Version Talkback #2: GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER (1959)

[Tamura]

Talk about GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER, liberally adapted from GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN.

I watched this last night at the Kaiju Double Feature Viewing Party and, like THE ROOM and ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, it's a lot more fun with audience participation. I wish a nice, restored print could be struck and shown on the midnight circuit across the country.

[Sydney Aradi]

Much like Godzilla Final Wars, Gigantis is best viewed when you're with friends and have plenty of booze around. As an Americanization of a Japanese monster film it is quite bad (in a Mystery Science Theatre kind of way) but the dub is just so funny to listen to. Hell in fact Gigantis should be considered an totally different film what with all the changes that were made like stock footage being inserted, 90% of Masaru Sato's score getting deleted, Monster's names getting changed and what not

[Space Hunter M]

I must say, I enjoyed most of the Sawtell/Shefter music that was added for this version. Especially this cue. As for everything else, what hasn't been said about this comically bizarre Toho mishmash? I personally think this was MST3K's big missed opportunity. I could totally see it in my head. The mads would give them a print with the Gigantis title card and wouldn't even give them a clue it's a Godzilla film. Hysteria ensues.

[Tohosaurus]

Much like Godzilla Final Wars, Gigantis is best viewed when you're with friends and have plenty of booze around. As an Americanization of a Japanese monster film it is quite bad (in a Mystery Science Theatre kind of way) but the dub is just so funny to listen to. Hell in fact Gigantis should be considered an totally different film what with all the changes that were made like stock footage being inserted, 90% of Masaru Sato's score getting deleted, Monster's names getting changed and what not

This.

[Tamura]

I think the library cues in this film are more effective and suspenseful than Masaru Sato's sluggish score to GRA. It really pales in comparison to his later works.

[Space Hunter M]

Got any idea where the cue that plays during the convicts' escape is sourced from? That track was used all the time in the DCA version of Rodan. I've been trying to find it forever.

[Tamura]

I would like to know the origin of the stereotypical "oriental" music that plays during the party scene after the heroes move to Hokkaido.

[Tyler]

For some reason I really like the disturbing, science fair slideshow Dr. Yamane shows at the meeting after Anguirus and the new Godzilla show up.

[Tamura]

Textless and open matte reconstruction of the film's theatrical trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc790pqKpJY

[Goji]

^ That's really cool. Nice work.

As for GIGANTIS, it's a lot more watchable than RAIDS AGAIN. The dubbing is pretty funny, and that's part of why it's the more watchable version for me. Yeah, Godzilla using Anguirus's roar on occasion is jarring, but I guess I just got used to it over the yers. GIGANTIS is also pretty nostalgic for me, because unlike a lot of other people my age, I was lucky enough to locate the lone VHS release back when it was brand new. I liked it then, and still do.

I love the tracks from KRONOS, as well as the other library tracks used. Frankly, the little of Sato's score that was used were probably the best tracks anyway. The rest of (Sato's) the score is pretty forgettable, and pales badly in comparison to his later work.

[Tamura]

GIGANTIS is also pretty nostalgic for me, because unlike a lot of other people my age, I was lucky enough to locate the lone VHS release back when it was brand new.

I, too, was lucky and got to see GIGANTIS for the first time early on when I was a little kid. My dad got a tape from a really low rent company called Nostalgia Home Video. Their video of GIGANTIS (and seemingly the rest of their catalog of obscure movies either of questionable copyright status or public domain) doesn't have a unique cover, instead a yellow slip featuring a hodgepodge of ad art from tons of unrelated films of unrelated genres. Does anyone else have it? Here are some pictures:





Anyway, the print on the tape itself is one of the spliciest I've ever seen. Many sections are rendered completely nonsensical due to the rapid fire splicing. I've heard that the film originally opened with the WB logo (not sure whether to believe this or not), but this copy definitely does not.

GIGANTIS is one of the few Showa Godzilla films I distinctly remember seeing for the first time, particularly because it was such an odd experience. The splicing made everything hard to understand, nobody said "Godzilla", and the music cues lifted from KRONOS were pretty creepy. It didn't feel like any other Godzilla movie, even though it was adapted from one. I don't have any recollections of watching it again that early on. I'd have rather seen something like GIGAN or MECHAGODZILLA '74. But, it grew on me over the years and now I love it.

[Space Hunter M]

I had a VHS from that label, but I don't remember what was on the tape, and I won't find out, as it was burned up in a house fire.

[edgaguirus]

It's an entertaining movie, and the dialogue has some laughable moments. I remember a George Takei interview where he talked about the dubbing, and how they came up with the " banana oil" line.

[Ethan]

Anybody got the Kronos CD by MMM? I'd like to know how it sounds in comparison to the LP-rip that circles the web, and if it has any unused tracks.

[Tamura]

MMM has also released the score to PROJECT MOON BASE, some of which can be heard in GIGANTIS. I wish it could be easier to compile the complete US soundtracks to these films, but thanks to outfits like MMM, we're slowly but surely getting there.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

Kind of off-topic, but I had the opportunity to see Kronos in the theater, and the only reason I did was because it was on a double-bill with KKvG. Thank God for the pair-up, because I probably never would have sought out the film on its own, and ended up really enjoying it. The bizarrely geometric alien machine legitimately creeps me out. The score as a whole is actually quite good, and its easy to see why others would be tempted to re-use it. Anyway, I just wanted to recommend everyone see that picture if they can, as long as the subject came up.

[Space Hunter M]

Sorry for furthering the off-topicness, but what a coincidence! I watched Kronos for the first time back to back with King Kong vs. Godzilla as well, not by any theatrical arrangement however.

[The Dark Uniter]

Two words I can say about this cut: banana oil!

[Tamura]

Does anybody know when this was recognized in the US as a pseudo Godzilla film? Trade papers as late as the mid '60s leave it out when discussing past entries in the Godzilla series.