Frankenstein and War of the Gargantuas

[James23873]

Okay, this is something I'm a little confused about. In the beginning of War of the Gargantuas, when we first meet Dr. Stewart, he talks about how Frankenstein had escaped from his clinic and had died at Mt. Fuji. Then his assistant(I forget her name) later says that after Frankenstein had escaped he came back and said goodbye to her. Now I assumed they were talking about the Frankenstein form Frankenstein vs. Baragon but then they showed the scene of young Sanda, implying that was who they were talking about the whole time.

So is Sanda and Frankenstein supposed to have almost identical pasts?

Also, this was the Japanese version with subtitles.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

I think that the film said that when Frankenstein died, his cells broke off and formed separate beings. Two of them being Gaira and Sanda.

Its a very strange cut in the film, and doesn't help support that the Gargantuas are offsprings of Frankenstein.

[Tyler]

There's a sense of continuity but they're not really connected.

[Astacius]

War of the Gargantuas is a movie I haven't seen since I was a kid in the early 70s. Is this movie available on dvd? It's never on tv anymore and it happens to have one of the best monster battles put on film, IMO.

[Tyler]

War of the Gargantuas is a movie I haven't seen since I was a kid in the early 70s. Is this movie available on dvd? It's never on tv anymore and it happens to have one of the best monster battles put on film, IMO.

There's a Classic Media double feature with Rodan.

[alienhulk2099]

I liked both movies, but if I really had to choose one I'd have to go for FCTW. I don't know, the only thing I think stands out more is the soundtrack. Not to mention the whole "fight is interrupted by an underwater volcano" felt kind of dumb. It is probably just me but, well, you expect someone to win between two brothers don't you?

[Legionmaster]

I liked both movies, but if I really had to choose one I'd have to go for FCTW. I don't know, the only thing I think stands out more is the soundtrack. Not to mention the whole "fight is interrupted by an underwater volcano" felt kind of dumb. It is probably just me but, well, you expect someone to win between two brothers don't you?

The thread isn't about which you like better, it's about the continuity between them.

[Arbok]

I assume that Sanda and Frankenstein have similar pasts, yes.

After all, its not unusual for an offspring to have similar traits and personalities with their parent (even though in this case its not an actual offspring). The two creatures demonstrated similar ideals though after escape: Frankenstein retreated to the forests to escape humanity after seeing his parent figure one last time, while Sanda retreated to the mountains to escape humanity after seeing his parent figure one last time.

Gaira was clearly an out liner, although he wasn't raised by humans unlike the other two. In fact, it seems like the Frankenstein genes become less and less human with each incarnation: Frankenstein -> Sanda -> Gaira.

Still, like all Showa entries, what little continuity is there is loose and is left somewhat up to the viewer if they want to connect said dots or not. Above is my feelings about Sanda, though.

[tokyostateofmind]

Okay, this is something I'm a little confused about. In the beginning of War of the Gargantuas, when we first meet Dr. Stewart, he talks about how Frankenstein had escaped from his clinic and had died at Mt. Fuji. Then his assistant(I forget her name) later says that after Frankenstein had escaped he came back and said goodbye to her. Now I assumed they were talking about the Frankenstein form Frankenstein vs. Baragon but then they showed the scene of young Sanda, implying that was who they were talking about the whole time.

So is Sanda and Frankenstein supposed to have almost identical pasts?

Also, this was the Japanese version with subtitles.

To me, WOTG was sort of a hybrid remake,sequel,spinoff of FCTW. Its very hard to explain, to me at least. Basically, the japanese versions refers to the Gargantuas directly as 'Frankensteins" rather than Gargantuas. Thinking that referring to Sanda and Gaira as Frankensteins would confuse american audiences, thus Gargantuas were born. The Frankenstein Dr. Stewart is the same one (Sanda) who Mizuno's character is referring to. I have a VHS of the english version and it always struck me odd that Sanda was always refered to as "Gargantua" rather than his name. I believe this was due to the Americanization of sorts of the Frankensteins. The Japanese version, like many of the other Kaiju films, the human characters give the monsters names to tell them apart. Gaira lives in the see, and the japanese word for sea is Kai, and Sanda, San is mountain in Japanese. But, at the same time the American version tends to add to the connection between the two films but stating something about Frankenstein's cut off hand. So it is a lot more confusing to us fans rather than the typical viewing audience. Now when I said remake, there is more references to add to my claim. A lot of the scenes, are very reminisicent of the first film. The Volcano, Kumi Mizuno's character in general (her connection with Sanda/Frankenstein), The Octopus, and others as well.

