MOBILE SUIT ULTRAMAN: THE MOVIE Where Gundam Meets The Hero From M78!

『劇場版 機動戦士ウルトラマン』!


"Visual Effects Fantasy: Ultraman". ©Tsuburaya Productions


MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE MOVIE. ©Sunrise/Shochiku

The above faux Ultraman poster (the artist and execution date are unknown at this time), is a play on the original poster for the first MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE MOVIE feature from 1981. The original artwork was created by renown artist Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, who was the character designer on the 1979 television series. The mock poster features Science Patrol officer Hayata, Ultraman's alter-ego, subbing for Gundam pilot Amuro Ray, and puts the superhero from Nebula M78 in the place of the Mobile Suit RX-78. See the connection? Now, to paraphrase the opening theme song "Fly On! Gundam": Blazing higher, blazing higher, Ultraman!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! May All Your Turkeys Be Little(r) Ones!

火山怪鳥バードン 『ウルトラマンタロウ』より


Birdon from ULTRAMAN TARO (1973). ©Tsuburaya Productions

I wonder... How long would it take to cook a 33,000-ton, 200-foot tall carnivorous, volcanic turkey monster? How much stuffing would we need? How many people would it feed? What about the gravy? While we try to figure that out over here at Kaiju Productions HQ, I wish you all (whatever you are) a most wonderful Thanksgiving weekend filled with friends, family and plenty! Now, did anyone see where I left the Birdon Baster?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BORIS KARLOFF! November 23, 1887 - February 2, 1969

Before FRANKENSTEIN. Photo ©Bodie Bailey

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GODZILLA! November 3, 1954

ゴジラよ、誕生日おめでとう!

With Yukiko Kobayashi from DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968) ©Toho

VINCENT PRICE DOUBLE FEATURE SHOW! October 27 & 28 • Clay Theater • San Francisco

After being out-priced (no pun intended) from our regular SHOCK IT TO ME! venue, we resigned ourselves to foregoing our annual October show this year, and instead turn our efforts to 2010. Then, about 14 days ago, I was contacted by a friend at Landmark Theaters, who asked if we could help them with a show for two night that they had available at the end of the month. Within seven days, we came up with an excellent night of prime Vincent Price:

The San Francisco-based classic horror film festival, SHOCK IT TO ME!, in conjunction with Landmark's Clay Theater, are presenting a very special two-night, "Vincent Price Double Feature" event, boasting a pair of true horror classics dug up deep from the vaults of American International Pictures (courtesy of MGM): THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and TOMB OF LIGEIA, as well as a cache of classic horror trailers and other spooky surprises.

Sidney Salkow’s THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964), features Vincent Price as the sole survivor of a world-wide biological disaster, which has rendered mankind a race of nocturnal, vampiric ghouls, whom he hunts by day – to drive stakes into their hearts – but must stave them off in a barricaded house by night, tormented by their unrelenting sieges.

Based on Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH was one of the inspirations for George Romero’s seminal Night Of The Living Dead (1968), and was revisited as the Charlton Heston vehicle, The Omega Man (1971), and then as I Am Legend (2007), starring Will Smith. But, neither of these over-bloated productions had the grit, the oppressive, doomed atmosphere or the pathos of the original Vincent Price film.

Roger Corman’s TOMB OF LIGEIA (1965) was the final, triumphant entry in a series of eight, ground and box office breaking films based on the works of famed American Gothic writer Edgar Allen Poe, all (save for one) starring Vincent Price. Beautiful color cinematography shot on location in Norfolk, England, highlight this tale of love and obsession beyond the grave, from a screenplay by Chinatown's Robert Towne.

Price plays Verden Fell, a man obsessed by the certainty that his dead wife has returned in the form of a black cat, seeking to possess his new bride-to-be—a dual-role played by Elizabeth Sheppard (originally cast as Emma Peel on The Avengers). Ultimately, Fell must face the spirit of Ligeia, and resist her hold on him or suffer his own horrible demise.

This double-feature presentation (both films screen on the same night with an intermission between the features) will be presented in shocking, new 35mm prints! Tickets for the show are a scream at only $10.50 (General) & $8.00 (Seniors/Child/Student), and are prices you can't shake a stake at these days for these two great thrillers, starring the "Merchant of Meance" himself, VINCENT PRICE! Showtime each night starts at 7:00 pm.

