Warning from Space (1956)

UFOs are seen around Tokyo. Because they look like giant starfish the aliens cannot approach us without creating panic. Hence one of them sacrifices itself and takes the form of a popular ... See full summary »

Director:

Kôji Shima

Writers:

Jay Cipes (English dialogue) (as Jay H. Cipes), Gentaro Nakajima (story)

Stars:

Keizô Kawasaki, Toyomi Karita, Bin Yagisawa

3 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Keizô Kawasaki	...	Dr. Toru Itsobe
Toyomi Karita	...	Hikari Aozora / Ginko
Bin Yagisawa	...	No. 2 Pairan
Shôzô Nanbu	...	The Elder Dr. Itsobe
Bontarô Miake	...	Dr. Kamura (as Bontaro Miake)
Mieko Nagai	...	Taeko Kamura
Kiyoko Hirai	...	Mrs. Matsuda
Isao Yamagata	...	Dr. Matsuda
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gai Harada
Yûzô Hayakawa	...	Policeman
Kanji Kawahara	...	Dr. Takashima
Sachiko Meguro	...	Mrs. Tokuko Isobe
Toshiyuki Obara	...	News Repoter Hoshino (USA) / Hideno (Japan)
Fumiko Okamura	...	Japanese Bar' Ucyû-ken' Madam Ohana
Shikô Saitô	...	Mystery Man (as Shiko Saito)

Storyline

UFOs are seen around Tokyo. Because they look like giant starfish the aliens cannot approach us without creating panic. Hence one of them sacrifices itself and takes the form of a popular female singer. It/she warns mankind that a meteor will crash on Earth. While the approaching meteor causes hotter and hotter weather, mankind runs and builds a last-chance anti-meteor weapon.

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Plot Keywords:

ufo | outer space | monster disguised as human | space station | end of the world | 

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

29 January 1956 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Warning from Space

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiei Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 88 min (dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Daieicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Warning From Space was released in Japan on 29 January 1956. Daiei also hoped to find a foreign market for Warning from Space, though the company found difficulty in selling it. Nevertheless, the film played at both King Cinema in Rangoon, Burma and Tai Khoon Theatre in Sandakan, Malaysia, in 1958. The film did help Daiei achieve some success in the genre. It was passed for release, anglicized as Warning from Space, by the BBFC in the United Kingdom in 1957, and later in the United States in 1963. The film was also released as The Mysterious Satellite in some areas. It was shown in the U.S. by American International Television later in the 1960s as Warning From Space. The film was released in Spain as Asalto a la Tierra, and in France as Le Satellite Mystérieux. Warning from Space has since fallen into the public domain, allowing companies to distribute the film for free on DVD.

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Alternate Versions

The U.S. English dubbed version titled "Warning From Space" (1956) is quite faithful to the original Japanese version. However, at the final fade-out an additional sequence is added showing Ginko (Toyomi Karita) transforming from the human form back to the Pairan form. They simply took the transformation sequence, showing Ginko transforming into the human form, from earlier in the film and printed it in reverse.

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Connections

References When Worlds Collide (1951)

User Reviews

Entertaining space epic

Neat little epic about starfish shaped aliens coming to Earth to warn it of impending Clayson with another planet. Oddly enough,viewers complains about the cheap costumes of the aliens,if they listened to the story,the aliens wore protective costumes to function in Earth's atmosphere because their actual shape would horrify the earth people. The special effects are very good,par for the course for fifties sci-fi. Definitely a must for your video shelf. The color is a bit faded but it's still a nice film to watch. The dubbing is well done and the musical numbers are fun. Probably not the classic film one would like but it still good. I'm a big fan of Japanese sci-fi.so it goes well with my collection.