Ishiro Honda: Godzilla’s Dad

MUSHROOM CLOUDS AND MUSHROOM MEN:
THE FANTASTIC CINEMA OF ISHIRO HONDA

If you’re into Japanese monster movies, then the name Ishiro Honda is right up there with Abraham Lincoln, Orville Redenbacher and Jesus. Lofty credentials yes. But then Sir Honda was only the creator of Godzilla, one of pop culture’s coolest icons ever in the history of the world. He was also the guy behind Rodan, Varan The Unbelievable, The Mysterians, The H-Man, Battle in Outer Space, The Human Vapor, and Mothra – over one million films in all (um, give or take). And that didn’t include his TV shows, The Return of Ultraman, Mirroman and Zone Fighter. And yes, Honda was also the guy who brought us Matango (aka, Attack of the Mushroom People). And salads were never the same again.

Since the Bible has been taken, a new book called Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda is now available for your eyeball-rubbing pleasure. Written by Peter H. Brothers (wonder what the “H” stands for – haiku?), this is the first time an American book has been published about Japan’s greatest film director.

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men is the first book to cover in English print Honda’s life as well comprehensively evaluates all 25 of his fantasy films.  It is also gives objective and critical analysis of Honda’s filmmaking methods, themes and relationships with actors and technicians. (I didn’t write that, the book company did. I would’ve included the works “rad,” “kick ass,” and “totally kick ass.”)

Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men is available online at AuthorHouse.com as a physical book or an electronic download for your 8-track player…uh, I mean, Kindle™. The E-book is $4.95, the carbon-footprint paperback is $14.95. The cover is kinda sucky, but the info inside is pure not sucky.