THE WAR IN SPACE (1977) Promo Art & Posters

I really like Toho Studios' entry in the post-Star Wars space opera sweepstakes, The War In Space. While it owes much to earlier Toho sci-fi films of the 60s (like Battle In Outer Space and Atragon), it has a distinctly 70s look and flavor (not to mention the inexplicable horned Wookiee henchcreature, officially known as "Space Beastman").

Anyway, the main spaceship, The Gohten, follows that particular Japanese trend of interstellar vehicles that resemble Earthly naval vessels, with the addition of an Atragon-esque drill bit in the bow. I recently stumbled across this cool promotional poster with cutaway diagram of the distinctive spaceship. Enjoy.

If you haven't seen the movie, I'd suggest checking it out. It's not quite as much giddy, goofy fun as Toei's Message From Space, but it's an enjoyable space adventure film. Here are a few of the theatrical posters and other promo art:

July's Space Babe: Yûko Asano

July's Space Babe is pretty Japanese actress Yûko Asano, plucky astronette of Toho Studios' 1977 space opera, The War In Space. As Jun Takigawa, the token female crewmember aboard the Earth spaceship Gohten, she was pretty much destined to be kidnapped by the evil Supreme Commander Hell of the alien space battleship Daimakan ,and his Wookiee-like, battle axe-wielding, "Space Beastman." Also inevitable, of course, was the alien leader forcing her to wear a skimpy leather slave outfit.

An award-winning actress and singer,Yûko Asano was born on July 9th (coincidentally, my own birthday!) in 1960, and has had a prolific career in film and television in Japan.

MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) Theatrical Posters

 

Here's a colorful selection of international one-sheets issued to promote one of my favorite Star Wars imitations, the 1978 Toei space epic, Message From Space. I've always loved the U.S. poster (top), ever since I saw the art in a newspaper ad back in '78. I'd love to find a better scan of the one directly below it; the art is magnificent! My favorite, though, has to be the Egyptian (?) one at the bottom; isn't that Marvel Comics' Starlord?

Rerun: THE WAR IN SPACE (1977)

Here's a re-post of one of my earliest Space: 1970 articles. When I posted the War In Space TV promo last month, it was evident from the comments that a lot of the site's current readers were unfamiliar with the movie, so here's my original review of Toho Studios' fun entry into the 70's space opera sweepstakes... again.

From director Jun Fukuda and special effects wiz Nakano Teruyoshi, the creators of several Seventies’ Godzilla epics, comes Toho Studios’ 1977 interstellar adventure, The War In Space (Wakusei Daisenso).

Conceived by Toho Studios as a fast Star Wars cash-in, the final film owes as much to Gerry Anderson’s television shows UFO and Space: 1999 and the Japanese studios’ own Sixties sci-fi thrillers Atragon and Battle in Outer Space as it does to George Lucas’ intergalactic epic.

In the (then-future) year of 1988, UFOs attack the Earth. While the invaders are devastating New York, Paris, Tokyo and the world’s other major cities, a team of scientists race to complete a space battleship called Ghoten. Once launched, the ship and its crew head for Venus, to counterattack the aliens. Along the way, the only female crewmember (lovely Yuko Asano) is kidnapped by the green-skinned, Roman-helmeted alien leader and his horned wookie, UFOs engage in high-speed dogfights with the Earth fighters above the barren Venusian landscape, and space ships explode impressively.

The old school, handcrafted special effects work – finely detailed miniatures on mostly-invisible wires – is expertly executed and effective. The spaceships, in a decidedly Asian conceit, resemble sea-faring vessels, and the alien flagship is specifically modeled on ancient Roman sailing ship designs. The Ghoten features a huge drill bit (shades of Atragon!) and cool, giant revolvers that fire missiles and are also used to launch sleek, one-man fighters. The UFOs are original and unique. Made on a fraction of Star Wars’ budget, The War in Space demonstrates that ingenuity and imagination can carry the day even when money’s tight.

A few years ago, Discotek Media released The War in Space for the first time on U.S. home video (I believe) on DVD with a brilliant 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, completely restored and remastered. Audio options included both the original Japanese language track and an English dub, presented in both the original mono and in a newly created 5.1 remix. The Japanese track is preferable, as it’s stronger and more robust. Discotek also included a bevy of cool bonus features, including a fascinating video interview with special effects director Nakano Teruyoshi, the original theatrical trailer, an extensive still gallery, and an informative booklet that includes poster art, spaceship design sketches and liner notes.

As a fan of 70's outer space epics and Japanese fantasy films, I’ve been wanting to see this movie ever since I saw the poster art in a 1978 issue of Fantastic Films magazine. It took almost 30 years, but I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a terrific presentation of a great old-fashioned space opera, and I recommend it highly.

