Ishiro Honda Quadruple Feature Review: Dogora, Matango, Atragon, & The Mysterians

I found the original Japanese versions of these four movies on the Criterion Channel. Since they were all on my to-do list and I didn't know how long they'd be available, I decided to watch and review them ASAP. Hope you enjoy the video!
Review timestamps:
Dogora (1964) 2:01
Matango (1963) 7:18
Atragon (1963) 13:25
The Mysterians (1957) 24:01
Related links:
2019 mini review of Attack of the Mushroom People: • What Else I Saw in Mar...
2022 review of The Mysterians and Battle in Outer Space (hopefully I didn't just repeat myself here): • Dual Review: The Myste...
Godzilla review playlist: • Godzilla Reviews
"If you like Godzilla movies, you might also like this" review playlist: • Sci-fi, Classic Horror...
Special thanks to everyone who helps support the channel at ko-fi.com/weis...!

[@Ruby_Kang]

Matango is arguably the greatest mushroom movie ever made.

[@pathatfield2543]

But is it the best movie to see WHILE ON mushrooms?

[@fletchkeilman2205]

​@@pathatfield2543Now that I can honestly say is a very bad idea. Matango is a damn fine movie, though. Both Dubbed and Subbed versions are awesome films. One of my favorite Toho films without Godzilla, right next to Redbeard and The Seven Samurai.....

[@MangetsuSAMURAI]

Out of these 4, I've only seen The Mysterians and Kaitei Gunkan. Both are great for different reasons, but the Gotengo is one of my favorite fictional vessels of all time.

[@nonautomaton6230]

What a great series of reviews, and such a quirky set of films! Thankyou!

[@Gazebo48]

I appreciate you making the effort to review these often overlooked non-Godzilla Toho/Honda movies. Your reviews are always thoughtful and entertaining. Dogura has a good little monster short mixed in with a dreadful heist movie. Matango is a well-done horror movie. Atragon has the feel of a compacted TV serial. The Mysterians is peak Honda-Tsuburaya- Ifukube

[@davegaracci1043]

Thanks! Great set of films and episode. I love the original Mysterions.

[@wmbriggz]

Well…”I” watched the amazing Mr. Blunden KZbin / Amazon. This British child comedy strikes home just how Brit’s treat poverty and violence compared to USA movies…. Good fun..

[@michaelpippa1540]

In the scenes you showed from DogoraI saw an actress from You Only Live Twice, Akiko Wakabayashi!

[@blitzblotz9303]

Don't miss "The H Man"

[@Weiselberry]

I saw it once years ago, but I hope to review it sometime!

[@Randall1001]

Matango is everything you say it is. When I first watched it (in the original Japanese) I was blown away by how effective it is. It's the best of Honda's films after Gojira, and the best Toho horror film. Dogora is the only one here I have yet to see, and despite the comedic nature of it, I love the era of Toho that it comes out of and am sure I'll love it despite all its flaws. Glad to hear it's on Criterion... I'll try to catch it. Atragon is a decent film... not a standout, not terribly memorable... there's really not a lot you can say about it. It's kind of entertaining, but not the Showa film I'd pick to recommend to someone who hadn't seen a Toho movie before. The Mysterians I personally find a bit overrated. (Granted, the only copy I have is a very old VHS version of the American dub). The special effects, miniatures, etc. are great, sure... some of Tsuburaya's best work. I'm certainly not saying I hate it. Spectacle-wise, it's great. But I think it gained a lot of love from sci-fi/Toho fans because it was the first of Toho's sci-fi efforts, and so some of the flaws in it have been glossed over because it seems superior by comparison to some of Toho's later films in this genre. But I should see the original Japanese version before I pass this judgement I suppose. Love your channel, you're one of my favorite film reviewers. :-) Always a pleasure.

[@Weiselberry]

That's a good point about Atragon being a good film, but maybe not the best pick for a Toho first-timer. Thanks!

[@dragon-ly2xf]

GODZILLA MINUS ONE---John Carpenter commented on the movie winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the first Oscar for the 70 year-old Toho monster movie franchise, "Incredible! GODZILLA MINUS ONE wins an Academy Awards for special effects. In my lifetime. Fantastic!" Guillermo del Toro posted, "Oscar Winner Godzilla, I feel so moved." GODZILLA MINUS ONE also won eight Japanese Academy Awards including Best Picture.

