Seeing 'Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla' in 4K!

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) at Toho Cinemas. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Tuesday, February 24, I took in a screening of Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) at Toho Cinemas Susukino in Sapporo. It's often reviled as one of the worst Godzilla movies of all time, but I've never considered it that bad, so I was eager to give it another look, especially in 4K.

The picture quality was phenomenal -- the visuals were crystal-clear. The only flaw was that the composite shots often looked blurry, almost as if they were shot on video. Other than that, the film has never looked better.

Going into it, I knew the final battle would be a slog, so I tried to force myself to pay closer attention to it this time than my previous viewing a few years ago. It was a respectable objective but ultimately futile. It's easily one of the worst, most boring monster battles in any Godzilla movie, and my mind started to wander early on. Well, it was worth a shot.

One ticket to paradise! Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's a shame the kaiju scenes are so lethargic when the human sequences are actually pretty fun. I remember having a conversation with John Rocco Roberto in which he commented that all SpaceGodzilla does is fly over some cities and set off a few car alarms. If only Koichi Kawakita had been on his A-game here . . .

On a personal note, it was pretty cool seeing the Sapporo TV Tower in the flick for a brief moment when it was literally just a few blocks from where I was watching the movie.

Not much else to say. SpaceGodzilla is a bit disappointing mostly due to the lackluster monster scenes. But it was still a blast seeing it on the big screen in a wonderful 4K presentation.

SAPPORO TV TOWER! Visiting an Iconic Heisei-Era Location!

Sapporo TV Tower. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One of my goals in visiting Sapporo was to visit the Sapporo TV Tower, which is memorable from its inclusion in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Though it can also be seen in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) and Gamera 2 (1996), nothing can surpass Godzilla's destruction of the tower at 7:00. 

While I didn't enter the observation deck (maybe next time!), it was impressive seeing the landmark in person. Here are the photos!

Revisiting an Okamoto Classic with a Classic Screenwriter!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Monday, March 25), I paid another visit to screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara at his cafe. The topic of the evening was originally scheduled to be Catch-22 (1970), which is what I was expecting when I entered the venue. However, when I arrived, I discovered that the plans had changed due to the recent passing of actor Minori Terada.

 

Instead, the topic was Kihachi Okamoto's The Human Bullet (1968), which stars Terada. There are things to admire in The Human Bullet, but I can't say it's a great film or even completely successful. The story does drag at times, and I think it could have easily been tightened. It's not a bad film by any means, just an imperfect one. 

I've seen Catch-22 twice. The first time was back in 1997 when I hadn't yet read the book, so the film basically went completely over my head and made no sense to me. The second time was around 2019 on DVD when the film was much more understandable. I think a better film could have been made from the source material, but there are great moments in it. (Hey, that sounds like exactly what I wrote about The Human Bullet!) 

After that, there was the usual conversation among the attendees, and the subject of tokusatsu was naturally on the agenda. It was fun chatting with the various folks about the movies and TV shows they watched as kids.

As I was saying goodbye to some people, Kashiwabara-san pulled out his phone and took a couple of photos of me, which he later sent to me. (You know what I say about VIPs who take pictures of you.) A big thanks to Kashiwabara-san for tonight. I hope our next meeting won't be too far in the future.

FAIL SAFE! Reconsidering an American Classic with a Japanese Connoisseur of Cinema!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Monday, March 18), I paid a visit to Hiroshi Kashiwabara's cafe to participate in an event focused on a classic movie. (If you know anything about Kashiwabara-san, you know about his extensive fondness for American oldies.) The topic of the evening was the Sidney Lumet thriller Fail Safe (1964).

Some of the memorabilia on display. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's always been fascinating to me (in a less-than-positive way) that Dr. Strangelove (1964) is regarded as an all-time classic while Fail Safe has largely been forgotten. I first saw Dr. Strangelove circa December 1996 when I was going through my Kubrick-Is-God phase (through which most teenage boys eventually have to pass). That and The Shining (1980) were the two Kubrick films I had the most trouble getting into. (I'd throw in 1962's Lolita, too, but does a film that minor even rate?)

I just never found Strangelove particularly clever or funny. It has its moments (most of which I found out later were improvised), but I'd be hard-pressed to call it one of the best films of 1964, let alone of all time.

Even more memorabilia! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Around August 1997, I saw Fail Safe for the first time on late-night cable TV. It was everything that Strangelove wasn't. I've since read that audiences of the time avoided Fail Safe because they supposedly found the subject matter humorous in the wake of the Kubrick film, but I certainly wasn't laughing. (Heck, I wasn't laughing the first time around, watching the genius auteur's would-be comedy.) Fail Safe kept me on the edge of my seat, and ever since that evening I've considered it the superior film.

Anyway, a funny thing happened this evening. When I entered the venue, I noticed a few attendees giving me a quizzical look. One of them asked Kashiwabara-san if I was an actor. He explained who I was, after which I confirmed to the folks in attendance that I'm indeed not a performer.

When the discussion of the film ended, Kashiwabara-san asked me to stand up, and he proceeded to tell the gathered attendees about more about me. I wasn't expecting to be put in the spotlight, but it's always flattering. Afterward, a few attendees expressed interest in seeing my interviews, so I shared the URL for Vantage Point Interviews with them. They seemed impressed!

