Mothra (1961) Mosura [w/Commentary]

Shipwreck survivors are found on Beiru Island (Infanto tô), which was previously used for atomic tests. The interior is amazingly free of radiation effects, and they believe that they were protected by a special juice that was given to them by the island's residents. A joint expedition of Rolisican and Japanese scientists explores Beiru and discovers many curious things, including two women only one foot (30 centimeters) high. Unscrupulous expedition leader Clark Nelson abducts the women and puts them in a vaudeville show. But their sweet singing contains a telepathic cry for help to Mothra, a gigantic moth that is worshiped as a deity by the island people. The giant monster heeds the call of the women and heads to Tokyo, wreaking destruction in its path.



Audio Commentary: Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski, authors of the Ishirō Honda biography Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa, man the track. They are able to offer a more unique perspective away from the usual commentary fodder, detailing the movie away from the usual making-of, on-set content and share a number of more fruitful project insights and film history in retrospective. It's clear they are reading their comments rather than chatting organically, but it is a well-versed track that finds detail in story, characters, actors, anecdotes, and the film's place in cinema and Kaiju history.