War of the Gargantuas
Encyclopedia
The War of the Gargantuas, released in Japan as , is a 1966
Kaiju
film, sequel to Frankenstein vs. Baragon
.
It introduces two giant, hairy humanoid
s called Gargantuas, which spawned from the discarded cells of Frankenstein's monster
from the previous film and are described as brothers. The Green Gargantua is violent and savage, preying upon human beings; as he lives in sea water, he is given the name . The Brown Gargantua had been raised in captivity
, and is docile and gentle; because he resides in the Japan Alps, he is called . The film follows the investigation and military engagements of these creatures until their climactic confrontation in Tokyo
.
Several ambiguous references are made to Frankenstein vs. Baragon, such as the mention of a severed hand, but the only direct link between the films is the term "Frankenstein
", which appears in the title and is used to refer to the Gargantuas ("Frankensteins") in the original Japanese dialogue. Like the previous film, which starred Nick Adams, War of the Gargantuas features a Hollywood actor (Russ Tamblyn
) in the lead as a scientist, Kumi Mizuno
as his colleague, and another Japanese scientist (previously Tadao Takashima, here Kenji Sahara
). The similar casting has led to speculation that the film was intended to feature recurring characters. Eiji Tsuburaya
helmed the special effects crew with monster suit actor Haruo Nakajima
portraying the antagonistic Gaira. (Yū Sekida played Sanda.)
The film itself is rather vague as to where (if at all) The War of the Gargantuas falls in regard to the continuity of Toho's
other kaiju films, or even if it should be considered a canonical
part of the Godzilla series. In 2002's Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
, however, specific reference to the Gargantuas is made, indicating that (in this variation on Godzilla
continuity, in any case) The War of the Gargantuas is considered by Toho to be a legitimate part of the Godzilla universe.
First arriving at an airport, the sea beast made its presence known to the mainland. After eating a helpless woman he snatched up, Gaira finally retreated as the sun pulled itself from the darkened clouds. Mulling over the destruction, the Japanese military went into action shortly after and set a trap for the beast. Waiting for the right time, the JSDF soldiers lured the creature deeper and deeper into the mainland. Electrified with over a million volts of power, the monster seemed to be dying, that is until his brother Sanda intervened.
Apparently the second offspring of the giant Frankenstein monster, Sanda was discovered as a child living in the forest by Doctor Paul Stewart. The creature was taken to a research laboratory where he quickly befriend one of the doctor's aids: Akemi. Though Sanda was affectionate toward his captors, he eventually escaped back to his mountain home, where he grew to enormous proportions. He would not reappear until a while later, when he rushes to the aide of his brother, Gaira who is under attack by the JSDF.
However, Sanda later discovers his brother does not share his compassion toward humanity, after catching him in the act of devouring some people. The brown giant attacks his brother in anger, driving him out of the forest. Gaira retreats straight to Tokyo, traveling through the dark waters of its harbor. Sanda follows his brother, and attempts to convince him to end his bloodthirsty ways. Gaira pays no heed and the two engage in battle destroying and leveling much of the city before dying in the volcanic aftermath.
US producer Henry G. Saperstein had planned to make a sequel where either Sanda, Gaira or a similar, new creature were pitted against Godzilla. It was called Godzilla vs. the Gargantuas.
Toho also commissioned an international version from a Hong Kong studio. Author and kaiju-fan Steve Ryfle reportedly pushed for its inclusion on the recent Classic Media
DVD release, though this didn't come to pass. In this version, Russ Tamblyn, who spoke English on the set of the film, is dubbed by another actor.
1966 in film
The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
Kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
film, sequel to Frankenstein vs. Baragon
Frankenstein Conquers the World
Frankenstein Conquers the World, released in Japan as , with Toho's official English title being Frankenstein vs. Baragon, is a kaiju film produced in 1965 by Toho Company Ltd...
.
It introduces two giant, hairy humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
s called Gargantuas, which spawned from the discarded cells of Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
from the previous film and are described as brothers. The Green Gargantua is violent and savage, preying upon human beings; as he lives in sea water, he is given the name . The Brown Gargantua had been raised in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
, and is docile and gentle; because he resides in the Japan Alps, he is called . The film follows the investigation and military engagements of these creatures until their climactic confrontation in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Several ambiguous references are made to Frankenstein vs. Baragon, such as the mention of a severed hand, but the only direct link between the films is the term "Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
", which appears in the title and is used to refer to the Gargantuas ("Frankensteins") in the original Japanese dialogue. Like the previous film, which starred Nick Adams, War of the Gargantuas features a Hollywood actor (Russ Tamblyn
Russ Tamblyn
Russell Irving "Russ" Tamblyn is an American film and television actor, who is arguably best known for his performance in the 1961 movie musical West Side Story as Riff, the leader of the Jets gang....
) in the lead as a scientist, Kumi Mizuno
Kumi Mizuno
is a Japanese actress most famous for appearing in several Toho Kaiju films of the 1960s and early 1970s....
as his colleague, and another Japanese scientist (previously Tadao Takashima, here Kenji Sahara
Kenji Sahara
Kenji Sahara is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. His real name is Masayoshi Kato...
). The similar casting has led to speculation that the film was intended to feature recurring characters. Eiji Tsuburaya
Eiji Tsuburaya
was the Japanese special effects director responsible for many Japanese science-fiction movies, including the Godzilla series...
helmed the special effects crew with monster suit actor Haruo Nakajima
Haruo Nakajima
is a famous Japanese actor. He is best known for playing Godzilla and is considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise...
portraying the antagonistic Gaira. (Yū Sekida played Sanda.)
