Original subtitles

It was released on August 8th, 1965... in year 40 of the Showa Era.

You will be watching "Frankenstein vs. Baragon".

Commentator will be Sadamasa Arikawa, the chief cameraman".

...and director of special effects.

He supported Eiji Tsuburaya, the director of special effects in many films.

-Thank you for being here today. -Thank you for having me.

Mr. Arikawa, Toho said this film was...

...the first production of the "Horror Science Fiction Film Series".

It feels eerie even from the very beginning.

Yes, you're right. It does feel a bit odd.

Yes.

In the beginning of the film, the story takes place...

...in Germany during WWII. Germany is getting attacked...

...but the research on Frankenstein's heart is continued.

This film was created in association with Benedict Pro.

It's the first kaiju film made by both Japanese and American studios.

Yes, that's right.

You also served as liaison bridge between director Honda and director Tsuburaya.

What did they feel about all this... the very first kaiju film produced by both...

I didn't really hear them saying that this was the first film produced by both...

Well, you see, I only knew the things which they talked about on the set.

I didn't really hear them saying that this was the first film produced by both...

...Japanese and American studios.

This film features an actor from Hollywood named Nick Adams.

But we used foreign actors in this film.

So in that sense, we did put some extra effort into this film.

This film features an actor from Hollywood named Nick Adams.

Now this is the scene towards the beginning.

Yes, the scene of the fighting in Europe.

It's snowing. it's the image of...

Yes, I think it's their image of Northern Europe.

I don't know if the snow is representing the season.

I remember being scared of this scene as a child.

The Nazis comes to take the heart away.

That's right.

The sound of this heart beating...

It just feels like it's the sound effects done by Tsuburaya production.

-Really? -Yes.

Anyway this... I shouldn't say the special effects...

...since you don't see actors moving on screen...

...you can say the sound effects. it's important to have these effects that...

...can't be seen on screen.

You're right.

Akira Ifukube who was in charge of the music...

...said that music is very important when doing special effects.

He said that's why his work was worth doing.

I can understand that.

That's what he said.

The lighting is...

And there was a following plan to make "Frankenstein vs. The Human Vapofr.

-They're really speaking German, aren't they? -Yes, it seems like they are.

Originally, RKO Radio Pictures was planning to make "King Kong vs. Frankenstein".

But that ended up being released as "King Kong vs. Godzilla".

And there was a following plan to make "Frankenstein vs. The Human Vapofr.

But that ended up being released as "Frankenstein vs. Baragon".

-ls the background a painting? -Yes, it's called "horizont".

It was very difficult to shoot the waves in front without making them out of focus.

And if you get rid of the waves, it just looks flat.

This was one of the difficult parts of being a cameraman.

I see.

I tried my best to bring the camera into focus.

But, when you look through a telescope or a still camera...

...objects near the lens get out of focus. So it doesn't feel out of place.

-ls that right? -Yes.

It's just that the water drops end up looking bigger on screen.

That scene was taken at the studio pool and you shot...

...the airplane somewhere else, isn't that right?

Yes.

This underwater scene, it looks blue overall. How did you do that?

Well, I'm not just talking about this blue, but...

...when the negatives were done, we made some color adjustments.

So I really didn't think about the color during the shoot.

And when we were putting films together...

...we decided to use this bluish color. You can add colors later on.

I see.

But if you want the water leaping up from the sea level...

...when a ship is sailing in the shallow sea, you have to add the effects on the spot.

This is moving in the deeper part of the sea.

Now this is the part where the Japanese and the Germans make contact.

They're about to hand over the heart of Frankenstein.

-This camera angle is interesting. -Yes, it is.

One of the things about this film is that...

...special effects are applied to the main feature and the main feature is applied to...

...the special effects scenes quite often.

Yes, that's right.

If you separate those two things in this kind of film, then it just doesn't feel right.

I see.

So you combine the main feature and special effects to make one full shot.

But it was impossible to shoot all the scenes together.

So sometimes they were shot separately, but we always had the idea in our minds.

You'd separate the special effects from the main feature when you write a script.

But for us, those two things had to be shot together, but since...

...there were conflicting schedules, we had to shoot them separately at times.

-l think that's what it was like. -l see.

Well, I'd like you to point out for us...

...the effects that were applied to certain scenes in this film.

...the effects that were applied to certain scenes in this film.

This shot is a good example.

We shot the actual background for this...

The cars are moving in the background.

The special effects team made the composite of the dome before the destruction.

-The Atomic Bomb dome in Hiroshima. -Yes.

The actors who were the regulars of Toho's special effects film...

...Mr. Shimura and Mr. Tsuchiya are in this scene.

Yes.

I have to say that the actors are amazing. Even though they're the same actors...

...their characters are quite different in each film.

They're really something.

You're right.

Depending on the film, you can see the difference in their human nature.

You're right.

Director Honda said that he only wanted to pick actors who took their acting...

...very seriously.

I see.

He didn't want to use actors who didn't want to be in kaiju films.

That's director Honda's way of doing things. I can see why he says that.

Now this container that stores the Frankenstein's heart...

Was this created by a propman?

Yes, that's right.

The Director told each crew member what to do with their respective roles...

...and they just did their part.

I don't think we had a pictorial sketch for this one.

...they just did their part knowing what the director wanted.

Not all the scenes had storyboards?

I don't think we had a pictorial sketch for this one.

Plus we didn't really need to make one for this film.

This scene makes your heart pound.

But this is pretty. it's really difficult to make a jet stream looks like that.

In this scene, the fire is spreading from top to bottom.

And if the viewers can look at these scenes closely...

...we feel that our job was worth it.

If they look at this scene as being just a fire, then we feel somewhat disappointed.

You're right.

Now this scene is 15 years after the atomic bomb has been dropped.

And the story moves forward to this hospital.

Nick Adams and Kumi Mizuno appear in this scene.

-Ms. Mizuno is such a great actress. -You're right.

Now this actress...Ms. Sawai?

Yes, Keiko Sawai. She was 20.

-20? -Yes.

Was this her first film?

No, she was actually in a few films before this such as "The Gay Braggart".

And when this film came out, a film titled "Young Guy at Sea" was also playing...

...at the same time. She was also in that film as well.

Really?

She was one of Toho's new talents.

-l see, that's how she got into acting? -Yes.

