Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

For discussion of Toho produced and distributed films or shows released from 1980 up to 1998 (includes Gamera 3)
Post Reply
User avatar
LSD Jellyfish
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 14252
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:57 pm

Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Not sure if this already has a topic, so feel free to merge it.

https://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/magnitude_79.htm
Image

Magnitude 7.9 is another one of Toho's disaster films, in a similar vein to Prophecies of Nostradamus and Japan Sinks. The first half is the build up to the titular quake, establishing the characters, and conflict. The second half is the quake, as well as aftershocks, and the characters fighting to survive.

I'll say I'm stuck deciding whether or not this, or Japan sinks is the better film. Japan sinks is much more "epic" on a grander nationwide scale. Both films are very similar as the conflict involves a character predicting or finding evidence of a horrible disaster and trying to convince people to prepare. I think what makes this film stand out however, is how personal the story is. The same can be said for Japan sinks, but I don't recall the main characters of that film being as personally affected and followed. Japan sinks and Prophecies focus on the nationwide problem, but Magnitude follows two pairs of characters, really closely, once the disaster happens. It does a better job at connecting the characters and the disaster around them. Granted, I saw an unsubbed copy of Japan Sinks.

I'll also say some of the imagery of this film is a lot darker. While of course all the other films have really bleak moments, I think the imagery of people being huddled on top of a train car, while water continually rises, and dying of exhaustion and falling off is one of the most depressing things I've ever seen. This after some big budget city destruction and mayhem so it's a good balance of visceral chaos followed by heart wrenching tragedy.

Another fantastic film that I recommend and is easy to find. Another film that a lot of people on here would probably enjoy and appreciate, if you'd all just get over the "it doesn't have a monster" problem. I watched the export dub of this "Deathquake" and it's great.
Last edited by LSD Jellyfish on Sat Aug 01, 2020 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

User avatar
Voyager
Keizer
Posts: 7828
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 12:34 pm
Location: On a boat

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by Voyager »

Sounds interesting, gonna have to give that a watch.
Image
For Emperor and Empire!

User avatar
Terasawa
Xilien Halfling
Posts: 5841
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:06 am

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by Terasawa »

Guess I'll bring down the mood 'cause I think it's pretty ho-hum/been-there, done-that. It's very soapy. :-? The second half is basically Toho aping Earthquake but I really like the drama in the subway that sets up the conclusion.

Nakano's effects work is really underrated in this. It's not like Submersion where he had this huge scale to experiment with. Most of the highlight FX shots here are limited to like half a city block, but they compensate by really building up the miniatures. And the way they crumble and rattle to pieces is excellent. The human scale carnage is excellent, although I don't know if the drama unit exclusively did that or coordinated with Nakano's group. For once the stock footage isn't too distracting unless you've seen Submersion and PON a lot.

Definitely a sad turning point for Toho's FX films though: it was the first to be shot with spherical lenses again after twenty years of Tohoscope.

Another masterfully cut trailer:


Shout out to the beautiful Yumi Takigawa.
寺沢. He/him/his, etc.

User avatar
CrimsonBloodX
JXSDF Technician
Posts: 968
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 8:41 pm
Location: The Rings of Saturn

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by CrimsonBloodX »

Like so many other Toho movies, the only reason why I know Magnitude 7.9 exists is because of Toho Kingdom. I saw the trailer on YouTube years ago. At the time, I thought it doesn't look bad, but it doesn't look like the type of film I would want to spend my time watching. My thoughts have changed, however, and now I'm interested in watching it.
"You are the Arbiter. The will of the Prophets. But these are my Elites. Their lives matter to me. Yours does not."

"That makes two of us."

My YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJhff ... 7ZcLGnZkaA?
My Twitter - https://twitter.com/Nintendozilla98

RELEASE THE AYER CUT!

2A, Shall Not Be Infringed

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - Howard Phillips Lovecraft

User avatar
MaxRebo320
EDF Instructor
Posts: 2893
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:56 pm
Location: albaquarky
Contact:

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by MaxRebo320 »

I quite enjoy the movie, even if it has some flaws (Mostly pacing-wise). It has a "last hurrah" kind of feel to me, being one of Toho's last big-scale SFX extravaganzas (With I suppose Sayonara Jupiter an Return of Godzilla being their swansongs), which I can't help but enjoy. The "soapy" elements are kind of hit or miss, with the stuff regarding Kawazu (Who already has a rocky relationship with his wife and mother-in-law) bringing shame upon his once-respected family because of bold claims being real interesting, while the whole love triangle is kind of a slog. I would have rather have just seen more of Kawazu trying to rekindle any sort of relationship with his wife, while still making his claims. The effects sequences are of course great and make up for any of the slower parts at the beginning.

Also random bit of trivia - this is one of two 1980 movies featuring Yumi Takigawa dating a seismologist, the other being Virus (Which was also based on a book by Sakyo Komatsu).
Beta Capsule Reviews - Your Guide to Ultraman & other Tokusatsu episode-by-episode!
https://betacapsulereviews.wordpress.com
three wrote:leave me be maxrebo! damn you and your ability to play the game here....

User avatar
Arbok
Kingdom Mikado
Kingdom Mikado
Posts: 2131
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:44 pm
Contact:

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by Arbok »

I've only seen the movie a couple of times, from an old VHS tape.

I wasn't particularly impressed, although like LSD the moment that sticks with me is the subway with the rising water levels and those trapped down there. It's a bleak, traumatizing scenario to say the least.
If it bites... don't mess with it!

User avatar
MaxRebo320
EDF Instructor
Posts: 2893
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:56 pm
Location: albaquarky
Contact:

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by MaxRebo320 »

Why was this moved to the Heisei forum? The film was produced in 1980.
Beta Capsule Reviews - Your Guide to Ultraman & other Tokusatsu episode-by-episode!
https://betacapsulereviews.wordpress.com
three wrote:leave me be maxrebo! damn you and your ability to play the game here....

User avatar
Arbok
Kingdom Mikado
Kingdom Mikado
Posts: 2131
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:44 pm
Contact:

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by Arbok »

MaxRebo320 wrote:Why was this moved to the Heisei forum? The film was produced in 1980.
The "Heisei series" name is a bit of a moniker for the Godzilla era the forum encompasses, although the description for inclusion is anything from 1980-1998 in this section.
Last edited by Arbok on Sat Aug 22, 2020 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If it bites... don't mess with it!

User avatar
LSD Jellyfish
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 14252
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:57 pm

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Arbok wrote:
MaxRebo320 wrote:Why was this moved to the Heisei forum? The film was produced in 1980.
The "Heisei series" name is a bit of a moniker for the Godzilla era the forum encompasses, although the description for inclusion is anything from 1980-1998 in this section.
I do think that it's interesting to see this film, and others (like Prophecies of Nostradamus) as "transitional pieces" from the Showa Godzilla Era into the Heisei Godzilla. The Jump from Terror of Mecha Godzilla to Godzilla 1984 can be a bit jarring with the 9/10 year gap. Watching these films though the transition is seamless.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

User avatar
m0nster01
Samurai
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:13 am

Re: Magnitude 7.9/Deathquake

Post by m0nster01 »

So spoilers....



What happened with Kawaru's son and mother-in-law?

The last scene of them I remember is Ryuchi (?) freeing his grandma and the two huddled together.

I just watched a fully subbed and uncut (?) version with Yuko walking towards the camera and freeze..

This is more frustrating than the ending to No Country for Old Men.

Post Reply