Inoshiro Honda
About
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Also Known As
Ishiro Honda
Birth Place
Japan
Died
February 28, 1993
Cause of Death
Difficulties Resulting From Respiratory Problems
Biography
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Best known for bringing in a steady income to Japan's Toho Studios in the 1950s and 60s with a series of enjoyably campy sci-fi films featuring oversized monsters which wreak mass destruction upon the urban landscape. Still the most popular of these is Honda's (and the genre's) first and one of the best, "Godzilla" (1954). Honda followed its international success with "Rodan" (1957), "Th...
Filmography
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Terror of Mechagodzilla
(1975)
Director
Monster Zero
(1970)
Director
Monster Zero
(1970)
Director
Latitude Zero
(1970)
Director
Destroy All Monsters
(1969)
Director
All Monsters Attack
(1969)
Director
Notes
Many reference works give 1956 as the year for Honda's best-remembered film, "Gojira/Godzilla", but this was the year of its American release.
Biography
Best known for bringing in a steady income to Japan's Toho Studios in the 1950s and 60s with a series of enjoyably campy sci-fi films featuring oversized monsters which wreak mass destruction upon the urban landscape. Still the most popular of these is Honda's (and the genre's) first and one of the best, "Godzilla" (1954). Honda followed its international success with "Rodan" (1957), "The Mysterians" (1959, a rather more serious effort), "Mothra" (1962), "King Kong vs. Godzilla," "Matango--Fungus of Terror" (both 1963), and the all-star "Destroy All Monsters!" (1966).
Honda's films are generally fast-paced, chock-full of action and directed with a poker-faced tone which suggests a self-aware sense of humor. The special effects, often by a regular and talented collaborator of Honda's, Eiji Tsuburaya, vary from the skillful to the obvious, sometimes with actors in rubber monster suits stomping on miniature city sets. A longtime friend of Akira Kurosawa, Honda has regularly played key collaborative roles with the master behind the scenes of his films of the 70s and 80s.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Terror of Mechagodzilla
(1975)
Director
Monster Zero
(1970)
Director
Monster Zero
(1970)
Director
Latitude Zero
(1970)
Director
Destroy All Monsters
(1969)
Director
All Monsters Attack
(1969)
Director
King Kong Escapes
(1968)
Director of Japanese version
Come Marry Me
(1967)
Director
Frankenstein Conquers the World
(1966)
Director
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
(1965)
Director
Godzilla vs. The Thing
(1964)
Director
Godzilla vs. The Thing
(1964)
Director
Gorath
(1964)
Director
The Human Vapor
(1964)
Director
Atragon
(1964)
Director
King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1963)
Director
Varan the Unbelievable
(1962)
Director of Japanese version
Mothra
(1962)
Director
Rodan
(1958)
Director
The H-Man
(1958)
Director
Half Human
(1957)
Director, Japanese footage
The Mysterians
(1957)
Director
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
(1956)
Director
Writer (Feature Film)
Destroy All Monsters
(1969)
Screenwriter
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
(1956)
Screenwriter
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
(1990)
Creative Consultant
Ran
(1985)
Other
Life Events
1933
Landed a job with the production department of P.C.L. (Photo-Chemical Laboratories) Studios a few months before graduation
1949
Served as Kurosawa's assistant director on "Stray Dog"
1951
Directed first fictional feature film, "Aoi Shinju"
1953
Collaborated with special effects technician Eiji Tsuburaya on the war film, "Taiheiyo no Washi"
1954
Directed his best-known film, "Gojira/Godzilla" for which he also co-wrote the screenplay
1967
Was involved in the making of the children's TV series, "Ultraman", created by Tsuburaya
Photo Collections
8 Photos
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster - Lobby Card Set
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster - Lobby Card Set
8 Photos
Mothra - Lobby Card Set
Here is a set of Lobby Cards from Columbia Pictures' Mothra (1962), the American release of Toho's Mosura (1961), directed by Ishiro Honda. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.
8 Photos
The H-Man - Lobby Card Set
Here is a set of Lobby Cards from Columbia Pictures' The H-Man (1959), the American release of Toho's Bijo to Ekitainingen (1958), directed by Ishiro Honda. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.
1 Photo
The H-Man - Movie Poster
Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for The H-Man (1958), produced by Toho and directed by Inoshiro Honda. One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Bibliography
Notes
Many reference works give 1956 as the year for Honda's best-remembered film, "Gojira/Godzilla", but this was the year of its American release.
