Atragon 1963  N/R, 96 min.
Genre: Foreign / Sci-Fi
Director: Ishiro Honda
Cast: Tadao Takashima, Yoko Fujiyama, Yu Fujiki, Kenji Sahara, Ken Uehara, Jun Tazaki, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yoshifumi Tajima, Akihiko Hirata, Eisei Amamoto, Hisaya Ito, Susumu Fujita
Ex-submarine Captain Hachiro Jinguji (Jun Tazaki) ignores pleas for help in tracking down the undersea society, Mu, which has been sucking energy out of Earths's core and causing giant earthquakes. But, now the Mu have kidnapped his daughter (Yoko Fujiyama), and Jinguji sails his air, land, and sea supership into the maze in an attempt to rescue her.
|  | |
The Bad Sleep Well 1960  N/R, 135 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama / Thriller
aka: The Rose in the Mud
The Worse You Are, the Better You Sleep
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Takeshi Kato, Takashi Shimura, Ko Nishimura, Tatsuya Mihashi, Kamatari Fujiwara, Kyoko Kagawa, Chishu Ryu, Seiji Miyaguchi, Koji Mitsui, Ken Mitsuda, Nobuo Nakamura, Susumu Fujita, Koji Nambara
This indictment of the Japanese approach to business emphasizes the corruption at high levels through the story of Kiochi Nishi (Toshiro Mifune) who marries his boss Iwabuchi's (Masayuki Mori) daughter, Kieko (Kyoko Kagawa), to avenge his father's suicide, which can be traced back to Iwabuchi. But, as Kiochi plots revenge against Iwabuchi, Kiochi falls in love with Kieko just as Iwabuchi realizes who Kiochi really is.
| | |
Escapade in Japan 1957  N/R, 93 min.
Genre: Family
Director: Arthur Lubin
Cast: Teresa Wright, Cameron Mitchell, Jon Provost, Roger Nakagawa, Clint Eastwood, Philip Ober, Kuniko Miyake, Susumu Fujita, Tatsuo Saito
When an American boy (Jon Provost) survives an airplane crash, he is rescued by Japanese fishermen and later reunited with his anxious parents.
| | |
Godzilla vs. Mothra 1964 N/R, 89 min.
Genre: Foreign / Action / Sci-Fi / Drama / Horror
aka: Godzilla vs. the Thing
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Director: Ishiro Honda
Cast: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yu Fujiki, Kenji Sahara, Yoshifumi Tajima, Jun Tazaki, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito, Kenzo Tabu, Yutaka Sada, Akira Tani, Susumu Fujita, Ikio Sawamura, Ren Yamamoto
Following a storm, Mothra's giant egg washes up on a beach in Japan and is put on display. Meanwhile, Godzilla is revived and rampages across the Japanese countryside. The only hope for the citizens of Japan is for Mothra to return to save her un-hatched offspring and to fight Godzilla. Mothra does return but is defeated by Godzilla, and now Mothra's children have hatched from the egg and must fight Godzilla.
| | |
The Hidden Fortress 1958  N/R, 139 min.
Genre: Foreign / Action / Comedy / Adventure
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Susumu Fujita, Takashi Shimura, Eiko Miyoshi, Kichijiro Ueda, Koji Mitsui, Toshiko Higuchi, Ikio Sawamura, Tadao Nakamaru, Rinsaku Ogata
The plot for this Japanese film effort influenced George Lucas in his "Star Wars" productions. Taking place in the 1500s, this is the story of two peasants caught up in an attempt by a general and a princess to flee the area in the midst of civil war.
| | |
Japan's Longest Day 1967 N/R, 157 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: The Emperor and a General
Director: Kihachi Okamoto
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, So Yamamura, Chishu Ryu, Seiji Miyaguchi, Takashi Shimura, Toshio Kurosawa, Shogo Shimada, Susumu Fujita, Yunosuke Ito, Daisuke Kato, Etsushi Takahashi, Jun Tazaki, Nobuo Nakamura, Koshiro Matsumoto
This is the true story of failed efforts by the Japanese War Minister Anami (Toshiro Mifune) to continue the war and includes plots for a coup to overthrow the Emperor. But, the problem was resolved when Emperor Hirohito (Koshiro Matsumoto) broadcast to his nation on August 15, 1945, that Japan would agree to the Allies' demand for unconditional surrender.
| | |
The Mysterians 1957 N/R, 85 min.
Genre: Foreign / Sci-Fi
aka: Earth Defense Force
Director: Ishiro Honda
Cast: Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita, Hisaya Ito, Fuyuki Murakami, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Tetsu Nakamura, Yutaka Sada, Takeo Oikawa
After the nuclear destruction of their planet, aliens arrive to take over the Earth and its women in order to start a new civilization. And the nonstop special effects battles begin.
| | |
Samurai 1965 N/R, 123 min.
Genre: Foreign / Action
aka: Samurai Assassin
Director: Kihachi Okamoto
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Michiyo Aratama, Yunosuke Ito, Eijiro Tono, Tadao Nakamaru, Koshiro Matsumoto, Nami Tamura, Kaoru Yachigusa, Susumu Fujita, Yoshio Inaba, Akihiko Hirata
In 1860, swordsman Tsuruchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) seeks his father but is denied entry into the powerful Lord's castle because he does not know who his father is. Unable to become a great warrior, he joins a gang of assassins who want to kill the Lord. After his ruse is discovered he escapes, fights his way into the castle, and kills the Lord–only to find that it was his father. Plenty of action.
| | |
| 1. Atragon (1963)
2. The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
aka: The Rose in the Mud
aka: The Worse You Are, the Better You Sleep
3. Escapade in Japan (1957)
4. Godzilla vs. Mothra (1964)
aka: Godzilla vs. the Thing
aka: Mothra vs. Godzilla
5. The Hidden Fortress (1958)
6. Japan's Longest Day (1967)
aka: The Emperor and a General
7. The Mysterians (1957)
aka: Earth Defense Force
8. Samurai (1965)
aka: Samurai Assassin
In The News
|
