Japan, 1956
70m (USA – television), 72m (USA), 74m (USA), 82m
35mm film, Eastmancolor, 1.37:1
Perspecta Stereo, Japanese
A Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirô Honda.
Plot Summary
When a mine shaft is sunk to record levels near the small town of Kitamatsu, a flood spells disaster. But worse is yet to come – the mining has freed a race of giant caterpillars which are soon on the rampage. But things get worse still with the discovery of a huge egg in a cavern, an egg that hatches into the flying reptile Rodan…
Credits
Crew
Director: Ishirô Honda
Toho
Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka
US Version Producers: Frank King, Maurice King
Script: Takeshi Kimura, Takeo Murata
US Version Script: David Duncan
Story: Ken Kuronuma
1st Assistant Director: Jun Fukuda
Director of Photography: Isamu Ashida
Editors: Robert S. Eisen, Koichi Iwashita
Laboratories: Far East Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan; Technicolor (US release prints)
Music: Akira Ifukube
Sound Recordist: Masanobu Miyazaki
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Director of Special Effects: Eiji Tsuburaya
Special Effects Art Director: Akira Watanabe
Special Effects Opticals: Hiroshi Mukoyama
Production Designer: Tatsuo Kita
Locations: Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan; Mount Aso, Kyushu, Japan
Cast
Kenji Sawara (Shigeru Kamura)
Yumi Shirakawa (Kiyo)
Akihiko Hirata (Professor Kashiwagi)
Akio Kobori (Police Chief Nishimura)
Yasuko Nakata (female honeymooner)
Minosuke Yamada (colliery chief Osaki)
Yoshifumi Tajima (Izeki)
Kiyoharu Ohnaka (male honeymooner)
Alternative Titles
Die Fliegenden Monster von Osaka – West Germany (television)
Radon
Rodan
Rodan il mostro alato – Italy
Rodan! the Flying Monster – USA
Rodan, tuntematon vihollinen – Finland
Rodan. Los hijos del volcán – Spain
Skräck över Japan – Sweden
Links
Extracts included in
Gojira Fuantajî ~SF Kôkyô Fuantajî~ (1984)
Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here (1988)
See also
Blue Sunshine (1977)
Press
1958
The Daily Cinema no.7941 (10 January 1958) p.7
There’s some terrific trick work and special effects in this SF shocker which is bound to delight the hearts of the fans […] There’s a minimal but sympathetic romantic interest and colour (presumably increasing the difficulties of the technicians thousandfold) is used to great effect. – from a review by F.J.
Kinematograph Weekly no.2631 (16 January 1958) p.18
Gripping science fiction melodrama from the and of Nippon. […] Kenji Sawara and Yumi Shirakawa make the most of the romantic asides […] but it’s the rodans, certainly no tawny pippets, who steal the limelight and create tremendous thrills. Ambitious and ingenious staging and model work put the hectic illusion well and truly over. – from an uncredited review
References
Periodicals
- The Daily Cinema no.7938 (7 January 1958) p.9 – note (RKO’s ‘Rodan!’ On Thursday)
- The Daily Cinema no.7941 (10 January 1958) p.7 – review (by F.J.)
- Kinematograph Weekly no.2630 (9 January 1958) p.16 – note (‘Rodan!’ is in town)
- Kinematograph Weekly no.2631 (16 January 1958) p.18 – review (uncredited)
