A Quick Trip to Toho Cinemas Hibiya!

Godzilla merchandise available at Toho Cinemas Hibiya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, February 18, I stopped by Toho Cinemas Hibiya and snapped a few photos. Here's what I saw. Enjoy!

CCP Pops Up in Seibu Shinjuku Station!

CCP Figure Shop in Seibu Shinjuku Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While using Seibu Shinjuku Station today, I passed by this pop-up shop with some interesting figures for sale, particularly Ultraman and Hedorah. The CCP Figure Shop will be there from December 1 until January 15, so collectors still have plenty of time to empty their wallets if they so wish. Here's what I saw.

 

Catching 'Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster' on the Big Screen!

Eiichi Asada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today, I had the distinct privilege of seeing Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (a.k.a. Godzilla vs. Hedorah, 1971) in 35mm. The print was essentially perfect, and it was the best way to see this film. 

Eiichi Asada offers a toast to the memory of Teruyoshi Nakano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While it's not among my favorite Godzilla movies of the '70s (the last three hold that honor), it's still a very good one. The pacing isn't the best (the final battle drags on a bit too long, in my opinion), but I'd take it in a heartbeat over most films from the '90s and beyond.

The guest of honor was special effects director Eiichi Asada, who directed Hedorah in his big comeback vehicle, Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Asada-san was also an assistant director on numerous tokusatsu movies, starting with Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973). While he just missed out on working on Smog Monster, he certainly is well versed in how kaiju movies were made at Toho during that time.\

Eiichi Asada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The screening was a tribute to the late SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano, who passed away just a couple of months. Asada-san worked as chief assistant director under Nakano-san, making him a perfect pick to headline the event.

Asada-san led the audience in a toast to the memory of Nakano-san. It was quite a moment.

After the screening, I sat next to Asada-san during the after-party. One thing I found out was that Asada-san loves pro wrestling. I was surprised when he mentioned the wrestling maneuver the lariat, but he couldn't remember which wrestler used it. When I mentioned Stan Hansen, that jogged his memory. Asada-san was also amused when I showed him a picture of Abdullah the Butcher on my phone, quickly exclaiming, "Butcher!"

We also talked about Toho assistant director Yoshio Tabuchi and the making of Smog Monster. It was another fun evening, and I'm very grateful I got to attend.

Eiichi Asada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

That's a wrap! See you next time.

Godzilla Tissue Dispensers (and Hedorah!) at Toho Cinemas Hibiya!

I went to Toho Cinemas Hibiya today and finally decided to snap a few photos of the Godzilla tissue dispensers on display, as well as the Hedorah figures there. I felt they were worthy of a blog post. Enjoy!

Shibuya Parco Pays Tribute to Hedorah on His 50th Anniversary!

Signage welcoming you to Shibuya Parco's Hedorah 50th anniversary exhibit. Photo by Brett Homenick.

From November 12 until November 23, Shibuya Parco's Gallery X is hosting a special 50th anniversary salute to Hedorah. Shibuya Parco and a pollution monster seem like an odd pairing, but it works for me, especially because the highlight was the diorama of Hedorah filming suit from Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) -- complete with psychedelic lighting.

Another cool aspect was seeing a bevy of production stills on display, many of which showed Yoshimitsu Banno directing a variety of scenes. Most of these shots were new to me, but, unfortunately, photography of these stills was not allowed. There's also a gift shop with some Hedorah goods, but I kept my wallet closed this time. After, the GFW Hedorah suit was the main attraction for me. Anyway, here's what I saw.

DEEP DIVE: Did Tomoyuki Tanaka Tell Yoshimitsu Banno He 'Ruined' Godzilla?

Yoshimitsu Banno in July 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's a story that just won't go away. For decades, it's been repeated countless times that, during the production of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971), producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, furious at Godzilla's flying scene, told writer-director Yoshimitsu Banno that he "ruined" Godzilla. 

But is that how it really happened? The yarn still gets spun to this day, but sources are rarely cited. In order to shed some much-needed light on this situation, let's take a look at what Yoshimitsu Banno and special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano have actually said about it. 

In an unpublished manuscript about his film career that Banno sent to me in November 2012, he described Tanaka's reaction after seeing Smog Monster in Japanese:

「ゴジラ対ヘドラ」の完成試写会が終わってから病院を出てこられた田中プロデューサーは、作品を観た後、私に向って不機嫌な顔で一言。「性格を変えられては困るんだよな」

In the English-language version of the manuscript Banno sent me to proofread, Banno described Tanaka's reaction this way (which is presented exactly as Banno sent it to me in November 2012):

Tanaka producer who came out the hospital after the completion film preview of “Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster” told me with an ill-humored face, "It is no good to change the character."

Banno has consistently told the story this way since I first met and interviewed him in July 2005. I've never heard or read Banno tell the story any other way, except when other Americans have purportedly quoted him on the matter. 

In my July 2005 interview with him, Banno states that he was unaware Tanaka was supposedly angry over the situation until he read about it in a book sometime after Tanaka's passing in 1997. 

According to another account recently told online, Tanaka was more upset at Banno for going around him to get approval for Godzilla's flying scene than he was over the flying scene itself, but, as demonstrated by the quotes above, this version is also false.

In 1978, Banno became director of Toho Eizo's planning section. In 1989, he became managing director of Toho Eizo Bijutsu, retiring from that position in 1994. Suffice it to say, this seems like an unusual career trajectory for someone who "ruined" one of Toho's most profitable franchises and was on the outs with a powerful producer like Tomoyuki Tanaka. 

Teruyoshi Nakano in June 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

We can safely rule out Banno as the source of the oft-repeated anecdote that he was told he "ruined" Godzilla. But I have also read that, while Banno himself may not have said it, SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano has been quoted as saying that Tanaka was angry and told Banno that Banno did indeed ruin Godzilla. 

On the evening of October 9, I was privileged to spend an evening with Mr. Nakano on his birthday. During the evening, I had an opportunity to ask him about the Smog Monster controversy. I made sure to specify the two different accounts that have been told and asked him which one was correct. Mr. Nakano recounted his memory of the events, which matched Banno's version completely. Mr. Nakano went even further to suggest that newspapers may have exaggerated the story.

Given all the above, it is more than a little difficult to believe that Tanaka furiously told Banno he ruined Godzilla. We may never know exactly what happened after Tomoyuki Tanaka saw Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. But, when two of the principals directly involved corroborate each other, you have to lend that version some credence. 

Celebrating the Holidays at the Godzilla Store!

Hedorah is in a festive mood at the Godzilla Store. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I paid a visit to the Godzilla Store, and there were quite a few amusing displays. The photos really do speak for themselves, so enjoy!

 

Super Festival 82!

Earlier today, I attended Super Festival 82. As usual, there's not much to say about it. I chatted with a couple of familiar faces, but after checking out some toys (and even spending a bit of money), it was time to move on. Anyway, here's what I saw.