Ultraman Flies into Ginza!

A familiar location to fans of tokusatsu. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yesterday (Sunday, April 23), I went to Ginza to attend an event hosted by Bin Furuya. Entitled "Ultra Live Concert," the event was mostly a performance of tokusatsu music. A five-member band played mostly electronic renditions of well-known tunes from the Toho and Tsuburaya Productions world.

Bin Furuya addresses the audience. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Naturally, recordings of the performances weren't allowed. I'd say the most authentic-sounding rendition was that of the Ultra Q (1966) theme. It was basically spot-on. The other music was obviously well performed, but it wasn't like hearing an orchestral rendition of it. Many cues from Ultra Q, Ultraman (1966-67), and Ultra Seven (1967-68) were performed, as were marches and other tracks from King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964), Monster Zero (1965), and The War of the Gargantuas (1966), all of which feature Furuya-san in small roles. 

Bin Furuya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In between sets, Furuya-san held a Q&A during which he talked about some of his more recent outings. The event also served as an early 80th birthday celebration (at least it was billed that way -- he doesn't turn 80 until July 5), and Furuya-san shared his thoughts about turning 80. He asked the audience if there was anyone who was also 80, and I'm sure you can guess the answer.

He also shared some behind-the-scenes info about developing the fighting style of Ultraman, such as incorporating the karate chops of famed Korean-born Japanese wrestling star Rikidozan. During one amusing moment, Furuya-san noticed the lack of picture-taking of his session (due to the rules regarding the concert) and started encouraging folks to take pictures during his interview.

During an intermission, Furuya-san came up to my seat to greet me. I told him I was also 80 years old, but he didn't seem to believe me. I'm not sure why. As we were leaving the event, I got this quick selfie with him.

And that's a wrap! I can only wonder if there will be a more proper birthday event for Furuya-san as we get closer to his real birthday, but only time will tell.

Paul Mason, Co-Writer of the American Version of 'King Kong vs. Godzilla,' Passes Away at 92

Paul Mason poses for a photo with his dear friend Hachi.

 

According to producer Vicki Shigekuni Wong, Paul Mason, who co-wrote the American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) with Bruce Howard, passed away on December 26 at the age of 92. 

Ms. Wong posted the following on Facebook:

Paul Mason, my dear friend and mentor for the film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, passed away peacefully at home on December 26th. He was 92 years old. I had the pleasure of seeing Paul and his beloved wife Kyong (Lee) at my home this past year. He looked younger than ever, with his trademark thick wavy hair! 

A respected film/tv executive, Paul supported my dream of making the film. A bigger-than-life personality, I will forever be indebted to his generous help as Lee, family & friends celebrate his incredible life. Cheers Paul!

In 2012, I interviewed Paul Mason about his work on King Kong vs. Godzilla. While there were no major revelations about the making of the film, it was a fun experience, and Mr. Mason was extremely helpful. Rest in peace.

A GODZILLA ALL-NIGHTER! Spending an Evening Watching Four Great Godzilla Classics on the Big Screen!

The incredible film lineup at the Shin Bungeiza theater. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday night, July 30, I returned to Ikebukuro's Shin Bungeiza movie theater for a Godzilla all-nighter that would start at 10:30 p.m. and wrap at 5:30 a.m. (Eek!) These all-nighters really aren't my thing (I value sleep way too much), but, when I saw the lineup -- Godzilla 1985 (1984). King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) -- all four were films that I really wanted to see on the big screen. So it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Three of the four flicks were presented in 35mm. King Kong vs. Godzilla was the recent 4K remaster that has earned rave reviews from those who have seen it. As nice as it is to see the KKvsG remaster on a TV set, nothing beats seeing it on a massive theater screen. This was my second time seeing it presented this way.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Godzilla 1985 and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla prints had their share of imperfections but otherwise looked excellent. The Megalon print was essentially flawless. And the King Kong vs. Godzilla remaster was as clear as a bell.

Even though I've seen all these films more times than I possibly could remember, I still noticed a few interesting details this time around. In Godzilla 1985, the Toho logo can be seen on the Yurakucho Mullion building as Godzilla crashes into it. (I guess that makes Godzilla's attack on the building a bit meta.) The Toho logo can be seen on the real-life building for those not in the know. Also, when Godzilla is approaching the bullet train tracks in the same scene, there's a sign for "Delish Curry." I found that kind of amusing. 

Photo by Brett Homenick.

In Godzilla vs. Megalon, there's what seems to be a waste basket with Mickey Mouse and Goofy on it. Most notably, however, the aliens in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla wear belts with ape faces as belt buckles. (I really can't believe I'd never noticed that before, but that's just one of the benefits of seeing these movies the way they were meant to be seen.)

