特撮映画としての「恐竜の島」

SFX shines only when there is a story

This time, I will introduce the 1975 British movie “The Land That Time Forgot”.

Based on the science fiction novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

There was a maker that resells old movies, and they released a DVD with a Japanese dubbed version.

When I looked at it again, it was very well done.

First, the story.

During World War I, German submarines and U-boats attack and sink Allied transport ships.

The main characters, who were drifting in a lifeboat, discover a U-boat that has surfaced, board it, and take over the enemy’s chance.

Although he tries to go to a British port, he is attacked by an Allied warship and has no choice but to escape without knowing that Americans and British are on board the German U-boat.

In order to prevent the U-boat from heading straight to England, a German soldier put a trick on the compass, causing the U-boat to make a big mistake and drift in the iceberg-filled Arctic Ocean.

When you run out of water and food and are in a desperate situation, an “unknown island” known as a legend among sailors appears in front of you.

With a glimmer of hope, a U-boat travels through dangerous undersea tunnels and up the river that runs through the interior of the island.

When you land on the island, you will find yourself in a different world, where volcanic geothermal heat has maintained a warm climate since ancient times.

Dinosaurs survived along with primitive people on the island.

Upon discovering that there is a natural oil field on the island, the group concludes a cease-fire agreement, cooperates in refining oil to make fuel, and ends up living together in order to escape from the island.

However, the volcano begins to erupt…

A story called.

The “SFX” for expressing a different world, including various dinosaurs, is wonderful, but before that, the story is solid and interesting.

To be honest, many of the B-grade monster movies are unwatchable.

Don’t you misunderstand that “as long as SFX makes the visuals interesting, even if the actions of the characters are not convincing or the story is broken”?

“The Land That Time Forgot” used to be broadcast on TV a long time ago, so I remember the impression of special effects very well.

The most difficult scene in SFX, the miniature scene of a ship with water, is very realistic and well done thanks to the participation of the staff of “Thunderbirds”.

The different worlds and the dinosaurs that live there, which are mainly represented in miniature, also have a sense of reality.

However, looking at it again, “SFX” including dinosaurs is treated as “background”.

I think that “SFX” is a good example that shows the most effect when it is “treated as background”.

The important thing is the earnestness to deceive

This movie is a British movie.

During the same period in the United States, Ray Harryhausen, who was called the magician of video and the god of SFX, released masterpieces one after another that made full use of stop-motion technology.

The interesting thing is that the “how to show” is quite different.

In Harryhausen’s film, model monsters are even realistically depicted breathing wildly while fighting.

With that overwhelming reality as a weapon, they tend to show one SFX image relatively “slowly and for a long time.”

It’s true that miniature monsters have the power to make you think they’re really alive with their modeling and realistic movements.

On the other hand, “The Land That Time Forgot” expresses dinosaurs with “real muppets” that can be moved by humans.

Basically, “video synthesis” is not used much, and dinosaurs are filmed as one of the actors, so you can see the policy of bringing out reality with skillful camera work and cuts.

To be specific, the composition and the timing of the video cuts are exquisite.

By carefully cutting short and connecting it to another video just before the model’s rough parts are observed, you can feel the attitude of seriously trying to hide the fact that it is a model, and the high level of awareness of the finishing of the video. .

For example, when expressing a dinosaur-like monster with SFX, it is difficult to show the feet, as you can see when you try it.

It doesn’t feel heavy, or it literally looks like it’s not on the ground.

In “The Land That Time Forgot”, the dinosaur’s feet are never shown.

By hiding my feet with grass and rocks, I thoroughly avoid shots that pose a danger to Chachi. I feel pure.

On the other hand, the biggest problem with monster movies that use the Japanese “monster suit” technique that was mass-produced in a slightly later era is that they don’t really try to hide the fact that they are SFX. I don’t think so.

I think the miniature modeling of monster SFX movies made in Japan is at the top level in the world.

However, I think the reason why Japanese monster movies look like Chachi is because somewhere in my consciousness, I am over-emphasizing that they are good models.

This is also something that you will understand when you create your own work, but well-made SFX scenes are overlooked without being noticed as SFX.

I know it’s the best situation, and I know it’s a success situation, but sometimes I feel lonely that I’m not noticed.

Isn’t it possible that the deep psychology of wanting people to notice that the model is well-made might slightly lengthen the display time of the image?

If I was really trying to deceive the audience by hiding the fact that it was a model and SFX, wouldn’t the composition change and the display time of the image would be shorter?

In fact, it’s impossible to hide the fact that Kaiju are miniatures.

Considering the situation, adults already know that the real thing was not filmed.

The important thing is to have a serious attitude of trying to hide and deceive.

Isn’t that attitude the reason why Chachi doesn’t have many moments to show the images, and that the audience who are aware of “SFX” are also entertained?

In addition to emphasizing the story in my work, I would like to keep the following in mind.

• In the main story, the audience is simply tricked and entertained.
• The “well-made model” appeal is satisfied by sending out “making videos” and “materials”

Thank you for reading to the end.

(This English sentence was written by automatic translation.)