Three Foreign Film Rants
EDITOR'S NOTE: It's orange for the rest of October.
Film Rant 1: Santo: Contra La Hija de Frankestein
Language: Spanish
Nation: Mexico
For those who don't know, there was an entire genre of Mexican film in the late 1950's-1970's of "luchador films," which consisted of luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) in starring roles, protecting the innocent in their off-time by fighting crime, thwarting sci-fi villians, and wrestling monsters. No, I'm not making this up. I love Mexico. Anyways, one wrestler in particular kick-started the genre with three films in the late 50's (which also have the added distinction that their filming wrapped up mere days before Castro took power), and he ended up being (arguably) the most popular luchador from that period. That wrestler was El Santo ("The Saint"), and he made somewhere around sixty films throughout his career.
In this film in particular, "Santo vs. The Daughter of Frankestein," Santo fights the woman of the title, who despite her age is still kicking around doing evil thanks to a temporary (and painful) youth-restoring serum she invented (and that it's implied has blood as a primary ingredient). Along with her gang of old-men-restored-to-youth minions. Plus a monster she made from body parts because, hey, she's the daughter of "Frankestein." ...And a man who was mutated by replacing his blood with that of an ape...somehow...for some reason.
Like The Valley of Gwangi, this film had a number of elements that when thrown together really make for an interesting whole. Aside from the mexican wrestling twist and the gleefully hodge-podge of a premise, the music was an interesting mix, evoking gothing horror, 70's horror, and 70's sci-fi all within a minute of each other. The upside is that if I wasn't turned on to the luchador genre before, I certainly am now. The downside, of course, is figuring out where the heck I'm going to find even one other luchador film in Columbus, OH.
Film Rant 2: Kaena: The Prophecy
Language: English Dub
Nation: France
I'm glad I finally got to see this film. I've known of it's existence since at least the turn of the century, when it was still in development. This, coupled with the fact that I could actually recognize the names of some of the English voice actors (Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris) lead to my caving in and watching the English version, rather than the original French in English subtitles. It's not a decision I regret.
Kaena is France's first CGI film (and Europe's first, I think), and I enjoyed it despite the plethora of bad reviews it's garnered across the Internet. Some of this, however, I attribute to the common problem among reviewers, both professional and amateur, to judge certain foreign films according to inappropriate standards. True, complaints about certain plot elements (or lack thereof) are probably justified, but whenever I see a reviewer gripe about SFX standards or "confusing endings" in a foreign film, I take it with a grain of salt. As I mentioned, this is the first CGI film to come out of France, and given that the animation is just fine. Some have complained about a "raw" or "substandard" feel to it, but I think this was deliberate on the part of the animators. It's a good combination of near-realistic CGI and certain stylistic choices, and personally I enjoyed the juxtaposition it created. As for the whole "the ending doesn't make sense!" complaint...these people need to watch more anime. After watching Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon, Casshern, and any number of other anime films, I can tell you that when American films have endings that make sense, they're invoking a privelage, not a right.
Film Rant 3: Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Language: Japanese
Nation: Japan
This flim was from the original Godzilla era of films, and Hedorah is considered by many to be Godzilla's most powerful enemy from that era. Normally I'd watch Showa-era Godzilla films with the English dubs, since most of those are ludicrous to begin with, and the atrocious dubbing only makes it funnier. A friend of mine advised me to watch in Japanese with subtitles, though, as this one was "more serious."
In hindsight, that's mostly a lie.
Oh, it's true that the enviromental message of the film was serious enough. You see, Hedorah is essentially a creature made primarily out of industrial waste and other forms of human pollution, and the point is made several times in the film that the creature only gets stronger as more pollution is dumped into the oceans and the air. This allows the film to capitalize on the fear of rampant industrial pollution that was just starting to form in the early 70's. It's actually a pretty neat contrast when you think about it: Godzilla, a creature that reflected our fear of nuclear war and weaponry in the 1950's, finds his greatest match (at the time) in a creature that reflected our then-greater fear of pollution in the 1970's.
The way this all sounds in concept, however, is much, much different from how it was actually played out. Weird psychedelic sequences that served as music videos for Japanese youth bands. Cartoon sequences of Hedorah destroying civilization between certain scenes. And what was with that trumpet-fanfare theme music that accompanied Godzilla himself every other time he was on screen? Were they trying to go for humor there?
The best (or worst) part, though, was when Hedorah is flying away from the scene of battle at one point. Godzilla begins using his infamous atomic flame breath on a patch of ground for some reason...then rises into the air and begins flying backwards using the flame breath as jet propulsion.
I'm sorry, but even for a Showa-era Godzilla film that right there jumps about 500 sharks. While doing an Ollie Impossible. With a motorcycle. On fire.
