The Classic Novels Become the Newest Film from Studio Ghibli Author: Stan Hyde Official Sites: Studio Ghibli, Ursula K. Le Guin Additional Sources: Nausicaa.net, Ghibli World Studio Ghibli’s 15th feature film, TALES FROM EARTHSEA (Gedo Senki, “Record of Ged’s War”), will premiere in Japan this July. The story is taken from The Farthest Shore (1972) and Tehanu (1990), the third and fourth novels in the six volumes of the "Earthsea" series by Ursula K. Le Guin, the acclaimed author of such books as The Left Hand of Darkness and The Lathe of Heaven. Earthsea is a world mostly covered with water, where wizards command magic by using the true names of things which give them great power over the world (a theme which was also explored in Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning SPIRITED AWAY). In the first book, A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), a boy called Sparrowhawk comes of age,

Read more ...

A Look Back at a Lost Classic. Author: CreatureScape More than 50 years after his cinematic birth, Godzilla is essentially a global household name. Like Elvis, James Bond, and Marilyn Monroe, he occupies a space in pop culture that is so large; one need never have seen a Godzilla film to recognize him. In his shadow are still towering figures. Rodan and King Ghidorah (a. k. a. Monster Zero) have both had rock bands named after them and Mothra garnered her own four film franchise . . . not including appearances in several Godzilla films. In contrast, even kaiju fans know very little about Varan, despite the fact that he is one of only a handful of Toho terrors to have his own film. Part of this was fate. Hot on the heels of GOJIRA (1954) and RADON (1957), DAIKIAJU BARAN was originally conceived as a Japanese-made-for-American-TV

Read more ...

Ten years ago today, TriStar`s GODZILLA opened with special evening screenings in theaters across America. A moment of silence, please.

Read more ...

Author: Keith Aiken Special Thanks to Brad Warner In 1948, the Actual Publishing Company, Inc. in New York launched the “men’s magazine” Vue— America’s Photo Digest. While nearly forgotten today, for more than twenty years Vue covered sports, cars, movies, adventure, hunting, travel and (of course) beautiful women. Publisher Allen Stearn devoted nearly half an issue to photographs of bathing suit and lingerie-clad ladies, from young hopefuls to established stars like Marilyn Monroe, Mamie Van Doren and Bettie Page. Vue Volume 7, Number 2 ran 130 pages and had a cover price of 25 cents. In addition to page after page of cheesecake photography, the issue featured a look at Thai kickboxing, showgirls competing for a part on THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW, survivors of an avalanche in the Alps, bow hunting, the Winchester ghost house, a behind-the-scenes report on Orson Welles’ ballet THE LADY IN THE

Read more ...

The Dryden Theatre screens GODZILLA and SON OF GODZILLA this weekend Source: John Yeara Official Site: George Eastman House As previously announced here on SciFi Japan, the historic Dryden Theatre in Rochester, New York is hosting a pair of Godzilla double features this summer. The first screening takes place this week: FRIDAY, JULY 21 DOUBLE FEATURE: Two films for one regular admission price! 7:00 PM - GODZILLA (Gojira, 1954) It all started here… the first adventure of the screen’s biggest movie star (literally!). Director: Ishiro Honda, 98 minutes, in Japanese with English subtitles 9:00 PM – SON OF GODZILLA (Kaijuto no Kessen: Gojira no Mosuko, 1967) A United Nations scientific team discovers that the South Pacific Island they’ve chosen for an important experiment is home to giant monsters, including a Baby Godzilla. Director Jun Fukuda, 84 minutes, in Japanese with English subtitles Following on August 11

Read more ...