We Waited 12 Years For This?

Review of Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) by Armand Vaquer.

Above, this shot of Pete Brothers may reflect our feelings of Shin Godzilla. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

UPDATE (10/18/16): I viewed the movie again last Saturday and have posted a 2nd review. To view it, go here.

October 12 on my calendar was originally going to be the day that my Small Claims Court case against my ex-fiancee would have been heard, had we not gone on Hot Bench last month instead. After seeing Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) last night, something tells me that an appearance in Small Claims Court would have been much more entertaining.

Above, the Shin Godzilla poster at the theater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the entrance to the auditorium. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Peter H. Brothers and I met up at the Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 theaters to see the movie. Before going inside the auditorium, I perused a collection of Star Wars figures by Sideshow Collectibles in the theater lobby. Surprisingly, we were joined by Brant Elliott, who also happened to attend this screening and bought a ticket for the seat next to Pete. I hadn't seen Brant in years and it was a nice reunion.

Above, Brant Elliott and Peter H. Brothers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I purposely avoided reading any fan reviews of Shin Godzilla so I could make up my own mind about the film and to avoid any spoilers. Some fans said the movie was "different" and "interesting". Yes, I have to agree to both adjectives. "Entertaining" is not an adjective that I would bestow upon it, however. It started with a lot of promise, but was a disaster soon after.

Above, Pete Brothers and Armand at the bar following the movie. Photo by Brant Elliott.

For starters, the movie was about 95% talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk by bureaucrats of various ministries of the Japanese government on dealing with the situation of Godzilla. That is fine to poke fun at the farcical ways the machinery of government operates, particularly the Japanese way of "governing by committee". But to make that 95% of the movie was overkill at its worst.

Above, Han Solo in carbonite in the theater lobby 
 by Sideshow Collectibles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Next, the editing and structure of the movie was horrendous. Scenes were constantly jumping from one bureaucrat to another, with a little Godzilla thrown in on occasion. That was tiring! There was no continuity to the movie and there were no likable characters. There was no real storytelling. It almost makes Godzilla Final Wars (2004) a masterpiece of cinema in comparison (and I liked that movie)! It was a mess! Hideaki Anno, who directed the movie, may be a good anime director, but he completely ruined the Toho Godzilla's return.

The only redeeming feature of the movie are the special effects by Shinji Higuchi. They were inspired and innovative at times (I loved the scenes of boats being shoved aside on a river by a submerged Godzilla, which in his "early form", resembled a plucked Thanksgiving turkey). Those scenes reminded me of the tsunami footage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Still, while the special effects were great, there was not enough Godzilla in the movie.

While it was nice to hear some of Akira Ifukube's Godzilla themes, the film had no coherent score to speak of.

One has to wonder, "What was Toho thinking?" when they greenlighted this movie.

Above, Yoda in the theater lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has to rank as the worst Godzilla movie ever. Even worse than the 1998 American fiasco! At least G.I.N.O. (as we fans call the 1998 Godzilla by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin) had some storytelling to it.

I promised I'd take Jessica, my ex-roommate, to see it on Saturday. I guess I'll have to endure it again.
I very much wanted to enjoy the return of Toho's Godzilla, but this movie completely let me down.

I'm sorry to say. My grade: D-.

A First-Time Monster Con Experience

Text and photos by Armand Vaquer

Above, Miki with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" during our February photo shoot.

As a veteran of many different conventions over the years, I've accumulated a lot of photos of myself with celebrities. This year I decided to take a different approach at Monsterpalooza.

I asked my The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan model Miki  to assist me at the sales table during my presentation, "Scene To Seen" at this year's Monsterpalooza. My daughter was originally going to help, but a three-week bought with the flu made that an impossibility. Miki agreed to do so.

She is originally from Kyoto, Japan (her parents now live in Osaka) and she never attended a monster convention before. So this was a new experience for her.

She attends college in Orange County and it took her about two hours to get to my house in Tarzana Friday evening. Once she arrived and after freshening up, we headed to Monsterpalooza in Burbank (about 15 miles away).

Once we got there, we stood in line to get in. While doing so, we spotted Haruo Nakajima and his daughter Sonoe on the walkway between the convention center and the main Marriott Hotel building. Sonoe and I spotted each other and gave big waves and she motioned to her dad of my presence. He smiled and waved also.



