Gorath (1962) is a Toho classic that I recently found on a random streaming service. The storyline follows a giant rock on its way to collide with Earth destroying mankind. A group of scientists set out for the South Pole to build a missile site in hopes of destroying the rock before it collides with us. They'll have time against them as well as other issues in the South Pole as they try to save the planet.
This movie is directed by Ishirô Honda (Godzilla, 1954) and stars Ryô Ikebe (Pale Flowers),Akira Kubo (Sanjuro),Kumi Mizuno (Ebirah),Akihiko Hirata (Godzilla, 1954),Kenji Sahara (Godzilla, 1954) and Takashi Shimura (Ikiru).
The storyline is fairly slow and focuses on the science of the circumstances. The models and "toys" created to create the South Pole and outer space scenes were excellent and very well done. The walrus in this is legendary. The acting and dialogue in this is pretty solid for a science fiction picture. They did do a good job of creating drama heading into the final conclusion.
Overall this is a fairly slow science fiction picture with some great scenes sprinkled in here and there. I would score this a 5.5/10 and only recommend it to diehard science fiction genre fans.
5.7Keywords: monsterjapanspacespacecraftdisaster
Plot summary
In 1980, a giant planetoid named Gorath is discovered to be on a collision course with Earth. Even though it is smaller than Earth, its mass is huge enough to crush the Earth and destroy it. A mission sent to observe Gorath is destroyed after all the orbiting ships are drawn into the planetoid. A later mission is sent to observe and the crew barely leaves before suffering the same fate. However Astronaut Tatsuo Kanai is left in a catatonic state due to his near death experience. The Earth's scientists then come up with a desperate plan to build giant rockets at the South Pole to move Earth out of Gorath's path before it is too late.
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This is a fairly slow science fiction picture with some great scenes sprinkled in here and there
Ponderous disaster story
Taking a break from his giant monster movies, Ishiro Honda here offers us an end-of-the-world outer space tale in which Earth is menaced by a giant planet seemingly on a collision course with our own. It's a slow moving and rather ponderous tale which feels like a precursor to ARMAGEDDON at times. Takashi Shimura is a welcome presence in support, but the whole thing is so talky that it takes a very long time to get anywhere, and only the extended climax - involving the usual destruction and giant monster mayhem - livens things up to a degree.
If this story was real, we would have no moon.
An "End of Days" sort epic from Japan's Toho studios, bring together Godzilla's founding father-team of Tanaka, Honda, and Tsuburaya to work on this film, minus a musical score by Akira Ifukube. Another good story-line, where a meteor is on its course to Earth and is predicted to destroy the entire planet completely. Therefore, it's up to the Japanese eggheads to dodge the flying fireball. As always, Toho sci-fi films are very imaginative, but this one takes the cake: move the Earth with huge rockets to dodge the meteor, with the Moon being destroyed in the process. Very far-fetched, but yet, pure sci-fi action.
Veteran actresses Kumi Mizuno and Yumi Shirakawa shine. Akira Kubo, known for his type-casted hero portrayals, is very annoying in this film though. Aside from that, an average film that could have used more monster scenes and action, instead of the usual scientist concoctions to save the world. I have got to say that even though Takeshi Kimura, known for his more somber stories, wrote the screenplay, there are a few funny scenes, including the part where Shirakawa's character bangs the door on her brother's head after he was caught eavesdropping on a meeting with the lead scientist.
If you choose to watch this film, I recommend watching the original Japanese version, as the American version cuts out scenes that include Magma, the gigantic walrus.
Grade C+