A Brief Detour into the Dark Side of Fandom

I'll keep this as brief as possible because I don't want this individual's name or crimes associated with this blog. Those of you who are dialed into the goings-on of Western Godzilla "fandom" have almost certainly heard the news regarding what became of a certain would-be documentary filmmaker of "independent tokusatsu" who suddenly disappeared without a trace for about four and a half years. Let's just say that he was arrested and convicted of committing some of the worst crimes imaginable.

That's all I want to say about it on this blog, but, if you'd like a bit more information, I'd highly recommend checking out this link. The author of the piece appears to be anonymous (at least that's the way it seems to me after looking around for a bit), but the points he raises and the questions he asks are spot-on. I'm sure some in "fandom" will use the writer's apparent anonymity to dismiss his arguments, but those who are searching for answers and some accountability in this debacle would be wise to consider his thoughts.

I've mostly been absent from Western fandom for years, and the above-linked essay perfectly describes many of the reasons I decided to leave. I haven't looked back since, and based on what I've learned in the last week I got out just in the nick of time.

Lunchtime in Tokyo with a VIP!

Kyoko Ifukube. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today Friday, February 24), I was invited to lunch in Nakameguro with Kyoko Ifukube (the daughter of maestro Akira Ifukube) and two of her friends. The four of us had lunch at an eel restaurant right as it opened at 11:30 in the morning. 

Even though Kyoko-san's father is a true legend of Japanese cinema, the conversation centered around everyday topics and was much more casual. I asked her what her favorite Godzilla movie was, and of course the 1954 original is her favorite. After that, she cited Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), specifically mentioning that The Peanuts were in it.

When I mentioned that Yuriko Hoshi was in it, Kyoko-san pulled out a photo from her purse that looked like it was taken sometime in the early 2000s (or possibly the late '90s). It appeared to my eye that it was taken at a ceremony inside a luxurious hotel. Her father was walking in the direction of the camera with Kyoko-san behind him. In the background, you can see none other than Yuriko Hoshi looking on. I'd never seen this photo before, so it was a rare treat!

One of Kyoko-san's friends mentioned that she lived near Ofuna, so the subject of Shochiku Studios came up. We both rattled off a bunch of trivia about Shochiku movies, and I suppose she was surprised that I knew as much as I did. I've seen a few of them.

We spent a little more than an hour together, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We talked about meeting up again, which I hope we can do. It was most definitely a fun lunch break!

'The Green Slime' Invades the Laputa Asagaya in 35mm!

Signage for The Green Slime screening at the Laputa Asagaya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Monday, February 20), I had the privilege of seeing The Green Slime (1968) in 35mm. I'd seen the movie projected twice before -- once in an old-timey theater way back in March 1996, and the other time in November 2009 at an L.A.-area convention. As far as I know, both screenings were from the same 16mm print owned by a private collector.

Interestingly, though, I didn't sit through the entire film either time. In 1996, I wasn't all that interested in the movie (to be perfectly honest), so I would occasionally leave my seat to check out the videos on sale in the theater lobby. In 2009, I assisted Luciana Paluzzi at her autograph table and only caught about the first third or so of the movie.

Publicity material for The Green Slime in the theater lobby. Photo by Brett Homenick.

So this screening promised to be much different, and it would be presented in the far superior 35mm format. The only drawback was that it was the inferior Japanese cut of the film, which edits out as much of the drama as possible. The runtime for this version is only 77 minutes, so you can get an idea of how much got left on the cutting room floor.

Out and about in Asagaya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The print itself was in good condition, and none of the typical imperfections one normally gets with such prints was that distracting. It did seem to my eye, however, that the first few minutes were a bit faded, but after that the print looked great to me. 

Naturally, I enjoyed the film, and it was especially fun seeing so many people I've interviewed over the years in the movie. I finally got to get a good look at the late Tom Korzeniowski (billed here as Tom Conrad) in the film, which was the icing on the cake. I also have to give the three leads a lot of credit for giving it their all in what must have seemed like a rather silly film.

It's quite amusing to think that, just three years after The Green Slime, Richard Jaeckel would appear in the Paul Newman-directed drama Sometimes a Great Notion (1971), which would earn him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. The Green Slime helped pave the way to the Academy Awards ceremony!

All in all, it was another fun evening at the Laputa Asagaya for the theater's Science Fiction Film Festival program. Hard to believe there are only two films left before it ends. I'm really glad I finally got to see The Green Slime properly in 35mm. It's just too bad it wasn't the American version! Can't win 'em all, though.

Winter Warms Up for an Afternoon of Tokusatsu!

Kenji Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today (Sunday, February 19), I had the good fortune to spend a couple of hours with former Toho tokusatsu director Kenji Suzuki. Suzuki-san served in that position on Rebirth of Mothra III (1998), Godzilla 2000 (1999), and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000).

