MUSHROOM CLOUDS AND MUSHROOM MEN — THE FANTASTIC CINEMA OF ISHIRO HONDA

Written by Joe D on January 17th, 2010

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Here’s a book all about Japanese master filmmaker Ishiro Honda. Primarily known for Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and a slew of other fantasy sci-fi horror films.

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Some of my favorites are The H-Man and Attack Of The Mushroom People. The book seems very well researched and written in an enjoyable easy to get into style. I especially liked a section on Eiji Tsuburaya, special effects guru and mentor to Honda. Mention is made of a WWII propaganda film War At Sea From Hawaii To Malaysia, that sounds fantastic, incredible miniatures showing the Pearl Harbor attack. I really would like to check that one out. The Japanese Sci-Fi, Fantasy films influenced generations of filmmakers the world over and dealt with Atom Age Angst as powerfully as any other Art, maybe even more so, seeing as they were created by the people that suffered the results of an Atomic Attack. Peter H. Brooks has done a great service to film students and film lovers in writing this book and illuminating the life of a hugely influential, yet somewhat unheralded filmmaker. I say to him “Bravo!”

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