Starring - Yoshihiko Aoyama (The Oiwa Phantom, Zero Fighters), Hideki Hanamura (Devil's Temple, Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Villainy), Chikara Hashimoto (Fists of Fury, Gamera vs. Viras)
Release Date - 1968
Genre - Horror/Fantasy/Comedy
Tagline - "The most bizarre monsters the world has ever seen"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
A week or so ago I decided to take a stab at the Yokai Monster Collection from Arrow Video. I started with 100 Monsters and fucking loved it. I loved the style of the film and the monsters made it so much fun. I was fully prepared to start on the second film in the set, Spook Warfare, but decided to watch the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion with my kids instead. After a week or so of watching the series and the follow up films I've decided it was time to go back and finish this set. I had a lot of fun with 100 Monsters and Spook Warfare did not disappoint.
The film follows a Babylonian demon who is accidentally resurrected by some grave robbers. As he makes his way through Japan he is spotted by a water spirit who tries to warn the other monsters. They disregard him but as things take a turn for the worse they band together to stop it from destroying their beloved country.
Spook Warfare was a lot of fun but not quite as enjoyable as 100 Monsters. It still has the same style and look of the other film but the story is choppier and uneven. I still had fun with it and even loved the idea behind the story but the film itself could use some polish and some smoother editing. The acting in this one is solid but it's the monsters that steal the show. I liked the cast for the most part but every scene with the monsters was so much fun. I loved their energy, how they acted with each other, and their personalities. It was so much fun watching them interact and carry the scene. The story for this one is essentially a Yokai vs Babylon demon. It has some great moments especially if you love campy fantasy movies about monsters and demons but I feel like something more could have been done with this story. It's great as is but could have been a genre defining film if more was applied to it. Finally, no blood and gore here but I did love the masks and costumes wore by the creatures. They are a bit campy but it only adds to the atmosphere and look of the film. Overall, Spook Warfare is a great addition to the Yokai Monster collection. The story does get a bit chaotic at times which makes if a little difficult to follow but it's still very enjoyable. Check it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment