King Kong vs. Godzilla

                       

                                      

King Kong vs. Godzilla is without a doubt the most entertaining and commercially successful (adjusted for inflation) of all the Godzilla films. What Sci-Fi plot could be better than pitting Godzilla against Willis O’Brien’s creation? It’s a great monster movie that really hit the money-making accelerator in the Toho franchise and propelled Godzilla into stardom. The film also presents audiences the both monsters in color for the first time. Following this movie, sequel after sequel would be made each year as a result.

     Godzilla was last seen buried on an island covered in ice. At some point between films, a chunk of glacier drifts out to see. As the film begins, Godzilla breaks free after a submarine crashes into the iceberg. Shortly after, the angry dinosaur destroys the sub and levels a military base. The suit design is once again revamped: the three sets of fins are replaced with one row, the torso is much bulkier, and the head is much narrower, giving him an alligator look. Overall, Godzilla looks more reptile-like than previously. Because the film’s mood is lighter than before, his roar is given the more familiar high-pitch, and the fangs are removed. He’s more “kid-friendly” in that sense, even though the monster is still villainous. Kong, on the other hand, is nothing similar to the 1933 version, which is in stop-motion. Here, he is a guy in a clumsy and very fake looking rubber suit, with a mouth that does not move when he roars.

     There’s a scene where Kong battles a giant octopus, which in fact is a real specimen Toho used for production. It’s not a spectacular scene, especially when Kong throws the rocks at it. You can tell the forced perspective animal is nowhere near the rocks as they are seemingly thrown across it, rather than actually making contact.

     But for the most part, the monster scenes are entertaining. Following his raid on the military base, Godzilla falls into a massive hole filled with dynamite by the Japanese army. For a B-Movie, the scene is done well, and adds to the aura of Godzilla’s invincibility. Continuity is erratic though, considering Godzilla is depicted as fearing electricity. In the original film, he rips through the electrical defenses in Tokyo without a problem. Although one should remember these are two different monsters; the original died in 1954.

     While the movie is in no way true to the 1933 film, it does uphold Kong’s interest in women, as he carries around a woman across Tokyo. Kong is also increased in size, from about 30 feet tall to Godzilla’s size. And for some reason he absorbs electricity, in contrast to Godzilla. This is never explained or elaborated. That detail is completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the plot, and makes no sense in any way.

     The final monster battle is amazing, and is certainly the highlight of the film. And because the film is more comical than the previous, it contains quite a bit of humor. Kong throws a rock at Godzilla, which he bats with his tail back at Kong. Godzilla claps his hands together tauntingly in the fight, something he never did before or after the movie. And Kong’s arm length changes constantly from long to short, depending on the scene. Both monsters land hard blows on one another, and the fights carries them into the ocean, from which only Kong resurfaces. A rumor persisted that in the Japanese version it was Godzilla, but it was false. The only difference is that instead of just hearing Kong’s roar in the credits, you hear both monsters roar.

     While this movie is great in the way of monster battles and city-crushing, the human aspect is horrible. Either each of the actors overacts or under acts in all the scenes. The drug company CEO, despite being the film’s chief antagonist, is a silly and obnoxious character. In one particular scene he’s wearing a safari outfit, although he was never in the jungle and is on a ship in the middle of the ocean. There’s also a subplot about a woman searching for her fiancé and getting pinned down in Godzilla’s attack on the train. The whole scene fails to move the plot anywhere. It doesn’t get Godzilla and Kong any closer to confronting each other, nor does it present the military with any solution to stopping the beasts. The scene appears to have been just “thrown” in there.

     Allow me to lay out my personal bias towards this movie. It was the first Godzilla movie I’d ever seen, and the first one I owned on VHS. Here’s the cover.

I can’t explain how excited I was to find this movie. It was really glorifying for a seven year old boy. Despite the sometimes horrific acting and cheap special effects, King Kong vs. Godzilla is a fantastically thrilling film. There’s no sadness or real drama in the way of war or politics. If you’re looking for pure escapism for an hour and a half, this is the movie for you! 

