Todd chimes in with the first of Teleport City’s contributions to the Rubber Soul roundtable:
HANUMAN AND THE SEVEN ULTRAMEN
When I’m writing about a movie, I’m much less interested in telling you how good or bad it is than I am in justifying the time I spent watching it. As such, I’m looking for those points of interest–either contained in the film itself or in the circumstances of its production–that will make the whole endeavor seem worthwhile. Providing a break from the rigors of that approach are those occasions on which I encounter films whose WTF quotient is so high that they exist on a plane beyond simple judgments of good or bad–the mystery of whose very existence overshadows any questions of quality. Hanuman and the 7 Ultramen is such a film. And like another fine example of the species, the Turkish superhero mash-up 3 Dev Adam, Hanuman achieves that rarified WTF air by means of positioning some very familiar elements within a very foreign context. It’s just hard to dismiss a shockingly gory movie that teams the world’s most beloved giant Japanese superhero with the Hindu monkey god for not measuring up to some notional standard of “coherence” or “watchability”.
#1 by lyzard on May 5, 2008 - 4:34 pm
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Yes, I’m not sure this would have worked quite so well if he’d been merged with Jesus.
Or bought the DVD. [*cough*]
#2 by Blake on May 5, 2008 - 8:13 pm
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Good review. Keith’s original review of the film wasn’t all that flattering and other colleagues called it disappointing. I now kind of would like to see it; sounds like a hoot. Can you imagine that in an analogous American setting: “Paul Bunyan and the 7 Ultramen”?
(obs: Why do Spam guards hate me?)
#3 by The Rev. D.D. on May 6, 2008 - 7:49 am
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I am utterly shocked that there is an Ultra movie I have never heard of before.
This is coming from a guy who’s seen this (http://home.cfl.rr.com/ultrafaq/Ultraman-FAQ/WhoIsJoe.html), has pretty much any Ultra comic released in America since his birth, and knows which Ultra character is in the above screen capture without reading the review.
Which means I MUST HAVE IT.
Quality of the film is not an issue. (I mean, I own the Ultraman Great [aka “Ultraman: Towards the Future”] series…) I will put up with a lot of crap if I get to see people in rubber costumes smashing model buildings and wrestling with each other.
It’s a sickness, I know.
#4 by Todd on May 6, 2008 - 8:28 am
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Rev: The VCD of this movie can be had from the very cheap and reliable eThaiCd (http://ethaicd.com/show.php?pid=6643). It’s not subtitled, unfortunately – but, since it speaks the international language of giant monster whoopass, they’re really not all that necessary.
Blake: Glad you liked the review. I’m thinking maybe the Americans would go for a team-up with a beloved figure from American history, like “Abe Lincoln and the 7 Ultramen”. Then one of the Ultramen could rap the Gettysburg Address. Which would be, you know, educational.
Lyz: There are worse things than buying the DVD of “Crocodile” (aside from then actually watching that DVD, of course). I purchased and watched another Sompote Saengduenchai movie, “Magic Lizard”, which featured a lot of recycled footage from “Crocodile”. Only in this case the crocodile did battle with a giant frill-necked lizard. At the end, a monkey in a tree pitches coconuts to the lizard, who then bats them into the crocodile’s mouth. When the crocodile becomes too bloated with coconuts to move, the lizard starts spinning his frill around like a helicopter rotor and takes off into the air, towing the crocodile after him.
Looking over what I just wrote, I realize that sounds like the most awesome movie ever, but there is a LOT that I’m leaving out.
#5 by KeithA on May 6, 2008 - 9:54 am
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Well, look slike I’m buying Magic Lizard.
Back when i first saw 7 Ultramen, my disappointment stemmed mainly from the fact that half the movie seemed devoted to watching those kids “dance like monkeys,” all hopping around flicking their ears and twitching. If you ever see a monkey doing that, it probably needs to be taken to a vet. but the rest of the movie was grand. In fact, I rewatched it over the weekend, along with the old Ultraman Story and Ultraman Zoffy movies (both actual Japanese productions), and it’s pretty pleasing. Even the threadbare Thai production is way more fun than anything Ultraman-related released since the end of the 80s.
#6 by Blake Matthews on May 6, 2008 - 11:40 am
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I’ve only seen that Ultraman series from Australia that got made into a Dark Horse comic book and a SNES video game (Towards the Future?) and “Ultraman Tyga and Ultraman Zyna: Warriors from the Planet of Light.” They didn’t blow my socks off like that episode of “Zone Fighter” where Godzilla shows up to fight a monster with what looks like a double-barrel shotgun for a mouth.
#7 by KeithA on May 6, 2008 - 1:11 pm
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Yeah, you really won’t be finding the good stuff in anything from 1990-on. Look ye to the 60s and 70s. Ultraman, Ultra 7, Ultraman Zoffy, Ultraman Returns, even Ultraman 80 — you’re safe up to that point.