The Clay Theater is located at 2261 Fillmore Street in San Francisco. Call 415-346-1124 for more information.

JUST ADDED! In a special arrangement with the producers, copies of the brand-new NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD documentary, AUTOPSY OF THE DEAD, will be on sale in the Clay Theater lobby during our Vincent Price Double Feature Show! A few lucky attendees may also receive a free copy of the documentary as a special door prize! Attendees will also have a chance to grab a promotional poster for this undead documentary!

Watch the AUTOPSY OF THE DEAD trailer!

Purchase advance tickets: Landmark Tickets
Official event website: SHOCK IT TO ME!
Venue website: Clay Theater
Landmark's event website: Landmark After Dark

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELA LUGOSI!October 20, 1882 - August 16, 1956

THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US!Bob Wilkins' "Creature Features" Returns!Tuesday, October 13 • San Francisco

THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US!
BOB WILKINS' CREATURE FEATURES RETURNS!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 @ 7:00 PM
BALBOA THEATER, SAN FRANCISCO

Go back in time! A complete 1973 Bob Wilkins "Creature Features" show with original show segments, TV commercials, guest interview with Forrest J. Ackerman, and feature film "Creature Walks Among Us" all on the big screen! The third film in the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" series finds the Gillman terrorizing San Francisco. The only safe place to be on Tuesday will be at the Balboa Theatre for this special "Creature Features" event. The first "complete" 1970's "Creature Features" screened in 30 years! Don't miss it this time as it will only be shown once and will never be released on DVD! Free movie posters for new horror films will be given away at the door! Hosted by former "Creature Features" host, author John Stanley!

• See the Event Trailer on Youtube!
• Click here for Advance Tickets!

HALLOWEEN TIME IS HERE AGAIN!Let The Festive Hauntings Begin!

Happy Halloween from "The Munsters"! ©Universal Studios

TOHO VISUAL EFFECTS DVD COLLECTION New Bargain-Priced Magazine & DVD series!

「東宝特撮映画DVDコレクション」新発売!


GODZILLA (1954) is the subject of the first issue. ©Toho/DeAgostini

A couple of years back, Tokyo-based imprint, DeAgostini, launched a successful series of magazines on Tatsunoko Productions' seminal anime series SCIENCE NINJA TEAM: GATCHAMAN (1972). All three GATCHMAN series are being released in 68 issues, and is currently in the 40s. What really made this a hit, was that each biweekly issue contained a DVD of the corresponding episodes, which were merely the same (and expensive) pressings released a few years earlier, at a substantially lower price. While this must've been harsh for those who bought the original DVD releases, those who held out can pick them up for much less, and get a cool magazine, too.


The premiere issue of GATCHAMAN. ©Tatsunoko/DeAgostini

Each issue of the DeAgostini's magazines are slickly produced, with great, eye-catching layouts, are stuffed with excellent images, and are simply must-haves for fans. Publishing scores of pop and culture series, they have also published similar DVD series with "The STAR TREK Best Episode Selection" (featuring NEXT GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE and VOYAGER), "The X FILES DVD Collection", "The STARGATE DVD Collection" and "The Toei Jidaigeki DVD Collection", among many others in their line-up. Now, DeAgostini is about to do the same for Toho's Visual Effects Catalogue.


Issue Two: MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA (1964). ©Toho/DeAgostini

Launching on September 29th, the premiere issue of the "Toho Special Visual Effects Movie DVD Collection" will feature the original GODZILLA (1954). Each glossy, biweekly issue will focus on a particular film, jam-packed with photographs, with minimal text, and featuring sections on Production Backgrounds, Actor Biographies, Staff Profiles, Monster Guides, Weapons Encyclopedias, Advertising Museums, and a special column on each film by Visual Effects Director Koichi Kawakita. The DVDs also come in their own protective amaray cases, featuring the original Japanese movie posters emblazoned on their jackets.


