An Evening with a Toho Screenwriter!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, March 26, after checking out the Yasuyuki Inoue exhibit, I went to a special event headlined by screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara. The event centered around the hit TV series Abunai Deka, but I'm naturally much more familiar with his Toho work.

Kashiwabara-san is always a friendly gent, and I rarely miss a chance to hang out with him. As usual, we talked about a variety of movie topics, including recent films we had seen. Kashiwabara-san is a true movie buff.

 And that's a wrap. It was a busy Saturday for sure, but I had a lot of fun. But that's not all I did last weekend. Stay tuned for more!

'Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla' Actor Edward Sardey Passes Away at Age 73

Photo © Edward Sardey.

Edward August Sardey, who played United Nations delegate Eric Gould in Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), passed away on March 23, 2021. He was 73.

Mr. Sardey was born on July 24, 1947. Growing up in Mentor, Ohio, he attended Mentor High School before joining the U.S. Navy in 1965, becoming a radioman and a petty officer first class.

Edward Sardey at 19 years old aboard the USS Ranger (CVA-61). Photo © Edward Sardey.

His exploits with the Navy took him all over the world, but he chose to settle in the Land of the Rising Sun. After living in Japan for 23 years, he returned to the U.S. and retired to Las Vegas, NV.

Edward Sardey with his sweetheart Tamayo Katsube in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, on January 17, 1972. Photo © Edward Sardey.

According to his social media accounts, Mr. Sardey married his wife Tamayo Katsube on September 17, 1971 (which, given the differing date, would indicate that the photo above was apparently taken after they had already been legally married). Tamayo Katsube Sardey was born on November 3, 1932, and passed away on July 3, 2018.

Photo © Edward Sardey.

I was in touch with Mr. Sardey starting around 2010 and sporadically thereafter via Facebook. I'd wanted to interview him about his life and memories of Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla, but we were never able to work out a time to do it properly.

Edward Sardey as Santa Claus in an advertisement for Japan Railways that was shot at a hot spring near Mt. Fuji.

In more recent years, he stopped posting to Facebook. I tried reaching out by phone a few times in 2020, but I was never able to get a hold of him.

Edward Sardey and his wife Tamayo at Las Vegas' Flamingo Hotel for his 59th birthday. Photo © Edward Sardey.

The information above comes from Mr. Sardey's social media postings, as well as public records available online. Any additional information and/or corrections would be most welcome. 

I'm grateful for the brief time Mr. Sardey and I were in touch, and I've always enjoyed his small but memorable role in Space Godzilla. Rest in peace.

Closing Out November with a Godzilla Screenwriter!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday evening, November 28, I got to spend another evening with Godzilla series scribe Hiroshi Kashiwabara. It was a bit shorter than some of our other get-togethers, but it was still quite enjoyable.

 And that's all for November. See you in December!

'Abunai Deka' Makes Another Triumphant Return!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday, SEptember 26, I attended yet another special event featuring a reunion of luminaries from the hit crime drama Abumai Deka (1986-87). This reunion featured scriptwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara, director Toru Murakawa, and actress Kanae Hasebe.

Kashiwabara-san, as most readers of this blog will no doubt remember, wrote the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), Godzilla 2000 (1999), and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). Of course, the recent passing of Wataru Mimura was a topic of conversation.

Toru Murakawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Director Toru Murakawa is a director best known for his many collaborations with actor Yusaku Matsuda. Murakawa-san directed the films The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf (1979) and The Beast to Die (1980), both of which star Matsuda. On the small screen, he directed episodes of Daitsuiseki (1978) and Tantei Monogatari (1979-80). However, I know Murakawa-san best as the chief assistant director of the Japanese scenes of Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970).

Murakawa-san is a true living legend of Japanese cinema, who came a long way to attend this event. It's also wonderful to spend time in his company.

Kanae Hasebe. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also on hand was actress Kanae Hasebe, the daughter of film and television director Yasuharu Hasebe (Horror Theater Unbalance, Spectreman, Assault! Jack the Ripper). She played Hitomi Yamaji on Abunai Deka, as well as on its follow-up series Motto Abunai Deka (1988-89). In terms of tokusatsu, she appears in episodes 18 and 19 of Kamen Rider 555 (2003-04) as Sachiko Kurata, as well as episode 5 of Kamen Rider Kiva (2008-09) as a housewife.

