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| Images courtesy of SRS Cinema |
SRS Cinema is an underground boutique releasing film label
comprised largely of independent horror, cult and/or B-movies from all around
the world. Usually taking particular
focus on Japanese kaiju flicks or backyard movies, the company originally
started by Ron Bonk in 1992 as Salt City Home Video. Much like Arrow Video or Vinegar Syndrome,
many of their releases are limited and come paired with unique extras including
but not limited to posters and sleeves for other DVD products. Whereas most of their films consist of newer
kaiju flicks made within the last few years, the company has also made efforts
to curate and publish older titles such as the 1967 Space Monster Wangmagwi and
today’s 1962 black-and-white whale kaiju drama Killer Whale or as it has
been published by SRS Cinema as The Whale God.
Produced by Daiei Films and based on the 1961 novel of the
same name by Koichiro Uno, The Whale God tells the Moby Dick modeled
story of a small Japanese village frequently ravaged by a giant killer whale
which destroys entire fish hunting parties right and left including Shaki’s
(Kojiro Hondo) father and grandfather.
When the village elder played by Seven Samurai actor Takashi
Shimura offers up his land, title and even his daughter to the man who kill and
cut off the snout of the Whale God, Shaki jumps at the chance but not before
dangerous and violent Kishu (Shintaro Katsu from the Zatoichi films)
appears on the scene to shake things up.
From there the film takes on a Jaws structure as Shaki and Kishu
lock horns towards their mutual journey towards vanquishing the Whale God once
and for all and perhaps each other in the process.
Startlingly somber, mannered and even brooding for
ostensibly a kaiju, The Whale God isn’t your usual
monster-versus-miniatures sort of fare.
The film was directed by Tokuzo Tanaka who was an assistant director on
Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon as well as Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu and
as such takes its place in cinema history as the first kaiju officially created
by Daiei Films. From start to finish,
the film is lensed in dark, mournful black-and-white by Fires on the Plain cinematographer
Setsuo Kobayashi and Gojira composer Akira Ifukube’s frankly
melancholic, haunted music further draws heavy rainclouds over the
proceedings. Kojiro Hongo, best known
for the Satan’s Sword films provides a memorable enough hero whose only
sworn mortal enemy is the dreaded Whale God.
Takashi Shimura needs no introduction being one of Akira Kurosawa’s
greatest performers next to Toshiro Mifune.
And there’s Zatoichi actor Shintaro Katsu who brings to the
screen a formidable burly energy reminiscent of Sonny Chiba or Tomisaburo Wakayama.
Released for the first time ever in North America and
featuring a number of exclusive extras including the original trailer and
original essays, The Whale God for being an offbeat kaiju and riff on
Herman Melville conjures up a lot of star power and a balanced, nuanced use of
melodrama and visual effects to create one startlingly downbeat crescendo. For those thinking they’re going to get
unusual kaiju fun ala Dogora or The X from Outer Space, this
one’s a little bit more serious. It has
heavy themes including confronting mortality, one’s innermost fears and
desires, coping with the aftermath of sexual assault and/or love triangles and
the inescapability of destiny. The tone
and mood of the piece is far from happy, setting it apart from the pack but
placing it right at home next door to Gojira. All films in a way tackling the fallout of
the nuclear age, The Whale God stands apart as one of the classier
examples of the whale kaiju and like Jaws years later the monster is
just a lynchpin for the distinctive, compelling human drama playing out
onscreen.
--Andrew Kotwicki