Issue Three: GHIDRAH (1964). ©Toho/DeAgostini

Sounds good? It gets even better — the premiere issue will sell for the special introductory price of ¥990 ($10.65), with the succeeding issues retailing for only ¥1,990 ($21.40). This is an absolute steal compared to Toho Video's DVDs for the films, which retail for around ¥5,000 ($55.00) — and these are the same DVDs — plus, you get the fully-illustrated magazine to boot! DeAgostini has officially announced that there will be an astounding 55 issues of the "Toho Special Visual Effects Movie DVD Collection" in all, and that the subject of each issue will not be released in any particular chronological, or categorical, order.


Issue Four: ATRAGON (1963). ©Toho/DeAgostini

While the premiere issue will tally in at 22 pages, the following installments will feature 14 pages. The second issue, released on October 13th, is devoted to MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA (1964). On October 27th, issue three will feature GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964), with issue four spotlighting ATRAGON (1963) on November 10th. MOTHRA (1961) takes center stage in issue five on November 24th. Additionally, DeAgostini is offering special binders, which will hold 14 issues each, and will go on sale in October at the special introductory price of ¥690 ($7.60). Additional binders will retail for ¥1,290 ($14.22) each. The publisher is also offering special coupon-redeemable wooden DVD racks (in black lacquer) in each volume, starting with issue three.


Issue Five: MOTHRA (1961). ©Toho/DeAgostini

This is going to be a great series, and I've already reserved the premiere issue. Those who have held out on picking up the Toho Video DVDs because of their relatively high MSRPs (between $50-$60), and are also holding off on Toho's Blu-rays, will do well by getting their hands on DeAgostini's latest series — the magazines are worth the ¥1,290 without the DVDs. While you can't order them directly from DeAgostini outside of Japan, you can get them through Japanese booksellers in the U.S. And if you've got a region-free DVD player, what the hell are you waiting for?

UPDATE (09.16.09): Here's the official "Toho Visual Effects Collection DVD" Commercial now airing on Japanese television.

THE ATRAGON STRIKES AGAIN! Aoshima's Diecast GFW Goten-go!!

新世紀合金 轟天号 ゴジラファイナルウォーズ版!


Retailers order form for the new GODZILLA FINAL WARS version.

Last October, Aoshima, under its "Miracle House" division, issued an amazing diecast replica of the Goten-go from Toho's ATRAGON (1963). As part of the "Shin Seiki Gokin" (or "New Century Alloy") line, this nearly 14" monster is not only predominantly diecast, unlike the line's previously issued Maser Cannons from THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966), but it also boasts some of the same special features seen in the original film.

For starters, all of the bow and aft stabilizers, as well as the conning tower, retract into the hull of the ship, by spring-loaded manual operation, and button release. You can simulate the airborne juggernaut streaking through the sky to challenge the Mu Empire, or drilling through the very earth itself to reach the very heart of the enemy's power center. No other version of the Atragon released commercially boasts these features.

But, here comes the pièce de résistance, powered by three AAA batteries, the iconic bow drill actually operates, in both forward and reverse — and the battering ram at the tip also undulates. But, wait! There's more... The aft engine nozzles as well as the bottom lifting jets glow, very brightly, via LED bulbs. "Blinding" might be a better word. This amazing toy for big boys also comes in two editions, "Normal" and "Weathered" (which is a limited edition) — the former comes with one Mu Power Console and two Goten Task Force Soldiers in full gear.

Without question, Aoshima's achievement is, the greatest mass-market product based on this famous movie warship ever issued — hands down. Of course, that's my opinion, and I absolutely love the almighty Atragon (known in Japan as the "Goten-go") and the original Honda-Tsuburaya film. So, I was hoping that Aoshima would come up with another great "Toho Mecha" as a follow-up... I'm still undecided on what to make of this follow-up, hitting Japanese hobby shop shelves next month:

Is this déjà vu? No, it's the Goten-go from the opening scenes of GODZILLA FINAL WARS (2004). While they may look identically, superficially, to the non-fan, the revamped Goten-go features sharper, sweepback stabilizers, and a redesigned conning tower and deck guns. These are more blocky than the smoother, rounder tower and guns of Shigeru Komatsuzaki's original design — and I don't really care for this modern reworking.

