The Sounds of Awe and Terror: Revisiting the Music of Godzilla [Part 2- The Heisei Era]

 

     When Godzilla was born, a phase of my life began. Now Godzilla is gone, and that phase is over. It was very emotional. ~ Akira Ifukube

Welcome to the second part of my journey through the OSTs of Godzilla films. In the previous editorial, I discussed the music scores from the Showa series. Now, we proceed to the Heisei era.
     Ever since the premiere of Terror of Mechagodzilla (1974), the Toho Studios was keen on bringing its most iconic monster back to the big screen. The chance finally arrived with an idea of making a reboot that would ignore all the preceding entries apart from the original 1954 film. Koji Hashimoto’s The Return of Godzilla (1984) is a fresh and serious take on the King of the Monsters in the Cold War era. The job of composing the music went to Reijiro Koroku, a classically trained musician mainly known from working on TV productions, variety shows, straight-to-video flicks, and video games. (Akira Ifukube declined to return because he was too busy teaching at Tokyo College Music.)

Reijiro Koroku

     In all honesty, Koroku’s soundtrack for The Return of Godzilla (1984) is one of my all-time favourites. You can hear a heavy use of synthesizer, but there are also lots of orchestral arrangements. The viewers can definitely feel the sense of wonder and dread thanks to these bold, dark, and larger-than-life tracks. The main theme is “an ominous, rumbling piece played by a full orchestra accented with low-end brass” (Ryfle 1998: 237). Together with the movie, the soundtrack was a breath of fresh air into the franchise. Interestingly, there was also a special song made for the end credits “Godzilla: Love Theme” sung by The Star Sisters pop group. A different song “Sayonara Lover” by Yasuko Sawaguchi accompanied alternate releases of the film.

     Although the release of The Return of Godzilla (1984) was a financial success for Toho, the studio did not really know in which direction to carry on the series. After holding a special script competition for the fans, they greenlit the idea of Godzilla fighting a genetically-engineered plant. For Kazuko Omori’s Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), Koichi Sugiyama (famous for his work on Dragon Quest RPG series) was chosen to compose the music. Some fans remark that the score has a distinct, John Williams-like, symphonic feel. Surprisingly, Sugiyama did not participate in the orchestration process, which in turn was handled by conductor David Howell. The conductor was never shown the film, which resulted in him imagining potential sequences when conducting the orchestra.

Koichi Sugiyama

     Another interesting thing about Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) is the fact that a lot of Akira Ifukube’s older themes (featured prominently on his 1986 album Ostinato) were used in the film. Allegedly, a film historian and Godzilla expert Ed Godziszewski saw the rough cut of Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) with only Akira Ifukube’s music.
     Akira Ifukube eventually returned to the world of Godzilla and stayed on as the composer for the majority of the Heisei era. His decision to go back to composing duties was triggered mainly by the track Bio Wars from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) which is basically a creative reinvention of the Godzilla theme in a funky style. Ifukube’s aim was to bring the stylish and epic monster music back to its glory. In my personal opinion, Ifukube’s work on Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993) are his best contributions to the franchise. However, you can clearly notice that he was rearranging a lot of his old material. In fact, if you listen to Ifukube’s scores to other films, such as Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (1962) and The Adventure in Kigan Castle (1966), you will hear the Godzilla theme as well.

Akira Ifukube

     That is not to say, however, that Maestro Ifukube relied only on previous scores. He managed to produce some original material which is absolutely breathtaking: the Mechagodzilla theme and the Destoroyah theme. Steve Ryfle wrote that “he delivers a tour de force proving that even in his late seventies he hasn't lost his magic touch” (Ryfle 1998: 295). Ifukube’s last score was for the final Heisei entry Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). The Requiem of Godzilla Death track is an absolute stroke of genius! This piece of music alone not only marks Godzilla's farewell to the audience, but also Ifukube’s farewell to Godzilla. The composer stated the following in an interview: “The theme for Godzilla's death was one of the most difficult pieces I have ever had to compose. In a way, it was as if I was composing the theme for my own death.” (Ryfle 1998: 316)

