Tag: Takashi Shimura

Episode 93: ‘Godzilla vs. Hedorah’ | Ft. Daniel DiManna, Ben Avery, and Giant Monster BS | Godzilla Redux

Published June 5, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! It’s a full house (“full mecha”?) in today’s Godzilla Redux episode on the infamous but now-popular-to-like G-film, Godzilla vs. Hedorah (aka Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster). Daniel DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), Ben Avery (Strangers and Aliens; Welcome to Level 7), and Matt and Gratton of Giant Monster BS all return to discuss the strangest yet arguably most auteur film in the franchise. To say it kicked off the ‘70s G-films with a strange bang would be an understatement. It’s trippy imagery, bizarre monster, and psychedelic pop music all came from the mind of one Yoshimitsu Banno, who despite being rumored for years to have been told he ruined Godzilla, went on to help launch the MonsterVerse. Our panelists unpack that, the film’s subtle-as-a-sledgehammer messages, its co-screenwriter Kaoru Mabuchi/Takeshi Kimura, and much, much more!

Edited by Christopher Riner with Nathan Marchand.

Read “Jimmy’s Notes” on this episode on the MIFV website!

Additional Music:

“Return the Sun! (SENTIMENTAL SYNTH COVER)” by Alyssa Charpentier

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

Introduction: 0:00-14:05
Synopsis and Main Discussion: 14:05-2:45:58
Outro: 2:45:58-3:01:38
Credits: 3:01:58-end

Podcast Social Media:

MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault #Godzilla #GodzillaRedux #GodzillavsHedorah #GodzillavstheSmogMonster #Hedorah

Bibliography/Further Reading:

AlyssaGojiGeek101 (Alyssa Charpentier) YouTube videos:
- “15 Reasons Why I Love Godzilla Vs. Hedorah.” https://youtu.be/hVbyPGBVmwY?si=ovj7YuhqD_fWSXWQ.
- “Godzilla Vs. Hedorah & Creative Leaps of Faith.” https://youtu.be/0z_vP82CKVQ?si=vK-TmRRLf0Bk5flQ.
- “Yoshimitsu Banno’s 46 Years-Long Dream: Hedorah’s Return.” https://youtu.be/QW_nSbD20JI?si=VMW2DirIE1FMTqY6.
Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters.
Galbraith, Stuart IV. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
“Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067148/.
“Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” Toho Kingdom. https://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/godzilla_vs_hedorah.htm.
“Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Hedorah.
“Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Hedorah.
Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 16: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) (Pollution in Japan, the Two Nixon Shocks). YouTube. https://youtu.be/v2gFfJvAK9Y?si=fPx2XfJ80UFzB8Rk.
Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, 2^nd Edition.
Lees, J.D. and Marc Cerasini. The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. 1998.
LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, Vol. 1: 1954-1982.
Rhodes, Sean, and Brooke McCorkle. “Chapter 8: “Smog, Sludge, and Hippies: Godzilla vs. Hedorah.” Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema.
Skipper, Graham. Godzilla: The Official Guide to the King of the Monsters.

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Episode 86: ‘The Whale God’ vs. Daniel DiManna vs. Elijah Thomas

Published March 14, 2024

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In yet another impromptu episode (because reasons), Nate is joined by Daniel DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project) and Elijah Thomas (Kaiju Conversation) to discuss the semi-obscure Daiei proto-kaiju film, The Whale God. Released in 1962, it was largely unseen outside of Japan until it was released by SRS Cinema this past January. The boys unpack the tremendous talent behind and in front of the camera–including Takashi Shimura, Kojiro Hongo, and Akira Ifukube, among others–its connections to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and how it uses elements of J-horror to create a potent period drama. The Toku Topic, thanks to Danny’s in-depth research, is Japanese whaling. Then stay tuned after the credits to hear Elijah try to touch the Whale God!

Buy The Whale God on blu-ray and VHS from SRS Cinema! (https://srscinemastore.com/)

Read “Jimmy’s Notes” on this episode here: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/03/14/jimmys-notes-on-episode-86-the-whale-god-vs-daniel-dimanna-vs-elijah-thomas /.