(Note: If this is confusing, please ask questions. At this point I feel like I am leaving out certain points, so I will update this one if I remember)

[Killswitch]

A few weeks ago, I watched the movie for the first time in over 25+ years. I like it better now, than I did as a kid. But, I've never liked Toho using the Frankenstein character or using the Frankenstrein name in any of its films.

I would like to see a Gargantuas reboot, but the story needs a little tweaking - IMO.

I love a lot of Toho stuff, but they couldn't pull-off Frankenstein or King Kong. Fun movies, but I prefer their own material - Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, etc.

[August]

There were stronger connections to FCTW in the earlier drafts of the screenplay for GARGANTUAS; the same characters were going to appear, and carry on in this story. So, in the final film, there are faint hints of this that remain, which were even more removed in the English dubbing script. In FCTW, Frankenstein "dies" at Mt. Fuji, but as stated, his heart "can never die". Frankenstein's heart was irradiated by the A-Bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, and it grew into another being — and continued to grow into a colossus by atomic radiation. So, after the conclusion of FCTW, Frankenstein's heart grows into another creature, which is captured and studied by Dr. Stewart. He escapes into the forest and grows into Sanda. At some point, Sanda loses some flesh in a river or a stream, and that flesh makes its way to the ocean — according to Dr. Stewart — and feeds off of protein-rich plankton. These cells from Sanda then grown into Gaira.

[Goji]

But, I've never liked Toho using the Frankenstein character or using the Frankenstrein name in any of its films.

Any particular reason why?

I would like to see a Gargantuas reboot, but the story needs a little tweaking - IMO.

I love a lot of Toho stuff, but they couldn't pull-off Frankenstein or King Kong. Fun movies, but I prefer their own material - Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, etc.

What about the story would you want tweaked, exactly..?

And how is is that Toho "couldn't pull off" Frankenstein or King Kong films? They had they're own take on the characters, and they worked just fine. All o the films involving said characters were fun, in their own right. The two Frankenstein films are considered two of Toho's best from the golden era.. but hey, you like what you like.

[Guardian7]

I have not seen FctW in... in well way too long!
It is on my get list (only four left and I have all the Kaiju Films TOHO Made - Most in Japanese too! - then all I have left to get are Toho Collections: GRA, AMA & ToMG and I am DONE!).

ANYHOW!! LOL

WotG is a damn fine film.
I have read pretty extensively on FctW and there is little doubt in my mind about the connections (Though that might change once I own it).
The fact that Frankenstein's heart is indestructible... means that Sanda... may have survived. If not. Then there is YET another (Possibly MORE mutated Frankenstein creature out there).

I wish they had been doing flashbacks (Like in ToMG and its relationship to GvMG). Wouldn't have hurt anything and could have created some nice filler.

G7

[August]

One of the original drafts of the screenplay for DESTROY ALL MONSTERS featured the Gargantuas on Monsterland and in the action scenes. As the drafts progressed, they were dropped. Also Henry G. Saperstein planned to bring one of them back for the proposed film "Godzilla vs. Gargantua", announced in the late 1970s.

[Hellspawn28]

FCTW is a pretty fun movie, the only main thing I did like about the movie was that it took forever for the battle between Baragon amd Frankenstein to happen. A lot of Frankenstein fans did not like the movie, but I think it was a fun movie.

It been years since I watched WOTG, and I think I might want to watch it soon since it's on DVD.

[gojira012]

A question here is would Mary Shelly appreciate Toho turning her classic tragic, misunderstood monster into a 80ft cave boy with two giant sasquatch clones.

[Hellspawn28]

But, I've never liked Toho using the Frankenstein character or using the Frankenstrein name in any of its films.

Any particular reason why?

I think most Frankenstein fans never like the movie or character since Toho's version was nothing like the Frankenstrein monster from the Novel, or the 1931 movie.

[James23873]

A question here is would Mary Shelly appreciate Toho turning her classic tragic, misunderstood monster into a 80ft cave boy with two giant sasquatch clones.

In a way Tohos Frankenstein does have some of her classic themes. Man should'nt mess with nature or monsters are born. But yeah she would probably be amazed how far her story has changed. I don't think she had Frankenstein vs the wolf man in mind either when she first wrote her story.

[August]

Or Abbott & Costello... or Andy Warhol.

[Mike55 v2]

Or really the universal version of frankenstein.