As far as American monster movie fans are concerned one of the more elusive of the Japanese daikaiju eiga to find is the 1961classic, Mothra (Mosura). The film has surprisingly been left off the release lists from both Sony and Classic Media. This is surprising considering that Mothra has always been one of Toho’s most famous monsters, which is as popular, or is almost as popular, as Godzilla.
I hadn’t honestly seen the film in twenty years before I bit the bullet and shelled out the money for the Japanese DVD release of Mothra. I figured that if I was ever going to own a copy of the film this would, in the interim, be the only way I could get it. It always seems to surprise me just how good these older Japanese monster films are. The dubbed versions we have all grown up with always made the films into campy affairs, but the original dialogue versions are really good even when compared to American movies made at about the same time. As usual the Toho DVD for Mothra is very well done. The picture quality and sound are both quite remarkable. The one draw back, of course, is the fact that there are no English subtitles available on this release. Oddly enough I was still able to enjoy the film and had no trouble following along even though 95% of what I heard was Japanese. I should note that there is some English dialogue in the film, even though it is very little. I guess I have seen enough Japanese films to pick up some of the language.
Produced in 1961, Mothra was a real cinematic triumph for Ishiro Honda and special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya. Mothra is a very superior film that could be considered Toho’s greatest achievement next to the original Gojira (1954), which ranks among the best Japanese films ever produced. The films screenplay was the “rookie” effort of writer Shimichi Sekizawa, who would go on to create some of the more memorable stories ever produced at Toho. Mothra would take on a lighter tone than the studios prior daikaiju eiga, Gojira, Godzilla Raids Again, Rodan, Varan and The Mysterians. Introduced in Mothra were comedic themes plus fantasy and spiritual overtones that would begin to weave their way into future Japanese science fiction films.
When a group of survivors from a shipwreck on a island that was the site of several atomic tests by the fictional country of Rolisica (obviously the United States) show no signs of radiation poisoning a research team is sent to find out why.
The research team finds that Infant Island was not uninhabited as was believed prior. Somehow a native tribe and two miniature Shobijin (twin fairies) had survived massive doses of radiation with no effect. The research team headed by Clark Nelson, (Jerry Ito) Dr. Harada, (Ken Uehara) Shin’ichi Chujo (Hiroshi Koizumi) and the tag along reporter Fukuda, (Frankie Sakai) are fascinated by the two tiny women and attempt to capture them, the natives arrive just in time to save the pair and drive the researchers away.
Nelson would return to the island several weeks later with a gang of thugs and kidnap the Shobijin. When the natives try and stop them this time they are mowed down by machine guns and the goons escape with the tiny women.
Once back in Japan the “tiny beauties” become the stars of a hugely popular nightclub act. Their songs are a delight to the audience, but hundreds of miles away on their home island an ancient creature is being summoned by their hypnotic vocalizations. The scene on the island where the local villagers perform a ritualistic dance number is very impressive and its influence can been seen in King Kong vs Godzilla (1962). In fact many of the scenes in Mothra could be considered “inspiration” for the film that would come a year later.
Growing social pressures force the gangsters to flee to the United States (Rolisica) to seek refuge. When Mothra emerges from the cocoon it takes flight and is telepathically drawn across the ocean to where the Shobijin are being held hostage in Newkirk City (New York City, Brooklyn Bridge and all). The armed forces of the United States are ineffective at stopping the monster and the city is quickly destroyed.
The local authorities manage to track down Nelson and his men and kill them in a shootout. The Shobijin are given to Chujo, who remembers an ancient symbol he saw back on Infant Island. It is interesting to note the Christian symbolism in this scene where a cross on top of a local church is seen with the sun behind it with rays of light coming off of it to form Mothra’s ancient symbol. After seeing this vision Chujo persuades the local authorities to draw the symbol on an airport runway in an attempt to lure Mothra to where they can return the fairies to it. The plan works and the trio fly back to their home.
The Peanuts
The original Shobijin were played by the Japanese singing duo known as "The Peanuts". The pair, Emi and Yumi Ito, would enjoy a twenty year singing career from 1957 to 1977. The two were huge stars in both their native Japan and Germany. "The Peanuts" did enjoy brief success in the United States after the release of Mothra. The group recorded an English only album with covers of such songs as "California Dreamin" and "Proud Mary." The duo also appeared on "The Ed Sulivan Show." Although international singing stars they will always be remembered as the Twin Mothra Fairies from Mothra, Godzilla vs The Thing, & Ghidorah: the Three-Headed Monster.
Mothra Song
Japanese
Mosura ya Mosura
dongan kasakuyan indoo muu
rosuto uiraadoa, hanba hanbamuyan
randa banunradan tounjukanraa
kasaku yaanmu
Mosura ya Mosura
yasashisasae waure
arehatetahito no kokoro inorinagara
utai, ai no uta
English Translation
Mothra oh Mothra
Hear our call for you to save us
over time, over sea
like a wave you come
our guardian angel
Mothra oh Mothra
the people have forgotten kindness
their spirits fall to ruin
we shall pray for the people as we sing
this song of love
AKA: Daikaiju Masura (1961), Mothra (1962)Mosura / Mothra (1961)
Toho
Directed By: Ishiro Honda
Produced By: Tomoyuki Tanaka
Special Effects: Eiji Tsuburaya
Written By: Takehiro Fukunaga and Yoshie Hotta
Music: Yuji Koseki
Cast:
Frankie Sakai as Senchiro Fukuda
Hiroshi Koizumi as Dr. Shin'ichi Chujo
Kyoko Kagawa as Michi Hanamura
Ken Uehara as Dr. Haradawa
Emi Ito as Shobijin (Twin Fairy / Peanuts)
Yumi Ito as Shobijin (Twin Fairy / Peanuts)
Jerry Ito as Clark Nelson
Takashi Shimura as News Editor
TetsuNakamura as Nelson's Henchman
Akihiro Tayama as Shinji Chujo
Obel Wyatt as Dr. Roff
Akihiko Hirata as Doctor
Runtime: 101 Minutes Japan, 88 Minutes USA
Color: Color (Eastmancolor)
Sound: Mono
Released: July 30, 1961
Trivia
1. This is the only film where Mothra's island is called Beiru.
2. In the credits for the US version of the film actor Jerry Ito is billed as "Jelly Ito". This mistake also appears in all of Columbia Pictures promo material.
3. Also in the credits for the American, Columbia Pictures, release of the film the names of Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, and Kyoko Kagawa are missing. They are the top three billed Japanese stars in the film.
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