Devoted pacifist and allegorical visionary, Ishiro Honda (b. 1911) was and remains one of Japan’s most influential filmmakers. He grew up with a love for film and developed artistic aspirations. However, his life was forever changed when he was drafted, primarily serving during World War II, witnessing unimaginable horrors firsthand, including atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army. Following his military service and time as a prisoner of war, Honda returned to a devastated Japan that was still in ruins from the firebombings and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These traumatic experiences solidified his anti-war beliefs and devotion to advocating pacifism, including postwar reflections on the wartime horrors he was affiliated with. He was a man who stood by his principles right up to his passing in 1993. More information on the director’s life can be found in Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski’s biography “Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa.”
From the 1950s to the 1970s, Ishiro Honda was a proactive filmmaker, with his directorial career ending in 1975, though continuing to work as a second-unit director and assistant director on the later films of his close friend, Akira Kurosawa. Having learned under Kajiro Yamamoto and been heavily influenced by Mikio Naruse, Honda covered a range of genres. While he primarily gained international recognition for his iconic monster films, most famously the original “Godzilla,” his efforts included dramas, romantic comedies, and war features. Frequently, he collaborated with music composer Akira Ifukube and special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, which often enhanced the visual and auditory style of said movies.
Although Ishiro Honda may not have been as consistent in quality as some of his contemporaries, his impact on cinema is monumental. Even so, when Honda did make a great film, his talents as a director were undeniable. In addition to entertaining, the man frequently used cinema to interweave themes in line with his humanistic mindset, hoping to communicate them to the audience. He conveyed anti-war messages that often highlighted the dangers of nuclear weapons and valued the importance of coming together to support one another and coexist in peace. These concepts were typically realized in stories of man vs. nature or teamwork against a common threat.
Filmmakers such as John Carpenter, Martin Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro, and actors like Brad Pitt have cited the director’s work as a significant influence on their own. With that, it’s a good opportunity to spotlight 10 essential films by Ishiro Honda. Included are some of his most iconic features and some lesser-known ones.
1. Farewell Rabaul (1954)
Following his well-intentioned but ultimately lackluster war epic “Eagle of the Pacific,” Ishiro Honda improved significantly with his follow-up World War II film, “Farewell Rabaul,” which focuses on a squadron of Japanese fighter pilots stationed in Rabaul. While smaller in scale, the movie powerfully drives home the message of how war dehumanizes humanity to the point where human life is devalued. This idea comes in droves through its drama, especially with Ryo Ikebe‘s gradual shift from a stern captain to a more empathetic individual and Rentaro Mikuni‘s depiction of a traumatized soldier.
2. Godzilla (1954)
A pioneering masterpiece that led to one of the longest-running multimedia franchises, “Godzilla” stands as an all-time classic in cinema. With striking visuals boosted by Eiji Tsuburaya’s groundbreaking special effects and Akira Ifukube’s haunting music score, the movie takes a simple premise and turns it into something more profound. With a plot surrounding a radioactive beast wreaking havoc on Japan, it’s a film that functions as an allegory for the horrors of nuclear weaponry, made less than a decade after World War II ended. With screenwriter Takeo Murata, Honda greatly balances powerful themes with engaging storytelling, featuring strong performances, particularly by Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura.
From his review, Rouven Linnarz elaborates on how Honda and his team chose to approach the film’s premise and concepts:
Even though its premise sounds like it could have been taken straight from a b-movie, there is a serious tone throughout the whole duration of that first outing of the infamous creature, which makes it stand out among the other monster pictures made at the time, even the ones done in Hollywood. Incidentally, Honda was quite aware of this and thus demanded from his crew and actors to take the story, its themes, and their characters seriously, which is one of the features responsible for the aforementioned tone. (Rouven Linnarz)
3. Rodan (1956)
Heavier on horror elements, this feature marks Ishiro Honda’s transition into color, with Tsuburaya continuing to perfect his craft as a special effects director. Its plot concerns a mine infested with giant insects that eventually leads to the discovery of a massive prehistoric flying creature. Not only that, it’s later revealed to have a mate. This movie knows how to build suspense wonderfully through its tight structure, culminating with a satisfying payoff. While a creepy film, “Rodan” also has tragedy to it, portraying the giant monster and its partner as victims of humanity, despite the destruction they end up causing. In the end, their greatest sin was merely existing.
