The Daimajin Trilogy (3-Disc Limited Edition) [Blu-ray] Ltd Edition $99.95
1966, Color. (250 min., individually 84,79,87mins) plus extras Arrow Video. Region 0.
Arrow Films is truly coming out with some remarkable foreign films, especially in the fantasy genre from Japan. Most of these gems from Japan come from Daiei Films .
Recently they released
THE INVISIBLE MAN APPEARS/THE INVISIBLE MAN VS THE HUMAN FLY https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Man-Appears-Human-Blu-ray/dp/B08R27N3VN/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=THE+INVISIBLE+MAN+APPEARS&qid=1626446035&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1
as well as GAMERA : THE COMPLETE COLLECTION https://www.amazon.com/Gamera-Complete-Collection-Eiji-Funakoshi/dp/B084Z13QYD/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=gamera+collection&qid=1626446097&s=movies-tv&sr=1-3 .
Not only are these amazingly sharp and beautiful prints, they also come with a lot more extras and knowledgeable commentaries than you might expect .
Now ,added to this must have collection of the Daiei fantasy films is the magnificent DAIMAJIN trilogy .
The three films all were released it seems in quick succession in the year 1966 and then no further films followed . The film was perhaps harder to sell overseas and thus was a subject more focused upon the home market . The films did have some tv sales ( AIP-TV bought two of the films , retitling DAIMAJIN as MAJIN, MONSTER OF TERROR and DAINAJIN IKARU as RETURN OF GIANT MAJIN . They were dubbed into English by Titan Productions ,but in cropped and scanned prints .One wonders why AIP didn’t buy and release all three?
Retromedia released a DVD of these dubbed prints so you can judge for yourselves).
The films do not fit into the usual Kaiju (giant monster) films ,in that the title character doesn’t usually become active until the last third of the film, acting as the ultimate Deus ex machina , in which the gigantic stone god comes to life and rights wrongs, before returning to immobile stone.
Daiei Studios, founded in 1942 and producing war propaganda films ,in 1949 they revamped themselves and made their product internationally received with the likes of Akira Kurosawa’s RASHOMON (1950) .as well as the artistic haunting ghost story UGETSU (1953). The studio made films for both arthouse and fantasy films (the second film by the revamped studio was THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS,1949). Alternating between historical and fantasy films, they often combined the two with great success. The popularity of their Gamera films (starting in 1965, with two films in 1966 ,also available on Blu Ray from Arrow Films ) set the stage for the Daimajin films.
DAIMAJIN : In 18th Century Feudal Japan ,A cruel lord overthrows the rightful ruler . The children of the ruler escape . Years later, they encounter the vicious lord, who has been extreme in his cruelty to the people Capturing the two young people, he ties them upon crosses for execution . However, prayers to the stone idol Daimajin ,whom we earlier being worshipped and appeased after some natural disasters, now comes to life ,frees the two young people and goes on a rampage of destruction against the evil lord (who is killed in a very satisfying fashion) before a villager pleads for the destruction to end cries and the tears fall upon the giant’s feet . The rioting ends, and the giant returns to stone, before crumbling away.
RETURN OF DAIMAJIN (1966): Another evil warlord pops up (Japan seems rife with them) .This time he chases villagers to an island where there is a giant statue of the god. Is it the same one reassembled, or another one, like the giant stone heads of Easter Island , it is never made clear. The warlord must have seen the previous film, and orders the statue to be blown up. However, the pieces end up in the lake and the giant arises again to seek vengeance and chew Amonoya, and it is all out of Amonoya .Tears again summon the god and lay it to rest. This time ,it turns to water at the end of its mission .
DAIMAJIN STRIKES AGAIN-this time the story is set in a snowy mountain valley, where the statue is buried in snow (is it the same statue ,or are their several of these dumped around Japan?). Once again, Daimajin is summoned, the god rising from the layers of snow to defeat another evil Lord who is mistreating the people who the Lord almost dumps into a sulfur pit ,before he and his minions are disposed of . The god, his work finished now, his life force leaves him as he turns first to stone before he then turns to snow and blowing away
The three films use the elements of stone, water , and wind , making one wonder if a fourth film had happened, would he have turned to fire? Mind you ,I have not seen the 2010 tv series (DAIMAJIN KANON, 26 episodes, TV Tokyo) which retold the story ,only with it being set present day so I am unsure if they used that element .
The one other thing that struck me watching all three back to back was that it reminded me of the legend of the Golem , best known as the Jewish legend of a man of clay brought to life to avenge .
This Arrow Films Blu Ray release is a real treat. A limited edition (order yours now), this beautiful collection has all three films in a sharp colorful 1080p High Definition restoration.
Original Japanese print with clear sharp optional subtitles.
A new intro to the first film by fantasy cinema expert Kim Newman (also author of the must have horror series ANNO DRACULA)
Brand new commentaries by Japanese film expert Stuart Galbraith IV (The Toho Studios Story ,The Japanese Cinema Book, many others), Tom Mes, Jasper Sharp .and Jonathan Sharp .
These full-length running commentaries are fact filled but never overwhelming as he explores the films, it’s players, and their histories.
Original trailers.
Alternate tv credits for Majin-the Monster of Terror (TV title for the AIP release).
An interview with cinematographer Fujio Morita ( 1927-2014),who talks about his long career ,working at DAIEI STUDIOS on such films as RASHOMON ,and especially the Daimajin films. Morita worked as a cinematographer from 1950 to 1995 . His beautiful use of color makes these films stand out , as well as some wonderful compositions that make the effects even more impressive.
Image Galleries.
A plethora of new documentaries for this release :
MY SUMMER WITH DAIMJIN -film Professor Yoneo Ota talks about his summer job working on making the original film .
FROM STORYBOARD TO SCREEN-compares storyboards to actual scenes in the film RETURN OF DAIMAJIN .
BRINGING THE AVENGING GOD TO LIFE– a superlative explanation of how the still dazzling special effects were done on these movies, by Japanese film historian Ed Godziszewski .
Not included with the review discs but in the actual box set will be
- Illustrated collector’s 100 page book featuring new essays by Jonathan Clements, Keith Aiken, Ed Godziszewski, Raffael Coronelli, Erik Homenick, Robin Gatto and Kevin Derendorf
- Postcards featuring the original Japanese artwork for all three films
- Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank
Some fans of kaiju films may feel that these films are too slow and not enough stomping , but for those who want to see a beautiful series that is a bit different from the average stomp Tokyo films, I highly recommend this series.
–Kevin G Shinnick
ARROW FILMS Highly Recommended
DAIMAJIN TRILOGY
THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS
GAMERA COLLECTION
All available on Amazon and other fine Blu Ray dealers.
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