The film itself is rather vague as to where (if at all) The War of the Gargantuas falls in regard to the continuity of Toho's
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
other kaiju films, or even if it should be considered a canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
part of the Godzilla series. In 2002's Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 2002 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, written by Wataru Mimura, and produced by Toho Co., Ltd. It is the 26th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the fourth film to feature Mechagodzilla...
, however, specific reference to the Gargantuas is made, indicating that (in this variation on Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
continuity, in any case) The War of the Gargantuas is considered by Toho to be a legitimate part of the Godzilla universe.
Plot
Contrary to popular belief, both the U.S. and Toho cuts of the film begin rather abruptly: with the green gargantua -Gaira- battling and defeating a Giant Octopus, as well as the Japanese fishing vessel that the sea beast was just latched upon. The monster devours most of the crew members and then proceeds to the Japanese mainland.First arriving at an airport, the sea beast made its presence known to the mainland. After eating a helpless woman he snatched up, Gaira finally retreated as the sun pulled itself from the darkened clouds. Mulling over the destruction, the Japanese military went into action shortly after and set a trap for the beast. Waiting for the right time, the JSDF soldiers lured the creature deeper and deeper into the mainland. Electrified with over a million volts of power, the monster seemed to be dying, that is until his brother Sanda intervened.
Apparently the second offspring of the giant Frankenstein monster, Sanda was discovered as a child living in the forest by Doctor Paul Stewart. The creature was taken to a research laboratory where he quickly befriend one of the doctor's aids: Akemi. Though Sanda was affectionate toward his captors, he eventually escaped back to his mountain home, where he grew to enormous proportions. He would not reappear until a while later, when he rushes to the aide of his brother, Gaira who is under attack by the JSDF.
However, Sanda later discovers his brother does not share his compassion toward humanity, after catching him in the act of devouring some people. The brown giant attacks his brother in anger, driving him out of the forest. Gaira retreats straight to Tokyo, traveling through the dark waters of its harbor. Sanda follows his brother, and attempts to convince him to end his bloodthirsty ways. Gaira pays no heed and the two engage in battle destroying and leveling much of the city before dying in the volcanic aftermath.
Additional credits
- Teruyoshi NakanoTeruyoshi Nakano, is a Japanese special effects director, most notable for his contributions to the Godzilla film series and other tokusatsu movies. Nakano was a special guest at G-Fest XI, where he was the recipient of the Mangled Skyscraper Award....
- Assistant Director of Special Effects - Yasuyuki Inoue - Special Effects Art Director
- Fumio Nakadai - Director of Wireworks
- Teisho Arikawa - Director of Special Effects Cinematography
- Sokei Tomioka - Cameraman
Production
The original ending of the film was to not only have Sanda and Gaira swallowed up by the new volcano, but the lava was to have spread to Tokyo where it was to destroy the city as well as the remaining cells of the monsters; cited in an interview with director Honda in Guy Tucker's Age of the Gods: A History of the Japanese Fantasy Film.US producer Henry G. Saperstein had planned to make a sequel where either Sanda, Gaira or a similar, new creature were pitted against Godzilla. It was called Godzilla vs. the Gargantuas.
English version
- Several additional scenes were added
- Several of Ifukube's music cues were removed or re-arranged, and Ifukube themes from other kaiju films were added. Deleted cues were replaced with stock music also used in the b-movieB-movieA B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
, Blood Waters of Dr. ZZaatZaat is a 1972 cult movie that gained significant exposure when it was used in an episode of movie-mocking television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 in May...
several years later. (The library track is called "Terror Hunt" by Phillip GreenPhilip Green (composer)Philip Green , sometimes credited as Harry Philip Green, was a film and television composer and conductor. His father was Philip Green, a boot clicker, and his mother was Elizabeth Vogel. Green's first credited work was on 1943's The Sky's the Limit...
.) - Deleted: Vocal sounds made by the child Sanda in the flashback scene.
- Dialogue was dubbed into EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at Glen Glenn SoundGlen Glenn SoundGlen Glenn Sound was an audio post production company.The company was founded by Glen R. Glenn in 1936 and provided creative audio services to the television and film industry for five decades....
. Russ Tamblyn re-recorded his dialogue as most of it had apparently been lost by the time of the US theatrical release. This worked out well, as the story was slightly changed and the Frankenstein monsters were now solely called "Gargantuas". - Added: A shot of chewed-up clothes hitting the tarmac in the scene where Gaira eats a woman at Haneda International Airport.
Toho also commissioned an international version from a Hong Kong studio. Author and kaiju-fan Steve Ryfle reportedly pushed for its inclusion on the recent Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
DVD release, though this didn't come to pass. In this version, Russ Tamblyn, who spoke English on the set of the film, is dubbed by another actor.
DVD release
Classic Media- Released: September 9, 2008
- Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1
- Sound: Japanese (2.0 Mono), English (2.0 Mono)
- Region 1
- Note: A double feature with RodanRodan (film)Rodan, released in Japan as , is a 1956 Kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. It was the studio's first Kaiju movie filmed in color...
. Features both Japanese and English versions of both films. Special Features: "Bringing Godzilla Down to Size" documentary (69 minutes).