After getting our wristbands, Miki and I went over to the Nakajima table. I introduced Miki to Sonoe Nakajima. I asked Miki if she'd like an autographed photo of Mr. Nakajima (my treat), she said yes. She picked out the beautifully colorized photo of Mr. Nakajima in a Godzilla suit (with the proceeds going to Japan earthquake relief). She had Mr. Nakajima sign it and then we had her pose for a couple of pictures with The Man (above).

Miki, by this point, was beaming. She said that Mr. Nakajima is "very famous" in Japan and it was a thrill to meet him. She can't wait to email the photos I took to her parents in Japan.

During the time we were at Monsterpalooza, I introduced Miki to a number of prominent G-fans including Richard Pusateri, Steve Ryfle, Peter H. Brothers, Bob Johnson and others.



We then wandered around the convention, first taking in the museum exhibits. Miki appeared to be awe-struck by the figures on display. I asked her if she'd like a photo of her (above) with one and she agreed. She wants to send that one to her parents as well.

After the museum, we wandered around the vendors area. She and Julie Adams (Creature From The Black Lagoon) talked about Miss Adams' USO visit to Tokyo during the Korean War.

After seeing the vendors area, we went back into the lobby and bumped into Godzilla (and other monsters) suit-maker Shinichi Wakasa, who was buying himself a beer at a small bar set up in the lobby. I introduced Miki to him and they had a brief conversation in Japanese. I then took a picture of Miki with Wakasa (below).



At this point, I had to get my things for the "Scene To Seen" presentation at the theater in the main building of the Marriott from the car. After doing so we headed over to the presentation room and met up with Peter H. Brothers and his friend Gordon.

Following our presentations, Miki and I headed for Kabuki Japanese Restaurant in the media center area of Burbank, but once we got there, we found that the waiting list was long and we's have at least a 25 minute wait before being seated. So we went instead a few doors away to Fuddrucker's for dinner. We didn't care what we ate, we were both starved.

After dinner, we headed back to my residence and Miki headed back home in the Long Beach area.

The next day, I received this very nice note from Miki:

Hi Armand,

Thank you so much for last night. I had a great time, the event was very interesting.

And thanks for pictures. I was so happy to see the Godzilla guy and take pictures with him.

And I'm glad that your presentation went very well.

Thanks again
Miki

It was fun photographing Miki at the convention and enjoyed watching her experience a monster convention for the first time. I think it comes through in the pictures.

Monsterpalooza: Day One Report

by Armand Vaquer

Above, Carla Laemmle, 101 (born October 20, 1909), the last surviving actress of the 1931 "Dracula" and the niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, enjoyed talking with fans.

Here's my report on the first day at Monsterpalooza.

The convention itself was loaded to the Gill Man's gills with things to see and people to meet. I was able to meet Bela Lugosi, Jr. and we talked about how I came upon his Inglewood telephone book listing when I lived in nearby Hawthorne.

Above, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello meet Frankenstein again in Monsterpalooza's museum.

Miki Hayashi discussed Japan with actress Julie Adams (Creature From The Black Lagoon). Adams said she was in Japan once for a USO show in the 1950s when the Korean War broke out.

Miki got Haruo Nakajima's autograph and posed for a photo with him. Earlier, she said that he is very famous in Japan. She is from Kyoto, Japan.

Above, the original Godzilla, Haruo Nakajima with Miki Hayashi. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Later, I introduced Miki to kaiju suitmaker Shinichi Wakasa (below). Wakasa was the primary Godzilla suit maker for the Millennium Series of G-films.



Monsterpalooza's museum again was loaded with some great wax figures that didn't disappoint attendees.

Above, Lon Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man prowled Monsterpalooza's museum.

At 7:00, I headed over to catch Peter H. Brothers's talk (below) on Godzilla director Ishiro Honda and prepared the table for sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. At 8:00, my presentation on Japanese monster locations began. Pete and I shared the table out side of the ballroom for book sales.



