<<< June 30 - July 2, 2006 >>>

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 At the risk of being redundant…what is it about watching actors in rubber monster suits kick the living daylights out of a plaster-and-paint model of Tokyo (and each other), that seems so, well, satisfying? We can’t say for sure … WE JUST KNOW WE LOVE IT!! For those of you who can never seem to get enough of city-stomping, radioactive-fire-breathing action, we’re back with more GIANT MONSTERS ON THE LOOSE – yes, more classics and rarities from the Japanese kaiju ("giant monster") genre – including the Los Angeles Theatrical Premieres of the latest by Takashi Miike, THE GREAT YOKAI WAR, as well as the completely-cgi-generated short "Negadon: The Monster From Mars", the U.S. Premieres of GAMERA THE BRAVE and Tsubaraya Productions’ MIRROR MAN: REFLEX plus three episodes from their ULTRAMAN MAX television show (one directed by Shusuke Kaneko and two by Takashi Miike!!), a rare screening of GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (the 1956 American version of GOJIRA starring Raymond Burr), with son of American co-director Terry Morse, Terry Morse, Jr. on hand for a Q&A, GODZILLA 2000 with American version producer Mike Schlesinger and the English-language voice actors discussing the dubbing, and much more!!

Win Prizes!

Anime Jungle will be onsite selling merchandise.

Friday, June 30 - 7:30 PM
Kadokawa Pictures Double Feature:

Los Angeles Premiere! Short: "Negadon: The Monster From Mars", 2005, Central Park Media, 26 min. The world’s first 100% computer generated kaiju film is a loving homage to the classic Japanese monster movies of the 1950’s and 60’s. In the year 2025, extreme overpopulation has led to the "Mars Terraforming Project", a plan to make the red planet a habitable world. The MTP’s efforts awaken the space monster Negadon, who crashes in Tokyo and destroys all in its path. Earth’s only hope is Miroku, a prototype robot piloted by its inventor. The award-winning NEGADON: THE MONSTER FROM MARS marks the directorial debut of graphics & special effects wizard, Jun Awazu, whose previous credits include KAMEN RIDER 555 and the Godzilla film GMK. In Japanese with English Subtitles.

Los Angeles Premiere! THE GREAT YOKAI WAR, 2005, Media Blasters & Kadokawa, 124 min. Dir. Takashi Miike. While attending a festival at an ancient shrine, a timid young boy named Tadashi is chosen to be the next Kirin Rider, a warrior of peace who must defend the world in times of darkness. To prove his worth, Tadashi tries to claim the legendary Goblin Sword from the yokai… strange mystical beings that come in a variety of bizarre forms— some hideous, some cute— all who have incredible supernatural powers. As Tadashi sets out on his quest, the evil Lord Yasunori Kato and his henchwoman Agi the Bird-Stabbing Witch (Chiaki Kuriyma of BATTLE ROYALE and KILL BILL) have been capturing yokai and merging them with discarded items to make an army of mechanical monsters called Kikai. Tadashi must unite the good yokai to oppose Lord Kato, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Acclaimed director Takashi Miike’s big budget update of the classic Daiei films is great entertainment; a wonderful blend of adventure, horror, and comedy featuring hundreds of bizarre creatures. Co-starring Bunta Sugawara. In Japanese with English Subtitles.

U.S. Premiere!

GAMERA THE BRAVE, 2006, Kadokawa, 97 min. Thirty years after Gamera disappeared during a battle with the flying monsters called Gyaos, a young boy named Toru Aizawa discovers a turtle egg while playing on a beach. The egg hatches in his hand, and Toru keeps the tiny newborn as a pet. The little turtle grows quickly and soon displays some very odd behavior like flying and breathing fire. Toru soon realizes he has found a baby Gamera. When the sea monster Zedus comes ashore and attacks the town of Isheshima, the new Gamera comes to the rescue of Toru and his friends. But the little monster is no match for his larger and much stronger opponent. Will this new Gamera be able to recover and find a way to beat the villainous Zedus? A new creative team led by director Ryuta Tazaki (KAMEN RIDER AGITO, SHIBUYA 15) and special effects director Isao Kaneko (GODZILLA VS. BIOLANTE, TETSUJIN 28) launches a fresh cycle of films unconnected to the 1990’s Gamera trilogy. GAMERA THE BRAVE mixes the traditional "friend of all children" Gamera from the classic films of the 1960’s with modern special FX techniques. The film opened in Japan on April 29, and makes its US debut at this festival. In Japanese with English Subtitles. Please Note: Due to current unavailability of a 35mm print, GAMERA THE BRAVE will be screened off of a Digi-Beta source.

Saturday, July 1 - 6:00 PM

Ultra-Rare Screening!
GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS, 1956, Rialto, 80 min. Dir. Ishiro Honda and Terry Morse. In 1954 Toho released the blockbuster hit GODZILLA, the first of 28 movies starring the giant monster. Late the following year, US rights to the film were acquired by a group of independent distributors who combined to form Trans World Releasing Corp. In order to increase the appeal of a Japanese production, barely a decade after World War II, Trans World decided to recut GODZILLA to give it an American perspective. Director Terry Morse was hired to supervise the process and helm new scenes with actor Raymond Burr (REAR WINDOW, "Perry Mason") as an American reporter who witnesses Godzilla’s rampage during a layover in Japan. This new version, entitled GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS, was a huge success upon its release in 1956, and launched Godzilla as an international icon. In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of Godzilla’s American debut, and in anticipation of the upcoming DVD release of both the US and Japanese versions of this film, the American Cinematheque and Classic Media present a rare theatrical screening of GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS. English Dubbed Version. Discussion following film with Terry Morse Jr., editor of GKOTM and son of Terry Morse, who directed the American footage with Raymond Burr. Sponsored by Classic Media’s Godzilla DVD collection.