I didn't see all of the main feature shoot, so I don't know much about the actors.

But she seems like a newbie.

Those transient things...l guess that's what director Honda wanted to capture.

And at the time, most housewives wore traditional Japanese kimono.

You're right.

This is Tadao Takashima.

Mr. Takashima and Nick Adams, they're different type of scientists.

Yes, they're different.

That's what the director wanted.

And it's Kumi who brings those two different characters together.

Yes, you're right.

Goro Naya provides the dubbed voice for Nick Adams.

-He has a nice voice. -Yes, he does.

But these dubbings are done perfectly.

When I was watching the shooting of the main feature...

...l thought "I didn't know he could speak this much Japanese."

I was surprised since it's dubbed so well.

Yes, they are.

Nick Adams starred in "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" after this film.

He was a Hollywood star and was friends with James Dean and Elvis Presley.

Really?

This film was made in 1965...

...and in this same year he starred opposite Boris Karloff...

...who was known to be in many horror films.

And since Boris Karloff's Frankenstein was great...

...director Honda made this film filled with awe.

Right...

We had that image of Boris Karloff when we made this film.

Yes.

You can seethe realism that director Honda expects in his films.

At the time, there were people who killed dogs and ate them.

That's right...

That was the kind of time they were living in.

-Those kids can really act. -Yes, they can.

They're actors but it doesn't feel like they're playing children's roles.

You're right.

You're right.

The cutting is done very well. Some shots are very short.

-Very short. -it has a profound meaning.

Kumi Mizuno is also a scientist...

...but she wears a kimono at home.

Yes, she does.

And Nick Adams comes to see her on a rainy day.

-What kind of relationship did they have? -Yes, I wonder.

-I'm curious. -it was her birthday, wasn't it?

I thought she invited him for a dinner.

She just simply invited him?

Yes.

So it was her birthday. Your memory is much better than mine.

I kind of remembered what the occasion was.

I see.

That goes to show you I didn't really read the script. I kind of remembered the scene.

-There are many Japanese wooden dolls. -Yes.

I'm sure they were trying to show something Japanese by presenting those dolls.

Goro Naya had such a youthful voice.

Yes, he did.

But when I was first introduced to Nick Adam s...

...l had thought an American actor would be more of a tough guy type.

He turned out to be a person of small stature...similar to a Japanese person.

I didn't know there were actors of small stature like him over in America.

I see.

And when he's talking like this in this scene...

...you don't feel he's out of place.

Yes, you're right.

I thought a bigger macho guy would be coming over here.

Right.

It's funny how you pay more attention to his mouth.

They did a really good job with the dubbing.

Goro Naya was the voice behind detective Zenigata in the anime of"Lupan III".

-Oh really? -Yes.

He also did the voice for the leader of the bad guys in "Kamen Rider" series as well.

I see.

Now this is the scene where the taxi runs over Frankenstein.

-ls it a left-hand drive vehicle? -You're right.

The driver went in and drove off quickly... so it has to be on the left hand side.

I remember there were scenes like this in older Japanese films.

Calling out to people from the second floor...

Yes.

Not like a sumo wrestler?

But you know...it's scary when it's raining at night like this.

Yes, you're right.

But if you feel that way when you see this scene...

...you can tell this film is done very well.

You're right.

If this film was a comedy, you wouldn't feel it as much.

But if this rainy scene scares you, then we did our job.

Also the balance of music and sound effects is just perfect.

-it's beautifully done. -l guess so.

They close the shades and open it again. it's very thoughtful.

You're right.

You can't just keep looking out the window. The director paid attention to details.

Kumi Mizuno throws the food out the window...but she does it so elegantly.

Yes, she does.

If she throws it to him roughly...

...it just doesn't make you feel good.

You're right.

They did a really good job with the close-up shots.

Yes, they did.

It's easy to understand.

Yes, the viewers know what's going on.

They can tell from the scene that Keiko Sawai's character has died.

Yes.

These are old houses.

Yes.

They had nice locations in Japan at the time.

Yes, they did.

When you think of Hiroshima... you think of Onomichi.

Director Obayashi made films take place in that area.

Yes.

-This is Itsukushima shrine. -Yes.

This is when the tide is going out.

In recent years, Itsukushima shrine started to put up a fireworks show by having...

...them shoot from underwater during August.

And when I saw the video of the event, I thought it would be great if...

...something popped out. -l see.

Mr. Ifukube made lots of wonderful music.

Yes, he did.

When I look at that scene now... the geographical features of that cemetery...

It seems like the scene appears in most of director Honda's films.

Yes.

I guess that's his humanistic nature.

He's a very kind person.

You're right.

Like the scene in Godzilla with a large crowd of people...

He would film policemen who are guiding evacuees more than evacuees.

-ls that right? -Yes.

I guess you can say he's very attentive.

He went to war.

Right.

He put in elements such as rescue and escape into his works as well.

It's really creating the feel for this film.

Hunting in the mountains...

Going after someone with a ladder on a mountain like that...is very convincing.

That's right.

It's really creating the feel for this film.

They're not just simply holding torches and searching through the woods.

Using that kind of location is very creative and original.

Yes, it is.

You can see they knew what they were doing.

Yes, that's true.

Is this...did Frankenstein go through about 3 stages?

Is this like the middle size? Well, size sounds weird, but...

Size during his mid stage?

There was a scene of him in the rain...

And then this one in his youthful stage...

Youthful stage? I thought he was much younger...

Wasn't this the second stage? Or was this the first...

-This is the first time you see him closely. -Yes.

So this is the very first youthful stage of Frankenstein?

Frankenstein in this film was played by Koji Furuhata.

Since they couldn't find an actor that was perfect for this makeup...

...Toho held an audition to find an actor.

Really?

-He was a student at that time. -l see.

When you see the regulars from the Toho films as reporters...

...you can tell what kind of film this is going to be.

-The lighting is nice too. -Yes.

You can see people in the background moving.

Yes, you're right. The things in the background...

...behind the people who are in front of a camera...

...are very important in a scene.

That's probably in the domain of the assistant director.

What's this?

-The scene of Akita oil field. -l see.

I see.

Yes.

Those miniatures are done really well.

When I was filming them, they didn't look that good, but...

...it looks really good on screen.

They wore suits like that back then?

Isn't this a uniform?

It's blue.

Right, at the time...

