Talkback: Varan (1958)

For the discussion of Toho produced and distributed films or shows released before 1980.
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Darth Nightmaricus
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Talkback: Varan (1958)

Post by Darth Nightmaricus »

Varan aka Varan the Unbelievable

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For talk of the 1958 film by Ishiro Honda, which introduced the title character.

Personally, I'm wondering if Varan (as a whole) is any good as a film or a piece of crap.

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Kaiser
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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Kaiser »

It's kind of like your standard American giant-monster movie with a Japanese flare. If you go into it expecting it to be similar to Honda and Tsuburaya's other efforts from the time period, you're probably going to be disappointed. If you take it for what it is though, there are worse ways to spend 90 minutes.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by he-ba »

I've never seen it, but if you're talking about the American version, I give you a warning: IT IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!!! Don't watch it! It doesn't even have to do with Varan!!!

The japanese version's score by Ifukube is amazing (I've heard it many times before) and is recreated in multiple movies.

And I don't know how new you are, but I haven't seen you before, and you look new, so welcome! Even if your new-ness is old!
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Space Hunter M »

TV version's okay.
Theatrical cut sucks and is filled with obvious padding (but has better music).
The Unbelievable is interesting drive-in circuit monster fare on its own and is pretty much an entirely different movie (it held my attention longer than the theatrical cut, so there's that).

Really, Varan as a whole is a terrible snap back for Toho and literally pales in comparison to the two color and widescreen films that preceded it.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Pkmatrix »

I found both Giant Monster Varan and Varan the Unbelievable to be pretty boring. ^_^()

The Japanese version is a bit better, but not by much TBH. Check out the US version to sate your curiosity, since it's actually a completely different movie than Varan.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Space Hunter M »

There is nothing cool about Varan, the monster either if you ask me. The design is great, but the film is such squandered potential it doesn't matter much. And give me a break about the gliding. Rodan could actually fly already.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by edgaguirus »

It's an average film at best, and that's the Japanese version. The middle is rather slow,and there's little destruction seen. It's not bad, but it could be better.
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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Rodan »

Confession: I've never seen the Japanese version.

I watched the U.S. version maybe ... two? ... years ago, though, and enjoyed it for what it was. It's very of-its-era, but it's an enjoyable 90 minutes in the right mindset. If nothing else, it's an interesting mix of 1950s U.S. and Japanese monster-movie tropes.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Julia Bristow »

The Japanese cut of the film: Its average at best
The American cut: If you have a passing interest in low budget drive in movie fare then its worth a laugh.
All Movie snobs can just f off IMO

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by he-ba »

I really like Varan. He looks menacing, and if he WAS in a fight, he would probably be very fierce and look even coolier. His roar is really cool, too.
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




I don't know even know what a he-ba is......



HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!!!!!!!!

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by H-Man »

I found the American to cut to be incredibly boring.

The Japanese version was much better, with a better score, Varan's cool roar, and just better pacing overall. The plot and characters are weak, but it was still pretty fun.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Ninjasaurus »

It's okay. Nothing really stands out but if you want to see the one movie where Varan gets any significant screen time, then give it a go. Ifukube's music is good, especially his proto-Rodan theme.

I'm referring to the Japanese version, by the way.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Stevo_1985 »

I've always liked Varan. I use him a lot in G unleashed. Never saw the movie though and always wanted to. This news is rather disappointing. Is the American version really that much different from the original cut?
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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by edgaguirus »

I haven't seen the American version, but from what I have heard, it's like a whole other movie.
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by tymon »

How does one get a hold of the American version nowadays?
JAGzilla wrote:And then there was The Giant Condor. He...seemed very dedicated to what he was doing?

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by H-Man »

tymon wrote:How does one get a hold of the American version nowadays?
Perhaps here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VARAN-THE-UNBEL ... 2339b5242a

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by he-ba »

I saw it on amazon instant video, I have amazon prime so I got it for free!
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




I don't know even know what a he-ba is......



HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!!!!!!!!

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Pkmatrix »

Stevo_1985 wrote:I've always liked Varan. I use him a lot in G unleashed. Never saw the movie though and always wanted to. This news is rather disappointing.
Yeah, I was kind of disappointed too when I finally saw the Japanese version on DVD. I've loved Varan ever since I read Godzilla vs. Varan in an issue of G-Fan way back when and have always loved his design/backstory, but the movie was really underwhelming. I was bored by it, and no amount of Ifukube music or nice FX work from Tsubaraya is enough to counter a really dull and uninteresting story. There was enough potential for something cool there and, maybe, if I rewatch it again now I might see something more that I like. But, as it stands, there are a LOT of other movies I'd rather watch than Giant Monster Varan.
Stevo_1985 wrote:Is the American version really that much different from the original cut?
edgaguirus wrote:I haven't seen the American version, but from what I have heard, it's like a whole other movie.
It's COMPLETELY different. I cannot emphasize that enough. It is the most radical Americanization I've ever seen, and probably the most extensive of any Japanese giant monster movie. It's on the scale of what was proposed for The Volcano Monsters, although nowhere near as good as that idea.

In Giant Monster Varan, a scientific expedition to study a rare species of moth in the Japanese Alps stumbles across a remote village that worships a local God. The outsiders insist that their beliefs are just ancient superstitions, but end up angering the God (Varan) who then exacts vengeance upon Japan.

In Varan the Unbelievable, a joint US-Japanese military desalinization test in a saltwater lake on a small Japanese island runs into a snag when the superstitious villagers refuse to leave. When the test is conducted anyway, they awaken Varan who then goes on to ravage the island.

Completely different plots, completely different casts, completely different soundtracks. It's more accurate to think of Varan the Unbelievable as a thematic SEQUEL (like the Daimajin films or The Man with No Name films relationships to each other) than as an alternate cut of Giant Monster Varan.
tymon wrote:How does one get a hold of the American version nowadays?
I bought my copy from Amazon.

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by he-ba »

Pkmatrix wrote: It's COMPLETELY different. I cannot emphasize that enough. It is the most radical Americanization I've ever seen, and probably the most extensive of any Japanese giant monster movie. It's on the scale of what was proposed for The Volcano Monsters, although nowhere near as good as that idea.

In Giant Monster Varan, a scientific expedition to study a rare species of moth in the Japanese Alps stumbles across a remote village that worships a local God. The outsiders insist that their beliefs are just ancient superstitions, but end up angering the God (Varan) who then exacts vengeance upon Japan.

In Varan the Unbelievable, a joint US-Japanese military desalinization test in a saltwater lake on a small Japanese island runs into a snag when the superstitious villagers refuse to leave. When the test is conducted anyway, they awaken Varan who then goes on to ravage the island.

Completely different plots, completely different casts, completely different soundtracks. It's more accurate to think of Varan the Unbelievable as a thematic SEQUEL (like the Daimajin films or The Man with No Name films relationships to each other) than as an alternate cut of Giant Monster Varan.
When he says they are COMPLETELY different, he's right. I never made it to the end of Varan The Unbelievable, but I have heard that they don't even kill Varan in it!
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




I don't know even know what a he-ba is......



HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!!!!!!!!

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Re: Is Varan the Unbelievable any good?

Post by Pkmatrix »

he-ba wrote:When he says they are COMPLETELY different, he's right. I never made it to the end of Varan The Unbelievable, but I have heard that they don't even kill Varan in it!
Well, to be fair
Spoiler:
they don't really kill him in Giant Monster Varan, either.
:P ;)

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