Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

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StAiRcAsE KiTtY
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by StAiRcAsE KiTtY »

I don't have Netflix, but my parents do at their house. Does anybody know if Netflix is streaming this? It's one of those kaiju movies I really want to see. I imagine the chances are slim, but I can hope.
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GalacticPetey
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by GalacticPetey »

I doubt it. I know there's an OoP DVD, but that's it I think.
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by Dannybeane »

Staircase Kitty wrote:I don't have Netflix, but my parents do at their house. Does anybody know if Netflix is streaming this? It's one of those kaiju movies I really want to see. I imagine the chances are slim, but I can hope.
Nope but I think you might be able to watch it on youtube or some other streaming site.

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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by SUPERTOHOREMIX »

Staircase Kitty wrote:I don't have Netflix, but my parents do at their house. Does anybody know if Netflix is streaming this? It's one of those kaiju movies I really want to see. I imagine the chances are slim, but I can hope.
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Here I come kicking ass and taking names:

Yamato Takeru is a great, and under appreciated Toho film. Dare I say I really like it?

Let me say the obvious: the film suffers from being an “epic”; IE, it’s recapping and retelling a ton of Japanese mythology in one go, and as a result by its very nature the pacing is very quick and somewhat rushed. The characters aren’t fleshed out. Additionally, while yes there are monsters, this is not a Kaiju film, don’t view it as such and your viewing experience will improve.

The fight with Kusamo Takeru and Osusu is fantastic. There’s a great sense of back and forth and building tension with Osusu’s sword being cut in half, and the threat of other soldiers appearing. This fight, about 20 mins in, could have been the climax. but now, the film continues, and the monster Kusamo is executed well: great mix of what appears to be a suit, possibly claymation and cgi. The monster has an intimidating bulk to it, but based on how it’s portrayed it feels like an actual rock monster.

The fight with Beruyoda is brief, but damn they do a good job at having the monster feel like it’s avrually in the ocean when it’s above in the waves. Additionally, there’s a great size and perspective. The monster also has a very unique design. What happens to Oto in the story is also tragic. Additionally, afterwards the fight with the human, parallels the fights earlier we’ll in reverse.

Also a nice variety of locations and scenes; from a barren volcano, and the forests, countryside, to palaces and the ocean. There’s also a great SF vibe, with the floating crystal fortress. A lot of bright colors contrasting to dull ones as well.

I also really dig the aesthetic with the moon and Tsukuyomi. I also really dig some of the weirdness involving the “fang”.

And for those criticizing the final fight:
Spoiler:
The final fight isn’t just Orochi versus the big guy in the armor you see, there’s a big climactic fight with Orochi in a human form and the protagonists, as well as Yamato and Oto directly fighting Orochi on the bird. What yoy in the YouTube clip, is essentially just the finishing move. The final fight is awesome, and Yamato slicing into Orochu’s Head is awesome. Some really great perspectives as well.
You don’t have to love this film, but I can’t help but feel that this film has been neglected due to how intertwined it is with Japanese lore and mythology while trying to be interpreted by Godzilla Fans. Is it a fantastic film? Not in traditional story telling ways, but it’s a great rendition of an epic.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Terasawa
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by Terasawa »

LSD Jellyfish wrote:You don’t have to love this film, but I can’t help but feel that this film has been neglected due to how intertwined it is with Japanese lore and mythology while trying to be interpreted by Godzilla Fans. Is it a fantastic film? Not in traditional story telling ways, but it’s a great rendition of an epic.
See, I think this is exactly the problem with the movie. Wataru Mimura's screenplay is awful because there's little to no characterization or even exposition. He shuttles us from one scenario to the next without any explanation and of course non Japanese viewers get lost pretty easily since they aren't very familiar with the original legend.

There is one big standout special effects sequence here involving the Kusamo monster. Actually, the Kusamo sequence is probably the highlight of the entire film because Mimura takes the time to set up the episode and gives us a payoff in Osu killing the tyrant Kusamo and getting the name "Yamato Takeru." Other times characters are introduced only to serve a vague role later on in the narrative and in doing so his narrative becomes very episodic. Nothing feels coherently strung together.

I hate the final battle. Tsukuyomi appears on the moon and then in some big palace he fights Yamato and Oto. Then he turns into Orochi and Yamato turns into a giant mech. Everyone has these strange magic powers that are never once explained or mentioned. Consider if in Star Wars characters can use the force but it's never talked about. In this film, and the Rebirth of Mothra movies, characters can use whatever special powerful abilities the screenwriters bestow upon them without rational; it strains credibility and alienates the viewer. There's literally no tension at all because we just know that as soon as Yamato Takeru's mech form appears he's going to have all sorts of unspoken of powers that will stop Orochi after a masturbatory light and sparks show from Kawakita's FX crew. And while I wouldn't expect miniature buildings, the setting of this battle is a barely disguised soundstage with zero visual appeal. At least in Rebirth of Mothra Kawakita had the monsters fight in something that resembled a large forest.

IMO this movie is just as bad as the ROM films. ROM3 is a better movie.

Have you seen the 1959 Toho film based on the same legends? I think you'd probably appreciate that film a lot more. For one, it's a much better movie. But the extended run time allows for actual storytelling to involve the audience in what the hell is going on, whether you're vaguely familiar with the legends or not.
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LSD Jellyfish
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

I’ll watch the 1959 version down the line. To be clear I agree with everything you’re saying, but I think the film is just completely slept on.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by LegendZilla »

Could've this movie worked any better if Akira Ifukube scored the film?

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Terasawa
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by Terasawa »

It would have been better than what was used but it wouldn't make it a better movie.
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by LegendZilla »

Terasawa wrote:It would have been better than what was used but it wouldn't make it a better movie.
How would’ve you fixed the film story-wise?

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LSD Jellyfish
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

LegendZilla wrote:
Terasawa wrote:It would have been better than what was used but it wouldn't make it a better movie.
How would’ve you fixed the film story-wise?
You can't really as it's based on a bunch of myths, but it could've easily used double the run time and some better structure.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Chaos Reincarnation
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Re: Talkback: Yamato Takeru (1994)

Post by Chaos Reincarnation »

Visually I enjoy this one a lot. I wont rate it highly among my favorites, but it's a decent change of pace from the other Heisei Genre movies and the smaller scale makes for great creature effects and more interaction with the characters, wooden as they may be. It's a movie i like to have on when im doing something else so I can have something cool to glance up at.

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