Mothra plays one night only at Japan Society NYC on July 8

Mothra
 
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:00 PM
 
Director Ishiro Honda, 1961, 101 min., 35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With actors Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyoko Kagawa. Screening on 35mm with introduction by Japanese sci-fi critic Kevin Derendorf.
 
SYNOPSIS:
“When a shipwrecked crew is rescued from a Pacific island previously used for nuclear testing, word quickly spreads of its newly discovered indigenous inhabitants.
 
Driven by scientific curiosity, a joint expedition of Japanese and Rolisicans (a portmanteau for Russia and America) venture into the island’s depths, discovering a paradise of mutated species and hidden glyphs—and, among them, a pair of tiny twin fairies (played by ’60s pop duo The Peanuts).
 
When the expedition’s leader decides to secretly kidnap the fairies, the natives are forced to awaken their ancient deity, Mothra.
 
A kaiju classic from Godzilla’s Ishiro Honda, Mothra established one of Toho’s most memorable kaiju and forever ingrained the Peanuts’ “Mothra’s Song” into popular culture.”

“Kevin Derendorf is an American critic of Japanese science fiction and horror topics.
 
He is the author of the book Kaiju for Hipsters: 101 Alternative Giant Monster Movies, head writer on the Maser Patrol blog, and a frequent guest host on the Kaiju Transmissions podcast.
 
He also contributed to Arrow’s Daimajin Blu-ray box set, occasionally writes for Grimoire of Horror, and frequently presents lectures at anime and tokusatsu conventions.”