DEEP DIVE: Why Did Godzilla Series Screenwriter Kaoru Mabuchi Sour on Toho Kaiju Films?

The only known photo of Kaoru Mabuchi.

Kaoru Mabuchi (1911-1987) was one of Toho's most important and prolific screenwriters during the Showa era, and he remains one of its most enigmatic figures. Under the pen name Takeshi Kimura, Mabuchi wrote or co-wrote a number of Toho's best and most successful tokusatsu productions, including Rodan (1956), The Mysterians (1957), The H-Man (1958), The Human Vapor (1960), The Last War (1961), Gorath (1962), and Matango (1963).

Under his given name, Mabuchi wrote or co-wrote a number of entertaining kaiju films, such as Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), The War of the Gargantuas (1966), King Kong Escapes (1967), Destroy All Monsters (1968), and Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971).

The reason Mabuchi stopped writing under his pen name and began writing scripts under his real name (while seeming to lose his motivation for the genre) has remained a mystery for decades, but perhaps we have an answer. Let's explore.

Yoshimitsu Banno in July 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to Yoshimitsu Banno, who co-wrote the screenplay for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster with the celebrated Toho scriptwriter, Mabuchi revealed the reason to him. As the story goes, during the production of Matango, director Ishiro Honda cut the film's pre-title sequence in accordance with producer Tomoyuki Tanaka's wishes, despite Mabuchi's protests to keep it intact. Mabuchi argued the sequence was too important to cut, but his pleas ultimately fell on deaf ears. After getting overruled, Mabuchi gave up, and he never wrote another pure science-fiction movie for the studio.

Banno's own experience with the screenwriter was likely even more volatile than what Honda encountered. In spite of Mabuchi's mercurial personality, however, the two managed to hammer out a screenplay for Smog Monster that not only satisfied Banno but still entertains audiences around the world more than 50 years later. Based on Banno's descriptions of events, here's how the process went.

Just before the end of Expo '70, producer Tanaka showed Banno a copy of Mabuchi's first draft of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. Banno was shocked at the lack of quality of the script, labeling it "terrible" and "not interesting at all." 

Nakasendo station Magome-juku (located in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture) in June 2013, which is where Banno completely rewrote Mabuchi's first draft. It proved the perfect location to find inspiration for a story featuring hallucinating hippies. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Completely unsatisfied with Mabuchi's efforts, Banno decided to rewrite the screenplay from scratch. After the conclusion of Expo '70, Banno traveled along Nakasendo via Nagoya by car, stopping at Magome-juku in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, to overhaul the script in a hotel by himself. 

Following that rewrite, with the approval of producer Tanaka, Banno and Mabuchi stayed at a cheap, remote hotel in Nagano Prefecture for a week to revise the script together. It was during this time that Banno and Mabuchi had a conversation that revealed Mabuchi's lack of enthusiasm and motivation. According to Banno, the conversation went like this:

“Why did you write such a boring story?”

“I was cutting corners.”

“What do you mean by that?”

After the two started speaking honestly and directly, Mabuchi explained, "I've worked on several projects with new directors, but they all failed. I figured this one would fail, too, so I just wrote it off lightly."

 

Yoshimitsu Banno signs a Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) DVD sleeve in August 2012. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Banno saw this project as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so cutting corners wasn't an option for him. Banno spoke to Mabuchi about his determination to make Smog Monster a success, after which Mabuchi became properly motivated to work on it. It was no easy task, however, as Banno recalled that it took "heated debates and thorough discussions" to make it so. Banno continues:

Once that happened, Mr. Mabuchi proved to be highly logical, meticulous, and careful in his writing, which was both reliable and engaging. 

But the writing process moved slowly. Banno provides this example to illustrate:

For the scene in which the main character, [Dr. Toru] Yano, is attacked by Hedorah underwater, I had diving experience, so I continued writing quickly. When Mabuchi saw this, he angrily shouted, "If you're going to write it alone, I'm going home!" [I replied,] "Please wait!"

Banno was able to calm Mabuchi down, and the pair successfully completed the screenplay.

Yoshimitsu Banno with a copy of The Man Who Made Godzilla Fly in November 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

The information in this blog post about Mabuchi's involvement with Matango comes from a conversation Banno and I had together, supported by contemporaneous notes. The material regarding Banno's working relationship with Mabuchi comes from both English- and Japanese-language drafts of what ultimately became Banno's memoir, The Man Who Made Godzilla Fly,* which was sent to me by Banno via email in November 2012 for my feedback and editing assistance. 

* According to Banno, the title of his memoir was derived from the title of the interview Damon Foster and I conducted in July 2005 with Banno when it appeared in a Godzilla-oriented fanzine the same year.

