 Kaiju Masterclass is back for it's second year with the same great crew behind it, plus Ed Godziszewski, Matt Burkett, Mariko Godziszewski, and Amanda Whalen. Plus many new exciting guests and a few returning as well. Kaiju Masterclass gives you the creators, researchers, and scholars of Japanese sci-fi cinema and television for three days of in-depth conversations and panels. Check out the info on this event and the list of guests to be featured below. BRINGING TOGETHER THE CREATORS AND SCHOLARS OF JAPANESE SCI-FI CINEMA AND TV FOR THREE DAYS OF INFORMATIVE, IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS. Press release KAIJU MASTERCLASS II (November 5-7, 2021) is an online convention featuring some of the biggest names in kaiju eiga, the giant monster genre that began with Godzilla’s first rampage in 1954 and went on to trample pop culture worldwide. It is a sequel to last year’s online convention KAIJU MASTERCLASS (October 2-4, 2020). Among the featured guests at this year’s convention are writer/director Kazuki Omori (GODZILLA VS BIOLLANTE and GODZILLA VS KING GHIDORAH); sculptor and suitmaker Fuyuki Shinada (GODZILLA, MOTHRA, AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK); suit actor Tsutomu Kitagawa (the MILLENNIUM GODZILLA series); award-winning illustrator William Stout (Steve Miner’s unmade film GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS IN 3-D); and many others genre creators, writers, and authorities. The three-day event features interviews and panel discussions on the history of Japanese sci-fi, the filmmaking process, the art of film scoring, and more. All sessions will be streamed on our YouTube channel and are free and open to the online community. KAIJU MASTERCLASS II is created by a dedicated team of genre authorities and enthusiasts, including: Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski (co-authors, ISHIRO HONDA: A LIFE IN FILM, FROM GODZILLA TO KUROSAWA); Erik Homenick (AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG); John DeSentis (conductor/creator, KAIJU CRESCENDO); Patrick Galvan (writer, SYFY.COM); Matt Parmley and Kyle Byrd (co-hosts, KAIJU TRANSMISSIONS podcast); Kyle Gilmore (filmmaker and artist, VINTAGE REEL PRODUCTIONS); Matt Burkett (video editor, MONSTROSITIES: A VLOG OF TOKUSATSU); and translators Mariko Godziszewski and Amanda Whalen. The programming schedule is available here. Follow us on Facebook (@KaijuMasterclass), Twitter (@Kaiju_MC), Instagram (kaiju_masterclass), and visit kaijumasterclass.com for more information.
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 As we all know one by one live conventions have been canceled due to the ongoing pandemic, while some have moved online fans and content creators have also started creating their own. Earlier this year Kyle Yount created Kaijucon-line to replace the canceled G-Fest and overall it was a big success, now a group of creators have announce Kaiju Masterclass. Kaiju Masterclass (no it's not an actual class but something much better) looks to bring a different spin by looking at the backstory behind the creation and the creators of the kaiju genre. Those behind this project include authorities and enthusiasts of the genre including Steve Ryfle (co-author, ISHIRO HONDA: A LIFE IN FILM, FROM GODZILLA TO KUROSAWA), Erik Homenick (AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG), John DeSentis (conductor/creator KAIJU CRESCENDO), Patrick Galvan (writer, SYFY.COM), Matt Parmley and Kyle Byrd (co-hosts, KAIJU TRANSMISSIONS podcast), and Kyle Gilmore (filmmaker and artist, VINTAGE REEL PRODUCTIONS)(bios below); that will bring together creators, researchers, and scholars of Japanese sci-fi cinema and television for three days of in-depth conversations and panels to learn about the history of the genre, the film-making process, the art of film scoring, unmade projects, and more. Kaiju Masterclass will be held on October 2-4, 2020, Friday and through Sunday. (A schedule is coming soon.) This is a free event to attend, with all panels streaming on the Kaiju Masterclass YouTube channel. Panels will include original interviews with people who’ve worked in the kaiju genre. Special guests include directors Shusuke Kaneko and Shinji Higuchi, suit maker Shinichi Wakasa, and GODZILLA (1998) composer David Arnold, and many, many more (full list below). More on this convention to come including schedule, and panels. Check back here as we will update on all the Kaiju Masterclass info. Update: schedule/panels have been added below. Organizers