Naturally, I stayed awake throughout the whole program, but I was completely exhausted by the end. All four of these Godzilla movies are personal favorites of mine, though, so there was no missing this all-nighter. Next time, I just hope they do it during the day!

A Special Look at Movie Theaters in Japan at the National Film Archive!

A battledore used to promote a screening of Son of Kong (1933) at Asakusa's Taishokan Theatre circa 1934, along with a photo of the Taishokan Theatre circa 1935. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The National Film Archive of Japan recently held an exhibit of movie memorabilia simply called "Movie Theatres in Japan," focusing on the advertising of theatrical screenings in pre- and postwar Japan. I went on Saturday afternoon, July 16, during a break at work, so I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked. Still, it was a wonderful opportunity to check out some interesting artifacts from Japan's cinematic past. Here's what I saw. Enjoy!

A closer look at the Son of Kong battledore. Photo by Brett Homenick.

A King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) hand-painted movie billboard at the Toho Shikishima Theater in Osaka, created by Fuji Kogei. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Battle in Outer Space (1959) ballyhoo at the Osaka-based Toho Shikishima Theater. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The ei in the sign for Ibaraki Prefecture's Mito Toei Cinema, which was opened in 1960 and closed in 2006, on display at the National Film Archive. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Publicity flags (from left to right) for Daiei's Kunio Watanabe-directed Kenka Fuji (1961), Nikkatsu's The Wandering Guitarist (1959), and Toho's Star of Hong Kong (1962). Photo by Brett Homenick. 

The Star of Hong Kong publicity flag, which was signed by Akira Takarada in September 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Atami Castle!

Atami Castle. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One spot I was interesting in photographing while in Atami today was Atami Castle, featured prominently in the climactic battle in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) between the two legendary monsters. The castle itself was closed, but here are some photos from an angle (more or less) seen in the film.

The National Diet Building!

 The National Diet Building. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier tonight, Jacob and I paid a visit to one of the most recognizable sites in the Godzilla series: the National Diet Building. Having been featured prominently in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), it's long been a destination in Tokyo for Godzilla fans to seek out. Here are some of the pictures I snapped tonight.

Movie Night, Japanese-Style!

Yoshinobu Kaneko. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, July 6, I attended a special event with guests Kazuki Omori and Yoshinobu Kaneko.

Kaneko-san would be best known in the U.S. as the young boy in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) who begs his mother to go see Godzilla, only to be told that they're not going to the zoo. He stars in the title role of the Toei fantasy/action film Watari, Ninja Boy (1966) and co-stars as Blue Shadow in the Toei TV series Red Shadow (1967-68) and the movie spin-off Ninja Scope (1969). He also can be seen in episode 15 of Ultraman (1966-67), among numerous other TV and film appearances.

I had a fun time talking about King Kong vs. Godzilla with Kaneko, especially about the differences between the his mother's line in the U.S. and Japanese versions. He was interested to learn that his mother says "zoo" in the American version. Of course, given that he was a young boy at the time, he has few memories of the shoot. But it was fun chatting with him about his acting career when he was a child.

Kazuki Omori. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The other guest on hand was none other than Heisei Godzilla series screenwriter and director Kazuki Omori. Most folks around Omori-san seemed more interested in discussing various American films instead of Godzilla movies. The discussion of The Godfather Part III was especially amusing, given Omori-san's reactions to Al Pacino's scenery-chewing in the film. 

Overall, it was a very fun night with friendly people. I didn't expect to stay around as long as I did, but it was so much fun that I was in no hurry to leave. Let's do it again soon!

Toho Star Tadao Takashima Passes Away at 88

A recent photo of Tadao Takashima. Photo © Nikkan Sports.

Veteran Shintoho and Toho star Tadao Takashima passed away at his home on June 26 of natural causes at around 1:00 p.m. He was 88.

Tadao Takashima is best remembered among Godzilla fans for his starring roles in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Atragon (1963), Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), and Son of Godzilla (1967). His sons Masahiro and Masanobu went on to appear in the Heisei Godzilla series.

Rest in peace, Mr. Takashima.

HAVE MERCY! Seeing Takasaki's Goddess of Mercy Up Close and Personal!

 Takasaki's Byakue Dai-Kannon (Goddess of Mercy). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I went all the way out to Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to visit the 41.8-meter-high Byakue Dai-Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) statue. Aside from the fact that I enjoy seeing large statues, a miniature version of it was built and used in a deleted scene in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) in which Godzilla passes by it. So it also counts as a Godzilla location.

The statue is quite impressive to see in person. Though it's quite far from Tokyo, I found the trip well worth it. It's interesting to note that the statue is just eight meters short of Godzilla's height in the classic Showa-era films. So if you'd like to have an idea of what it'd be like to see something Godzilla's height, the Goddess of Mercy has you covered.

