Varan the Unbelievable (1962)

In an effort to find an economic means of purifying salt water, a joint U.S.-Japanese military command is set up on an isolated Japanese island where an unusual salt water lake is situated.... See full summary »

Director:

Jerry A. Baerwitz

Writer:

Sid Harris (screenplay)

Stars:

Myron Healey, Tsuruko Kobayashi, Clifford Kawada

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Myron Healey	...	Cmdr. James Bradley
Tsuruko Kobayashi	...	Anna
Clifford Kawada	...	Capt,. Kishi
Derick Shimatsu	...	Matsu, the boy
Kôzô Nomura	...	Paul Isoh
Ayumi Sonoda	...	Shidori Isoh
Fumito Matsuo	...	Paul's Friend
Hiroshi Hisasume	...	Pvt. Seki
Yoneo Iguchi	...	Radio Operator
Hideo Inamura	...	Doomed Soldier
Roy K. Ogata	...	Extra
George Sasaki	...	Extra
Michael Sung	...	Extra
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Soldier
Akio Kusama	...	Soldier

Storyline

In an effort to find an economic means of purifying salt water, a joint U.S.-Japanese military command is set up on an isolated Japanese island where an unusual salt water lake is situated. However, their purifying experiments arouse the prehistoric monster Obaki from hibernation at the lake's bottom, and it proceeds to attack Japan.

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Plot Keywords:

lake | monster | death of title character | monster terrorizes city | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

From a World Below, It Came to Terrorize - To Destroy - To Revenge!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 1962 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cory Film Corporation, Dallas Productions Inc., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) Perspecta Stereo (perspecta sound systems)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was originally supposed to be a co-production between A.B.C. and Toho. However, A.B.C. backed out just before production began.

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Connections

Features Daikaijû Baran (1958)

User Reviews

A mind-numbing bore...

Despite some good monster suit and model effects, plus some good opening scenes involving a then barely seen monster, this one soon descends into the military repeatedly battling the monster (never actually called Varan in the film) and battling the monster and battling the monster and battling the monster some more...I hope you get the idea. Unfortunately none of this is enhanced by terrific music such as Akira Ifukube provided for so many Toho films and the ending is much too similar to GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS.