Warning from Space
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| Warning from Space (Uchūjin Tokyo ni arawaru) | |
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 DVD cover for Warning from Space (1956) |
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| Directed by | Koji Shima |
| Produced by | Masaichi Nagata |
| Written by | Gentaro Nakajima (novel) Hideo Oguni (screenplay) Jay Cipes (English dialogue) Edward Palmer (English dialogue) |
| Starring | Keizo Kawasaki Toyomi Karita Bin Yagasawa Shozo Nanbu Bontarô Miyake Mieko Nagai Kiyoko Hirai Isao Yamagata |
| Music by | Seitaro Omori |
| Cinematography | Kimio Watanabe |
| Editing by | Toyo Suzuki |
| Distributed by | Daiei |
| Release date(s) | January 29, 1956  Japan |
| Running time | 88 min. (US version) |
| Language | Japanese |
| IMDb profile | |
Warning from Space or Mysterious Satellite (宇宙人東京に現わる Uchūjin Tokyo ni arawaru?, Spacemen Appear in Tokyo) is a 1956 science fiction tokusatsu film produced by Daiei, and the first Japanese science-fiction film produced in color. The plot of the American English-dubbed version is somewhat similar to Toho's later Gorath (妖星ゴラス Yosei Gorasu?) (1962), depicting a planet — "Planet 'R'" — on a collision course with Earth. Warning from Space has one-eyed, starfish-shaped aliens from the planet Paira who take on human forms to warn the earth about the impending disaster. In contrast to the usual anti-nuclear message of the Japanese science-fiction film genre, Warning from Space seemingly takes the position that nuclear weapons can be put to good use, as a means to prevent the collision with Planet 'R.'
The Pairan aliens were designed by prominent avant-garde artist, Taro Okamoto. Walt Lee reports that Gentaro Nakajima's novel, on which this film was based, was in turn based on the Japanese folktale Kaguya-hime. [1] However, it is difficult to see much connection between the film and the folktale.
Produced during the science-fiction boom following in the wake of the success of Toho's Godzilla (1954), Daiei had hoped to find a foreign market for Warning from Space.[2] The film played at the King Cinema in Rangoon in January 1958, earning 11,846 kyat during its first week. [3] However Daiei was unable to find an international distributor for the film until American International purchased it for U.S. TV about 1965.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Lee, Walt (Compiler) (1974). Reference Guide to Fantastic Films: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Los Angeles: Chelsea Lee Books. ISBN 0-913974-04-8.
- ^ Shoemaker, Greg (1979). "Daiei: A History of the Greater Japan Motion Picture Company." The Japanese Fantasy Film Journal Number 12. p.14.
- ^ Far East Film News. January 17, 1958. p.21.
[edit] External links
- Warning From Space at Monster Island (Review of the DVD)
- Decker, Nathan. (2005). WARNING FROM SPACE (1956) at Million Monkey Theater (review with very detailed plot analysis and criticism)
- Uchûjin Tokyo ni arawaru at the Internet Movie Database
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