Guests
ScheduleAll sessions are free and will be live-streamed on the Kaiju Masterclass YouTube channel.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2020 5pm PST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST (9am Japan Time, 10/3) WELCOME Opening remarks from the KAIJU MASTERCLASS team: Erik Homenick (emcee), Steve Ryfle, John DeSentis, Patrick Galvan, Kyle Byrd, Matt Parmley, Kyle Gilmore. 6pm PST / 8pm CST / 9pm EST (10am Japan Time, 10/3) INTERVIEW: SHINICHI WAKASA The acclaimed creature creator and special effects artist who updated Godzilla for the new millennium discusses his amazing monster-making career and the craft of designing and building kaiju suits. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST (1am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: DAVID ARNOLD The Grammy and Emmy-winning film composer discusses his epic scores for Roland Emmerich’s GODZILLA (1998) and other blockbuster films. (Moderator: John DeSentis) 10am PST / 12pm CST / 1pm EST (2am Japan Time, 10/4) TOHO’S TOKUSATSU TELEVISION From ZONE FIGHTER to GREENMAN, RAINBOWMAN and beyond, author Kevin Derendorf (Kaiju for Hipsters) dives into the deep cuts of Toho Co. Ltd.’s ventures into tokusatsu television. 11am PST / 1pm CST / 2pm EST (3am Japan Time, 10/4) NICK ADAMS & HENRY SAPERSTEIN IN JAPAN In the 1960s, Hollywood producer Henry G. Saperstein took Oscar-nominated actor Nick Adams to Japan to star in FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD and MONSTER ZERO at Toho. Playwright and actress Allyson Adams and journalist Pat Saperstein discuss their fathers’ joint adventures in Japanese sci-fi cinema. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) 12pm PST / 2pm CST / 3pm EST (4am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: BOB EGGLETON The Hugo Award-winning artist, whose kaiju illustrations have appeared in Dark Horse Comics, Random House Godzilla books, IDW’s Godzilla comic series, and on the cover of Famous Monsters of Filmland, discusses the history and evolution of kaiju-themed art. (Moderator: John DeSentis) 1pm PST / 3pm CST / 4pm EST (5am Japan Time, 10/4) POSTERS & PROMOTION IN KAIJU FILMS Authors Sean Linkenback (The Art of Japanese Monsters) and Ed Godziszewski (The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Godzilla) provide an overview of the art and creative advertising materials that helped make Godzilla and kaiju eiga an international phenomenon. (Moderator: Kyle Yount) 2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST (6am Japan Time, 10/4) EXPO ’70 50th ANNIVERSARY A look back at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, which featured major contributions from Eiji Tsuburaya and other leading tokusatsu creators, and which influenced a number of later kaiju eiga. Stan Hyde—who was there at Expo ’70 in person!—is joined by Matt Parmley and Kevin Derendorf. 3pm PST / 5pm CST / 6pm EST (7am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: BEAR McCREARY The Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning composer behind THE WALKING DEAD, MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., and of course GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS 2019 discusses the art of creating epic monster movie music. (Moderators: John DeSentis and Erik Homenick) 4pm PST / 6pm CST / 7pm EST (8am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: MICHIRU OSHIMA The award-winning composer of GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS, GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA, and GODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S., as well as dozens more original scores for film, TV, video games, and anime talks about reviving the king of monsters with epic music for a new millennium. (Moderators: John DeSentis and Erik Homenick) 5pm PST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST (9am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: NORMAN ENGLAND Japan-based writer and filmmaker Norman England discusses the making of his independent sci-fi satire feature THE IDOL and his upcoming book detailing his adventures on the sets of numerous kaiju and other films as a journalist, photographer, and sometimes actor. