Kaitei gunkan (1963)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writers:

Shigeru Komatsuzaki (novel)
Shunro Oshikawa (novel)

Release Date:

11 March 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Ride the JUGGERNAUT of destruction from the depths of the Seven Seas to the Outer Limits of Space!

Plot:

Several strange occurrences are taking place all over the world including the disappearance of two engineers...

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Monster | Battleship | Sunken Continent | U Boat

Cast

Tadao Takashima	...	Commercial Photographer Susumu Hatanaka
Yôko Fujiyama	...	Makoto Jinguji, the Captain's Daughter
Yu Fujiki	...	Yoshito Nishibe
Ken Uehara	...	Retired Admiral Kosumi
Jun Tazaki	...	Captain Hachiro Jinguji
Kenji Sahara	...	Journalist / Mu Agent
Hiroshi Koizumi	...	Detective
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Tome 'Amano' Amanoshome
Akihiko Hirata	...	Mu Agent #23
Eisei Amamoto	...	High Priest of Mu
Tetsuko Kobayashi	...	Empress of Mu
Hisaya Ito	...	Shindo, Kidnapped Scientist
Minoru Takada	...	Government Official
Susumu Fujita	...	Defense Commander
Ikio Sawamura	...	Taxi Driver

Also Known As:

Atoragon: Flying Supersub
Atragon (USA)
Flying Supersub Atoragon
Undersea Battleship (International: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

96 min | USA:89 min (English dubbed version)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The role of Jinguji was written for Toshirô Mifune, but his prior commitment to Akira Kurosawa's Akahige (1965) made it impossible for him to participate.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In some of the scenes were Atragon (aka. Gotengo) is flying, the strings holding the model are visible.

Quotes:

Captain Hachiro Jinguji: Let her go. Let her die with her nation.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gojira: Fainaru uôzu (2004)

Flying Submarine/Drill Bit versus Undersea Super Civilization - Incredible!

There's something about this film that I can't help but like.

Everything is just one step beyond plausible. The bad guys have all sorts of powers that are used once and then never used again. The flying submarine Atragon has been built completely in secret by an Japanese Navy unit, in self-imposed exile, that is preparing to win World War 2 for Japan in 1963! There's a giant pet serpent that attacks the submarine. An entire city is destroyed in a way I won't describe but is completely wacky.

Silly and lots of fun. The special effects go from great to cheap to unbelievably weird. The movie is slow at points but when the sub finally takes off, it's non-stop action. You'll recognize the actors from many of the Godzilla films.