                                         1963 US Trailer

 

                                                           Godzilla Raids Again

 

 

Following the success of Godzilla, Toho set out to build on its success with a sequel: Godzilla Raids Again. On its own, this film is fun and entertaining, but it lacks the top quality of the original masterpiece. While Godzilla’s image of an atomic threat is still present in this film, the gravely feel of a post-world war climate is gone. Also, half of the camera shots of Godzilla in the film look like cheap hand puppets. And the puppet doesn’t look anything like the face on the monster suit! And the face of the suit has a slight grin, giving the monster a less threatening appearance. The deep roar is kept from the original film, as is the overall suit impression.

     What makes this film so unique is that it is the first to feature a one on one monster battle, thus laying the groundwork for the rest of the series. Godzilla’s nemesis is called Anguirus, a mutated Ankylosaurus that too was awoke from nuclear testing. As a result, they fight first on an island, then carry it to Osaka. Again, half of the close-ups of the fight are two hand puppets grappling with each other, so it can be disappointing for some fans looking for a great battle. But it’s still entertaining, and the fight’s conclusion boosts Godzilla’s image as a powerful threat.

     The golden moment of the film is the military’s unique attack on Godzilla, as its jets fire missiles at an icy mountain wall, causing avalanches to bury him. What’s amazing is that the military actually prevails, and the beast is buried. This conclusion also provides viewers with continuity, for this is precisely where they find Godzilla in the next film. But we will get to that in the next review.

                                                                     The Big Picture

     Overall, Godzilla Raids Again is a transitional film. It carries the serious gravity of the original Godzilla, but also gives audiences a first glimpse of the cheap monster fights and model sets that the series is so renowned for. Also, when the movie was released in the US, Godzilla's name was scrapped and replaced with "Gigantis", in order to pass it off as a new creature. With that said, it doesn’t deserve the negativity it gets from critics. It’s an old fashioned 50’s monster movie. It’s not supposed to be overly serious or saddening. The film is just good Saturday night fun. I give it 3 out of 4 stars!

 

                                   1959 American Movie Trailer

 

 

                                       Godzilla (1954)

A massive storm blows through an island. The villagers are fast asleep, except one family of three. Something is shaking the house, but it’s not the wind. Finally, in a dead panic, the younger brother bolts outside to confront the invader, with the others remaining in the home, doomed to their fate, as the house crumbles around them. An ancient roar rips through the air, as a bipedal behemoth rumbles through the village. The year is 1954, and Japanese audiences have just met Godzilla.

     By far, Godzilla (1954) is one of the most influential of all Science Fiction films. Even if you’re not into the big kiddie camp of the Japanese monster movies, this one is a must see! It follows the resurrection of a dinosaur, reawakened by radioactive weapons testing. Suspense fills your mind as a dark and foreboding animal raids through a village in the dead of the night. This is not a misunderstood creature, like the 1998’s Godzilla. This animal has purposely vaporized ships, killing its crewmembers, for no reason in particular. Sure, it sounds cliché in retrospective, but remember this is still the early 50’s. The film follows Godzilla as he rips through 300,000 volts of electrical wire, wipes out a tank division, and purposely pulls down a tower full of reporters, who annoy him with flash photography. At one point during the raid on Tokyo, he even breathes his trademark radioactive fire on the highway in front of him for no apparent reason. Clearly, this creature is looking for total destruction of Japan, as vengeance for waking him. No creature sympathy here.

     The sadness comes into play in the second half of the film, after Godzilla destroys Tokyo. The city’s survivors are being corralled into field hospitals. As the camera pans over the miserable scene, you hear a baby crying somewhere in the background, reminding viewers that even the innocence of children were destroyed, along with homes and lives.

