Takashi Shimura would appear in seven classic science fiction feature films from Toho Studio's over his film career.
Which does not include the two re-workings of 1954's "Gojira". First, by an American group, edited into a shorter version, that included new footage of actor Raymond Burr, and with the kept Japanese scenes dubbed into English. This was primarily done to avoid the still strong anti-Japanese sentiment felt by many Americans, even though the Second World War had ended nine-years earlier. That production group thought that the original 1954 motion picture with either English language subtitles, or dubbing of the dialogue, might still evoked anti-Japanese sentiment. Their re-worked feature was released as 1956's, "Godzilla, King of the Monsters".
The second re-working of 1954's, "Gojira" was the Italian version, in psychedelic color, but of the 1956 American version. That contained more added footage, and still editing out footage, released in 1977, as "Godzilla".
On the subject of Shimura's science fiction work. I also cannot forget the reworking by "Warner Brothers", to cut the production costs on their own proposed giant monster movie that they scrapped, of Toho's, 1955, sequel to "Gojira". Released in 1959, with an added prologue of stop-motion animated dinosaurs to make their new story line work, otherwise leaving the Toho feature film completely dubbed into English, as "Gigantis, the Fire Monster".
Obviously, this is not a look at, or a list, of all of the actor's feature film work, but does include the seven science fiction features and thirteen other, non-science fiction films. Which I believe, reflect the overall work that Takashi Shimura made between 1943 and 1980. Although, I will be mentioning other films, without going into specific details, at different times in Shimura's film career. A complete list of his film work through 1981, can be found on the website, "IMDb", at
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0793766/
A Brief Look at Takashi Shimura Before the Toho Studio:
On March 12, 1905, 島崎 捷爾, Shimazaki Shōji (Shoji Shimazaki) was born in Ikuno, Hyogo, the Empire of Japan. The boy was a descendant of the samurai class and his grandfather had taken part in the 1868, "Battle of Toba-Fushimi", during the "Boshin War" aka: the "Japanese Civil War". Between a coalition of forces for the "Imperial Court", attempting to overthrow the powerful "Tokugawa Shogunate", see author Jame Clavell's historical novel, "Shogan", or one of the filmed versions, for control of Japan.
In 1919, after a mild case of tuberculosis, causing Shoji to lose two-years of schooling, and a transfer of his father by his employer, "Mitsubishi Mining". The young student found himself attending a middle school in Nobeoka, Prefecture, where he excelled in learning and speaking English, became a member of the school literary society, and worked on the societies magazine staff.
In 1923, three events occurred that changed the course of the young man's life. The first event, was enrollment at "Kansai University", in Suita, Osaka, but this was after his father had retired.
The second event, came after his family could not support full-time courses and Shoji was only able to take a part-time course in English literature. To support his English literature course and help the family, the young student went to work for the "Osaka municipal waterworks".
The third event, was connected to his part-time English literature class. Two of Shoji's teachers in English literature were playwright, 豊岡佐一郎 Toyo-oka Sa-ichirō (Saichiro Toyo-oka) and Shakespeare Scholar, 坪内士行 Tsubouchi Shikō (Shiko Tsubouchi). The two teachers realized their young students love of English literature and convinced him to join "Kansai University's Theatre Studies Society".
In 1928, Shoji Shimazaki formed an amateur theatrical group, the "七月座 Shichigatsu-za" with Toyo-oka as its director. After a while, Shimazaki turned the company from amateur to professional, and started not showing up at work. This caused the "Osaka municipal waterworks" to fire him. After about a year and a half, the "Shichigatsu-za" folded from lack of funding and the young actor was looking for work. He found it by doing radio plays.
In 1930, Shoji Shimazaki joined the "近代座 Kindaiza" theatre company, and truly became a professional actor. With the company he toured China and Japan. In 1932, there was another two major events in Shoji's life.
The first event, was his return to Osaka, and joining two major acting troupes, but he also noticed the budding motion picture industry and the beginning of movies with sound. Which he considered was an excellent advantage to a trained stage actor.
The second event, saw him joining the Kyoto Prefecture motion picture studio, "Shinkō Kinema".
On September 6, 1934, the 29-years-old actor appeared on-screen for the first time, as "Osachi's father, a goldfish seller", in the silent motion picture, "恋愛街一丁目 Number One Love Street". No photos appear available. For those of my readers unfamiliar, as I was, with what is a Japanese "Goldfish seller"?
The following is from a web search of the question:
What is a GoldFish seller?
In Japan, goldfish are a symbol of good luck, fortune, and wealth. Chinese traders first brought goldfish to Japan in 1502 and sold them to the nobility and samurai.
The actor's first speaking role was in the 1935 Samurai film. "忠次売出す Chuji Sells", which appears, according to "IMDb", to have had a worldwide release under the English language title of "Chuji Makes a Name for Himself". Takashi Shimura's role was a small uncredited and unnamed character.
I could not establish at what point in his stage, or film career, Shoji Shimazaki became Takashi Shimura. I do know that he used both names at different times in his film career. However, every film listing, starting with his first on-screen appearance, including those in the Japanese language, I have found. Only list the actor as Takashi Shimura.
In 1937, the actor moved to the Kyoto Prefecture, Kansai, Honshu, studio of the "Nikkatsu Corporation", and on December 14, 1939, demonstrated his singing abilities in director Masahiro Makino's, musical comedy, "鴛鴦歌合戦 Mandarin Duck Singing Contest" aka: "Singing Love Birds". The actor had third-billing, seen below third from the left, portraying "Kyōsai Shimura", a former ronin who makes umbrellas.
The political regime in Japan was growing more oppressive and wanted to expand Japan's Asian influences. Since September 18, 1931, with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the country had taken territory in China. This all came to a head, on July 7, 1937, in what was known as either the "Marco Polo Bridge Incident", or the "Lugou Bridge Incident", in the Beijing District. The "29th Army unit" of the "Revolutionary Army" of the "Republic of China", engaged the "Imperial Japanese Army" and the "Second Sino-Japanese War" began. This incident is also considered by many historians as the start of the "Second World War in Asia".
Which brings me to the 1939 arrest of Takashi Shimura by the "特別高等警察 Special Higher Police". His was arrested and held for three-weeks, because of his association with left-wing theatrical groups. It took his wife Masako and actor 月形龍之介, Tsukigata Ryūnosuke, (Ryunosuke Tsukigata) to get the "Special Higher Police" to release the actor.
Apparently we know Shimura's wife's first name, Masako, but nothing more. I verified they were married until his death, but when they married, or any other information about her, even on Japanese sites, is a blank.
On December 7, 1941, the "Empire of Japan" attacked the United States with the bombing of the Naval and Army base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Military and government censorship control and of the film industry began in earnest.
The following is not directly related to the actor, but illustrates this control on the film industry. As Toho Studio's director of Special Effects, Eiji Tsuburaya worked upon a piece of propaganda for the home front, from my article "I BOMBED PEARL HARBOR: December 7, 1941 in Motion Pictures" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/12/i-bombed-pearl-harbor-december-7-1941.html
Hawai Mare Okikaisen (The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya) (1942)
Below is a shot of Eiji Tsuburaya's staff creating the realistic model of Pearl Harbor as it looked on December 7, 1941. According to historian August Ragone in his excellent biography:
Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, page 28:
On Toho's back lot, Tsuburaya and his team painstakingly re-created Pearl Harbor in meticulous miniature, working from photographs supplied by the Navy. This enormous outdoor set was the most elaborate ever built in Japan, and allowed for a very realistic reenactment of the attack on Battleship Row.
Eiji Tsuburaya's Special Effects would bring to life other Japanese victories the followed Pearl Harbor into the Maylaya Campaign for the motion picture. Toho Studio's had been given a budget of $380,000 to make the propaganda movie. The average Japanese motion picture at the time was budgeted at $40,000, or less.
Propaganda has always been a means of increasing morale on the Home Front and at times the troops on the Front Lines. What the Japanese High Command, who commissioned the motion picture from Toho Studio, could not of imagined was the reaction by the American's to a copy of Eiji Tsuburaya's work.
August Ragone wrote on page 30 of his biography that after Japan surrendered:
Occupation officers believed that to have gained access to such detailed information about the U.S. Naval base, Tsuburaya must have been part of an espionage ring.
However, it was Tsuburaya's commitment to the smallest detail, as the above photograph indicates, that would actually fool "The Office of Strategic Services (OSS)" and Photographic Intelligence Officer Commander John Ford. As Eiji Tsuburaya was not a member of any espionage ring, but was a dedicated film maker.
According to Ford and members of his Unit. The picture was initially discovered on a downed aircraft probably on it's way to a carrier, or Naval base. John Ford reviewed the movie and determined that the motion picture was using actual combat footage of the attack on Battleship Row. Being such a revered Hollywood Director it was presumed he knew what he was talking about. After the war according to Ford biographers this became a touchy subject with the director.
All known copies of "The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya" would be completely confiscated by the Supreme Allied Command Powers from Toho and other locations. After Japan's surrender the Navy Department would give a copy of "The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya" to the newsreel company Movietone for release to movie houses throughout the United States for the purpose of showing how terrible the actual attack had looked .
In 1942, the "Nikkatsu Studio"merged with the "Daiei Studio", located in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, but Takashi Shimura went to the smaller "Koa Eiga Studio". A year later, the actor was working at the "Toho Studio", founded on August 12, 1932, in Tokyo, as the legitimate stage "株式会社東京宝塚劇場 Tokyo-Takarazuka Theatre Company".
A Selection of Takashi Shimura's Motion Pictures:
On March 25, 1943, the Japanese public saw, after being censored, the first motion picture by an assistant director promoted to the director's chair, 黒澤 明 or 黒沢 明, Kurosawa Akira (Akira Kurosawa).
姿三四郎, SANASHIRO SUGATA aka: JUDO SAGA
Pertaining to the censorship of the motion picture at the time of its initial release. When Toho re-released the motion picture in 1952, the following, in Japanese, had been added before the actual film began:
This film has been modified from the original version of Akira Kurosawa's debut film, which opened in 1943, without consulting the director or the production staff. 1,845 feet of footage was cut in 1944 to comply with the government's wartime entertainment policies. As much as we'd like to show the original version, we were not able to locate the cut footage. Yet we strongly believe this modified version is worthy of re-release. We thank you for understanding the circumstances surrounding the re-release of this film. April 1952, Toho Company Ltd.
The screenplay was based upon a novel, "Sanshiro Sugata", by Tsuneo Tomita, the son of a prominent judo disciple, Tsunejiro Tomita. Whose name appeared on the first line of the registry of the "Kōdōkan Jūdō Institute", founded in 1882, and is the worldwide headquarters of the Judo community. The novel would be reused in movie versions in both 1955, and 1970.
The actual screenplay was written solely by the director, Akira Kurosawa.
Takaashi Shimura had 5th-billing portraying "Hansuke Murai, Satyo's father".
The basic story is set in 1882 Japan, and tells of young "Sanshiro Sugata", portrayed by Susumu Fujita, who dreams of becoming a jujutsu master and his trials to obtain that goal. "Sanshiro" meets "Shogoro Yano", portrayed by Denjiro Ōkochi, from the "Skudokan Judo School", and he becomes his mentor and trainer.
There comes a point in the screenplay, when the city is looking for a martial arts school to oversee the training of the police force. The competition for the "Skudokan Judo School" is a more traditional school of training in "Ryoi-Shinto-ryu"style that goes back to the 17th Century, and is run by "Hansuke Murai". There will be a public match between the two schools to determine which one will teach the police force.
"Sanshiro" is chosen from his school, and his first match is against "Master Saburo Kodama", portrayed Yoshio Kosugi. "Kodama" had been attacking and attempting to kill "Master Shogoro". When "Sanshiro" first met his future master. The competitions match ends with "Kodama" making a major mistake and is accidentally killed.
Next, "Hansuke Murai" decides to fight "Sugata", is defeated, partly because of his age compared to his young opponents. This leads both to respect and a friendship with the older master, and a romance with "Murai's" daughter, "Sayo". However, another suitor, "Gennosuke Higaki", portrayed by Ryunosuke Tsukigata, challenges the young jujitsu master to the death and "Sanshiro Sugata" accepts. The match ends without death, but "Higaki" now has permanent physical damage to his body and will not ever fight again.
The story ends with "Sanshiro Sugata" being sent to Yokohama to teach that cities police force. Escorting him to his train is "Sayo", and he promises to return to her.
In August 1945, one-month prior to the Japanese surrender ending the Pacific War, Shoji Shimazaki's brother was killed in Southeast Asia. I looked, but could not locate what his name was, just as I could not find the names of the brother's parents.
Two years later, Takashi Shimura was in his first motion picture with another classic Japanese actor, Toshirō Mifune. The following, modified film description, comes from my article "Toshirô Mifune, 三船 敏郎, Mifune Toshirō: Part One, Selections of His Japanese Language Film Work" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2024/04/toshiro-mifune-mifune-toshiro-part-one.html
銀嶺の果て GINREINOHATEG aka: SNOW TRAIL released in Japan on August 5, 1947
The motion picture was directed by Senkichi Taniguchi, his second film in that position, he also co-wrote the screenplay, and co-edited this production.
The name of the other screenplay writer and the film-editor was Akira Kurosawa. He was not engaged in directing the feature film.
The music was the first motion picture score composed by Akira Ifukube. For my readers unfamiliar with his name and work. Akira Ifukube, composed the iconic theme for the living Jurassic Age dinosaur exposed to the United States "Castle Bravo H-Bomb", "Gojira".
The basic story line is simple, three men rob a bank, and the police go after them. However, the twist here is that they do not stay in the city, but escape into the snow bound Japanese Alps near Hokkaido, where the picture was shot. The first picture below is of the overly confident police joking with reporters over how stupid the three are to go up into the Alps at this time of year.
The Three Bank Robbers:
Toshirô Mifune portrayed "Eijima", spelled on some sites as "Ejima". This was the actor's first on-screen appearance. The website "Misfortunes of Imaginary Beings"
Said of Mifune's first on-screen appearance, that he:
---goes headlong into his handsome brooding mode, playing a tough, ruthless bank robber on the run in the Japanese Alps.
Can you say Humphrey Bogart in director Raul Walsh's, 1941, "High Sierra"?
Takashi Shimura portrayed Nojiro".
Yoshio Kosugi portrayed "Takasugi". Yoshio Kosugi first appeared on-screen in 1924 and at the end of his film career in 1967, The actor had been seen in one-hundred-and-forty-six feature films, including several of the classic "Toho Studio's" science fiction entries.
Being pursued, the three bank robbers find themselves trapped in a mountain pass, the dog leading the police gets released and confronts "Takasurgi".
In panic, he shoots at the dog, causing an avalanche and "Takasurgi" and several of the pursing police officers are buried in it. "Eijima" and "Nojiro" escape the avalanche, are able to take a short rest, and proceed up the mountain, no longer being pursued. Next, the two see a ski lodge to take refuge in.
The Three Occupants of the Ski Lodge:
Akitake Kono portrayed "Honda". He became a character actor for "Toho Studios" in 1942. Kono's started with the uncredited role of "Saito" in the Japanese propaganda war epic, 1942's, "ハワイ・マレー沖海戦 (The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya)".
Setsuko Wakayama portrayed "Haruko". In 1955, Setsuko Wakayama portrayed "Hidemi Yamaji - Koehi's daughter", in "Godzilla's Counter Attack". She was married from 1949 to 1956, to director Senkichi Taniguchi.
Above, Setsuko Wakayama and Toshirō Mifune.
Kokuten Kodo portrayed "Haruko's Grandfather". Kodo started his on-screen work in 1924 and developed into a character actor who used different screen names. He had been born Tanigawa Saichiro in 1887. Kokuten Kodo would appear in several of Akira Kurasawa films and was in 1954's, "Gojira", in the role of "The Old Fisherman", billed as Kuninori Kodo. The 1956, "Godzilla, King of the Monsters", listed his role as "Old Man on Hill on Oto Island", without any on-screen credit.
The three occupants of the ski lodge have no outside communication and are unaware that their two new guests are bank robbers.
