In Mothra, news comes about life on an island that should have been devastated by an atomic blast. There, a greedy man kidnaps two impossibly small women, to put them on display. But their guardian, Mothra, will let nothing prevent her from rescuing them.
Mothra (1961)
Mothra is a classic Kaiju movie for a good reason. It’s very well done, with characters that the audience care about and root for. As well as a couple of villains to hiss it. And, it takes time to introduce them, set up the various conflicts, and let things progress.
On a surface level, the plot’s very similar to Gorgo. The villain, after causing a massacre, kidnaps Mothra’s twin fairies — so he can make money exhibiting them. And for a time at least, he has diplomatic immunity, and can’t be stopped by legal means. And Mothra’s left her island, and is on her way to Tokyo.
Product Description
One of the most iconic Japanese kaiju, Mothra has appeared in over a dozen feature films. Presented here is her debut, a gloriously vibrant piece of filmmaking that forever changed how kaiju eiga would be produced in Japan.
Following reports of human life on Infant Island, the supposedly deserted site of atomic bomb tests, an international expedition to the heavily-radiated island discovers a native tribe and tiny twin female fairies called “Shobijin” who guard a sacred egg. The overzealous expedition leader kidnaps the Shobijin to exhibit in a Tokyo stage show but soon they summon their protector, hatching the egg and releasing a giant caterpillar. When Mothra arrives in Japan and transforms into her final form, the nation and its people face their destruction.
Psychedelically colourful, with an intelligent, benevolent protector as its lead kaiju, Mothra was radically different to every other monster movie that had come before it, and it remains a classic of the genre to this day. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Ishirō Honda’s Mothra on Blu-ray.
Cast of characters
- Furankî Sakai (Shogun) … Senichiro ‘Sen-chan’ Fukuda (AKA Bulldog)
- Hiroshi Koizumi (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) … Dr. Shin’ichi Chûjô
- Kyôko Kagawa (High and Low) … Photographer Michi Hanamura
- Yumi Itô (Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster) … Shobijin (Twin Fairy) (as Yumi Ito)
- Emi Itô (Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster) … Shobijin (Twin Fairy) (as Emi Ito)
- Jerry Itô (Message from Space) … Kurâruku Neruson (as Jerî Itô)
- Ken Uehara (Atragon) … Dr. Harada
- Takashi Shimura (Frankenstein vs Baragon) … News Editor
- Tetsu Nakamura (The Manster) … Nelson’s Henchman
- Seizaburô Kawazu (The Invisible Avenger) … General
- Yoshifumi Tajima (Destroy All Monsters) … Military Advisor (as Yoshibumi Tajima)
- Akihiko Hirata (Rodan) … Doctor
- Kenji Sahara (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Helicopter Pilot
- Yoshio Kosugi … Ship Captain
- Kôji Iwamoto … Nelson’s Henchman (as Hiroshi Iwamoto)
- Toshio Miura … Nelson’s Henchman
- Akira Wakamatsu … Nelson’s Henchman
- Hiroshi Akitsu … Nelson’s Henchman
- Hiroshi Takagi … Nelson’s Henchman
- Osman Yusuf (Son of Godzilla) … Nelson’s Rolisican Henchman (as Jonî Yusefu)
- Yasuhisa Tsutsumi … Woodcutter
- Obel Wyatt … Dr. Roff (as Ôberu Waiatto)
- Harold Conway (A Tale of Two Cities) … Rolisican Ambassador (as Harorudo Esu Kon’uei)
- Teruko Mita … Rest House Owner’s Wife
- Robert Dunham (Godzilla vs. Megalon) … Police Chief of New Kirk City (as Robâto Danhamu)
- Masamitsu Tayama … Shinji Chûjô (as Masamitsu Tayma)
- Ren Yamamoto … Ship Survivor (as Yasushi Yamamoto)
- Haruya Katô … Ship Survivor (as Haruya Kato)
- Rinsaku Ogata … Ship Survivor
- Yutaka Nakayama … Radio Communicator (as Yutara Nakayama)