Post-credit scene suggested by Elijah Thomas.

Additional Music:

“For Her Soul” by RoeTaKa
“Kuwanga Banga” by PirateCrab
“Here We Go” by Chris Classic

Additional sound effects sourced from www.Zapsplat.com.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Edwin Gonzalez, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Robert Kidd, and Leon Campbell! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:

Introduction: 0:00-24:20
Entertaining Info Dump: 24:20-32:21
Toku Talk: 32:21-1:51:42
Ad (Toku Toy Town): 1:51:42-1:53:04
Toku Topic (Japanese whaling): 1:53:04-2:21:31
Outro: 2:21:31-2:43:48
Credits/Post-Credit Scene: 2:43:48-end

Podcast Social Media:

MIFV Linktree: https://linktr.ee/monsterislandfilmvault
Nate’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
MIFV is a member of PodNation (https://podnation.tv/)
MIFV is one of Feedspot’s top 10 tokusatsu podcasts! (https://blog.feedspot.com/tokusatsu_podcasts/)

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault #TheWhaleGod #SRSCinema

Bibliography/Further Reading:

“1962.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/1962.
“Early Westernization & Modernization in Japan 1868-1900.” Japan Experience. 24 Dec. 2012. https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/westernization.
“Japan Heritage Living with Whales Story.” Japan Heritage. https://kumanonada-nihonisan.jp/en/story/#:~:text=In ancient times%2C the Japanese,as a means of livelihood.
“History of Whaling.” Ja[an Whaling Association. http://www.whaling.jp/english/history.html.
LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, Vol. 1: 1954-1982.
“Kaneto Shindo.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaneto_Shindo.
“Killer Whale (1962).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Killer_Whale_(film).
“Killer Whale.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Killer_Whale.
“Kōichirō Uno.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kōichirō_Uno.
“Kôji Fujiyama.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0297893/.
“Kojiro Hongo.” Gamera Wiki. https://gamera.fandom.com/wiki/Kojiro_Hongo.
“Kojiro Hongo.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kojiro_Hongo.
“Kojiro Hongo.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Kojiro_Hongo.
“Kyôko Enami.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0256707/.
“Kyoko Enami.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoko_Enami.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Originally published in 1961.
“Michiko Takano.” TMDb. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1561981-michiko-takano?language=en-US.
“Moby-Dick.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dick.
“Mocha Dick.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mocha_Dick.
Monster Island Film Vault, The. “Episode 22: The Tourists vs. ‘Daimajin.’” http://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2020/08/12/episode-22-the-metters-vs-daimajin/.
Nakazono, Shigeo. “Sustaining Human Life: The Birth of Traditional Japanese Whaling.” Japan Forward. 31 Aug. 2020. https://japan-forward.com/sustaining-human-life-the-birth-of-traditional-japanese-whaling/.
“Samurai.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai#Dissolution.
“Setsuo Kobayashi.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0462054/.
“Shiho Fujimura.” Gamera Wiki. https://gamera.fandom.com/wiki/Shiho_Fujimura.
“Shiho Fujimura.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiho_Fujimura.
“Shiho Fujimura.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Shiho_Fujimura.
“Shintaro Katsu.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shintaro_Katsu.
Takahashi, Junichi, et. al. “Japanese Whaling Culture.” https://www.marecentre.nl/mast/documents/Japanesewhalingculture.pdf.
“Takashi Shimura.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Shimura.
“Takashi Shimura.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Takashi_Shimura.
Thornton, Stuart and Meghan E. Marrero. “Big Fish: A Brief History of Whaling.” National Geographic. Last updated 19 Oct. 2023. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/big-fish-history-whaling/.
“Tokuzō Tanaka.” Eigapedia. https://japanese-movies.fandom.com/wiki/Tokuzō_Tanaka.
“Tokuzō Tanaka.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokuzō_Tanaka.
“Toru Matoba.” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Toru_Matoba.
Venoms5. “Whale God (1962) review.” Coolass Cinema. 21 Feb. 2016. http://www.coolasscinema.com/2016/02/whale-god-1962-review.html?m=1.
Vermeulen, Erwin. “Unlimited Slaughter, Criminal Intent: A small history of Japanese Antarctic whaling.” Sea Shepherd. 23 Dec. 2013. https://seashepherd.org/2013/12/23/unlimited-slaughter-criminal-intent-a-small-history-of-japanese-antarctic-whaling/.
“Whaling Affairs.” https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/e/whale/index.html.
“Yôsuke Takemura.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1476947/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm.