"Nojiro" is surprised that people live this high up in the Alps, and "Honda" replies that normally they would have started down already, but the avalanche and a current blizzard has prevented this. Two of the characters have different reasons in liking the situation, "Eijima", because that means the police and other searchers will not be coming up, and "Haruko", because that means "Honda" can't leave. "Grandfather" believes it will be at least one-week, before that happens. "Nojiro" is settling into the group and especially likes "Grandfather", but the youthful "Eijima" is on edge. When suddenly he hears a sound outside ---
--- and is told it's from a carrier pigeon. Which is the way the Ski Lodge uses to communicate down the mountain to the town below. The other four people seem not to notice "Eijima's" calculating expression, because they are drunk.
Now comes an interesting moment in a Japanese made motion picture. Which some reviewers attribute to the fact that Japan was under "allied oversight" and wanted to put "their occupiers" at ease.
"Haruko" gets the drunk "Honda" to do a goofy dance to the American folk song, "Oh Susanna". Both, "Norjio" and "Eijima" begin to relax, and "Norjiro" removes the dark sunglasses he has been wearing since before the avalanche took place.
I turn to the webpage "The Avocado", for what is not in the screenplay, but asks the question of who are these characters?
https://the-avocado.org/2022/08/03/wtf-asia-224-snow-trail-1947/
It is an…interesting choice to have all of these characters who must have backstories…and generally avoid showing their backstories beyond hints. Why is this old man and his granddaughter living all the way up here? What happened to her parents? Did they die during the war? You kind of just have to either guess or just accept not knowing.
As for the robbers? The robbery is the backstory. And that’s it. Everything else has to be inferred. The middle-aged robbers seem to have a past, and went into this robbery out of desperation and need. Takasugi appears to be a troubled psychological state. He is utterly broken and remains dependent on Nojiro. Nojiro is a tough guy, but his gruff exterior appears to cover a noble soul that has guilt over a tragic past.
As for young Ejima? He is the kind of person whom one might assume would rob a bank. Already an asshole from the start, he spirals further as the movie goes through under the guise of cold pragmatism. But, what would you expect from Mifune? Just look at him? He was born in Japan-controlled China, raised in Japan-controlled China, and drafted into the Aerial Photography unit during WWII. He must have seen some serious shit all his life and the studio bigwigs must have picked up on that just by looking at him.
The climax starts with the sound of barking dogs alerting the two robbers of the approach of the police. Forcing mountain climber, "Honda" to go guide him, "Eijima" promises to kill "Haruko", if he doesn't. The older "Nojiro", has both regrets of the robbery and his life, but goes with "Eijima's" plan to escape across the Alps.
I leave my reader at this point, but give them, as of this writing, a link to the complete feature film for their enjoyment:
https://archive.org/details/snow.-trail.-1947.1080p.-webrip.x-264.-aac-yts.-mx
I once again move forward two-years and to one of the first American style film-noir, crime drama's, filmed in Japan.
野良犬, STRAY DOG released in Japan on October 17, 1949
The motion picture was directed and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. According to the director, the story was inspired by the 1949, American crime drama, "The Naked City", directed by Jules Dassin, and filmed, mostly, on New York City streets rather than in studio. Kurosawa also said he was inspired by the detective fiction of Belgium author George Simenon and his character of "Inspector Jules Maigret". The screenplay is set in post-Second World War Tokyo, and looks at how the Japanese were accepting, or not accepting the war's conclusion.
This was co-writer, Ryuzo Kikushima's first screenplay and he would work with Kurosawa on several other motion pictures.
On this feature film, Akira Kurosawa had a "Chief Assistant Director", that would film footage for the ten-minute long continuous sequence on the streets of Tokyo, and doubled for actor Toshiro Mifune. The assistant director's name was Ishiro Honda, whose name is soon associated with "Toho's" classic science fiction of the 1950's and 1960's.
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "Detective Murakami". He had just been seen in director Senkichi Tanigushi's drama, 1949's, "Jakoman and Tetsu", and followed this motion picture was the comedy, 1950's, "Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Chief Detective Sato". He had just had an uncredited role, I could not locate the name of his character, in the adventure film based upon a real, one-eyed, legendary, "Robin Hood" samurai character, 1949's, "Ishimatsu of the Forest". Shimura would follow this motion picture with what appears to be a 1949 film version of a 1721 play, "Onna koroshi abura jigoku".
The setting is an extremely hot day in post war Tokyo, and riding a crowded trolly is newly promoted police "Detective Murakami". A pickpocket lifts the young detective's colt pistol and the chase in on, but "Murakami" loses him on the crowded streets. The newly promoted detective reports the theft to his superior, "Police Inspector Nakajima", portrayed by Gen Shimizu, who suggests he conducts his own investigation. The inexperienced detective speaks to one of the woman who was on the trolly, gets a lead, and goes undercover for days, attempting to infiltrate the illicit arms market.
Her lead takes him to a gun dealer, "Tachibana", with an alias of "Honda", portrayed by Reuzaburo Yamamoto, and "Murakami" purchases an illegal gun. His inexperience continues to show and he arrests the dealer's girlfriend, again I could not locate the actress's name, thinking she will have knowledge of the dealer's operations, but she doesn't and he's embarrassed. The police forensic expert now determines that a bullet retrieved from a tree was from "Detective Murakami's" colt and used in a mugging of a woman for 40,000 yen.
Now, the screenplay turns into an American style, "Cop Buddy" picture, with the young detective partnered with the experienced older "Chief Detective Sato".
"Sato" now questions "Honda's" girlfriend and gets her to reveal he's a fan of baseball and the two head for the local baseball game.
Staking out the game, the two detectives spot "Honda", lure him from the crowd and searching "Tachibana", find a rice ration card, that leads to a man named "Shinjiro Yusa", portrayed by Isao Kimbura, a war vet, and next, complete the arrest of "Tachibana/Honda".
The two detectives now go to the disenchanted army vet, "Yusa", who has become a member of the Japanese criminal organization the yakuza. The two interview the vet, his sister, and another yakuza member.
"Yusa's" girlfriend, is showgirl "Harumi Namaki", portrayed by Keiko Awaji, who is very reluctant to talk to the two detectives.
After having dinner at "Sato's house, the two detectives learn that "Murakami's" colt has been used in another robbery, but this time a woman was murdered. The two go to "Harumi Namaki's mother", portrayed by Eiko Miyoshi, to question her daughter, but she is still reluctant to speak. "Sato" leaves "Murakami" there to see if he can make "Narumi" talk with the help of her mother.
"Sato" has tracked down the hotel that "Yusa" is staying at, but just as "Sato" is about to tell "Murakami", on the phone, the criminal's location. "Yusa" having overheard the hotel owner, "Yayoi", portrayed by Ichiro Sugai, mention that "Sato" is a police officer, shoots the detective twice and escapes. Badly wounded, but not dead. "Sato" staggers out of the hotel and collapses on the ground from a loss of blood. At the hospital, "Murakami" is in shock, and wailing over what happened to "Sato". Has to be forcibly removed from the hospital on orders of his superior, "Police Inspector Nakajima".
The following morning, "Murakami" hears from "Namaki", who has had a change of heart. She tells him that "Yusa" called and wants her to meet him at the train station so that the two can "Skip Town". "Murakami" races to the train station and because of three tips he received over the last few days. The young detective knows that "Yusa's" clothes are stained with mud, what his actual age is, and that he is left-handed, enabling him to identify "Yusa".
Seeing the detective, the criminal now attempts to flee into the nearby forest, but "Murakami" stays after him. "Yusa" shoots the other in the arm, but that doesn't stop the detective and causes "Yusa" to fire his last two bullets, and tossing the gun away. "Detective Murakami" is able to overtake and wrestle down "Yusa" and place handcuffs on him.
Days later in the hospital, "Chief Detective Sato" congratulates "Detective Murakami" on his first citation. The younger man admits that he had sympathies with the position the army veteran was put into. "Sato" replies that there are a lot more veterans in the same position as "Yusa". Adding, that overtime, "Murakami" will lose his sentimentality and just arrest.
In 1922, "The father of the Japanese Short Story", Ryunosuke Akutagawa, published a short story entitled "藪の中 In a Grove".
Twenty-eight years later it won the "Academy Award for Best Foreign Film" as:
羅生門 RASHOMON premiering at the "Imperial Theatre" in Tokyo on August 25, 1950
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The movie was directed and edited by Akira Kurosawa. Who had been working on adapting Ryunosuke Akutagawa's story, since 1948, into a screenplay.
The screenplay was co-written by Shinobu Hashimoto, his first, but whose name will appear again in this article associate in other screenplays for Kurosawa.
The People Who Testified:
Minoru Chiaki portrayed "The Priest".
Takashi Shimura portrayed a "Woodcutter".
Kichijiro Ueda portrayed a "Commoner".
Toshiro Mifune portrayed the "Bandit, Tajomaru".
Machiko Kyo portrayed the "Samurai's Wife, Masago".
Masayuki Mori portrayed "The Samurai, Kanazawa no Takehiro".
One of the biggest problems facing an investigation of a crime, occurs when there are more than one witness and each seems to contradict the others. This is the simple plot to the original story and the motion picture.
A Woodcutter, a Samurai, his Wife, and a Bandit. Four people involved in a rape and murder, but who is telling the truth, or are we even hearing the truth?
A Woodcutter, a Samurai, his Wife, and a Bandit. Four people involved in a rape and murder, but who is telling the truth, or are we even hearing the truth?
The screenplay opens with a "The Priest", sitting at the Southern Gate, known as "Rashomon", of the city called "Heian-kyo, with a "Woodcutter". The gate provides both men with some shelter from the falling rain. Enter a "Commoner", and "The Priest" and "Woodcutter" begin to tell "The Commoner" of the events at a trial they took part in.
The tale begins with the events of what becomes both the rape of a Samurai's Wife and his death told from the point of view of the "Bandit, Tajomaru". Who claims to have gotten the two to go with him to look at a cache of ancient swords. "Tajomaru" overwhelms the Samurai and ties him to a tree and then rapes his Wife in front of him.
In this version, the Wife, after attempting to kill herself with a dagger, begs the Bandit to duel her husband to save her from the guilt and shame of being raped. The Bandit unties the Samurai, and they duel with the Bandit killing the other. This version makes the Bandit seem extremely cunning, but honorable. However, he admits forgetting about an expensive dagger owned by the samurai's wife.
In this version, the Wife, after attempting to kill herself with a dagger, begs the Bandit to duel her husband to save her from the guilt and shame of being raped. The Bandit unties the Samurai, and they duel with the Bandit killing the other. This version makes the Bandit seem extremely cunning, but honorable. However, he admits forgetting about an expensive dagger owned by the samurai's wife.
Next, we have the same story told by the "Samurai's Wife, Masago's", point of view, and it is very different. She claims the Bandit left after raping her and she untied her husband. She begged her husband to forgive her shame, but his look said otherwise. She then asked him to kill her with the dagger she held. As her husband continued to stare at her in disgust, she fainted. Waking up, the Wife discovered her husband's body with the dagger in it, and attempted, but failed in killing herself.
The third version of these events, is told by "The Samurai, Kanazawa no Takehiro". His story is told through the use of a Medium, who brings his spirit to the court. He claims that after being raped, his Wife asked to travel with the Bandit, but adding, that the Bandit needed to kill her husband, so she would not feel owned by two different men. Instead, the Bandit asked the Samurai, if he wants his Wife let go, or killed? She runs away, the Bandit goes after her, but he couldn't find the Samurai's Wife. So, he returned to the tied up Samurai, frees him, and leaves. The Samurai then kills himself with his Wife's dagger. Later, the spirit says somebody unknown to him, removed the dagger from his chest.
The Woodcutter tells the Commoner that all three stories are falsehoods and he witnessed the Samurai being killed by a sword, not a dagger. The Commoner pressures the Woodcutter to admit he saw the actual murder, but lied to avoid getting in trouble with the court trying the case.
In the Woodcutter's story, "Tajomaru" begged "Masago" to marry him. Instead, she frees her husband, expecting him to kill her rapist. Instead, "Kanazawa no Takehiro" refuses to fight, afraid he could be killed over a ruined woman. The Bandit takes back his promise to marry the Wife. She rebukes both men over failing to keep their promises to her, and both men unwittingly enter into a duel. The samurai is disarmed and begs the Bandit for his life, but is killed instead. The Wife flees the scene, the Bandit steals the Samurai's sword and injured limps away,
Next, the Woodcutter, the Priest, and the Commoner hear a baby crying and follow the sound to the infant. The three find the baby with a kimono and an amulet, and abandoned by its parents. The Commoner steals the kimono and the amulet, and is rebuked by the Woodcutter. At which point, the Commoner deduces that the Woodcutter actually lied, because he had stolen the Wife's dagger to sell it for food.
The Woodcutter is attempting to calm the baby after the departure of the Commoner. While the Priest states he has lost his faith in humanity from the events of the trial and the fact that the Commoner has stolen the items found with the baby. The Woodcutter tells him that he intends to raise the baby as his own, restoring the Priest's faith in men as the rain has stopped and the sun starts to rise.
While working upon the screenplay for "Rashomon", Akira Kurosawa went to an inn in the seaside city of Atami as a writing retreat. Accompanying him was his friend, and apprentice, Ishiro Honda, who was working on the screenplay for his first full directing assignment.
Released, May 23, 1951, Taskashi Shimura appeared in Kurosawa's 265-minute production of Russian author, Fyodor Dostoevsky's, 1868, "The Idiot". Which the studio cut by 100-minutes, before the film was released. That edited version still remains, but the 265-minute original is a lost film.
The screenplay that Ishiro Honda had worked upon at the inn was "青い真珠 The Blue Pearl", with Taskashi Shimura portraying "The Lighthouse Keeper", was released on August 3, 1951. It featured the first underwater sequences in a Japanese motion picture with footage of actual "ama divers (sea women)" in the backstory.
Takashi Shimura and Akira Kurosawa's returned to another Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, known for his 1889, Napoleonic epic novel, "War and Peace", but instead used his lesser known,1886, "The Death of Ivan Ilyich", as source material move to modern day Japan.
生きる IRIKIU "TO LIVE" released in Japan on October 9, 1952
Akira Kurosawa obtained the book rights, and co-wrote the screenplay. Along with directing this feature film.
His co-writers were Shinobu Hashimoto, and Hideo Oguni.
Oguni preferred the original title of the screenplay, "The Life of Kanji Watanabe", but accepted Kurosawa's change to "Ikiru". Whichever the title, the screenplay has three themes.
The first is "Living", which is expressed in "Kanji's" quest for the "Meaning of Life".
The second is "Bureaucracy", which is an "indictment of the Japanese bureaucracy" after the Second World War.
The third is "Family", with a definite negative view of the "traditional" Japanese family's structure that still existed after the Second World War had ended and the country occupied.
The Main Cast:
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Kanji Watanabe". Shimura had just been viewed in director Hiroshi Inagaki's, 1952, "Sword for Hire", co-written with the director by Akira Kurosawa, and starring Toshiro Mifune. The actor followed this feature film with the story of a whaling captain, 1952's, "The Man Who Came to Port", directed by Ishiro Honda, and starring Toshiro Mifune.
Noburo Kaneko portrayed "Mitsuo Watanabe, Kanji's son". Kaneko was just in a 1952 Japanese drama entitled "Boryoku (Violence)", I could not locate information on the picture. He followed this movie with 1953's, "Kumo nagaruru hate ni (Beyond the Clouds)", again, no information available, but the poster shows a Japanese flyer in the Second World War.
Above left to right, Kyoko Seki portraying "Kazue, Mitsuo's" wife, Takashi Shimura, and Noburo Kaneko.
An Overview of Akira Kurosawa's Version of Leo Tolstoy:
"Kanji Watanabe" is in a thirty-year bureaucratic position, day after day doing the same thing, and now faces retirement.
"Kanji's" wife has long passed away, and per the normal pattern of Japanese life at the time, his son "Mituso" and his wife, "Tatsu", portrayed by Kumeko Urabe, live with him.
"Kanji" visits his doctor and discovers he has terminal cancer. He decides to let "Mituso" know, but changes his mind, when his son, as usual, pays no attention to him. Again, within the normal pattern of life, "Mituso" awaits his father's death. So that he can inherit the house and more importantly his father's pension.
"Kanji" decides to lose himself in the Tokyo nightlife and goes to a night club. There he meets an eccentric novelist portrayed by Yūnosuke Itō, who guides the bureaucrat through the nightlife at the club.
