Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Monstrous Movie Photo Of The Day: Murderers, Original Plundering Murderers

Written By: Ken Hulsey
From The Pages Of Monster Island News

Good morning citizens! I know it has been a grueling two weeks since my last post and that most of you have been going through some sort of withdraws. I do apologize and I hope that the shakes have stopped.

The reason for this unexpected hiatus was simply do to the fact that my laptop had caught some sort of nasty bug that really wanted to hang on and make my life miserable.

All you hackers can burn!

Before I get into my article let me pass on a bit of healthy advice to you. Looking at naughty pictures on the Internet seems like a rather harmless thing to do but in reality it can lead to your PC getting infected with nasty malware and spybots. Hey, I know everyone loves to look at boobs all day! Just Say No!

In all honesty though I really didn't get my virus looking at porn .... I got it looking for a poem. No, really! A poem ... no lie. It just sounded way cooler for me to say that I got infected by looking at pics of big breasted lesbians than looking up poetry.

Yes, even I have a soft romantic side ... aw shut up!

Anyway back to the topic at hand another movie still from the personal collection of yours truly, this time from the cinematic gem known as "Gigantis the Fire Monster." For those of you out of the loop the afore mentioned movie is an Americanized version of the rather underrated Japanese monster movie "Godzilla Raids Again" which was the first in a long list of sequels to the original "Godzilla" (Gojira). Now I have talked at great lengths about how this film that was produced by Warner Bros is a complete mess so I will only touch on the subject again briefly. To sum it up Gigantis (Godzilla) is called Anguirus (the other monster in the film), Anguirus is called Gigantis, the monsters roars get mixed up, the original movie score by Masaru Satō was replaced by stock music from other films including "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and the dialogue really has to be heard to be believed.

"Horrors in the world of science are part of nature's plan."

You'll scratch your head for hours!

Though "Gigantis" is not even on the same playing field with it's Japanese counterpart the film does retain a sliver of it's charm and the love story contained therein if you look hard enough and there is still plenty of monster mayhem and carnage to be enjoyed.

There is also the story about how the two original Japanese made monster suits fell into Hollywood limbo after they were shipped stateside to make another film based on "G Raids Again" called "The Volcano Monsters" that was to be produced by Hary Rybnick and Edward Barison of AB-PT Pictures which went belly up before it could be made. Those two suits are either still in the possession of a studio, which has no idea they have them, or they are in the LA dump.

As for the photo itself it is an 8x10 printed on glossy stock paper and it's serial number is 59/179.

I really like the composition of this one with both Godzilla and Anguirus going at it in the background with the three major human characters running for their lives in the foreground.



See Also: Godzilla, Anguirus, And The Case Of The Missing Monster Suits / Gigantis The Fire Monster

Monday, March 12, 2012

"50 Reasons Why Tokyo Is The Greatest City In The World"

by Armand Vaquer

Above, the Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with the Wako Department Store in Ginza, the National Diet Building, the Yurakucho Mullion complex and other kaiju-related sites featured in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, Tokyo has other things for travelers to see and do.

CNN Go.com has a list of "50 Reasons Why Tokyo Is The Greatest City In The World."

Included on the list are the railways, Tokyo Sky Tree, Shibuya Crossing (featured in Godzilla and Gamera movies), Imperial Palace, Yodobashi Akiba (and other Akihabara electronics stores), Tsukiji Fish Market, Mandarake Complex, manga-kissa (or "comics café") and many others.

The Godzilla statue in Hibiya made the list:


34. Behold the least impressive statue of a giant monster

Standing in the shadow of the film company that unleashed Godzilla on the world, this bronze effigy of the giant creature in Hibiya park towers a whopping ... half-meter high. We suppose a life-sized 70-meter version would have been prohibitive, but half a meter? At least the pedestal raises it above eye level.



At least there's the man-sized Godzilla statue at Toho Studios to savor if the one in Hibiya doesn't impress.

To view the list, go here.

