Akira Takarada performs onstage in July 2015. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on April 29, 1934, in what is now Chongjin, North Korea, Akira Takarada joined Toho as a member of the studio’s sixth New Face class in 1953 and quickly established himself as one of its brightest stars. His big break came with the … Continue reading MY LIFE WITH GODZILLA! Toho Star Akira Takarada Reflects on His Decades-Long Association with Filmdom’s Mightiest Monster!
Godzilla
MECHAGODZILLA’S SEQUEL SECRETS! Yukiko Takayama on Writing the Screenplay for ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’!
Yukiko Takayama in January 2016. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on April 4, 1945, to the famous Japanese painter Tatsuo Takayama (1912-2007), Yukiko Takayama studied screenwriting at the Scenario Center after graduating from Keio University's Faculty of Letters. The Scenario Center was launched in 1970 by prolific scriptwriter Hajime Arai, who was known for penning … Continue reading MECHAGODZILLA’S SEQUEL SECRETS! Yukiko Takayama on Writing the Screenplay for ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’!
RECOLLECTIONS OF TOHO’S GOD OF CLOUDS! Fuchimu Shimakura on Painting the Studio’s Tokusatsu Backdrops!
Fuchimu Shimakura in January 2021. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on October 5, 1940, Fuchimu Shimakura began working at Toho in the late 1950s, creating or assisting in the creation of tokusatsu backdrops for the Showa era's most notable special effects movies, including Battle in Outer Space (1959), Mothra (1961), King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), … Continue reading RECOLLECTIONS OF TOHO’S GOD OF CLOUDS! Fuchimu Shimakura on Painting the Studio’s Tokusatsu Backdrops!
MEMORIES OF MECHAGODZILLA! SFX Director Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on 35 Years of ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’!
Teruyoshi Nakano in December 2015. Photo © Brett Homenick. Teruyoshi Nakano is one of Japan’s masters of special effects. Born in what is now Dandong, China, on October 9, 1935, Mr. Nakano joined Toho in 1959 and quickly moved up the ranks in special effects, becoming chief assistant director under Eiji Tsuburaya by 1963. In … Continue reading MEMORIES OF MECHAGODZILLA! SFX Director Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on 35 Years of ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’!
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!
GODZILLA GETS A TRIM! James Melkonian on the Post-Production Process of ‘Godzilla 1985’ at New World Pictures!
Photo © James Melkonian. Readers of Vantage Point Interviews probably know James Melkonian for writing and directing the mid-1990s comedies The Stoned Age (1994) and The Jerky Boys (1995), but he got his start in the film industry at New World Pictures in the '80s, working in the post-production department. During this time, he worked … Continue reading GODZILLA GETS A TRIM! James Melkonian on the Post-Production Process of ‘Godzilla 1985’ at New World Pictures!
BAMBI BEATS GODZILLA! John Roope on the Making of the Comedic Short Film ‘Bambi’s Revenge’!
Photo © John Roope. Bambi's Revenge (1976) is an unofficial sequel to Marv Newland's classic short film Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969). The 1976 cartoon was written and directed by Norman Gibson, produced by Frank Wetzel, animated by Ernest Geefay, and photographed by John Roope. Clocking in at about two minutes, the animated short picks up … Continue reading BAMBI BEATS GODZILLA! John Roope on the Making of the Comedic Short Film ‘Bambi’s Revenge’!
THE GODFATHER OF GODZILLA’S ATOMIC RAY! Sadao Iizuka on His Optical Effects Work at Toho!
Sadao Iizuka in January 2021. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on December 26, 1934, Sadao Iizuka joined Toho Studios in 1954 during the production of the original Godzilla, working as an assistant in the tokusatsu art department. Mr. Iizuka stayed at Toho for many years thereafter, eventually pioneering Toho’s trademark optical effects that would become … Continue reading THE GODFATHER OF GODZILLA’S ATOMIC RAY! Sadao Iizuka on His Optical Effects Work at Toho!
‘GODZILLAMANIA’ HITS THE ’70S! Richard Campbell on Editing and Publishing the Kaiju Fanzine of His Youth!
The back cover of Godzillamania #7. Image courtesy of Damon Foster. In the 1970s, fanzines were in wide circulation among horror and science fiction fans, and American Godzilla fandom was no exception. While most Godzilla fans tend to think of The Japanese Fantasy Film Journal and Japanese Giants as the most popular fanzines of the … Continue reading ‘GODZILLAMANIA’ HITS THE ’70S! Richard Campbell on Editing and Publishing the Kaiju Fanzine of His Youth!
THE MASTERFUL MAKER OF MONSTER BEAMS! Sadao Iizuka on His Early Life and Career at Toho!
Sadao Iizuka in December 2020. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on December 26, 1934, Sadao Iizuka joined Toho Studios in 1954 during the production of the original Godzilla, working as an assistant in the tokusatsu art department. Mr. Iizuka stayed at Toho for many years thereafter, eventually pioneering Toho's trademark optical effects that would become … Continue reading THE MASTERFUL MAKER OF MONSTER BEAMS! Sadao Iizuka on His Early Life and Career at Toho!
Vantage Point Interviews 