Takayuki Hattori

     Last but not least, Takayuki Hattori also has to be mentioned. He was responsible for the Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) OST because Akira Ifukube refused to return upon reading the script which reminded him too much about idol flicks. The movie itself is considered to be a mixed bag by Kaiju fans, but I regard it as a personal guilty pleasure. Hattori’s soundtrack is also a pleasure to listen to (that introduction!). Evidently, the music is not as big in scale as Ifukube’s OSTs, yet it has its idiosyncratic charm. Some tracks would perfectly fit a PS1 game, whereas others seem to be an homage to John Barry’s You Only Live Twice (1967) score.
      All things considered, this was my “brief” trip down the music lane of Godzilla’s Heisei era. Please make sure to hit the hyperlinks in order to listen to mentioned tracks. If you enjoyed the read, please stay tuned for the third editorial in which I will go through the musical history of the Millennium era. In the meantime, I leave you with my full “guide list” of the Heisei movies and the people who scored them because I could not find such a rundown anywhere on the internet. Thank you for reading:

• The Return of Godzilla (1984) music by Reijiro Koroku
• Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) music by Koichi Sugiyama
• Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) music by Akira Ifukube
• Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) music by Akira Ifukube
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993) music by Akira Ifukube
• Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) music by Takayuki Hattori
• Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) music by Akira Ifukube

Sources: Japan’s Favourite Mon-Star: An Unauthorized Biography of the Big G by Steve Ryfle * VGMdb * Interview with Koichi Sugiyama * Akira Ifukube Interview * Gojipedia * AkiraIfukube.org.

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Miss & Mrs. Cops (2019) [Film Review]

Miss & Mrs. Cops; or, Ra Mi Ran to the Rescue
     The first round's always a blank, 5 chambers, giving you 5 to 1 odds. But you're a criminal, so 5 to 2. I'll shoot twice. If I hit a live one, you can say adios to this life. If I don't… Who knows.
Being in the mood for a buddy cop adventure flick, I grabbed Jung Da Won’s Miss & Mrs. Cops (original title: Girl Cops) primarily because it promised just that and also had the glorious Ra Mi Ran in the leading role. The movie is an interesting mix between action and comedy, with a touch of girl power vibes.

Release Info

Directed by: Jung Da Won Starring: Ra Mi Ran, Lee Sung Kyung, Choi Soo Young, Yoon Sang Hyun

Language: Korean Original Title: 걸캅스 Runtime: 107 min

Synopsis
Mi Yeong (Ra Mi Ran) for years used to be a top police officer at the Major Crimes Unit, but after having a baby, she was forced to perform a desk job, handling civil complaints. Her sister-in-law, Ji Hye (Lee Sung Kyung), is also a detective, but due to her hot-headed attitude, she was transferred to Mi Yeong’s squad. The two women obviously can’t stand each other, but they eventually join forces in order to solve a strange case. Namely, someone drugs and rapes innocent women, only to threaten them later with “spy cam adult” videos. Mi Yeong and Ji Hye take matters into their own hands and discover a gangster ring which runs a drug-dealing business.

Lethal Runners
Miss & Mrs. Cops is a straightforward action flick with a simple plot and colorful characters. The movie carefully ticks the main bullet points from other unforgettable cop films, such as Lethal Weapon (1989) and Midnight Runners (2017). However, there is also room for some witty dialogue and a little bit of slapstick as well (the tattoo scene!). In other words, you are going to laugh a lot. The sismance between Ra Mi Ran and Lee Sung Kyung is the driving force of this picture.

I totally did not expect that, but I am pleased to see that Ra Mi Ran actually engages into a lot of fist fights. The role of a kickass police officer is quite a departure from her other cinematic characters, but I’m glad that the actress went for this challenge.

The supporting characters did extremely well, too. I liked Yoon Sang Hyun as the useless husband and Wi Ha Joon as the main villain. Even Hu Jung Woo has a small but hilarious cameo as the hotel receptionist!

