ATRAGON

I watched ATRAGON (1963) for the first time yesterday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed every insane minute of it. It's an incredibly ambitious Japanese pulp science fiction film which features a lost, undersea civilization, super submarines, a sea serpent and a battle for the fate of the world.

Mu was a gigantic landmass/empire located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean thousands of years ago. The continent sank but enough people survived to establish an undersea/underground city. Years later, Mu decides to attack the surface world and conquer the planet. They use warriors in weird diving suits that allow the wearers to turn to steam and back (don't ask) and an immense submarine fitted out with a dragon shaped cannon that spews a deadly heat ray. Various major cities of the world experience total destruction (told in newspaper headlines but not actually seen on screen), including an attack on Tokyo.

Japanese officials discover that Mu is in possession of a WWII era Japanese submarine, presumed lost at the end of the war. The sub was commanded by Captain Jinguji, who, in the years since the war, has constructed the battle sub Atragon. Only Atragon can combat the threat of the Muvians and the battle is on.

Atragon is an immense, blimp shaped and sized vessel that, in addition to traveling underwater at high speeds, can also fly (shades of Supercar!). The craft fires a freezing cold ray from a nosecone mounted cannon and can dig through solid bedrock thanks to the giant drill bit that serves as the prow of the craft (reminiscent of The Mole vehicle used by Cave Carson in DC comics). It's a fantastic vehicle and is justifiably the center piece of the film.

The Mu base is protected by a giant sea serpent, Manda, which Atragon meets in a struggle to the death. In the impressive climax, Atragon breaks into the Mu power center, six miles below ground where shock troops dressed in white and carrying freeze guns (Imperial Storm Troopers anyone?) battle Mu warriors and plant destructive charges. Everything ends with a bang and the possibility of another adventure of Atragon to come.

ATRAGON benefits greatly from a screenplay that contains very little comic relief, as can be found in many other Japanese science fiction films. Everything is played straight and the menace posed by Mu is a very real one. The production design, model work, special effects (the underwater sequences are filmed dry for wet) are all very impressive and effective. The score by Akira Ifukube is reminiscent of earlier work on GOJIRA (1954). Ultimate credit for the success of ATRAGON must go to director Ishiro Honda, the auteur of Japanese sf/fantasy cinema. He delivers a thrilling, colorful, imaginative and extremely satisfying adventure film.

Highly recommended.