Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965)

Near the end of WWII, Germans transport the immortal heart of Frankenstein's monster to Japan, where it is seeming lost in the bombing of Hiroshima. Years later a wild boy is found, born from the immortal heart.

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writers:

Reuben Bercovitch (story), Takeshi Kimura (screenplay) (as Kaoru Mabuchi)

Stars:

Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Tadao Takashima

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Adams	...	Dr. James Bowen (as Nikku Adamusu)
Kumi Mizuno	...	Dr. Sueko Togami
Tadao Takashima	...	Dr. Yuzo Kawaji
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Mr. Kawai
Kôji Furuhata	...	Frankenstein
Jun Tazaki	...	Military Advisor
Susumu Fujita	...	Osaka Police Chief
Takashi Shimura	...	Axis Scientist
Nobuo Nakamura	...	Skeptical Museum Chief
Kenji Sahara	...	Soldier
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Submarine Commander
Kôzô Nomura	...	Overzealous Reporter (as Terunobu Nomura)
Haruya Katô	...	TV Director
Ikio Sawamura	...	Man Walking Dog
Yoshio Kosugi	...	Mountain Soldier

Storyline

During WWII, a human heart taken from a certain lab in Europe (Dr. Frankenstein's) is kept in a Japanese lab, when it gets exposed to the radiation of the bombing of Hiroshima. The heart grows in size, mutates and sprouts appendages, and eventually grows into a complete body and escapes. Later, a feral boy with a certain physical deformity (a large head with a flat top) is captured by scientists who refer to the boy as Frankenstein. The creature grows to the height of 20 feet, escapes again, fights police and army, and is practically indestructible. Later, a reptilian monster goes on a rampage. Eventually the Frankenstein creature and the reptile face off in a terrible battle.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor victor frankenstein character | psychotronic film | baragon character | frankenstein's monster | nazi zombie | 

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Taglines:

He rolled the Seven Wonders of the World into one!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

In its original release, it was billed as the first film collaboration between Japan and the U.S.

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Goofs

The horse Baragon kills is an obvious stiff puppet. Special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya recognized how fake the shot looked but chose not to redo it.

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Quotes

Axis Scientist: Frankenstein's heart.
Mr. Kawai: Frankenstein? It's alive?
Axis Scientist: It is immortal.
Mr. Kawai: Immortal?
Axis Scientist: You never heard what was said of Frankenstein's experiments?
Mr. Kawai: Yes, but I heard he was destroyed.
Axis Scientist: Well, a long time ago, a German scientist sewed together the parts of a man in hopes to bring it back to life. He used an electric shock to bring it to life.
Mr. Kawai: But what can we gain from the research?
Axis Scientist: We might learn how to process or grow any part of the human body.
Mr. Kawai: Please don't joke with me.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the version being distributed by U.P.A., the opening credits lists producer Tomoyuki Tanaka as "Tomoyuka Tanaka."

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Alternate Versions

Asian version has a fight between Furankenshutain and a giant octopus which is missing from the American and international prints.

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Connections

Featured in Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991)

User Reviews

Underrated and Entertaining

As a fan of the genre. I had the opportunity recently view this film. As a child I remembered watching this film during the days of "Afternoon Movie Theater" I believe that it was called at Channel 7? It was known as "Frankenstein Conquers the World" and it was quite entertaining. I was young and things of that nature would entertain me. Anyway, back to my review. The movie starts out with a very eerie tone accompanied by very chilling and memorable music, thanks to maestro of music, Akira Ifukube. I believe the score of this music was excellent which I believe help or even save the movie at times. The audience is presented with a World War II torn Germany who gives up Frankenstein's heart to the Japanese. After it's arrival in Japan for experiments, Hiroshima is destroyed by a A-bomb and shifts to present day in Japan. Helps the movie in the fact that gives off enough background information. Anyhow, the Frankestein's heart was supposedly eaten by a young boy who survived the destruction of Hiroshima. Scientist's find the boy for further experiments after he has committed criminal activities (eating dogs, rabbits, etc..)for his survival. The boy grows in a rapid pace and has to be placed in a larger cell for his own protection. He escapes and hides in the forest and hills of Japan. The second monster introduced and first appearance ever in the Kaiju genre is the ever popular, Baragon. He does his monster destruction and eventually meets up the overgrown and poorly designed Frankestein. Of course this is main attraction of this film. The fight scenes are pretty kool and enjoyable. I don't ever remember seeing two monsters going at it as much as this movie, maybe the exception of Baragon and Godzilla in "GMK: Giant Monsters All Out Attack". Sufficed it to say, Frankenstein wins out and kills Baragon surrounded by a forest of fire. I happen to watch the Japanese version where the Giant Octopus appears and engages in combat with Frankestein and eventually fell off the cliff, taking its entangled prey with him into the sea. A prequel to "The War of the Gargantuas"!! Although I've seen the "Americanized" version of this film with the ending deleted, an earthquake type scene. With the flames in the background, the land would open up and engulf both Baragon and Frankenstein to the bottom of the earth. I still prefer the Japanese version. Overall, very underrated and entertaining film. But, believe me, the score of the film is what gives an added punch. More like, destruction, despair and sadness with a touch of domination. If you're a fan of the Japanese Sci-Fi genre, I would view this one.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

8 July 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frankenstein Conquers the World

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Henry G. Saperstein Enterprises Inc., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 93 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1