Space Amoeba
| Space Amoeba | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Ishirō Honda |
| Produced by |
Fumio Tanaka Tomoyuki Tanaka |
| Written by | Ei Ogawa |
| Starring |
Akira Kubo Atsuko Takahashi Yukiko Kobayashi Kenji Sahara Yoshio Tsuchiya Yu Fujiki Noritake Saito Yûko Sugihara Sachio Sakai |
| Music by | Akira Ifukube |
| Cinematography | Taiichi Kankura |
| Editing by |
Masahisa Himi Eli Haviv (US version) |
| Studio | Toho |
| Distributed by |
Toho American International Pictures (AIP)(USA, 1971) |
| Release dates |
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| Running time | 83 min. |
| Language | Japanese |
Space Amoeba, (released in Japan as Gezora, Ganime, Kamoeba: Decisive Battle! Giant Monsters of the South Seas (ゲゾラ・ガニメ・カメーバ 決戦! 南海の大怪獣 "Gezora Ganime Kameba Kessen! Nankai no Kaijuu")), is a 1970 Japanese Science Fiction/Kaiju film produced and released by Toho Studios. Directed by Ishirō Honda, and featuring special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa, the film starred Kenji Sahara and Yoshio Tsuchiya. The film tells the story of extraterrestrial amoeba-like aliens that highjack a probe and, after crash landing on a small South pacific atoll, create gigantic monsters from native lifeforms (a Kisslip cuttlefish, Rubble crab and Matamata turtle) with plans of conquering the Earth.
The film was released theatrically in the USA in the Summer of 1971 by American International Pictures as Yog Monster from Space.
Plot
The Helios 7 space probe is sent on a mission to study the planet Jupiter. While on its outward journey to the gas giant, the probe is overtaken by the Space Amoeba, a parasitic extraterrestrial. The probe returns to earth and crashes into the South Pacific, where the Amoeba leaves the device and inhabits the body of a cuttlefish, causing it to mutate into what is called "Gezora." The tentacled kaiju begins attacking ships and islands in the area.
A photographer named Kudo and his entourage land on Selga Island for a photoshoot, but their camp is attacked by Gezora. Because of its mutation the creature can create extremely cold temperatures with its body. When the survivors discover that Gezora is vulnerable to high temperatures, Kudo and his friends use a leftover Japanese World War II munitions bunker to set fire to the monster. Severely burned, the creature retreats to the water where it dies.
Later, the Space Amoeba possesses a stone crab, mutating it into "Ganimes" and attacks the surrounding islands. Luckily the humans manage to lure Ganimes into a pit and destroy it with explosives. The Amoeba survives a second time and flees into the surrounding jungles plotting its revenge.
Space Amoeba decides to control two earth creatures this time. Another Ganimes, and a rock turtle named "Kamoebas." The two monsters raid the human camp. Luckily Kudo realizes the two monsters' weakness: supersonic waves. By releasing a storm of bats, the Amoeba loses control of its creations. Ganimes and Komoebas, no long under control, go beserk and begin to battle as Japanese giant monsters are wont to do. The humans, using more explosives, cause the volcano to erupt, engulfing the Space Amoeba and the two monsters.
Cast
- Akira Kubo as Taro Kudo
- Atsuko Takahashi as Ayako Hoshino
- Yukiko Kobayashi as Saki
- Kenji Sahara as Makoto Obata
- Yoshio Tsuchiya as Dr. Kyouichi Miya
- Tetsu Nakamura as Onbo
- Yuu Fujiki as the Head of Asia Development Company
- Yoshitake Saitou as Riko
- Yuuko Sugihara as a Stewardess
- Sachio Sakai as the Chief Editor of Topics Weekly
- Tyoutaro Tougin as Yokoyama
- Wataru Oomae as Sakura
- Ichiro Murakoshi as the voice of Space Amoeba
- Haruo Nakajima as Gezora and Ganimes
- Haruyoshi Nakamura as Kamoebas
Miscellaneous credits
- Takeo Kita - Production Design
- Seiji Tani - Assistant to the director
- Teruyoshi Nakano - Chief Assistant Special Effects Director
- Yoichi Manoda - Special Effects Cinematography
- Yoshiyuki Tokumasa - Optical Effects
- Yasuyuki Inoue - Special Effects Set Director
Versions
- Toho Co. Ltd.: Japanese (84 min.; original version)
- Toho International: English (84 min.; International dub; released to DVD in America by Media Blasters)
- American International Pictures: English (84 min.; Titra dub; released in American theaters and VHS; titled Yog, Monster from Space.)
Critical Reception
Andrew Smith at Popcorn Pictures was less than enthusiastic with his review, stating "who wants to see cheap crabs and turtles scrapping on a Pacific island when you can see Godzilla and King Ghidorah smash Tokyo to pieces?" in reference to Toho'sGodzilla films.[1]
References
- ↑ Yog, Monster From Space (1970) Review Popcorn Pictures
External links
- Guinn, Troy. (2006). Space Amoeba (DVD review) at eccentric-cinema.com
- KFC Cinema Review
- "決戦！南海の大怪獣 (Kessen! Nankai no Daikaijū)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
- Space Amoeba at the Internet Movie Database
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