It's not very common that a guest at one of these events asks to take a picture with you, but that's exactly what Hasebe-san did after we took the above photo. Suffice it to say, I was quite flattered when she asked another attendee to take our picture on her phone. Afterward, we spoke about the directing work of her father.

I know nothing about Abunai Deka, but these events sure are a lot of fun! Maybe I should start watching the show.

A Cool Event on a Hot July Day!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night, I attended an event that was virtually identical to one from several weeks ago. The headliners were screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara and actress Kanae Hasebe. 

I was particularly excited to hang out with Kashiwabara-san again, as he is just an all-around great guy. Besides, I think the month of July is a great time to hang out with him, as I'm sure the fine folks of Itasca, IL, would certainly agree. Kashiwabara-san wrote (or co-wrote) three Godzilla films from the Heisei and Millennium series, but it's just as much fun to talk to him about a number of other topics.

Kanae Hasebe. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also on hand was the lovely Kanae Hasebe, the daughter of film and television director Yasuharu Hasebe (Horror Theater Unbalance, Spectreman, Assault! Jack the Ripper). In terms of tokusatsu, she appears in episodes 18 and 19 of Kamen Rider 555 (2003-04) as Sachiko Kurata, as well as episode 5 of Kamen Rider Kiva (2008-09) as a housewife.

I met Hasebe-san a few weeks ago and had a great time in her company. When I found out that Kashiwabara-san and Hasebe-san would be returning for another appearance, it was an opporunity I couldn't pass up. Many thanks for the great evening!

Attending an 'Abunai Deka' Reunion Event!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, May 22, I attended a special event (for the first time in a while) featuring a reunion of luminaries from the hit crime drama Abumai Deka (1986-87). This reunion featured scriptwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara and actress Kanae Hasebe.

With Hiroshi Kashiwabara.

Kashiwabara-san, as most readers of this blog will no doubt remember, wrote the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), Godzilla 2000 (1999), and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). Please check out this interview for more details about his screenwriting career. I've met him several times over the years, and he's a great guy to hang out with. I love his sense of humor!

Kanae Hasebe. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It was my first time to meet Kanae Hasebe, the daughter of film and television director Yasuharu Hasebe (Horror Theater Unbalance, Spectreman, Assault! Jack the Ripper). She played Hitomi Yamaji on Abunai Deka, as well as on its follow-up series Motto Abunai Deka (1988-89). In terms of tokusatsu, she appears in episodes 18 and 19 of Kamen Rider 555 (2003-04) as Sachiko Kurata, as well as episode 5 of Kamen Rider Kiva (2008-09) as a housewife.

With Kanae Hasebe.

Hasebe-san was interested in my background and asked me a lot of questions. She was intrigued by my interest in Godzilla and tokusatsu, and we discussed Shin Godzilla, as well as the current state of the Japanese film industry. It was lovely to meet her.

Sighted Nearby

Look what I found in my neck of the woods...

Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla Celebrated!

Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla! Photo by Brett Homenick.

I just returned from a reunion party focusing on Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994). While admittedly not the strongest entry of the Godzilla series, it was quite pleasing to know that the folks who worked on the movie generally had a positive opinion on it.

Masahiko Shiraishi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Many of the Toho SFX staff on hand were people I've met several times in the past. Masahiko Shiraishi was among them.

Kazuki Hayashitani. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Kazuki Hayashitani is not just a Toho SFX alumnus; he also organized the night's event. So I have to credit him for a job well done.

Yosuke Nakano. Photo by Brett Homenick.  

Former Toho SFX assistant director Yosuke Nakano was also there. I probably spent the most time talking with him. As you can probably tell from his T-shirt, he champions Space Godzilla as a film.

Tsutomu Kobayashi. Photo by Brett Homenick.  

It was my first time to meet Tsutomu Kobayashi. He worked as a sculptor on the Heisei Godzilla and Mothra films, working closely with suitmaker Tomoki Kobayashi (no relation).

The venue was a bit cramped, but the event itself was enjoyable. Space Godzilla isn't my favorite Godzilla film, but I'm glad that many of the SFX staff members who worked on it have such fond memories. Many thanks to those who attended!

An Evening with Two Screenwriters!

 Shoichi Maruyama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, November 9, I immediately left work to attend another special event. This time, the guests on hand were a couple of screenwriters: Shoichi Maruyama and Hiroshi Kashiwabara.

