Yoshiro Uchida in March 2022. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on December 14, 1953, Yoshiro Uchida appears in Gamera the Giant Monster (1965), released in the U.S. as Gammera the Invincible (1966), as the young boy Toshio Sakurai who befriends the giant turtle in the first film of Daiei's long-running Gamera series. Mr. Uchida also … Continue reading GAMERA’S FIRST FRIEND! Former Child Actor Yoshiro Uchida Remembers Working with Daiei’s Remarkable Flying Turtle!
Gamera
REVISITING GODZILLA FANDOM’S GLORY DAYS! David Milner on Writing for the Early Kaiju Fanzines and Interviewing Toho Icons!
David Milner poses with legendary film composer Akira Ifukube in his home. Photo © David Milner. Godzilla fandom in the U.S. began to take shape in the early 1970s, and David Milner was there to witness its growth. As a contributor to the various Japanese monster movie fanzines that existed at the time, Mr. Milner … Continue reading REVISITING GODZILLA FANDOM’S GLORY DAYS! David Milner on Writing for the Early Kaiju Fanzines and Interviewing Toho Icons!
OH, CONTRARE! Alan Oppenheimer on His Legendary Acting Career and ‘Gammera the Invincible’!
Alan Oppenheimer with several of the iconic characters he has voiced: Skeletor, Falkor, Man-At-Arms, and Mer-Man. Photo courtesy of Alan Oppenheimer. Alan Oppenheimer is one of the animation's most celebrated voice actors, having voiced Skeletor, Mer-Man, and Man-At-Arms on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-85), Vanity Smurf on The Smurfs (1981-89), Beachcomber and … Continue reading OH, CONTRARE! Alan Oppenheimer on His Legendary Acting Career and ‘Gammera the Invincible’!
THE MAN WHO MADE GAMERA ROAR! Screenwriter Niisan Takahashi on Creating Japan’s Remarkable Flying Turtle!
Niisan Takahashi (February 3, 1926 - May 5, 2015) , whose real name was Yukito Takahashi, was born in Tamamuracho, Sawa District, Gunma Prefecture. As a screenwriter who joined Daiei in the 1950s, Mr. Takahashi would essentially create the character of Gamera through his screenplays for the Showa-era Gamera series, running from 1965 through 1980. … Continue reading THE MAN WHO MADE GAMERA ROAR! Screenwriter Niisan Takahashi on Creating Japan’s Remarkable Flying Turtle!
MILES ABOVE THE REST! Concept Artist Miles Teves on Monsters and More!
Miles Teves, one of Hollywood‘s most accomplished concept artists and art directors, has worked on such top-grossing films as Legend (1985), RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990), Congo (1995), Men in Black (1997), Spider-Man (2002), The Passion of the Christ (2004), and Peter Jackson’s King Kong (2005). As a youngster, part of Mr. Teves’s inspiration to work in the … Continue reading MILES ABOVE THE REST! Concept Artist Miles Teves on Monsters and More!
OLDIES BUT GOLDIES! Fred Olen Ray Discusses His DVD Label Retromedia!
Fred Olen Ray is a name most genre fans associate with his plethora of cult classics, ranging from Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) to Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold (1995). To this day, Mr. Ray remains one of the busiest and most prolific directors working in the business. His DVD label Retromedia Entertainment, Inc., is … Continue reading OLDIES BUT GOLDIES! Fred Olen Ray Discusses His DVD Label Retromedia!
ON DIRECTING GODZILLA AND GAMERA! Shusuke Kaneko on Filmmaking the Kaiju Way!
Shusuke Kaneko is an acclaimed Japanese director who rose to prominence internationally in 1995 with the release of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, a landmark kaiju film that still enjoys tremendous popularity around the world. Mr. Kaneko built on that worldwide success with Gamera 2: Attack of the Legion (1996) and Gamera 3: Revenge of … Continue reading ON DIRECTING GODZILLA AND GAMERA! Shusuke Kaneko on Filmmaking the Kaiju Way!
MEMORIES OF JAPAN’S MASTER MONSTER MAKER! Keizo Murase Shares the Secrets of the World’s Greatest Kaiju!
Born on October 5, 1935, in Ikeda, Tokachi, Hokkaido (where his family home still is), Keizo Murase is a veteran kaiju suitmaker who began his career at Toho in 1958, leaving an indelible mark on the genre with his work on Varan the Unbelievable (1958). From there, Mr. Murase also worked on Mothra (1961), Gorath … Continue reading MEMORIES OF JAPAN’S MASTER MONSTER MAKER! Keizo Murase Shares the Secrets of the World’s Greatest Kaiju!
Vantage Point Interviews 