It looks like a windbreaker. If you look at the sleeves...

I'm guessing they're uniforms for their company.

Since they're wearing the same thing.

The color tone of the room was blue.

Yes, it was.

I can see why they would use blue from the Japanese perspective.

I see.

It was very difficult to provide such a strong lighting from underwater.

How did you do it?

-You place a light underwater. -l see.

But if you just place a light underwater, of course the light will break.

That's a common sense.

And so the lighting technician worked on this quite a lot...

...and finally we could have the light underwater.

It's very effective.

Yes, I don't think anyone had tried this before.

Although this film wasn't the first time this technique was used.

Right.

And this is the work of the miniatures. Then the oil comes bursting out.

That's right.

Of course there are some actors who get covered with oil as well.

Plus this black oil...it was very difficult to capture the blackness of oil.

Really?

If it's black and you shine a light on it, you can't really see anything.

This is where Baragon appears.

-Depths of the earth are shining bright. -Yes.

The dramatization here is really nice.

If Mr. Tsuchiya put strong emphasis on that light and said something like...

..."what is that strange light?"...

...it would be less interesting later in the story.

It provides some sort of hint.

Yes, it's good that they don't emphasize it too much in that scene.

Yes.

This is the TV they had back then, but the screen is a composite.

Yes, are they doing the twist?

They're doing the twist with the go-go dancers.

You can really feel the times they were in.

Yes, you're right.

I heard that you were very particular about the shadow of Frankenstein...

...when you shot this film.

I'm not just talking about Frankenstein, but shadow is important...

...to create a mysterious atmosphere in a film.

Yes, you're right. That's right.

He's gotten bigger at this point?

He's definitely gotten bigger.

Was it difficult to show that he was constantly growing?

Yes, it was.

If you take a look at the still photography from that time, Koji Furuhata and...

...director Tsuburaya are about the same height.

Oh really? I remember he wasn't that tall.

Makeup effects at this point...

He looks more human at this point.

Now I'd like to ask you about the makeup.

Sure.

This is a makeup after putting on a wig, is that right?

Yes, that's right.

From what I've heard...

I think his name was Shige...

It's his nickname, so I don't know his full name, but...

He was doing historical dramas in the studio for the most part.

So he was really good at putting on wigs.

So he was really good at putting on wigs.

And director Honda emphasized the fact that Shiga was part of the team.

I'm sure director Honda was very conscious of the makeup effects.

I see.

He was older than me, so I don't really know the details about him.

But I heard he was number 1 in the studios.

So I guess after looking at Boris Karloff's Frankenstein...

...the director wanted to make something different with Toho.

You could be right.

Tadao Takashima was 35 years old at the time.

-Really? -Yes.

In "King Kong vs. Godzilla", he played a comical role...

...but he's a man that investigates scientific things in this film.

Yes.

But the actors' voices back then sounded really nice.

Yes, they did.

You can see the director wanted to make it realistic with those signs as well.

Yes.

Where did you shoot this scene?

I wonder which stage we used... I don't think it was one of the bigger stages.

I see.

I think this is the only set. There is only one camera view for the long-shot.

How many stages do you use in a particular film?

Well, I'd have to say...about 10 stages.

Oh really?

Yes.

And do you build them concurrently with shooting?

Yes.

If you use one stage and change the set around 10 times...

...then that's the same as using 10 different stages.

He's pretty big. The direction of the reporters' eyes...

This is a good example of showing that the cameramen for the main feature...

...knew what they were doing in this film.

The direction of eyes is something that camera crew are specific about.

So the actors look in the right direction without any problem.

I see. You can't do it without planning it carefully.

In that sense, we, cameramen discuss a lot of things together.

Right.

So sometimes we shoot and look at the film on the spot...

...and direct actors while looking at what we've just filmed.

I see.

Did the cameramen from special effects meet up with ones from the main feature?

Hajime Koizumi was the cameraman for the main feature.

He worked on many films with director Honda.

We met many times as well.

Plus he was about our age also. So he was very easy to work with.

He was so sincere and honest.

No matter what we said to him, he didn't seem to be offended.

For example, we said to him, "The shot went too long", or"it should be this way"...

...he would reply by saying "I see. I'll be more careful next time".

Basically, he wasn't stubborn. He really listened to us.

And the things he said were...

He didn't say things in a distorted way.

So we could listen to what he said honestly.

I see.

So because of the way he was...

...the two groups would come together as one and it just made things easier.

I see.

Now Tadao Takashima flies over to Frankfurt in Germany.

-And that shot of Frankfurt is... -Yes, it is a drawing.

Drawing?

Yes.

We used an actual photograph.

Toho's technology to create those drawings is amazing.

Yes, the director was really particular about things like that.

-Oh really? -Yes.

He couldn't compromise.

So for us, we worked harder because we didn't want him to tell us to do it again.

I see.

The voice actor is Kazuo Kumakura in this scene.

He is known for doing a voiceover for Hitchcock. He has a very unique voice.

Right.

-You're right. -Yes.

These special effects films have so many different scientists.

That's a very important line.

Yes.

Screenplay was done by Kaoru Mabuchi.

He was writing screenplays under the pen name of Takeshi Kimura before this film.

He was writing screenplays under the pen name of Takeshi Kimura before this film.

He changed his name after doing this film.

As Takeshi Kimura, he wrote "Rodan", "The Mysterians", "The H-Man"...

..."The Human Vapor", and "Matango".

He was good at writing stories that involve human relationships.

And after this film, he did "The War of the Gargantuas", "Destroy All Monsters"...

...and "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster".

Take a look at his wrists. They look really tight.

You're right.

-Did you go and shoot this? -Yes, we did.

The main feature team filmed this.

I see.

We shot these scenes very carefully.

Yes, you did.

You look at these scenes and it's quite satisfying.

You don't see any shots that are unnecessary.

Right.

There weren't any meaningless scenes... so the shooting went rather easily.

-ls that right? -Yes.

The machines in the background". I wondered".

...if an ordinary laboratory really had machines like that...with many lights.

I wondered if that was what it would be like in the near future.

But that TV has an indoor antenna.

I see.

Yes.

This is where you feel Kaoru Mabuchi did the screenplay.

Director Honda also worked with screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa in many films.

Yes.

Director Honda once said "The actor's elocution was different in each of...

