Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
A Critical Analysis of 103 Features Released in the United States, 1950-1992
STUART GALBRAITH IV
Research Associate R. M. HAYES
with a foreword by BILL WARREN
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McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London Contents
Acknowledgments xi Preface xiii A Note About the Text xxi "A Wind from the East" by Bill Warren xxiii
The Fifties
Rashomon (1950) 2 Throne of Blood (1957) 32 Tales of Ugetsu (1953) 4 Attack from Space (1958) 34 Godzilla, King of the Monsters! Evil Brain from Outer Space (1954/1956) 7 (1958) 35 Gigantis the Fire Monster (1955) 14 The H-Man (1958) 37 Half Human: The Story of the Invaders from Space (1958) 39 Abominable Snowman (1955/ Varan the Unbelievable (1958/ 1957) 18 1962) 41 The Mysterious Satellite (1956) 21 Battle in Outer Space (1959) 44 Rodan (1956) 23 The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959) 47 Atomic Rulers (1957) 26 Prince of Space (1959) 49 The Mvsterians (1957) 28 The Three Treasures (1959) 51
The Sixties
The Final War (1960) 54 Gorath (1962) 72 The Human Vapor (1960) 55 King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962/ The Secret of the Telegian (1960)1 57 1963) 76 Invasion of the Neptune Men Atragon (1963) 81 (1961) 60 Attack of the Mushroom People The Last War (1961) 63 (1963) 84 The Manster (1961) 66 The Lost World of Sinbad Mothra (1961) 68 (1963) 87 Contents
Dagora, the Space Monster War of the Monsters (1966) 138 (1964) 90 King Kong Escapes (1967) 141 Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964) 92 Monster from a Prehistoric Ghidrah: The Three-Headed Planet (1967) 145 Monster (1964) 96 Return of the Giant Monsters Kwaidan (1964) 100 (1967) 147 Onibaba (1964) 105 Son of Godzilla (1967) 150 Adventure in Takla Makan (1965) The X from Outer Space (1967) 153 (1965) 108 You Only Live Twice (1967) 155 Frankenstein Conquers the Black Lizard (1968) 157 World (1965) 109 Destroy All Monsters (1968) 161 Gammera the Invincible (1965/ Destroy All Planets (1968) 165 1966) 112 Goke: Bodysnatcher from Hell Monster Zero (1965) 115 (1968) 166 Ebirah, Horror of the Deep The Green Slime (1968) 169 (1966) 120 Kaidan Botandoro (1968) 172 The Face of Another (1966) 124 Mighty Jack (1968) 173 The Magic Serpent (1966) 126 100 Monsters (1968) 176 Majin (1966) 129 Voyage into Space (1968) 177 The Return of the Giant Majin Attack of the Monsters (1969) 181 (1966) 132 The Blind Beast (1969) 183 Majin Strikes Again (1966) 133 Godzilla's Revenge (1969) 184 Terror Beneath the Sea (1966) 134 Latitude Zero (1969) 186 War of the Gargantuas (1966) 136
The Seventies
Gamera vs. Monster X (1970) 192 The Last Days of Planet Earth The Vampire Doll (1970) 194 (1974) 220 Yog: Monster from Space (1970) 196 Space Warriors 2000 (1974) 223 Gamera vs. Zigra (1971) 198 Evil of Dracula (1975) 225 Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) 227 (1971) 201 Time of the Apes (1975) 230 Lake of Dracula (1971) 204 The Last Dinosaur (1977) 234 Godzilla on Monster Island The "Legend of the Dinosaurs" (1972) 207 (1977) 236 GodziUa vs. Megalon (1973) 210 The War in Space (1977) 239 Tidal Wave (1973/1975) 213 The Bermuda Depths (1978) 242 Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster Fugitive Alien (1978) 244 (1974) 217 Message from Space (1978) 248 Contents vii
Star Force: Fugitive Alien II Swords of the Space Ark (1978) 251 (1979) 253
The Eighties and Beyond
Gamera Super Monster (1980) 258 Solar Crisis (1990) 279 The Ivory Ape (1980) 261 Twilight of the Cockroaches Virus (1980) 263 (1989) 283 Godzilla 1985 (1984/1985) 266 Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1988) 270 (1991) 286 GodziUa vs. Biollante (1989) 272 The Guyver (1991) 291 Akira Kurosawa's Dreams Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) 293 (1990) 276
Filmography 299 An Introductory Note 299 Daiei Motion Picture Company, Ltd. 300 Nikkatsu Corporation 314 Shintoho Company, Ltd. 315 Shochiku Company, Ltd. 318 Toei Company, Ltd. 325 Toho Company, Ltd. 337 Tsuburaya Enterprises, Inc. 376 Miscellaneous Productions 381 Bibliography 395 Appendix: Additional Godzilla Appearances 399 Index 401