HoopTober 8: Mosquito Takes Mandragon

Movie 59
2nd of 2 Kaiju or Kong films

Sometimes people ask me why I love movies so much, and part of my answer (when I'm in a good mood and don't say something like "Why do you love being a jerk so much?") is that I just find them to be beautiful objects. I know they're not actually "objects" but you know what I mean. To me, a well-made film is a thing of beauty.

And of all the beautiful film artefacts out there to enjoy, surely some of the most beautiful are the Showa era kaiju films. Folks who are unversed in this form of cinema, perhaps the same people who even like giant monster movies but whose frame of reference is the Hollywood CGI blockbusters of our day, might scoff at the comparatively rudimentary effects, declaring they can't really get into these movies which look so artificial. Well, yes, those people are nincompoops. But that's like saying you can't stand a Monet painting because it's too blurry. I'm sorry, but your artistic appreciation is stunted if you require all effects to be the modern CGI variety - it just is.

Anyway, for everyone still reading who I haven't offended with my arrogance (I'm just gonna own it), Mothra put me in a state of absolute bliss as soon as it started. The timing couldn't have been better. I'd had a slightly shitty day (just unimportant work-related crap, but you know how it is) and then I watched Witchhammer which, although also a genuinely great film, is a bit of downer (and yes: still a beautiful object). So I desperately needed a pick-me-up and by Ghidorah didn't this one pack a hell of an endorphin punch.

A particular strength of the film is that it takes more than half an hour for a single glimpse of anything kaiju-related to appear - and I didn't even think of that until Mothra showed up. The human story is really good here - I'm not arguing it's Oscar-worthy drama, but it's an incredibly fun adventure story. Also, Zen the Reporter is definitely my favourite human character in kaiju films so far. Frankie Sakai is like a Japanese Lou Costello, with the comedy dialled back just a touch to enable him to play a sort of heroic role along the with square jawed lead (who's fine, but rather fades into the background in comparison to Sakai).

Despite a lot of extraneous details (which manage not to crowd the storyline, actually giving it a rather enjoyable cultural specificity) the core plot is about as simple as it's possible to be. That doesn't mean it's not a bit weird. Scientific expedition steals miniature twins (!) and Mothra is awakened to come and rescue them from... oh, I nearly forgot! New Kirk City! My favourite semi-fictionalised American city as reimagined by the Japanese. I mean, all kaiju movie cities are cute as a button, but New Kirk City takes the biscuit, surely!

I've been exploring a few Millennium era kaiju films which are terrific as well, but coming back to a genuine Showa era classic like this one really makes you feel the class and richness of the production, as well as that gorgeous 60's-era Japanese cinematography that I love so much! (That's what I mean. Beautiful objects, folks)