The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: Vol. 1: 1954-1980 (Volume 1)

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Review ------ "John LeMay's wonderful The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Vol. 1 (1954-1980) is a love letter to all those great Showa Era sci-fi, fantasy, and horror movies from the Land of the Rising Sun. LeMay's enthusiasm is contagious, his prose pumped, his ins enjoyable. And besides all that, LeMay offers great trivia about these movies, some of which even an oldster like me didn't know! Highly recommended nostalgic fun for new and old fans alike. Now I can't wait for Volume 2!"--Mike Bogue, author of Atomic Drive-In "John LeMay has done it again! The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies is loaded with fun facts, well written reviews and loads of interesting historical footnotes and trivia. John has this informal yet formal writing style that makes the book a breeze to read and yet well layered as well. I kind of hate him for making it look so easy! I highly recommend this book, and hopefully it will come out in a non-digital edition for us old fogies that like to hold actual books when we read them!"--David McRobie, Editor of Xenorama Magazine "With The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, LeMay takes fresh look at the daikaiju genre, providing both critical analysis and interesting behind the scenes information on the making of these films. Fans of the genre will find all the usual Godzilla and Gamera films here, along with many lesser-known genre entries finally getting their due."--Martin Arlt, Editor of Mad Scientist Magazine Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) From the Author --------------- Why another Godzilla book you might ask? The answer is simple: While in Japan there are numerous books on the Big Guy, here in America...not so much. Back in the 1990s and 2000s were produced some excellent Godzilla books (all of which I LOVE) by Stuart Galbraith, Steve Ryfle, August Ragone, J.D. Lees, Marc Cerasini, David Kalat, Ed Godziszewski, and fairly recently new tomes by Peter H. Brothers and Sean Linkenback. So what sets this new book apart? Unlike many volumes to focus squarely on Godzilla, this title will also teach you the history of Daiei's Gamera and Dajin films as well as the inspiration behind Toei's The Magic Serpent and Legend of Dinosaurs and Monster Birds to name a few others. And as a fan, I know what other fans want, namely new information on old favorites. And I feel confident on that front that this book will succeed. But don't take it from me, just look at what I paid some of my friends...wait...I mean just look what some serious authors (who I do not know very well) said about my book in those review quotes. All kidding aside though, I had a blast writing this book, and if you're a fan of the Dai-Kaiju genre I have no doubt that you will enjoy it as well. For instance, I won't insult your intelligence and ask, "Did you know Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster started off as a King Kong movie?" Of course you did, everybody knows that by now, but did you know Noriaki Yuasa's favorite scene in Gamera vs. Barugon is when the titular foe hatches from his egg? Did you know Toho served "Mothra Eggs" in the cafeteria during filming of Mothra? Did you know King Seesar's reflective eyes were made from the taillights of a car? Did you know that the titular terror from Gappa the Triphibean Monster owes his design to the early stages of TV's Ultraman? From one fan to another, I hope you like the book! Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) About the Author ---------------- John LeMay is the author of numerous history books on the history of the Southwest, among them Tall Tales and Half Truths of Billy the Kid and The Real Cowboys and Aliens: UFO Encounters of the Old West. More importantly though, LeMay is a lifelong Godzilla fan and a frequent contributor to G-Fan, Mad Scientist, Xenorama, and Cinema Retro. Read more ( javascript:void(0) )