Daimajin - Triple Feature Collector's Edition - Blu-ray (1966)

To be honest, I only got these movies because they were made by the same studio that made Gamera. But as I watched them, I realized these were not your every day cheesy special effect monster movies. They seem to have relatively good stories, each movie can stand on it's own, and the print quality seems pretty good. Also the Daimajin is only in like the last 15 minutes of the movies. Which I think helps by not filling the movies with alot of cheap effects, just a few good effects. Quality not quantity! So if you like Gamera or Godzilla, you should like these, but if you like lots of monsters during the whole movie, you might not. Godzilla fans might also like the music. Not to mention you get 3 movies on blu-ray for about the price of 1.

I'm not going to bother reviewing the films. If your reading this then you are either already familiar with this fantastic franchise, or you are just discovering it, in which case nothing I can say will do it justice in terms of relating it's sheer awesomeness. That said: Having owned the Daimajin trilogy in all it's various incarnations, this long overdue effort is without a doubt the best ever presentation of the these films for the home entertainment market. While not perfect, they are nevertheless literally world's away from the ADV / Rubbersuit DVD collection (which was the previous best). It's like comparing a donkey cart to a jet plane. The upgrade brings life to these films in such a way as you will feel you are seeing them for the first time, with a clarity and depth wholly lacking in all past releases. Presented in the original Japanese, with optional English audio tracks or subtitles, and nicely packaged; it's only downside is the sparsity of extras. Overall: Kudos to Mill Creek Entertainment! A job well done!

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If you are a fan of classic Japanese films or Kaiju films, then this set is a MUST-BUY!!! The films look great in all their widescreen glory in 1080p. The haunting musical score for the films was done by legendary "Godzilla" composer Akira Ifukube. The films have stood the test of time very well. The special effects are still astonishing even after over 40 years. These films are loaded with Japanese culture, folklore, traditions, music & dance, and history. The blu-ray transfers are incredible and you can see so much detail in these films. There is no noticeable annoying excessive tampering like too much DNR and/or aliasing. THANK YOU MILL CREEK!!! This set is a blu-ray essential purchase.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)Like Wagner's "Complete Ring Cycle," one truly needs to view "The Complete Daimajin" to gain a full appreciation of the work. Here, the epic saga is together in a fabulous Blu Ray set, and finally restored to its original aspect ratio.

"Daimajin" (which means "Great Majin," if that is any help. You could translate "Majin" as "monster" if you like, but that is a bit of a stretch.) is a classic genre mash-up. Japan makes awesome monster flicks. Japan also makes awesome samurai flicks. Somewhere along the lines someone at Daiei studios realized that a samurai/monster flick would essentially double the awesome. And they were right.

In what is now a more common practice, all three "Daimajin" movies--"Daimajin," "Return of Daimajin" ("Daimajin Ikaru" or "Daimajin Gets Mad"), and "Wrath of Daimajin" ("Daimajin Gyakushu" or "Daimajin's Counterattack")--were made at the same time with different directors but released a few months apart. The three stories are not related, other than featuring the mighty Daimajin itself. Always on the side of right, always waiting till the last minute to awaken and seek revenge, Daimajin brings giant stony justice on those who would wrong the innocent.

The series is heavily influenced by Japan's native Shinto religion. Almost every village worth its soy sauce has a nearby mountain occupied by a mighty protector spirit. Not all of them have massive stone statues standing guard--very few do, actually, as Japanese kami almost never have physical form. But I have seen a few with centuries old statues of warrior gods. All of these have local legends about how, in times of strife, these gods will rise up and protect their chose village. Staring at those ancient statues, you can't help but think how cool it would be if the legends were true. Obviously, someone at Daiei was thinking the same thing.

The Great Grey God himself wears armor from the Kofun period of Japan, which is instantly recognizable by Japanese audiences and shows the great age of the statue. Like most kami, "Daimajin" is neither good nor evil. He just is. Awakening him, asking his favor, can lead to your own destruction. It is equivalent to begging help from an earthquake or typhoon to smite your enemies, even when you happen to be standing right next to them. A weapon of last resort.

The three films are:

"Daimajin" (1966) D. Yasuda Kimiyoshi The first film in the trilogy sets the tone and theme. The chamberlain Samanosuke uses the legend of the Daimajin as an excuse to murder his boss, the kind and just Lord Hanabasa, and set himself up as tyrant. Hanabasa's children escape, and are raised by a priestess in the shadow of the ancient stone statue. The kids get big and want revenge, but they lack the power they need. Perhaps an ancient spirit of vengeance can help? Be careful what you unleash.

"Return of Daimajin" (1966) D. Misumi Kenji-The Daimajin is now in an island in a lake between too peaceful villages, Chigusa and Nagoshi. A near-by evil overlord looks down on this idyllic scene and decides that it can't last. And he thinks the yearly festival of the Daimajin is the perfect time to swarm in with his armies and conquer. He also wants to show all of the ignorant villagers how worthless their protector spirit is by blowing up the statue with gunpowder. Bad idea.

"Wrath of Daimajin" (1966) D. Mori KazuoThe third and final film, and my favorite of the series. Daimajin is back up on a mountain again, in evil overlord territory. The bad guy has captured some village men for his forced labor camps, and it is up to their sons to free them. But, the sons have to cross Majin Mountain, the forbidden realm of the dark Majin god. They are good boys, and show proper respect to the stone statue (something appreciated by every dark Majin god). In comes the overlords men, who mock the superstitions of the peasants and once again try to prove their superiority by demolishing the ancient statue. When will they ever learn? Sword fights in the snow add an extra bit of samurai goodness to this one.

The "Daimajin" series is a gem of the kaiju giant monster genre. Aside from the first Godzilla, kaiju flicks aren't known for their deep storylines. They are the professional wrestling of the movie world--everyone knows they are cheesy and fake, but everyone is in on the joke so they all have a good time. "Daimajin" takes things into more somber territory, combining the depth and story of the samurai genre along with a giant man in a rubber suit destroying things. The special effects are impressive, amongst the best of the `60s kaiju films. There are some great monster scenes, and Daimajin's transformation is always fun to watch.

Actually, everything about this series is quite good. Fans of Japanese Samurai films or monster films cannot go wrong with "Daimajin."

This Mill Creek Entertainment Blu Ray is an excellent release of these films, with all three films on two disks. There are some pretty cool bonus features--a Behind the Scenes featurette and an interview with cinematographer Morita Fujio. There are some new English dubs, if you are into that sort of thing. The picture looks fantastic, and--after years of being chopped up--the Complete Daimajin is back in its original aspect ratio. This is one to get.

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All I can say is WOW!!!!

The picture quality is the best I've seen outside of Criterion, Mill Creek has come a LONG way from their budget dvd roots. First the Gamera Trilogy then this. other companies should take note.

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