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) 6pm PST / 8pm CST / 9pm EST (10am Japan Time, 10/4) INTERVIEW: SHUSUKE KANEKO Interview with the acclaimed director of GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH, GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK, the GAMERA trilogy, DEATH NOTE, and many other classic genre films. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST (1am Japan Time, 10/5) INTERVIEW: BRAD WARNER Author and ordained Zen monk Brad Warner (Hardcore Zen) recalls his years working at Tsuburaya Productions and his behind-the-scenes contributions to the ULTRAMAN franchise as a contributing writer, sometimes actor, and consultant. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) 10am PST / 12pm CST / 1pm EST (2am Japan Time, 10/5) GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE: THE LOST COMMENTARY Genre historian and author Ed Godziszewski (Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa) provides a deep dive into the hugely popular 1989 Godzilla film directed by Kazuki Omori. 11am PST / 1pm CST / 2pm EST (3am Japan Time, 10/5) ATOMIC REQUIEM: AKIRA IFUKUBE’S ATOMIC BOMB TRILOGY Erik Homenick and Patrick Galvan discuss the content and music of three atomic bomb films scored by Akira Ifukube (including the original Godzilla), who himself had a history with radiation. 12pm PST / 2pm CST / 3pm EST (4am Japan Time, 10/5) DESIGNING GODZILLA 1994 Creature designers Ricardo Delgado and Carlos Huante discuss working on director Jan DeBont’s unmade 1994 GODZILLA for Tristar Pictures, which would have pit the king of monsters against a new creature called The Gryphon. (Moderator: Keith Aiken) 1pm PST / 3pm CST / 4pm EST (5am Japan Time, 10/5) GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH 25th ANNIVERSARY Kaiju Transmissions podcast hosts Kyle Byrd and Matt Parmley join authors Kevin Derendorf and John LeMay to provide a deep dive into the production of the Heisei Godzilla series’ epic finale. 2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST (6am Japan Time, 10/5) THE KAIJU ART OF MATT FRANK Artist and illustrator Matt Frank provides a live drawing and discusses his involvement in IDW Godzilla comics and the Arrow Video Gamera set. (Moderator: Matt Parmley) 3pm PST / 5pm CST / 6pm EST (7am Japan Time, 10/5) TAB MURPHY TALKS GODZILLA 2: THE LOST SEQUEL The Oscar-nominated screenwriter of GORILLAS IN THE MIST and numerous animated features from Disney and DC discusses writing GODZILLA 2, the unmade sequel to Roland Emmerich’s GODZILLA (1998). 4pm PST / 6pm CST / 7pm EST (8am Japan Time, 10/5) BREAK (1 hour) 5pm PST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST (9am Japan Time, 10/5) MAN OF ACTION: THE FILMS OF JUN FUKUDA Authors Stuart Galbraith IV (The Emperor and The Wolf, Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo!) and Steve Ryfle (Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star) join film journalist Patrick Galvan to discuss the often overlooked yet highly influential director of five Godzilla movies and many other action-packed features. 6pm PST / 8pm CST / 9pm EST (10am Japan Time, 10/5) INTERVIEW: PATRICK MACIAS Author Patrick Macias (Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion and the forthcoming An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla) talks about his journey deep into the world of Japanese pop-culture criticism and how Godzilla and kaiju eiga provided a path. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) 7pm PST / 9pm CST / 10pm EST (11am Japan Time, 10/5) INTERVIEW: SHINJI HIGUCHI Perhaps no one has revitalized Japan’s special-effects cinema more than Shinji Higuchi. KAIJU MASTERCLASS closes the weekend with a discussion of the revolutionary director’s amazing career, from the Heisei Gamera series to SHIN GODZILLA, from the Gainax anime studio to ATTACK ON TITAN, SINKING OF JAPAN, and many others. (Moderator: Steve Ryfle) 9pm PST / 11pm CST / 12am EST (1pm Japan Time, 10/5) THAT’S A WRAP The KAIJU MASTERCLASS team briefly reassembles to sign off and say a heartfelt thank you.  *Guests*
