Ronald Hoerr came to Japan in the 1960s with no ambition to become an actor, but he found himself working full-time as a TV and movie performer by the late 1980s and early '90s. Following his transition into the entertainment industry, Mr. Hoerr appeared in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) as Professor Alexander Mammilov and Godzilla … Continue reading GODZILLA GETS TENURE! Actor Ronald Hoerr on His Professorial Roles in the Heisei Series!
Author: Brett Homenick
THE KING OF THE ANIME SINGERS! Ichiro Mizuki on His Live-Action Tokusatsu Tunes!
Ichiro Mizuki is often called The King of Anime Singers for his various contributions to the world of anime, but Vantage Point Interviews readers will know him as The King of the Superhero Singers. Mr. Mizuki's singing credits include: the opening and ending themes for Kamen Rider V3 (1973-74), Kamen Rider Stronger (1975), and Akumaizer … Continue reading THE KING OF THE ANIME SINGERS! Ichiro Mizuki on His Live-Action Tokusatsu Tunes!
MEMOIRS OF THE HUMAN VAPOR! James Hong on Dubbing Toho’s Sci-Fi Classics!
James Hong is an accomplished actor who has appeared in a number of critically acclaimed and highly successfully films in the last several decades. Among his better-known credits are: The Sand Pebbles (1966), Chinatown (1974), Blade Runner (1982), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Balls of Fury (2007), and Kung Fu Panda (2008). Mr. Hong made kaiju eiga … Continue reading MEMOIRS OF THE HUMAN VAPOR! James Hong on Dubbing Toho’s Sci-Fi Classics!
SHIP COMMANDER SPEAKS! Kent Gilbert Talks ‘Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah’!
Kent Gilbert, a native of the Mountain West, was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and grew up in Orem, Utah. He went on to study at Brigham Young University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, an MBA, and a law degree. While working as a lawyer in Tokyo, he obtained acting jobs in commercials and television … Continue reading SHIP COMMANDER SPEAKS! Kent Gilbert Talks ‘Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah’!
A BRUSH WITH GODZILLA! American Actor Jon Gallock Discusses His Close Encounter in ‘Godzilla vs. Destoroyah’!
Jon Gallock moved to Japan by design but became an actor there almost by accident. After becoming involved in show business, Mr. Gallock quickly landed a role in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) as an airline pilot taking off from Hong Kong who nearly collides with the Big G as he rises out of the sea. … Continue reading A BRUSH WITH GODZILLA! American Actor Jon Gallock Discusses His Close Encounter in ‘Godzilla vs. Destoroyah’!
SHOOTING THE ‘TIDAL WAVE’! Cinematographer Eric Saarinen Recounts Filming Roger Corman’s Japanese Adaptation!
Eric Saarinen started his feature film career at Roger Corman's New World Pictures as a second unit director of photography, but he quickly moved up the ranks and became a cinematographer on many notable films, including The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Modern Romance (1981), and Lost in America (1985). Japanese science fiction aficionados might recognize Mr. … Continue reading SHOOTING THE ‘TIDAL WAVE’! Cinematographer Eric Saarinen Recounts Filming Roger Corman’s Japanese Adaptation!
CHASING ‘THE IVORY APE’! Derek Partridge on His Rankin/Bass Productions Turn!
Derek Partridge is an actor and television presenter whose credits run a broad gamut. Mr. Partridge has appeared in such films as King & Country (1964), The Killing of Sister George (1968), and the James Bond thriller Thunderball (1965). His television credits include the original Star Trek series (the episode "Plato’s Stepchildren"), Dallas, and T.J. … Continue reading CHASING ‘THE IVORY APE’! Derek Partridge on His Rankin/Bass Productions Turn!
KAIJU MEET THEIR MAKER! Shinichi Wakasa on His Monster-Making Career!
Shinichi Wakasa is arguably Japan’s leading kaiju suit builder. Having worked on a myriad of tokusatsu projects, ranging from Ultraman 80 (1980-81) to Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), Mr. Wakasa has always combined hard work with his incredible imagination to create some of the big screen’s greatest monsters. Brett Homenick was privileged to ask Mr. Wakasa questions … Continue reading KAIJU MEET THEIR MAKER! Shinichi Wakasa on His Monster-Making Career!
DAYS OF RESURRECTION! Michael Lennick Recalls Kinji Fukasaku’s ‘Virus’!
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Michael Lennick (1952-2014) made his name in the entertainment industry as a special effects technician/supervisor and documentary filmmaker, who has worked on films like Videodrome (1982), The Dead Zone (1983), and Dick (1999). Early in his career, Mr. Lennick worked on Kinji Fukasaku's science fiction epic Virus (a.k.a. Day … Continue reading DAYS OF RESURRECTION! Michael Lennick Recalls Kinji Fukasaku’s ‘Virus’!
THE GRANDDADDY OF ‘EM ALL! Greg Shoemaker on the ‘Japanese Fantasy Film Journal’!
Greg Shoemaker (1947-2019), the founder and editor of the legendary Japanese Fantasy Film Journal, is often celebrated as the creator of Godzilla fandom in the United States. Published in 1968, JFFJ #1 was the first fanzine devoted to the genre of sci-fi and fantasy films from Japan, and many fans still regard it as the … Continue reading THE GRANDDADDY OF ‘EM ALL! Greg Shoemaker on the ‘Japanese Fantasy Film Journal’!
Vantage Point Interviews 