"...those two writers' screenplay and it was really interesting."

Is that right?

Yes.

You're right. Mr. Sekizawa was in charge of all the earlier Godzilla films.

His story develops quickly and there are some humorous lines in some of his stories.

Mr. Mabuchi presents everything in a simple line and works on from there.

That's what director Honda said about them later.

I think Mr. Kimura started out as an assistant director.

-He used to work on stage dramas. -Oh really?

-That hat really says American, doesn't it? -Yes, it does.

Since this is a storage, they thought there would be boxes with medicines...

...that were sent from medical companies.

I see.

Plus the syringe with the colored liquid makes it look very eerie, doesn't it?

Yes.

Now he holds back and stops from giving him the injection, and then he starts drinking.

But that's showing this scientists humanity.

Yes, his moral conflict.

Right.

And again, the regulars from Toho films start showing up in this scene.

Senkichi Omura appears all the way up front.

Yes, he does.

-it is Haruya Kato. -Yes.

You also see Yasuhiko Saijo in the crew.

Yes, he is in the back.

He played the role of Ippei in "Ultra Q".

He has an unusual reaction to the light.

That's related to the previous scene where he wanted Kumi Mizuno's necklace.

-His makeup has changed a lot. -Yes, it has.

It's now the real thing.

The makeup has been changing throughout the movie unnoticed...

That's what we were aiming for.

I see.

We didn't want people to notice that the makeup had changed at one point.

You're right.

So if people think that the makeup changed much later on, I think we did our job.

If you see a situation like this, you wonder what kind of relationship they had.

That's true.

That's a lot of people.

You're right.

The fire extinguishers of that time...

You use it by turning it upside down.

Oh, I see. it's not the one with a lever.

There were also the ones which you mixed the powder inside.

They have evolved quite a lot.

I was so sleepy when we shot this scene since we worked late into the night.

There is a warning sign on the wall. It says "Please do not give him..."

Oh really?

Extras came all the way from Tokyo. We shot this during the night.

-ls that right? -Yes.

Plus both special effects team and the main feature team filmed together.

-50 there were so many crew members. -You're right.

Like this scene for example...it's important to express the size of this monster.

And it seems that the set is no longer a miniature.

You're right.

Eiji Tsuburaya used his great techniques of ratios.

That's right.

According to the note that Director Honda wrote...

...Director Honda told the special effect director Eiji Tsuburaya that...

...he wanted to use many composite shots that featured human beings.

Now the ratio between Frankenstein and the humans...

...Director Honda was very particular of that in the main feature as well.

I'm sure he was.

Because both directors were working closely together and...

...able to discuss directly even small matters...

...they were able to change Frankenstein's size smoothly in the film...

...even though it was the hardest thing to do.

Although sometimes we wondered if we were shooting objects in the correct size.

I see.

That composite scene was really amazing.

Yes, it was.

The actors go back and forth between the main feature and the...

-...special effects shots in these scenes. -Yes, that's correct.

The characters from the main feature sometimes appear in the backgrounds.

And the miniatures for the special effects appear in the backgrounds.

So the images in the foreground and background are constantly being swapped.

That's how we shot these scenes.

Now this is one of the memorable scenes in the film...

...but some shots are different in the overseas version, isn't that right?

Right.

The police cars arrive at the scene and he escapes.

-These are all miniatures? -Yes, they are.

They were really fun, but we had to be careful of the movements.

If you're a real fan of these movies, you can tell if it's done correctly or not.

So we were trying not to embarrass ourselves.

I see.

In the overseas version, there is a scene where...

...Frankenstein picks up a car and throws it.

Really?

Yes, but I think here in Japan, people thought...

...that Frankenstein didn't have that kind of personality.

-Oh really? -Yes.

Two reporters are going to inspect the scene of the accident.

And the shadow is part of the performance as well.

Now this hand... does it have a motor inside?

Yes, it was used to move the fingers.

And we used wires to move that hand.

I see.

This was taken from down under.

Yes, it was.

Now is this hand moving towards food?

I think so.

They bring it in a bucket. Very realistic.

You're right. They just grabbed any container.

Mr. Takashima is playing his role with such joy.

Yes, he is.

The actor who just appeared is named Nadao Kirino.

He was in the "Ultraman" series.

He was also in the "Godzilla" series.

Yes, he was. He played the role of Kelonia in "Ultraman".

I see.

-He's speaking in a Hiroshima dialect. -Yes, he is.

This film was shot at many different locations.

You can tell this is Okayama by looking at it.

Yes, by looking at the statue of Momotaro.

You're right.

I guess what's fun about watching films from those days...

...is that you can seethe scenery, people's faces and clothes at that time.

Right.

Did you hire extras from this area for the mob scenes...

...like other Toho special effects films?

Yes, we did.

I didn't know Kenji Sahara played these kinds of roles.

He did.

And the hand is stored in this culture solution.

The wrist was being bound really tight...

...so this hand model looks quite swollen.

-l see. -That's what I think.

I guess you can say it's a bit pudgy or swollen...it certainly looks that way.

Right.

They really put a lot of effort on details.

This is Himeji Castle.

It's very dignified.

Yes, it's a beautiful castle.

This type of storehouse...

I'm sure there aren't many opportunities for young people to see them these days.

But I was scared to go in as a child.

Yes, I'm sure.

I thought there was a creature inside.

Yes, you're right.

-Osaka Police, isn't it? -Yes, that's right.

These scenes were...

This is a set...but both teams went to the location...

...and shot the outward appearance together.

We saw Jun Tazaki earlier, and now we see Susumu Fujita.

He's a regular as well.

Director Honda said that if he included people that symbolized that time period...

...then the film would turn out to be more realistic.

-For example, a soldier or a police officer... -l see. I can see that.

Now this cruise ship was pretty big, wasn't it?

Yes, it was big.

-Did you use the pool at the studio? -Yes, we did.

But we also went to the actual location as well.

The bridge at lake Biwa. I think it was right after they built it.

I see.

We saw some familiar tie-up ads on those lanterns too.

This is one of the memorable scenes.

How did you create the water to look boiled from down under?

-Air cylinder. -Air cylinder?

Yes, the air cylinder was placed on land, but we placed the pipes in the water.

In order to create the bubbles, you need to place the tip of the pipe near that area.

I see.

It's similar to the column of water shown in war movies.

