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| Invasion Of The Astro Monsters(1965); Discuss the film here. | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 10 2006, 07:54 PM (1,555 Views) | |
| Jonzilla | Aug 31 2009, 08:56 AM Post #106 |
Monsterland Associate
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I didn't used to like this film much when I was younger. Too much human chit chat and not enough monster action,with the fights being especially brief. It was over an hour before any destruction occured too! It didn't help that when I first saw it,it was during a season of Godzilla films on UK TV,and while this was the second film they showed,it had been proceeded by the action packed,multi monster spectacle of Destroy All Monsters,and Invasion Of The Astro Monster,even though I knew it had been made earlier,just seemed like a much slower paced rehash with fewer monsters. However,I've gotten to like it more and more as the years go on [I'm 38,am I the oldest one around there? Just wondered,random digression,sorry],and now I consider it only a notch below the previous two films. Although the alien invasion story had been used before by Toho,this was the first time it had been used in a Godzilla film [it would soon be used to death though!],and I now kinda like the slow pace,it creates an atmosphere of mystery. The gradual uncovering of what the alien's real objectives are is very well done,and the tape that is really a demand for Earth's surrender may have been a bit of a surpise at the time. Some of the visuals,such as those on the alien planet,are really cool in a kitchsy 60s way,while the effects are often really impressive for 1965 [yet people still diss these movies has having bad effects]. The aliens look Toho's best,I think. When it finally comes around,the destruction is pretty long and impressive,despite some stock footage. I still think the fights are too brief but the first one has the Godzilla Dance,one of my favourite bits of Godzilla silliness! I also love Nick Adam's full tilt performance [and dialogue],probably the best by a Westerner in a Toho film. Kumi Mizuno [is that right? I'm crap at remembering Japanese names] is gorgeous and I don't blame the actor for having an affair with her,I would! All in all,a really solid,balanced film,more a sci fi thriller with monsters,than an all out monster movie. I actually prefer to watch the dubbed version [a rarity with me],as very little was cut or changed and you here Adam's voice. |
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| packmule | Aug 31 2009, 06:32 PM Post #107 |
Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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There are older members here. Kimi, aka KaijuFanatic, is in her early forties. I'm 47 years of age and, I believe, the oldest registered member of this message board. The "Jumping shie" dance was popular in Japan at the time of this movie(1965). SPFX director Eiji Tsuburaya wanted to incorporate this dance into the film because he believed it would please children. The Toho production staff didn't like it, nor did director Ishiro Honda. Tsuburaya, obviously, got his way in the end as this sequence was retained for the movie's final cut. You're correct: Kumi Mizuno. I've read a couple of internet restrospectives about Nick Adams that have said he was greatly enamored with Kumi Mizuno, who also co-starred with Adams in another 1965 Toho film, Frankenstein Vs Baragon(aka "Frankenstein Conquers The World"). No doubt Adams' interest in Mizuno was a source of great disdain to Nick Adam's wife and was one of the reasons that Adams and his wife eventually divorced. |
 Packmule's Pen Latitude Zero(1969) The Relic(1997) | |
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8:35 AM Nov 23