In addition, the production design as well cinematography was top notch. All the sets, especially the gangster’s hideout felt very lavish, and quick shots in action scenes only enhanced the gravity of the scenes. However, in my opinion, the music score (composer not specified on IMDb) is a bit of a letdown. The OST feels monotonous at times and does not pump up the most important sequences. This is my only problem with the film

Recommendations
If you are on the lookout for an enjoyable picture to spend an afternoon with family or friends, then I recommend Miss & Mrs. Cops. You can never go wrong with Ra Mi Ran, and I strongly hope that she will return to this genre in the future. We definitely need more Asian movies about female detectives.Overall score: 7/10

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The Sounds of Awe and Terror: Revisiting the Music of Godzilla [Part 1- The Showa Era]

     I pursue my composition with abundant spiritual force, soul, and vitality rather than national and heuristic emphasis. ~ Akira Ifukube

 

Motion pictures would have never been the same without music scores. Instrumental compositions constitute an integral part of a multi-sensory system which ultimately results in a powerful viewing experience. Can you imagine such memorable cinematic moments as the Death Star trench run, the Godfather making the no-to-be-refused offer, or James Bond chasing a killer on Gibraltar without any music whatsoever? Since the beginning of film, moviegoers have been blessed with many memorable themes and soundtracks created by wonderful composers around the globe.
     Being a Godzilla fan, I can’t help but appreciate the music of this movie series. In view of the approaching Godzilla vs. Kong blockbuster, due to be out at the end of March this year, I decided it would be fitting to do a sort of a mini editorial-series appreciating “the sounds of awe and terror” of the most popular monster franchise ever. Each part will be devoted to a specific era of Godzilla’s history. In addition, after careful consideration, I decided to categorise all the information by individual composers rather than discussing all of the movies and their soundtracks chronologically (for your own reference, I will always include a special “guide list” at the end of each post). Last but not least, I have to underline the fact that I am not an expert on music; in fact, I am a complete noob, so reader discretion is advised because I am not going to deconstruct the OSTs' technicalities.

     So, the Showa era of Godzilla films: 21 years, 15 movies, and 4 composers in total. Hardcore fans obviously know that everything began in 1954 with the original Gojira film directed by Ishiro Honda. Composer Akira Ifukube had the privilege of scoring the original picture and it can be safely said that this man defined the music of the franchise. Not only did he come up with the famous Godzilla theme, but he created the monster’s iconic roar and footstep sounds. Maestro Ifukube repeated numerous times that working on the first picture was a difficult and challenging endeavour, but he pressed on because he was fascinated by the subject matter of the story. Indeed, the original soundtrack contains classic cues used later on in the series (Main Title, Bingo-maru Sinking, Attack Godzilla!, Fury of Godzilla), but it is primarily sombre and dark (Devastated Tokyo, Prayer for Peace, and Ending get me every time). Often overlooked nowadays, the original Gojira OST is a must-listen if you want to experience the craft of the 40-year-old Ifukube in its full glory. “When Westerners hear my music, they think of church music of the Middle Ages. When Japanese hear it, it sounds like Japanese [music] but its tempo is slow and sounds like a requiem,” said Ifukube (Ryfle 1998: 52).
     The next movie on which Ifukube worked on was Godzilla vs. King Kong (1962). The style of this particular score is very naturalistic, sprinkled with interesting chorus orchestrations. Additionally, Godzilla’s theme was pumped up as well. Interestingly, The battle track was repurposed by Ifukube years later as the battle theme for King Ghidorah in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991).
     After Godzilla vs. King Kong (1962), Ifukube went on to score three subsequent Showa entries: Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1964), and Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965). The first soundtrack of the three seems extremely exotic. Obviously, Ifukube had to implement Yuji Kosaki’s Mothra theme, but he also managed to add his personal spin, giving the whole music an unearthly feel. The OST for Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) is easily my favourite music score of the Showa Era.

Akira Ifukube

     Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1964) preserves the ethereal style of the previous soundtrack. Apart from Godzilla theme and action cues, we get to hear the original (extremely menacing) theme for King Ghidorah, and Rodan’s theme (composed by Ifukube for the 1965 movie) is included as well. In Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965), on the other hand, we have some interesting and unconventional music for the parts involving the aliens, and the popular Army March can be heard as well. The rest of the score is known from the previous soundtracks.
     For the Showa era, Ifukube also composed music for Destroy All Monsters (1968) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). The OST for Destroy All Monsters (1968) is, indeed, very classy and stylish, and apart from having memorable themes, there are also some unique pieces (for example, Kilaak Aliens). The score for Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), the concluding movie of the Showa series, sees the inclusion of the Godzilla theme, the version of which is so popular nowadays. Up to this point in the series, Ifukube always meant to have (what we know today as the Godzilla theme) associate with the military, rather than Godzilla himself. Due to the fact that the Big G was a hero in Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), Ifukube decided to compose a remade version of the theme to represent him. As a result, this film cemented Godzilla's main melody as the official theme.