[@uknown1100]

Oh neat! I was thinking about revisiting these very recently too/

[@WilliamLoring-tb7px]

The current dubbed version of The Mysterians is horrid, if you can find the original dubbed US release version, its actually quite good. I had read somewhere that supposedly voice actor Paul Frees worked on this version as well. I don't know, but as far as can tell, the effort was sincere. This dubbed version was that which I originally saw on late nite tv with my father back in the early 1960s and was readily available until quite recently. These movies got tremendous airplay on local tv stations until cable really came into being.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

Good Reviews . . . .

[@daverogers2450]

Matango is a classic - scared the pants off me as a youth and always fun to watch as a grown up. Thanks for digging deeper into it. Also….fecundity. Bam!

[@battra92]

Its American title doesn't do it justice. Attack of the Mushroom People sounds silly. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first saw it.

[@ironjade]

Matango is based on a short story by British horror writer William Hope Hodgson, called The Voice in the Night. It was also made into an episode of Alfred Hitchcock's Suspicion TV series starring Patrick McNee and James Coburn.

[@Hedgehobbit]

Did the original story feature the cast of Gilligan's Island like Matango does?

[@ironjade]

@@Hedgehobbit Sadly no but the movie does a decent job of expanding a story which is both creepy and heartrending. The copy of the TV production I have is such poor quality that it's hard to see what's going on. I bought the entire series just to get that one episode and it's barely watchable. Ironically the other episodes are fine.

[@joseluisherreralepron9987]

"Dogora" and "Matango" are, with "The H Man" probably the most unusual films Honda made. I like all three. "Matango" is just creepy. "The H Man" is one of my favorites, at least in its original Japanese form with surprisingly good effects. "Dogora" has some striking effects as well except for the dodgy animation. I've not seen "Atragon" yet.

[@Stathis_Borans]

I need to thank you for bringing Ishiro Honda's work to my attention. Growing up in the U.K. we never really got to see Toho movies either on television or in cinemas, but watching you talking about these movies so intelligently and enthusiastically over time has caused me to deep-dive both Honda's career and early Japanese cinema in general and it's been wonderful, so thank you for all that 😊

[@Weiselberry]

You are very welcome!

[@alandhopewell]

Howdy, Sister Jerome! This is a first for me, the first mini-review where I 've seen all of the films. Admittedly, I saw the English dub versions on tv, and I've seen each one only once, with the exception of THE MYSTERIANS. I had looked forward to seeing ATRAGON, as I'd missed its theatrical release due to illness, but I was underwhelmed what I finally saw it. DOGORA, to put it bluntly, didn't have enough DOGORA. MATANGO was interesting, and creepy, even on SATURDAY MAD THEATER WITH SUPERHOST. THE MYSTERIANS... this was a frequent flyer on local (Cleveland, Ohio) tv in the Sixties, and I really dug it, losing count of how many times I have seen it. I wanted to get it on DVD, but Amazon wants too much for my budget. This was, I'm sure, the first space epic I'd ever seen, and it blew my preschool mind. I'd love to see it again. Thank you for another great review!

[@Weiselberry]

Congratulations on having seen 4 out of 4! Even if we watched different versions, it still counts. :)

[@joemadden4160]

Matango is terrific. Eerie and surreal. Probably Honda's greatest imo. Atragon is good, especially the great performance by Jun Tazaki. It was a great year for Tazaki, as he was in Kurosawa's masterpiece High and Low as well. Dogora...is...an outlier. The Mysterians is fun. I own these as well, when they were released by Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock.

[@neonightwing132]

The Mysterians is a good movie. I'm just not into it. Matango is INCREDIBLE! I have yet to see the others. Subbed foreign movies are always best! Dubbed movies can change dialogue which can change important plot points.

[@DanKyrke]

After your review, I rewatched Dogora. I like the movie well enough, but it does have some flaws. The biggest is probably the fact that Dogora has no personality. Unlike other Toho kaiju, Dogora is remote and largely featureless. It's hard to have any sympathy for it. But I enjoy the diamond thieves and their subplot. And Akiko Wakabayashi is always worth watching. It's a mid-level kaiju flick, not up there with Mothra, Rodan, or the Godzilla series, but it's not a bad way to spend 83 minutes. I'd put Atragon on the same level.