Friday, March 9, 2012

"Japan Safe For Monster Fan Tourists"



by Armand Vaquer

Last summer, I wrote an article, "Japan Safe For Monster Fan Tourists" that got some play on the Internet (Anime News Network posted it, amongst others). With the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake Coming up this Sunday, the media has been increasing Japan travel-related stories. The western media initially published hysterical stories on the radiation problems of the Fukushima nuclear power plant that dissuaded some from considering a vacation to Japan. To again "set the record straight" for monster movie fans, here is the article:

TARZANA, CA - The March 11 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region of Japan has depressed tourism throughout the country. Author Armand Vaquer says this is totally unnecessary. Prior to the earthquake, tourism amounted to 7% of Japan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) recently declared that Japan is safe for travel.

Armand Vaquer, author of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" said this is especially true for fans of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy movies. The landmarks and locations from the movies were untouched by the disaster.

"Most of the locations shown in the movies are far away from the areas affected by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and radiation problems," said Vaquer. "Most of them are located from Tokyo to the south down to Kyushu. The quake zone is about 150-200 miles northeast of Tokyo. The majority of Japan is now operating normally. Fans of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy movies should not be afraid to visit Japan. It is safe to do so."

Vaquer said that when asked, he encourages travelers to go ahead and visit Japan. "Since March 11, I have monitored the situation in Japan so I could provide accurate assessments for tourists," said Vaquer. "Unfortunately, the western media gave people the wrong impression in their reporting immediately following the quake. Their reporting had people thinking the whole country was affected. Not true."

"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" is the world's first and only Japan travel guide tailored to fans of Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra, Rodan and other Japanese giant monsters. It provides information on each location/landmark, how to get there and what other attractions are nearby.

"'The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan' is an 'unorthodox' travel guide," admits Vaquer. "But baby-boomers' first exposure to Japan and Japanese culture were through the movies. They want to see the locations and landmarks shown in the films. They should get the travel guide and go and have themselves a great time."

"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" is available through http://www.comixpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=1554&zenid=jiq9fjvt4qa67a698cucr0mlf6

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Mill Creek's GAMERA 3 blu-ray is a Keeper



















Here we go again. Evan Brehany talking about Gamera 3.

Thanks to a series of fortunate events, I was able to own the blu-ray release of GAMERA 3: INCOMPLETE STRUGGLE which was released by Mill Creek. The Heisei Gamera trilogy has been a lucky one, looking back on it. All three films are great works for the genre, in particular the third one which is something of a milestone in Japanese cinema. More importantly, the films have been lucky here. Each and every release of the films here in America (on a digital format) has been a great product. Anamorphic widescreen (most of the time), fair picture quality, a wealth of special features which are from Japan (Save some embarrassing material ADV produced), all in subtitles.

Does Gamera’s luck continue into the blu-ray age?

Of course it does. Thanks to the insane cheapness of the blu-ray for GAMERA 3 and the double feature blu-ray of the previous installments, these films are not only among the first kaiju films to be released on blu-ray here in America but are also very accessible to even the most scrooge-esque of collectors. Because of such popularity, this particular product has been noted for it’s three hours worth of material to the trilogy as a whole. Such a package seemed out of the scope of my imagination. Mill Creek Entertainment has been known to bootleg crappy pan and scan prints of the Showa Gamera films for years now (though it seems it is only GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE is being done now in a multi-pack). This was definitely something out of left field. Almost as big of a turn around as what Classic Meidia showed back in 2007.

But how does the package handle itself overall?

VIDEO: 4.5/5
I cannot comment on the quality of the high definition transfer. I can only hope it is beautiful. The best special effects the kaiju genre has to show for and I am stuck watching it in 480p due to not owning composite chords or a HDMI chord. I can however speak about different aspects of the picture though.

In comparison to a copy that I own (sourced from the next to last printing of the R2 DVDs), I can say that the new transfer is better in terms of color. The colors are not as vibrant as what my DVD has, but in return that has something I haven’t noticed before - the amount of bleeding in the picture. It’s not a big difference, but it is noticeable. The bleeding might not even be bad, for it creates a more atmospheric appearance (like how one might like to watch films on VHS). For those who see bleeding as a problem with past releases though, you’ll like this transfer.

