Mothra Movie Review

Classic Japanese monster shenanigans about an enraged giant caterpillar that invades Tokyo while searching for the Alilenas, a pair of tiny twin princesses who've been kidnapped by an evil nightclub owner in the pursuit of big profits. After tiring of crushing buildings and wreaking incidental havoc, the enormous creepy-crawler zips up into a cocoon and emerges as Mothra, a moth distinguished by both its size and bad attitude. Mothra and the wee babes make appearances in a number of later Godzilla epics. The Alile-nas were played by Emi and Yumi Ito, who had a singing career in Japan as “the Peanuts.” Mothra was one of the best of the ‘60s Japanese giant monster epics, a colorful, fast-moving fantasy with an unforgettable monster. AKA: Mosura.

1961 101m/C JP Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyoko Katawa, Yumi Ito, Emi Ito; D: Inoshiro Honda, Lee Kresel; W: Shinichi Sekizawa; C: Hajime Koizumi. VHS, Beta GKK