You're right.

They thought of Frankenstein as a whole new creature rather than a kaiju.

Even though he does move like a kaiju...

...he can also understand human emotions.

That's how both directors wanted Frankenstein to be portrayed in this film.

I see.

This scene too...

I'm guessing that he was supposed to disappear without creating a bubble.

And we see the bubbles after he disappears.

Yes.

We shot scenes at the actual locations at night as well.

So when I see those scenes on screen, I'm reminded of the hard work...

...rather than being amazed by the beautiful images.

-Really? -Yes.

If you look at it from our perspective.

Like how much time it took...

Or we were very busy, and people didn't do their jobs accordingly...

We had to deal with a lot of things.

Please tell us more if you remember any.

Sure.

Mr. Ifukube sure did a great job with the music effects.

He also used many instruments to make it sound more creative.

-Oh really? -Yes.

He used an instrument called a bass flute in this film.

Back then, there was only one bass flute in all of Japan.

And the characteristic of a bass flute is...

...you won't be able to hear it a little distance away.

So they needed to place a microphone up close...

...and had a orchestra play with it.

I see.

So you will be intrigued by the strange tones which were created...

...in a time when there was no synthesizers.

You can really enjoy this film from the musical aspect as well.

You can really enjoy this film from the musical aspect as well.

I see.

When he did "Godzilla", he used an instrument called contrafagotto".

...which was at the Tokyo Art University.

At the time, it cost 2.4 million yen.

Tubas and contrabasses were primarily used...

...to express Godzilla's huge size and weight. That's what I was told.

And since Rodan was a bird, he used a trumpet to play high notes.

Especially after he saw the small head of Rodan from the designs...

...he said "It will be better if we play it with higher notes."

I see, we're the exact opposite. We combine the visuals...

...with the music and then feel that the music sounds good.

But they create music by looking at the visuals.

They have things that we can't possibly imagine in their minds to create music.

The main feature, special effects, and the music teams...

...are doing their own individual work, while they keep in touch with each other...

...to create a film like this.

This scene is interesting.

The hardest thing about this scene is that he's surrounded by Japanese cedars...

I couldn't com para the sizes. It was difficult during the shooting.

Oh, I see.

Yes.

The things you're familiar with... it's easier to tell the size...

...but since he is surrounded by cedars, it's very difficult to tell how big he is.

I see, the size of Frankenstein...

We had a very difficult time to show the size.

Right. Now this boar...

I'd like for you to explain it to us.

Frankenstein wants some protein...

But was this a model?

Yes, that's right. They did a great job.

And it's not just the things they made...

...but they also move like the real thing.

Frankenstein... is this part of the special effects?

Yes.

-it's not part of the main feature. -No.

So Mr. Tsuburaya directed this scene?

Yes, since this scene is associated with geographical features.

Right.

Now when he's in the woods in this scene...

...for a moment, you get confused about his size.

Right.

You wonder how tall he's supposed to be.

In the Godzilla movies that were released prior to this film...

They made the miniatures based on his height 50 meters.

This time around, Baragon is 25 meters and Frankenstein is 20 meters.

This Frankenstein has grown, so he is 20 meters tall.

So the miniatures and trees were double the size...

...when compared to previous works.

That's what this film was famous for.

I see.

Those smallest details and bringing out the three-dimensional effects...

You probably came up with something creative as a cameraman.

Yes, well, I was a bit confused.

I had to guess for the most part. So I asked myself "Is this okay?"

I see.

Later you worked on "1/8 Project" in the Ultra Q series...

...as the special effects director.

But that time the size of the miniatures was 1/8th. Size was rather different.

That's right.

The tanks are approaching, but he wants more protein.

How did you make that boar to move?

-We used wires to pull it. -l see.

He made a trap, but the tank falls right through.

The color of their wardrobes was very difficult to work with against a blue screen.

But that was their uniform, so we couldn't change the color.

It's very detailed, like the person on top of the tank turning around.

The art crew planned that beforehand. It was done really well.

When we got to this point of making special effect films...

...each crew member knew what to do in the production.

Their progress is remarkable.

The staff on the special effects team was becoming more stable at this point.

Takeo Kita was in charge of the art direction for this film.

Right.

Even though he doesn't stand out, Mr. Kita was a part of the Tsuburaya/Honda duo...

...l guess you can call it a trio with him included.

-He was in it from the very beginning too. -Yes.

There were others who did a great job doing minor roles as well.

-I'm sure there were. -Such as Akira Watanabe...

These 3 scientists and their ways of thinking...

It changes little by little, and they go right back and discuss it again.

I guess they call it trial and error. Going back and forth.

This scene is memorable.

These quiet scenes really make you feel good when you're shooting them.

-You shot this by going around? -Yes, that's right.

Shirane hut.

At the time, the tones of guitars sounded like this.

I see.

-it's a bit distorted. -Yes, you're right.

And Baragon appears.

Those roots...they made a lot of tree roots.

You're right.

You can only make them if you have Iots of experience as a set decorator.

If you don't, you would make those miniature trees just standing.

Director Honda tried to show that they were like lovers.

And we as the viewers imagine what is going to happen to them.

I see.

This scene is great, isn't it?

-l like what's shown up close. -Yes, yes.

We were shooting this with such a great feeling.

It wouldn't be fun if there was no house in front of it.

Yes, you're right.

The cloud of dust makes this scene look great.

This composite shot is done in a drastic way.

Yes.

They call it screen process.

This is a bluescreen.

It was composited using a bluescreen.

When I look at a scene done with a bluescreen...

...instead of looking at the screen effects, I look to see...

...if the technical effects are done properly or not.

I see.

And sometimes people ask me about that with a surprise.

-Really? -Yes.

Baragon in the background". is this done with a bluescreen?

Yes, that's right.

Anyway, the miniature is the background.

You can't shoot these scenes at the actual locations.

We created these places that didn't exist in real life, so it's all special effects.

Right.

So like I said before, the background are shown up close at times...

...and what you see in the front might become the background.

If you constantly change scenes, then you need to do those kind of things.

You're right.

After Baragon attacks the hut, everything becomes dark and it fades out.

Then all of a sudden, it's the morning.

And we see the beautiful sky in the background.

After the night is over, everything looks beautiful.

Yes.

This is the scene where 3 scientists are explaining...

