All language subtitles for Furankenshutain tai Chitei Kaiju Baragon.1965.EN.Commentary

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.