{"id":4639,"date":"2009-10-14T10:38:54","date_gmt":"2009-10-13T23:38:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/?p=4639"},"modified":"2009-10-20T22:11:47","modified_gmt":"2009-10-20T11:11:47","slug":"new-daikaiju-appears-through-a-fog-of-obscurity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/index.php\/2009\/10\/14\/new-daikaiju-appears-through-a-fog-of-obscurity\/","title":{"rendered":"New Daikaiju Appears Through a Fog of Obscurity"},"content":{"rendered":"

A previously unknown and unsuspected Japanese giant monster film has just come to light — one that resonates backwards right to the start of the daikaiju eiga<\/em> tradition. What is it? You’ll have to read on to find out.<\/p>\n

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Background<\/h2>\n

In the history of giant monster cinema, the Japanese take on it — called daikaiju<\/em> [or kaiju<\/em>] eiga<\/em> — looms very large indeed. At its genesis, and occupying a sizeable part of its growth and continuity, lies Gojira, or Godzilla as the “King of Monsters” came to be known. The original Gojira<\/em> was made by Ishir\u00f4 Honda in 1954 and its phenomenal success led to a franchise that has not only produced 28 official films featuring the atomic giant (plus one made in America), but its central aesthetic morphed into a tradition of super-monster film metaphysics that appears throughout Japanese cinema and television, most notably in the many Ultraman TV shows and movies. Godzilla himself remains — along with King Kong — the most iconic of giant monsters worldwide. Everyone knows him.<\/p>\n

But Gojira<\/em> was inspired by two other films that preceded it. One was Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s 1933 giant ape film King Kong<\/em>, which was re-released in 1954 and attracted big business both in the States and in Japan. Toho executive and eventual Gojira<\/em> producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was keen to take advantage of the popularity of the Great Ape’s re-appearance, but it wasn’t until Eug\u00e8ne Louri\u00e9’s The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms<\/em> hit it big at the US box-office in 1953 that Tanaka decided to take elements of that film and run with them. Then, once Honda was given the job of directing “The Giant Monster From 20,000 Miles Beneath the Sea” (working title), it quickly became Gojira<\/em> and began to develop its own unique qualities.<\/p>\n

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But what is important for us here is the story that inspired The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms<\/em> — at least partially. It was a short story called “The Fog Horn”, written by great science fiction fantasist Ray Bradbury and first published in The Saturday Evening Post<\/em> in 1951. Wikipedia<\/a> describes the intricate relationship between the film and the story thus:<\/p>\n

The original title of the story was The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms<\/em>. It was published in The Saturday Evening Post<\/em>. Meanwhile a film with similar theme of prehistoric sea monster was being shot under the shooting title of Monster from Beneath the Sea<\/em>. Later producers, who wished to share Bradbury’s reputation and popularity, bought the rights to Bradbury’s story and changed the film’s title. Bradbury then changed the title of his story to The Fog Horn<\/em>. The monster of the film was based on the illustration in The Saturday Evening Post<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a synopsis:<\/p>\n

Johnny has been working with McDunn at the old lighthouse for the past three months. The lighthouse is situated on a rock 2 miles out to sea, and Johnny is looking forward to \u201cshore leave\u201d the following day. That night, McDunn tells him about a huge sea creature that comes to the lighthouse every year to cry out at the fog horn [mistaking it for the cry of its own kind]\u2026 and tonight is that night! The two make their way to the top of the tower and watch as the monster ascends and begins its yearly ritual. Very fascinating indeed, but when McDunn turns off the fog horn the monster shows its true, primitive nature! (bestsciencefictionstories.com<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One less direct connection between the film and the story is the claim by Bradbury that the original idea was inspired by the ruins of a demolished roller coaster he saw on a Los Angeles-area beach, which suggested a dinosaur’s skeleton to him. The movie version ends in Coney Island amid the ruins of the roller coaster there. But the only real<\/em> connection between the story and the film’s narrative is the rise of the monster from the sea and its coming ashore at a lighthouse, which it destroys. It’s a brief moment within the film, but a powerfully effective one.<\/p>\n

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The Fog Horn’s Fate<\/h2>\n

Until now, Bradbury’s important story — which indirectly led to Godzilla and all that followed for the giant monster genre — has never been accurately filmed, not as such. In the mid-2000s, to remedy this oversight, Japanese director Daisuke “Daice” Sato and his crew from the Replica Co. Ltd production studio took Bradbury’s story “The Fog Horn” as the basis of a short experimental film — a project completed in 2007. The film, however, has never been released. A trailer for it recently surfaced on YouTube and now, thanks to Kaiju Search-Robot Avery, there is a chance that it will emerge from its self-imposed obscurity.<\/p>\n

The Fog Horn<\/strong><\/em> (Japan-2007; short [20 min.]; dir. Daisuke Sato)<\/p>\n

Detailed cast and crew list:<\/p>\n