[@rsacchi100]

I've seen these movies, I believe only once or twice. When I saw them I assumed they were late 60's-early '70's. Definite extra credit for them.

[@michaelthemovieattic]

Great stuff! I like all these movies and have had the DVDS of all these movies, except Mantango, for years. I did just get Mantango for Christmas and Loved it. I always watch these movies in Japanese with English subtitles. I did just get the Classic Tokusatsu Collection from Shout Factory recently and have been enjoying those movies. Some strange movies in that set, but fun. Thanks for all the cool stuff.

[@chetthebee1322]

I remember seeing these movies back when Netflix was a DVD outfit.

[@411curt]

I saw "The Mysterians" as a boy with my family at a drive-in on a double-bill with George Pal's "Tom Thumb." I remember almost nothing about "Tom Thumb" except that it starred Russ Tamblyn before he appeared in Al Adamson movies. But, "The Mysterians" stuck in my brain. Seeing Mogura emerge from the side of the mountain on a giant screen made me fall off the back seat of my parents' car. (Very different effect than watching it on television.) I remember the colors leaping off the screen in every scene, especially during the final battle when the dome turns different colors as it is destroyed. I agree with you ranking the movie at the top (along with the downbeat "Motango") of the four Honda movies.

[@sumo0172]

Thank you so much for sharing this video! I don't know much about these movies and now I'm eager to check them all out. Thank you for your detailed reviews

[@TheGoodTheBadandTheCheezy]

I love your passion for Japanese cinema. The Mysterions was an awesome movie. Saw it as a kid many years ago.

[@t.andrewhanes872]

I absolutely love Matango. It’s a little slow but so very atmospheric. I can’t think of any other film quite like it. Thanks for the video. Huge I Honda fan!

[@johnpryor2063]

And lastly, how did you REALLY feel about the American dubbed version of The Mysterians?😃

[@st.michael9708]

Thank You for reviewing these 4 Japanese Pearls. Could I tempt You to review another Movie with Joseph Cotten, 1973's " Soylent Green " ? Also it would be interesting for me to get your View of 1926 " Faust " . From what I picked up, You have for sure the right Background. Ralf

[@realsuperjumpkid]

Seen two of these and The Mysterians remains a favourite. Once you look past the goofiness of the alien’s suits it really shows how Ishiro Honda was really a very accomplished and thoughtful director. Will definitely have to check out Matango and Dogora now too! They all look so gorgeous on Criterion 😮

[@ohrick8707]

The Mysterians! No one remembers that movie from my youth. I saw it with my Dad at the Drive-In. I remember the action, the music, the colors, and the terrible dubbing. However, the movie has long stuck in my memory. And here comes a pretty young Nerd to recall and explain it so many decades later. You amaze me! We would get along well! 😉

[@DanKyrke]

Very enjoyable video. You not only got a Hiroshi Koizumi trifecta but also a Kenji Sahara one. (He's not in Dogora.) I read somewhere that Sahara was in more Honda movies than anyone else. I think that's probably true. Have a happy week ahead.

[@sergioramdass2856]

THANK YOU so much for reviewing these quadruple Ishiro Honda / Toho movies. DOGORA is actually my # 1 favorite. (😊) Mainly due to two of my favorite actors being in it: Yosuke Natsuki as the detective Komai and Akiko Wakabayashi as the diamond thieves female member. One could get lost watching this because, I do feel, Dogora is unseen throughout the story until the last twenty minutes of the film. The robberies of the diamonds and coal baffles both the police and diamond robbers. Of course, this causes both the heroes and villains of the film to ponder on who done it. I do own all four of these movies on physical media in its original Japanese dialogue. In continuing with the rankings, I would say my second favorite is The Mysterians (I love the feel and look of the late 1950's Toho movies), third is Atragon and fourth is Matango. yes, Matango is the creepiest Toho movie that I have ever seen from that time period. I did meet Robert Dunham from Dogora a little over 20 years ago at a convention. Actually, he approached me to ask me a question! That was a big WHOA! moment for me. I can't get into too much detail about our conversation due to me already writing too much here. I would like to comment more about the movies you reviewed as well. However, thank you, as always, for your work and dedication to reviewing these wonderful classic movies.