Among Maruyama-san's scriptwriting credits are The Beast to Die (1980), The Last Hero (a.k.a. Dirty Hero, 1982), Kinji Fukasaku's The Triple Cross (1992), Rex: A Dinosaur's Story (1993), and Quill (2004). I was pleasantly surprised that Maruyama-san recognized me from our first meeting, which was about a year and a half ago.

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also in attendance was Godzilla series scribe Hiroshi Kashiwabara, whose screenwriting credits include Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), Godzilla 2000 (1999), and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). 

I spent the majority of the evening with Kashiwabara-san, and it was great talking American movies with him. And that's a wrap!

Bringing Godzilla into Focus!

 Masahiro Kishimoto. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, October 5, I was pleased to meet veteran Toho cinemtopgrapher Masahiro Kishimoto, whose credits date back to the 1960s, including the Crazy Cats vehicle Operation Crazy (1966) as an assistant cameraman. He went on to be the (drama side) cinematographer on Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000), GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), and Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002). 

I found Kishimoto-san to be very friendly, and he was interested in Western movies, too. He also seemed fascinated by my interest in Japanese films and expressed his desire for me to spread the word about them in English. Well, I'm certainly doing my best in that regard.

A National Holiday in Japan, Toho-Style!

Naomi Hase. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Given that today, Monday, July 15, is a national holiday in Japan, there was a special event with screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara and actress Noami Hase that I attended. Naturally, I had to work today, but when I was finished, I made sure to stop by.

Naomi Hase is an actress and singer who started her career in 1974. In Japan, she still has a lot of fans from her role on the TV series Howl at the Sun! (1972-86). For me, however, her most interesting credits are Oshare daisakusen (1976), director Kengo Furusawa's last film, and Clash! Young Guy (1976), directed by Tom Kotani. Interestingly, however, when I asked her about director Kengo Furusawa, she didn't seem to remember him at all!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Kashiwabara-san was the other guest at the event. He, of course, wrote the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), Godzilla 2000 (1999), and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). For more information about Kashiwabara-san's career, check out this interview with him.

As usual, it was great to see Kashiwabara-san again, though this time we didn't talk about American movies -- well, not very much, anyway! It was another fun time.

Hiroshi Kashiwabara Interview on Vantage Point Interviews!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara (and friends) in March 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

My interview with Godzilla series screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla, Godzilla 2000, and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus) has been posted on Vantage Point Interviews. I could tell you what's in it, but why don't you check it out for yourself? Enjoy!

Paying a Visit to a Godzilla Scribe!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Wednesday, March 27, I had a pleasant visit with Hiroshi Kashiwabara, a longtime movie and TV writer who wrote or co-wrote three Godzilla screenplays during the Heisei and Millennium eras. 

I really enjoyed our meeting. It'd been quite a while since I last saw Kashiwabara-san, and I hope to see him again soon.

IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR AS WE KNOW IT! And I Feel Fine!

Teruyoshi Nakano comments on the design of Shin Godzilla. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday, December 11, I was pleased to attend another special event with Teruyoshi Nakano and other guests. Nakano-san was the Godzilla SFX director at Toho between 1971 and 1984, and he SFX-directed such other films as Submersion of Japan (1973) and Princess from the Moon (1987). 

Takashi Naganuma studies Shin Godzilla. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also on hand was Takashi Naganuma, who worked on Toho SFX from the 1970s until the '90s. It's always great to see Naganuma-san, and I was happy for the opportunity to thank him again for inviting me to his launch party last month. 

Optical effects maestro Sadao Iizuka is all smiles at the event. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Another special guest was Sadao Iizuka, the man who animated Godzilla's ray, King Ghidorah's gravity beams, and Ultraman's Specium Ray. His SFX career dates back to Godzilla (1954), making any appearance of his extra special. 

The event began with a screening of Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla, which I'm told was the first time Nakano-san had ever seen it. I skipped the screening, have just seen the film last week, and I wasn't exactly in the mood to watch it all over again. I arrived right after the movie wrapped, so I timed my arrival pretty well.

The Q&A session was quite interesting. One tidbit is that, according to Nakano-san, suit builder Teizo Toshimitsu based the texture of Godzilla's skin on umeboshi (pickled plums) seeds.

Still, it wasn't all just serious talk, as the photo above proves. Believe it or not, this pose was actually, Nakano-san's suggestion. He has a great sense of humor, and this photo is just one example. Suffice it to say, I had a blast!