Toho Kingdom

Here are my thoughts on the film from the site's review:

http://www.tohokingdom.com/reviews/alex ... st_war.htm

Discuss.

A nice little anti-war film. The scenes with the English actors smack as far too preachy, but an enjoyable movie with a real downer ending (that doesn't cop out like Prophecies of Nostradamus does by saying it was just a possibility). The acting in the film is also generally (i.e. just the Japanese cast) well done, and a slight cut above other SFX films of the era from Toho.

Amazing SFX for the time as well, and no surprise it was used as stock footage in many Toho films later, including Godzilla vs. Gigan, The War in Space, The Return of Godzilla and more.

I only saw the dubbed version last night, so it has to sink in on me, but I overall liked it. I heard the Japanese version has more depth into the characters, so I'll probably check that one out sometime. Still, not bad. 3/5

Saw it last night in it's dubbed version. I found this film to be very enjoyable and a much more effective film than Prophecies (although PON had much more disturbing imagery). The ending was very effective, especially when the father yelled out at how unfair this all was. Of course, the SPFX, particularly the tank scene and the FAMOUS LANDMARKS LOST FOREVER were well done.

wahahahaha

I finally watched this movie on Monday, and for some reason it didn't leave as big an impression on me as some of the others here. I do appreciate the message that is made very clear at the end, there are some good performances, the special effects finale is great and heck, I love Ikuma Dan's score, but I felt that something was still lacking. Maybe a few scenes could've been cut down, I don't know. All things said, I'm glad that I've seen it. Maybe I'll learn to appreciate it more after a second viewing.

The scenes with the Tamura family are undeniably slow-moving and can be a tiny bit melodramatic, but they're still likable and never do you lose interest. What bring the film down somewhat are, ironically enough, the scenes teasing war. I'm willing to forgive the bad gaijin actors as it is a Japanese production, but they tend to drag on for way too long to the point where there's no real tension (Most notably the scene with the Alliance disarming the warhead which feels like it will never end). I feel it would have been more effective had their just been talks of a nuclear war heard on Tamura's radio throughout the movie. Still, the last 20 minutes or so are some of the best scenes in any Toho genre film that I've ever seen, thanks in no small part to all the time spent with the Tamura family previously.

I think all the melodrama is suitable, it’s kind of showing how everyday people are affected, and how life still goes on.

I don’t intend to be dramatic, but I also think this film deserves a rewatching given current political situations.