Rodan (1956)

A large mining accident sets loose prehistoric insects and giant pterosaurs on Japan.

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writers:

David Duncan, Takeshi Kimura

Stars:

Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Akihiko Hirata

Cast

Credited cast:
Kenji Sahara	...	Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineer (as Kenji Sawara)
Yumi Shirakawa	...	Kiyo, Shigeru's lover
Akihiko Hirata	...	Professor Kyuichiro Kashiwagi (biology)
Akio Kobori	...	Police Chief Nishimura
Yasuko Nakada	...	Female Honeymooner
Minosuke Yamada	...	Colliery Chief Osaki
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Izeki, reporter of Seibu Nippou
Kiyoharu Onaka	...	Male Honeymooner, Sunagawa's friend (as Kiyoharu Ohnaka)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ichirô Chiba	...	Chief of police station
Mike Daneen	...	American Soldier Typing
Tsurue Ichimanji	...	Haru, Kiyo's neighbor (as Tazue Ichimanji)
Saburô Iketani	...	News Reader
Saburô Kadowaki	...	Sunagawa's colleague
Tateo Kawasaki	...	Tsunesan, miner
Kanta Kisaragi	...	Suteyan, miner

Storyline

In the Japanese mining village of Kitamatsu, miners ares starting to disappear deep inside shaft number 8. Some of the men sent to investigate are killed but one who has managed to escape brings back a tale of a giant insect. Soon, the giant prehistoric insects are attacking the village. Not long after, something traveling faster than the speed of sound is found flying in the sky. It is Rodan, a giant flying prehistoric reptile that has come to life. It spreads terror throughout Japan and is seemingly invincible to any weapon they may throw at it.

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Plot Keywords:

kaiju | tokusatsu | japan | monster | miner | 

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Taglines:

More Startling Than JULES VERNE!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The inspiration for the film was the 1948 Mantell UFO incident in which Captain Thomas F. Mantell of the Kentucky Air National Guard crashed while pursuing a UFO.

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Goofs

When the Japanese Air Force attacks Rodan at the bridge, the shadows of the planes can be seen against the backdrop of the sky.

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Crazy Credits

In the U.S. version, special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya's name is misspelled "Eiji Tsuburya."

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Alternate Versions

In the original Japanese version, there is no dialogue prior to Rodan's attack on the two honeymooners. The American version later added dialogue in which the young woman was joking about her husband taking pictures of the volcano rather than her. Also, in the original version the scene plays a little longer with Rodan making a pass above the couple, with his shadow passing over them, before he swoops in to carry the couple off.

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Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (2008)

User Reviews

Rodan Emerges

Ishiro Honda directed this film, which starts off in a small Japanese mining community beset by mysterious killings and disappearances that turn out to be caused by giant insects who are later found to be sealed up in a cavern with Rodan, a giant flying prehistoric bird/lizard that escapes, then attacks Japan(still recovering from Godzilla!) It proves difficult to kill, and as it turns out, isn't alone, and has an egg it's guarding to boot... First film appearance of Rodan(and it's only solo film) has an imaginative opening sequence with the mine subplot, though picks up when Rodan finally appears, even though it's just an airborne version of Godzilla. The surviving Rodan would make return appearances in the Godzilla series, starting with "Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster".

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese Mandarin Tagalog

Release Date:

6 August 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rodan

Filming Locations:

Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$500,000, 4 August 1957

Gross USA:

$500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Film (Eiga) Co. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min 70 min (16 mm television syndication prints) 72 min (English dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1