As for the diecast itself, it has the same special features as the 1963 version issued by Aoshima last year, because it's virtually the same toy. The only differences are the aforementioned stabilizers, conning tower and guns. Everything else is the same, exact product. Now, if you're a completist (I gave that delusion up a long time ago), you're going to want to grab one of these puppies when it's released in September. As for me, it should come as no surprise that I will remain extremely content with the 1963 version.

And, contrary to that last statement, I will continue to look forward to newer. bigger and better versions of the original Atragon/Goten-go that will be released in the future. In the meantime, I still have that 32" vinyl kit from Paradise to build...

Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!


Aoshima's original 1963 diecast ATRAGON is the one to get!

• Aoshima's official Shin Seiki Gokin Toho Mecha webpage.
• CollectionDX's review of Aoshima's original Atragon with video.

JOIN THE SCIENCE PATROL TODAY! Fight Monsters, Save the World!

科学特捜隊を今日結合しなさい!


Poster art by Bob Logan. ©1966 Tsuburaya Productions

BANDAI's GIANT MONSTER APPAREL! Designer Daikaiju from Yoshihito Sugahara

バンダイの大怪獣 Tシャツ!


Sugahara breaths new life into the original! ©1954 Toho Co., Ltd.


A dynamic design of the golden triple-threat! ©1964 Toho Co., Ltd.


The original flying terrapin of terror! ©1965 Kadokawa Pictures


Guilala from THE X FROM OUTER SPACE! ©1967 Shochiku

These amazing high-end t-shirts, designed and executed by noted artist Yoshihito Sugahara, have been commissioned by Bandai's apparel division, and are available online and through various brick-and-mortar outlets in Japan only. Sugahara has designed a number of shirt for Bandai; everything from Ultraman through Toei Heroes, and are pretty damned impressive. While they may be well-worth tracking down for the hardcore fan, be forewarned: they range in price from $30-$39 USD.

I'll be also be featuring more samples of Bandai and Sugahara's tokusatsu t-shirt designs in future posts — stay tuned!

IT'S COMIC-CON TIME AGAIN! Godzilla & Eiji Tsuburaya Represented!

JULY 23rd-26th @ SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER

For that last two days, I have been immersed in the biggest gathering of its kind in the world: Comic Con International. Despite being sold out in advance for the first time in its history, the crowds have seemed tame on Thursday and Friday... It's the calm before the storm, as today, Saturday, promises to be a proverbial madhouse.

That's good and bad; I'm signing copies of my book today, Saturday, July 25th at the Chronicle Books booth (#1506), and hope that I don't get lost in the fan feeding frenzy in the Exhibitors Hall today... For those attending and interested, my signing will take place between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm -- come on down!

Tomorrow, Sunday, July 26th in Room 8, I will be hosting a tribute to the kaiju eiga of Eiji Tsuburaya, entitled "Eiji Tsuburaya & The Master of Monsters" (listed in the program guide simply as "Masters of Monsters"). Running from 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm, show features over 200 behind-the-scenes photographs and production designs from Tsuburaya's major monster movies, from GODZILLA (1954) through LATITUDE ZERO (1969).

So far, Comic Con has been another blast... details to follow after recovery... hope to see you here!

DAIMAJIN KANNON REVEALED: Sneak peek at the all-new character!

「大魔神カノン』登場!


From "Newtype: The Live", July 2009. © Kadokawa Publishing


A blow-up focusing on the face. ©Kadokawa Publishing

Even though I received my copy of the magazine about three weeks ago, I didn't have time to post these photos before leaving for G-Fest in Chicago. But still, after being home for a week, and working on other projects, I finally got around to it — so, here you go!

According to the article in the July 2009 issue of Newtype: The Live, this new Daimajin character will stand 20 meters tall (approximately 66 feet), which is significantly taller than the character featured in the original 1966 trilogy.

Click here for my previous blog entry: Giant Majin Strikes Again! about the upcoming television series, DAIMAJIN KANNON, currently shooting in Japan. The miniature effects are being shot in Studio No. 1 at Kadokawa Studios (formerly Daiei).

Kadokawa has announced that the series will premiere this October. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months!


The 289-foot Great Kannon in Kita-no-Miyato Park, Hokkaido. Any resemblance is strictly coincidental.