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Daimajin |
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a.k.a. Majin, Monster of Terror
Japan, 1966 |
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Starring Miwa Takada, Yoshihiko Aoyama, Jun Fujimaki. Directed by Kimiyoshi Kuroda. A feudal Japanese warlord subjugates a small town, only to run afoul of the town's protector, a giant statue that comes alive when the local priestess prays to it. The first of three films featuring the vengeful statue, Daimajin has the most elaborate effects and a neat twist: after the warlord has been dispatched the statue turns on the town itself. |
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Return of Daimajin |
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Japan, 1966
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Starring Hideki Ninomiya, Shinji Horii, Masahide Iizuka. Directed by Issei Mori. Three kids travel over a mountain range to get Daimajin to help their village. The last film in the series adds the somewhat unwelcome element of kids to the Daimajin mix, but it's still suitably downbeat. |
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Wrath of Daimajin |
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a.k.a. The Return of Giant Majin, Daimajin ikaru
Japan, 1966 |
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Starring Kojiro Hongo, Shiho Fujimura, Taro Marui. Directed by Kenji Misumi. The feared Daimajin defends one town from being conquered by another one. Expect (like all the Daimajin films) an hour of samurai drama followed by twenty minutes of a giant statue stomping buildings flat. This movie includes the very striking image of the Daimajin parting a lake to get at the bad guys. |
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| Giant Monster Movies is a Stomp Tokyo production. All text is copyright © 2003 Stomp Tokyo. Movie stills and cover art photos are the intellectual property of their creators, and are used here for the purposes of review only. |