"Kanji" approaches the piano player and request that he play a popular romantic ballad from 1915, "Gondola no Uta (The Gondola Song)", and he sings in a voice of great sadness the lyrics that start with:
life is brief
fall in love, maidens
before the crimson bloom
fades from your lips
before the tides of passion
cool within you,
for there is no such thing
as tomorrow, after all
The novelist and "Kanji" go to the "Red Light District" and when they're threatened by the Yakuza. "Watanabe" laughes at the idiocy of having his life threatened, when he's dying of cancer. "Kani" now realizes that pleasure doesn't always cancel pain.
The following day at work, an employee, "Toyo Odagiri", portrayed by Miki Odagiri, needs "Kani's" signature on her resignation letter. He observes she has a love of life and is enthusiastic about her future and wants to be with her.
"Toyo" is at first a little standoffish of his interest in her, but after a while realizes he's interested only on how she can have such a love of life? In a world that "Kani" finds himself locked into with its expectations of his station in life. "Toyo" tells "Kani" how she has found joy in her new job of making toys for children, and, in her mind, as if "Toyo" is playing with the children that get them. At one point the two end up at a park with a swing, and for a moment, the bureaucrat is a child once more.
Like "Toyo", "Kanji" now wants to make something wonderful, and after a long absence. He returns to the bureaucracy that "Kanji" is just a cog in. Then he remembers that at one time, some employees wanted a company playground for their children and grandchildren, but it was stopped by the bureaucracy that is their Japanese company. Now, "Kanji Watanabe" decides to push for that playground. Knowing that he is interfering with the jurisdictions of the other departments that make up the company, his and the other's world.
After "Kanji Watanabe" dies, his former co-workers assemble to remember him, during a rain at the playground he created. They question what caused him to change from a listless bureaucrat, like they all are, into a passionate advocate for something as unimportant as a company playground. They reason he must not have known he was dying. While "Mitsuo", tells them that he had no knowledge that his father was even ill. However, Akira Kurosawa's audience knows otherwise, and so would "Mitsuo, IF he had paid attention to his father and showed him love.
This group next hears from a witness, that none of them knew, that during the last days of "Kanji Watanabe's" life. He sat happily in the falling snow on the swing singing "Gondola no Uta".
They promise to honor "Kani's" life, but they all disperse back to their boring, routine lives. The movie end with "Kani Watanabe" on the swing in the rain.
Takashi Shimura followed "Ikiru"with ten other roles. His tenth role was in a classic samurai motion picture that in 1960, would be turned into a classic American western from director John Sturges with three sequels and one remake.
七人の侍,SEVEN SAMURAI released on April 26, 1954
The motion picture was directed by Akira Kurosawa.
The screenplay was by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, and Hideo Oguni.
The following has been modified for this article from my article "THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: The Four Original Films and The Japanese Source Film" fighting the bad guys at:
The Seven Samurai:
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "Kikuchiyo". The actor had just been seen in director Ishiro Honda's biography of "Admiral Yamamoto", 1953's, "Eagle of the Pacific".
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "Kikuchiyo". The actor had just been seen in director Ishiro Honda's biography of "Admiral Yamamoto", 1953's, "Eagle of the Pacific".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Kambei Shimada". The actor was also just in director Ishiro Honda's, 1953, "Eagle of the Pacific".
Daisuke Kato portrayed "Shichiroji". Kato first appeared on-screen prior to World War 2, in 1936's, "Priest of Darkness. He was in the classic, 1941, production of "The 47 Ronin". The character actor also appeared as a "Policeman" in 1950's "Rashomon", and portrayed a "Yakuza" crime member in 1952's, "Ikiru".
Isao "Ko" Kimura portrayed "Katsushiro Okamoto". Kimura portrayed a medical "Intern" in 1952's, "Ikiru".
Minoru Chiaki portrayed "Heihachi Hayashida". Chiaki portrayed "The Girlie Show Director", in 1949's, "Stray Dog", "Mutsuo Kayama, the Secretary" in 1951's, "The Idiot", and "Noguchi", in 1952's, "Ikiru".
Seiji Miyaguchi portrayed "Kyuzo". Miyaguchi portrayed the "Yakuza Boss" in 1952's, "Ikiru".
Yoshiro Inaba portrayed "Gorobei Katayama". This was only the actor's third motion picture.
Three Other Major Roles:
Shinpei Takagi portrayed "The Bandit Chief". Takagi had been acting since 1922 and initially retired in 1935, but returned for one motion picture in 1949, retired, returned in 1954 for "Seven Samuari",
retired once again and then was brought out of retirement for Akira Kurasawa's 1957, "Throne of Blood".
Kokuten Kodo portrayed "The Village Elder, Gisaku". Kodo started film acting in 1923 and portrayed the "Old Landlord" in 1949's, "Stray Dog", and "Jumpei", in 1952's, "The Idiot".
In 1955, Kodo was the "Tribal Chief" in director Ishiro Honda's, "Mountain Snowman". That was extremely cut and re-edited into 1958's, "Half-Human", almost entirely removing Kodo's role.
Keiko Tsushima portrayed "Shino", a young girl posing as a boy. Tsushima would have 79 roles to her film credit between 1947 and 2002.
Bandits are unknowingly overheard planning a raid on a village of farmers once the harvest is in. Those who overheard go to their Village Elder, "Gisaku", for his wisdom and he relates hearing about a village that hired a Samurai to protect them against bandits. As they have no money to pay any Samurai, "Gisaku" advises to find "Hungry Samurai".
A group is sent out to locate some "Hungry Samurai" for the village to feed in trade for protection. They come across "Kambei", who is an aging but experience "ronin", in the process of rescuing a young boy held captive by a cornered thief. After saving the boy, a young inexperienced Samurai, "Katsushiro", he asks to be the older man's disciple. The farmers approach, but the old Samurai is reluctant to help them and then, after some thought, agrees.
"Kambei" now recruits other Samurai for the defense of the farmers village. These include his old friend "Shichiroji", and the friendly, but willy "Gorobei". Next, it's the good-natured "Heihachi" and the master swordsman "Kyuzo", but because time is short, the untried "Katsushiro" becomes the sixth member of the group.
As the six samurai head for the village, they're being followed. Finally this wild man,
Once at the village, they find everyone in hiding. Feeling insulted, "Kikuchiyo" rings the village alarm bell and the people come out of their homes and beg from the protection of the, now,
PART TWO:
The Bandits lauch a retaliatory attack on the village and meet new fortifications as several of them die, but so does "Heihachi". On the outskirts of the village is an old mill that "The Village Elder, Gisaku", lives at and he refuses to go to the village for safety. The Bandits attack the mill and "Gisaku's Family" attempts to save him. All, but a baby die! Who, after being rescued by "Kiksushiro", causes the strong samurai to break into tears, because he is also an orphan.
As the battle nears its end, the Bandit leader hides in a hut with women, but also has a gun. He shoots and kills "Kyuzo". Enraged, "Kikuchiyo" charges into the hut and is shot, but manages to kill the Bandit leader before dying himself.
The three remaining Samurai, watch from the funeral mounds of their comrades, as the joyful villagers sing while planting their crops. "Kambei" reflects to the other two that:
Seven motion picture roles later, found actor Takashi Shimura, in a 1954 Kaiju (Giant Monster) motion picture from Toho Studio's producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. That brought on specific memories to the people of Japan about events that took place to end the war in the Pacific, but were followed by continued American nuclear testing.
Kokuten Kodo portrayed "The Village Elder, Gisaku". Kodo started film acting in 1923 and portrayed the "Old Landlord" in 1949's, "Stray Dog", and "Jumpei", in 1952's, "The Idiot".
In 1955, Kodo was the "Tribal Chief" in director Ishiro Honda's, "Mountain Snowman". That was extremely cut and re-edited into 1958's, "Half-Human", almost entirely removing Kodo's role.
Keiko Tsushima portrayed "Shino", a young girl posing as a boy. Tsushima would have 79 roles to her film credit between 1947 and 2002.
The Screenplay:
The basic plot was divided into two sections with an intermission. The running time of the feature was Three Hours and Twenty-Seven minutes.
Part One:
The basic plot was divided into two sections with an intermission. The running time of the feature was Three Hours and Twenty-Seven minutes.
Part One:
Bandits are unknowingly overheard planning a raid on a village of farmers once the harvest is in. Those who overheard go to their Village Elder, "Gisaku", for his wisdom and he relates hearing about a village that hired a Samurai to protect them against bandits. As they have no money to pay any Samurai, "Gisaku" advises to find "Hungry Samurai".
A group is sent out to locate some "Hungry Samurai" for the village to feed in trade for protection. They come across "Kambei", who is an aging but experience "ronin", in the process of rescuing a young boy held captive by a cornered thief. After saving the boy, a young inexperienced Samurai, "Katsushiro", he asks to be the older man's disciple. The farmers approach, but the old Samurai is reluctant to help them and then, after some thought, agrees.
"Kambei" now recruits other Samurai for the defense of the farmers village. These include his old friend "Shichiroji", and the friendly, but willy "Gorobei". Next, it's the good-natured "Heihachi" and the master swordsman "Kyuzo", but because time is short, the untried "Katsushiro" becomes the sixth member of the group.
As the six samurai head for the village, they're being followed. Finally this wild man,
"Kikuchiyo", who claims to be a Samurai, and carries an alleged family scroll as proof, confronts the others. However, the scroll is not for a man as old as "Kikuchiyo", the six refuse his request to join them. He keeps following and his persistence finally pays off and he is asked to join the other six.
Once at the village, they find everyone in hiding. Feeling insulted, "Kikuchiyo" rings the village alarm bell and the people come out of their homes and beg from the protection of the, now,
"Seven Samurai". Slowly, the villagers and samurai form a comradeship and defenses are built. While "Katsushiro" is also forming a relationship with "Shino", a farmer's daughter masquerading as a young boy, because of her father's misbelief that the group of samurai would rape her.
"Kikuchiyo" brings the other six men armor and weapons the villagers have collected. It's obvious that they came from either finding dead samurai, or the villagers killing individual samurai. The others want to refuse the much needed armor, because of its source. In an outburst by "Kikuchiyo", the truth that he is also a farmer comes out, he lectures the six about how samurai have treated farmers with disrespect and forced them into labor. The moment completes a bonding of all "Seven Samurai".
"Kikuchiyo" brings the other six men armor and weapons the villagers have collected. It's obvious that they came from either finding dead samurai, or the villagers killing individual samurai. The others want to refuse the much needed armor, because of its source. In an outburst by "Kikuchiyo", the truth that he is also a farmer comes out, he lectures the six about how samurai have treated farmers with disrespect and forced them into labor. The moment completes a bonding of all "Seven Samurai".
PART TWO:
Three Bandit Scouts are spotted and two killed. Against the samurai's wishes, the farmers kill the one surviving Bandit Scout and this leads to a forced pre-emptive strike against the Bandits.
The Bandits lauch a retaliatory attack on the village and meet new fortifications as several of them die, but so does "Heihachi". On the outskirts of the village is an old mill that "The Village Elder, Gisaku", lives at and he refuses to go to the village for safety. The Bandits attack the mill and "Gisaku's Family" attempts to save him. All, but a baby die! Who, after being rescued by "Kiksushiro", causes the strong samurai to break into tears, because he is also an orphan.
The Bandits attack again and "Gorobei" is killed! Later that night "Kambei" predicts, that due to their diminishing numbers, that Bandits will launch an all-out attack. Meanwhile, the relationship between "Shino" and the young samurai "Katsushiro" is finally discovered by her father. He beats his daughter until "Kambei" and the villagers intervene. "Shichiroji" tells everyone that the two lovers should be forgiven, because their young and passions always run high before a battle.
The following morning there is a torrential downpour and "Kambei" orders the remaining Bandits and their leader to be let into the village for the final confrontation.
The following morning there is a torrential downpour and "Kambei" orders the remaining Bandits and their leader to be let into the village for the final confrontation.
As the battle nears its end, the Bandit leader hides in a hut with women, but also has a gun. He shoots and kills "Kyuzo". Enraged, "Kikuchiyo" charges into the hut and is shot, but manages to kill the Bandit leader before dying himself.
In the end we lost this battle too. The victory belongs to the peasants, not to us.
That motion picture and its sequel's special effects were by the great Eiji Tsuburaya. I again, direct my readers to my friend, August Ragone's, excellent biography, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters".
GOJIRA premiered in Nagoya, Japan on October 27, 1954
For those of my readers interested in the complete story, which indirectly involved a story by H.G. Wells, and directly, the tuna fishing boat, "The Lucky Dragon #5". My detailed article is "H. G. Wells - J. Robert Oppenheimer - ゴジラGojira" detailed at:
The following is modified from the above article and is only a very small part of it.
The Cast of the Love Triangle:
Akira Takarada portrayed "Salvage Ship's Captain, Hideto Ogata". This was only his third-feature-film and all three were in 1954. In 1955, he co-starred in Ishiro Honda's horror film, "Ju jin yuki otoko (Beast Man - Snowman)". Which would be butchered by removing much of the actual footage, have American unrelated footage added, and be released as 1958's, "Half-Human".
Momoko Kōchi portrayed "Emiko Yamane". This was the actress's sixth on-screen role, and she would repeat "Emiko", as an elderly lady in 1995's, "ゴジラＶＳデストロイア Godzilla vs Destoroyah". She also co-starred again with Akira Takarada, in Ishiro Honda's, "Ju jin yuki otoko (Beast Man - Snowman)". My article about her film career is "河内 桃子, Kōchi Momoko (Momoko Kōchi): Japanese Horror and Science Fiction", found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2022/08/kochi-momoko-momoko-kochi-japanese.html
Akihiko Hirata portrayed "Dr. Daisuke Serizawa". The actor is known for portraying the character of "Seijuro Yoshioka", in director Hiroshi Inagaki's, classic, 1954, "Samurai I", 1955's, "Samurai II", and 1956, "Samurai III". However, he was also in 1958's, "Bijo To Ekatai-Ningen (Beauty and the Liquid Men) shorten and dubbed as "The H-Man". Along with "Denso Ningen (The Electrically Transmitted Man) aka: "The Secret of the Telegram)" and the excellent story of Pearl Harbor and Midway from the Japanese perspective. 1960's, "Hawi Middouei daikaikusen: Taiheiiyo no arashi (Hawaii-Midway Battle of the Sea and Sky: Storm in the Pacific Ocean)", see my above link to my article about Pearl Harbor.
Three Other Main Roles:
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Dr. Kyohei Yamane".
Toyoaki Suzuki portrayed "Shinkichi Yamada". He is only shown with a total of thirteen on-screen appearances and that total is misleading, because they include the different re-edits of this motion picture.
Above left, Toyoaki Suzuki with Kokuten Kodo billed as Keninori Kodo, portraying "The Old Fisherman".
Sachio Sakai portrayed "The Newspaper Reporter Hagiwara". Between 1947 and 1991, character actor Sakai appeared in 165-roles, which included Akira Kurosawa's, 1948, "Drunken Angel", 1952's, "Ikiru", and 1954's, "The Seven Samurai". For Ishirō Honda, there was 1953's, "Eagle of the Pacific", and 1955's, "Beast Man - Snowman", and he was also in Hiroshi Inagaki's, 1955, "Samurai II", and 1956's, "Samurai III".
The Screenplay;
The story opens with the freighter "Eiko-maru", as the allegorical "Daigo Fukuryu Maru (The Lucky Dragon #5)", see my above article. Instead of the actual radioactive ash from the "Castle Bravo Hydrogen-Bomb Test", the audience sees a blinding flash of light and boiling sea water destroy the "Eiko-maru" and its crew.
Should the audience not be sure of what they're watching. The number FIVE on the life preserver, in the above two stills, confirms the fact to any adult Japanese audience member, that they are watching the "Daigo Fukuryu Maru" incident they've been reading about in the newspapers (See my article on the incident above).
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A second ship, the "Bingo-maru", is sent to find survivors of the "Eiko-maru", but it is also lost. As the sea just boils around it and the ship bursts into flames. A fishing boat from Odo Island, an actual island in the Bonin chain, is also destroyed, but a survivor on a make-shift raft,"Masaji Yamada", portrayed by Red Yamamoto, the brother of "Shinkichi Yamada", may have seen some creature.