     Before you start to say how silly and unrealistic a guy in a rubber suit looks on screen, I have to say in advance that the director actually made Godzilla look better in a suit than in stop motion, for the suit’s movements are slow and lumber some, as if he were actually a thousand tons. Another cool trick is that most monster scenes are shot with a low camera angle, so the audience feels like it’s looking up at something tall and massive, and not just a six foot tall guy in a suit The pitch-black night sky also casts a little darkness on the suit, hiding some of the less convincing prosthetics. One noteworthy feature is that this Godzilla design sports a pair of blank, crazed-looking eyes that stare down wildly at the fleeing people. It also has a pair of fangs, jutting out from his top jaws, like a viper. Its roar also has a much deeper pitch than the later models, giving it the sense of something powerful and angry. The sound of Godzilla’s roar was conceived by rubbing a pair of resin gloves across a bass violin, then slowing down the sound when the recording was played.

     The character development was sufficient enough to hold the film up, although most characters are cliché by today’s standards. There’s the helpless damsel who has real little control over the overall situation, other than revealing the secret of the deadly oxygen destroyer, followed by the wise and experienced Dr. Yamane, who works with locals and military authorities to defeat Godzilla. But the most fascinating character is Dr. Serizawa, a young scientist who is torn between protecting his deadly Oxygen Destroyer from possible misuse, and the desire to use it against Godzilla. In stark contrast to most American Sci-Fi heroes such as John Agar, this guy is a tragic hero, knowing that the only way to both defeat Godzilla and keep his secret weapon away from greedy hands is to sacrifice his own life to the device in the film’s climax. As a result, the villain and hero die together, both victims of reckless human actions in the Cold War.

     The most spectacular aspect of the film is the second attack Godzilla launches on Tokyo. The scene occurs at night, giving Godzilla a more menacing look, and the overall mood a darker and hopeless gravity. The low camera angles give the otherwise clumsy suit a realistic appearance. The miniatures aren’t too cheaply done, at least compared to future sequels, again thanks to the dark imagery of the film.

     A future American release of the film in 1956 saw the addition of Raymond Burr, who was placed in added, “Americanized” scenes to help audiences identify with a familiar face. It also helped audiences feel comfortable enjoying a film made by a country they had fought against only ten years prior. Burr wasn’t bad, but the scenes were obviously add-ins that had little significance to the main plot. Overall, this film is a great one. Its dark overtones of nuclear war and the forces of nature, combined with the horror of a stalking behemoth lifts this film to a Citizen Kane standing in the early sci-fi era.  

                                Godzilla, King of the Monster Movie Trailer (1956)

 

 

Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster

 

      

 

                                                      Overview

Released the same year as its predecessor, Ghidorah:The Three-Headed Monster (1964) remade the kaju genre in a way that none other before it. This film doubles down on the monster action, and invests heavily in weird yet intriguing human plots involving assassins and aliens. It also introduced audiences to Ghidorah, a three headed space dragon bent on burning down the planet. This character would become Godzilla’s key antagonist throughout the rest of the series.