Film Rant 1: Santo: Contra La Hija de Frankestein
Language: Spanish
Nation: Mexico
For those who don't know, there was an entire genre of Mexican film in the late 1950's-1970's of "luchador films," which consisted of luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) in starring roles, protecting the innocent in their off-time by fighting crime, thwarting sci-fi villians, and wrestling monsters. No, I'm not making this up. I love Mexico. Anyways, one wrestler in particular kick-started the genre with three films in the late 50's (which also have the added distinction that their filming wrapped up mere days before Castro took power), and he ended up being (arguably) the most popular luchador from that period. That wrestler was El Santo ("The Saint"), and he made somewhere around sixty films throughout his career.
In this film in particular, "Santo vs. The Daughter of Frankestein," Santo fights the woman of the title, who despite her age is still kicking around doing evil thanks to a temporary (and painful) youth-restoring serum she invented (and that it's implied has blood as a primary ingredient). Along with her gang of old-men-restored-to-youth minions. Plus a monster she made from body parts because, hey, she's the daughter of "Frankestein." ...And a man who was mutated by replacing his blood with that of an ape...somehow...for some reason.
Like The Valley of Gwangi, this film had a number of elements that when thrown together really make for an interesting whole. Aside from the mexican wrestling twist and the gleefully hodge-podge of a premise, the music was an interesting mix, evoking gothing horror, 70's horror, and 70's sci-fi all within a minute of each other. The upside is that if I wasn't turned on to the luchador genre before, I certainly am now. The downside, of course, is figuring out where the heck I'm going to find even one other luchador film in Columbus, OH.
Film Rant 2: Kaena: The Prophecy
Language: English Dub
Nation: France
I'm glad I finally got to see this film. I've known of it's existence since at least the turn of the century, when it was still in development. This, coupled with the fact that I could actually recognize the names of some of the English voice actors (Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris) lead to my caving in and watching the English version, rather than the original French in English subtitles. It's not a decision I regret.
Kaena is France's first CGI film (and Europe's first, I think), and I enjoyed it despite the plethora of bad reviews it's garnered across the Internet. Some of this, however, I attribute to the common problem among reviewers, both professional and amateur, to judge certain foreign films according to inappropriate standards. True, complaints about certain plot elements (or lack thereof) are probably justified, but whenever I see a reviewer gripe about SFX standards or "confusing endings" in a foreign film, I take it with a grain of salt. As I mentioned, this is the first CGI film to come out of France, and given that the animation is just fine. Some have complained about a "raw" or "substandard" feel to it, but I think this was deliberate on the part of the animators. It's a good combination of near-realistic CGI and certain stylistic choices, and personally I enjoyed the juxtaposition it created. As for the whole "the ending doesn't make sense!" complaint...these people need to watch more anime. After watching Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon, Casshern, and any number of other anime films, I can tell you that when American films have endings that make sense, they're invoking a privelage, not a right.
Film Rant 3: Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Language: Japanese
Nation: Japan
This flim was from the original Godzilla era of films, and Hedorah is considered by many to be Godzilla's most powerful enemy from that era. Normally I'd watch Showa-era Godzilla films with the English dubs, since most of those are ludicrous to begin with, and the atrocious dubbing only makes it funnier. A friend of mine advised me to watch in Japanese with subtitles, though, as this one was "more serious."
In hindsight, that's mostly a lie.
Oh, it's true that the enviromental message of the film was serious enough. You see, Hedorah is essentially a creature made primarily out of industrial waste and other forms of human pollution, and the point is made several times in the film that the creature only gets stronger as more pollution is dumped into the oceans and the air. This allows the film to capitalize on the fear of rampant industrial pollution that was just starting to form in the early 70's. It's actually a pretty neat contrast when you think about it: Godzilla, a creature that reflected our fear of nuclear war and weaponry in the 1950's, finds his greatest match (at the time) in a creature that reflected our then-greater fear of pollution in the 1970's.
The way this all sounds in concept, however, is much, much different from how it was actually played out. Weird psychedelic sequences that served as music videos for Japanese youth bands. Cartoon sequences of Hedorah destroying civilization between certain scenes. And what was with that trumpet-fanfare theme music that accompanied Godzilla himself every other time he was on screen? Were they trying to go for humor there?
The best (or worst) part, though, was when Hedorah is flying away from the scene of battle at one point. Godzilla begins using his infamous atomic flame breath on a patch of ground for some reason...then rises into the air and begins flying backwards using the flame breath as jet propulsion.
I'm sorry, but even for a Showa-era Godzilla film that right there jumps about 500 sharks. While doing an Ollie Impossible. With a motorcycle. On fire.
Labels: film rant, foreign films, old sci-fi b-movies
posted by Mithrandalf at 9:01 PM
1 Comments:
Well, this post made me feel clueless -- I have never seen a luchador film or an anime film, and I haven't watched a Godzilla film in more than 30 years -- but it was also fascinating. Thanks for the links to whole new worlds of film. They look like good rainy day treadmill films :-).
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