[@bartolomeuomacduibheamhnad6855]

Maybe it’s just me but I think Moguera from The Mysterians looks a bit like a giant Kaiju robot version of Gonzo the muppet :D, I’m going to choose to believe it’s a mech suit with Gonzo in control and stomping on buildings to the sound of Flight of the Bumblebee. I haven’t seen any of these films but have been interested in The Mysterians since watching your previous review but I haven’t come across it yet, I considered buying a copy then but wasn’t sure if I’d rewatch it so decided to wait and see if it would pop up somewhere like KZbin but it hasn’t unfortunately, I’m sure I’ll see it at some point even if I do have to purchase a copy. Those space suits are crazy, they’re like very fancy Power Rangers costumes, if a Power Ranger had to dress for a formal event like a night at the Opera lol, Red Ranger : it’s formal outing so we need our extra wide top hat helmet and we can’t go wrong with a puffy cape. Green Ranger : Should we bring a cane? Red Ranger : Don’t be ridiculous lol Your discussion on Atragon and the films parallels with the events that led to the end of the Empire and Emperor was so interesting, I’m not sure there’s many other reviewers out there that would’ve picked up on that. The fan of weird ships and subs in me is curious about the film, I wonder would the mole drill thingy on the subs bow act like another rudder in water🤔 The film looks like it has some very slight similarities to Latitude Zero, perhaps Cesar Romero’s character was a Mu lol. Matango also looks good, I’ve never seen Gilligans Island but have seen images and the group of offbeat characters look similar lol, some of the images of Matango that you’ve shared also reminded me of certain Trek episodes or X-files and I would like to see it. The effect with the squid creature from Dogora looked surprisingly good :0 Great reviews as always, and fun! ~ Thank you Ms Weiselberry ~

[@niallboyle5211]

I have not seen these movies but after listening to your excellent reviews I have added them to my list. Japanese cinema of the post-war period seems to have successfully used these fantastical situations to explore all the questions raised by their defeat in World War Two. As ever, a charming, insightful and enjoyable offering Miss W. Thank you!

[@EricSquirmydadBrown]

Thank you for the in depth reviews, these have been on my watch list for quite some time.

[@dbel1980]

If the human vapor is available i highly recommend it. Loving these reviews.

[@Weiselberry]

Thanks! I've got that one on my list, but it's elusive.

[@winterburden]

Amazing, thanks for reviewing them!

[@musclesforsupes]

Did you hear Minus One won Academy Award for Best Effects!

[@Weiselberry]

WOOOOOOHOO!

[@LiamMichael-zr1uz]

Quite an undertaking doing four of these movies at once, exceptionally well done as usual though. The Mysterians is a good example of the merits of watching the Japanese version of these movies with English subtitles over the dubbed version. The Japanese version is a solid movie from the era and genre. The dubbed version comes across as unintentionally laughable at many points. There were two different dubs of this film,The one I’m referring to was the original RKO dub and not Bang Zoom! Entertainment’s later dub Which may or may not be better than RKO’s. It couldn’t be any worse. :)

[@dusterrant9332]

Always great seeing you review these old Toho gems!

[@鈺和謝]

Nice Godzilla you got behind you :))

[@johnpryor2063]

Loved your facial expressions during the introduction "Why did I do that???!!%€¥£!???" I thought I was a Japanese monster movie geek. I surrender, and throw my nuclear powered, alien crewed submarine from Base X (or whatever) into the ring, for you to take home at your leisure. Such Fangirl enthusiasm and on-the-spot comments. Keep it up as long as your day job permits.

[@spirenguard]

I just really love the presentation and aesthetic of this channel. The 480p and still shot just bring me back to a simpler happier time. I don't even know anything about these movies, this is just pleasant.

[@Weiselberry]

Thank you so much!

[@Ruby_Kang]

Regarding subtitles taking some liberties... There have been two sets of English subtitles made for Matango. The Japanese released Blu-ray has "newly written" English subtitles that are more authentic than the previous ones (made for an older DVD release). I've only watched the dubbed version and the Japanese Blu-ray, not the English subbed DVD. If the streamed movie you watched was a remastered HD copy then I'm assuming it had the newer subtitles, otherwise it may have used the older DVD English subtitles, which apparently were more westernized.

[@Weiselberry]

Thanks for that information!