*Kaiju Con-Line Photo Groups*Kaiju Con-Line Toy PhotographyKaiju Con-Line Monster CosplayKaiju Con-Line Artist AlleyKaiju Con- Line Model Kit Showcase*Kaiju Con-Line Panels & Presentations - Saturday*ANNUAL KAIJUCAST LISTENER PARTY On July 17, 1966, the first episode of ULTRMAN aired on TV in Japan and was an immediate hit. BUT prior to that, on July 10, 1966 to be exact, a special promotion event named “ULTRAMAN Eve: The Birth of Ultraman,” was filmed in front of a live audience at Suginami Koukaidou Hall in Tokyo, and broadcast all across Japan. Ultraman, Ultra Kaiju, and members of the Special Science Search Party all appeared with Eiji Tsuburaya, the creator of ULTRAMAN. Thus, ULTRAMAN DAY was born and is still celebrated each year in Japan. With Ultraman’s return to North America, we celebrate this iconic superhero along with millions of fans around the world. The multicast will stream on Shu.Watch. (Note: Twitch feed coming soon) *Schedule (Note: Time Are PDT)*MORNING / JULY 10, 2020
10:00am MILLCREEK INTRO THE BIRTH OF ULTRAMAN pre-roll and introduction. 10:15am HOST INTRO & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Kevin Winston of DigitalLA and Jaron Ray Hinds intro of Elevated Games. AR photo contest and Ultraman Day Stickers announced. 10:30am BIN FURUYA This is a instruction clip of how to correctly do the Spacium Ray. 10:45am MARTY ABRAMS 30 years of toys and the significance of the Ultraman brand in toys. 11:00am WILLIAM WINCKLER 30 years of translating Japanese to English subtitles and the joy of dubbing. 11:30am AUGUST RAGONE AMA w/ August Ragone. Stump him and win prizes. AFTERNOON / JULY 10, 2020 12:00pm MATT FRANK Matt will release the Kaiju Kombat game Poster and then do line art for 30 minutes of Gomora versus Ultraman which will be raffled off at the end of the livestream. 12:30pm JEFF GOMEZ How Ultraman has affected his life and his forecast for the future. Transmedia! 1:00pm FUTURE OF GAMING Jaron Hinds and Liam Slyne will share the Ultra AR project and previews of Kaiju Kombat. 1:30pm INTERVIEW WITH MARVELS C.B. CEBULSKI & TOM BREVOORT Marvels excitement to be releasing the comic book series and what the future beholds. 2:00pm CLOSING CONTENT This will be a 25 minute content share by MillCreek of the new THE BIRTH OF ULTRAMAN.  ScheduleJULY 9-10, 2020 1-5PM WHERE YOUTUBE (linked below), TWITCH, PERISCOPE, DLIVE July 9, 2020 Venue: The MonsterVerse: Current State & Potential Future In this panel, Kent and Jason will be discussing the current state of the MonsterVerse and on the future of it as far as what we hope to see and what we might actually see after the upcoming film, GODZILLA VS. KONG! Venue: The Future of Gamera We have a fan-made film, Gamera 4, based off of the Heisei Series and a short film made a few years ago to potentially reboot the franchise. However, will Gamera ever come back and be as prominent as he was before? Kent and Jason discuss on the potential future of the lovable, flying turtle and franchise as a whole. Venue: General Godzilla/Tokusatsu Discussion A space where we literally talk all things kaiju-related from Godzilla to Ultraman! July 10, 2020 Venue: Ultraman: Our Thoughts With MANY Ultraman shows, past, present and future, we give our take/thoughts in general on the franchise overall, from what we like, what could be improved on and many more! Venue: General Godzilla/Tokusatsu Discussion A space where we literally talk all things kaiju-related from Godzilla to Ultraman! Venue: GFEST: Memories & Future We relive the past GFEST events and discuss what’s in store for GFEST’s future as the convention moves from Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare to Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago. Live Video Feeds
Michiru Oshima and John DeSentis have announced their concert, and Kickstarter, to happen at this years G-Fest. Kaiju Crescendo will include works by Michiru Oshima as well as other selections, check out many of the details below and head on over to Kickstarter to support this awesome project.