Click HERE to watch the original theatrical trailer. The DVD is still available through Amazon: War in Space

MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) Model Kits

And, speaking of classic Space: 1970-era sci-fi model kits - as I was just a few posts ago - here are two of the Bandai kits that were released by Entex in the U.S. that were derived from Toei Studios' Message From Space - the "Comet Fire" and "Galaxy Runner." There was also a kit of what the U.S. package called "The Liabe" - though I don't believe that Meia's ship was actually called that in the film.

Here are some shots of the actual model, which included small-scale versions of the two fighter/"hot rods" pictured above. I had this kit, but these aren't my pix - I borrowed them from a Japanese modeler's site - I couldn't have managed a paint job like that even at my best.

I love that design... man, I wish I still had my model.

A lot of people are baffled by my affection for this crazy film, but a large part of my enthusiasm is simply the wonderful spaceship designs and plentiful space battles. Most cinematic space operas don't really have all that much outer space combat, screentime percentage-wise - special effects are expensive, after all - but Message doesn't skimp on the action. That the plentiful miniature spaceships are so idiosyncratic and stylishly designed is just frosting on the cake.

Coming Attractions: THE WAR IN SPACE (1977) TV Promo

Here's a fun, English-language promo for the 1977 Toho space opera, The War In Space, apparently created when the film was distributed to American television. It never got a U.S. theatrical release, as far as I can tell, although it is available on DVD.

UPDATE: well, another YouTube video disappears... sigh.

MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) DVD Review

In the wake of the unprecedented box office bounty of George Lucas' seminal Star Wars in 1977, filmmakers around the world raced to unveil their own epic space operas, all hoping to strike gold mining the same cosmic vein.  Among the most prominent of these international productions was Toei Studios' Message From Space (Uchu kara no messeji), released in the United States in the Autumn of 1978 by United Artists.

The planet Jillucia has been conquered by the Gavanas Empire, its natural beauty devastated after years of war. The few survivors call upon their gods and are given eight magic seeds (that look like walnuts), which they send out into the universe to find eight champions to help Jillucia overthrow its conquerors. The seeds end up in the hands of a motley crew - including a disgraced Earth general Garuda (Vic Morrow, Twilight Zone: The Movie) and his robot, a couple of young "space hot rodders" (Philip Casnoff, Dollhouse, and Hiroyuki Sanada, Lost), a thrill-seeking heiress (Peggy Lee Brennan), and an exiled Gavanas warrior prince (Sonny Chiba, Streetfighter, Kill Bill). Ultimately, all of these individuals embrace their destiny and unite to face the evil Empire and save Earth from destruction.

 

 

Fast-paced, absurd and fun, Message From Space is a giddily insane interstellar samurai fantasy, loaded with space dogfights, laser battles, swordplay and explosions. The miniature effects are extraordinarily well-crafted, and the production design is lavish. The cast is pretty good, too; I really like Morrow as the noble, drunken Garuda, and, of course, Sonny Chiba rocks as the ronin-like Prince Hans.  Etsuko Shihomi - better known to cult film fans as "Sue Shiomi" of the Sister Streetfighter films - makes a lovely space princess, even if her character is sadly under-used and she never gets to demonstrate any of her legendary ass-kicking skills.

The story owes as much to traditional Japanese chambara as it does to George Lucas' pulp space opera, and while Western audiences might find the plot both convoluted and juvenile (especially the magic, glowing walnuts!), I actually find it to be a rather charming outer space fairy tale.

 

"Viva Chiba!" 

Like Toho's The War In Space of the year before, Message exhibits a distinctively Japanese aesthetic, with many striking images, including a schooner-like starship with solar sails. Interestingly, a number of scenes and images from this film were echoed in later American sci-fi films, like Roger Corman's Battle Beyond The Stars (1980), and even by Lucas' Star Wars sequels, especially Message's climactic bombing run, which is uncannily similar to the climax of The Return of the Jedi, released five or six years later!

Personally, I never imagined that Message From Space would ever be released on DVD in the U.S., and definitely not in widescreen, but, much to my surprise, the original Japanese/International uncut version is now available on an NTSC format, region-free import disc from Eastern Star. Presented in a nearly flawless, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, Message From Space looks terrific! Both the original Japanese language track and the English dub are included, both in 2.0 stereo, although the English track is somewhat muffled and has a soft background hiss. English and Chinese subtitles are available. Special features include a still gallery, several original Japanese trailers for the film, and trailers for a couple other Eastern Star titles.

If you enjoy Asian fantasy films or 70s space opera, you owe it to yourself to check out Message From Space. If you're already a fan of the movie, I can't recommend the Eastern Star release more highly. It can be purchased from Amazon: Message From Space