[@ChristopherElli-cc1ly]

Dogora: heist movie that for some reason has a Space Jellyfish. But good effects. My mom love Matango: She was a psychologist, she thought it was a slow descent into madness. The whole movie is a hallucination. The Mysterians: Probably the most important Toho Kiajiu movie. it sets the pattern for most Toho Sci/Fi movies. "We need your Women!" If your gonna conquer a planet, i guess that a good reason. Without Markalite Fahps there would be no Masers. Never saw Atragon.

[@erocrush]

All four of these films were staples for local stations, popping up on "Sci fi Theater" on Saturday afternoons. When the original Japanese cuts started appearing on DVD (rather than expensive and sketchy bootlegs), old nerds like me were thrilled to find out the films had far more layers than we ever suspected. Also: was there a more prolific director in the 60s than Honda?

[@earthcreature5824]

Matango:When I watched the series "The Last of Us" last year,my thought was,this is "The Walking Dead",with mushroom people.Steven Soderbergh has at one point expressed interest in remaking Matango. Maybe he could incorporate it into a plot for "Ocean's 14."Although I don't know how Clooney,Damon,Pitt and crew could con their way out of a fungus attack.Thank you.Good show.

[@crashdive100]

Hey Jerome! In Stuart Galbraith's book Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo, Robert Dunham said DOGORA was intended as a comedy from the start. The American distributors tried to make it a straight-forward monster movie which really didn't work. The 'diamond G-Men' were supposed to be totally inept dorks. Bob Dunham also said he was disappointed that he wasn't asked to dub his own voice into English.

[@SpiderusPrime]

Fun Fact: Did know that Matango's laugh is later used in the Ultra Series, most famously, Alien Baltan.

[@13down13]

Dogora is OK. It's not boring, but it is as you said - disappointing. Most of the Honda movies suffer from "could-have, should-have beens". As I said in your previous Matango review, I like this movie a lot. It's one of my favorite Honda directed movies. The cast is top-notch. Also as I said before, the make-up person was struggling with what to do with Mizuno when she ate a mushroom because they didn't want to make her ugly. However, Honda said to make her more beautiful. They did and it was great. Couple of things you didn't mention is that there is Gilligan's Island parallel to this movie - 7 castaways in both. The other thing was the disappointment with the first time the mushroom man is seen on the boat. The scene just ends with no explanations. Honda, unfortunately, was reluctant to make a really scary movie, so he didn't want to show something like that. Oh, by the way, pretty sure the letter "a" is always pronounced "ah" in Japanese. That was what a language lesson in G-Fan magazine said anyway. I like Atragon more than you. I think it's a pretty good film. True, that the monster isn't great, but it's fine and, as you said, it does show up in Destroy All Monsters simply because they had an intact costume. Barugon didn't show up in that movie because he was lent out to do Ultraman and the costume wasn't available. The actress playing the empress does a good job and she didn't really do much acting other than this. The final scene is good and touching. Your still from that reminded me that Honda like to end most of his movies on a group shot like this. Can't remember if you have brought this up before. The Mysterians is also a pretty good one. Not great, but it's entertaining. Tsuchiya was offered a different role by Honda, but wanted to play the Mysterian leader. He was a popular actor at the time because of being in a few Kurosawa movies. I agree that the "monster" here is underwhelming, but it's serviceable. Crazy plot of needing Earth's women. You've now reviewed most of the Honday Sci-fi films. Maybe just two left, and those you probably won't do because they are hard to find. Half-Human and The Human Vapor. Both of these are good movies and worth seeking out. Half-Human has not been officially released because it was banned. However, a watchable version with subtitles can be found if one looks hard enough. The Human Vapor has not been banned, but has also not been given a proper US release. That one is must-see in my humble opinion.

[@DocFarnoff]

Great post as always! I'm happy to see you are using The Criterion Channel. I know you get hundreds of recommendations but be sure to check out at least one Seijun Suzuki film while you have it. Mr. S makes some of the best B grade crime noirs with a very creative style and some pretty bonkers stuff. I bet you'll become a long term Criterion subscriber. Their search feature isn't that good. Subscribing to their free monthly newsletter is quite helpful.🎭

[@mpulsiveartist]

I enjoy all of these movies but probably The Mysterians the most. Then, Atragon, Dogora, and Matango. The last is a little unpleasant at times, but I appreciate the creepiness. As you mentioned, it's a horror movie, something rare for Honda. Have you seen The H-Man or The Human Vapor? They're not on Criterion, but they're also worth a watch if you can find them. Thanks for the video.

