Space Monster Numagirasu is clomping into view, though only the vibrations of his coming are being heard so far. Charming chap, isn’t he?
Space Monster Numagirasu (a title which can also be transposed from the Japanese as “Space Monster Numaguirus”) is the product of a graduation project being undertaken by students from Tokyo Kōgei University (Tokyo Polytechnic University).
With its “old school” suitmation monster and miniature sets, the film is a kaiju eiga (or monster movie) in the full daikaiju (giant monster) tradition. This is a fertile tradition that sprang into existence in the middle of last century thanks to the success of Gojira, the classic film directed by Ishirō Honda in 1954 (and later “translated” for US audiences into Godzilla, King of the Monsters, starring an interpolated Raymond Burr) — and has only recently been (mostly) superseded by CGI technologies. [See my article “Man and Super-Monster: A History of Daikaiju Eiga and its Metaphorical Undercurrents 1954-2006″ for an account of the development of the Japanese tradition in giant monster films.]
With his weirdly distorted form, Space Monster Numagirasu is suggestive of the sort of Japanese giant monster that followed in Godzilla’s wake, especially in the monstrous extravaganzas offered up in the prolific Ultraman TV series (and films) – which were originally created by Eiji Tsuburaya, Godzilla’s SFX master-craftsman. As a form of SFX, the method is very hands-on.
Produced by Hosonuma Takayuki and directed by Takayuki Hosonuma, Space Monster Numagirasu is a short film (13:20 min.) and will be translated into English for its American premiere – at a venue the Backbrain could reveal except we’ve been sworn to secrecy.
So until the details are firmed up, check out the trailer (and production pictures) below:
On-set and Behind the Scenes:
Written by Robert Hood
Sources: via Kaiju Search-Robot Avery (Guerra); YouTube; www.t-kougei.ac.jp. Translation help by Yuki Morita (Godzilla 2014).
