Most Japanese sci-fi B-movies of the '60s are played for fun, focusing on the surreal aspects of the plots and delivering a barrel-load of laughs at the same time. Not so GOKE, BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL, a film with a mission: to relay the horrors of warfare (in particular, the then-current Vietnam War) and to act as a warning against further conflict. Despite the wacky plot ingredients and outlandish premise, GOKE is a po-faced thriller with a downbeat message. Nevertheless, it's a bloody good film, fun and enjoyable and delivering a shed load of tense character showdowns a la NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD as a group of survivors variously reveal themselves to be heroic, insane, stuffy, psychotic, or just plain evil.
The direction is tight and confident throughout, utilising maximum effect from the basic settings and focusing on characterisation, which is no bad thing. The script is in-your-face, dealing with confrontation and relevant contemporary issues, and the director isn't afraid to shock with real-life images of atrocities from Vietnam. In fact, a lot of the violence in this film makes for particularly uncomfortable viewing, especially a burnt body which is clearly inspired by images of napalm victims.
Typically for a Japanese film, such moments are countered by cheesier bits, in this film an alien blob-type creature which burrows into the foreheads of its victims, turning them into vampires. They then suck the blood from humans, leaving them blue-tinted shells. The effects for the film are particularly slimy and unpleasant, with the blob a forerunner to the grisly '80s monster flick, and no skimping on the blood. Far from being a film made for the kids, the violence in this film is more in line with the shocking and gratuitous SCARS OF Dracula.
The cast here are excellent, all given various meaty roles which require them to act; Yoshida comes off particularly well as the no-nonsense hero whilst Kitamura is dastardly as a politician who reveals his darker side. The American star (appearing for the world audience, no doubt) has a surprising character twist whilst the others are all very good in their respective roles, especially weird-looking Hideo Ko who plays the villain.
Special effects in the film are colourful and a lot of fun, with crashing planes, a full-scale UFO invasion, and lots of icky slimy bloody bits. Despite the short 80-minute running time, this packs a lot of action and events into that time, making it fast-paced and utterly suspenseful. A surreal combination of a kiddie sci-fi film and a far more adult horror, I doubt you'll find anything else quite like this.
The direction is tight and confident throughout, utilising maximum effect from the basic settings and focusing on characterisation, which is no bad thing. The script is in-your-face, dealing with confrontation and relevant contemporary issues, and the director isn't afraid to shock with real-life images of atrocities from Vietnam. In fact, a lot of the violence in this film makes for particularly uncomfortable viewing, especially a burnt body which is clearly inspired by images of napalm victims.
Typically for a Japanese film, such moments are countered by cheesier bits, in this film an alien blob-type creature which burrows into the foreheads of its victims, turning them into vampires. They then suck the blood from humans, leaving them blue-tinted shells. The effects for the film are particularly slimy and unpleasant, with the blob a forerunner to the grisly '80s monster flick, and no skimping on the blood. Far from being a film made for the kids, the violence in this film is more in line with the shocking and gratuitous SCARS OF Dracula.
The cast here are excellent, all given various meaty roles which require them to act; Yoshida comes off particularly well as the no-nonsense hero whilst Kitamura is dastardly as a politician who reveals his darker side. The American star (appearing for the world audience, no doubt) has a surprising character twist whilst the others are all very good in their respective roles, especially weird-looking Hideo Ko who plays the villain.
Special effects in the film are colourful and a lot of fun, with crashing planes, a full-scale UFO invasion, and lots of icky slimy bloody bits. Despite the short 80-minute running time, this packs a lot of action and events into that time, making it fast-paced and utterly suspenseful. A surreal combination of a kiddie sci-fi film and a far more adult horror, I doubt you'll find anything else quite like this.