Although both of our presentations were well-received, unfortunately, the room for the presentations was away from the convention center and in the main hotel. (This was to make room for more vendors.) This resulted in a sparse attendance for our presentations. We each had about 35-45 attendees. Additionally, the people of the next presentation, "Zombies From The Supermarket" (John Naulin) sabotaged our book sales by grabbing the table immediately following my presentation. We were promised a table before and after our presentations. What gave them the right to grab our table?

Above, Miki in the Monsterpalooza museum.

The Monsterpalooza staff tried to get people over for the presentations by making announcements over a p.a. system, but we were told that the noise in the convention center drowned out the announcements. At past Monsterpaloozas, the presentations took place in the convention center, which was easily accessed. Having the room for presentations away from the convention center is like being out in the boonies. The Monsterpalooza planners need to address this problem for future shows.

Above, my "Scene To Seen" presentation in progress. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

Following my presentation (and table fiasco), Miki and I left for dinner at Fuddrucker's in the media center area of Burbank. We were both starved. We both enjoyed our meals.

Above, following my "Scene To Seen" presentation. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

Despite the aforementioned glitches, Monsterpalooza was fun. I'll be heading back today to take more of it in.

MONSTERPALOOZA THIS WEEKEND!

by Armand Vaquer


Monsterpalooza is only two days away in "beautiful downtown Burbank!" Actually, it is at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, just across the street from Bob Hope Airport at 2500 Hollywood Way.

Monsterpalooza will be held April 8-10.

The original Godzilla, Haruo Nakajima will be making his first appearance in Southern California since 2000 and it will likely be his last appearance in North America. So don't miss this chance to meet the original Godzilla!

He will be signing books and posters and will gladly pose with fans for photographs. Nakajima will also be taking part in the following panels (click on images to view larger):





Along with Haruo Nakajima, there's plenty more for Japanese science-fiction fans!

Peter H. Brothers will kick-off opening day at Monsterpalooza with his presentation of Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda, which is based on his book of the same name.



Following Brothers Friday night, I will be presenting "Scene To Seen," a look at locations and landmarks used in your favorite giant Japanese monster movies based on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.



Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan will be available for purchase before and after the sessions.

Additionally, there will be dealers with Japanese monster toys including Clawmark Toys and Toyfreak.

Don't miss out on a great weekend of monsters!

For additional information, go here.

Monsterpalooza's Kaiju Kick-Off

Left, Peter H. Brothers. Right, below, Armand Vaquer.




Monsterpalooza's official website now has the events of the show arranged by date and time.

Monsterpalooza will be held April 8-10, 2011 at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center (across from Bob Hope Airport).



Monsterpalooza kicks off with Peter H. Brothers' presentation (above) on Godzilla director Ishiro Honda at 7:00 PM Friday, April 8. My presentation on Japanese monster movie locations immediately follows at 8:00 PM.



Pete's book, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fanstastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda and my Japan travel guide, The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan will be available before and after our presentations. We both will be happy to autograph them for you!

Remember, also, "Mr. Godzilla" himself, Haruo Nakajima will be at Monsterpalooza!

Above, Haruo Nakajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To view the events page, go here.

Japanese Science-Fiction At Monsterpalooza

by Armand Vaquer



(Click on images to view larger.)

The upcoming Monsterpalooza on April 8-10 is the third show.

The inaugural show came in 2009 at the Burbank Marriott and Convention Center (across the street from Bob Hope Airport) and it was very impressive. The show was loaded with guests, exhibits, actors, vendors, directors, producers, screenwriters, authors, make-up artists and many other frightful things for the monster fan.

As good as the previous shows were, Japanese science-fiction and fantasy movies were not well represented. There was one kaiju toy dealer and not much else.

This year's show will greatly rectify this. Presentations include:

Haruo Nakajima, who was the man-in-the-suit for Godzilla and many other Japanese monsters, will be attending along with his daughter Sonoe. He will take part in the Men In Suits Presentation. Sunday, April 10 at 2:00 PM.

and...

Haruo Nakajima will also have his own presentation at Monsterpalooza that will be moderated by August Ragone and Jason Varney. The session will include rare photos and film clips. Saturday, April 9 at 3:00 PM.

Peter H. Brothers, author of Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda, will give a presentation on the greatest Japanese monster director. Friday, April 8 at 7:00 PM.

Following Brothers, I will give a presentation on kaiju movie locations based on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Friday, April 8 at 8:00 PM.

