New Content on Vantage Point Interviews!

 

If you like the South Korean monster mash Yongary Monster from the Deep (1967), you'll want to check out my mini interview with one of its English-language voice actors, Dan Keller. Keller played the young boy Icho, who befriends the towering beast in the film. It's a breezy read, so you have no excuse not to give it a look!

A Dramatic Reading Gets Much More Dramatic Afterward!

Masanori Machida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night (Saturday, January 27), I made my way to another dramatic reading performed by Masanori Machida. This time, Machida-san's story was less a recital of a script and more like a miniature play, featuring several other actors who weren't reading from a script. The story centered around an old woman who wanted to look young and beautiful, so she sought out plastic surgery. It was quite interesting and was a nice change of pace.

Suffice it to say, I came to the venue prepared. After the performance, I brought quite a few DVDs and Blu-rays that feature Machida-san. Most were public-domain releases of Monster from a Prehistoric Planet (1967), which is one of my favorite kaiju movies. On one release, it's paired with Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967), as well as the Roger Corman edit of the Soviet film Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965), another favorite.

I thought it would be cool to have Machida-san pose with these various releases before signing them. The photos turned out great, as did the autographs. With that said, here are some of the shots I was able to get. Enjoy!

Yongary (and Wangmagwi!) Stomp Their Way into New York This September!

Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967) will wreak havoc on New York this September in glorious 35mm!

Special thanks to Bradford Grant Boyle (via film critic Mario Naves) for the tip!

Fans of Asian monster cinema in the New York area are in for a tasty treat this September when Film at Lincoln Center presents Korean Cinema’s Golden Decade: The 1960s, a film program featuring some of South Korea's best and most influential movies of the era.

The big news for monster movie fans is that a 35mm print of the 79-minute English-language version of Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967) will be screened as part of the festivities! As the late Gorilla Monsoon might say, it's certainly going to be a happening!

Yongary is currently scheduled for three screenings: 

Friday, September 1, at 4:15 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

Saturday, September 9, at 2:15 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

Saturday, September 16, at 8:30 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

But wait -- that's not all! Space Monster Wangmagwi (1967) is also part of the lineup! Though in all likelihood it will be a digital projection (as opposed to a film print), it's a film once thought to be lost that's only now getting seen in the West. And what better way to see such a movie considered lost for decades than on the big screen?

But that's still not all! The good news keeps coming because Yongary and Wangmagwi will be presented as a double feature! According to the website:

Enjoy two films for the price of one at select double features! Valid on September 9 & 16 with a ticket to this film [Yongary, Monster from the Deep] & Space Monster Wangmagwi. Discount automatically applied when adding both tickets to your cart; double features excluded from 3+ Film Package.

Space Monster Wangmagwi will be screened:

Saturday, September 9 at 4:00 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

Wednesday, September 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

Saturday, September 16, at 6:30 p.m. at Walter Reade Theater

Tickets are on sale now, so don't miss out on this rare opportunity to see two of South Korea's mightiest monsters on the big screen!