Next, reporters arrive by helicopter, including "Newspaper Reporter Hagiwara", and start to interview the islanders. That night, sitting with the "Old Fisherman", and watching an ancient ceremony to keep evil away from the island. "Hagiwara" learns that long ago the villagers would send a young girl out on a raft to satisfy their God, a creature named "Gojira"!
Later that night, during a violent storm, something comes out of the sea, and kills "Shinkichi's" brother "Masaji" and his wife. It is believed, according to newspaper reporter "Hagiwara", that whatever came out of the sea, crushed the helicopter by stepping on it. Which was from part of his statement in front of the "National Diet" during their hearing with the Odo Island villagers. Which the "National Diet" convened over the events during the storm and the strange disappearance of people and animals.
The government asks Paleontologist "Dr. Kyohei Yamane", to head a scientific investigation of the Odo Island incident. Accompanying him is his assistant "Dr. Tanabe", portrayed by Fuyuki Murakami, "Kyohei's" daughter, "Emiko", who acts as a secretary, and "Hideto Ogata".
Among the village's destruction is a large footprint containing a radioactive trilobite.
While attempting to get the villagers away from the radioactive footprint. The alarm bell located on a small hill, starts to be rung, and "Dr. Yamane", "Emiko", "Hagiwara", and others head toward the top of the hill. Suddenly, from over the top is seen a dinosaur-like creature's head, the creature roars, and everyone just stops. Most turn around, and run back down the hill toward the village.
The dinosaur turns around, and goes back to the sea, as "Dr. Yamane", "Emiko", "Ogata", "Hagiwara", "Shinkichi", and "Dr. Tanabe go to the hill's summit, and look down at the giant footprints the dinosaur-like creature has left.
Next, "Dr. Yamane" addresses the Japanese "National Diet" about the creature the Odo Islanders call "Gojira". He explains that this is a living Jurassic Age dinosaur, that has been exposed to the HYDROGREN BOMB ( There were only two-tests, first was "Mike", back on November 1, 1952, that disintegrated an entire small Pacific Island. The second, was
"Castle Bravo", that was detonated only two-months before the start of production on this feature film. (Again, see my linked article ). "Dr. Yamane" adds that "Gojira" stands 164-feet-tall.
Meanwhile, more ships are lost, that ignored the warnings to stay clear of the Sea of Japan. The Japanese Navy has ten frigates drop depth charges, but there is no sign of "Gojira". The Japanese official's once more turn to Paleontologist "Dr. Yamane" for ways to kill the allegorical atomic bomb. He replies that "Gojira" survived the hydrogen bomb, he can't be killed, and should be studied instead.
"Emiko" and "Hideto" have come to a decision! She will tell "Dr. Serizawa" that their marriage cannot be, because she loves and plans to marry "Ogata". Before "Emiko" leaves for "Serizawa's", "Hagiwara" arrives, and asks if she would introduce him to the noted scientist. "Emiko" agrees, but warns "Hagiwara" that "Serizawa" might not want to speak to a newspaper reporter.
As "Emiko" thought, "Dr. Daisuke Serizawa" is very polite, but evasive when "Hagiwara" attempted to ask about any current experiments the scientist was working on. The newspaper reporter thanks him for his time and leaves. "Emiko" remains, and "Serizawa" now reveals, to the woman he loves, his secret invention that weighs heavily upon him.
The two go downstairs to the house's basement, and "Serizawa" unlocks the door to his laboratory, and they enter. As "Emiko" looks around, she sees a very large fish tank with assorted varieties within it. Next, "Serizawa" gets out what looks like large white pellets and drops one in the fish tank. The water slowly starts to boil, and suddenly, the audience sees a look of shock on "Emiko's face, but what she saw is not revealed.
"Emiko" promises never to reveal what she has seen and leaves, without mentioning her engagement to "Ogata". She returns home, "Shinkichi" is apparently living with her and her father, talking to the young Odo Islander is "Ogata". They watch, as if she's in a trance, "Emiko" arrives and goes through the motions of entering the kitchen and putting on an apron. Her father enters the room with the two men and asks if "Emiko" has returned? She answers yes, and brings out three beers.
Cut, as "Gojira" appears in Tokyo Bay, leaves the water, and attacks Tokyo's Shinagawa area. The three men rush from the house and join others watching "Gojira" from a hill. The attack on the city shows "Gojira" as the allegorical atomic bomb. When a nuclear like stream comes from the dinosaurs mouth, burning buildings and killing some people.
"Gojira" returns to the Sea of Japan, as the stunned people on the hill look on.
International experts are consulted and the "Japanese Defense Force" decides to build a 98-foot-tall, 50,000-volt electrical fence. It is constructed along the coast that "Gojira" would have to go through. According to the experts, should "Gojira" attempt to enter the city, the switch will be thrown, and he will be electrocuted. At the same time, the Navy is heavily deployed within the Sea of Japan, and is patrolling Tokyo Bay.
All this action, creating a bad time for "Ogata" and "Emiko" to raise the question of their marriage to her father. Who still believes there is still an opportunity to study the creature, but the young salvage ship captain doesn't agree with his future father-in-law. "Ogata" supports the actions being taken against "Gojira" by the government.
"Emiko's" father rejects "Ogata's" point of view, and very angularly retires to his study. His daughter enters and listens, as the paleontologist reflects upon the need to study "Gojira" and find out how it survived.
"Dr. Yamane" asks his daughter upon leaving to please turn off the lights. "Emiko" turns off the lights, leaving her father with his thoughts.
However, "Gojira" attacks Tokyo once more, but with a vengeance.
The electrical fence doesn't stop his nuclear breath. As now, Tokyo becomes the allegorical Hiroshima, to "Gojira's" allegorical hydrogen bomb.
Nothing stops "Gojira", and after he has disappeared below the waves of Tokyo Bay. The hospitals overflow with the injured and dying. It is at this point, that "Emiko" makes the decision that will save Japan, and tells "Ogata" about what she saw that day at "Dr. Serizawa's".
"Daisuke" dropped the white pellet into the fish tank, the water started to boil, next, in an instant, all the flesh was removed from the fish, leaving floating skeletons that dissolved.
"Emiko" and "Hideto"" go to convince "Serizawa" to use his "Oxygen Destroyer" to destroy "Gojira", but "Daisuke" refuses. He is angry that "Emiko" violated his confidence by telling "Hideto" about it, after promising to keep his discovery secret.
"Dr. Daisuke Serizawa" now mentions the thing that is weighing down upon him. He was looking for a way to increase oxygen and its uses, but instead created a destroyer of oxygen. His fear is that other nations would get his discovery.
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An argument between "Ogata" and "Serizawa" over the "Oxygen Destroyer", turns into a fight and "Hideto" is injured. "Daisuke" apologizes, and starts to collect his papers on the "Oxygen Destroyer" as "Emiko" tends to the man, "Serizawa" realizes she loves.
On "Dr. Serizawa's" television, pictures of the destruction by "Gojira" are being shown, and then a young girl's chorus sings a prayer for Japan.
What he is seeing gets through to "Serizawa", he burns all his notes on how to make the "Oxygen Destroyer", and the three leave. On board a Navy ship, "Serizawa" and "Ogata" prepare to dive into Tokyo Bay and destroy "Gojira".
Both men put on heavy deep sea diving suits, and with the "Oxygen Destroyer", descend into the sea. They locate "Gojira" and the devise is deployed. As their ascent begins, "Serizawa" tells "Ogata" he wishes him and "Emiko" happiness, and cuts his own airline.
"Ogata" makes it up safely, but because of "Dr. Serizawa's" fear of his discovery being turned into a weapon. He sacrifices his life to keep his secret from ever being recreated.
The film ends with "Emiko" looking into the sea.
Three films followed and then there was a cameo role in the actual sequel to "Gojira".
ゴジラの逆襲 GOJIRA'S COUNTERATTACK released on April 24, 1955
The motion picture was not directed by Ishiro Honda, because he was directing the 1955
women's love story, in English, entitled, "Mother and Son", and not 1955's, "Ju jin yuki otoko (Beast Man - Snowman)", as many believe. However, there are some film clips from 1954's, "Gojira" used in one sequence which added to the story that Ishiro Honda was the film's director.
The motion picture was directed by Motoyoshi Oda. Oda is known for 1954's, "Invisible Avenger", suggested by the H. G. Wells novel, which relates to a discovery during the Second World War. Oda was also the second unit director on Ishiro Honda's, 1953, "Eagle of the Pacific".
The Three Main Roles:
Hiorshi Koizumi portrayed "Shoichi Tsukioka". I don't know which came first in production, because the actor was also in Ishiro Honda's, 1955, "Mother and Son". Unless he was doing both film simultaneously.
Setsuko Wakayama portrayed "Hidemi Yamaji".
Minoru Chiaki portrayed "Koji Kobayashi". Chiaki would co-star in director Akira Kurosawa's, anti-nuclear war drama, 1955's, "I Live in Fear", and the next motion picture I will be mentioning.
A Few Minutes Cameo:
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Dr. Kyohei Yamane".
An Brief Overview of the Story:
With the unexpected success of 1954's, "Gojira", this movie was rushed into production.
The story revolves around two pilots working for a fishing cannery with the job of locating the fish and directing the fishing trawlers to the location. The first pilot is "Shoichi Tsukioka", who appears to be is in love with the owners daughter, "Hidemi Yamaji", and she with him. The second pilot, is the very
likable "Koji Kobayashi", who is always friendly teased about his search for a wife, by the cannery radio operator, "Yasuko Inouye", portrayed by Mayuri Mokusho. At times it almost appears that she would like that position, but "Kobayashi" is the tragic figure in the story.
"Tsukioka" has just guided a fishing trawler to a school of Bonito", but "Kobayashi" is also flying and develops engine trouble and puts his seaplane down at Iwato Island. "Tsukioka" is notified by "Yasuko" and he flies to the island and lands to rescue his friend. Suddenly, the two men hear the sound of roaring and rocks from above them starts to fall. What they see are two dinosaurs, one is obviously a form of "Gojira". What the other is, they don't recognize, but they watch both dinosaurs fall off a cliff into the water.
Back in Osaka, the two pilots are interviewed by the authorities. In attendance is "Dr. Yamane", and it is agreed that one of the dinosaurs is of the same species as "Gojira" and even is given that designation. The second one is identified as an Ankylosaurus, (which is actually a North American dinosaur. In this motion picture it is given the name アンギラス Angirasu).
During the interview of the two pilots, the "Osaka Municipal Police Commissioner", portrayed by Takeo Oikawa, questions "Dr. Yamane" about a way to destroy this new "Gojira".
"Dr. Yamane" plays some video of the Tokyo "Gojira" and then when asked directly about killing this new one. He replies that the first "Gojira" was killed with an "Oxygen Destroyer" created by "Dr. Serizawa", but that there is now no way to kill the Osaka "Gojira". As the inventor sacrificed his life to save Tokyo, after burning all of his notes on the making of the "Oxygen Destroyer" he used. "Yamane" does suggest using flares to lure the "Osaka Gojira" away from the city, because the "Tokyo Gojira" was attracted to light. End of the appearance of Takashi Shimura in this motion picture.
What follows is "Gojira" and "Angirasu" fighting within Osaka and destroying buildings, killing people, and the death of the "Angirasu" by "Gojira".
The climax comes, after "Shoichi Tsukioka" had rejoined his ex-co-flyers of the "Japan Air Defense Force (JADF)" in a failed attempt to kill "Gojira". This "Gojira" has now returned to Iwato Island and the valley the two cannery flyers had been in at the film's start. "Koji Kobayashi" seeing this and angry of what has happened, makes a decision to sacrifice himself by aiming his seaplane at "Gojira", but is hit by the dinosaur's nuclear breath and his seaplane hits the snow and ice above "Gojira", causing some of the ice to fall upon the creature. That now gives "Tsukioka" the idea of attacking not "Gojira"directly, but the ice above it, bringing it down upon the dinosaur.
All the "JADF" jets fire their rockets at the ice, apparently freezing "Gojira" forever as "Tsukioka" remembers his friend "Koji Kobayashi".
From a cameo role in the sequel of 1954's, "Gojira". I move ahead to William Shakespeare in feudal Japan. I first looked at the following motion back in January 2016, in a different light, in my article "William Shakespeare By Akira Kurosawa: Kurosawa By America and Italy" at:
蜘蛛の巣城 SPIDER WEB CASTLE aka: 蜘蛛巣城 THRONE OF BLOOD released in Japan on January 15, 1957
Believed to have been first performed in 1606, but confirmed published in 1623, is William Shakespeare's "The Tragedie of Macbeth", copy below of the first published page.
The motion picture was produced by Akira Kurosawa and Sojiro Motoki, the co-producer for 1952's, "Ikiru", and 1954's, "Seven Samurai".
There were three other screenplay writers besides Akira Kurosawa. All three names are already familiar with my readers, Hideo Oguni, Ryuzo Kikushima, and Shinobu Hashimoto.
Akira Kurosawa's Character's and Their Shakespeare Character Counterparts:
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "Taketoki Washizu (Macbeth)".
Isuzu Yamada portrayed "Lady Asaji Washizu (Lady Macbeth)".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Noriyasu Odagura (Macduff)".
Minoru Chiaki portrayed "Yoshiaki Miki (Banquo)".
The following is revised from the above linked article,
In his film Akira Kurosawa transfers the basic plot of William Shakespeare's play into a typical
Japanese Noh drama. For those unfamiliar with the term Noh, or Nogaku. It is usually defined as:
classic drama of Japan, developed chiefly in the 14th century, employing verse, prose, choral song, and dance in highly conventionalized formal and thematic patterns derived from religious sources and folk myths.The main plot of "Spider Web Castle" opens with "General Taketori Washizu (Macbeth)", and "General Yoshiaki Miki (Banquo)", on their way back to the castle of "Lord Kuniharu Tsuzuki (King Duncan)", portrayed by Hiroshi Tachikawa, billed as Yoichi Tachikawa. The two men are traveling in a deep fog much like the one's found in many areas of Scotland. Where the Shakespeare play takes place.
The two men meet a Female Spirit (The Three Witches of Shakespeare in one character), portrayed by Chieko Naniwa, within Spider Web Forest. The "Spirit" foretells their future,
"Washizu" will become the Lord of the Northern Garrison, and "Miki", the Commander of the First Fortress. The "Spirit" also tells the two, that eventually, "Washizu" will become the "Lord of Spider Web Castle" and "Miki's" son, "Yoshiteru Miki", portrayed by Akira Kubo, will one day rule there too.
When the two General's return to the Castle, "Lord Tsuzuki", does exactly what the Forest Spirit stated would happen and "Washizu" finds himself made Lord of the Northern Garrison. He next goes to his wife, "Lady Asaji Washizu (Lady Macbeth)", and tells her all that has happened that day.
"Lady Asaji", convinces her husband to murder "Tsuzuki". Together they place a drug in sake and give it to "Lord Tsuzuki's" guards to make them sleep. After the guards are soundly asleep, "Taketori" and "Lady Asaji" go into "Tsuzuki's" sleeping chamber, where he is killed with a spear. The spear is placed in one of the guards hands, and when he awakens, before he can say anything, "Taketori Washizu" murders him also.
"Lord Tsuzuki's" vengeful son "Kunimaru (may be considered either Malcolm, or Donalbain)", portrayed by Takamaru Sasaki, below, and an advisor to "Tsuzuki" named
"Lord Tsuzuki's" vengeful son "Kunimaru (may be considered either Malcolm, or Donalbain)", portrayed by Takamaru Sasaki, below, and an advisor to "Tsuzuki" named
"Noryiasu Odagura (Macduff)", suspect that "Washizu' has killed "Kunimaru's" father.
"Kunimaru" and "Noryiasu}, go to "Miki", and tell him their beliefs. "Miki" will not believe that about his friend. Meanwhile, "Washizu" is unsure of "Miki", but wants to trust his friend. He also wants to make "Miki's" son his heir, because he and "Asaji" cannot have children.
A turn in events comes, when "Asaji" reveals that she is pregnant, and "Washizu" decides he must kill both "Miki" and his son to protect his own unborn heir. He orders the murders of his friend and his son.
