Half-Human: Any good?

[Moonshadow]

I'm jealous - there, I said it! 

Me too!

[RedKing]

Sorry guys I can't make copies anymore either since my dvd recorder died. I can make VHS copies if anyone is interested.

[king_ghidorah]

You say that about EVERY movie 

Lol not true!! I prefer the American cut to Godzilla even though the Japanese is "better" 

[Scatter]

Lol not true!! I prefer the American cut to Godzilla even though the Japanese is "better" 

See?? You STILL say the Japanese version  is better

I know you too well my friend

[king_ghidorah]

See?? You STILL say the Japanese version  is better

I know you too well my friend

Lol yeah 

[zombiehorror]

Sorry guys I can't make copies anymore either since my dvd recorder died. I can make VHS copies if anyone is interested.

Avast ye, scallywag!  Arrr......There be pirate'n afoot!

[Moonshadow]

Are there different versions of War of the Gargantuas? That's my favorite kaiju flick.

[RedKing]

The main differences between the US version and the original Japanese version of Gargantuas is they edited out some of Akira Ifukube's music (mainly his stately military march for the maser cannons) and replaced it with stock B movie music (which is still cool, but nowhere near as good as Maestro ifukube;s music.) The Japanese version also directly references Frankenstein. Both versions are out in a double disc sert from Classic Media as a double(or quadruple) feature with rodan, both US and japanese versions of that and an excellent documentary called Bringing Godzilla Down to Size which I highly recommend. there is alo an alternate english dub version of Gargantuas that is severely edited and has entirely different voice actors (even Russ Tamblyn is dubbed), it was released on VHS with Dutch subtitles in the 80s. It is a terrible print along with being edited, so I can't really recommend tracking it down unless you are a completist.

[Moonshadow]

Good grief, Redking, I've had the Rodan/Gargantua DVD for a couple of years and for some reason I didn't realize there were two versions on it! DOH! Thanks for the info. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. 

[Moonshadow]

Many many thanks to our own Unknown Primate for sending me a copy of the elusive Half-Human. Both Pauspy and UP were right -the American version does make you long to see the original Japanese version. The American one is pretty badly chopped up. Even so, I really enjoyed it.  The Snowman was creepy yet sympathetic -after the death of SPOILER SPOILER his son, I felt so bad for him. Whoever the actor was in the suit, he did a nice job of expressing emotion. The mask was also very unique. It had an apelike look, without looking like an ape per se. (If that makes sense.)  I'm so happy to finally have seen this! Thanks again Mark.

[RedKing]

I'm pretty sure that was Haruo Nakajima in the suit-Toho's go-to monster actor. Nakajima played Godzilla from 1954-1972 as well as playing Rodan in his first movie,the robot monster Mogera in the Mysterians, Varan in Varan the Unbelievable,Baragon in Frankenstein Conquers the World,Kong in King Kong Escapes, Gaira the evil green Gargantua, several Ultramonsters and even Mothra larva in the original Mothra from 1961 along with several other stuntmen in a huge caterpillar that operated like the dragons in Chinese parades!

[Moonshadow]

I'm pretty sure that was Haruo Nakajima in the suit-Toho's go-to monster actor. Nakajima played Godzilla from 1954-1972 as well as playing Rodan in his first movie,the robot monster Mogera in the Mysterians, Varan in Varan the Unbelievable,Baragon in Frankenstein Conquers the World,Kong in King Kong Escapes, Gaira the evil green Gargantua, several Ultramonsters and even Mothra larva in the original Mothra from 1961 along with several other stuntmen in a huge caterpillar that operated like the dragons in Chinese parades!

Now that you mention it, the Snowman did move like Gaira. Interesting that under all that bulk, body language still comes through.

[Pauspy]

Now that you mention it, the Snowman did move like Gaira. Interesting that under all that bulk, body language still comes through.

I think this is why the "man-in-a-suit" monster movies can be so satisfying. A good actor can express emotion much better than most other effects (except maybe for Harryhausen's animation, which pretty much always showed some "humanity" in the monster).

[jerod]

I LOVE Half-Human. It's really good.

[Unknown Primate]

RedKing - why did I have a feeling you would know who all the guys were in the costumes?

COZ YOU'RE THE KING OF KAIJU, THAT'S WHY!