[@Weiselberry]

I've seen The H-Man in the past, and I intend to watch it again and review it sometime if I can find a good copy. I'd like to see The Human Vapor, but it seems to be pretty rare.

[@nbhubbard]

I would put Atragon at number one. It's my favorite of the lot. Who wouldn't want to have a flying corkscrew submarine. I used to have a model of it, but the cat destroyed it, achieving what Manda never could.

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

The man on the far left bears a striking similarity to my brother-in-law. MY brother-in-law is a great man, caring and empathetic. My sister was very lucky in snagging him. She met him in China when she was doing Christian ministry. His heritage is Chinese.

[@tonymart105]

I gotta ask. How did you learn to pronounce Japanese names so well??

[@Weiselberry]

Ha, I don't know how well I'm actually doing, but I'm grateful if it sounds convincing enough! I've tried to pay attention to how the actors talk so I can get the vowel sounds and syllable emphasis right, but my main strategy has really just been to plow into the words/names and hope for the best. In the early Godzilla reviews, I was definitely pronouncing some things wrong, and a couple viewers helped straighten me out. But mostly I'm just out here talking fast and taking educated guesses. :)

[@ignyup]

Call it Gotango, it is called the same name in Godzilla Final Wars

[@Weiselberry]

Oh, I didn't make that connection! I guess that proves that all these special ships and things really don't stick with me.

[@Videogamelover58]

Great stuff

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

4:02 This actress was a "Bond girl" wasn't she?

[@michaelpippa1540]

Yep. From You Only Live Twice, Akiko Wakabayashi.

[@Ned_of_the_Hill]

Ms. Weiselberry, This was a great review! It must have been quite the task of covering four so very different movies at once. I agree with you that "Matango" and "The Mysterians" are in the top tier of Toho science fiction films. "Matango" is so very creepy. I had to laugh when you said that Yoshio Tsuchiya played the alien commander: he was *the* go-to guy for weird aliens, and so good at it!. Have you ever seen "The Human Vapor"? It was also directed by Ishiro Honda and starred Yoshio Tsuchiya; I remember that being pretty weird as well.

[@Weiselberry]

No, I haven't gotten to see The Human Vapor yet, but I've got it on my list for whenever I find it!

[@donkelley7407]

Hi J. Just wanted to say I really enjoyed these; nice work on organizing, writing, editing and presentation. Will keep an eye out for the Mysterians and the others related to it. Have an awesome week.

[@Weiselberry]

Thanks, Don!

[@ronnieburton1312]

I'm so glad you got to see these great movies, Jerome! I know you had waited a while to see THE MYSTERIANS and it's a favorite of mine. I love the alien leader having two voices. For whatever reason, Robert Dunham was redubbed for the Japanese version of MEGALON by voice actor Goro Naya, who dubbed Nick Adams for his two Japanese monster films. Possibly boring trivia: the detective who sees Etsuko and Hiroko being a abducted was played by Shoichi Hirose, who later wore the King Kong costume for the battle with Godzilla.

[@nightspore4850]

Thanks Jerome. My movie treat of the week. Only you could see a giant flying jellyfish and say, “Yes! A must-see!” Weird, but delightful as always.

[@ls-420stoner6]

I saw Atragon on Tubi and I kinda liked it. I also like the subtext of the renegade IJN Officer who built Atragon. I can kinda understand his mindset. A warrior who doesn't want to admit defeat and keep on fighting for his honor and homeland. I also liked how the Atragon (renamed Gotengo) was reused in Godzilla, Final War. If I remember correctly, Atragon/Gotengo was supposed to have made an appearance in the Heise Era Godzilla films.

[@fletchkeilman2205]

I happen to enjoy the dubbed films of the showa series, much like I enjoy the dubbing for all the old kung Fu movies I still watch even to this day. I do enjoy seeing films with their ...original (?)...language and soundtrack....don't get me wrong. But there are times where the dubbing was done VERY well.....especially in kung Fu films and eurohorror films. With Japanese horror and scifi, many of the films were dubbed by the studios that were distributing the film overseas, so they used their own dubbing houses, and NOT the international HK dubbing houses that we often hear when watching HK and Taiwanese Kung Fu movies. Very few Japanese Sci-Fi films used the HK/INternational dubs. I guess I enjoy them because I remember all the voices distinctly...Like, for instance, that of Ted Thomas. He was in every kung Fu film from 1968 to 1984, and can be heard in G vs Megalon, and G vs, Gigan, as well as a few non Kaiju Toho films. They often bring back childhood memories, as I associate the voices with the fun I had watching these films, as well as making remakes of them with my friends and a crappy vhs recorder. I don't understand all the hate for the dubbed versions , really. But...to each their own!! I will watch either or, at any given time, I suppose.