Later, at a grand banquet, after drinking too much, the "Ghost of Miki", suddenly appears and "Taketori" in his confusion over this, pulls out his sword, and attempts to murder the ghost. By his action and remarks, he has revealed himself to those present. "Lady Asaji" attempts to explain her husband's action as drunkenness and nothing more, but one of his samurai appears with "Miki's" severed head and explains that "Miki's" son has escaped the ambush.
This is followed by "Lady Asaji" loosing the baby, and "Washizu" returning to Spider Web Forest to seek out the Forest Spirit for help. The spirit tells him that "Taketori" will loose everything, IF the very trees of Spider Web Forest raise up against the castle. As trees cannot move, both "Lord Taketori Washizu" and his men are confident that they will succeed in killing all his enemies.
At night, the sound of wood being cut is heard. In the morning, "Lord Washizu" is awakened by the screams of his attendants, and he finds his wife in a catatonic state washing her hands clean of the blood she sees on them over and over again.
This is immediately followed by a very frightened guard of Spider Web Castle entering and informing "Lord Taketori Washizu", that the trees of the forest have come to the castle. Looking out from one of the battlements, it dawns upon "Washizu", that his enemies have used cuttings from the trees of Spider Web Forest to cover their advance, and that the "Spirit's" second prophecy is about to be fulfilled.
The Lord of Spider Web Castle attempts one desperate act to stop that fulfillment, and while his samurai archers fire upon the opposing force. They now realize the reality of his situation, and "Lord Taketori Washizu's" archers turn on him.
Thirteen movies later, Takashi Shimura went from William Shakespeare, Akira Kurosawa style, to science fiction Ishiro Honda style. In what is considered by many film critics to be special effects master, Eiji Tsuburaya's masterpiece.
Thirteen movies later, Takashi Shimura went from William Shakespeare, Akira Kurosawa style, to science fiction Ishiro Honda style. In what is considered by many film critics to be special effects master, Eiji Tsuburaya's masterpiece.
地球防衛軍, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE released on December 28, 1957
The following is a revision from part of my article, "Toho Studio's EARTH DEFENSE FORCES: A Space Opera Trilogy, Or Not?" 1957 - 1977", blasting off at:
Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka hired Jojiro Okami aka: Jotaro Okami, an aeronautical military engineer and, at the time, budding Science Fiction writer, to create the story. Okami would create the stories for 1962's, " Yosei Gorasu (Ominous Star Gorath)" and 1964's, "Uchu Daikakaiju Dogora (Universe big monster Dogora)".
Tanaka had Takeshi Kimura turn that story into a screenplay. Kimura was a member of the Japanese Communist Party and his screenplays typically included political themes. He was the screenplay writer for "Sora no Daikaiju Radon (Radon: Giant Monster of the Sky)" aka: English language version that removed some footage and added other, 1957's, "Rodan", "Kaiju Soshingeki (Total Monster Advancement aka: Destroy All Monsters)","Matango", "Furankenshutain tai Baragon (Frankenstein vs the Subterranean Monster Baragon)" aka: English language version that removed some footage and added other, "Frankenstein Conquerors the World", its sequel "Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Sanda tai Gaira (Frankenstein's Monsters: Sanda vs Gaira") aka: English language version that removed footage and added other, "War of the Gargantuas", and "Kingu Kongu no Gyakushu (King Kong's Counter Attack aka: King Kong Escapes)".
Tanaka had Takeshi Kimura turn that story into a screenplay. Kimura was a member of the Japanese Communist Party and his screenplays typically included political themes. He was the screenplay writer for "Sora no Daikaiju Radon (Radon: Giant Monster of the Sky)" aka: English language version that removed some footage and added other, 1957's, "Rodan", "Kaiju Soshingeki (Total Monster Advancement aka: Destroy All Monsters)","Matango", "Furankenshutain tai Baragon (Frankenstein vs the Subterranean Monster Baragon)" aka: English language version that removed some footage and added other, "Frankenstein Conquerors the World", its sequel "Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Sanda tai Gaira (Frankenstein's Monsters: Sanda vs Gaira") aka: English language version that removed footage and added other, "War of the Gargantuas", and "Kingu Kongu no Gyakushu (King Kong's Counter Attack aka: King Kong Escapes)".
Kenji Sahara portrayed Scientist "Joji Atsumi". In 1954's, "Gojira", the actor's second movie,
his role was described as "Young Lover on the sound". He was the male lead "Shigeru Kawamura" in "Sora no Daikaiju Radon"
Yumi Shirakawa portrayed "Etsuko Shiraishi" the sister of "Ryoichi Shiraishi". She had been in
"Sora no Daikaiju Radon" in the role of "Kiyo", the girl friend of "Shigeru".
Momoko Kochi was "Hiroko Iwamoto". The actress was in 1955's, "Ju Jin Yuki Otoko (Beast Man - Snow Man", that had major footage removed for the English language version, 1958's, "Half-Human", with added footage and a shorter run time.
Above left to right, Kenji Sahara, Momoko Kochi, and Yumi Shirakawa
Akihiko Hirata was Scientist "Ryoichi Shiraishi".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Dr. Kenjiro Adachi". Another of his motion pictures by Akira Kurosawa the actor was in is 1948's, "Yidore Tenshi (Dirty Witch Angel)" aka: Drunken Angel)".
The Basic Screenplay:
"Joji", "Etsuko", her brother "Ryoichi", and his girlfriend "Hiroko", are at a small village enjoying a festival. When a fire breaks out in the woods, and the two men, with some of the villagers, go to see it. Looking at the fire, it is obvious that it is burning, strangely, from under the ground, at the roots of the trees, but why and how becomes an unanswered question? As the fire spreads, it kills some of the villagers, and "Ryoichi" disappears. The other three believe he lost his life in the fire.
"Joji" goes to the local observatory to meet with his and "Ryoichi's" mentor, and head astronomer, "Dr, Kenjiro Adachi". "Astusmi" tells the doctor about the incident in the village and "Shirashi's" disappearance. He also hands him an unfinished report from his friend. The report theorizes that between Mars and Jupiter there had been another planet that was somehow destroyed. "Ryoichi Shirashi" has named it, "Mysteroid Planet #5". While the two men discuss the feasibility of such a planet having existed, the phone rings. They are informed that the village "Joji" and "Ryoichi" were at with their girl friends, has been destroyed by an Earthquake of unknown origin.
"Joji Atsumi", becomes part of the investigation team on the village's destruction. He is driven to the village's site with the head of the Fuji Police Force and another Scientist to meet with other investigators and the military.
"Joji" goes to the local observatory to meet with his and "Ryoichi's" mentor, and head astronomer, "Dr, Kenjiro Adachi". "Astusmi" tells the doctor about the incident in the village and "Shirashi's" disappearance. He also hands him an unfinished report from his friend. The report theorizes that between Mars and Jupiter there had been another planet that was somehow destroyed. "Ryoichi Shirashi" has named it, "Mysteroid Planet #5". While the two men discuss the feasibility of such a planet having existed, the phone rings. They are informed that the village "Joji" and "Ryoichi" were at with their girl friends, has been destroyed by an Earthquake of unknown origin.
"Joji Atsumi", becomes part of the investigation team on the village's destruction. He is driven to the village's site with the head of the Fuji Police Force and another Scientist to meet with other investigators and the military.
They find a large group working at the site of a destroyed shine. "Joji" is told that the shine's location means that the village was further uphill and should be mainly untouched, but it's completely gone. "Atsumi" learns that after the Earthquake, radiation was picked up on Geiger Counters, but the radiation readings disappeared within hours. Now, dead fish are seen flowing downstream and he accompanies members of the Fuji Police Force to another location to investigate the cause.
As the men continue to discuss the situation, the Geiger Counter starts to record a sudden radiation increase, and a mountainside starts to falls in front of them. Out of the falling debris steps a giant insect looking robot, that attacks, killing all, but "Atsumi" and the lead Fuji Police Officer.
The robot is called a "Moguera", but not in this motion picture. That name will become an acronym "M.O.G.U.E.R.A.", and be used in the 1994 Hesei Era motion picture, "Gojira tai SupesuGojira (Godzilla vs Space Godzilla). In that film the acronym stands for "Mobile Operations G-Force Universal Expert Robot Aero-Type", and the dialogue will indicate, in the original Japanese language version, that it was reverse engineered from Alien technology, implying "The Mysterians".
As the men continue to discuss the situation, the Geiger Counter starts to record a sudden radiation increase, and a mountainside starts to falls in front of them. Out of the falling debris steps a giant insect looking robot, that attacks, killing all, but "Atsumi" and the lead Fuji Police Officer.
The robot is called a "Moguera", but not in this motion picture. That name will become an acronym "M.O.G.U.E.R.A.", and be used in the 1994 Hesei Era motion picture, "Gojira tai SupesuGojira (Godzilla vs Space Godzilla). In that film the acronym stands for "Mobile Operations G-Force Universal Expert Robot Aero-Type", and the dialogue will indicate, in the original Japanese language version, that it was reverse engineered from Alien technology, implying "The Mysterians".
The robotic machine advances toward a town near the Koyama Bridge and engages the military at night.
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Conventional weapons have no effect on the robot, but as it starts across the bridge. The bridge is blown up and the alien robot damaged. "Joji Atsumi" reports his findings to "Dr. Adachi", and the political and military officials at the "National Diet Building". In his report, "Joji" states the robot was constructed out of some chemical material not found on Earth. Later, "Dr. Adachi" and his assistant at the observatory photograph activity around the moon.
"Dr. Adachi" takes a group of scientists including "Joji Adachi", accompanied by the military, to a lake. That in "Ryoichi Shirachi's" unfinished "Mysteroid" report, he states is a base for flying saucer operations on Earth.
As the group looks at the lake, in another direction the land starts to be whipped up, and a Dome structure raises from under the ground.
Suddenly a voice speaks from inside the Dome asking to see Five Specific people. How did the voice know their names? The Five, including "Atsumi" and "Dr. Adachi", enter the Domed structure and are told to put on capes for warmth. There they meet the leaders of "The Mysterians".
The leader confirms that they are from"Ryoichi's" 5th Planet, and explains that it was destroyed by Atomic War 100,000 Earth years ago. At which time some of survivors escaped to Mars. However, the men and women survivors discovered problems with their birth rate, because of Strontium 90 within their bodies. However, the "Mysterian" leader tells the five men they have the simple plan of mating with Earth women to save their dying race.
Adding that there are five specific women they want to begin with. He then shocks the five Earth men by stating they have already acquired three, but still want "Etsuko" and "Hiroko". Again raising the question how did they get their names?
That answer comes later. As "Joji" meets the two women, explains the aliens plans, and that the house in now under police guard. As the three continue to talk, from the turned on television set, the voice of "Ryoichi" is heard. The three turn and "Ryoichi" appears on it, both alive and well, but in the domed base of operations of "The Mysterians".
He tells "Atsumi" that if he just turns on a television set anywhere, he will appear. An emergency meeting with the military, the Prime Minister and others is called. Prior to the meeting, "Atsumi" had told "Dr. Adachi" about "Ryochi". At the meeting, the two turn a television set on and those present are told by "Ryochi", that their plans of battling the invaders is futile. "Ryoichi Shirashi" explains that the flying saucers operate from a Moon Base and a giant Space Station circling the Earth.
The battle begins.
Meanwhile, flying saucers appear over the house where the two women are staying under guard, but they are still are able to be kidnapped. The battle with the invaders is going against the military, because conventional weapons are ineffective against the advance technology of the aliens.
Japanese Scientists develop plans for building giant warships called "Alpha" and "Beta", but they need the World's help. All the countries of the Earth send their scientists to Japan, as the invaders demand to increase the size of the land they had originally wanted.
Along with the two warships, other electronic weapons are created, and mankind's final battle against "The Mysterians" starts.
By accident, "Atsumi" discovers an entrance, through an air duct in the ground, to the alien base and enters it to rescue the women. There he will meet with, and discover that, "Ryoichi Shiraishi" has realized the truth about the "Mysterians", and will help him destroy the base.
The actual ending is interesting as the defeated "Mysterians" are seen leaving Earth for their space station. "Etsuko" asks "Joji" will they return and he tells her the Earth will be ready. As the screenplay leaves the story open ended.
It wouldn't be until May 15, 1959, before "Earth Defense Force" was released in an English dub as "The Mysterians", and in 1962, a Mexican-American garage band would be formed, "? and the Mysterians", aka: "Question Mark and the Mysterians".
On May 25, 1977, American director George Lucas released "Star Wars".
Above left, Minoru Chiaki and right, Kamatari Fujiwara.
One night, stopping at an inn, "Princess Yuki" forces "General Makabe" to buy the freedom of a young
Atsushi Watanabe portrayed the town's coffin maker that will be kept busy by "Kuwabatake Sanjuro".
The motion picture was directed by Ishiro Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya.
The actual screenplay was written by Shinichi Sekizawa, 1958's "Daikaiju Baran (Large Monster Baran)" aka: "Varan the Unbelievable", and 1959's, "Uchu Daisenso (Space War) aka: "Battle in Outer Space".
On May 25, 1977, American director George Lucas released "Star Wars".
Nineteen-years before that motion picture, director Akira Kurosawa released a motion picture, that according to Lucas, inspired his original draft screenplay for "Star Wars".
隠し砦の三悪人 THE THREE VILLAINS OF THE HIDDEN FORTRESS aka: THE HIDDEN FORTRESS released in Japan on December 28, 1958
This was director, Akira Kurosawa's first motion picture in the wide-screen process, "Toho-Scope".
The screenplay was by Kurosawa, Ryuzo Kikushima, Hideo Oguni, and Shinobu Hashimoto.
The uncredited Special Effects supervisor was Eiji Tsuburaya.
AKIRA KUROSAWA'S CHARACTER'S AND THEIR GEORGE LUCAS ORIGINAL "STAR WARS" COUNTERPARTS:
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "General Rokurota Makabe (A little Han Solo mixed with Obi-Wan Kenobi)".
Misa Uehara portrayed "Princess Yuki (Princess Leia)".
Kamatari Fujiwara portrayed "Matashichi (R2D2)".
Susumu Fujita portrayed "General Hyoe Tadokoro (more Anakin Skywalker than Darth Vader?)".
Takashi Shimura portrayed the old and wise "General Izumi Nagakura (Yoda)".
The following is the basic screenplay for Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress", that had inspired George Lucas's original "Star Wars" draft.
Two peasants, "Tahei" and "Matashichi", sell their homes to enlist with the feudal "Yamana clan", in major power 1336 -1473, hoping to make their fortunes as soldiers. Instead, the two are mistaken for members of the defeated "Akizuki clan", 1202 - 1914.
Historical footnote:
It should be noted that the "Akizuki clan" was located on the large island of "Kyushu", the most southernly of Japan's four largest islands. While the "Yamana clan" was located on the island of
"Honshu", located northeast of "Kyushu", across the "Kanmon Straits". Making the two clans fighting each other, as Akira Kurosawa does in "The Hidden Fortress", a still debated impossibility. Starting in 1473, something took place, and "The Yamana clan", became a minor power on
"Honshu". After reorganizing itself in Gunnai, part of the eastern portion of "Yamanashi Prefecture", located in central "Honshu", they became that minor power.
However, on with the screenplay:
The thought to be "Akizuki" soldiers, "Tahei" and "Matashichi", are forced to give up their weapons and dig graves for the "Yamana clan". After which, they are sent on their way without food. Next, as the two start to quarrel with each other, they split up. They're reunited after being recaptured by the "Yamana clan", thinking the two are "Yamana soldiers", who attempted to avoid war service, and join other prisoners digging through the "Akizuki's" castle looking for that clan's hidden gold reserve. The prisoners start a revolt and the two are able to slip away, steal some rice, and make camp near a river.
While making a fire, the two discover a gold coin marked as belonging to the "Akizuki clan". "Tahei" and "Matashichi" start hunting for more gold coins, but a mysterious man approaches and the two peasants believe he must be a "Bandit"
Questioned, and frightened, the two explain to the "Bandit", their plan to escape Yamana territory. Rather than taking the accepted route through the heavily-guarded border into the neighboring "State of Hayakawa", located in central "Honshu". The two plan to travel directly to the city of "Yamana" and cross the border through it, not raising attention.
