Japanese Monster Movies Sirki’s Summons – February 5: The Man Who Taught Kaiju How To Roar draconicverses, February 6, 2014 Greetings from beyond The Veil! I’d like to tell you about a symphonic composer, who has certainly gained the majority of his fame in the Western Hemisphere for writing the scores of many Japanese monster movies. He is considered to be one of the four “fathers” of Godzilla, along with… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies December Really IS the Biggest Month in Kaiju History! draconicverses, December 28, 2013 Greetings, Friends and Fiends, from the Land of the Rising Sun! Ye Olde Dragon has been remiss these past few months in my duty to note and celebrate the release date anniversaries of Toho’s Effects Films, and for that I truly apologize, so help me Godzilla. Now I’m sure many… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Anniversary, GOJIRA! draconicverses, November 3, 2013 It was 59 years ago today, that the world was introduced to a radioactive, fire breathing, reptilian engine of destruction in Ishiro Honda’s GOJIRA (1954). It was the start of an amazing, near-unparalleled film franchise, spawning 28 (direct) sequels, comics, toys, cartoons, an American-produced ‘remake’ in 1998 and another (MUCH… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Sirki’s Summons – July 25: Creator of the Oxygen Destroyer draconicverses, July 25, 2013 Greetings from beyond The Veil, O Worthy Friends! Today marks the passing of a Japanese actor, famous in his homeland for multitudes of films and roles, but best known here in the West for his roles in Japanese Monster & Science-Fiction films. Perhaps his most famous role is that of… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Birthday, Hedora! draconicverses, July 24, 2013 It was 42 years ago today, that Japanese audiences were introduced to one of Godzilla’s weirdest foes – Hedora, aka The Smog Monster, in Yoshimitsu Banno’s GOJIRA TAI HEDORA (1971). American audiences would see this as GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER the following February. This featured the first in a… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Birthday, Akira Ifukube! draconicverses, June 1, 2012 I was remiss yesterday, in not taking note of what would’ve been composer Akira Ifukube’s 98th birthday. In case you don’t know who he was, Akira Ifukube was a classical composer who has found most of his fame in the West, as the prolific composer of many Japanese special effects… Continue Reading
Movies Happy Birthday, KONG! draconicverses, April 7, 2012 This is the anniversary of a very special film. It was 79 years ago today, that the world of cinema was forever changed with the release of a film that would influence many generations of film makers to come – KING KONG (1933). The tale of Merian C. Cooper’s giant… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Birthday, Mechagodzilla (Mk 1) & King Seesar! draconicverses, March 21, 2012 Wow. THIRTY EIGHT years ago today, the world was first introduced to the very first Mechagodzilla, as Toho released GOJIRA TAI MEKAGOJIRA (1974). It would be released thre years later in the US as GODZILLA VS THE BIONIC MONSTER (1977). That didn’t go over terribly well with Universal, because of… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Birthday, Jett Jaguar! draconicverses, March 18, 2012 It was 39 years ago today, that Japanese audiences were introduced to the Robot Hero, Jett Jaguar, when he debuted in GOJIRA TAI MEGARO (1973) better known to US audiences as GODZILLA VS. MEGALON, which would be seen here (by myself, included) in 1976. Godzilla was now a full blown… Continue Reading
Japanese Monster Movies Happy Birthday, TERROR OF MECHAGODZILA draconicverses, March 15, 2012 It was the end of an era, literally. Toho had announced that the movie that debuted on this day in 1975, MEKAGOJIRA NO GYAKUSHU (1975) (aka TERROR OF GODZILLA & TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA in the US) would be the last Godzilla film in the franchise for the time being. It… Continue Reading