A Rare Look at King Kong vs. Godzilla!

Keiko Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today offered a unique look at the making of a Toho classic. Former Toho SFX scripter Keiko Suzuki (born Keiko Hisamatsu) gave a presentation about the making of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), featuring a rare look at the script and storyboard drawings. One thing that was interesting to see was that the English-language lines spoken by the Western actors in the submarine set were handwritten in the script in English, and they were essentially verbatim as they appear in the film. 

As handwritten in the script, the helicopter pilot's line, "Look there," was sans "Al." So was "Al" an ad lib? I guess we'll never know, but it wasn't in the script presented today. Moreover, I got to see the storyboards for the deleted scene in which Godzilla approaches the giant Byakue Dai-Kannon statue in Gunma Prefecture. There were two storyboard illustrations, and it didn't seem like much more to the scene than that.

Overall, it was a very fun afternoon, and it was quite amusing to see the various illustrations of Kong and Godzilla in storyboard form. If only there could be events like this for all Toho movies!

Cliff Harrington Interview on Vantage Point Interviews

Clifford V. Harrington. Photo © CliffEhnGee.

My 2006 interview with the late Cliff Harrington has been republished on Vantage Point Interviews with a bevy of never-before-seen photos that Cliff took during his life and career. There's a lot of great stuff to see, so head on over to Vantage Point Interviews for the low-down!

A Great Afternoon in Even Greater Company

On May 20, I once again had the distinct privilege of meeting former Toho actress Mie Hama again. Of course, most folks know her from either her Toho days or other film roles she's had, but these days she pursues a different path and has left her acting career happily in the past. It's always great to have a chance to meet her.

Celebrating 50 Years of Greatness

With actress Mie Hama. 

Today, I had the privilege of attending a special event with actress Mie Hama, the retired Toho star who appeared in the films King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967), which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. Of course, Hama-san's other international hit film, You Only Live Twice, is also celebrating 50 years.

The event itself was quite enjoyable. There was a rakugo performance followed by a lunch made with local cuisine. The highlight, of course, was meeting Hama-san again, who is always incredibly friendly.

KING KONG VS. GODZILLA THE 4K WAY! Attending an All-Night Screening of Godzilla Flicks!

The movie lineup at Ikebukuro's Shin-Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Shin-Bungeiza in Ikebukuro hosted an all-night Godzilla move marathon on the evening of August 12 through the morning of August 13. While I don't usually go for all-night events (for what I hope are obvious reasons), this one was an exception.

The marathon kicked things off with a rare screening of the 4K-remastered King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). This was something I certainly wanted to see, so I braced myself for a bleary-eyed evening (and morning) of no sleep.

I was surprised at the turnout. The theater, which holds 264 people, seemed nearly sold out. I couldn't believe so many others wanted to spend a muggy August evening in a crowded movie theater, but I guess I wasn't alone. The digital projection of King Kong vs. Godzilla in 4K was truly a revelation, and there were many small details I'd never noticed before.

Also, the movie was loud. The monster roars and other sound effects were about as noisy as any you'd find in Hollywood these days. Seeing the movie so clearly was a reminder of what a lavish production the film really was, which often gets ignored by fans who'd rather focus on the King Kong suit. The number of extras, locations, and special effects stand out more than ever before.

The next screening was Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) in 35mm. Before the movie played, Japanese trailers for Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla (2014) were shown. I don't believe I'd ever seen Smog Monster projected in Japan before, so I was pleased to have the opportunity. Having lost Yoshimitsu Banno and Haruo Nakajima recently, it was a great way to pay tribute to their careers.

After another break, a few trailers were shown. These included original Japanese trailers for all the '70s Godzilla films, as well as the ones for Son of Godzilla (1967) and Yog Monster from Space (1970). Once those were finished, it was time for Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) in 35mm. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I love this movie. After having first seen the movie more than 30 years ago, it's part of my DNA. I can't tell you how many times I've seen it, but it never gets old.

Last but not least, Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) screened in 35mm. Unfortunately, this was the Japanese version, so all the English lines were dubbed over in Japanese, taking away a lot of the fun of the movie. With maybe about 20 minutes left, I have to admit I left the theater early to go home. Not because I hate the movie (far from it), but by this time it was almost 6:00 a.m. (!) and I needed to get some sleep.

All in all, I'm just glad I didn't oversleep on the train and my miss my stops! I woke up a few hours ago after a long sleep, so I feel fine now, but this is something I'd usually rather not do. But seeing King Kong vs. Godzilla in 4K on the big screen was simply an offer I couldn't refuse.