We met at Seijogakuen-mae Station and headed to a nearby cafe. Thankfully, the weather was much warmer than it had been recently, and I didn't even need to wear my winter coat. Once we sat down at the cafe, I got to hear a lot of stories from the sets of various tokusatsu shoots. It was quite enlightening!

My favorite moment, though, was when Suzuki-san was signing a couple of postcards I bought from the Godzilla Store, which were from Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), on which he served as chief assistant director of special effects. One of the postcards simply says, "Happy Birthday," which Suzuki-san read out loud, causing me to laugh. Maybe you had to be there.

Many thanks to Suzuki-san for the fun afternoon!

An Ultra-Cool Evening with Two Icons of Japanese Television!

Bin Furuya. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, February 18, I was lucky to attend a special dinner party with none other than Bin Furuya, the legendary Ultraman suit actor from the original Ultraman (1966-67) series, as well as a bevy of other movie and television roles at Toho and Tsuburaya Productions throughout the 1960s. To be honest, I hadn't been expecting to attend this event due to my work schedule. But then I found out that a dinner party would be held after the event itself, which meant that I could attend after all once I'd finished work.

I last met Furuya-san briefly in December 2021, but our time at that event was so brief that it wasn't very memorable. I was a bit surprised that Furuya-san seemed so glad to see me again, as it appeared he was a bit concerned (I'm not sure that's the right word to use, but I'm having trouble coming up with something more appropriate) that he hadn't seen or heard from me in a while.

Well, I mailed him a New Year's greeting card, as I always do, as well as sending my best wishes to him for a happy New Year via email. But it's true that I've missed all his events since the end of 2021. It was really just a timing issue. Suffice it to say, though, that I was more than impressed that he genuinely seemed to care so much. 

Furuya-san was in a great mood, and his energy rubbed off on me. He introduced me to several new faces and told them about the time I escorted him and Akira Takarada around Chicago in July 2012, pitting his hands on my shoulders as he recounted his memories. For someone who has done as many events in the U.S. as Furuya-san has, it also impressed me that his first visit still holds such a prominent spot in his heart. 

With Mari Shimizu.

Also on hand was another legend -- voice actress Mari Shimizu. Shimizu-san is certainly best known as the original voice of Astro Boy in the 1963-66 anime series of the same name. I hadn't seen her in many years, and unfortunately she didn't recognize me when we met. No worries, though -- our last encounter was a long time ago. Prior to meeting her again, though, I was surprised to find that her father was actor Gen Shimizu. 

Who is Gen Shimizu? Well, it's great you asked. Gen Shimizu appears in numerous Akira Kurosawa films, including Stray Dog (1949), Seven Samurai (1954), I Live in Fear (1955), Throne of Blood (1957), The Bad Sleep Well (1960), Yojimbo (1961), Sanjuro (1962), and High and Low (1963).

Other notable films on Mr. Shimizu's resume include Gate of Hell (1953), Chushingura (1962), A Woman's Story (1963), and Rise against the Sword (1966). He even appeared in the occasional tokusatsu outing, including Ghost Man (1954), Buddha (1961), Monster Zero (1965), Ultra Q episode 8 (1966), The Space Giants (1966-67), and Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) as the commander of the Self-Defense Force. Mr. Shimizu passed away on December 20, 1972, at the age of 65, just months after Godzilla vs. Gigan was released in theaters.

I mentioned to her that her father appeared in Gigan, but she wasn't aware, pointing out that he is much better known for his Kurosawa roles, which naturally makes a lot of sense. But I can't help it if his most iconic role for me was his part in Jun Fukuda's 1972 kaiju romp. As cool as it is that she is an anime icon, her being Gen Shimizu's daughter is right up there, too.

What a fun evening! It certainly had been too long, so let's all do it again soon!

'SHIN' YAMADA: Coming Soon to a Soccer Field Near You!

Just what we needed -- another "Shin" movie! Or is it? Photo by Brett Homenick.

While leaving Musashi-Mizonokuchi Station earlier today, I was amused by this sign. It's promoting Japanese soccer star Shin Yamada, who currently plays for the Kawasaki Frontale football club. But they rendered his name in a way that should be rather familiar to those who've seen the recent "Shin" series of tokusatsu films. "Shin" Yamada -- get it?! I wonder if he'll hire Hideaki Anno as his coach. 

Ultraman Wants Your Blood!

Ultraman teams up with the Japanese Red Cross Society. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While at Seijogakuen-mae Station earlier today, I saw this poster inside the train station. Ultraman (and the Japanese Red Cross Society) want us to donate our blood. Well, you know what to do!