Yes, they're discussing the time of the attacks.

Yes, they are.

Did you visit many locations when you worked on this film?

Yes, but I didn't go to every location.

I see.

But depending on the film...

I didn't go to the location as a part of the special effects team, but I did go there...

To observe the main feature shooting at times.

So I didn't shoot the special effects for that location...

...but I went with the main feature team and stood alongside Director Honda.

...but I went with the main feature team and stood alongside Director Honda.

And he asked me to give him some advice about directing some scenes...

...or I told him how the special effects were done in certain scenes.

I acted as a liaison as well.

That job was very important, wasn't it?

In the original Godzilla, Director Tsuburaya stayed with...

...Director Honda and went to all the locations.

Yes.

Then they discussed things at each location and shot the film.

I wonder if this was done right or not. Maybe it's just fine the way it is now...

And you took over that job in this film and went along with Director Honda.

That's right. I had been doing that even before this film was shot.

I wonder if this was done right or not. Maybe it's just fine the way it is now...

...or I could have highlighted it so that the outline can be shown.

I was on this thing above.

-You mean the helicopter? -Yes.

I took this shot from above.

Aerial shot.

And special effects team's camera B was shooting this scene from below.

I see.

Because of the time limit, we couldn't shoot those scenes separately.

So we shot them together, from above and below.

They had to shoot the helicopter from the distance, so I wouldn't be in the shot.

-Really? -Yes.

If they had shot it too close, they might have seen me holding the camera.

I see.

-Not just half, but my entire body... -Your entire body?

I used to work for the press and I've seen...

...cameramen shooting from helicopters with half their bodies sticking out.

So were you in the similar position?

-Not just half, but my entire body... -Your entire body?

That's right.

This is where they used a miniature horse intentionally.

-That's right. -instead of using a real horse.

We wanted the monster to destroy everything at once.

Instead of shooting both the real thing or the miniature...

...we wanted the monster to destroy everything at once.

We thought that would create this sort of fear.

I see.

That's how we decided to do it that way.

You can tell how big Baragon is from that scene.

Yes, it's really easy to express the size when you have other objects around it.

-This is a stone pit, isn't it? -That's right.

Their parents are doing work here, right?

Aren't they?

It looks like they're here in an unnatural way.

You zoomed in from a very high place. It makes you wonder who's watching them.

Yes.

The way it is shot, provides us with some kind of a hint.

But the main character hasn't appeared yet.

You're right.

This was shot in the 40th year of Showa, or 1965.

I'm sure there were many places throughout Japan...

...where a giant creature might have lived...like this place.

Yes, I'm sure.

And as mentioned in the film, they were used as storages for the army.

Yes, you're right.

I'm sure they had many of those.

The way Mr. Ifukube uses the instruments in this scene is amazing.

It's not just a symphony, but he created the sound effects using the instruments.

Yes.

He speaks English too.

Right.

The smoke rises up into the air.

Yes.

Then he appears.

You can really tell the size of him in this scene.

You're right.

His hand has been regenerated.

You had problems shooting the scene where he's in the woods.

That's right.

The size...

Yes, it doesn't look like a forest. It ends up looking like a garden plant.

I see.

When you use a large miniature, it just doesn't work.

That's right.

When you shoot it like that, each shot becomes really difficult.

I see.

Though you can pay more attention to the details...

...the people who are familiar with previous films will think that he is small.

That's right.

Many of the rooms are decorated with dolls in this film.

That's right, the propman wanted to have this Japanese feel.

Probably because he knew that this was going to be shown in America.

You may be rig ht.

And since Nick Adams was in it...

...they wanted to make it into an international film.

I see.

Plus you can introduce the Japanese culture as well as their way of life.

Right.

You're right.

They might've wanted to show how much we recovered after the war as well.

The sound starts before the image appears.

That's right.

You can't even tell if that's oil or rain.

What did you feel about this scene with the steel tower?

It was a bit disappointing.

After the tower fell over, it would've been nice to see some variations.

I see.

Eiji Tsuburaya usually stresses things like that.

Right.

He wouldn't cut the scene right after the tower falls down.

He would show the image of things start to change little by little...

...after the tower falls over to create this fear...he often uses this technique.

But he didn't do much for that scene.

I think we shot something after that scene but...

The cars in the background are moving.

Right.

You told me many things already...

...like what scenes were done using composite shots or special effects.

So I started to enjoy watching the scenes suspiciously.

I see.

You watch it and say to yourself that you won't be fooled by certain scenes.

You're right.

I'm sure people are watching this DVD in concentration.

Yes, even we, who shot this film sometimes get fooled by some scenes.

I guess that's how good those shots are.

You're right.

Some scenes start with sounds and some scenes start from different angles...

The timing feels very pleasant.

You're right.

This was done by having both directors keep in close contact with each other.

So even when they were done editing, it didn't look awkward.

The shots connect smoothly from special effects to the main feature.

They sure used many camera angles.

You were the cameraman for the special effects part...

In your early days, you shot a scene but the top of the horizont got cut off...

You often shot from a really tight angle, but the situation has changed...

You're right. It all looks natural.

You're right.

But the lines spoken by the actors at that time were very articulate and frank.

-it was very unique. -You're right.

Also the wardrobes. Kumi Mizuno shows us...

...these neat and lovely dresses one after another.

"Nippon Tanjo" was the first special effects film that Kumi Mizuno was in.

-Oh really? -Yes.

I see.

After that she was in "Gorath", "Matango", and "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero".

She was in "The War of the Gargantuas" which was also created in association".

...with Benedict Pro.

You're right. She was in many other special effects films.

For the Toho special effects films, she was one of the top actresses.

You're right.

-Were you on the helicopter in this scene too? -Yes.

Somehow I just want to see you on screen.

Was it hard to present the size in this scene too?

Yes, since it goes right into this shot from the previous scene.

I was sensitive to what I was shooting.

I'm sure you were.

This scene makes you hungry.

I'm guessing that Frankenstein is holding some bread in his hands.

We were constantly using special effects in the main feature...

...around this scene.

Koji Furuhata played Frankenstein in this film.

But the fighting scene with him and Baragon later on is absolutely amazing.

You're right.

You're right.

But the fighting scene with him and Baragon later on is absolutely amazing.

That's right. And is it after this?

I remember.