AUDIO/SUBTITLES: 4/5
You are going to have to refer to other reviews for more specific and technical based analysis on the disc’s audio. You got two Japanese tracks and an atrocious dub track (I have never seen GAMERA 3 dubbed and I do not plan on it).I will say that even though I am using regular A/V chords to connect my player to my tv, there are some elements which I could hear better than what I could on other releases.

What should be mentioned here though is the subtitle tracks. No, I am not going to complain about them too much. Either they are too big or they are late. I’d personally have the latter. I can piece together what subtitles go with what section of the video. I will complain about the fact that this is a new subtitle track. I am complaining about it because some of the old mistakes the translation on the ADV DVD release had are made again.

For example, when Nagamine finds out that Ayana has a magatama, we go over to the scene of a phone call in which one whole line for Asagi is, “Magatama”. On the ADV DVD, that is translated not as the proper noun it is “A curved black jewel” (a magatama is a magatama, to say “curved black jewel” is like replacing a proper noun with descriptive adjectives). It is worse on this commentary track in which the line is translated as, “You found one?”

There is also noun misusage when Ayana tries to prove herself to the female bullies at school by going in and trying to lift the rock out of the cave. Ayana asks what is in the cave only to be told “…a monster or something” (line is basically the same on both releases). The antagonist chick does not say monster, rather yokai. Yokai like gappa or one of those things from Daiei’s Yokai series (Great Yokai War anyone?) It seems Japanese terms are being ignored. That’s part of the charm of the Gamera trilogy, they are more Japanese than their Heisei Godzilla counterparts.

One improvement was better though. After Gamera’s attack on Shibuya, you have Ayana’s little brother calling her to come see what is on the television. On the ADV DVD, the subtitles translate what he is saying (which sounds like “ohniynjah”, clearly not “Ayana”) as “Ayana”. On the new translation, it is read as “Come quick!”. Easier to believe.

SPECIAL FEATURES: 5/5
For you Gamera die hards and fans out there, this is the reason to get this one disc. In fact, because of this reason, every fan in every country - including Japan - should own this Blu-Ray. The answer is simple - the three hours of material on this disc is material sourced from the Japanese laserdisc box sets for all three films. That is a big deal.

The fact of the matter is this - three main companies handled the video releases of material pertaining to the Gamera trilogy. You had Amuse Video, Daiei Video, and Kadokawa Video. The model was like this: never copy something from one medium to another. If something was released on VHS, do not put it on laserdisc or DVD. If something was put on laserdisc, do not put it on DVD or VHS. Even in Japan, if something was put on DVD, VHS, or Laserdisc, it did not go onto the blu-ray. The Japanese blu-ray for the Gamera trilogy only had one special feature - a three part feature (just a whole bunch of interviews edited together and split into three parts). Unless you had a laserdisc player or bought materials from an illegal source, there was no looking at the special features in the laserdisc box sets.

Until now. Even more interesting, Mill Creek Entertainment has gone the extra mile to even subtitle the material for us. Not everything from the blu-rays are on here now. For example, the laserdisc box set for GAMERA 3 did contain the music video for “Tell Me Once Again”.

Rightfully so, most of the material on the blu-ray belongs to GAMERA 3. It starts off with a Gamera test which shows off the terrible sliding the back shell platelets were prone to. After this and the material for the first two films are over with, there is the “REVENGE OF IRYS REMIX”. To those who do not own the G3 LD Box set, this feature was actually supplemented with a book. The remix is basically the sound mix/track (sound effects, dialogue, ect.) for areas of the film that used SFX and instead of the scenes playing out like they do in the film, they are made up of corresponding B-ROLL footage. For example, with the atmospheric battle between Gamera and Irys, Gamera ramming himself into Irys would be shown via two guys holding shoulder and head props of the kaiju with the following attack changing to in-progress CG work. You see what computer programs and such the production team used. You can edit in each of these bits into their corresponding places within the film and you wouldn’t go out of the 108 minute running time (and if you do, it is just by a little). It is quite a unique feature.