Plot Line

Princess Salno (Akiko Wakabayashi) is in flight to Japan from her home in Selgina. A group working for her family’s political opposition meanwhile plots to kill her. They plan to do so by planting a bomb on her plane. While it does detonate, the Princess is warned by a disembodied voice to leave the plane, which she complies. Shortly after, a meteorite crashes down from the sky, landing in a valley. Professor Murai (Hiroshi Koizumi) then leads an expedition to examine the rock up close. The scientists eventually reach it, and discover that the meteor is magnetic, absorbing all their pics and other metallic objects. In the middle of the night, the object tears itself open; throwing sparks and flames in the air. The flames then become manifest into Ghidorah, a maniacal space dragon, which then goes on a rampage in Tokyo. Meanwhile Detective Shindo (Yosuke Natsuki), who was in charge of Princess Salno’s security, discovers her in Japan. She rambles on about a coming crisis, and that her origins are from Venus. Her seeming incoherence gets validation when Rodan and Godzilla both appear, and lock in combat. The Japanese once again ask the Shobijin to persuade Mothra to help them stop the monster invasion, to which she again agrees. After another near-miss assassination attempt in a hotel, Shindo takes Salno to Dr. Tsukamoto (Takashi Shimura) to help restore her mind. The assassins arrive however, and engage in a shoot-out with Shindo. The heroes escape, with the killers in pursuit. Nearby, Rodan and Godzilla’s fight gets broken up by Mothra, who attempts to convince them to rally together against Ghidorah. However, both refuse to help the humans, forcing Mothra to take on the dragon herself. During the battle, one of Ghidorah’s lightning bolts strikes the edge of a mountain, killing all but one of the assassins. The survivor (Hisaya Ito) hits Shindo in the arm. He then clips the Princess on the forehead, which brings her back to her senses. Another bolt from Ghidroah causes a rockslide, killing the assassin before he can finish them off. Meanwhile Mothra, outmatched by the dragon, gets reinforced by a unified Rodan and Godzilla. The three team up against Ghidorah, and drive him into retreat back into outer space. Later, the Princess thanks Shindo for saving her, and leaves for home. Elsewhere, Mothra and the Shohijin depart for Infant Island, wishing Godzilla and Rodan good will.
   
                                             Breaking it Down

Ghidorah is many things; among them colorful, energetic, and intriguing. The film’s strength is its sense of fun: while it avoids being stupid, it still fills the screen with enthusiastic battle scenes. It’s the first movie to introduce a multi-monster battle, a concept that would be repeated in future films. The one drawback is that the plot is too complex. Venusians, assassins, and giant monsters is a ton of plot points to cram into a single movie. Enthusiasm is good, but too much can lose an audience in mid plot. Regardless of which way you choose to look at it, Ghidorah carries one certain characteristic: it’s a transitional film in the Godzilla series. It’s the first to give the monsters human characteristics, as they argue amongst themselves about what to do about Ghidorah. This is also the first movie where Godzilla takes on the role of protagonist in the series, giving the character a greater appeal to children.

This Godzilla film brings some mixed baggage, but overall is a fun one.

A seven out of ten!

             1964 Trailer of Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster

 

 

 

 

                  Mothra vs. Godzilla

                                        

                                             Overview

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) is critically-acclaimed as the greatest of all the Godzilla films, aside from the original. While I said the previous film was my personal favorite, this film is definitely in the top three for me. The special effects are terrific (for this genre), the acting is excellent, and the film’s antagonistic depiction of Godzilla would be a tough precedent to follow.

                                                    Plot Outline

A tsunami ravages the coast of Japan, washing ashore a mysterious, house-sized egg. The next morning, it attracts the attention of local media, including Ichiro Sakai (Akira Takarada) and Junko Nakanishi (Yuriko Hoshi). Professor Miura (Hiroshi Koizumi) also takes up an interest in studying the egg. However, all three are road blocked by Kumayama (Yoshifumi Tajima), a greedy corporate leader bent on using the egg for profit. Later, two twin fairies, called the Shobijin, reach out to Kumayama and Jiro Torahata (Kenji Sahara) to beg them to return the egg to Mothra, a huge but passive insect. The two instead try to capture the Mothra fairies, but they escape. They next appeal to the two journalists and Professor Miura, who are more sympathetic, but still unable to retrieve the egg. The tables soon turn on the greedy business leaders, as Godzilla erupts from the ground (he washed ashore during the storm, same as the egg), beginning his fourth movie rampage. Desperate to escape, Torahata kills Kumayama and tries to flee with his money only to be killed by Godzilla. The three heroes travel to Infant Island to beg Mothra to help repel Godzilla, which she reluctantly agrees. The timing proves perfect, as Mothra arrives just in time to stop Godzilla from destroying the egg. Initially Mothra holds the edge in the fight, but still loses the battle. Next the military pursue Godzilla using tanks, electrified netting, and bombs to slow his advance. None of it works, and his attack shifts to an island, where a group of school kids are in hiding. Thankfully Mothra’s larvae hatch, and battle Godzilla. Spraying him with silk, the larvae trap Godzilla inside a cocoon, driving him back into the ocean. The film ends with the people thanking the Shobijin for saving the country, and the offspring depart for Infant Island.