There will also be kaiju toy dealers present, including Clawmark Toys from Japan and Anime Jungle and Toyfreak from California.

As you can see, fans of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films have several reasons to attend this year's Monsterpalooza.

Monsterpalooza will be held again at the Burbank Marriott and Convention Center.

For additional information on Monsterpalooza, go here.

Hope to see you there!

Kaiju Location Presentation At Monsterpalooza

by Armand Vaquer

Above, Armand Vaquer at the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios.

My presentation at Monsterpalooza will be Friday, April 8 at 8:00 PM, following Peter H. Brothers. If there are any changes, they will be posted at this blog.

My presentation will consist of:

Ever wanted to travel to Japan to see the landmarks Godzilla and friends demolished? Armand Vaquer, author of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan," will give a one-hour presentation on giant monster (kaiju) locations fans can visit in Japan. He will discuss what movie(s) the locations appeared in and what attractions are nearby. A slide show of the locations will be shown during his presentation. Attendees of the presentation will be given the opportunity to ask questions.

The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan will be available for sale before and after the presentation.




For more information on Monsterpalooza, go to www.rubberroom101.com.

Peter H. Brothers Gone Batty: Completes Novel Based On Lugosi Movie

by Armand Vaquer

Peter H. Brothers reports that he has completed his first novel.

It is based on the Bela Lugosi melodrama, The Devil Bat, which was produced in 1940 and released in January 1941 by Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC).

In the movie, Lugosi plays Dr. Paul Carruthers, a research chemist who is embittered (Who else besides Bela can play such a role with relish?) that one of his formulas brought a fortune to his employers, but practically nothing to himself.

To avenge this affront, Carruthers creates giant bats who are conditioned to attack anyone wearing a special scent (in a shaving lotion) he concocted.

Above, author Peter H. Brothers with his first book, "Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda" in his back yard.

Brothers says:

"Devil Bat Diary" is complete! Clocking-in at 53,000 words it is a novelization of what "really" happened in the movie "The Devil Bat" based on the recently-discovered journal kept by the reporter Johnny Layton. I have already contacted a couple of publishers and will contact several more. Keep your fingers crossed and I will keep you posted on my progress!

This should be an entertaining and interesting read!

The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society Meets Peter H. Brothers

Left, Peter H. Brothers as he gave his presentation to the L.A. Science Fantasy Society. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and had to rely on my cell phone for this shot.

The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society Meets Peter H. Brothers

by Armand Vaquer

Peter H. Brothers spoke on his book on Japanese director Ishiro Honda, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda, tonight before the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society in North Hollywood, California.

He spoke on how he decided to write a biography/filmography on Honda and the journey he took in getting it into print.

His talk was well-received by the members of the organization, which has their own "clubhouse" property consisting of two buildings at 11513 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood.

Joining us at the meeting was long-time kaiju historian Richard Pusateri (who had me sign his copy of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan). I also ran into a friend from my college days at the meeting.

Peter introduced me to the audience and had me hold up my copy of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Peter H. Brothers's New Website

Peter H. Brothers's New Website

by Armand Vaquer

Every writer should have a website. And a new website has just opened up.

At long last, writer Peter H. Brothers has just set up a new website called Godzilla My Dreams. He's the author of the new book, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda.

Included is a guestbook, gallery and store. Eventually, he will have exhibitions of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films.

To check out Pete's site, go here.

The Peter H. Brothers Interview

The Peter H. Brothers Interview:
Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Films of Ishiro Honda

by Armand Vaquer

Longtime Godzilla fan Peter H. Brothers has completed his new biography/filmography on director Ishiro Honda. Recently, Peter discussed his book. It is available for purchase through www.authorhouse.com.

Q. Peter, congratulations on the publication of your new book, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. You must be proud of your completed work and relieved?

A. Thank you very much, but it’s not in my nature to be proud of anything I accomplish; it could always have been better. But yes, I am relieved that it is finally in print. I did do my best.

Q: Please tell us a little about yourself. What publications have you written for?

A: Well, I have loved Honda’s movies ever since seeing Godzilla, King of the Monsters! when I was a child; I was also fortunate to have seen King Kong vs. Godzilla, Atragon, Mothra, Varan the Unbelievable and Godzilla vs. the Thing in theaters during their initial runs. I have been writing articles on Japanese science-fiction films ever since Brad Boyle’s Japanese Giants in the early 1970s, but the vast majority of my writings have appeared in G-Fan.

Q: When did you decide to write a biography/filmography on Ishiro Honda?

A: In 1973 I was working at my first job when I thought about how nice it would be to write a book about Ishiro Honda. When no one had do so in the intervening 30 years, I mentioned my idea during a lunch I shared with Brett Homenick and Brant Elliott at a Japanese fantasy film convention. They gave me a great deal of encouragement to get the ball rolling.

Q: When did you start it?

A: In many respects I began writing the book as far back as 2000 when my first articles on Honda’s fantasy films were printed in G-Fan, although I didn’t know it then. The articles were in many ways embryonic versions of the chapters in the book to follow. It was not until late 2004 that I began to write the book in earnest.

Q: What was your original concept for the book?

A: I based much of the book’s format on Citadel movie personality books, which begin as biographies and then discuss the films in chronological order.

Q: What did you learn about Honda that was most surprising?

A: Just how loyal he was to his employer. After starting at Toho in the early thirties, Honda was drafted several times into military service, but each time he returned to work as an assistant director. As I mentioned in an unpublished early draft of the book:

In the spring of 1947, in what became known as the “Third Toho Dispute,” the studio fired some 1200 workers; the “official” reason given that the studio was now overstaffed. When asked years later to give his impression of the dispute, Honda said, “Well, we were union members, so we did what the union told us to do; but we were not all that excited about it. All we wanted to do was make movies.

“People suggested I transfer over to the New Toho, but I didn’t want to leave behind the people who were still with the old Toho. I questioned the whole concept of having to choose right or left, yes or no. I just wanted to make movies, but I didn’t want to dance to either company’s tune. I wanted to make something that would satisfy me, not necessarily something that would make me a lot of money.”

Kimi remembered those tense times: “We were living 10 minutes away from the studio, so our home became the rendezvous point for everyone. I cooked food with whatever we had and fed those guys.”

Director Kon Ichikawa – who would later direct The Burmese Harp and Fires on the Plain -- had broken with Toho, and visited Honda to see if he would join the staff at New Toho. Honda declined, preferring to remain with the original unit. The dispute eventually reached such proportions that American Occupation troops were called in to monitor the situation; fortunately, the strike was ultimately resolved without violence (the New Toho eventually declared bankruptcy in 1961).

Q: What source material did you rely upon while writing it?

A: A number of Japanese sources such as books written on Honda and the Toho fantasy films.

Q: Was this a solo effort or did you have help?

A: Originally I had hoped to work with Oki Miyano (who was the best translator I ever worked with as well as possessing a considerable amount of unique material on Honda). Unfortunately, we had different ideas on how the book should be written; plus there was a misunderstanding over an incident that occurred during an event at the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood, when he thought I was being rude to Mr. Inoue and Mr. Arikawa [while] being interviewed by Steve Ryfle before a screening of the American version of Rodan. Believing the lies being told about me, Miyano brought off contact. I regret it very much, because his information and input would have been invaluable for the book, but that was his decision, not mine.

Q: That’s unfortunate. So how were you able to translate the Japanese source materials?

A: With time and money, both of which are in short supply. I do not have the luxury of having a Japanese wife or girlfriend who will gladly translate for me for free. Over the years I would be introduced to Japanese transfer students whom I would pay to translate the material.

Even this lead to some difficulties, as translating Japanese into English is filled with many variables; often the material would be returned to me in English but in an almost jumbled state, so I had to try and sort it all out as to what was being stated. I used over half-a-dozen different translators for the book.

Q: What did you find the most difficult experience while writing it?

A: The most difficult experience was writing at home in my spare time, since I was also working a full-time job with the additional responsibilities that come with being a husband, a father and a dog-walker.

Q: What was the most frustrating aspect of writing this book?

A: Trying to get a mainstream publisher to print it. One sat on it for six months before telling me they were not interested.

Q: What were the most enjoyable aspects of writing this book?