I guess it is after Mr. Takashima falls down. He stands in front of the car...

That's right.

It is a great shot.

That shot shows the size of his body very nicely.

You're right. Mr. Takashima falls down a cliff...

...and Frankenstein goes and saves him.

Then he goes and delivers him to Mizuno and Nick Adams.

That scene is really memorable.

Right.

We're not quite there yet but...

Even though we took so many shots, not many shots strike me as memorable.

I see.

The reason I feel pity for Frankenstein in this film is that...

...he doesn't have any other names except Frankenstein.

I see.

When they write about him on the newspaper...

...they just put him down as a young boy.

-Even Kumi Mizuno calls him a boy. -Yes, she does.

Usually, you want to name something that you truly love.

But his name is just Frankenstein.

At first, they couldn't confirm whether he was Frankenstein or not...

So he didn't even have a name. it's pitiful.

I see.

You're right.

He doesn't have a name....it means that his existence isn't recognized.

Right.

-ls this part of a set? -l believe it is.

I think this is a set because...

...unfortunately the leaves look dead when you shoot on the set.

I see.

The leaves all point down. They're dangling.

I see.

So that's what I look for when trying to see if it's a set or an actual location.

The leaves are all dead in this scene.

I see.

That's the downside of using sets.

If you are making trees, you can just wrap some tree bark around logs.

You can make any kind of tree.

But you can't take care of every leaf.

I see. You're right.

But come to think of it, we are watching this film now, and we don't need to nitpick.

You're right.

It would be best if we can sit and watch this film naturally.

-This is where the conflict rises. -Yes.

Even in sets Iike this, did the main feature team only shoot the main feature?

Yes, so when the entire team was working on the main feature...

...then we started having problems.

When the entire scene consists of just the main feature...

...then it's really hard for me to know anything about that particular scene.

-For example this bluescreen... -He throws it against a bluescreen.

I see.

-For example this bluescreen... -He throws it against a bluescreen.

Yes.

With the right timing...

Yes, that's right.

We did it like that American film "Mighty Joe Young".

Baragon comes out after he throws it. This timing is wonderful.

It's just not the same without the fog effects to create this type of atmosphere.

And we can pretty much getaway with anything in that kind of atmosphere.

You're right.

In that scene both men come forward...

...then Kumi Mizuno approaches just moments later.

-it looks natural, doesn't it? -Yes.

This shot was done by the main feature team and...

...Baragon's shot was done by the special effects team.

That's right.

You're right. A woman's shoe or handbag gets thrown out in "Rodan".

You are right.

It is similar in "Rodan" as well. The scene where they panic".

...the men always leave the women behind.

You're right. A woman's shoe or handbag gets thrown out in "Rodan".

Yes.

They still leave behind the lady even with the Hollywood actor coming from...

...a land where ladies come first.

-This is a great scene. -Yes, it is.

If you use composite shots and place both sizes' shots together...

...then you really tell how big they actually are.

Did Eiji Tsuburaya choreograph these fighting scenes as well?

Yes, he did.

How did you shoot the part where Baragon jumps?

He had to be suspended.

-You mean a wire action? -Yes.

It was like a pendulum clock.

We couldn't pull it, so we had to move it like a pendulum.

I see.

Like a pendulum clock.

I don't see what the deal is with the beam.

At times, he uses it to dig holes...

But like you just saw, it doesn't seem to hurt Frankenstein at all.

-it has no effect on Frankenstein. -Right.

When I see it all in one sequence...

When we were shooting, I only looked at the shot...

...where the beam would be composited. So I didn't feel that it was inconsistent.

But when I see it altogether now...

...l start to wonder if this beam really has effects or not.

I see.

That's what I think.

Well, he is a subterranean monster...

...so you wonder if it's used as a heat ray to dig underground.

Both Director Tsuburaya and Director Honda liked those kind of ideas.

You're right.

-He's pretty quick. -Yes, he is.

Since it's a cutback, you can just shoot it by shortening the frames.

You can do whatever you want, if you are cutting, but...

...if you are using inserts for action scenes, it's hard.

When I look at the fog or smoke in this scene...

...l wish we have applied some more.

I knew it would look so much better if we put more, but...

...l just sort of forgot about it or I just paid more attention to the action and...

...forgot about the rest.

It's hard to shoot shot/reverse-shots...

...since you need to keep the feeling of the scene.

So it is much easier if you use composite shots.

I see.

We saw Baragon going underground.

What did you do about the tail? Was that also using wire?

Yes, we used wire for that as well.

Is it after this shot?

Yes, it is. Right here.

Yes, it is. Right here.

This is great.

This scene is great.

Those hairy legs are very effective.

You're right.

And his acting is great too.

It's somewhat soft and kind.

It would've been better if we had some smoke.

It's a great scene though.

It just looks too pretty.

Things just can't be perfect after hearing your stories.

You're right. It looked great when I was shooting it.

Right.

And when I was watching this in the screening room at our company...

...l didn't really feel the way I do today.

I was satisfied with both the framing and the lighting.

But I am watching it as one of the viewers like this now...

...and I feel like I could have done so many things like I've said.

The carnivore Baragon.

Since everyone knows about that, it feels scary.

You might not have any opportunities to hear a fire bell ring.

You're right.

So people from our generation can understand that kind of atmosphere, but...

...the younger generation of people these days...

...may not have the same kind of feeling about the film and its special effects.

I see.

-Right? -Right.

It was about 15 years after the and of the war.

You're right.

He uses the rock effectively.

Haruo Nakajima is doing great action in this scene.

-You're right. -He gets right up like an animal.

Yes, you're right.

The fierce battle between Frankenstein and Baragon continues.

The suit-actor of Baragon...he's a famous actor by the name of Haruo Nakajima.

Yes.

In a film called "Taiheiyo no washi", he was in one of the zero fighters...

...that went up in flames.

Yes, he was.

And later on, he started playing kaijus for TV

"The Rainbow Egg" is one of the episodes that you directed in the Ultra Q series.

A kaiju by the name of Pagos appears in the episode.

He played Pagos as well as Neronga.

He said, "Since kaijus on TV aren't shot using a high-speed camera".

"...their movements just don't look that good."

So high-speed cameras have a great effect on the way kaijus move.

Yes, they do.

In order to bring out the weightiness of the kaijus...

...it's the best and easiest way.

