Mothra

MOTHRA-1961-A group of scientists, photog Michi (Kyoko Kagawa) and Bulldog (Furanki Sakai), a stowaway reporter go to investigate an island they thought was deserted after learning of an A-bomb testing by the nation of Rolisca (stand in for the USA). They discover “Shobijin” two tiny ladies who save Dr. Chujo (Hiroshi Koizumi) from some killer plants. An evil guy named Neruson (Jerry Ito) tries to capture the duo and natives surround the group. They leave but Neruson comes back, kidnaps the little pair and takes them to Japan where he plans to exploit them. Bad move. They sing a song about Mothra who eventually comes to Japan as a giant caterpillar. When the army fails to kill it, Mothra spins a cocoon and becomes the colorful winged giant moth. Neruson is killed and the girls are returned to their island. Bulldog's editor is played by the great Takeshi Shimura.

 Ishiro Honda directed and did his usual great job despite a restricted budget. It was the first entry in a new Kaiju series that would eventually rival Godzilla in popularity in Japan. The J-pop duo “The Peanuts” played the little ladies (they were really twin sisters).

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Godzilla Follow Up

RODAN-1956-After a “cheery” intro about the H-bomb, a narrator named Shigeru Kawamura (Kenji Sahara) tells us what's happening in the mines of Kyushu. After his future brother in law Goro (Rinsaku Ogata) has a fight, he talks about the uneasiness of the miners on that day and how mine #8 was deeper than any of the others. After a flood in the tunnel, they find one miner “hacked to pieces”. Goro is the other missing miner who's found and blamed for the death. A police officer and two miners investigate and are killed. Goro's sister (and Shigeru's main squeeze) Kiyo (Yumi Shirakawa) doesn't have it easy as everyone thinks her brother is a murderer. A giant insect invades a village. Rodan shows up with his mate and although they destroy several cities and kill many people their deaths are quite poignant. 

Keye Luke provides the dubbed voice of Shigeru and other well known voices are provided by Paul Frees, Art Gilmore and George Takei. Following up his success with GODZILLA, director Ishiro Honda shot this in color with most of the “Big G's” personal behind him.

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