About Kaiju Crescendo Japanese Monster Music Returns to Chicago in July, 2019! Fans and attendees of G-FEST 2014 and 2015 were treated to two incredible and memorable nights of their favorite kaiju music. "IFUKUBE 100: A LEGACY OF MONSTER MUSIC" and "SYMPHONIC FURY: THE MUSIC OF JAPANESE MONSTERS" brought many kaiju fans and professionals together to celebrate the tapestry of wonderful scoring that has been the Godzilla series. After a three year break, monstrous music is back in a big way with the most varied offering yet. "KAIJU CRESCENDO: AN EVENING OF JAPANESE MONSTER MUSIC" will bring some of the most incredible Tokusatsu film scores together for an unforgettable performance during G-FEST XXVI weekend, July 12-14th, 2019.
MICHIRU OSHIMA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Which of the cues from her three scores do you want to hear the MOST? Please leave a comment, or write a message to this Kickstarter page and let us know about your favorite musical tracks and we will take a consensus as we finalize the set list! YOU can help decide the program! In addition, John will be stepping up to perform some of the most requested score highlights from the Godzilla series and other beloved films from the Golden Era of Tokusatsu. The legacy of Akira Ifukube will be celebrated beginning with "Rodan" (1956) which is the most requested film score by the maestro to get the live treatment with the orchestra. 
John DeSentis conducts the "Ifukube 100: A Legacy of Monster Music" orchestra in 2014. Photo by Len Medlock.
Also being honored: the great Masaru Sato and his scores from "Son of Godzilla" (1967) and "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (1974). These two works represent some of the most popular of his distinguished career and Mr. Sato's musical legacy is one that we cannot wait to salute.
All works will be appropriately licensed for recording and performance from JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers) through the Harry Fox Agency in the United States as well as ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers). The CDs will be manufactured professionally and be of the highest quality, as will any other rewards. Please join us in helping to create yet another memorable and incredible night of Japanese monster music. Remember that even if you cannot attend the concert, your contribution becomes a building block toward the ultimate goal and we have some exciting ways to thank you. Take a look at the Kickstarter rewards we have to offer and pick the one that works best for you (financially or otherwise). 
Composer Akira Ifukube. Photo provided by Erik Homenick
Japanese composer Masaru Sato.
Brooklyn Academy of Music is holding the Ghosts and Monsters: Postwar Japanese Horror film festival, that features a number of Japanese horror and monster films. It is part of the larger BAMcinématek which presents classic films, premieres, festivals, and retrospectives, with appearances by filmmakers, actors, and critics. There will be a number of showings of each film (listed below). It takes place Oct 26 to Nov 1 at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Rose Cinemas 30 Lafayette Ave Brooklyn, NY, 11217
In the wake of World War II and profound social upheaval, Japanese filmmakers channeled national trauma into a rich and distinctive horror cinema. As Toho Studios created new mythologies in the form of iconic kaiju—pop culture-conquering monsters like Godzilla and Mothra—visionary stylists like Kenji Mizoguchi, Kaneto Shindô, and Masaki Kobayashi drew from the past, spinning atmospheric ghost stories from classic Japanese folklore. Fantastical, otherworldly, and wildly unique, these tales of rampaging beasts and supernatural terror are triumphs of cinematic imagination. 