#8 by Todd on May 6, 2008 - 2:43 pm
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I haven’t seen many episodes, but I love me some Zone Fighter. I remember one in particular where he saw a monster attacking on TV and was able to transport himself to the location by jumping into the screen. Good stuff.
I agree with Keith: Check out some of the Ultra series from the 60s or 70s. The ones from the 70s are especially amusing because the monsters just keep getting weirder and weirder as the years go on. By the time of Ultraman Taro it seemed like it had become some kind of in-joke among the creature designers.
#9 by lyzard on May 6, 2008 - 4:15 pm
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Yup, that was pretty much my response too.
#10 by The Rev. D.D. on May 7, 2008 - 10:48 am
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Blake: Yes, that’s “Ultraman Great,” aka “Ultraman: Towards the Future.” I played that game, and “Super Godzilla,” a lot more than they probably deserved. I had to take my giant monster mayhem where I could.
At least the “King of the Monsters” games were genuinely good.
I’m trying to decide if that scene is worth getting “Magic Lizard” for, ’cause it sounds like maybe it’s not?…
Of course, it’s got giant rogue critters so I think I just answered my own question.
And there’s always chapter select and fast forward…
I think Zone Fighter had the most crazy-ass monster opponents. Not to downplay some of Taro’s stable. I seem to recall “Ambassador Magma” (aka “Space Giants”) featuring a couple of real weirdos as well, like Dakoda and Gareon.
#11 by Todd on May 7, 2008 - 12:21 pm
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Okay, I feel I need to step in here regarding this whole Magic Lizard (or “King-ka Kayasit” if you want to be world-y about it) issue, because my earlier words on the topic may have been ill-considered, and as a result there are now three of you who are considering actually buying it AND watching it. And, while I’m sure just one half of one of you could succesfully beat me up, three of you comprise a potential angry mob that could do a lot worse. So let me clarify: Magic Lizard is, in intention at least, a comedy of the kind that you would think would be directed at kids except for the nudity and graphic scatalogical humor. (What the…? Am I making this sound good again?!). The Lizard runs around and natters in a little girl voice, making him soul crushingly annoying, sort of in a Barney way, and he’s only giant in lizard terms–in other words, human-sized–so there are no miniature structures being crushed, except in a very brief snippet of footage taken from Crocodile. So, y’all been warned. If you’d like to know more, I’ve just posted a more detailed review of the movie here (http://diedangerdiediekill.blogspot.com/2008/05/thai-style-kaiju-films-of-sompote-sands_06.html).
Phew! It feels good to have that off my chest.
#12 by lyzard on May 7, 2008 - 4:33 pm
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Scary having that much power, isn’t it, Todd?
#13 by Todd on May 7, 2008 - 5:32 pm
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If Magic Lizard ever runs for office, he/she/it should definitely have me on staff.
Honestly, though, that whole lizard-as-helicopter concept pretty much sells itself.
#14 by lyzard on May 7, 2008 - 5:42 pm
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Um. Yes.
You wouldn’t think one reptile would be as ignorant as that about another reptile’s biology, would you?
(Confession time: we had a frill-necked lizard at uni when I was there, and when we got bored we used to sneak in and stir the poor thing up. FYI, holding your hands either side of your face with the fingers spread works really well.)
#15 by The Rev. D.D. on May 8, 2008 - 10:12 am
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See, now I know it’s not a proper kaiju so I’m much less interested.
Now that mob’s only two!
I still want to see it, ’cause that’s the kind of sick we are here in these parts, but I think I’ll try and rent it or something rather than purchase.
Although having just glanced at your review, the screenshots make it look like it’s a pretty decent costume, if nothing else…
And having now read said review, you’re right…you apparently need to emphasize it’s not nearly as crazy-awesome as it sounds. ‘Cause it kinda does, from the description.
Don’t worry, you tried, and I won’t hold it against you if/when I inflict it on myself in the future.
#16 by KeithA on May 8, 2008 - 1:09 pm
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At least he’s not tricking people into thinking they want to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special.
#17 by The Rev. D.D. on May 9, 2008 - 10:14 am
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Yeah, he would deserve any mob-related violence he experienced in that case.
#18 by hman on May 9, 2008 - 10:16 am
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Well, according to Nate, there’s a double standard here at the blog that the B-Masters aren’t responsible for any pain/mental anguish caused by watching movies they mention. So Todd is probably off the hook on that one. 🙂
#19 by Todd on May 9, 2008 - 2:58 pm
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Not responsible, eh? Sweet! I can now return to my enthusiastic review of Santo Watches Stock Footage of an Underwhelming Nightclub Act in a Dingy Basement Supper Club without fear of repercussions.
#20 by KeithA on May 9, 2008 - 3:25 pm
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***Sigh*** I would buy that movie, too.
#21 by lyzard on May 9, 2008 - 5:21 pm
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You know, when I first read that I thought you meant *our* Santo. Because that totally sounds like something he would do.
#22 by The Rev. D.D. on May 10, 2008 - 9:14 pm
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I bet a lot of us thought that.