Historical footnote:
It should be noted that the city of "Yamana", during the Edo Period, 1603-1868, was under the control of the Tokugawa Shogunate, but recognized the smaller “Yamana clan”, that controlled the city, as a full-member of the shogunate.
The "Bandit" is very interested in their plan, shows the two another gold coin, and "Tahei" and "Matashichi" join the stranger to acquire the coin as payment for their services. The stranger, next, will take them to a secret campsite in the mountains.
Unknown to "Tahei" and "Matashichi", is that the stranger is actually the famous "Akizuki General,
Rokurota Makabe". Who originally had planned to kill the two peasants, but after hearing their plan. Decided to use them to transport the hidden Akizuki gold, 200 kan (equal to approximately 165 United States pounds), in hollowed out tree trunks.
At his cave camp, the two peasants meet a young woman named "Yuki". What is not told to "Tahei" and "Matashichi", is like "Makabe" being an "Akizuki General", "Yuki" is a "Akizuki Princess". The two peasants will be helping the general get the princess, and the gold, to the lord of "Hayawaka Fortress". Who has promised to protect her and "General Makabe".
In the cave is an old man, actually "Akizuki General Izumi Nagakura", and he makes plans with "Rokurota".
The Old General, Izumi Nagakura : How long can we rely on them?
General Rokurota Makabe : We can rely on their greed. Make them carry gold and they'll put up with anything.
The Old General, Izumi Nagakura : This is good! To fool the Yamana by going through enemy lines.
General Rokurota Makabe : This was the peasants' idea. Depending on their answers, I was ready to kill them. But hearing their plan to go through Yamana to Hayakawa, I was stunned.
The Old General, Izumi Nagakura : Sometimes even moss can be smart. What shall we do with the princess? We can disguise her looks, but not her class and her speech.
General Rokurota Makabe : Her Highness will have to be a mute.
Above left, Eiko Miyoshi portraying "The Old Lady in Waiting", Misa Uehara, Toshiro Mifune, and Takashi Shimura.
"Rokurota", "Yuki", "Tahei" and "Matashichi" leave with the gold on horses. The cave is attacked, and the four look back to see a fire on the hill that the cave is upon. Guessing the fate of the "Old General" and the "Old Lady in Waiting".
Before, "General Makabe" and "Princess Yuki" left on this journey. Her younger sister was ordered to go to the "Yamana clan" and pretend to be "Yuki", knowing that she would be executed, stopping any search for the princess.
"Akizuki woman prostitute", portrayed by Toshiko Higushi.
After being freed, the young woman refuses to leave and will accompany them. They're spotted by a Yamana patrol, and the general is forced to kill the Yamana. Taking one of their battle horses, "General Makabe" pursues some stragglers and accidentally rides into a Yamana encampment. There "Rokurota Makabe" comes face to face with his old rival, "Hyoe Tadokoro". Who tells him, that it is sad they did not face each other in a real battle, but now, "Tadokoro" challenges "Makabe" to a lance duel to settle their differences.
"Rokurota Makabe" wins the duel, but lets his rival, "Hyoe Tadokoro" live, steals a horse, rides out of the encampment, and joins the other four.
Next, the group loses their horses, but obtains a cart and makes their way into the city of Yamana during the "Fire Festival". Their original plan was to divide the gold among themselves, but under the eyes of the Yamana soldiers. They are forced to toss the cart, with the gold hidden still in it, onto the fire and join the villagers in their chant to avoid attention to themselves.
"Yuki" is taken by the philosophy of the "Fire Festival". Which is about the shortness of life and the pettiness of the world.
The following morning, the five dig out of the fire's remains whatever amount of gold each can carry. Traveling, one night, they come to the Hayakawa border, and are surrounded by Yamana soldiers. "Tahei" and "Matashichi" manage to escape in the confusion, but the others are captured.
However, once again, "Tahei" and "Matashichi", manage to get themselves caught, and to save their own lives, the two peasant's attempt to take credit for originally capturing the bandit, "Rokurota". Which causes the Yamana soldiers to start laughing over the story, and informing the two peasants that they are also prisoners.
"Yamana General Hyoe Tadokoro" comes to identify the prisoners before their execution, and "Rokurota" sees the other's face is now scarred. "Tadokoro" tells him that the Yamana Lord ordered his face scarred, because he let "Makabe" escape. "Princess Yuki" states she has no fear of death and now thanks "General Rokurota Makabe" for letting her see both humanities ugliness and beauty from another perspective, and repeats the Fire Festival's chant.
The next day, as the soldiers march the prisoners to their execution, "Tadokoro" suddenly starts to sing the "Fire Festival Chant" and sends the horses carrying the gold across the boarder. He frees the prisoners, distracts the guards, so they can ride off across the boarder. However, "Princess Yuki" yells to "Hyoe Tadokoro" to join them. The six manage to cross the border to safety, but separated from the horses carrying the gold.
However, "Tahei" and "Matashichi" stumble upon the horses with the gold and start to argue about dividing the gold between themselves. Deja vu, this time they are arrested by Hayakawa soldiers as thieves. The two peasants are brought before an armored samurai and a well-dressed noble woman and stare in amazement at "Princess Yuki" and "General Makabe".
Who have now revealed their true selves to the two men.
Above left to right, "Yamana General Hyoe Tadokoro", "Azizuki Princes Yuki", and "Akizuki General Rokurota Makabe".
The movie ends with "Princess Yuki" thanking "Tahei" and "Matashichi" and presenting them with a single ryō, and the two peasants leave having made their fortunes,.
Historical footnote:
The Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan states that one ryō had a nominal value equivalent to 300,000-400,000, but was worth only 120,000–130,000 yen in practice, or 40,000 yen in terms of rice.
On September 12, 1964, Italian director Sergio Leone, released a Spaghetti Western starring an American actor on hiatus from the television series "Rawhide". Its title was "Per un pugno di dollari (For A Fistful of Dollars)".
What Sergio Leone wasn't expected was that both Toho Studio and Akira Kurosawa sued him over the motion picture. As Kurosawa wrote to Leone:
Signor Leone, I have just had the chance to see your film. It is a very fine film, but it is my film. Since Japan is a signatory of the Berne Convention on the international copyright, you must pay me
Should my reader wanted to view the movie in question, if you have seen "A Fistful of Dollars" even once. You can watch Akira Kurosawa's motion picture in its original Japanese and know exactly was is happening on screen and even know what's coming next!
用心棒 YOJIMBO (BODYGUARD) released in Japan on April 25, 1961
This classic was directed by Akira Kurosawa, who also came up with original story, and co-wrote the screenplay. His co-writer was Ryūzō Kikushima.
The following tells my reader at little about each major character in the story.
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "桑畑 三十郎 ( Kuwabatake Sanjuro)", described as a wandering ronin and master swordsman drawn into a gang war.
Important townspeople to the screenplay:
Eiji Tono portrayed "権爺 (Gongi)", described as the Izakaya (Tavern) owner and the ronin's ally and confident.
Atsushi Watanabe portrayed the town's coffin maker that will be kept busy by "Kuwabatake Sanjuro".
Kamatari Fujiwara portrayed "多左衛門 (Tazaemon)", in the foreground, is the town mayor and silk merchant. Who is going insane with fear.
The town is run by two rival Yakuza gangs.
The oldest gang is led by:
Seizaburo Kawazu portraying the original Yakuza gang leader, "Sebei", who had control of the entire town, and now works out of a brothel,
Isuzu Yamada portrayed "おりん (Orin)", center below, described as the wife of "Sebei" and the real brains behind his operation.
The Second Gang is led by:
Kyu Sazanka portraying "丑寅 (Ushitora)", described as once being "Sebei's" Lieutenant, who broke away to start his own gang.
Daisuke Kato portrayed "亥之吉 (Inokichi)", described as the younger brother of "Ushitora", seen in center below.
Tatsuya Nakadai portrayed "卯之助 (Unosuke)", described as a gun-toting gangster and the youngest brother of "Ushitora".
The Familiar Screenplay and the Obvious Connection to Leon's:
Ronin, "Sanjuro", comes into an "American Wild West Designed Japanese Town" and gets himself a room above the tavern. After realizing there are the two rival Yakuza gangs, "Sanjuro" proceeds to play one against the other, being paid by both to take care of the other. As a result, a gang war erupts between the two Yakuza factions and as the silk merchant, "Tazaemon" has aligned himself with Yakuza leader, "Seibei". The other Yakuza leader, "Ushitora", proclaims the sake merchant, "Tokeumon", the new mayor.
Above front row left to right, Daisuke Kato, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyu Sazanka, Takashi Shimura, and
Tatsuya Nakadai. Behind Nakadai is Tsunagoro Rashomon portraying Kannuki the Giant.
At one point, "Sanjuro" rescues a farmers wife from "Unosuke", and in turn is severely beaten-up by the his brother's gang. With the help of the coffin maker, the ronin leaves the town in a coffin and starts to recover from his injuries. "Unosuke" believes that "Sanjuro" is too injured to do anything and must be hiding in the tavern, but when it is discovered he's not there and "Gonji" refuses to tell him anything. "Unosuke" takes out his revenge on the tavern owner.
Later the same day, at one end of town, the shadowy figure of "Sanjuro" is seen approaching.
When the fighting ends, the ronin is still standing and he frees "Gonji". Next, as "Sanjuro" looks over the scene, a now insane "Tazaemon", in samurai clothing, comes out and stabs "Tokeumon" to death. "Sanjuro" turns and walks out of the town, believing, now, things are as they should be.
Four motion pictures later and Takashi Shimura found himself in a science fiction - fantasy that unexpectedly created the second most popular kaiju.
モスラMOSURA released in Japan on July 30, 1961
The motion picture was directed by Ishiro Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya.
The screenplay was based upon a popular 1961 serialized novel "Hakko Yosei To Mosura (Luminous Fairies and Mosura)" written by Takehiko Fukunaga, Shinichiro Nakamura, and Yoshie Hotta.
The actual screenplay was written by Shinichi Sekizawa, 1958's "Daikaiju Baran (Large Monster Baran)" aka: "Varan the Unbelievable", and 1959's, "Uchu Daisenso (Space War) aka: "Battle in Outer Space".
Furanki Sakai, a comedian, actor, and jazz musician, portrayed news reporter, "Zen'ichiro Fukuda"
in the Japanese "Mosura", with the nickname of "Snapping Turtle".
Hiroshi Koizumi portrayed "Dr. Shin'ichi Chujo"and would repeat the role forty-two years later in
"Gojira Tai Mosura Tai Mekagojira: Tokyo S.O.S. (Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.)". aka: "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S."
Kyoko Kagawa portrayed photographer "Michi Hanamura, photographer". She would be seen in both Akira Kurosawa's, 1963, "High and Low", and 1965's, "Red Beard".
Taskashi Shimura portrayed "Sadakatsu Amano, the news editor".
Above center, Takashi Shimura and on the right, Kyōko Kagawa.
Jeri (Jerry) Ito portrayed villain "Keraruku Neruson" in "Mosura".
Probably the most remembered duo from this film were singing sisters Emi and Yumi Ito known as
"The Peanuts". The singing twins portrayed the "Shobijin", or the fairies of "Infant Island".
Tetsu Nakamura portrayed "Neruson's" body guard. The Canadian actor co-starred in 1959's, "The Split" aka: "The Manster", he was t"Dr. Koda" in "Earth Defense Force", was in 1963's, "Atragon", and portrayed the "Japanese Ambassador" in the western, 1971, "Red Sun". My article is "SATOSHI NAKAMURA: Japan's Toho Studio's Contract Character Actor" at:
Above Tetsu Naamura and Jeri Ito at the film's climax.
Overview of the Basic Story:
During a typhoon, the merchant ship "Dani-Gen'you Maru" is run aground on "Infant Island", believed deserted, and used primarily for nuclear testing by the "Rolisican Government". Four survivors are rescued and brought to a hospital for tests related to radiation exposure.
There is supposed to be no press permitted, but newspaper reporter "Snapping Turtle Fukuda" and photographer "Michi Hanamura" have worked their way into the group of scientists and she snaps a photo, exposing the two. Which leads to the head scientist to permit them to stay. The four men are found to be completely radiation free and when questioned. Two things are revealed, there are living natives on "Infant Island", and they gave the men berries that kept them safe from any lingering radiation.
Next, "Fukuda" and "Hanamura" are told by the newspaper editor to get pictures of and an interview with linguist and anthropologist "Dr. Shin'ichi Chujo", who hates to be photographed. This actually leads to a friendship between the three and curiosity over "Infant Island".
The "Rolisican Government" organizes an expedition to the island to find out what is actually happening there. There is a large gathering at the "Rolisican Government's" ship prior to it leaving Japan and "Snapping Turtle" shows his ingenuity and is able to sneak onboard. He will be discovered at sea, but becomes "Dr. Chujo" somewhat assistant.
The island turns out to be inhabited by a tribe of natives that worship a God named "Mosura". "Dr. Chujo" while exploring the island, discovers the twin "Shobijin", who save him from a "Vampire Plant", and tablets an ancient language. Upon hearing of both, "Keraruku Neruson", a profiteer, attempts to capture the twins, but is stopped by both "Fukuda" and "Chujo". The expedition returns to Japan, promising the "Shobijin"" not to reveal the truth about the island to the general public. However, "Neruson" and his main henchman return to "Infant Island" and capture the "Shobijin", and brought back to his night club to perform.
"Senichiro 'Sen-chan' Fukuda", "Dr. Shin'ichi Chujo", and "Michi Hanamura", attempt to get "Neurson" to return the twins to "Infant Island", but he refuses. This leads to run-ins with the profiteer's henchman and that leads to the "Shobijin" singing a song that telepathically is heard by the "Infant Islanders" and "Mosura's" egg, which opens to reveal a larva caterpillar form, portrayed by Naruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka, breaking free and heading for Japan to rescue the two tiny priestesses.
The larvae arrives in Tokyo and is met by the military, but is unstoppable in its search for the "Sobijin". Eventually, it spins a cocoon on "Tokyo Tower" and the military just looks on as they decide their next step in destroying "Mosura". After a short time, out of the cocoon comes the moth form.
The Japanese public who enjoyed the shows "Neurson" gave with the singing twin "Shobijin". Now, turns on him, demanding that he turn the twins over to the government. Instead, with his henchman, the two attempt to flee to the perceived safety of "Rolisica" and "New Kirk City" with the twins. Which does not work as "Neurson" planned, because the people there, recognize him also.
Below, "Neurson's henchman" is placed in custody , by a law enforcement officer him at the film's climax. "Neurson" attempts to get away and is killed. The rescued "Shobijin" are turned over to "Dr. Chujo".
After seeing the cross on a nearby church, "Dr. Chujo" realizes how to call "Mosura". He instructs the placing of one of the tablet symbols from "Infant Island", upon one of the "New Kirk City" airport's runways, and "Mosura" lands to take the "Shobijin" home.
The English language version cuts out most of the "Infant Island" natives singing to "Mosura" and "Dr. Chujo" seeing several different stone tablets, with subtitles explaining what the native language says on each. Which sets the stage for the tablet "Dr. Chujo" uses to get "Mosura" to the airport during the picture's climax.
The actual screenplay ending, as originally filmed by Ishiro Honda, takes place near a volcano with "Dr. Chujo" as a hostage of "Neurson". "Mosura" comes to his rescue, and flapping her wings, sends "Neurson" into the volcano.
However, the major funding for this motion picture was coming from "Columbia Pictures", in the United States. The agreed contract for funding the film with "Toho Studios" had a different ending. It stipulated that "New Kirk City" must look like an American city, because"Columbia Pictures" was thinking of their English language re-edit, and the climax that would take place there. So, even though the original ending had been filmed, it was dropped, and the "Columbia Pictures" ending became the picture's ending.
Also, notice, in either "Mosura", or "Mothra". When "Neurson-Clark Nelson" and his henchman, are driving through "New Kirk City". The audience sees a shot of the freeway interchange between the Los Angeles's 101 and Harbor freeways.
In 1933, author's Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie published a novel, "When Worlds Collide". It would take 18-years for the novel to reach the motion picture screen in the 1951, George Pal, production.
妖星ゴラス OMINIOUS STAR GORATH released March 21, 1962
The actual screenplay was from Takeshi Kimura.
This was a major production and the following are the first 10 of 49 credit speaking roles.
