot of fun to walk around a Megalon filming location, which still thankfully is still quite recognizable. Anyway, let's get on to the good stuff!
Welcome to Tsukushino Square! Photo by Brett Homenick.
Today, Friday, January 19, I had the opportunity to pay another visit to Tsukushino Park Road, which is right next to Tsukushino Station in Machida, Tokyo. The area was used as a filming location in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) for the scene in which Yutaka Hayashi and Hiroyuki Kawase pick up a model jet from a hobby shop. I visited the place less than a year ago, making it my fourth visit. Thankfully, it doesn't look much different from when I saw it last. Pretty amazing that the shops still look so similar as they did in the film. Always fun to see!
Earlier today (Thursday, January 11), I returned to a familiar location in the history of the Godzilla series. It'd been about a year since I last stopped by, so I thought I'd take another look. It's always very cool to see in person. Check it out!
Milton Berle playing Jet Jaguar as seen in the Certain Distant Suns music video "Bitter." Screenshot collage by Tim Lawrence.
Comedian Milton Berle (1908-2002) may be known for being one of television's most important pioneers, but few people seem to realize that, on top of all his other accomplishments in the entertainment world, he was also a kaiju suit actor. Sort of.
In Certain Distant Suns' 1994 music video "Bitter," the Toho classic Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) plays a significant role. Not only were several clips from the film itself inserted into the music video, but folks wearing brand-new Jet Jaguar and Megalon costumes can be seen stage diving, going to a bar, and enjoying themselves in general. At the end of the video, it's finally revealed just who was wearing these costumes. Check out the music video below.
The music video was directed by Marshall Berle, who -- I imagine it won't be too surprising to find out -- is the nephew of Milton. The Jet Jaguar and Megalon costumes seen in the video, however, were created by Hollywood effects man Tim Lawrence, whose resume includes hits like Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983), Beetlejuice (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), and countless others. He was also a devoted kaiju fan.
When he was selling the Jet Jaguar helmet on eBay circa 2017, Tim Lawrence posted the backstory of his involvement with the "Bitter" music video:
In the early 90s, thru a strange series of circumstances, I became friends with the nephew of Milton Berle - Marshall. When he was contracted to direct Certain Distant Suns 'Bitter' video, his idea included bar scenes with Jet Jaguar and Megalon on a 'date', intercut with stock footage from one of the movies. I made a Megalon head and paws and a Jet Jaguar helmet with a spandex suit.The end of the video was a standard 'Was it all a dream?' scenario where there is a shot of Milton Berle removing the helmet as if he had played the character himself.This may have been Milton's last recorded appearance ... inside a Jet Jaguar helmet.Measures approx. 21" long by 11" wide at the 'ears'. Vacu-formed styrene plastic seamed on the inside with 'Celastic' strips. Vision slots in the eyes. Mouth grid carefully cut out and backed with a black, ventilated fabric. Helmet is spray-painted silver.Sculpted by Charles Rivera.Please note the shipping box is large.NOTE:This continues my 'Behind-the-Scenes' photo archive auction, photos I personally shot during the 80s/90s on the films I worked on. Also a few other things I've come across.NOTE: Please Happy to combine shipping on multiple items. Paypal only, please. Thank you for looking!You may like to see my movie page: Tim Lawrence II.Thank you!~T.~
Tim Lawrence passed away on December 26, 2019, at the age of 61, about two and a half years after selling the Jet Jaguar helmet on eBay. For more information about his life and career, I'd recommend checking out this Florida Times-Union article on him from 2009.
I have to admit that Tim Lawrence was never on my radar screen prior to his untimely passing, and I really regret that. An interview with him I'm sure would have been a blast, but I'm glad he was able to share his love of tokusatsu in at least one project. Were there any others? I'd love to find out!
In the above photo, Cleve Hall is wearing his Godzilla suit, which he would don again in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), and Tim was inside Angilas, ready to do battle. Yeah, it's pretty safe to say that this guy loved kaiju.
