Frankenstein Conquers the World

Watch Frankenstein Conquers the World

"A fearsome kaijin? A mad new antagonistic kaiju? A golden entertainment epic of Japan-U.S. collaboration!"
  • NR
  • 1965
  • 1 hr 34 min
  • 5.5  (2,385)

Frankenstein Conquers the World is a 1965 Japanese science fiction movie directed by Ishiro Honda. The film takes place in World War II, where the surviving heart of the Frankenstein monster is transported to Japan. After being exposed to radiation, the creature grows into a towering behemoth, who is renamed Frankenstein by the Japanese.

The film starts with the opening of a German lab, where a scientist retrieves a heart preserved in glass, which is the still-beating heart of the monster Frankenstein. The heart was safeguarded during the collapse of Germany in World War II. The scientist takes the heart to Japan to continue research on it with Japanese scientists. However, the heart goes missing during a US air raid on Hiroshima. The heart is presumed incinerated in the bombing of the city.

But the lost heart survived and is discovered by a young boy named Hiroshima. The boy is a survivor of the bombing and lives in the ruins of the city. The heart revives and grows into a giant humanoid monster, due to the radiation exposure. Japanese scientists soon capture the monster, but the creature escapes during transport, killing several people.

The story continues with the Japanese authorities trying to figure out how to defeat the rampaging Frankenstein monster. They come across Dr. James Bowen (Nick Adams), an American scientist, who is studying the effects of radiation on animals. The scientists ask for his help, and he agrees to assist them to study the monster and find a way to defeat it.

The movie explores the origin of the Frankenstein monster and how it can grow to an immense size due to radiation. The film shows the classic monster that the world grew up with, attacking people and causing massive destruction. The monster looks terrifying in this movie, with its menacing growls and slow, lumbering movements.

The climax of the movie takes place in the Japanese mountains, where Frankenstein battles another giant monster called Baragon. Baragon was a much more comical-looking monster, resembling a cross between a dinosaur and a squirrel. The battle between the two monsters is fantastic and showcases some great visual effects for the time. The fight scenes between the monsters were excellent and thrilling.

The actors in the film were phenomenal. Nick Adams played Dr. James Bowen, a heroic and determined scientist who tries to discover the secrets to kill the monstrous creature. The beautiful Kumi Mizuno played Dr. Sueko Togami, a Japanese scientist working alongside Dr. Bowen, who helps him in his quest. The actors deliver their lines perfectly fine, and their performances make up for the cheesy and unrealistic dialogues.

The music and sound effects of the movie enhance the action scenes, and the use of miniatures and puppets for the monster fights is surprisingly satisfying. Overall, the movie is amusing and enjoyable to watch, especially for viewers who love classic monster movies.

Frankenstein Conquers the World from 1965 is a unique and groundbreaking film that explores the classic tale of the Frankenstein monster in a different way. The movie mixes historical fiction with science fiction, and the concept of the heart of the monster surviving the atomic bomb to become a giant rampaging beast was progressive in its time. The movie is well-paced and action-packed, and the fight scenes between the monsters are exciting and thrilling. The movie successfully captured the essence of the monster and delivered an engaging story, making it a cult classic among fans of Japanese monster movies.

Frankenstein Conquers the World
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Description
  • Release Date
    1965
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    1 hr 34 min
  • Language
    Japanese
  • IMDB Rating
    5.5  (2,385)
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