"Uchu Kaiju Dogora" (Space Monster Dogora)
I've actually seen this movie before, twice (I have the American version on VHS in all of it's hazy, pan-and-scan glory). I never really cared for it at first. But being the completist that I am, I had to get the Japanese version, widescreen and subtitled. And let me tell you, it made a world of difference! The Honda/Tsuburaya/Sekizawa team rarely got a chance to show their flair for straight-up comedy in their movies (King Kong vs. Godzilla being one exception), and in Dogora they prove that they have a real understanding of the form. I's be surprised if anyone actually watched this movie, in it's original Japanese version and took it seriously, because as far as I can see, it's not supposed to be viewed as such. That aside, the creative team and the cast are in top form. Honda's direction is great, the special effects are (for the most part) breathtaking and Ifukube's score is one of his best of the genre (one of my top favorites of his, mind you). And Robert Dunham rules!!!!
I give it 4 out of 5.
"Latitude Zero"
Well.....what can one say? I would imagine that Toho had a rough time making this movie. It does show. First off, Joseph Cotten is a great actor without question. It's always a treat to see him in a movie. But I think we can all agree that this was not one of his better MOVIES (I say movies with emphasis because any actor worth his salt can deliver a fine performance if the story is good. This movie sounds very promising, but the story was poorly written, making Cotten's performance look almost unprofessional. Still he makes due with what he has, despite the fact that LZ really isn't his kind of movie). And Caesar Romero....well, he's The Joker. Another actor who's always delightful to see. As for the other actors, it's pretty much a mixed bag. Akira Takarada doesn't master the English language, but he does a pretty good job. Akihito Hirata is kind of like a Japanese Bela Lugosi in his relatively minor role. It's clear he had trouble speaking in a foreign tongue. I didn't care much for the rest of the cast. Ishiro Honda isn't really on top of his game, but he does get a few good licks in (the montage of world events at the end when Lawton, the reporter is sent back to the surface was a nice touch). LZ being his last movie (as far as I know), Tsuburaya does his best for the amount of conflict he had to deal with (budget cut, health issues, etc.). The effects range from really poor (the creatures) to pretty impressive (the destruction of "Blood Rock," I think it's called), but they really make you wonder in what direction the genre would have gone if only Tsuburaya had lived a few more years. Overall not a good movie, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I'd watch it again.
2 and 1/2 out of 5
"Uchu Kaiju Guilala"
Another movie that I had seen before a couple of times but again, only in pan-and-scan. Widescreen really does work wonders for these movies! One thing you must realize when going into this movie is that it's not a Toho movie. The stlye of the production is very different. Shochiku was merely testing the waters, seeing as how Toho and Daiei had been so successful with the genre. This is pretty evident in that Guilala doesn't have as much screentime as he ought to have. They must not have wanted to spend so much money on this movie. But still, it's an enjoyable film. Guilala is a cool-looking monster, the quirkiness only adding to his appeal. I could see how some kiddies at the drive-in back in '67 would have been scared of this guy! The effects aren't all that great and the story is pretty wooden (as ar the performances), but if you just want to kick back and enjoy a simple little Japanese kaiju movie, this is one that I'd recommend. And the music catchy too!
3 out of 5
Call me a viciously biased fan of Toho movies (as my reviews for Dogora and LZ were much more in-depth than the one for Guilala), but in reality I enjoyed all three of these movies. My favorite would have to be Dogora, because in my opinion it's the most entertaining and the best-made. I've watched it twice already, and it's rapidly moving up the list as one of my favorite non-Godzilla Toho sci-fi movies.
So, rather than ask you what you think of my reviews (which sometimes, so many people practically beg you to do with posts this long or longer [I admit, I've done so in the past]!), I'd rather you focus on the movies themselves. For those who've seen these "lesser"
classics of the olden days of science fiction cinema, what do you think of "Uchu Kaiju Dogora, Uchu Kaiju Guilala" and "Latitude......ZERO!?"
