SOME PRODUCT! The new R1 Message From Space Blu-ray comes out next week (9/27) from Shout! Factory Exclusives. Limited to 1000 copies. I co-wrote the liner notes with August Ragone and I personally scanned pretty much everything in my voluminous Message From Space archives for the photo gallery. Essentially, this is an HD port of the previous Shout! Factory DVD, but it’s nice to have on Blu-ray, especially as no R2 counterpart exists in Japan. Plus, that Engligh dub tho. Order via Shout! Factory’s website.
1978 is 2008 - Symphonic Suite Message From Space
I don't have much more to say about Message From Space, especially since I already devoted like a lot of posts to it already (an entire category, in fact), except to say that its my favourite Japanese anything ever and the sublime Symphonic Suite LP from the Those Guys at Columbia Records is yet another contender for the title of "1978 space war soundtrack-to-beat". I could have scanned the cropped LP cover, but here's the full Toei promo art for the Golden Week release. Vic Morrow was right, you know, "There are more beautiful dreams in space...." And here's all the proof you need.
Message From Space Color Photo Story
That's where all these scans are coming from. It's a crime there's no R1 DVD of this amazing film that turns 30 this year. But you can watch the Slasher Remix for free. There's also a fan edit using the R2 DVD and the English dub out there somewhere.
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Best picture of Kinji....EVER.
Vic Morrow as "General Garuda"
With Peggy Lee Brennan and Sonny Chiba.
The Science of Message From Space
The book explains how the Prayer Star (inexplicably designed to look like an 18th century schooner) delivers messages through space. Because Message From Space is a documentary.
Message From Space insignias
(Clockwise from upper left) Gavanas, Prince Hans, Emeraleda, Earth Defense Forces. What, no Toei delta brand?
Tetsuro Tamba as "The President of the Universe"
Ernest Noguchi (アーネスト・ノグチ).
It made a "BOT!" noise when Vic Morrow woke up hungover in the Toei Korova Milk Bar set.
Tetsuro Tamba with the US Occupational Forces...I mean, the Masters of the Universe in Message From Space!
Mikio Narita as "Emperor Rockseia the XII"
Smokin' "Krak" on account of the wild Batman style sound effects used in the book. Was Message From Space actually supposed to have been "campy"? Like Flash Gordon was two years later?
Creature and spaceship design by Shotaro Ishinomori
Welcome to the Message From Space Color Photo Story book, published by Bandai in 1978.
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