A: It was always a joy to write. There would be days when I would be working a nine-hour day staring at a computer, get home bone-tired and only wanting to spend maybe a half-hour on the book. I would get started, look at the clock and two-to-three hours had gone by. That’s what threw me about writing the book, it was never a chore.

Q: You had a book deal with Midnight Marquee. What happened with that and why did you go with AuthorHouse?

A: It’s a rather involved story, but after sitting on my manuscript for three months before they even knew they had received it, I had to force the issue after an additional two months, at which time they did agree to publish it. However, their delay in getting me a contract -- plus the fact that they would not move-up the publishing date at my request (a concern as others were working on their own Honda book) -- forced me to seek publication elsewhere.

Q: Did you watch all of Honda’s movies, including the non-genre ones?

A: I wouldn’t have put a comma between “movies” and “including” but hopefully someday all of Honda’s films will be available in video, but the sad fact is that his non-genre films are rarely available on home video in Japan as he is considered only as a fantasy film director, even though those films include only half the total of all the films he directed; THAT would be my dream come true. Fortunately I was able to see Ise Shima, Farewell Rabaul, Eagle of the Pacific and Will You Marry Me?

As far as his fantasy films are concerned, I was already very familiar with all but two that I had never seen before writing the book: H-Man and Yog, two polar opposites if there ever were!

Q: What did you find most interesting about his non-genre movies?

A: There is still the same sense of calmly-determined understated craftsmanship; but, as was the case with all his films, if the project did not have an emotional heart at its core, it was not terribly interesting to watch, because Honda was not terribly interested in directing it.

Q: What are your favorite Honda genre movies?

A: Well, it all begins and ends with the original Godzilla, but I also love The Human Vapor as well as Godzilla vs. the Thing, Atragon and Rodan. I also get a kick out of The Mysterians and Varan.

Q: Did you do any research for your book while in Japan when you were there for G-TOUR?

A: No, I was too busy taking in the sights with my family; I was particularly disappointed we were not allowed to visit Toho Studios. What an experience that would have been!

Q: Well, we tried. Were you able to interview any of his associates?

A: Sadly, I do not have the money and the means to do so, and I have always been out of the loop when people have interviewed Honda’s actors; I always find out about it after the fact (although Brett Homenick was kind enough to forward some of my questions to Rhodes Reason when he interviewed him).

Q: Did you rely upon any American books or periodicals while researching your book? If so, which ones?

A: Magazines such as Famous Monsters of Filmland, Markalite, G-Fan, Fangoria and the like. David Kalat’s A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla® Series was an inspiration, as was the late Guy Mariner Tucker’s seminal work on the subject, Age of the Gods.

Q: Which did you find most useful?

A: Age of the Gods, which I frequently referred to.

Q: What was the process like when you were shopping your book around to different publishers?

A: Depressing and frustrating. Japanese fantasy films is a specialized market to begin with, and there was great difficulty in convincing publishers as to the legitimacy of the subject matter (for example, I submitted a proposal to Titan Books in England, but was told that – even thought the book fell within their parameters – it was not something they would be interested in). I contacted nearly two-dozen publishers, of which only four agreed to read the manuscript.

Q: What are your five favorite Ishiro Honda movies?

A: Well, again, I wish I could see them all, but Farewell Rabual should be available on Criterion; for that matter, Toho should show some guts and release Abominable Snowman on home video, it is a stunning film.

Q: Would you attempt another book? If so, what would the subject be?

A: Only if conditions warrant it. I am considering a book on the making of the first Godzilla film (another topic long overdue in book form) as well as a book on my idol, actor Bela Lugosi (incidentally, I was delighted that the book became available on Lugosi’s birthday – October 20th – as well as in the 55th anniversary year of the release of the original Godzilla. The book may still be available in 2011, which is the Centennial of Honda’s birth.

Q: Who designed the cover?

A: That’s a picture of my wedding reception! Seriously, the publishing house referred me to a public-domain pictorial site called “Jupiter Images.” It was up to me to pick out two images I could use for free, and the mushroom cloud was a cinch. However, pictures of Toho’s Mushroom Men are rare (and copyrighted), so I had to go with zombies, but their silhouettes can be loosely-interpreted as Mushroom Men during their transformation phase.

Q: Who came up with the title, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda? I thought it was pretty clever.