WARDROBE! An Afternoon with a Veteran of Toho's Costume Department!

Makoto Ikeda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Thursday, March 14), I spent a wonderful afternoon in the home of Makoto Ikeda, a former member of Toho's costume department who worked on numerous classic films from the studio, including several tokusatsu productions from the era. It was a great opportunity to learn about his life and career.

Makoto Ikeda. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Although it took just about two hours (!) of commuting to reach Ikeda-san's home from mine, I must say that the experience was well worth the effort. Ikeda-san was a generous host, and he graciously signed a few items after our talk. Little did I know that Ikeda-san had a special surprise in store.

Makoto Ikeda with his painting of a volcanic eruption. Photo by Brett Homenick.

That surprise was a painting that Ikeda-san himself painted, which he presented to me as a gift. I was more than a little surprised! Actually, I had the choice between the above painting and another one (which was a much more peaceful image of a tree), so I chose the one that was more tokusatsu-ish. The painting depicts the eruption of volcano.

Interestingly, the penciled-in dates on the back of the painting suggest that it was painted between October 10, 2013, and September 27, 2014. Of course, September 27, 2014, was the date of Mount Ontake's most recent eruption, which is also noted on the back.  

All in all, it was an incredible afternoon spent in the company with a truly unsung legend of Japanese cinema. There's no better way to learn about the history of Japanese cinema than in the homes of the people who made it!

Actress Linda Haynes, Star of 'Latitude Zero,' Passes Away at 75

Linda Haynes in a recent photo taken from her Facebook page.

Linda Haynes, the American actress who got her break when she was cast as Dr. Anne Barton in Toho's all-star sci-fi epic Latitude Zero (1969), has suddenly passed away at the age of 75.

According to her obituary: 

Linda Lee Sylvander, aka Linda Haynes, 75, of Summerville, SC, passed away peacefully, with her family by her side, on July 17, 2023. Born on November 4th, 1947, in Miami, FL, Linda was a kind-hearted and wise woman who touched the lives of those around her with her loving spirit.

This news is especially shocking because Linda reached out to me via email on July 5. We exchanged a few messages and talked about catching up on the phone sometime. Naturally, I never got around to it, putting the blame on the time difference. She sounded perfectly healthy, though admitted to feeling tired, but I couldn't imagine that she'd pass away just days later. I'm devastated.

I first contacted Linda around August 2007, thanks to the fine folks at Code Red DVD who put me in touch with her. We did an interview on Latitude Zero as soon as we were put in touch and remained in contact ever since. 

After Linda moved to South Carolina from Florida in more recent years, we started to lose touch. She wasn't on Facebook as much, and it became harder to get a hold of her. I figured she was busy -- it sounded like her move was quite a daunting task. 

I always figured we'd eventually meet in person. I mean, how could we not? This news is truly shocking, and it will take a while to process.

More recently, Linda wanted to add more details and information to our 2007 interview, but it's another thing we just never got around to doing. I just wish we all had more time.

Rest in peace, Linda. Thank you for all the support and telephone conversations over the years. Your friendship will be dearly missed. 

An Interview with David Milner Has Been Published on Vantage Point Interviews!

David Milner poses with director Noriaki Yuasa. Photo courtesy of David Milner.

Check out my new interview with Godzilla fandom pioneer David Milner on Vantage Point Interviews. Not only was he a contributor to the early fanzines of the '70s, but he interviewed Toho legends like Ishiro Honda, Jun Fukuda, Akira Ifukube, and many others. These stories and many more are recounted in the interview linked above. Content is proven once again to be king!

George Rohrs, One of the Last Veterans of 'Godzilla King of the Monsters,' Passes Away at 90

Film editor George Rohrs, who worked on the American version of Godzilla King of the Monsters (1956), passed away on August 30 of natural causes. He was 90 years old.

Mr. Rohrs was born on April 29, 1930, in Oak Park, IL, but moved with his family to Southern California during his teenage years. After serving in the Army for a couple of years, Mr. Rohrs joined the film industry in the 1950s, leading to a career in the entertainment world that lasted more than 30 years. More information about his life can be found in this obituary.

One of Mr. Rohrs' best-known credits internationally is Godzilla King of the Monsters. In a 2006 interview with Terry Morse, Jr., Morse would say, "Two other editors worked on the team. George Rohrs was the number-one assistant and sound effects editor." 

Godzilla fans around the world owe a debt of gratitude to George Rohrs for helping to make the Godzilla series a worldwide phenomenon. Rest in peace.

Japanese Actress Kin Sugai Passes Away at Age 92

Actress Kin Sugai in her brief (but memorable) performance in Godzilla (1954).