There is also G3 trailers, which unlike the ADV DVD do not come subtitles (for the record, for those who didn’t get it, the vertical line of text at the beginning of some of the trailers is the same text that goes up the beam of light Irys is producing on the poster. It says “I will never forgive Gamera”, which is quite more hefty than “Godzilla dies”).They are not as plentiful as the ADV DVD either.

The best piece is the deleted scenes. Sure, the subtitles are out of sync for this, but at least they do not take up the entire screen. While some say the deleted scenes help answer things about the film, they actually (for me) form more questions than answers. While I can see why they would be cut out, the deleted scenes with Asakura Mito and Kurata Shinya should have been kept. Would have helped with the mythology. Such as further allusions to the I, CHING, the questioning of Nagamine’s theory that the Gyaos truly were biologically engineered, and such would have been so grand.

GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE gets the short end of the stick here, with just a short little tidbit. But what a tidbit! Talking about specific equipment the crew has to use and specific camera lenses and such really are great for those wanting to learn about the technical making of a kaiju film. Adds to a dictionary such as “oh, that prop is a kapock figure” or “those guys helping out the suit actor are Gamera kakari”.

GAMERA 2 has basically just a bunch of b-roll. With the material being sourced from a laserdisc, it should come as no surprise that there would be problems. The images on screen are too dark for a section. But, it is not all that bad. The making of the Legion suit, the b-roll with certain scenes and such really is interesting. Just too bad that some of the more important things, like the quick usage of motion capture in GAMERA 2 wasn’t in with the clips.

That being said, this is great when it comes to the actual making of the films. Yes, as it has been said, those who are completists should definitely keep their ADV DVDs. No doubt about it. But, both products together gives one quite the comprehensive insight. Again, if there has to be one reason to pick up this disc, this is the reason. With the Japanese laserdiscs going for over $75 (the GAMERA 3 laserdisc rising towards a $200 price ticket), it is wise to buy this blu-ray. This goes for fans in every country. Germany, China, Mexico, Iraq. If you are a kaiju fan who cares about seeing making ofs and such, you should get this rather cheap disc.

OVERALL:
Originally, I was going to hold out for the Japanese blu-ray box set. Thanks to finding an unused gift card under the oven, I was able to buy this blu-ray from Walmart. To have thought I would have waited for such is inconceivable. The film is presented nicely, and probably greatly if I had a HDMI chord or composite cables. The extras are the selling factor of the release and are a must. Only bad thing to say it is with neither release the subtitles for the special features are perfect. Chances are, if you are as well informed as me in your research, you have been bits of the special features on youtube (They were uploaded on there before the blu-ray was release, sans subtitles), but the G2 material is new to me. And it is subtitled. It’s great!

4/5
"LEGENDARY PICTURES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BASED ON TOHO COMPANY’S ICONIC MONSTER, GODZILLA

Burbank, CA – March 29, 2010 – Legendary Pictures announced today that they will develop and produce a new film based on Toho Company’s famed GODZILLA character. Through the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a movie inspired by Toho’s Godzilla, a franchise the Japanese company created and has nurtured for over fifty years.

Toho’s GODZILLA franchise boasts one of the most widely recognized film creatures worldwide, resulting in a series of books, television programs, video games and more than 25 films worldwide. Legendary intends to approach the film and its characters in the most authentic manner possible. The company will, in the near future, announce a filmmaker to helm the film for an intended 2012 release. The film will fall under the company’s co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Toho will distribute the film in Japan."

"Godzilla" is coming back -- this time, with Legendary Pictures taking the lead, co-producing and co-financing with Warner Bros. for release in 2012.

Legendary announced Monday it had obtained rights to the iconic monster character from Japan's Toho Co., which has overseen more than 25 "Godzilla" films. Toho will release the pic in Japan.

Legendary said it's planning to announce a director shortly.

In addition to Legendary, producers on the new film will be Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers. Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will exec produce.

"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Legendary noted the film will fall under its co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Legendary's productions with Warners have included "The Dark Knight," "300" and "The Hangover."

Speculation about a new "Godzilla" has been active since last summer. The Bloody Disgusting web site reported in August that the project was in development.