Masaru Sato

     Another composer who made a significant contribution to the lore of Godzilla was Masaru Sato. The man who often composed for Akira Kurosawa and Kihachi Okamoto, had his take on Godzilla early on the Showa series. The OST for Godzilla Raids Again (1956) can be best described as a spiritual companion piece to Ifukube’s Gojira (1954). The score treats itself seriously most of the time, and has noticeable horror undertones (just listen to Godzilla In Osaka Bay track).
     In the later years, Masaru Sato provided music scores for Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) and Son of Godzilla (1967). Both soundtracks mark a departure from the style established by the composer in Godzilla Raids Again (1956). The music is very jazzy-ish and light-hearted (undeniably fitting the tone of both pictures geared towards children); “a la Quincy Jones and Henry Mancini” (Ryfle 1998: 78). At times, I found some tracks similar to Batman: TV Series (1966) music cues. However, this is not to say that these are weak scores. On the contrary, they have a certain indescribable playfulness that Ifukube would have never dared to come up with. In addition, a couple of action pieces resemble John Barry’s compositions for early Bond movies. The final movie scored by Sato was Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974), which also has a lot of jazz vibes. In my opinion, it perfectly fits the “so cheesy so good” category. Sato himself stated the following: “I personified animals. The [monsters] started to have human personalities and characteristics... Mr. Ifukube succeeded because he didn't personify Godzilla. I turned the beast into a person” (Ryfle 1998: 78).

Kunio Miyauchi

     From other composers who had their shot at Godzilla, there was Kunio Miyauchi who wrote the music for the controversial Godzilla’s Revenge (1969). Obviously, he tried to mimic Masaru Sato, but the soundtrack is just uneventful, in my opinion. (The opening credits song “Monster March” was composed by Gendai Kano and sung by Lily Sasaki). Miyauchi later did the music for Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972). That score resembles a lot of generic music from American Westerns, so it is definitely not for everybody. Throughout the film, you can actually hear a lot of Akira Ifukube’s compositions from previous films.

Riichiro Manabe

     The final composer of the Showa era to be covered is Riichiro Manabe, who scored Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973). Manabe’s music is undeniably a fresh take: it is neither too jazzy nor too grim. What is more, Godzilla receives a completely unique battle theme. In my opinion, Manabe’s compositions are a vast improvement over Miyauchi’s contributions.
     All things considered, this was my “brief” trip down the music lane of Godzilla’s Showa era. Please make sure to hit the hyperlinks in order to listen to mentioned tracks. If you enjoyed the read, please stay tuned for the second editorial in which I will go through the musical history of the Heisei era. In the meantime, I leave you with my full “guide list” of the Showa movies and the people who scored them because I could not find such a rundown anywhere on the internet. Thank you for reading:

• Gojira (1954) music by Akira Ifukube
• Godzilla Raids Again (1955) music by Masaru Sato
• Godzilla vs. King Kong (1962) music by Akira Ifukube
• Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) music by Akira Ifukube
• Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1964) music by Akira Ifukube
• Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965) music by Akira Ifukube
• Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) music by Masaru Sato
• Son of Godzilla (1967) music by Masaru Sato
• Destroy All Monsters (1968) music by Akira Ifukube
• Godzilla’s Revenge (1969) music by Kunio Miyauchi
• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) music by Riichiro Manabe
• Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) music by Kunio Miyauchi (Ifukube, stock)
• Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) music by Riichiro Manabe
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) music by Masaru Sato 
• Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) music by Akita Ifukube

Sources: Japan’s Favourite Mon-Star: An Unauthorized Biography of the Big G by Steve Ryfle * Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski * Gojipedia * AkiraIfukube.org.

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