Pulgasari (1985)
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The first North Korean film released in the country.
After 50 years, it came from the North! (국내 최초로 공개되는 북한영화 제1호 50년민에 북에서 왔습네다!) |
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— South Korean tagline |
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The true kaiju movie the entire world has been waiting for! (全世界が待っていた本物の怪獣映画!)
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— Japanese tagline |
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It lives to eat! Banned for a decade
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— U.S. VHS tagline |
Pulgasari (불가사리 is a Bulgasali)1985 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Shin Films in association with Toho Eizo. It was distributed to North Korean theaters by Korean Film Studio in 1985 and to Japanese theaters by Raging Thunder on July 4, 1998.
Plot
In feudal Korea, during the Goryeo dynasty, a king controls the land with an iron fist, subjecting the peasantry to misery and starvation. An old blacksmith who was sent to prison creates a tiny figurine of a monster by making a doll of rice. When it comes into contact with the blood of the blacksmith's daughter, the creature springs to life, becoming a giant metal-eating monster named Pulgasari. After he kills the king and fulfills his purpose, he becomes a nuisance, feeding on metal and eating buildings. But Ami tricks Pulgasari into eating her, causing him to revert back to his original components and crumble away.
Staff
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Shin Sang-ok
- Written by Kim Se Ryun
- Produced by Shin Sang-ok
- Music by So Jong Gon
- Cinematography by Cho Myong Hyon, Sung Ho Pak
- Edited by Ryon Sun Kim
- First assistant director Chong Gon Jo
- Director of special effects Teruyoshi Nakano
- First assistant director of special effects Eiichi Asada
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Chang Son Hui as Ami
- Ham Gi Sop as Inde
- Jong-uk Ri as Ana
- Gwon Ri as Takse
- Gyong-ae Yu as Inde's mother
- Hye-chol Ro as Inde's brother
- Sang-hun Tae, Gi-chon Kim, In-chol Ri as rebel forces
- Riyonun Ri as General Fuan
- Yong-hok Pak as the King
- Pong-ilk Pak as the Governor
- Kenpachiro Satsuma as Pulgasari
- Masao Fukazawa as juvenile Pulgasari
Appearances
Monsters
Gallery
- Main article: Pulgasari (film)/Gallery.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Pulgasari (Soundtrack).
Alternate titles
- Bulgasari (alternate romanization)
- Pulgasari: Monster of Legend (プルガサリ:伝説の大怪獣 Purugasari: Densetsu no Daikaijū, Japan)
Theatrical releases
Video releases
Rubbersuit VHS (2001)
- Tapes: 1
- Audio: Korean
- Subtitles: English
Pioneer DVD (2000)[2]
- Region: 2
- Discs: 1
- Audio: Korean, Japanese
- Subtitles: Japanese
- Special features: None
- Notes: Out of print.
Broadway DVD (2012)[3]
- Region: 2
- Discs: 1
- Audio: Korean, Japanese
- Subtitles: Japanese
- Special features: None
Videos
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Trivia
- The director of Pulgasari, Shin Sang-ok, was kidnapped in 1978 by North Korean intelligence on the orders of Kim Jong-il, son of the then-ruling Kim Il-sung. After he and his wife escaped during a film festival in Vienna, Shin began working in Hollywood. His work there included the screenplay for the 1996 fantasy film Galgameth, effectively a remake of Pulgasari set in medieval Europe.
- The director of the film imported suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma (who portrayed Godzilla himself in the Heisei series) to play Pulgasari.
- In addition, Masao Fukazawa, the suit actor who played Minilla in the Showa series, was brought in to play Pulgasari's juvenile form.
- Pulgasari is one of seven giant monster movies which can be viewed in its entirety within the 2022 video game Kaiju Wars, along with A*P*E, Attack of the Monsters, Destroy All Planets, Gammera the Invincible, Tarantula, and Yongary, Monster from the Deep.
See also
References
This is a list of references for Pulgasari (film). These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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