Tonight was a fun night of film discussion. Many thanks to Kashiwabara-san for making it possible!

A Great Time with the Screenwriter Who Helped Launch Godzilla's Millennium Series!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After meeting Kazuomi Sasai on Friday, March 15, I immediately met up with screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara. I was pleased to have the opportunity to sit down and chat with Kashiwabara-san, as it had been far too long since we last had such a chance.

I was bowled over when Kashiwabara-san brought out his "going away" present for me -- the Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) script that producer Shogo Tomiyama gave him in order to prepare for writing the screenplay for Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). It is certainly a privilege to own this bit of Toho history!

Hiroshi Kashiwabara with his copy of the Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) script. Photo by Brett Homenick.

We discussed several topics -- everything from Godzilla Minus One (2023) to the state of American politics. But the conversation mostly centered around movies.

Kashiwabara-san named his three favorite actors in order for me, which was the first time I'd heard his list. They are: 1. John Wayne, 2. Steve McQueen, and 3. Burt Reynolds. I never realized that Kashiwabara-san was a big Burt Reynolds fan, but there you go.

Hiroshi Kashiwabara signs the script. Photo by Brett Homenick.

He told me his favorite Reynolds movies were The Longest Yard (1974) and Hustle (1975). I wasn't aware of Hustle and thought he might have meant Boogie Nights (1997). He said he likes that one, too, but that Hustle was a separate film. I had to look it up!

Kashiwabara-san didn't know the English title Deliverance (1972), so, when I showed him the Japanese translation, he shared his admiration for that film, too. That one is probably my favorite Burt Reynolds film.

When we were wrapping up, Kashiwabara-san took a photo of me on his phone with the MG script, as well as a photo of the two of us together. Remember what I said about when VIPs want photos with you?

And, after all that, Kashiwabara-san also signed some SpaceGodzilla memorabilia for me. What a cool guy!

Photo by Hiroshi Kashiwabara.

As we were leaving, much like Asada-san before him, asked me if I knew who Troy Donahue was. Of course, I now know all about his song about Palm Springs!

Many thanks to Kashiwabara-san for his unparalleled generosity. I'm so proud to have that script!

Spending an Afternoon with an Ultraman Movie Director!

Hideki Oka. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Wednesday, October 25), I spent a fun afternoon with screenwriter and director Hideki Oka. Oka-san directed the feature film Ultraman Saga (2012) and was an assistant director of special effects on Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). He also wrote the story for the unmade project "Godzilla vs. Barubaroi," which was a film proposal before Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) was ultimately put into production.

Hideki Oka. Phto by Brett Homenick.

We had a lengthy conversation about his tokusatsu work, but, after all the toku talk, the discussion veered into pro wrestling. I mentioned that '90s wrestling was my era, which I'm always happy to talk about. Oka-san is also a big fan of the business, and he has some familiarity with American wrestling, too.

One funny moment was when I asked him what he thought about Jet Jaguar. Oka-san said, in his youth, he didn't like the character and didn't like Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), as it seemed like a huge step down for the series. (He's cool with Jet Jaguar these days, though.) The following year's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) would become Oka-san's favorite Godzilla movie. 

All in all, it was a great time, and I hope we have a chance to meet up again. Oka-san is certainly one cool dude!

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!

AN EVENING WITH COLONEL ASO! Reflecting on That Time I Met Akira Nakao in 2018!

The movie screen at the Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas just before the kickoff of the November 2018 Godzilla all-nighter. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On November 2, 2018, an all-night Godzilla film festival was held at the Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas, the special guest of which was actor Akira Nakao, best known among Godzilla fans for portraying Colonel (later Commander) Aso in some of the '90s Godzilla films, as well as Prime Minister Igarashi in a couple of the Masaaki Tezuka-directed Millennium-era movies. This was a rare public appearance for Mr. Nakao, so I was rather excited for it. 

The poster for Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002), one of the films screened that evening. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I really shouldn't have been, as his appearance was mostly a disappointment for me. Don't get me wrong -- Mr. Nakao was full of energy at the event and clearly enjoyed himself. But the bromide card set given out during the event didn't even have his actual autograph on any of the cards (aside from a couple with his signature obviously printed on them), not to mention that (as expected) attendees' face time with him was minimal, to put it mildly.

The poster for Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), which was also screened that evening. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I remember telling him in the moment I had to speak with him that I enjoyed his work in The Vampire Doll (1970), in which he starred as Hiroshi Takagi. As I recall, he just laughed and was generally surprised that I even knew about that film. So, while I enjoyed meeting Mr. Nakao (as fleeting as it was), there wasn't much else I enjoyed about it. 

The poster for Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), another movie screened that evening. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It was an all-night event, which I'm usually never enthused about in the first place, but I believe I had to work the next day, so I couldn't stay through the whole thing even if I wanted to. I'm pretty sure I stayed for Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002), and then left after the film and meeting Mr. Nakao. 

I apparently was so underwhelmed by my experience at this event that I never even bothered to post about it here! In retrospect, I can see why I felt that way, but, given that some irresponsible fake news was recently shared about the actor by some self-professed tokusatsu "expert" (let's just say that reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated), now is as good an opportunity as any to record my recollections of that evening, as few as they are.