GODZILLA
Fri, Oct 26, 2018 2pm, 4:30pm, 7pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 96min FORMAT: DCP GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1954 With Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata When a series of underwater nuclear tests awaken a long-dormant, radioactive reptile, it’s only a matter of time before the towering, indestructible Gojira stomps his way to Tokyo—and into pop culture immortality. Atomic age anxiety spawned the most iconic (and most subsequently franchised) movie monster of the 20th century, turning national trauma into pulp mythos. 
UGETSU
Sat, Oct 27, 2018 7pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 96min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi | 1953 With Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyô, Kinuyo Tanaka Master director Kenji Mizoguchi interweaves social realism and the supernatural in this ravishing adaptation of a pair of 16th-century ghost stories. In the midst of civil war, a prideful potter’s desire for wealth draws him away from his faithful wife—and into the arms of a phantom princess. The exquisite elegance of the director’s signature long takes pushes this shivery tale of patriarchal folly into the realm of the sublime. 
MOTHRA
Oct 27—Nov 1, 2018 Sat, Oct 27, 2018 4:30pm Thurs, Nov 1, 2018 7:00pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 101min FORMAT: DCP GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1961 With Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyōko Kagawa The Toho-verse of mythic beasts continued to expand with the addition of its first female monster: Mothra, a winged avenger who unleashes pandemonium when the fairy-inhabited jungle island she protects is disturbed by explorers. Introducing a rich strain of fantasy and mysticism to his patented kaiju-gone-wild formula, Ishirô Honda crafts a pop art marvel of supreme wonder and strangeness. 
Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell
Sat, Oct 27, 2018 9:30pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 84min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Hajime Satô | 1968 With Teruo Yoshida, Tomomi Satô, Eizô Kitamura After their plane crash lands on a remote island, a motley band of strangers find themselves menaced by an oozing, blob-like alien with a thirst for blood—and a hatred of the human race. Writ in blazing, supersaturated Fujicolor, this alternately hypnotic and thoroughly bonkers sci-fi freakout delivers an apocalyptic blend of outré grotesquerie and potent Vietnam-era social commentary. Screening from a rare archival print of an English dubbed version of the film. 
Kwaidan
Sun, Oct 28, 2018 2pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 183min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Masaki Kobayashi | 1964 With Rentarō Mikuni, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi Among the most visually splendorous horror movies ever made, Masaki Kobayashi’s ghostly fantasia brings together four quietly chilling tales of otherworldly encounters adapted from Lafcadio Hearn’s collections of Japanese folklore. The phantasmagoric art direction—a riot of painted backdrops and expressionistic lighting—and haunting Tōru Takemitsu score create an uncanny, all-enveloping sensory experience. 
Jigoku
Sun, Oct 28, 2018 5:30pm LOCATION:Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 101min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa | 1960 With Shigeru Amachi, Utako Mitsuya, Yôichi Numata Nobuo Nakagawa—Japan’s Roger Corman and Mario Bava rolled into one—drags us through the pits of hell in this head-spinningly hallucinatory cult classic. After he flees the scene of a hit-and-run that leaves a yakuza dead, a young man earns a one way ticket to the underworld, envisioned by Nakagawa as an abstract, Boschian nightmare of ceaseless carnage and cruelty. Print courtesy of Japan Foundation 
Pitfall
Tue, Oct 30, 2018 7pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 97min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara | 1962 With Hisashi Igawa, Kunie Tanaka, Hideo Kanze The feature debut of Hiroshi Teshigahara was the first of his visionary collaborations—including Woman in the Dunes and The Face of Another—with writer Kōbō Abe and composer Tōru Takemitsu. Blending documentary realism with a jagged modernism, it’s an unsettlingly surreal tale of murder, conspiracy, and corporate exploitation in a desolate mining town—part anti-capitalist screed, part eerily atmospheric ghost story. 