                                            Breaking It Down

Following the financial success of King Kong vs. Godzilla, Toho saw the character of Godzilla take off in popularity in a way that few previous movie monster had. If Kong breathed new life into the franchise, its follow-up cemented the character’s long-term influence in pop culture. In several ways, this film trumped its predecessor. The character of Godzilla was far less comedic, returning the character back to its 1954 depiction. For example, in Kong, Godzilla is shown playing beach volleyball with a boulder. In Mothra, the character tears through an electrical barricade, seemingly without effort. In one scene, an explosion sets the Godzilla suit on fire, but was kept in the movie to make the character look invincible. Another distinction between the movies is the depiction of the human characters. While both films feature greedy business owners, the latter film shows greed at a more sinister level. The heroes are generally more likeable, which can be a tough feat in a movie where the monsters are the main attraction. The model sets, again while cheap by today’s standards, are much more impressive than in previous (or future) films. Overall, while the plot is nothing new, the theme of good versus evil is better told in this one than most kaju films. Mothra’s passivity contrasts well with Godzilla’s marauding destruction, which helps to build the anticipation for the final battle very well.

On another note, the American-release of this film was, like many early kaju films, had its title changed. The title in the US was called Godzilla vs. The Thing, and posters hinted that the monster could be a squid or octopus-type creature. O

Critics and fans alike applaud this movie for its improved storyline, characters, and monster depictions. If you haven’t seen a Godzilla movie yet and are looking somewhere to start, I highly recommend this one (at least second to Gojira).

Five out of five stars!

 

 

                                  This Island Earth

                         

                                                                 Overview

Now we’re getting somewhere. This Island Earth (1955) is one of those few films you hear about that gets stuck between two separate film categories. Fans of the old 50’s alien films often put this movie in the classic category. Most mainstream moviegoers and critics, however, usually pan this one. During this decade, independent filmmakers and others were really looking to cash in on the country’s new fascination with extraterrestrials. Stories of people getting abducted really took off during the 50’s, as did other paranoia’s. One of which particularly was the fear of Communist spies snooping the US, which caused a national uproar. This arguably helped to stir interests in movies that featured foreign invaders living in society. I don’t really mean to give this film such a dramatic backdrop, but it helps to put things in perspective. 

                                             Plot Line

The film begins with a scientist Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) taking off in a jet from Washington DC, on his way to the laboratory. When trying to land, however, his jet loses control and starts shining a bright green. Eventually, he regains control and lands. His research assistant, Joe Wilson (Robert Nichols) also saw the odd occurrence, but both decide to keep quiet for the time being. Later, while waiting to receive parts for his laboratory, they instead receive a mysterious shipment of crates. Inside them are thousands of pieces designed to build a machine called an interocitor. Once built, Meacham and Wilson receive a message from a man called Exeter (Jeff Morrow). He offers Meacham the opportunity to be a part of a large research team, which he claims is dedicated to the field of science. With little details or hard facts present, he nonetheless takes Exeter up on his offer. The next day, a plane picks him up, though without any visible pilots on board. Once landed, Meacham is greeted by Dr. Ruth Adams. Both were once in a relationship, although Adams feigns ignorance of their ever knowing one another. Meacham later meets the other scientists, as well as Exeter and his own assistant, Brack. Their appearance causes suspicion, for both men have identically-enlarged foreheads, along with white hair. Also strange is the fact that Exeter expresses no knowledge of Mozart during a dinner gathering. Eventually, the two scientists, along with another named Steve Carlson (Russell Johnson) meet up in private to discuss the mysterious nature of the two men. Realizing that something is wrong, they try to flee the premises. While driving away though, a laser beam shoots at them from the sky. Eventually, Carlson is killed, and the other two are captured on board a flying saucer. The other scientists in the building are also killed. Exeter tries to convince them that his goals are peaceful (the mass killings notwithstanding). At first, Meacham resists, but is forced to go along with the aliens. Exeter explains that their help is required to save his race against the Zagons, another alien group. Once reaching the planet, however, the Monitor (the alien leader) orders their minds to be wiped. After leaving, Exeter helps them escape. Along the way, the trio is attacked by a Mutant guard, which injures Exeter. Beating back the creature, they escape on board the saucer, and leave the planet. As they leave, they watch Exeter’s planet vaporized. The mutant, however, has boarded the ship. It tries to kill Adams, but the pressure from the journey finally kills it. Returning back to Earth, the couple returns home. Exeter however is badly injured, and his ship is low on fuel. The film concludes with him crashing the saucer into the ocean.

