Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)

Frankenstein Conquers the World

Credits
Title:	Frankenstein Conquers the World
Genres:	Sci-fi Horror
Directed by:	Ishirô Honda
Written by:	Reuben Bercovitch; Takeshi Kimura; Jerry Sohl
Produced by:	Samuel Z. Arkoff; Reuben Bercovitch; James H. Nicholson; Henry G. Saperstein; Tomoyuki Tanaka
Music by:	Akira Ifukube
Cinematography:	Hajime Koizumi
Edited by:	Ryôhei Fujii
Production
Distributed by:	Toho Company, Ltd. American International Pictures
Released:	August 8th, 1965 (Japan) July 8th, 1966 (US)
Rating:	Unrated
Running time:	87 min.
Country:	Japan
Language:	Japanese
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Frankenstein Conquers the World is a Japanese science fiction film of the giant monster "kaiju" subgenre. It was directed by Ishirô Honda and written by Takeshi Kimura and Jerry Sohl. It was produced by Toho Company, Ltd. as well as American International Pictures for U.S. release. It premiered in Japan on August 8th, 1965 and in the United States on July 8th, 1966. The premise of the film involves the heart of the original Frankenstein Monster, which was recovered by Japanese soldiers during World War II and exposed to radiation, which prompted it to grow a new body for itself. Fifteen years later, this perpetually mutating man-monster is found wandering the streets of Hiroshima where it is taken in by two compassionate scientists. The creature ultimately escapes however and continues to grow and eventually fights another monster known as Baragon.

Plot[]

Cast[]

Actor	Role
Tadao Takashima	Doctor Yuzio Kawaji
Nick Adams	Doctor James Bowen
Kumi Mizuno	Doctor Sueko Togami
Yoshio Tsuchiya	Mister Kawai
Kôji Furuhata	Furankenshutain
Jun Tazaki	Military advisor
Susumu Fujita	Osaka police chief
Takashi Shimura	Axis scientist
Nobuo Nakamura	Skeptical museum chief
Kenji Sahara	Soldier
Yoshifumi Tajima	Submarine commander
Kôzô Nomura	Overzealous reporter
Haruya Katô	TV director
Ikio Sawamura	Man walking dog
Yoshio Kosugi	Mountain soldier
Keiko Sawai	Kazuko, the dying girl
Noriko Takahashi	Girl in lodge
Peter Mann	Doctor Liesendorf
Ren Yamamoto	Bystander
Yutaka Sada	Hospital administrator
Hisaya Itô	Osaka police sergeant
Kenzo Tabu	Scornful news editor
Shigeki Ishida	Chuckling scientist
Nadao Kirino	Police sergeant
Yutaka Nakayama	News cameraman A
Senkichi Ômura	News cameraman B
Tadashi Okabe	Sarcastic reporter
Toshikiko Furuta	Bystander
Kenichiro Kawaji	Young Frankenstein
Hideaki Nitani	Hospital official
Shin Ôtomo	Policeman
Shoichi Hirose	Tunnel worker
Hideo Shibuya	Reporter
Saburô Iketani	Reporter
Haruo Nakajima	Baragon

Notes[]

The original Japanese title to this film is Furankenshutain tai chitei kaijû Baragon. The American translation of which is, Frankenstein versus Subterranean Monster Baragon.

The tagline for this film is, "He rolled the Seven Wonders of the World into one!"

The title, Frankenstein Conquers the World, is a bit of a misnomer. Truth be told, Frankenstein doesn't really conquer crap.

Screenwriter Takeshi Kimura is credited as Kaoru Mabuchi in this film.

Actor Kôzô Nomura is credited under his birth name Terunobu Nomura

This is the first sci-fi film work for executive producer Henry G. Saperstein. He is the president of American International Pictures.

The character of Frankenstein was created by Victorian author Mary Shelley and first appeared in the seminal classic, Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus.

This is the first appearance of Baragon. He also appears in the 1968 movie Destroy All Monsters.

Actor Haruo Nakajima, who plays Baragon, is best known for playing Gojira in all of the Showa series Godzilla films.

Playing Furankenshutain is Kôji Furuhata's second and final work in film. He previously played a character named Hiroshi in the French dramatic romance film L'amour à 20 ans, or, L'amour à vingt ans (translated as Love at 20) in 1962.

This is the only film work for actor Kenichiro Kawaji, who plays the younger version of Furankenshutain in the early scenes from the film.

Actor Takashi Shimura, who plays an Axis scientist in this film is also known for playing Doctor Yamane in the 1954 film Gojira.

Oddities[]

If the Frankenstein creature could grow back it's own limbs, then how come his missing tooth never grew back?

It is noted by scientists in the film that the Frankenstein creature is a blue-eyed Caucasian. However, the character is very clearly of Asian descent, which is odd considering that it's body was grown from the heart of the original Frankenstein Monster, whose limbs originated from men of Swiss origin.

If you see a teenage waif who is the victim of a hit and run, instead of calling for emergency services, it is best to throw bags of meat at it first.