Saturday, July 1 - 8:30 PM
GODZILLA 2000, 1999, Sony Repertory, 99 min. Dir. Takao Okawara. Following TriStar Pictures’ poorly received American GODZILLA, Toho brought back the original Japanese Godzilla for his first film in four years. A government team salvages a spaceship that had crashed into the ocean millions of years ago. Unfortunately the craft still houses the consciousness of the long-dead alien crew, who begin looking for the material needed to recreate new bodies. They soon discover that Godzilla’s unique genetic structure would allow them to conquer the world. But the King of the Monsters has other ideas and takes on the spaceship and the alien beast Orga for a duel to the death in the heart of Tokyo. GODZILLA 2000 launched the third wave of Godzilla films that recently ended with GODZILLA: FINAL WARS. It was quickly picked up by Sony Pictures and became the first Toho-produced Godzilla movie to receive a wide stateside release in 15 years. English Dubbed Version.

GODZILLA, MOTHRA & KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK, 2001, Sony Repertory, 105 min. Acclaimed by fans as one of the most exciting Godzilla films since the heyday of the 1960’s, "GMK" features a terrific, redesigned Big G (hint: he’s leaner, meaner and packs a nasty bite), bent on destroying Japan as vengeance for the restless souls of WWII victims. Standing in his way are the "Guardian Deities" – i.e. Mothra, King Ghidorah and Baragon. Director Shusuke Kaneko helmed the astounding trio of GAMERA films for Daiei in the mid-1990’s – here, he’s practically reinvented the Godzilla series for the 21^st century. In Japanese with English subtitles. Discussion in between films with GODZILLA 2000 American producer Michael Schlesinger and the cast and crew responsible for the American version.

Sunday, July 2 - 6:30 PM
Tsuburaya Productions Night! 4 Hours of Giant Superheroes & Monsters!

ULTRAMAN MAX, 2005, Tsuburaya Prod. Approx. 90 min.. Dir. Shusuke Kaneko and Takashi Miike. The Ultraman franchise returned to it roots with this hit series that brought back several classic monsters as well as original ULTRAMAN stars Susumu Kurobe (Hayata) and Hiroko Sakurai (Fuji). Some of Japan’s top directors took a rare turn at television with ULTRAMAN MAX, including this trio of episodes from Takashi Miike (AUDITION, GREAT YOKAI WAR) and Shusuke Kaneko (the Gamera trilogy, GMK) (All three episodes in Japanese with English Subtitles.)

Ep. 1: "Ultraman Max Is Born" - The lava monster Grangon and the freezing monster Ragorath are ravaging Japan, and only the defense force Team DASH and a brave, but reckless young man named Kaito Toma stand in their way. As the tide of battle turns against the defenders, a powerful alien being from Nebula M78 arrives on earth. Shusuke Kaneko directs this pilot episode that establishes the cast and premise of ULTRAMAN MAX.

Ep. 15: "Miracle On Planet Number Three"- Max and Team DASH battle a giant monster that feeds off the energy of their attacks. What is the creature’s connection to a young blind musician? This episode is a rather dark commentary on the escalating nature of violence and war by Takashi Miike.

Ep. 16: "Who Am I?" - Takashi Miike totally changes gears with this silly, slapstick parody of the Ultraman series. Three bizarre monsters cause everyone on earth to lose their memories. When Ultraman Max shows up to save the day, he forgets what he is supposed to do.

Approx. 8:15 PM – First Episode! MIRROR MAN, 1971, Tsubaraya Prod., 25 min. Episode 1: "Mirror Man is Born" In the 1980’s, the Earth comes under attack by the mysterious forces of the Invaders, nefarious beings from an unknown world bent on conquest and destruction. Professor Mitarai forms the Science Guard Members (SGM), a high-tech fighting force whose task it is to protect our world. Meanwhile, newspaper photographer Kyotaro Kagami discovers that he is actually a member of a race of super powered beings from the Second Dimension. When the Invaders send a gigantic beast to devastate the city, Kyotaro uses his newfound power and transforms into Mirror Man, a towering superhero. But is even Mirror Man strong enough to defeat this terrible foe?

U.S. Premiere! MIRROR MAN: REFLEX, 2006, Tsuburaya Prod., 90 min. Dir. Kazuya Konaka. Brothers Chiaki (ARMITAGE III) and Kazuya Konaka (ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT) update the 1971 superhero show for the new millennium. The story revolves around a troubled young man, a strange girl who possesses incredible powers, a beautiful scientist with an unforgettable trauma in her past, giant city-smashing monsters, and a mysterious being from a parallel universe that exists beyond the looking glass. Featuring stunning special effects, moody velvet-dark photography, and the classic MIRROR MAN monsters Aian, Darklon, and Golden Satan, MIRROR MAN: REFLEX will shred your expectations of Japanese science fiction. In Japanese with English Subtitles. Please note all materials tonight are from a digital video source.