A: A fellow I work with named Ryan Eden came up with the book’s snazzy title. Ryan is also a fan of the genre, and I asked him to come up with a title that would hint at themes common to Honda’s fantasy films. The title conveys not only the nuclear bomb connection (a theme so prevalent in Honda’s films) but also one of his most famous movies (Ryan’s original title was Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom People, but I changed “People” to “Men” for a better rhythm).


Q: Is there any aspect of Ishiro Honda that the reader's attention should be drawn to?

A: I think if there is one word that best describes Honda the man and Honda the professional, that word is "integrity." This I feel is true of not only him but of his collaborators: Tsuburaya, Ifukube, Tanaka and all the rest. They loved and respected their profession, and were not only grateful but keenly aware of their responsibilities as filmmakers. To a man, their motto was: "Give the audience its value and a good show." And they always did. The results may not have been totally satisfactory, but the effort was always there. This I believe is the key to their long lasting legacy.

Q: Do you have any messages to the G-fans out there and why they should buy your book (besides helping to put food on your table)?

A: Be the best move they ever made. Seriously it was always my attention to bring to light and hopefully the mainstream media's attention why Honda should be taken seriously as an artist and a filmmaker. His works have lasted through the decades and have made the cinema richer by his marvelous craftsmanship. There is a great deal of information on Honda never before seen in English book form, and although I originally intended it to be "definitive," I am hopeful it will get the dialogue going; I am also delighted to see so many of his films recently coming out in their Japanese versions on American DVD. I never thought I would ever see that in my lifetime. It's wonderful!

By "food on the table" I presume you mean my making money from the book. Surely you jest. Money was never my intention, or fame. It may interest you to know that shortly after I decided to write the book, you put me into contact with "G-Author Steve Ryfle." I was very excited and keen to get his approval and encouragement. Instead, Mr. Ryfle tried to talk me out of writing the book on the premise that I would not make a lot of money from it. Now I understand -- according to what I've been told -- Mr. Ryfle is currently working on a book on Ishiro Honda. Hmmm....

No, money was never an issue with me -- unless you count the change I have spent on not only doing the research but in getting the book printed. Just to break even, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men will have to make it on the New York Times Bestseller list, and I don't see that happening. The important thing was to get the word out on Honda to both those familiar with his films and to those unfamiliar with his films; giving some respect to a man who has always deserved it.

If I have at least accomplished that -- and people find the book entertaining and worth their time and money -- I can take some satisfaction in that I have hopefully done right by a man whose example I tried to follow: Ishiro Honda.

UPDATE: Autographed copies of Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda are now available on eBay.

Book Review: Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

Book Review: Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

Reviewed by Armand Vaquer

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda
Author: Peter H. Brothers
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN 978-1-4490-2771-1

Since I’ve had four days off from work for the Thanksgiving holiday, when I wasn’t working on The Monster Movie Fan’s Guide To Japan, I read Peter H. Brothers’s new biography/filmography on Japanese director Ishiro Honda. It is titled, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda.

Ishiro Honda was the director of the 1954 movie that ushered in the golden age of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films: Godzilla. He went on to direct other science-fiction classics such as Rodan: The Flying Monster, The Mysterians, Battle In Outer Space, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mothra and many others.

As in the case of the book Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters by August Ragone, this book was written by a fan. Although a fan, Brothers does not mince words on things he likes about a given movie or the things he doesn’t like about said movie. This is good as he does not come off like a fawning fanboy. For example, he described the farewell scene at the airport in Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964) as “a boring and stagnant affair.” So, if you’re looking for a critical analysis of Honda’s movies, both good and bad, you’ve come to the right book. He also discusses each of Honda's movies with quite a bit of wry humor.

Originally, the book was going to be published by Midnight Marquee, but due to time delays in getting a contract out and the publishing schedule, Brothers decided that he wanted his book out sooner rather than later.

So he checked out AuthorHouse, a self-publishing publisher, and decided to go through them.

In my initial perusal of the book at a gathering at Brothers’s home in Agoura Hills, I came away impressed at their professionalism in their set-up of the book, including the cover. While they are a self-publisher, they do have arrangements with retailers and have a marketing staff to market the book. This does not leave the author “alone in the woods” to fend for himself.

