Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Beyond Godzilla: Alternative Futures & Fantasies in Japanese Cinema starts Friday.

The Japan Society’s series Beyond Godzilla: Alternative Futures & Fantasies in Japanese Cinema starts Friday.

I have to apologize to the Japan Society about my silence concerning the series but it hasn’t been intentional. The silence has been the result of not being sure how to properly cover the series do I simply write up the films or do I go see the films on the big screen. It’s a question that has haunted me since it was announced since I’ve seen all but two of the films, but none of them on the big screen.

This is a great series of films that highlights a bunch of overlooked genre films. Most of the films have been unfairly dismissed over the years. In part because the films were often seen in crappy pan and scan home video releases or messy bootlegs. I really love a number of these films and can’t understand why more people haven’t seen them. On the other hand until recently most people have not paid much attention to most Asian films.

I have not seen School in the crosshair nor Blue Christmas but I’m hoping to get to see them.

It's been ages since I've seen it but The Invisible Man is a lot of fun. I saw the film on a crappy bootleg many years ago and enjoyed myself.  

Secret of the Telegan has a vile baddie teleporting into places ,killing the men who once tried to kill him and teleporting out again. It’s definitely worth the price of admission and a box of popcorn.

H-Man is a film about a weird goo, the remnants of the crew of a hip that went through a radioactive cloud. The goo is killing people  and leaving nothing behind. In a weird way the film is more a mystery or thriller with fantasy elements then a straight on horror film and it’s a blast.

Latitude Zero is just crazy I mean bat shit crazy in the best way. Joseph Cotton plays a Captain Nemo style seafarer who travels underwater and battles the evil Cesar Romero. It’s just crazy fun. I mean how can a film that has winged stuffed lion attacking the good guys not be fun? This was a film that warped me as a child and I can’t recommend it enough.

Gamera 3 Revenge of Iris is a must see. The third film in the 1990’s attempt to restart the series the film is not your parents Gamera film. While the first film in the series was uneven the second film upped the ante with a dark seriousness no giant monster film had managed since the first Godzilla film. It was apocalyptic. This film continued the darkness and when it was over I was wondering where they would go from here. A few years later the series restarted with a film about a baby Gamera. While that film is good it didn’t live up to this film. Gamera 3 is great film. It is one of the best giant monster films I’ve seen- and until the recent Godzilla films near the top. If you’ve never seen this go see it.

The series plays through April 8th and is a must see.

For tickets and more information go here.

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