- Dogora (1964 film)
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Dogora, the Space Monster
Original Japanese posterDirected by Ishirō Honda Produced by Yasuyoshi Tajitsu
Tomoyuki Tanaka
Samuel Z. Arkoff (USA)
James H. Nicholson (USA)Written by Jojiro Okami (story)
Shinichi SekizawaStarring Yosuke Natsuki
Yōko Fujiyama
Hiroshi Koizumi
Nobuo Nakamura
Robert Dunham
Akiko Wakabayashi
Jun Tazaki
Susumu Fujita
Seizaburô Kawazu
Eisei AmamotoMusic by Akira Ifukube Cinematography Hajime Koizumi Editing by Ryohei Fujii Distributed by Toho
United Artists
Release date(s) August 11, 1964
December 20, 1966
Running time 83 minutes Country Japan Language Japanese
English (Dubbed)Dogora or Dagora, the Space Monster, released in Japan as Uchū Daikaijū Dogora (宇宙大怪獣ドゴラ , lit. "Giant Space Monster Dogora"), is a tokusatsu science fiction film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1964. It was directed by the "Golden Duo" of director Ishirō Honda and special-effects director Eiji Tsuburaya.
Contents
Plot
Several satellites are destroyed and only a few days later, a group of diamond thieves find that the gems they stole suddenly disappear. The two incidents are linked as scientists discover giant jellyfish-like creatures, mutated from the high levels of radiation over Japan, are consuming all carbon based matter. The creatures start to attack civilian structures such as bridges and ships. The scientists must find a way to stop the creatures before it is too late.
Cast
- Komai - Yosuke Natsuki
- Mark Jackson - Dan Yuma (Robert Dunham)
- Dr. Munakata - Nobuo Nakamura
- Kirino - Hiroshi Koizumi
- Masayo Kirino - Yoko Fujiyama
- Hamako - Akiko Wakabayashi
- Iwasa - Susumu Fujita
- Boss - Seizaburou Kawazu
- Tada - Yoshifumi Tajima
- Maki - Eisei Amamoto
- Sabu - Haruya Katou
- Chief - Jun Tazaki
- Nitta - Jun Funado
- Diamond robber - Nadao Kirino
- Diamond robber - Akira Wakamatsu
- Journalist - Hideo Shibuya
- Truck driver - Haruya Sakamoto
- Truck assistant - Yasuo Araki
- Chief - Yutaka Oka
- Driver - Tyoutarou Tougin
- Dr. Munakata's assistant - Kouji Iwamoto
English Version
As with its release of Attack of the Mushroom People, American International Television bought the rights to Toho's international dub in 1965 for television syndication. Since the film wouldn't play in US theaters, AIP-TV left Toho's English dub intact and added a new Dagora, the Space Monster title card. Allegedly, the name of the monster was changed to "Dagora" so that audiences wouldn't think the monster was a dog. Beyond the removal of the opening credits, the film was unedited. This version played for many years on late night TV and was released on home video by Video Yesteryear in 1983. The Media Blasters DVD uses the same dubbing featured in the AIP-TV version, but the edits are not retained.
Credits
- Teruyoshi Nakano- Director of Optical Effects
- Sadamasa Arikawa- Special Effects Cinematographer
- Takeo Kita- Special Effects Set Director
- Ken Sano- Assistant to the Director
References
- Variety Weekly. August 4, 1965.
- Sanford and Son. 1973. In the episode "Home Sweet Home for the Aged" Fred laments about missing this movie while out on a Sunday drive.
External links
- "宇宙大怪獣ドゴラ (Uchū Daikaijū Dogora)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1964/cn002200.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
Films directed by Ishirō Honda 1950s The Blue Pearl (1951) · The Skin of the South (1952) · The Man Who Came to Port (1952) · Adolescence Part II (1953) · Eagle of the Pacific (1953) · Farewell Rabaul (1954) · Godzilla (1954) · Love Makeup (1955) · Oen-san (1955) · Half Human (1955) · Young Tree (1956) · Night School (1956) · Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956) · People of Tokyo, Goodbye (1956) · Rodan (1956) · Be Happy, These Two Lovers (1957) · A Teapicker's Song of Goodbye (1957) · A Rainbow Plays in My Heart (1957) · A Farewell to the Woman Called My Sister (1957) · The Mysterians (1957) · Song for a Bride (1958) · The H-Man (1958) · Varan the Unbelievable (1958) · Battle in Outer Space (1959)1960s The Human Vapor (1960) · Mothra (1961) · Gorath (1962) · King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) · Matango (1963) · Atragon (1963) · Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) · Dogora (1964) · Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) · Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) · Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) · The War of the Gargantuas (1966) · King Kong Escapes (1967) · Destroy All Monsters (1968) · Latitude Zero (1969) · All Monsters Attack (1969)1970s Categories:- Japanese films
- Films directed by Ishirō Honda
- 1964 films
- 1960s science fiction films
- United Artists films
- Kaiju films
- Alien visitation films
- Toho films
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