Ryō Ikebe portrayed "Dr. Tazawa, an Astrophysicist". He had co-starred in 1956, in the Japanese-Chinese co-production, "Madame White Snake", about a man who falls in love with the human form of the snake goddess. Ikebe had been in 1959's, "Uchu Daisenso (Space War) aka: "Battle in Outer Space", and 1960's, "Hawi Middouei daikaikusen: Taiheiiyo no arashi (Hawaii-Midway Battle of the Sea and Sky: Storm in the Pacific Ocean)".
Yumi Shirakawa portrayed "Tomoko Sonoda". Shirakawa portrayed "Chikako Ari", in 1958's,
"Bijo To Ekatai-Ningen (Beauty and the Liquid Men) shorten and dubbed as "The H-Man". She was also in 1960's, "Denso Ningen (The Electrically Transmitted Man) aka: "The Secret of the Telegram)".
Kumi Mizuno portrayed "Takiko Nomura". On December 19, 1965, Mizuno will co-star with American Nick Adams in "怪獣大戦争 The Great War of the Monsters" aka: "Invasion of Astro-Monster". Adams will fall in love with her, leave Japan to return to the United States to divorce his wife to marry Mizuno, return to find her engaged to another actor.
Above left, Kumi Mizuno and on her right, Yumi Shiraiawa.
Akira Kubo portrayed "Astronaut Cadet, Tatsuma Kanai". Kubo had just portrayed "A Samurai", in the 1962 sequel to "Yojimbo". "Sanjuro". In 1965, he would portray inventor, "Tetsuo Teri" in "The Great War of the Monsters", and in 1967, the actor first portrayed "Major Sadakichi Ishihara, 1st Imperial Guard Division", in "Japan's Longest Day", and "Goro Maki" in the same years, "怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子 Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Kensuke Sonoda", paleontologist and Tomoko's grandfather".
Above, Takashi Shimura and at the desk, Fumio Sakashita portraying "Tomoko's" brother.
Akihiko Hirata portrayed "Endo, Captain of Ootori". He portrayed a "Doctor" in 1961's, "Mosura", just before this feature film, Hirata was "A Samurai" in 1962's, "Sanjuro", and follow this feature portraying "Dr. Shigezawa" in 1962's, "キングコング対ゴジラ Kingu Kongu tai Gojira".
Kenji Sahara portrayed the "Saiki, Vice Captain of the Ootori". Sahara was a helicopter pilot in 1961's., "Mosura", and would portrayed "Kazuo Fujita" in 1962's, "キングコング対ゴジラ Kingu Kongu tai Gojira".
Above photo is from 1962, but not "Gorath".
Jun Tazaki portrayed "Raizo Sonoda, Captain of the Hayabusa, and Tomoko's father". Tazaki portrayed the "Commanding General of the Japan Self-Defense Force Eastern Army" in 1962's, "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira", but "General Massami Shinzo", in the English language re-edit, 1963, "King Kong vs Godzilla".
Ken Uehara portrayed "Dr. Kono, Astrophysicist". Uehara portrayed "Dr. Harada" in 1961's, "Mosura".
Above, Ryō Ikebe is sitting next to Ken Uehara.
The Basic Story:
The year is 1980, and the movie opens as two women, "Tomoko Sonoda" and "Takiko Nomura", drive through a tunnel and stop by lake opposite the military space exploration base for a midnight nude swim.
Suddenly there is a flash of light and in the distance the spaceship "JX-1 Hyabusa" is lifting off for a nine-month mission to explore Saturn.
However, the mission is shortly changed, as scientists have spotted a runaway star, code name, "Gorath". The"JX-1's" new mission is to get information on the star and send that back to Earth. The "JX-1" is under the command of "Tomoko's" father, "Captain Raizo Sonoda".
As the crew gathers information, it is discovered that although "Gorath" is smaller than the Earth, it has a gravity 6,000 times that of Earth. On board, "Captain Sonoda" informs that grew that the "Hayabusa" is caught in "Gorath's" gravity well and they are about to be destroyed.
The "JX-1" makes one last transmission and is pulled into "Gorath".
It is now 45-days after the "JX-1" left the Earth and it is almost Christmas. "Tomoko" and "Takiko" are moving through the crowded streets and are approach by a robot, but it turns out to only be the happy-go-lucky astronaut cadet, "Tatsuma Kani" having fun with everyone, and especially "Tomoko".
When "Tomoko" returns to her grandfather's home, there are reporters that start asking her questions about her father. She finds herself entering the hallway, now lined with flowers and unexpectedly mourners by a memorial to her father. It is her grandfather, paleontologist "Kensuke Sonoda", who must console her over her father's death.
The transmitted report from the "JX-1" is being studied and the Japanese government is having problems comprehending that "Gorath" is smaller in size than the Earth, but its gravity well is larger. Meanwhile, astrophysicists "Tazawa" and "Kono" are arguing over each other's theories about the runaway star.
The two astrophysicists finally come to an agreement and "Dr. Tazawa" now presents his findings to the United Nation scientists.
When his presentation is at its conclusion, "Dr. Tazawa", now shocks those assembled by stating that "Gorath" will collide with the Earth. His solution is even more shocking, move the Earth out of its current orbit to let the runaway star pass, then move the Earth back.
This will require the construction of mega-nuclear-thrusters at the South Pole to move the planet out of the star's path. The "South Pole Operation" begins:
Meanwhile, the "JX-2 Ootorio" has been completed and is to leave on a mission to observe "Gorath". "Astronaut Cadet, Tatsuma Kanai" goes to see "Takiko Nomura", who he is in love with.
"Tatsuma" knocks on her apartment door, "Takiko" gets out of her bath, puts a robe on, and goes to answer the door. She lets him in and he explains that the "JX-2" is set to leave and before he goes into outer space. He wanted "Takiko" to know how much he loves her, but she replies that her fiancé was the second-in-command of the "JX-1". She is not ready for a new romance and "Tatsuma" leaves disappointed.
The "JX-2 Ootori" lifts off on its mission. As the "Ootori" passes the three space stations of the French, Portuguese, and Czech space stations, "Captain Endo" comments that until "Gorath" there never was full co-operation of the Earth's nations and hopefully that will now last. The space craft reaches a safe distance from "Gorath's" gravity well and "Astronaut Kani" enters a smaller observation craft to get even closer to "Gorath", and it leaves the "JX-2".
"Kani" was instructed not to get too close to the gravity well, but he misjudges and the small craft is moving toward "Gorath". Two other cadets are sent out to get "Tatsuma" from the observation craft and back on the "Ootori".
They succeed and the "Ootori" heads back toward the Earth, as the smaller craft crashes into "Gorath". Two bad discoveries are now made, "Astronaut Tatsuma Kani" has amnesia, and the gravity well has increased its power and range as space junk is pulled into "Gorath", including the disappearing rings of the planet Saturn.
Meanwhile, the United Nations broadcasts a test of the mega-nuclear-thrusters to the world.
While the report from the "Ootori" is received and the realization that the current thrusters are inadequate to move the Earth and "Dr. Tazawa" must go to the UN and ask for more funding. It is now discovered, that the work of blasting the ground for construction of the South Pole base, has freed a giant walrus that attacks the base, but is repelled.
Note: There was no giant walrus kaiju in the original screenplay, but Ishiro Honda wanted a kaiju. Most critics agree that this was a mistake and the sequences with the walrus takes away from the built up suspense.
Paleontologist "Kensuke Sonoda" receives a call from "Dr. Kono". He is needed to fly with "Dr. Tazawa" to the South Pole base to deal with the walrus.
The three scientists do not want to kill the walrus and in an aircraft attempt to cut off "Maguma's", as it is being called, access to the South Pole base of operations by creating a ravine between the two. However, that fails, and their only option is to kill the animal.
The new thrusters are installed and tests run.
The "Ootori" has returned to Earth and two events take place. The first is "Tomoko" and "Dr. Tazawa" realizing their love for each other. The second is that two of "Tatsuma's" astronaut friends, knock on the apartment in which "Takiko" and "Tomoko" have just had a heated discussion about the end of the world. The door is opened and they bring in "Kani", who still doesn't recognize anyone including "Takiko". They will all go to "Tomoko's" grandfather's home to wait for the end of the world.
Flood and earthquakes begin, as "Gorath" comes closer to the Earth, and the moon disappears into it. Will the planet survive? Can the Earth be moved out of the path of the "Ominous Star"?
For that answer, at the time of writing this article, the following link takes my reader to the original Japanese version of "Ominous Star Gorath", with English subtitles.
Ten motion pictures later and Takashi Shimura was the "King" in a Japanese adventure film that became an Arabian Nights story after editing and dubbing.
大盗賊 THE GREAT THIEF aka: THE SAMURAI PIRATE released in Japan on October 23, 1963.
Above the original Japanese "Toho Studios" poster, and below the poster for the re-edited, with dialogue censored and changed, English language version.
THE LOST WORLD OF SINBAD released in the United States on March 17, 1965
The motion picture was directed by Senkichi Taniguchi. From a story by writer Toshio Yasumi, and a screenplay by Takeshi Kimora and Shin'ichi Sekizawa.
The special effects were from Eiji Tsuburaya/
Toshirō Mifune portrayed "Sukezaemon Naya" in the original "Toho" version of the story. In the American version, he is "Sinbad", with a nick-name of "Luzon" (Dubbed by an unknown voice artist).
Tadao Nakamaru portrayed "The Chancellor".
Mie Hama portrayed "Princess Yaya", 1962's, "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira", 1963's,"Attack Squadron", 1967's, "James Bond-You Only Live Twice", and 1967's, "King Kong Escapes".
Kumi Mizuno portrated "Miwa the Rebel Leader".
Ichiro Arishima portrayed "Sennin the Wizard", his original. Japanese dialogue and some scenes were changed because of American censorship requirements. His role is also very different in the original Toho release. There he portrays a sex starved wizard and in the American version, a crazy old wizard.
Arishima is better known to non-Asian audiences for 1962's, "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira",
portraying "Mr. Tako, head of Pacific Pharmaceuticals", see second picture below.
Hideyo Amamoto portrayed "Granny the Witch". The actor was in 1960's, "The Last Gunfight", 1961, "Yojimbo", 1962's, "Gorath", and portrayed one of the mushroom people in 1963's, "Matango". He was the "High Priest of Mu" in 1963's, "Atragon", "Princess Salno's aide" in 1964's, "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster", and billed as Eisei Amamoto, portrayed "Dr. Hui (Who)", in 1967's, "King Kong Escapes".
Above, Hideyo Amamoto as "Granny the Witch", below without make-up.
Takashi Shimura portrayed "King Raksha".
The Basic Story:
"Sukezaemon Naya (Sinbad)" has a chest of gold stolen from him by "The Black Pirate",
portrayed by Makoto Sato. He finds himself shipwrecked in a country where the kind "King Rakish" is dying and his daughter, "Princess Yaya" will become the ruler. However, with the help of "Granny the Witch", the "King's" evil "Chancellor" is marrying the princess.
Once on shore, the now shipwrecked "Samurai Pirate" meets the looney and tricky wizard "Sennin". Next, he meets the rebel leader, "Miwa", and learns of the "Chancellor's" plans and that "The Black Pirate" brought the chest of gold to him. All, "Naya/Sinbad" wants is to get his gold back, but in an attempt to enter the castle, he meets "Princess Yaya", and is almost killed by the "Chancellor" and the "Black Pirate's" henchmen.
In short, "Sukezaemon Naya'Sinbad", "Miwa", "Sennin" and "Princess Yaya" form a plan to stop the "Chancellor" and "The Black Pirate", but must also destroy "Granny" for their plan to succeed. Which becomes grand adventure, Japanese-Arabian Nights style.
The climax all comes together with the "Wizard" fighting "Granny" in a magic duel.
Sukezaemon Naya/Sinbad's" kite's flight putting him in the castle just as the wedding is starting. So, that he can fight the evil chancellor and the black pirate and put the princess's father safely back on his throne. Not to forget, getting his chest of gold back!
For those of my readers that like the character of "Sinbad", my article is "SINBAD (SINDBAD) THE SAILOR: From Popeye to 2016 Japanese Anime", to sail the seven-seas at:
Eight more feature films followed and Toho Studio's and Ishiro Honda introduced their viewers to the giants evil kaiju the studio ever had.
三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦 THREE GIANT MONSTERS: EARTH'S GREATEST BATTLE released in Japan on December 20, 1964.
This feature film would come to the United States on September 29, 1965, as "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster". Which rearranged some of the scene's, drops others altogether, changed the prophetess from a Venusian to a Martian, and replaced Akira Ifukube's musical score during some of the "Godzilla-Rodan" scenes. Among other dialogue changes.
Shin'ichi Sekizawa wrote the screenplay. His next screenplay was adapting Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" for the 1965 animated feature, "Gulliver's Space Travels: Beyond the Moon".
The motion picture was directed by Ishiro Honda, who had just directed 1964's, 'Giant Space Monster Dogora".
Yosuke Natsuki portrayed "Police Detective Shindo". Natsuki had just been seen in 1964's, "Dogora".
Yuriko Hoshi portrayed the Detective's sister, newspaper-televison reporter, "Naoko Shindo". For fans of kaiju films, Hoshi played a similar role as a newspaper photographer in 1964's, "Mothra vs Godzilla".
Hiroshi Koizumi portrayed "Professor Miura". Koizumi had portrayed the same named role in 1964's, "Mothra vs Godzilla", and in another role was just in "Dogora".
Akiko Wakabayashi portrayed "Princess Salno of Selgina" aka: "Princess Selina Salno of Sergina" aka: "Princess Mas Dorina Salno". She was seen in both 1963's, "Samurai Pirate", and 1964's, "Dogora". Wakabayashi would also portray "Aki" in the 1967, "James Bond" feature film, "You Only Live Twice".
Emi Ito and Yumi Ito (The Peanuts) portrayed the twin fairies, "The Shobijin". The sisters had been just seen in 1964's, "Mothra vs Godzilla".
Takashi Shimura portrayed "Dr. Tsukamoto".
Akihiko Hirata portrayed "Chief Detective Okita". Hirata followed this film with one of his many samurai feature films in 1965's, "Samurai Assassin".
Hisaya Itô portrayed "Malmess, the Chief Assassin".
The Basic Japanese Screenplay starts with six short sequences that will intertwine into the main story line:
1. Reporter "Naoko Shindo" attends a night meeting of a "UFO Society", but the membership deem the meeting a failure. As their reason for not seeing a flying saucer is "Naoko's" skepticism. A very small meteor is seen by the group in the distant night sky.
2. Later, a major meteor shower hits Japan and the largest crashes on "Mount Suisho".
3. "Detective Shindo" is assigned to what he looks at as "babysitting" of the "Princess Salno (Princess Selina Salno) of Selgino (Sergina)", aka: ("Princess Mas Dorina Salno").
4. On the princess's airplane, an alien entity (never explained in any version as to what it is, and by the description of those that escaped Venus, given by "The Prophetess", does not fit either), instructs the princess to jump out, without a parachute, of the plane. She jumps and her airplane explodes killing everyone else on board.
5. "Professor Miura" leads a scientific expedition on "Mount Suisho" to investigate the large meteor. Which is emitting random magnetic waves and sets up a camp.
6. "Naoko Shindo" is assigned to investigate a prophetess who claims to be from Venus and predicts that "Radon (Rodan)" will appear on "Mount Aso (last seen at the end of 1956's, "Sora no Daikaiju Radon (1957's, "Rodan)".
Both "Detective Shindo" and the princess's uncle, her country's "Prime Minister", portrayed by Minoru Takada, recognize "The Prophetess" as the princess. Her uncle, who was behind the assassination plot, brings "Malmess" into his office and tells his "Chief Assassin" to finish the job he is being paid for.
Meanwhile, on a television program, "The Shobijin" are being interviewed and asked what has been happening with the "Mothra caterpillar twins", last seen swimming back to "Infant Island" with one "Shobijin" on each at the end of 1964's, "Mosura tai Gojira (Mothra vs Godzilla)".
The "Shobijin" finished with their interview prepare to go home to "Infant Island". However, the prophetess warns them not to go home. The ship the two were to go home on is sunk by "Gojira (Godzilla)". Also, last seen in 1964's, "Mosura tai Gojira (Mothra vs Godzilla)".
