Talkback: Varan (1958)

[GodzillaFan1992]

I searched to see if one was made, but couldn't find a talkback thread on this so thought I make one. Anyways.

Varan the Unbelievable



Varan the Unbelievable, released in Japan as Giant Monster Varan (大怪獣バラン Daikaijū Baran?), is a 1958 Kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda (drama) and Eiji Tsuburaya (special effects), and their last black-and-white monster film. The title character Varan is one of Toho Studios' least-famed creations. Although shown in Japanese-language theaters in the USA, the film saw general U.S. release in 1962 only after being heavily revised, in the manner of Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, to have all principal scenes reshot with American actors. Indeed, the plot itself was generally revised, and the Japanese material consisted only of special effects, a few incidental shots, and the ending scene.

[he-ba]

Oh good god, the American version made me not sleep for two nights- literally!

[Ookondru99]

Personally I love this film. I've never seen the American version, but the japanese version reminds me of the giant monster movies that america was pumping out at the time.

[Stevo_1985]

Personally I love this film. I've never seen the American version, but the japanese version reminds me of the giant monster movies that america was pumping out at the time.

I'll have to find me a copy. I know a lot of people are consumed with more monsters less people but I enjoy a good balance. Even the daimajin trilogy I've come to love and he only shows up in the last 15 minutes. I dunno. I prefer a movie that isn't over bearing with monsters screen time. I'll have to watch it and make a judgement for myself.

[Gaira69]

I love the Japanese version. Watch the DVD every year or so. The American version is so edited it bears little resemblance to the original. Varan has a Gojira feel to it with the superstitious villagers worshipping a monster god. The design is cool and the wings are a nice touch. He does not look like a flying squirrel, as some snarky reviewers say. Decent destruction, black and white adds to the atmosphere, humans interesting enough. A very simple straightforward monster film. I like it better than Godzilla Raids Again. Varan makes a brief appearnaced in Destroy All Monsters but I would have loved more Varan over the years rather than Anguiras. Varan would have been great in GMK.

[Brandon O'Brian]

I love "Giant Monster Varan" (1958). It definitely isn't Toho's best Kaiju film, but the design of Varan is fantastic. The special effects are also pretty good. The film itself is pretty simple though. Beside the the design of Varan, the best part of the film is Akira Ifukube's score. Mr. Ifukube's score is one of the best Kaiju/Tokusatsu film scores he composed. Varan vs. Fighter-Bomber Neptune (M12) is hands down my favorite cue from the film. The score overall is my favorite score composed by Akira Ifukube.

Overall, it's a pretty entertaining film, with its best part being Akira Ifukube's score. This film is also my favorite monster film.

[he-ba]

My favorite is the opening theme. Sometimes, when I'm at a red light, I blast it in my car just to see peoples reactions........ they aren't that good

[Brandon O'Brian]

My favorite is the opening theme. Sometimes, when I'm at a red light, I blast it in my car just to see peoples reactions........ they aren't that good

I had done the same thing with a cue from a non-Toho film Akira Ifukube scored. Some of those reactions were quite positive.

[he-ba]

Well, the opening is a loud theme, so probably if I did the Godzilla March from Godzilla vs Gigan I would get nicer faces

[Tohosaurus]

This is one of the least watched Toho films in my collection, so yesterday evening I gave it another whirl. I have to say it was a bit better than I remember (and it's reputation). Truly, its effects work is not that great compared to other Toho kaiju movies of the time yet still handily exceed anything in the Showa Gamera series that came long afterwords.

The movie seems to have been filmed on the cheap relative to other Toho kaiju movies too, but in some ways I think that actually benefitted the movie. It's not the same standard kaiju strolling through major cities and destroying everything in its path. This feels more restrained and the more forest-y visuals make it unique from the Godzilla and Rodan films up to that point, not to mention American stuff like Beast. The suit could've been better (though again, actually might be better than any suit for any creature in Showa Gamera movies) and I wish it'd have been filmed in color just for the grandeur of the time. And there are some details (like waiting to reveal that it has those semi-wings so it can fly, which reminded me of del Toro waiting to show Otachi's wings) that actually make it a better movie than it might be given credit for; it's still relatively generic, but good generic.

5/10

[H-Man]

The suit could've been better (though again, actually might be better than any suit for any creature in Showa Gamera movies) and I wish it'd have been filmed in color just for the grandeur of the time.

I'd say that the best Showa Gamera suit, quality-wise, was the Barugon suit. Like Varan/Baran, it was a relatively-simple spiked lizard/dinosaurian creature. Probably not quite as flexible as Baran, but still better than the rest of the Gamera ouerve.

[Ookondru99]

Honestly as Tohosaurus mentioned, the forested scenery throughout much of the film is one of its appeals to me. It really does set it apart from other Toho films of the same era.

[he-ba]

I always loved the underdog monsters. Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra always got all of the glory for destroying cities, but no one ever hears about the attack on the helpless village and the raid on Tokyo. Most likely because nobody cares about the forest except the green police....... I hope you get what I'm saying

[Godzillian]

Always one of my fav kaiju films. Far from perfect but a great film. It would have been better if they ended after Varan flew off. End it with an ominous what have our actions brought upon us note.

[Lain Of The Wired]

I just with this movie explained whether or not Varan was really their beloved demon god...

[Mr. Anonymous]

I heard the horror stories and only deigned to watch it when I saw it was a youtube-esque website. It was the American version; I'm pretty sure you can find it with Google video.

I never thought I'd say this about ANY giant monster film--let alone a Toho film--but... I wasted an hour of my life watching that thing! I can't say anything about the Japanese version but the American version is a bad film! And yes there are a lot of "bad" US monster flicks but badness alone doesn't bother me. (I suggested Monster Manor thinking about flicks like The Giant Claw. ) The best trash movies are at least fun to watch but Varan is BORING!

Again, I can't say anything authoritative about the Japanese original but it has to better than the US version because it can't be worse.

[ThunderScore]

[eabaker]

I heard the horror stories and only deigned to watch it when I saw it was a youtube-esque website. It was the American version; I'm pretty sure you can find it with Google video.

I never thought I'd say this about ANY giant monster film--let alone a Toho film--but... I wasted an hour of my life watching that thing! I can't say anything about the Japanese version but the American version is a bad film! And yes there are a lot of "bad" US monster flicks but badness alone doesn't bother me. (I suggested Monster Manor thinking about flicks like The Giant Claw. ) The best trash movies are at least fun to watch but Varan is BORING!

Again, I can't say anything authoritative about the Japanese original but it has to better than the US version because it can't be worse.

The Japanese and American cuts of that one are really not even the same movie. They're two different movies with a little bit of monster footage in common. The Japanese version is absolutely better. It's still one of the most bland, unmemorable, maybe even sleep-inducing movies in its entire genre, but it at least has some kind of plot, a few good moments, and decent photography and music.

I'm not saying rush out to see it, but do not let the American version define the movie forever for you.

[Mechagigan]

Unfortunately, I've only seen the American cut, and like pretty much everyone else it didn't impress me. It just seemed like a typical American monster B-Movie, in a way.

[ThunderScore]