[@Videolandexpress]

Wow, I grew up with these. Curious question. Does Criterion give you an option with language dubs on these and do they include any extra features? Amazon rite now has the Millennium films with trivia through out the films. That also includes a 30 day trial if your curious. Thx !

[@RSEFX]

Wow! Very thorough and nuanced overview of films that, from the get-go are overflowing with stuff (excuse the use of such a refined word! ha) to consider! Especially enjoyed hearing a long discussion of ATRAGON, which hold a special place in the heart for me for personal reasons. But, also, the new review of THE MYSTERIANS,. I am SO glad you were able to see it in all its colorful glory. I recall that the night scenes of Mogora (sp?) were much darker when seen in the theater), and the color even more saturated than in this video, but maybe the latter is a memory-exaggeration? I have heard that the US films, THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, THIS ISLAND EARTH and FORBIDDEN PLANET were all, in one way or another, an influence on Toho in their making of THE MYSTERIANS, ., and I can see elements from each of those films popping up here and there. DOGORA is indeed a missed opportunity, but that creature!---a wonderful visual. (And I share the pain of dealing with cloud-tank effecss/the hidden complications in using this technique. It is a very powerful tool for creating all kinds of overt and subtle illusions, but, yes, tricky.) The ship-board sets in MATANGO are truly beautiful in their nightmarishness! Their degraded, condition seem a good metaphor for the humans' conditions; their downward de-evolution morally and physically. One of my favorites in the world of Japanese "fantastic" film making. IIf you haven't already, I suggest a reading of VOICE IN THE NIGHT, the Wm. Hope Hodgson short story this movie was based upon. You might also find DERELICT, another ship-wreck story of his that is truly creepy and very haunting and which overlaps a bit with this tale.) Thanks again for taking on this Honda retrospective showing!

[@joemadden4160]

Thanks for mentioning Derelict. It was the basis for a short story in the very first issue of Vampirella entitled "Death Boat" by Don Glut (a horror historian in his own right). In this story, a woman recounts how she's the lone survivor of a life boat in which all the other passengers have died, reputedly by another passenger, believed to be a vampire. The last person to die is her own boyfriend, whom she stakes, only to discover to her horror that it is (surprise, surprise) the Death Boat that's been draining them. The Derelict is a far better story. Death Boat is merely a filler. Cheers.

[@RSEFX]

@@joemadden4160 Thanks for the comment and background. I am acquainted with Don Glut. Had breakfast with him with a group of friends not that long ago. We've known each other for years, but I've never really talked to him about those writings of his.

[@ronnieburton1312]

@@RSEFX That's awesome that you met Don Glut! His book, "Classic Movie Monsters" is great!

[@ronnieburton1312]

@@joemadden4160 I remember Vampirella from when I was very young! Amazing magazine!

[@joemadden4160]

@@RSEFX Read many of Don's books on the history of horror👍🏼One of my favorites was Classic Movie Monsters.

[@Nickel_The_Wise]

I had these in a Toho three-pack back in 2009 or so, Matango was a great grab, but I hadn't seen Dogora until after that.. yeah, it's certainly an unfocused movie, but Dogora itself is a super cool effect to be sure. The spooky spore-based fungal fear fable on the table here is the real quality of this grab, that suffocating dread of being trapped on an island only augmented by the gradual unmooring of everyones' minds before anything supernatural even happens. The Mysterians are a decent swing at a new sci fi adventure, but it's.. every time, there's a silliness factor that is REALLY loud, I didn't know the Yumi Shirakawa kept cracking up either, that's terrific~ there's a kind of secret rule to silly science fiction, and that is TRY and take this seriously, and sometimes, it's just too much. Lovely big time review though, I love this kinda stuff from your educated and erudite perspective ✨🪙

[@paulwhiston1836]