"Noako Shindo" has found the prophetess and wants to interview her. "Noako" takes her to a hotel room and is surprised when the "Shobijin" appear after trailing her.
"Detective Shindo" has confirmed that "The Prophetess" is in reality, the princess. He goes to the hotel to see his sister and the princess, but "Malmess" and his hoods are there. "Shindo" is able to chase "Malmess" and his men away. While, "Gojira" and "Radon" begin to fight each other and are in the same city as the hotel. Next, the "Princess", "Shindo", his sister, and the "Shobijin" evacuate the hotel as it starts to come down from the kaiju fight.
The princess is taken to the countryside medical office of psychiatrist, "Dr. Tuskamoto", for testing.
"Dr. Tuskamoto" shows "Shindo" a power voltage machine and informs him that the dial cannot go beyond a certain point. What neither man knows, is that "Malmess" has followed the detective, is at a window, and has overheard the instructions. At the proper time "Shindo" sets the voltage dial and enters the examination room. Under hypnosis, the "Prophetess" acknowledges being the "Princess", and tells her three observers. That she is possessed by a Venusian and that Venus was attacked by a kaiju named ングギドラ Kingu Gidora (King Ghidorah)". That destroyed Venus, but before the planet's total destruction. The people escaped to Earth and were assimilated within the Earth's population, but they also lost all their abilities except prediction.
"Malmess" now enters the outer room with the voltage control and moves the needle to the highest power point and leaves. However, the power lines are cut by "Gojira" as "Malmess" and his men make their escape.
At the site of the large meteor, "Professor Miura" and his man watch in amazement as the meteor explodes and something starts to form in front of them.
The formless material now solidifies into "KING GIDORA", the destroyer of the planet Venus.
"Gidora" flies to the city of Matsumoto and destroys it.
As of result of what has been occurring, "Professor Miura" has met "Detective Shindo" and joined his group. Together, "Shindo", "Professor Miura", "Naoko", with the "Prophetess", asks "The Shobijin" for help with all three kaiju. Their reply is that "Mosura" is too young, but they will ask.
"Mosura" agrees to speak to "Gojira" and "Radon" to stop them fighting each other and join forces to stop "King Gidora". It takes some persuasion, as the two other kaiju can't see why they should help the humans, but in the end the "Three Giant Monsters" will fight the space invader in "Earth's Greatest Battle".
As "Detective Shindo", "Naoko", "Professor Miura", "Dr. Tsuksmoto", the "Prophetess", and others watch from a hill top, the final battle of the kaiju comes to a head.
However, the "Prophetess" wanders off and "Shindo" goes in search off her. He finds "Malmess" and the "Prophetess on the edge of a steep cliff. He is able to stop her uncle's assassin from pushing the princess over the cliff. Instead it is "Malmess" that goes over the edge.
In the end, "King Gidora" finally realizes that he can't win and flies off into outer space. For the moment, "Gojira" and "Radon", appear not to be enemies and go their separate ways. "Mosura" will take "The Shobijin" back to "Infant Island". While the princess regains her memory and the others see her off at the airport.
For his next motion picture, Takashi Shimura went from Kaiju to Ghosts.
怪談 KWAIDAN (GHOST STORIES) premiered at the Toho Yurakuza Movie Theater in Tokyo on December 29, 1964
The screenplay source is based upon the writings of a very interesting person. Briefly, he was born in 1850 Greece, as Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χέρν. His father, a surgeon, was sent to the British West Indies, and never returned. While, the boy and his mother went to Dublin, Ireland, and his father's relatives. Next, after being abandoned by his parents, because his mother was Greek Orthodox trying to live in a Protestant family and was ostracized and up and left. The boy came to the United States, and used the American version of his name, Patrick Lafacadio Hearn. The young man become a journalist and translator, married an African-American woman, and divorced her three years later, under pressure from his employer and others due to Ohio's anti-miscegenation law. In 1887, Hearn moved to the French West Indies. In 1890, he moved once more, to Japan, and used the pen name of 小泉 八雲 Koizumi Yakumo (Yakumo Koizumi) to write works in Japanese. Below he is seen with his second wife, Setsuko.
In 1904, in Japan, Hearn - Koizumi, published "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things", based upon Japanese folk tales.
For this motion picture, screenplay writer Yoko Mizuki, turned four of Koizumi's ghost stories into a screenplay.
The motion picture was directed by Masaki Kobayashi. Kobayashi is known for the 1959 through 1961, "The Human Condition",motion picture trilogy. A very controversial story about pacifist and socialist, "Kaji", portrayed by Tatsuya Nakadai, attempting to survive in a totalitarian Second World War, Japan.
The third story in "Kwaidan" is:
耳無し芳一の話 The Story of Hoichi the Earless
Takashi Shimura portrayed the "Head Priest".
Katsuo Nakamura portrayed the musician, "Hoichi"
This section of the screenplay:
"Hoichi" is a blind musician, who beautifully plays the Biwa. His speciality is singing "The Tale of the Heike". Which was an epic verbal account of the "Battle of Dan-no-ura", compiled prior to 1330 in Japan. The battle tells of two waring clans, the "Taira", and the "Minamoto". The clans fought each other during a National Civil War, during the last phase of the "Genpei War", 1180 - 1185, which led to the fall of the "Taira", and the establishment of the "Kamakura shogunate".
"Hoichi" is an attendant at a temple and is looked after by the others living there. One night he hears a sound outside, and goes into the garden and starts to play the Biwa. A spectral samurai appears to him, and informs the musician that the samurai's lord wishes to hear him play at his house. The samurai leads "Hoichi" to a mysterious looking ancient court where a house stands.
Another attendant of the temple reports that "Hoichi's" dinner was left untouched and he was missing during the night.
That next night, the samurai reappears to "Hoichi", who confirms that he has told no one of the previous nights events, and takes him, once more, to his lord. After the musician returns to the temple, the "High Priest" asks where he goes at night, but is not answered. Later, on a stormy night, his friends follow "Hoichi" and discover he goes to an ancient graveyard and recites "The Tale of the Heike" in the court of the dead emperor. This would be the "81st Emperor of Japan, Antoku", whose reign was from 1180 - 1185.
As "Hoichi's" friends watch, the musician tells the spectral court that it would take many nights to chant the entire epic, but is told to only chant the part about the "Battle of Dan-no-ura". "Hoichi's" friends appear, and start to drag him back to the temple, but he refuses, as his performance is not finished. However, the friends are able to get him away from the graveyard court of "Emperor Antoku".
The "High Priest" tells "Hoichi" that he is in grave danger, that he is seeing a vast illusion by the spirits of the dead. Theywill kill him to keep the musician playing for the dead Emperor. Concerned for the safety of "Hoichi", the "High Priest" and his acolyte, write the entire text of the "Heart Sutra" on the musicians body and face. That text tells the viewer that this temple practices "Mahayana Buddhism". Which is literally translated at the "Great Vehicle", one of the three vehicles (yanas of spiritual practice) of the religion.
After the writing has finished, the "High Priest" tells "Hoichi" that this will make him invisible to the spirits and to go and meditate. The spectral samurai now appears, but cannot find the musician. However, the "High Priest" and his acolyte forgot to cover "Hoichi's" ears, and wanting to bring back the musician to his emperor. The spectral samurai rips off the musician's ears to show his lord he brought back the most he could have of "Hoichi".
The following morning the "High Priest" and his attendants see a trail of blood leading to the temple. The "High Priest" and his acolyte believe "Hoichi's" ears were a trade for his life. Next, a local lord and his entire retinue arrive at the temple, having heard of "Hoichi the Earless".
As of this writing, the following link will take my reader to the entire movie in Japanese with English subtitles. Watch it, if you dare:
Eight more motion pictures after "Kwaidan", Takashi Shimura had a small role in a 1965 kaiju feature film:
ランケンシュタイン対地底怪獣バラゴン FRANKENSTEIN vs SUBTERRANEAN MONSTER BARAGON released in Japan on August 8, 1965
This will be a brief look at this motion picture, directed by Ishiro Honda, because of the short appearance of Takashi Shimura portraying, depending upon if the film credits are for the original Japanese release, or the American dubbed and edited, May 26, 1966 release, as "Frankenstein Conquers the World". Shimura's role is either a "Hiroshima Surgeon", or an "Axis Scientist".
Whichever version you are viewing, it is Takashi Shimura that places the heart of the "Frankenstein Monster" into a small boy, moments before the Atomic Bomb is dropped on Hiroshima.
After releasing 1962's, "キングコング対ゴジラKingu Kongu tai Gojira", and also related to the lawsuit filed by stop-motion-animator Willis "Obie" O'Brien over American producer
John Beck's, "Unauthorized" selling of his screenplay, "King Kong vs Frankenstein" to Toho Studios.
Toho started work on a "Frankenstein" story of their own, based upon a story concept by American John Meredyth Lucas. Who wrote the English dub screenplays for 1961's, "The Last War", and 1962's, "Gorath". However, the "Frankenstein" idea was dropped until American producer Henry G. Saperstein, owner of "UPA, United Productions of America", came along. This motion picture was the end result, although the American English language screenplay had dropped very solid references to the United States's bombing of Hiroshima and the death and injuries from lingering radiation into 1965.
On June 6, 1944, the Normandy Invasion of France took place. That allied invasion of the Normandy beaches was the real start to the end of Nazi Germany. Journalist and military historian, Cornelius Ryan, wrote an excellent account of that day. His book, "The Longest Day", was originally published in 1959, and still is a best selling Second World War work. Next, premiering in France, on September 25, 1962, was producer Darryl F. Zanuck's epic, all-star motion picture, "The Longest Day", based solely upon Cornelius Ryan's book.
However, there was another "Longest Day" during the Second World War and it came after Hitler was defeated.
日本のいちばん長い日 JAPAN'S LONGEST DAY the roadshow version premiered in Japan, on August 3, 1967
The screenplay was based upon Japanese journalist, 大宅 壮一, Ōya Sōichi, Soichi Oya's book, "Japan's Longest Day", first published in that country in 1965.
The actual screenplay was written by Shinobu Hashimoto. He would follow this feature film with the biographical 1968, "Admiral Yamamoto".
The motion picture was directed by Kihachi Okamoto, the anti-war feature film, 1968's, "The Human Bullet".
The road show release ran two-hours-and-forty-five-minutes. This was cut-down to a two-hour-and-thirty-seven-minute, "General Audience" version. However, I could not find any information about what the missing eight-minutes were. As of this writing, the following link will take my reader to the "General Audience" release with English subtitles;
The screenplay accurately relates the events of the 24-hour period, from Noon, August 14, 1945, until, Noon, August 15, 1945. During which time the leaders of Japan waited for Emperor Hirohito, after experiencing the leveling of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki by American Atomic Bombs, to tell them if Japan was to surrender, or was to keep on fighting.
In this very suspenseful motion picture, is documented the back and forth of the waiting parties over the idea of surrendering. After so long fighting for Japanese domination of Asia, which had begun before the start of the Second World War. The screenplay also goes into the "Kyuko incident", an attempted military coup d'etat, led by Major Kenji Hatanaka, the night between the two days, to keep the war going and take over the government. The coup d'etat led to the murder of "Lieutenant General Takeshi Mori", and the printing of a fake authorization to enter the 皇居Kōkyo, the "Imperial Residence" aka: the "Tokyo Imperial Palace", and place Emperor Hirohito under arrest.
Toho made this an all-star production and the film is still shown on television on the anniversary of the end of the Pacific War. The screenplay lists 73 actors portraying actual members of the Japanese military, and government, that participated in the debates over what should be done and the action taken by Major Hatanaka.
Selected Actors and Their Roles:
Takashi Shimura portrayed the "Information Bureau Director Hiroshi Shimomura".
Chishu Ryu portrayed "Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki"
Toshiro Mifune portrayed "War Minister General Korechika Anami".
Jun Tazaki portrayed "Captain Yasuna Kozono, CO of the 302nd Air Group".
So Yamamura, seen below with Toshiro Mifune, portrayed "Navy Minister Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai".
Toshio Kurosawa portrayed "Major Kenji Hatanaka, Military Affairs Section". Behind him is Etsushi Takahashi portraying "Lieutenant Colonel Matsutaka Ida, Military Affairs Section".
Shogo Shimada portrayed "Lieutenant General Takeshi Mori, CO of the First Imperial Guards Division".
Takashi Shimura's Three-hundred-and-thirty-third motion picture role was in:
影武者 THE SHADOW WARRIOR aka: KAGEMUSHA (Political Decoy). The Director's Japanese Cut premiered in Tokyo, on April 23, 1980. The International edited version premiered at "World Fest Houston", Texas, April 18, 1980.
Toho Studios did not have the funds available to make director Akira Kurosawa's motion picture and in stepped George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. They arranged additional funding with "20th Century Fox" and on the "International Version", received "Executive Producer" credit. More on that shortly.
The screenplay was co-written by Masato Ide, Kurosawa's, 1965's, "Red Beard", and the director's version of William Shakespeare's, 1608, "King Lear", as 1985's "Ran".
The other co-writer was the director, Akira Kurosawa. The second unit director, directorial adviser and production co-ordinator was Ishiro Honda.
Tatsuya Nakadai portrayed "daimyo of Kai Province, Shingen Takeda".
Tsutomu Yamazaki portrayed "Takeda Nobukado".
Takashi Shimura's role of "Taguchi Gyobu"was written especially for the actor by Akira Kurosawa. This was the actor's last film for the director, and Shimura's 21st out of the only 33 feature films directed by Kurosawa.
The Very Basic Story:
A criminal is about to be crucified, but "Nobukado Takeda", notices the uncanny resemblance to his brother the daimyo of Kai Province, "Shingen Takeda". He brings the criminal to his brother and the two decide to use him as a "Kagemusha". Later, "Takeda", lays siege to the castle of one of his three rivals for power, "Tokugawa leyasu", portrayed by Masayuki Yui. While, listening to a flute being played in the enemy camp, "Shingen" is shot, and is dying. He commands his generals to keep his death secret for three years and the "Kagemusha" is presented to them.
The criminal now finds himself carrying on both a war against "Shingen Takeda's" rivals, and his expected daily life as well.
Knowing his father's wishes, is the unexpected resistance of "Shingen's" son, "Katsuyori Takeda",
portrayed by Ken'ichi Hagiwara. Who considers the three-year subterfuge, nothing less than delaying his ascent to daimyo. He decides to test the "Kagemusha" in front of the council of generals and asks him what course should be taken in the war against his father's rivals? Believing he will fail in front of the court and reveal himself as a fake, but instead, the "Kagemusha" comes up with the perfect battle plan.
At this point in the story, the year is 1573, "Tokugawa leyasu" and "Oda Noabunga", portrayed by Daisuke Ryu, both their own, rivals, join forces against the "Takeda".
The three armies come together to for battle, but "Katsuyori Takeda" ignores the advice of his generals, and out numbered, still attacks. It is now up to the "Kagemusha", to lead "Shingen Takeda's" troops to victory at the "Battle of Takatenjin". However, when his men go to congratulate him on the victory, they see he doesn't have the real "Shingen's" battle scares, and is revealed as a fraud.
It is now 1575, the "Kagemusha" is scorned and on his own. While, "Katsuyori", now fully in charge of the "Takeda Army", leads a charge against "Noabunga", not realizing "Oda" is waiting for that charge. The "Kagemusha" has followed "Katsuyori's" army and watches as it is overwhelmed by the two rivals of the foolish young diamyo.
The "Kagemusha" goes to retrieve the fallen battle standard of "Shingen Takeda", has the standard in his hand, but is killed, and his body floats away in the water.
For some reason, and thought lost for years, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas edited out 18-minutes of the motion picture for their "International Version". Included in that edited film was all the scenes with Takashi Shimura. Viewers of the "International Version" had no idea the actor was in the motion picture, even though his name was listed on the "Official Cast Listing". This "lost footage" was found and restored in 2005. Why the cuts were made is also still debated and the two producers never clearly explained the why.
"Kagemusha" was followed by Takashi Shimura's final movie about a broadcasting company taking away financing for their orchestra. 1981's, "Nihon Philharmonic Orchestra".
One year later, on February 11, 1982, Takashi Shimura passed away, but is performances live on.
