Kazuo Suzuki Movies
A race of malevolent aliens bent on world domination unleash the ultimate weapon of destruction on mankind, leaving them with no hope for survival but the power of the mighty Godzilla. Their galaxy dying, the endangered aliens discover a planet that could save them from extinction if it wasn't already populated. In order to solve that significant problem, the scheming extraterrestrials construct Mechagodzilla, a 400 foot destroyer of worlds armed with powerful lasers and guided missiles. As Godzilla prepares to face off against his powerful intergalactic doppelganger, the traitorous Professor Mafuni lends his genius to the aliens to create the mighty Titanosauraus. Titanosauraus is a massive amphibious dinosaur that Professor Controls via a biomechanical connection with his android daughter Katsura. But just as it begins to appear as if all hope has been lost for both Godzilla and the human race, Interpol agents discover that Titanosauraus has one weakness that may give the Godzilla the crucial edge that he needs in order to emerge victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
The most unashamedly childish entry in the Godzilla franchise is basically a vehicle for recycled footage from previous Toho productions. The framing story involves a precocious little boy (Tomonori Yakazi) whose real-life traumas include harassment by bullies and kidnapping by a gang of bank robbers. He escapes these dilemmas mainly by taking frequent naps, during which he dreams of journeys to Monster Island to partake in Godzilla's exploits. He also befriends Godzilla's son, Minya, offering him some advice on how to defeat the monsters which have been pushing him around. Apparently the boy draws some kind of inspiration from these dreams and finds the bravery to outwit the kidnappers and make peace with the bullies. There is little worthwhile for Godzilla fans here, and all others will be completely confounded by the incoherent story. Highlights include the monster Gabara (who has the head of a cat!) and Minya's hilariously dubbed voice. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
This colorful, no-holds-barred clash of the titans -- directed by Inoshiro Honda (one of monsterdom's foremost experts) -- features nearly all of Japan's ground-pounding superstars, including Godzilla (and son), Mothra, Rodan and Ghidorah... and even tosses in Anzilla, Baragon, Goro, Wendra, Spiga and Varan for the explosive climax. The setup involves a race of evil aliens known as Kilaaks, who release the world's population of giant monsters from their quarantine on Monster Island, employing powerful mind-control devices on the monsters as part of their master plan for subjugating humanity. When the secret equipment used for this purpose is discovered beneath Mount Fuji and destroyed, the aliens make a last-ditch attempt at reclaiming their foothold by summoning three-headed Ghidorah from space -- but by then, Godzilla and the other city-stompers have rallied together to defend the Earth from the alien menace. Released in Japan as Kaiju Soshingeki, this is one of Honda's more colorful monster extravaganzas, and a must-see for fans of the genre. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, (more)
The Japanese gargantuan reptile fathers a son who is a chip off the old eggshell. The men of the family take on oversized mantises and arachnids in this exotic sci-fi adventure. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- 1966
In this Japanese WW II drama, several inductable youths decide to avoid combat by playing in an army band. Unfortunately, following basic training, the musicians end up sent to China to help the flagging morale of troops stationed there. There they are brutally attacked by the Chinese and sent to a POW camp. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hisaya Morishige, Keiju Kobayashi, (more)
Toho's bid to merge the Godzilla series with their popular alien-invasion films resulted in this entertainingly goofy entry. The plot involves the discovery of the mysterious Planet X in our solar system, leading to a joint U.S./Japanese space exploratory mission. The explorers bump into some aliens with no fashion sense whatsoever (even for 1965), who claim their planet has been under constant attack from the powerful Monster Zero -- also known to Godzilla fans as Ghidrah, the three-headed monster from the previous year. The aliens suggest a deal with the Earthlings: if they can "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan to help rid their planet of Ghidrah, they will cure all of humankind's diseases in return. Of course, this is actually an elaborate ruse to rid the Earth of its monstrous defenders, leaving it vulnerable to invasion. As always, it's up to a handful of resourceful characters -- including token American Nick Adams and series regular Akira Takarada -- to save the day and return Earth's monsters for the requisite city-smashing finale. After a slow start, this movie serves up a good portion of flashy pyrotechnics and noisy monster-grappling but lapses into several moments of deliberate silliness (particularly Godzilla's goofy Irish jig) and rampant use of ill-fitting footage from previous monster installments. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- 1960
This gripping and heart-rending tragedy by director Seiji Hisamatsu is set in 1931 on Itoshi Island in the Inland Sea of Japan, and it is based on a true story. Young boys sent to a nearby reformatory were given over to local fisherman to be used as rowers for their fishing boats. That may sound innocuous, but the boys were treated like chattel, fed very little -- not enough to keep them from starvation -- and beaten. The beautiful seascapes and coastal scenery contrast with the misery of the boys as they try to survive and finally rebel. After one of them is killed, several manage to escape the island, and eventually they make their story known. The cast of young boys is headed by (Kazuo Suzuki) playing the lad who leads the rebellion. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kazuo Suzuki
- 1958
The title of this fact-based Japanese melodrama translates as The Seven Forgotten Men. In 1930, a Japanese fishing island is so financially strapped that it is forced to use young slave laborers. The local fishermen, driven to desperation by grinding poverty, take out their frustration on the enslaved workers. It is only a matter of time before the slaves will revolt, bringing even more misery and tragedy to the benighted island. The grimness of the storyline is redeemed a bit by the glowing color cinematography. Ikari No Koto was one of Japan's entries in the 1958 Karlovy Vary Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kazuo Suzuki