                                               Overview

Like I said, this movie is a shade of gray. It holds a 71% with Rotten Tomatoes, and the acting is overall decent. The special effects are also a plus for a film in this genre. However, you finish the film feeling like you wanted a little more. Much time is spent on characters providing tons of exposition for the audience, which often is pretty tedious. There are a few battle scenes towards the end, when the aliens are attacking Metaluna. The Mutant of course a guy in a rubber suit, no stop motion or anything is used. But it doesn’t look too bad. What makes This Island Earth so divisive is that while most regard this movie as a classic, the crew of Mystery Science Theater disagreed. They chose to lampoon this film in their own film version of the TV series. Actually it was through the MST3K movie that I first saw This Island Earth. It’s definitely not the worst movie they took on, but at the same time, there’s a reason why they chose it. The movie is cliché, even by 50’s standards. Some scenes, such as the lab scene, go on with seemingly little purpose. Lots of boring dialogue will likely put audiences to sleep.

 I give this one a 5 out of 10.

                                     1955 Movie Trailer

 

                        The Golden Voyage of Sinbad

                                      

                                                               Intro

Following The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad, filmmakers set out to expand film success with other sci-fi and fantasy films, including Mysterious Island, as well as the film adaptation of Mysterious Island. By the beginning of the 1970s, Harryhousen and the film crew looked to renewing the Sinbad series.