I'm sure there were other methods we could've used, but...

But by using a high-speed camera, you can make them move in a slow motion.

So in a sense, you can see them as being very strong and robust.

I see.

When this battle began, the sky was blue.

Yes.

-But now it's a really dark sky. -Right, right.

This is just an aside, but this kaiju Baragon...

...gets remodeled and becomes Pagos, Neronga, Gabora, and so on.

They're all kaijus that appear from underground.

So I'm guessing Baragon's body from the neck down is perfect...

...to be an underground kaiju.

Right, if it only had two legs, it wouldn't look like it could live underground.

You're right.

"Those kaiju costumes have to be heavy since it has to show weightiness"".

That's what Mr. Nakajima said.

Right.

And to create these movements that are quick and detailed...

...must've been really hard for him.

Well, but as an actor, I don't think he thought about things like that.

I see.

I think he adjusted his movements according to the way the opponent attacked.

I guess that's the proper way of doing a fighting scene.

It's not like dancing. I feel it's a great fighting scene overall.

They're not showing the fighting form, but by displaying their strengths.

Right.

-But it's a rather speedy scene. -You're right.

I'm sure he was doing his best.

It must be really hard for him with all that weight.

It must be really hard for him with all that weight.

Is that the actual speed, or did you have to alter it a little?

No, I don't think we altered it, but depending on the shot...

...if it was a close-up shot, then they would move real slow.

And if it was a long-shot, then they would move a bit faster.

They would certainly do that as an actor.

And did you change the speed in the film editing as well?

Yes, we did.

It must be really hard for them.

The way they grapple with each other.

There aren't many ways to grapple with their opponent.

They don't have a variety of ways to grapple.

How many cameras did you use for this scene?

-2 cameras. -l see, 2 cameras.

Did you shoot each shot little by little or did you shoot them consecutively?

We shot them consecutively.

I see.

When we were shooting, we just hoped to capture something good.

I see.

It was impossible to shoot every action separately...

...since we were shooting an actor with a kaiju suit.

Right.

So we just let things take their course and shot until we didn't need to anymore.

But if what we shot wasn't good, then we would continue shooting.

-That's how we shot them. -l see.

So it's not like shooting regular acting...

You can't just say "We will cut this shot after this action".

Right.

So the storyboards that the director created...

...only had one frame says "a fighting scene".

But if he wrote it in detail, then it would've been difficult.

That's right. It doesn't go according to your plan...a fighting scene, that is.

So the B cameraman Tomioka and myself separated the shots...

...according to the size, then we were just playing catch-up after that.

I see.

Then in the film editing,the director picked out the good parts from it.

And he connected shots from the parts he had picked. Editing must've been tough.

-This is an exciting scene. -Yes, it is.

-ls this in the same stage? -That's right.

Those cedar trees look like miniatures now. They are not large trees anymore.

The trunk of a cedar tree doesn't grow as big. That's why it doesn't work.

I see.

But if we don't use these types of trees on the set, it dies very quickly.

Right.

If the shooting lasts a long time, then we have to redecorate the set over and over.

I see.

So this type of tree is much easier for us to use.

I see.

That's why they are used for miniatures.

-ls the background a composite shot? -Yes, it is.

Red is used for lighting.

That's right.

The color of reflective light is amazing.

I'm sure the lighting team paid close attention to those.

Right.

Action scenes were choreographed by Director Tsuburaya...

...but did he write storyboards for scenes like this?

Well, I'm sure he did, but it was just a...

...picture of Frankenstein and Baragon grappling.

-ls that all? -That's right.

How big was the stage for this?

This was a pretty big stage.

It wasn't the main stage, but we used this entire stage for this set.

Even if the stage was big, we separated that into many small sets at times.

Right.

In this scene, the stage wasn't big, but this was the only set.

We didn't know how things were going to turn out.

That's why we had to make this set pretty big.

I see.

We talked about the light being emitted from Baragon...

...and now there's a meaning to it since it's dead and the light is off.

Right.

Many fans think there's a scene where Frankenstein carries Baragon over his head...

...and he falls through the cracks in the ground.

But you don't have any scenes like that, do you?

No, we don't.

Now you are watching this version of the film...

After Frankenstein defeats Baragon, a giant octopus appears.

Now, this is the normal version.

But back then, this was a version that was made exclusively for American release.

Yes, yes.

I heard many people overseas requested a giant octopus.

I wonder why people overseas like a giant octopus so much?

I can see why they like them. They probably see an octopus as a monster.

-They also call it the devilfish. -Yes, you're right.

Did you shoot this scene later on?

Yes, we did.

-Much later? -Yes.

It doesn't look like it's a continuation from that previous set.

This may sound a little bizarre, but when I look at the scenes we shot...

...in terms of scheduling...

...l can't really recall when we did what.

I see.

So when I'm watching this right now...

...l remember that the legs didn't go as planned or the octopus wasn't slimy enough...

Those are the things that come to my mind.

-Did you use wires to move the octopus? -Yes, that's right.

I heard this scene was very favorable among fans.

You're right.

You can see that Frankenstein is really grappling with the octopus.

Right.

You can sometimes see that actors tend to take it easy since they think that...

...they're fighting a monster in a rubber suit.

But he's really giving 100% with the fight scenes.

You're right.

And since he's half naked...

...he's also trying to cover himself up like that.

I see.

You can tell those things when you're watching it.

You can see a real good fight that you don't usually see in a fight...

...between 2 monster in rubber suits.

The octopus isn't going to attack Frankenstein so...

The actor has to make it look like the octopus is attacking him.

Right.

He's being sucked into the water.

And Kumi Mizuno says "He can't win!" She's empathizing with him.

They disappear deep into the sea... it's not a sea, but a lake.

They disappear into the lake.

And this is the message from Director Honda.

Yes.

And that's the end.

What was this film like for you, Mr. Arikawa?

I actually felt that Frankenstein was a human being after all.

But in the film, they see him as a kaiju.

They also said he wasn't human.

But after watching it, he definitely was human. Frankenstein.

But after watching it, he definitely was human. Frankenstein.

-it's a sad ending, isn't it? -Yes, it is.

It's not the death of a kaiju, but a death of a human being.

-Those flames look really nice. -You're right.

Commentator was Sadamasa Arikawa.

-Thank you so much for joining us. -Thank you for having me.