Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda ReviewMushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda, by Peter H. Brothers, is a fascinating look at the career of a man who was not only one of the most important Japanese filmmakers of the 20th century, but also one of the most overlooked. While Akira Kurosawa justifiably gets accolades among film-scholars for such classics as Seven Samurai and Throne of Blood, it is the fantasy cinema of Ishiro Honda that has been beloved by moviegoers around the world for over fifty years. In films such as Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan, Honda introduced us to some of the most memorable movie-monsters of all time, capturing the imaginations of generations of audiences. Yet the man behind the movies has remained largely unsung.
Here at last is the story of that man. In his book, Peter H. Brothers introduces us to the passions, the fears, the hopes, and the regrets of Ishiro Honda, offering a rarely-seen glimpse into the director's formative years and the life experiences that would influence all of his work. The book's in-depth biography traces Honda's life from early childhood to his initial experiences with Toho Studios, follows him through his wartime experiences, and then examines closely his prolific career. Each chapter focuses on a different era, beginning with the creative triumphs of the fifties, following up with the commercial successes of the early sixties, and finally exploring the creative differences between Honda and Toho that brought his career to a bitter halt.
The subject is vast, and there are times when one wishes that the material could have been explored in more detail. But despite this, facts emerge that have seldom, if ever, come to light, and both casual readers and fans of Honda's work will find much of interest. Of particular interest are Honda's rarely-discussed non-fantasy films, especially Eagle of the Pacific and Farewell Rabaul, commercial and critical successes that paved the way for the blockbusters that were to come. Equally fascinating, though, is the detailed analysis of each of Honda's fantasy films. The author's deep respect for Honda's work is evident on every page, yet he remains admirably objective, not shying away from harsh criticism when the director's work was less-than-satisfactory, yet always managing to find something positive to say, showcasing highly-entertaining films that many critics and mainstream movie-goers have unfairly dismissed.
The book is not perfect. There are a number of misprints throughout the book, and these will hopefully be corrected in any future printing. However, the positive aspects easily outweigh any negatives. It is engaging, informative, and highly entertaining. For students of film theory looking to explore the impact that Japanese fantasy filmMushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda OverviewHere, for the first time in English print, is the inspiring story of a humble and soft-spoken man who became one of the most-prolific directors in the history of fantasy films. Raised in a primitive Japanese village by a Buddhist monk, Ishiro Honda fell in love with films at a young age and soon enrolled in film school with the intent of one day becoming a director. Called to enlist in the Imperial Japanese Army druing World War II, he returned with a knowledge of the futility of war and a dread of the atomic age. A dedicated craftsman who directed over 80 films during a remarkable 60-plus year career, Honda is undeservedly remembered mostly as the "greatest director" of the famous Japanese monster film series; however, he was in fact much more. Utelizing a wide-variety of source material never before assembled into one volume, Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men is an objective critical analysis and definitve study of a man whose fantasy films - when seen in their original versions - are "beautiful nightmares" of quality and subtext which transcend the visceral thrill of watching monsters destroying cities. Honda's admirers include George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg and his films are masterpieces of entertainment that have enthralled audiences for generations . . . and will for generations to come.

Want to learn more information about Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film ReviewWhen I originally came to this page, it was to order another copy of this book for a friend. But then I saw two pretty unfair reviews here and felt the need to chime in with a much different take on the subject. Both seem to be upset about what they think is an obsessively encyclopedic bent in the book - a perception that seems unwarranted. This methodical rundown of the films of the directors (and two actors) is exactly why I bought the book - to fill in the gaps in my knowledge of these filmmakers' work. I more than got what I wanted. Brown's complaint in his review laments that there are plenty of other outlaw Japanese directors that are more deserving than those included - the book's author addresses this very subject in the introduction, naming scores of directors, actors and actresses he would have liked to have included but was unable to because of matters of space. I also have to rebut the complaints of "feeling at sea" with the book's approach to the films and Japanese film history and film industry. This book is written for people who already have seen a few Japanese genre movies, have picked up on several of the films of the "masters" included in the book and want to know more. And it delivers. No writer in English, to my knowledge, has ever bothered to investigate or write about the numerous films Seijun Suzuki made before 1963's YOUTH OF THE BEAST. But Chris D. gives descriptions of scores of Suzuki's fifties and early sixties output, and it was greatly illuminating to this reader. Likewise, his chapter (with a nice long interview) on enfant terrible underground filmmaker Koji Wakamatsu is one of the most detailed and in-depth ever to appear in English and covered twice as many of Wakamatsu's films as Jack Hunter's laudable but more scattershot approach in his "Eros In Hell" book. The Wakamatsu chapter - for me - was worth the price of the book alone! Likewise the chapters on such other filmmakers as Kinji Fukasaku (BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY series), actress Meiko Kaji and lesser known filmmakers like Teruo Ishii, Junya Sato and Kazuo Ikehiro. When I purchased this book initially, I bought it at a booksigning at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles where author Chris D. works as a programmer. I met him, and I know from talking to him that night that he was disappointed in the publisher's use of the pictures that he had provided to them, using only a third of the number and reproducing them in a fairly slipshod manner. I've also heard that Chris D. was instrumental in bringing Miike's AUDITION, Shinoda's PALE FLOWER and the first of Meiko Kaji's FEMALE CONVICT films to cult DVD notoriety here in the USA. I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about these filmmakers...and I did! It has its faults, but it is well worth the purchase price - the author's more aesthetics-oriented (although he keeps it from ever getting too intellectual), less-mainstream, more serious approach is preferable (for me anyway) to the goofy fun and chaotic organization of books like Patrick Macias' "Tokyoscope" (which I still like, too). And yes, this Chris D. is the same guy who is singer/songwriter of The Flesh Eaters!Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film OverviewOutlaw Masters of Japanese Film offers an extraordinary close-up of the hitherto overlooked golden age of Japanese cult, action and exploitation cinema from the early 1950s through to the late 1970s, and up to the present day. Having unique access to the top maverick filmmakers and Japanese genre film icons, Chris D. brings together interviews with, and original writings on, the lives and films of such transgressive directors as Kinji Fukasaku (Battles Without Honour and Humanity), Seijun Suzuki (Branded to Kill) and Koji Wakamatsu (Ecstasy of the Angels) as well as performers like Shinichi 'Sonny' Chiba (The Streetfighter, Kill Bill Vol. 1) and glamorous actress Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood). Bringing the story up to date with an overview of such Japanese "enfants terrible" as Takashi Miike (Audition) and Kiyoshi Kurasawa (Cure),the book also provides a compendium of facts and extras including filmographies, related bibliographies on genre fiction including Manga, and a section on female yakuzas. Illustrated with fantastic stills and posters from some of Japan's finest cult and action films, this is a veritable bible for fans and newcomers alike.

Want to learn more information about Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day ReviewThis is an excellent reference work for anyone who has even a passing interest in Japanese cinema. Jacoby structures the book well, proceeding through all of the major Japanese directors (and many minor ones) in alphabetical order. For each director's entry, he provides a broad career overview - offering his own opinions of the major films - then includes a filmography. While I don't agree with absolutely all of his statements, his opinions are always interesting to read and well-informed, and it's nice to get a fresh (to me) perspective on such classic Japanese filmmakers as Kobayashi, Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi...
Another striking thing about this book is that Jacoby isn't snobby about which directors he includes. So he has "classical" directors like Mizoguchi in here, and also genre directors like Ishiro Honda of "Godzilla" fame and Takashi Miike. His willingness to cover drama, horror, science fiction, and gangster films in a single volume makes him more open-minded than most other aficionados of Japanese cinema, who tend to limit themselves to one or two genres. (Indeed, rare is the critic who enjoys both Tokyo Story and The Mysterians, as I do.) Another highlight is that Jacoby includes some useful appendices, such as an overview of the major Japanese film studios and a list of historical eras in Japan (handy for figuring out when all these samurai movies are supposed to take place).
Of course, since the book covers a lot of ground, Jacoby doesn't delve too deeply into any one director's work. Even "big guns" like Ozu and Kurosawa have short entries; and while Jacoby has room to challenge some common theories about Ozu, he doesn't have quite enough room to properly develop his counter-theories. Also, like most handbooks, this can get a little dry if you try to read it all in one go; I prefer to sample individual entries whenever I feel like it.
Overall, this is good stuff, and I look forward to using this book to track down the more obscure classics of Japanese cinema. As a pointless aside, many of the movies covered in this book have very amusing titles (in translation), on the order of: "Ninja Mountain Attack Saga: Duel by Autumn Moonlight!" Just thought I'd mention that, because it gave me a few chuckles.A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day Overview
This important work fills the need for a reasonably priced yet comprehensive volume on major directors in the history of Japanese film. With clear insight and without academic jargon, Jacoby examines the works of over 150 filmmakers to uncover what makes their films worth watching.

Included are artistic profiles of everyone from Yutaka Abe to Isao Yukisada, including masters like Kinji Fukasaku, Juzo Itami, Akira Kurosawa, Takashi Miike, Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, and Yoji Yamada. Each entry includes a critical summary and filmography, making this book an essential reference and guide.

UK-based Alexander Jacoby is a writer and researcher on Japanese film.


Want to learn more information about A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...