Kuroneko
Wed, Oct 31, 2018 7pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 99min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Kaneto Shindô | 1968 With Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kei Satô Hell hath no fury like the seriously wronged undead ladies in this mesmeric tale of witchy revenge. After being brutally murdered by a band of samurai, a mother and daughter-in-law return as feline spirits who set about getting even by ripping open the throats of the men they ensnare. Shot in glittering, gorgeous widescreen black and white, Kaneto Shindô’s spectral shocker drips with dreamlike dread. 
Onibaba
Wed, Oct 31, 2018 9:30pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 102min FORMAT: 35mm GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Kaneto Shindô | 1964 With Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Sato In the marshlands of 14th-century Japan, a mother and daughter-in-law survive by robbing and murdering lost samurai—until primal passions, twisted mind games, and a demonic mask pit them against one another. Awash in psychosexual menace and indelible chiaroscuro images, Kaneto Shindô’s nightmare vision of feudal Japan lays bare the dehumanizing horrors wrought by poverty and war. 
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (this may be tentative as it it not listed with the other films on the main page on their site)
Thu, Nov 1, 2018 7pm LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building BAM Rose Cinemas RUN TIME: 90min FORMAT: Digital GENERAL ADMISSION: $15 MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above) Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1968 With Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yukiko Kobayashi. Under the control of a squadron of shimmery femme-aliens intent on conquering Earth, an all-star cast of kaiju—including Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah—romp and stomp their way across the globe, from New York to Moscow to Beijing. The 20th installment in Toho’s giant monster cycle culminates in the awesome spectacle of an epic, all-beasts-on-board battle atop Mt. Fuji.  L.A. Comic Con has a list of panels up on their website including a few kaiju related panels and one that may give us a hint into the Monsterverse and 2019's Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Check out some of the panel info below. The Con takes place Oct 26th - 28th at the Los Angles Convention Center. Godzilla: Secrets of the Monsterverse Saturday, Oct 27 3:00 PM 403B As excitement builds for the return of Godzilla to the big screen in 2019, Legendary Comics, a division of Legendary Entertainment, is proud to present an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes to explore the secrets of Legendary’s Monsterverse from the page to the screen and beyond! This in-depth hour will take you through the history of Monarch: the Monsterverse’s secret organization of monster chasers introduced in the 2014 blockbuster hit Godzilla, and expanded on the pages of comic adaptations Godzilla: Awakening and Skull Island: Birth of Kong. With Monarch set to return bigger than ever in 2019 with Godzilla: King of the Monsters, join Legendary’s team of Monsterverse experts: Barnaby Legg, SVP of Creative Strategy, George Tew, Mythology Manager, as well as Robert Napton, SVP of Comics, and illustrator Drew Johnson as they reveal Legendary Comics’ plans for Godzilla in 2019, and grant declassified access to the Monarch data archives in an info-packed panel that fans won’t want to miss! The first 500 fans in attendance will receive an exclusive signed Godzilla poster only available at the panel! Giant Robots VS Monster Kaiju Attack Los Angeles Comic Con! Saturday, Oct 27 12:00 PM 306 Who doesn’t love giant monsters and robots?!? From movies like ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Pacific Rim’ to TV shows like ‘Power Rangers’ and ‘Transformers’, we’re obsessed with big things that stomp on cities and send us running around like ants! Join us for a panel celebration where we discuss kaiju monsters and giant robots with a group of experts on the subject! What Godzilla films are the best? How did shows like Power Rangers influence films like Pacific Rim? Which giant robot or monster could win in a fight? And why are all these mega-sized things so awesome! Come dressed as your favorite robot or monster and join the celebration! Sketch to Screen: Ready Player One, Rampage, and Beyond... Saturday, Oct 27 11:00 AM 403A Visionary concept artist, Aaron Sims (Stranger Things, Wonder Woman, Planet of the Apes Trilogy) and the ASC artist team reveal the secrets behind our character and world-building concept designs, previsualizations and visual effects for some of the most iconic film and television franchises of a generation. Through a series of designs, key scenes, 3D models, and VFX breakdowns, we’ll showcase our latest work in bringing to life the characters and worlds of Ready Player One, Rampage, Lost In Space, and more.. from Sketch-to-Screen. Make Mine Mecha
