Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

[edgaguirus]

That's one of my favorite parts. When they realize they've lost control of the monsters, the always cool Controler begins losing control. He shows a mixture of panic and arrogance that culminates with his desperate solution to avoid death at human hands.

[miguelnuva]

https://twitter.com/GormaruIsland/statu ... U_Fcg&s=19

Found it.

[Spuro]

As cool as a version featuring all natural dialog would be as a novelty, I'd never want it to be the only version available. I dont know if I'd be able to relax with the movie if the language is constantly jumping back and forth between English and Japanese.

Plus, it doesn't accurately represent the way the movie was originally released in any market, and I doubt there was ever any intent by the filmmakers that it would be seen in a hybrid-language version. I'd be interested in watching it as a curiosity, but I certainly don't think it should be any kind of default.

From a narrative standpoint, it also wouldn't make sense for characters to be speaking to each other in two different languages. I remember Final Wars's Japanese version is like that, and it's very weird at times.

[LegendZilla]

https://twitter.com/GormaruIsland/statu ... U_Fcg&s=19

Found it.

They need to do more edits of classic Godzilla films like this.

[Voyager]

I fell asleep twice watching this. Curse you, warm room and blankets!

It's been a while and I really wanted to be enthrawled with the human story, particularly Glenn and Miss Namikawa but I guess not. I'll try again when I'm not overly sleepy.

[LegendZilla]

I watched this movie to remember Takarada-san.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I had a realization that Invasion of the Astro Monster occupied the same place in my mind as Star Wars (1977). Both might be some of my first memories of watching film, but I vividly remember sitting in a tiny apartment in the Bronx when I was 4, watching both films on TV with my dad.

I understand that IOTAM was probably inspired by a bunch of random SF tropes, and even Toho’s own catalogue, but it’s surprising to me how much of alien invasion film that it predates.

I think it says something that both it, and Star Wars captured my attention at a young age, despite the deep difference in visual styles and aesthetics.

IOTAM is a certified classic in the SF genre. I think I’ve come to terms that it might not be my favorite “Godzilla film”, but that it’s one of my favorite hard SF Alien invasion films. Whenever I try to rate IOTAM, I always think highly of it, but then remember the film is really really barebones in regards to Godzilla, and that other films (KKVG, Mothra vs Godzilla, Godzilla vs Biollante, GMK) are better representations of the genre.

[Legion1979]

But it depends on what your definition of "the genre" is. Would I show it to someone as an example of a great Godzilla or straight kaiju film? No. But as an example of a engaging Japanese space invasion film that happens to involve giant monsters it's pretty much perfect. It's everything Toho sci fi films had been building towards for a decade.

[JAGzilla]

I would add that as an alien invasion/kaiju film, Toho has never topped it. Some of the later entries had more and better kaiju action, but the alien and human ends of things always fall short.

[godjacob]

Always was conflicted in this movie. Compared to Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster the human plot is much stronger with some great performances and memorable characters. On the other hand, felt the action was a touch weaker than in GTTHM and this film began the trend of turning Ghidorah into a mind-controlled wuss that persisted for the rest of the Showa Era.

Still a classic all around.

[GoKelley85]

I think my favorite "Alien Invader" Toho film is technically Destroy All Monsters, but the alien story there is just a device to give us Monster Mayhem, which is the true appeal of the film. The Kilaaks themselves are not that interesting, and that element of the film was retreading, but the Monster stuff is so great, I love it.

Invasion of Astro-Monster is a true blue alien invader flick and a darned good one. So much so, that even if you took Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah out of it, you'd still have a strong story with heroes, antagonists, and even a solid romance with a noble sacrifice all thrown in to make for a compelling narrative. The Monster action in the film is actually quite light until you get to the end, but everything is so engrossing that it hardly matters.

[Legion1979]

So watching it right now....

So Glenn tells Fuji he spent the night with Namikawa in a bungalow and woke up in the middle of the night to see the Controller (who, as far as anyone knows, is not supposed to be on Earth) telling her not to worry and that preparations are being made. Then he says to Fuji, "I think we're putting too much trust in Planet X."

Wow! You don't say!!

[eabaker]

So watching it right now....

So Glenn tells Fuji he spent the night with Namikawa in a bungalow and woke up in the middle of the night to see the Controller (who, as far as anyone knows, is not supposed to be on Earth) telling her not to worry and that preparations are being made. Then he says to Fuji, "I think we're putting too much trust in Planet X."

Wow! You don't say!!

But she told him that he was just talking in his sleep!

I'm sure it's fine...

[Legion1979]

But you always know it's a dream when you wake up.

[edgaguirus]

And dreams never come true, just like in Invaders from Mars.

[Houndoom]

Had the sudden urge to watch this for what ever reason. The bit where the inventor is talking about her brother saying "I'd really stand him on his head" and then cuts to the two of them upside down in the shuttle is just so surprisingly funny.

[edgaguirus]

Shinichi's other scripts also featured amusing scenes and moments.

[Terasawa]

Yeah, Sekizawa's script very neatly takes us back and forth between disparate locations throughout the first act. But I think an unsung hero here is Ryouhei Fujii, the editor. Two more excellent transitions in the first reel: P-1 soars through the solar system, followed by almost a match cut to the starry background of the restaurant; Haruno describes her boyfriend as an inventor, followed by a cut to his home with his invention blaring. Those are Fujii's doing. They're not elaborate cuts, but they're smart and well-timed.

[LegendZilla]

I have a question regarding the Planet X Controller's final lines. When he says "We must escape into the future!", was it something lost in translation?

[miguelnuva]

I have a question regarding the Planet X Controller's final lines. When he says "We must escape into the future!", was it something lost in translation?

No they were setting up Final Wars.

In seriousness though that is a good question. My brother use to joke he hit the wrong button by mistake and killed everyone.