Alpha Video DVD release
Warning From Space/Uchûjin Tôkyô ni arawaru, Koji Shima, Japan, 1956, 88 mins, Daiei Studios, Alpha Video (DVD).
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Warning From Space was the first japanese science fiction in color, and also Daiei studio's attempt at rivalling with Toho's massive succes of Godzilla. Though also dealing with the threat of mass destrucion, this time the danger comes from another planet closing in on the earth, with an eventual collision destroying our planet. The people of Japan get this warning from a superior alien species of planet Paira, who have monitored our civilization for thousands of years. The message gets through to a specialist in nuclear weapons, who creates a new formula to a powerful atomic bomb that supposedly will destroy the rapidly increasing planet before impact. Unfortunately, a silly gangster type gets in the way, and wants to steal the formula in order to sell it to his business partners. Very smart considering that the consequence will be the destruction of the planet - what's the point? Though starting out very slowly the first 45 minutes, the film manages to catch up later with tension, portraying the natural consequences of the alien planet getting closer. Solely seen from the perspective of Tokyo, everyone is evacuated into basements and shelters, with the earth's surface getting hotter by the minute. We see animals having a tough time coping with the increasing heat, and near the end things are starting to look grim and hopeless. The alien (as depicted on the cover) as well as the nuclear arms both have the surprising role as aids towards this eventual disaster, the only real bad guy being the aforementioned gangster with no brain. Unfortunately, there is no real connection with any of the characters as they seem to be solely bricks in the game of survival, rather than people you really care for. There are some unintentionally comedic and dated scenes, and some surprisingly effective ones during the chaotic sideeffects on earth of the approaching planet (like water boiling because of the heat), but all in all the movie requires too much waiting patience from the viewer to be good. 2 out of 6 - Reviewed by Media Cult |
