Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare (1968)

Thanks for the memories!

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I would like to preface the following statement by saying this; I in no way endorse the usage of illegal drugs BUT unless you've been high on mushrooms before you won't truly appreciate this movie to it's fullest.I found this movie on the shelf at Austin's Vulcan Video and was immediately attracted to the Sid and Marty Krofft type costumes on the cover. This was back when my wife was still my girlfriend and we both were drinkers of a particularly noxious potion known as Steel Reserve. We settled in at home on our select-comfort bed in our underwear, with two 24 ounce cans each. Now, before we could even catch a buzz we were floored by the intensity of the color, which was the first mushroom-like similarity. Secondly, the frenetic action and pace of this film was also familiar. But what really set this theory in stone is the completely hallucinogenic overall mix of disparate elements. I was laughing my ass off the entire time, but underneath there was a warm nostalgic feeling because this film took me back to the days of Spectreman and War of the Gargantuas. I felt like I was a little kid watching the most wonderful thing in the world. In fact, I purchased this DVD off ebay earlier today, brand new for 7.98 total. If you are a 30-something with similar memories, I strongly suggest you purchase this film, or at very least rent it.

When the Babylonian evil known as Daimon (Daemon) is unearthed from his underground crypt, he begins his reign of terror by traveling to feudal Japan to conquer its people. Standing in his way is a veritable army of strange and bizarre Japanese "Yokai" (ghosts) each with unique personalities and supernatural powers. While I liked much of the creature effects for this film, I wasn't too thrilled with the story. Unlike Daiei's "Majin" movies, "Yokai Daisensou" is a bit too comical and goofy for my tastes. There were some genuinely creepy scenes and the gyokaih costumes are inventive and interesting.

A Japanese horror movie that mixes bloody neck biting and comedy-relief ghosts represented by acrobats and little people - reminiscent of the inhabitants of the sixties TV series H.R. PUFNSTUF. I believe this is a sequel to HUNDRED GHOST STORIES as it features many of the same ghosts (e.g. the snake-necked woman and the umbrella ghost). A marvellous vulture-like vampire arrives in ancient Japan and hides in the body of an important land-owner and starts to put the bite on his subjects. The local ghosts are the only ones who know what is truly going on and try to oust the demon. Their efforts lead to a spectacular climax as the demon grows to giant proportions... While the ghosts costumes are unconvincing, one gets used to them, especially when you know they are based on old Japanese legends. The scenes featuring the bad-guy are both fierce and atmospheric - the lighting effects are quite remarkable - and the blood-letting is far too explicit to be aimed at a juvenile audience. But it's well made, fast-moving and a fascinating trip into the mythologies of a different culture than the usual western ghosts and vampires.

This is weird. It is about the releasing of 100 ghosts. Among them are killer umbrellas with long tongues and a witch with a snake neck who wraps it around maidens necks and chokes them. Interesting photography and a fast pace are it's good attributes.