The Spotlight Titles this week are a couple of robust sci-fi movies from Toho, the company that brought us the Godzilla series. The Mysterians involves an invasion of earth by aliens, and is the movie that brought us the memorable giant robot Mogera, as well as introducing the maser cannons, those energy beam projectors that popped up in so many of Toho’s later giant monster movies. A great colorful flick, and featuring one of the best scores by the genius composer Akira Ifukube.
Then there’s Matango, better known in the country as Attack of the Mushroom People. This is actually a pretty creepy little number, and better than you may remember it being.
The discs are being put out by Media Blasters, and sound fantastic. A review of the Mysterians disc can be found here, and the Matango DVD is just as loaded.
The Incredibles, arguably the best film of 2004, is coming out tomorrow, in both widescreen and mutilated, er, full frame formats.
For myself, I’ll be getting the Laurel & Hardy II disc, which features both Way Out West (the Boy’s second best film after Sons of the Desert, which was on the first disc along with a terrific selection of classic shorts) and Blockheads. These aren’t the greatest transfers, but they are entirely watchable, and at a price south of $15 it’s a must purchase.
Fans of old musicals will want to grab the new special edtions of Easter Parade and (especially) The Band Wagon.
Meanwhile, the indispensable Criterion company is releasing the Japanese samurai classic Sword of Doom.
