Talkback: Half Human (1955) aka Jūjin Yuki Otoko

[Half Human Hunter]

You have your own?

[The Dark Uniter]

Yeah, I have my own files via eternal hard drive. Just need to convert into DVD files. We should talk more on this via PM.

[omgitsgodzilla]

Ah. You know, that made me realize, I think compared to the Honda-Tsuburaya-Ifukube crew, Fukuda, Nakano and Sato are pretty underappreciated. They didn't make the great classics that the film scholars are going to remember, but they made some really good, entertaining films. They deserve more recognition that it seems they get.

[The Dark Uniter]

I agree. I can't picture Jun Fukuda's films without either people. Sato really match Fukuda's style just like Ifukube matched Honda's style.

[Julia Bristow]

and let's not forget that Nakano was a master at making things go BOOM

[omgitsgodzilla]

Like the Japanese Michael Bay... But good.

[Gojira-Fan]

Ah. You know, that made me realize, I think compared to the Honda-Tsuburaya-Ifukube crew, Fukuda, Nakano and Sato are pretty underappreciated. They didn't make the great classics that the film scholars are going to remember, but they made some really good, entertaining films. They deserve more recognition that it seems they get.

Well, there are some people on this forum that enjoy Fukuda's films more than Honda's.

I think Fukuda, Nakano and Sato do actually get quite a bit of recognition. I can easily recall every Godzilla film they ever worked on, and I know their names by heart.. I don't really know the Heisei directors by heart like I know Jun Fukuda's. I can't recall the composer's names for the two 80's films like I can Sato's.

Perhaps the reason they don't seem to get as much recognition is because they seem to be in the shadow of Honda, Tsuburaya, and Ifukube?

[omgitsgodzilla]

You're probably right. They had a lot to live up to with Honda's team.

[Gojira-Fan]

You're probably right. They had a lot to live up to with Honda's team.

Well, it's pretty simple really. That team worked on classics such as Gojira and Mothra Vs. Godzilla.

Can you think of a Jun Fukuda Godzilla film that is on par with those 2 films I previously mentioned?

And Sato was a good composer, but Ifukbe composed the original Godzilla theme. How could Sato create something as iconic as that one theme?

And Tsuburaya created suitmation itself, and was a pioneer in the Japanese special effects industry.

Granted, it's not like it's a competition or anything, and all of the men did some great work.

[Tamura]

Sato was a "good" composer? I think he's excellent. Have you listened to any of his scores outside of the Godzilla series?

[The Dark Uniter]

I agree. I just love his score for The H-Man, Yojimbo and Half Human. His only weak score from what I've seen is Godzilla Raids Again but even that was good.

[Gojira-Fan]

Sato was a "good" composer? I think he's excellent. Have you listened to any of his scores outside of the Godzilla series?

I think Sato is an excellent composer as well. What I was trying to say (in regard to the Godzilla series) that Ifukbe is more iconic.

And no, I haven't heard Sato's scores outside the Godzilla series.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

Personally, I've noticed that Honda and Fukada have different strengths and weaknesses, so its hard to say whose the better director.

Honda's films are cinematic and move very gracefully from one scene to the next. He also usually has an amazing crew around him to help him with things like effects and music. Not to mention he had some of Toho's greatest actors to play his characters. He also puts heavy emphasis on the monster fights in his films, which are usually the central point. However, that can be a bad thing when developing characters in the films, because they don't get enough time and space to do much. On top of that, the acting in Honda's films are really hit-and-miss. Some are good, like most performances in Mothra vs. Godzilla, but then you've got performances like most in Rodan, which are sometimes painful to sit through. Honda is great at making a great cinematic experience, but when it comes to the characters in his films, he could have been better.

As for Fukada, his films are a more personal and friendly experience than Honda's films. Fukada loved to surround the film with a small cast of well-developed characters, and let them play throughout the film. He does this so well, in fact, that I don't mind that the monsters aren't around for the first thirty or forty minutes of the film. Fukada's characters are so relatable and developed that they become the main focus of the films, not the monsters. Fukada also had a good crew around him, especially for Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep and Son Of Godzilla. Same special effects as Honda, but a different kind of score. Which, to be honest, I'm glad his films have a different kind of score than Honda's films. Fukada's are more personal and intimate than Honda's big epics. They require a more subtle score, which they get. Also, Fukada knew when to be emotional with both the monsters and the human characters, best seen in Son Of Godzilla, with great acting from both the actors and the suit operators. However, Fukada does lack the knowledge that Honda has on making a great monster fight. The fights in his films aren't bad, but they're not nearly as epic and grand as Honda's fight scenes were.

So yeah, Honda and Fukada are both amazing directors, but they also have their flaws or things that they could have done better. I wouldn't immediately say that Honda is better than Fukada, but its hard to compete with Gojira. There are things that I like better about Honda, and there are things that I like better about Fukada. I'd say that both are pretty even.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

^ I think you mean Fukuda.

...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtcMW3i6-gA

Yeah, I screwed that up. My apologies.

[therealmccoy]

I've always wanted to see this movie; it looked very interesting to me. It has some of my favorite actors in it and I'm a fan of Masaru Sato as well.

[The Dark Uniter]

I've always wanted to see this movie; it looked very interesting to me. It has some of my favorite actors in it and I'm a fan of Masaru Sato as well.

Check your PM.

[hawkangel]

Does anyone have a good quality .jpg of the following poster - ?

http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/10 ... 5b9415.jpg

The reason I ask is that I am making my own custom DVD cover for it.
Thanks.

[Julia Bristow]

Here ya go

[hawkangel]

Yeah, that's the one. Does anyone have a high quality version?

[omgitsgodzilla]

Go to the Movie List page on the main site and find Half Human. Go to its page. Hit "Print Screen" on your keyboard. Go to the program you're using to make the cover. Paste. Crop properly