Saturday, Oct 27 12:30 PM 303 From the early days of Tetsujin-28 to the inescapable Evangelion, Super Robots have defined anime. This panel will explore the long time history of the super robot genre spanning from the late 1960s to modern day and how each title built the world of giant robots righting monsters (and other robots).  The Kaiju Vs. Heroes: Mark Nagata's Journey Through The World Of Japanese Toys is an event at the Japanese American National Museum, at 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012, that is running from Sept 15, 2018 to March 24, 2019. Check out the details below as well as details for a free showing of Godzilla 1954. About the Exhibition With mighty fangs, menacing horns, and iridescent gold scales, the lizard monster Drazoran crushes an imaginary city while Captain Maxx, wearing a bright red suit, flies in to save the day. Drazoran and Captain Maxx are two of the monsters and heroes that emerged from the creative mind of Mark Nagata, a toy designer and fervent toy collector. At JANM, Drazoran and Captain Maxx join hundreds of dazzling vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys on display in Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys. In California in the 1970s, Mark Nagata was living an all-American childhood. When he was nine, an aunt and uncle serving on a US military base in Japan sent him a box filled with colorful figures packaged with art-laden header and backing cards featuring alien-looking beings—kaiju and heroes—engaged in battle. These Japanese toys would eventually change Nagata’s life forever. That seemingly simple gift sparked a passion for Nagata that continues this day. Those toys and the artwork of their packaging inspired him to study art, to zealously collect vintage Japanese vinyl toys, and to become a toy designer himself. Kaiju translates to “strange creature” in English but has come to mean “monster” or “giant monster” referring to the characters that became popular on Japanese film and television soon after World War II. The anxiety surrounding the lasting physical effects of radiation after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki no doubt helped give birth to super-sized monsters like Godzilla, Mothra, Ghidorah, and Rodan, and the advent of these monsters brought about the creation of characters to combat them. Hence the emergence of pop-culture heroes like Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Kikaida. After the war, the United States closely monitored the types of industries allowed to revive in Japan. The toy industry was one of the first to be enabled to reinvent itself, and the kaiju films and television shows helped fuel it. Additionally, the toy industry helped stimulate Japan’s economy during the early postwar reconstruction period. These new artistic and economic factors fused with kaiju and hero characters to set the stage for a golden age of Japanese popular culture—one that Nagata first became enamored with as a nine-year-old boy. Nagata’s pursuit of these Japanese toys took him on an unexpected journey that brought new realizations about his cultural identity as an American of Japanese ancestry. As a Sansei (third-generation Japanese American), Nagata once felt removed from his Japanese heritage. After the incarceration experience of the Issei (first generation) and Nisei (second generation), there was an unspoken shedding of openly Japanese cultural practices in America. Proving one’s “Americaness” meant pursuing and embracing a Euro-centric American lifestyle. The children of Nisei were encouraged to follow this path, with only cursory participation in Japanese culture (mostly eating food and celebrating holidays). Nagata’s story mirrors that of many of his generation, who sought to recover their ethnic heritage and reconnect with their ancestral homelands by studying Japanese, living in Japan as college exchange students, or participating in cultural pursuits such as bon odori dancing and taiko drum ensembles. One of the most accessible sources of a Japanese American connection for youth was through toys and popular culture. It was through this connection that Nagata entered a world that would eventually lead him to explore his cultural roots. Now, we invite you to immerse yourself in the same colorful universe of kaiju and hero toys that inspired one Sansei to delve into his cultural connections.
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