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Episode 43: ‘Godzilla’ (1954) (feat. The Tourists) | Godzilla Redux

Published June 23, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

By popular (and Godzilla’s) demand, MIFV is starting a new series on episodes on the Godzilla franchise called “Godzilla Redux”! It starts with the one that started it all, the 1954 classic Godzilla (aka Gojira) starring Akira Takarada, Akihiko Hirata, and Takeshi Shimura, among others, and directed by Ishiro Honda. Of course, such a momentous film and occasion required all four of the original Tourists, Nick Hayden, Timothy Deal, and Joe & Joy Metter. Unfortunately for Nate, there is way, way, WAY too much scholarship on this film, so it was overwhelming to research and difficult to condense it all down. Regardless, the roundtable discusses the U.S. Occupation of Japan, the Lucky Dragon No. 5 incident, and how Dr. Serizawa should’ve been a cool anime character, among other subjects related to this film.

Check out Nick and Tim’s podcast, Derailed Trains of Thought!

Additional music:

“Chant My Name!” by Masaaki Endo

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; Damon Noyes, and The Cel Cast! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-1:11
Intro: 1:11-3:55
Main Discussion: 3:55-1:17:36
Housekeeping & Outro: 1:17:36-end

Podcast Links:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives #MonsterIslandFilmVault #Godzilla

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters.
Brothers, Peter H. Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda.
Brothers, Peter H. “Without Raymond Burr: Godzilla at the Egyptian.” G-Fan, no. 50, March/April 2001.
Galbraith IV, Stuart. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
Glownia, Dawid. “Socio-Political Aspects of Kaijū Eiga Genre: A Case Study of the Original Godzilla.” Silva Iaponicarum, vol. 37.
Godzilla Commentary by David Kalat (Criterion Blu-Ray).
Godzilla 2011 Criterion Blu-Ray Special Features.
Gojira Commentary by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski (Classic Media DVD).
Gojira Classic Media DVD Special Features.
Hein, Laura. “Revisiting America’s Occupation of Japan.” Cold War History, Vol. 11, No. 4, November 2011, 579–599.
Hoberman, J. “Poetry After the A-Bomb” (2011 Criterion Blu-Ray booklet).
Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 2: Godzilla Origins: King Kong (1933) and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 3: Gojira (1954) (The Occupation of Japan Part 1: Castle Bravo Test, Cold War, Democracy)
Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, 2^nd Edition.
LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
Miwa, Yosjiro, and J. Mark Ramseyer. “The Good Occupation? Law in the Allied Occupation of Japan.” Washington University Global Studies Law Review, vol. 8, no. 2. 2009.
Napier, Susan J. “Panic Sites: The Japanese Imagination of Disaster from Godzilla to Akira.” The Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Summer, 1993), pp. 327-351. Published by: The Society for Japanese Studies.
Noriega, Chon. “Godzilla and the Japanese Nightmare: When ‘Them!’ Is U.S.” Cinema Journal, Vol. 27, No. 1 (Autumn, 1987), pp. 63-77. Published by University of Texas Press on behalf of the Society for Cinema & MediaStudies.
“Occupation of Japan” (Wikipedia).
Ryfle, Steve. “Godzilla’s Footprint” (Classic Media DVD booklet).
Ryfle, Steve, and Ed Godziszewski. Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa.

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