Award-winning actress Kin Sugai passed away on August 10 of heart failure. She was 92. Although she is best known for her work with directors Akira Kurosawa (dating back to 1952's Ikiru) and Juzo Itami (for her award-winning performance in The Funeral), Godzilla fans will no doubt recognize her from her mercurial performance in Godzilla (1954) as Ozawa, the fiery female representative in the Diet.

According to NHK, "Sugai had been living in a nursing care facility in Tokyo for around 5 years before her death." Rest in peace.

DRINKS WITH A TOHO ACTOR! Hearing Many Great Stories from the Golden Age!

Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

By far, the highlight of the day was going to a cafe with former Toho actor Tatsuyoshi Ehara. Ehara-san guest-starred in episode 1 of Ultra Q (1966), but worldwide he is probably best known for his work in Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro (1962) and Red Beard (1965). 

During his Toho years, Ehara-san worked with director Ishiro Honda. He wondered why Honda never cast him in a Godzilla movie, and Honda told him it was because his acting was too natural and realistic. I, for one, would have loved to see Ehara-san in a Godzilla flick.

LINDA HAYNES INTERVIEW! The Latitude Zero Star Recalls Her Experiences at Toho!

Actress Linda Haynes gets friendly with the locals while in Japan filming Latitude Zero (1969). Photo courtesy of Linda Haynes.

I've just published my 2007 interview with actress Linda Haynes, who played Dr. Anne Barton in Latitude Zero (1969) on Vantage Point Interviews. According to Ms. Haynes, it was her first-ever in-depth discussion of her memories of the film, so it's worth checking out!

A big thank-you to Ms. Haynes for giving me her permission to post it online.

AN AFTERNOON WITH SHIGEO KATO! Enjoying Coffee with One of Toho's Most Prolific Actors!

Actor Shigeo Kato in Kamakura. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today I traveled to Kamakura to meet with actor Shigeo Kato. I've blogged about Kato-san several times, but suffice it to say that he's worked with all the great Toho directors and appears in just about every Toho classic from the Showa era. At 90 years old, Kato-san still keeps active in Kamakura.

Shiego Kato signs my copy of The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Kato-san was not just a familiar face in Toho movies, but he was an actor in many classic Tsuburaya Productions TV shows. So I brought my copy of The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 for him to sign. Kato-san was rather impressed with the book and enjoyed thumbing through it.

Unfortunately, the weather was extremely rainy, so our activities were kept indoors. We've already made tentative plans for the next visit, so we'll have to do that during sunnier weather! I'm very grateful for Kato-san's unending generosity. He is truly one of the good guys!

LINDA MILLER INTERVIEW POSTED! Vantage Point Interviews Has the Scoop!

Actress/model Linda Miller, just after completing her work on King Kong Escapes. Photo courtesy of Linda Miller.

Great news for kaiju fans!

If you've been wanting to read my interview with King Kong Escapes (1967) star Linda Miller ever since it was first published, the wait is over! Vantage Point Interviews has published the conversation in full!

I think you'll find that it's well worth the wait!

ED KEANE: Kokusai Man of Mystery!

Here's an interesting find. I recently stumbled across the June 2009 newsletter published by San Francisco's Granada Hotel called The Granada Gazette. What's so special about it, you may ask? It features an article about one of its standout residents, Ed Keane!

For those of you not in the know, Ed Keane played the mayor of New Kirk City (not New York City!) in Mothra (1961), among other roles in such Toho films as Gorath (identified in the article as "Goliath"), The Last War, The Big Boss, and others. Mr. Keane was co-creator of the Kokusai Agency, which supplied movie productions in Japan with foreign (i.e., white) actors.

I contacted the hotel earlier today, and it seems Mr. Keane no longer resides at the hotel, and no forwarding address was given. The manager I spoke with told me that Mr. Keane was always looking for ways to keep active and enjoyed talking about his days in Japan.

Below you'll find a closer look at the article. Enjoy!

Yoshimitsu Banno on 100 Years of Ishiro Honda

It's May 7 here in Japan, making today Ishiro Honda's 100th anniversary. Mr. Honda, of course, was the director of such kaiju eiga classics as Godzilla (1954), Rodan (1956), Mothra (1961), Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964), and many others.

On May 3, 2011, director Yoshimitsu Banno (Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster) recorded a few words of celebration for this landmark occasion. You may watch Mr. Banno's message by following the link below.

Agoura Hills Patch penetrates 'Mushroom Clouds'

Author Peter H. Brothers, July 2010.

The Agoura Hills Patch recently ran an article on Peter H. Brothers' Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. The article quotes Brothers at length, and toward the end you might recognize the name of a certain blogger.

To read the article for yourself, just click here.