Within days of publication, Amazon.com offered the book on their website. This is far better than having to, as some may get the impression when dealing in self-publishing, market and promote a self-published book on one’s own time and dime. AuthorHouse also provided review copies of the book.

A few things would have improved the book. One, is having an index. There are two schools of thought on having an index: first, it makes it easier for the reader to locate items of interest. Second, by not having an index, it forces the reader to actually read the book. You decide which school you belong to.

Having photographs also would have improved it. Brothers originally planned to include photographs (at least one for each movie covered), but due to rights issues and costs, it was decided to forego photographs. He discusses his book at length in an interview in an upcoming issue of G-FAN. Although it would have been an improvement, most people who would be buying the book are already familiar enough with the movies that photographs aren’t critical.

Overall, I think the buyer will find this book useful and interesting. My grade: A.

A Get-Together Celebrating Peter H. Brothers' Book

A Get-Together Celebrating Peter H. Brothers' Book

by Armand Vaquer

Above, author Peter H. Brothers with his new "baby" in his back yard.

Getting together with friends is a good thing. Celebrating a friend's new book made it even better.

Peter H. Brothers has a new book out. It's called Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. It is a biography/filmography of the most celebrated director of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films, Ishiro Honda.

Today, several of us gathered at Peter's home in Agoura Hills, California for a little celebration of his book's "going live" (i.e., offered on the market) through his publisher, AuthorHouse and through Amazon.com (see photos).

We discussed the trials and tribulations (and joys) of getting a book out into print. Originally, Peter's book was accepted by a publisher, but their schedule was too lackadaisical for Peter's taste (he discusses all this at-length in an upcoming G-FAN interview). Rather than let things languish, he elected to go the self-publishing route.

Above, Peter is joined by friends Gordon (left) and Ray.

To be honest, although he would have preferred to have gone through a conventional publisher, he is pleased at the end result. The book does look good and, it is being offered at Amazon.com. The arrangement offered him more control over the resulting product. So, as far as he's concerned, he's satisfied that his years of work is seeing the light of day.

Above, I was impressed with the job AuthorHouse did on Peter's book.

While there, I showed the group the initial layouts and cover of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan and they were complimentary.

Peter and I may join forces at next year's Monsterpalooza in Burbank and have a table set up to sell our publications.

Now the task of promoting it begins!

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda

Peter H. Brothers's book, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda is now available!

The book is now available at AuthorHouse. Here's what they say about it:

Here, for the first time in English print, is the inspiring story of a humble and soft-spoken man who became one of the most-prolific directors in the history of fantasy films. Raised in a primitive Japanese village by a Buddhist monk, Ishiro Honda fell in love with films at a young age and soon enrolled in film school with the intent of one day becoming a director. Called to enlist in the Imperial Japanese Army druing World War II, he returned with a knowledge of the futility of war and a dread of the atomic age. A dedicated craftsman who directed over 80 films during a remarkable 60-plus year career, Honda is undeservedly remembered mostly as the "greatest director" of the famous Japanese monster film series; however, he was in fact much more. Utilizing a wide-variety of source material never before assembled into one volume, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men is an objective critical analysis and definitve study of a man whose fantasy films -- when seen in their original versions -- are "beautiful nightmares" of quality and subtext which transcend the visceral thrill of watching monsters destroying cities. Honda's admirers include George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg and his films are masterpieces of entertainment that have enthralled audiences for generations . . . and will for generations to come.

To place your order, go here. It will be soon available at Amazon.com.

Peter H. Brothers' Ishiro Honda Bio To Be Published

Above, Kumi Mizuno and director Ishiro Honda during filming of "Monster Zero." I guess Mizuno was quite a handful to direct.

Peter H. Brothers' Ishiro Honda Bio To Be Published

by Armand Vaquer

To quote a line from The Mysterians, "Good News! Good News!"

I received the following message from Peter H. Brothers:

The publisher has decided to publish my Ishiro Honda book.

It's in the early stages yet; no contract or release date and there will be many details and possibly more delays, but they have agreed to publish it.

I will keep you posted, and thanks many times over for your encouragement and support.

As mentioned previously, Peter had been working on his biography/filmography on Ishiro Honda for the past several years.

Details will be posted here when they are finalized.