atragon

THE FLICK: Fans far more obsessive than me could likely put Atragon in some sort of historical perspective. Classic Japanese sci-fi and kaiju eiga in particular, inspire that sort of in-depth research. But you can probably figure out if the film is of interest to you just by perusing these simple facts: it’s directed by Ishiro Honda, produced near the height of Toho’s creative power (1963), and features a rare appearance by Manda. If you thought “Honda,” “Toho” and “Manda” were foreign car manufacturers stealing American jobs, then move on to the next review. For the rest of us, Atragon is one of those near mythological films that, thanks to Media Blasters’ new release, adds another volume of Japanese sci-fi that’s been incomplete for far too long. And even if the actual cinematic experience itself might be lacking (there’s not a whole lot of miniaturized destruction or monster mashing on display), the collectible region of your brain should be in pleasure overload. Once again, Japan is under attack; this time by the Mu Empire, an ancient race whose continent sunk into the ocean a millennia ago, now claiming rights to the surface world. Off-screen disasters convince the world that the Mu Empire means business, but unfortunately the only weapon of sufficient power to stage a counter-attack is the Atragon, a mysterious submersible created by Captain Jinguji, a political right-winger who will use his machine only for the glory of Japan. Of course, Jinguji is finally convinced that defending the Earth is his duty, and the Atragon goes head-to-head against the might of the Mu Empire and its dragon-like deity Manda. But, as a film, Atragon snubs the usual Toho formula. It’s quite talky and, compared to similar releases like The Mysterians, isn’t the effects showcase that the studio was known for, although the Atragon itself when finally appearing in action is like the world’s coolest bathtub toy. The converging sub-plots – a daughter’s reunion with her father, an inspector’s unsolved kidnappings, and the thematic difference between patriotism and jingoism – are actually pushed to the foreground, supplanting the action for much of the film. It sounds disappointing and it’s easy see why the film wasn’t a prime candidate for import to the States at the time of its release. But Ishiro Honda handles the material very well, bouncing between comic relief, gaudy soundstage rituals, and heartfelt emotion with a skill that belies his reputation as strictly a Godzilla director. For once, the human aspect of the story holds its own against the elaborate effects. And that, as any fan can tell you, is a very rare thing. THE FEATURES: Media Blasters (under their Tokyo Shock pseudonym) blesses us with a crisp, clean anamorphic transfer with a variety of audio options, including 5.1 and mono mixes in original Japanese or English dubbed. That’s really all most fans are asking for, but they’ve also added a commentary with assistant director Koji Kajita and the original trailer. Keep ‘em coming, boys, keep ‘em coming!