                                                      The Plot

In 1971, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad was released, bringing audiences back into the classic fairy-tale genre of sorcery and monsters. The basic concept is still the same: Sinbad is pitted against a devious magician who uses his abilities to summon Harryhousen creatures against our hero. The distinction here is that the odds are stacked against the bad guy, who’s named Kora (Tom Baker). Normally, the heroes have to scramble to get something or somewhere, otherwise their lives are in jeopardy. Here, Kora must race to find the three pieces of a medallion, otherwise his body will continue to age at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, Sinbad (John Philip Law) and his crew race to the island of Lemuria, in search of the Fountain of Destiny. Whoever gets to it first, be it Kora or Sinbad, is rewarded with limitless riches, as well as eternal youth. Along his journey against Kora, Sinbad befriends the disfigured leader of Marabia, whose face was burned by the magician. He also takes in Margiana (Caroline Munro), a slave girl he met in his dreams. She carries on her palms markings that resemble eyes, which will be explained later in the story. Along the trip, Sinbad’s crew is harassed by Kora’s Homunculus, a small creature with bat-like wings. Through it he listens in on Sinbad’s conversations, and is able to pick up pivotal information. Kora also brings a curse on the ship’s figurehead, which attacks Sinbad’s crew. After defeating it, they finally reach Lemuria. The heroes find a cavern, which leads them to the “Oracle of All Knowledge”, which is voiced by Robert Shaw. Talking in riddles, it warns Sinbad of a battle between good and evil. Following this, Kora blows up the entrance, trapping them. Using a rope, the men are able to climb through a hole in the ceiling, and to safety. Later, Kora is captured by a group of natives, but gets their respect by bringing the statue of Kali (a six-armed Goddess) to life. As he continues his search in the natives’ chamber for the third piece of the medallion, Kora is confronted by Sinbad, who challenges him “to the death”. However, Kora pivots to Kali, who attacks the good guys with her six swords. After an impressive duel, they finally destroy the statue. By doing so however, they also anger the natives, who try to kill them. Upon seeing Margiana’s hand markings, they interpret the eyes to mean she should be fed to their Centaur creature. They lower her into the monster’s lair, where she is captured by it. Afterwards, the sailors break free and jump down into the cavern levels, in pursuit. Searching, Sinbad finally finds her unharmed. They then descend further into the cave, searching for Kora. Eventually, he is discovered in a room, kneeling before the Fountain of Destiny. Attempting to finish him off, the heroes are disrupted by the arrival of the Centaur. Battling them, the monster is also confronted by a Griffin. The two engage in a fight that represents good vs evil, which was alluded to by the Oracle earlier. However, Kora intervenes, wounding the Griffin and allowing the Centaur to win. Despite this, Sinbad again battles the monster, eventually killing it. Finally, he and Kora fight to the death. Using his new power, Kora is able to become invisible, leaving Sinbad vulnerable. However, his abilities fail him as he stands behind the water fountain, allowing the hero to spot him in time to kill him. With the conflict behind them, Sinbad grants Margiana’s freedom, and gives the Fountain’s gifts to the Vizier, whose wounds fade away.

                                              Breaking Down the Movie

In this film, Sinbad is portrayed by John Phillip Law, who is not quite as memorable as Kerwin Matthews, but he’s acceptable for the role. His female costar is Carolyn Munro, who’s known for a variety of roles in the Hammer horror films, as well as playing alongside Doug McClure in “At the Earth’s Core”. Most interestingly I think is her lead role in the Star Wars rip-off “Starcrash”, where she plays a character that is a blend between Han Solo and Princess Leia. While I really think Munro isn’t bad as an actress, I felt this movie shortchanged her a tad. While female leads at this film period were still reduced to being the damsel in distress, they at least portray a key role in the story. The slave girl Munro portrays isn’t even given very many lines, and does little to help the heroes when they’re in danger. She’s pretty much just standing nearby or busy getting captured by monsters. At least in 7^th Voyage, Kathryn Grant’s character rescues the sailors from the Cyclops trap, and manages to maintain a presence in the movie. Don’t get me wrong, Carolyn Munro has had decent movie roles before and after this one. She is definitely Sinbad’s most stunning, and beautiful costar, though they still could have given her a sword to fight with or something. Heck, Carrie Fisher was taking out stormtroopers like nobody’s business in the Lucas films. What really sets this movie apart from all the other Sinbad films, though, is Tom Baker’s role as the evil sorcerer Kora. Unlike past antagonists, Baker really gives his character a personality. Other actors would have delivered standard threats and curses with relative blandness, but Baker adds a slimy element to each scene he’s in. I’ve heard from some sources actually that this role here is what got him hired on as the new Doctor Who, so that testifies to his sturdy performance. Aside from these characters, the stop-motion creatures are cool as always. The Kali statute is pretty amazing, as it takes on all the sailors simultaneously. Actually, the scene made me wonder if George Lucas used this as an inspiration for General Grevious in Revenge of the Sith, given the characters’ similarities. Also, the Griffin and Centaur creatures stand out as well animated, and make for good combatants at the film’s conclusion. Overall, some of the story can get tiresome here, since we’ve already seen a lot of this in previous fantasy movies. However, the animations are cool as always, and the film benefits tremendously from Tom Baker’s presence. I give this one four out of five stars!

1973 Trailer of The Golden Voyage of Sinbad