4. Good Luck to These Two (1957)
A memorable drama, “Good Luck to These Two,” tells the story of a naive young man and woman eager to marry despite their parents’ disapproval. Following their wedding, their marriage is tested by the looming cultural expectations and financial hardships that follow in their wake. With screenwriter Zenzo Matsuyama, Honda doesn’t shy away from realistically confronting the trials of an imperfect marriage set to a social and economic backdrop with its harsh moments, yet still shows glimmers of hope for the two leads. Strong performances by Hiroshi Koizumi and Yumi Shirakawa elevate the storytelling to great heights. Toshiro Mifune also appears here in a charming supporting role.
5. The Human Vapor (1960)
The last and best of Toho’s “Transforming Human Series,” “The Human Vapor” is a strange yet endearing hybrid of sci-fi and crime that is more than just a fun special effects showcase. Viewers will be surprised at how Honda takes an out-there premise of a man turned superhuman from an experiment and balances being fun with effective drama, taking a tragic turn towards the end. Versatile actors Yoshio Tsuchiya and Kaoru Yachigusa especially shine in their respective roles.
6. Mothra (1961)
Somewhat a departure from his earlier, more allegorical films, “Mothra” is a movie with a different agenda: to entertain, and it succeeds in droves. Leaning more into fantasy with its plot of a giant moth trying to rescue two tiny twin fairies, Honda partners with screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa to deliver a high-concept monster movie with fun characters and colorful special effects by Tsuburaya. Additionally, social commentary is still present in its criticism of capitalist exploitation.
7. Matango (1963)
“Matango” is a Lovecraftian horror film that takes a seemingly ridiculous idea of “mushroom people” and turns it into something surprisingly unsettling. Based on William Hope Hodgson’s “The Voice in the Night,” with a script by Takeshi Kimura, Honda tells a grim survival story where a group of people, brought to life by an excellent cast, find themselves stranded on a remote island contaminated by a strange fungus. Full of creepy imagery and an eerie atmosphere, its themes highlight the destruction of the human body and mind, making for one of the director’s bleakest features and possibly his finest movie next to the original “Godzilla.”
8. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
In “Mothra vs Godzilla,” two iconic kaiju are pitted against one another in a spectacular film. Director Honda and screenwriter Sekizawa use the plot surrounding a giant magical egg as a clever critique of capitalism, highlighting how greed can lead to one’s undoing. The charm of the original “Mothra” is incorporated here, though, with a darker edge. Along with a strong screenplay, Eiji Tsuburaya’s special effects and Akira Ifukube’s music score are additional highlights.
9. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Often seen as the first kaiju monster mash, “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed” is a fun film that has Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra team up against an even bigger threat when Earth is threatened by the alien monster King Ghidorah, who lives up to be a formidable foe, all while international espionage transpires. Even with the campiness, the movie still has genuine talent behind the filmmaking, with excellent buildup to the entertaining climax. It helps that Honda interweaves the crime storyline with the monster action in a way that makes sense for the narrative.
10. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
Ishiro Honda’s final film, “Terror of Mechagodzilla,” ends the Showa series on a high note. The movie carries over the fun of the 1970s “Godzilla” movies, with spectacular special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. Yet, the feature also manages to be quite dark at times, enhanced through Yukiko Takayama’s superb script, with dramatic parallels between the monsters and the human story, which features wonderful performances by Akihiko Hirata and Tomoko Ai, respectively.