I still need to see latitude zero and a couple of the other lesser known toho sci fi. I like all these ones to a degree. Someone said matango was Gilligans island as a horror film. Ive never watched Gilligans island. We don't really have a cult for that in England. Regarding Atragon and not liking lost civilisation films I'm guessing youd be no fan of the 1930s "She" which I love largely because of Helen "son of kong" Mack who is the best thing in both those films. Atragon also makes me think of the voyage to the bottom of the sea episode from series 2 that has a Japanese soldier trapped in a cave with some Americans since ww2, the end scene of which is almost enough to bring tears to your eye. Also I like derpy in my monsters, derpy later showa rodan is the best Rodan even if it looks like the "why bird" from "play bus"

[@Hedgehobbit]

Gilligan's Island was a TV show that appeared a few years after Matango which is about a group of people shipwrecked on an island. The cast is composed of a two sailors, a professor, a millionaire, a movie star. Pretty much the exact same characters as Matango.

[@teedup8995]

The episode of Voyage is 'And Five of us are left', and the ending is really touching.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

Basically, the problems with the Mysterions were Imperial Japan's with the Allies.

[@marknelson2-ih6sq]

DOGORA was a nothing .. MATANGO is by far the best tho it starts out with that silly musical production number on the yacht .. ATRAGON & MYSTERIANS don't have enough creature or robot scenes to make them worth watching

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

21:33 I like military vehicles. I used to play a game called Hearts of Iron, that began in 1936. Many times would play as Japan. Now matter the strategy used, by late 1942 Japan will be crushed by the US.

[@dnckrk1701]

Thanks for the video. I'm glad you're enjoying the Criterion Channel. They have quite a few Toho pictures on there, beyond the monster/sci-fi stuff. Keep up the good work.

[@johnathancena5067]

honda would be so proud of this minus one team. first academy award in Godzilla's 70 year franchise.. beat hollywood movies with only 6% of their budgets..

[@iNuchalHead]

Am I the only one who likes to compare Matango to Gilligan's Island? It's fun to think about!

[@andrewpragasam]

I always enjoy your astute analyses of Japanese genre films. Glad you were finally able to view a good copy of The Mysterians. It makes all the difference when it comes to savoring that lush Tohoscope spectacle. A lot of folks tend to find Atragon rather dry although the underlining message is suitably profound and engaging i.mo. Toho forced Ishiro Honda to include the sea serpent Manda although, again i.m.o., the movie needed it. I always secretly hoped Toho might have got around to making a Godzilla vs. Dogura. If nothing else it would've been visually striking with possibly a more engaging story. Oh, and yes if I saw Mogera walking down the street towards me I would indeed be terrified. Starstruck but terrified.

[@Hedgehobbit]

Has anyone figured out how the characters of Matango and of Gilligan's Island are exactly the same? Coincidence or thievery?

[@williamblakehall5566]

Thanks for putting me onto Dogora. I already know and appreciate the others. I think "Atragon" is meant to suggest "atomic dragon." I give the Mysterians' giant robot some credit -- at least, as birdlike menaces go, it's not the Giant Claw (which I've heard described as a kind of inadvertent American kaiju). Excellent installment, Rome. Owl be seeing you.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

Wakare masen ka Nihongo? 日本語を話せますか?

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

The "natural disasters" look both "natural" and "disastrous."

[@kevinogracia1615]

You got me at "bonkers." Peace on earth.

[@johnathancena5067]

the 🐐

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

I like the hats . . . .

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

It reminds me of Steve Ditko Spider-Man stories from around the same time . . . .

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

I prefer the English dubs that were sanctioned by TOHO.

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

3:58 I do like Ishirō Honda, the crazier the better.

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

13:05 ...or in the Japanese Army. I admire the IJN, but not the IJA.

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

15:22 I never knew my brother-in-law was a movie star.

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

In general,l like Ms. Weiselberry’s style,although she can be a bit too goofy and self-indulgent at times.

[@Weiselberry]

I'm going to assume you don't like the blooper reels. Too bad. Self-indulgent, though? It is MY channel, after all!

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

Ishirō Honda was in the Japanese Army in the China occupation. Odds are high that he was a war criminal.

[@kansas321]

I’ve seen all of these aside from matango. I’d rank them: 1. Dogora 2. Atragon 3. The mysterians Dogora had an interesting plot to me. Atragon was cool because manda 🫣. The mysterians really dragged for me!