FLASHBACK! An Afternoon with Daimajin!

Riki Hashimoto in June 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

On June 5, 2016, I was very fortunate to spend an afternoon in the company of Daimajin suit actor Riki Hashimoto. It wasn't part of any event; it was a private meeting that included a mutual friend. We first met a cafe and then went out for sushi. Here are a few photos from the occasion.

 

 

FLASHBACK! This Is Operation: Final Wars!

In between Shogo Tomiyama and Chihiro Otsuka in August 2018.

Here's another occasion from the archives that I neglected to blog about in real time. On August 26, 2018, I attended a special Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) event with special guests Shogo Tomiyama and actress Chihiro Otsuka, who (along with Masami Nagasawa) played the Shobijin in both Final Wars and Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003).

Both special guests were quite friendly. I wasn't sure how Ostuka-san would react to being around fans, but she was approachable and open-minded. I remember her being especially interested in my opinions and perspectives as an American.

For whatever reason, I didn't blog about it at the time, so I thought I'd remedy that now. Enjoy!

Godzilla vs. Valentine!

Godzilla vs. Valentine! Photo by Brett Homenick.

An eye-catching promotion is currently on display along Mosaic Street Shinjuku (right outside Shinjuku Station's West Exit). It's called Godzilla vs. Valentine, and -- wouldn't you know it -- it's just in time for Valentine's Day. It's all pretty self-explanatory, so let's get on with the pictures. Enjoy!

Nikkatsu in the Evening!

Masako Izumi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Immediately after work tonight, I attended an event with former Nikkatsu actress Masako Izumi. If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you ought to recognize her by now. She's been doing events once a year in February for the last five years. I've attended each one.

Izumi-san began her acting career in 1958 and quickly became a star when she signed with Nikkatsu Studios in the early 1960s. At Nikkatsu, she starred in such films as Toshio Masuda's tragic World War II drama Monument to the Girls' Corps (1968) and Seijun Suzuki's Tattooed Life (1965). Naturally, she has many other roles to her credit.

She's always a lot of fun to hang out with. Occasionally, actresses can be a bit challenging to deal with, but not Izumi-san. She's one of the warmest and friendliest I've ever met. It was great to share some laughs with her and listen to her stories about some of the Nikkatsu directors she's worked with. It was a great way to spend an evening.

FLASHBACK! An Afternoon with Screaming Mad George!

Screaming Mad George hard at work in his creature shop in Osaka. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

This should probably fall into the "better late than never" category. When I visited Osaka last spring, I went to Osaka University of Arts and got to spend some time in the workshop of special effects and makeup guru Screaming Mad George (née Joji Tani).

The Osaka native made a big impact on American genre films in the 1980s and '90s -- Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Predator (1987), A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), and The Abyss (1989), just to name a few.

He also co-directed The Guyver (1991) with Steve Wang. He's no stranger to Japanese tokusatsu films, either, as he directed the SFX for Tokyo: The Last War (1989). It was great to spend some time in his company and pick his brain about his history in Hollywood and Japanese special effects. The visit happened on May 30 of last year. Enjoy!

The Human Bullet Returns!

Minori Terada. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Today, I attended a 35mm screening of the erotic drama Love Hotel (1985), a fairly well regarded film directed by the late Shinji Somai. I went into the film not knowing what to expect, but I have to admit that it left me cold. I just wasn't that impressed by what I saw, despite a few satisfying scenes. But I guess they can't all be winners.

Love Hotel stars Minori Terada, so it ought to come as no surprise that he was the evening's guest of honor. Terada-san stars in Kihachi Okamoto's The Human Bullet (1968), but he is also known for his supporting parts in such films as Okamoto's Red Lion (1969), Station (1981), Hayao Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky (1986), Akio Jissoji's Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis (1988), and Ultra Q: The Movie (1990). On TV, he guest-starred in Ultraman (1966-67) episode 14 as the assistant truck driver.

I met Terada-san last August for the first time, and given his resume in the world of cinema, I welcomed the chance to meet him again. During the evening, he gave out fliers for a concert devoted to the films of Akio Jissoji that will take place later this month. I'm not sure yet if I will attend, but I'll certainly give it some thought.

A great time was had by all, and I must thank Terada-san for being such a cool guest.

Seeing Gappa on the Big Screen!

Masanori Machida poses answers questions next to a poster for Gappa. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

On Saturday, Februaty 8, I attended a screening of the Nikkatsu kaiju classic Gappa the Triphibian Monster (a.k.a. Monster from a Prehistoric Planet, 1967) in 35mm. It was my first time to see the film in 35mm, and suffice it to say, it's never looked better.

Masanori Machida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I hadn't seen Gappa in several years, so I wasn't sure how my opinion of the film would hold up. But I completely enjoyed it. The movie held my attention, and I was surprised when I realized that it was approaching its climax. (I thought the movie would go on for another 20 or 30 minutes!) There's just no substitute for seeing these fun monster romps in 35mm.

The screening was followed by a Q&A with former child actor Masanori Machida, who played Saki in the film. Naturally, Machida-san is a regular presence on this blog, and I've become quite familiar with him over the years. He's always a blast to hang out with, and this time was no exception.