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Ishirō Honda is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Assistant Director, Editor and Second Unit Japonais born on 5 may 1911 at Yamagata Prefecture (Japon)

Ishirō Honda

Ishirō Honda
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Nationality Japon
Birth 5 may 1911 at Yamagata Prefecture (Japon)
Death 28 february 1993 (at 81 years) at Tokyo (Japon)

Ishirō Honda (本多猪四郎 Honda Ishirō, sometimes miscredited in foreign releases as "Inoshiro Honda") (May 7, 1911 – February 28, 1993), was a Japanese film director. He is best known for his kaiju and tokusatsu films, including several entries in the Godzilla series, but also worked extensively in the documentary and war genres earlier in his career. Honda was also a lifelong friend and collaborator of Akira Kurosawa, and worked with Kurosawa extensively during the 1980s and '90s.

Biography

Il a essentiellement réalisé des films fantastiques dont des séries sur Godzilla et sur Mothra. Ces films mettent en scène les stigmates et les traumatismes du Japon d'après-guerre (bombes atomiques sur Hiroshima et Nagasaki). Il est un précurseur du tokusatsu.

Le film Pacific Rim lui est dédié.

Best films

Ran (1985)
(Assistant Director)

Usually with

Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
(11 films)
Tomoyuki Tanaka
Tomoyuki Tanaka
(34 films)
Haruo Nakajima
Haruo Nakajima
(25 films)
Kenji Sahara
Kenji Sahara
(21 films)
Takashi Shimura
Takashi Shimura
(15 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Ishirō Honda (57 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

The Discarnates, 1h55
Directed by Nobuhiko Ōbayashi
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Actors Tsurutaro Kataoka, Ishirō Honda, Kumiko Akiyoshi, Morio Kazama, Riki Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Nagashima
Roles Restaurant Owner
Rating70% 3.5309853.5309853.5309853.5309853.530985
Harada est un scénariste dont le travail rencontre un franc succès. Son meilleur ami lui d'annonce alors qu'il a l'intention de fréquenter son ex-épouse. Harada supporte mal cette annonce. Tandis qu'il est en repérage pour l'un de ses scénario, il retourne dans sa ville natale. Il assiste à un spectacle et croise dans le public un homme qui ressemble trait pour trait à son père, décédé trente ans plus tôt dans un accident avec sa mère. Ce dernier l'invite chez lui.
A.K.
A.K. (1985)
, 1h15
Directed by Chris Marker
Origin France
Genres Documentary
Themes Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentaire sur une personnalité
Actors Akira Kurosawa, Shigehiko Hasumi, Chris Marker, Tatsuya Nakadai, Ishirō Honda
Roles Himself
Rating69% 3.4961753.4961753.4961753.4961753.496175
Sur les pentes du Mont Fuji, un dieu dirige le "Chaos". Il s'agit d'Akira Kurosawa et de son dernier film. Chris Marker, specialiste du Japon, l'a accompagne durant le tournage.Il nous permet d'assister a la naissance de l'oeuvre d'un maitre du 7e art.
Godzilla
Godzilla (1954)
, 1h38
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Films about religion, Transport films, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Natural horror films, Giant monster films, Political films, Dystopian films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Kenji Sahara, Raymond Burr
Rating75% 3.750663.750663.750663.750663.75066
When the Japanese freighter Eiko-maru is destroyed near Odo Island, the Bingo-maru is sent to investigate, only to meet the same fate with few survivors. A fishing boat from Odo is also destroyed, with one survivor. Fishing catches mysteriously drop to zero, blamed by an elder on the ancient sea creature known as "Godzilla". Reporters arrive on Odo Island to further investigate. A villager tells one of the reporters that "something large is going crazy down there" ruining the fishing. That evening, a ritual dance to appease Godzilla is held during which the reporter learns that the locals used to sacrifice young girls. That night, a large storm strikes the island, destroying the reporters' helicopter, and an unseen force destroys 17 homes, kills nine persons and 20 of the villagers' livestock.
Stray Dog
Stray Dog (1949)
, 2h2
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Buddy films
Actors Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Awaji, Noriko Sengoku, Eiko Miyoshi, Noriko Honma
Roles Fleeing Villain (uncredited)
Rating77% 3.8970053.8970053.8970053.8970053.897005
Action takes place during a heatwave in a bombed-out, post-war Tokyo. Rookie homicide detective Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his Colt pistol stolen during a trolley ride and gives chase to the pickpocket, but when he fails to capture him he reports back to headquarters filled with guilt and shame. He goes on to prowl the city backstreets undercover, looking for suspects and picking up leads. He eventually picks up the trail of a gun racket. When the stolen gun is used in a crime, Murakami partners up with the veteran detective Satō (Takashi Shimura).

Director

Dreams
Dreams (1990)
, 1h59
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantasy
Themes Peinture, Vincent van Gogh, Arme nucléaire
Actors Martin Scorsese, Mitsuko Baishō, Akira Terao, Chishū Ryū, Mieko Harada, Hisashi Igawa
Rating76% 3.849293.849293.849293.849293.84929
The film does not have a single narrative, but is rather episodic in nature, following the adventures of a "surrogate Kurosawa" (often recognizable by his wearing Kurosawa's trademark hat) through eight different segments, or "dreams", each one titled.
Kagemusha
Kagemusha (1980)
, 3h
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, War, Action, Historical
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Samurai films, Children's films
Actors Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Jinpachi Nezu, Hideji Ōtaki, Masayuki Yui, Kaori Momoi
Rating78% 3.948823.948823.948823.948823.94882
Lord Shingen Takeda meets with his brother Nobukado, and a thief whom the latter met by chance and spared from crucifixion. Nobukado believes the thief's uncanny resemblance to Shingen would prove useful. The brothers then agree that he would prove useful as a double, and they decide to use the thief as a kagemusha.
Terror of Mechagodzilla, 1h23
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about extraterrestrial life, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Robot films, Disaster films
Actors Katsuhiko Sasaki, Akihiko Hirata, Kenji Sahara
Rating61% 3.0606053.0606053.0606053.0606053.060605
Continuing after the end of the previous film, Interpol agents, led by Inspector Kusaka, search for the wreck of Mechagodzilla at the bottom of the Okinawan Sea. Using the submarine, Akatsuki, they hope to gather information on the robot's builders, the alien simians. The Akatsuki is suddenly attacked by a giant aquatic dinosaur called Titanosaurus, and the crew vanishes.
Space Amoeba, 1h24
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Natural horror films, Films about cephalopods, Giant monster films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Reptile, Disaster films
Actors Kenji Sahara, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akira Kubo, Yukiko Kobayashi, Haruo Nakajima, Yu Fujiki
Rating54% 2.7159452.7159452.7159452.7159452.715945
The Helios 7 space probe is sent on a mission to study the planet Jupiter. While on its outward journey to the gas giant, the probe is overtaken by the Space Amoeba, an amorphous parasitic extraterrestrial. The probe returns to Earth and crashes into the South Pacific, where the Amoeba leaves the device and inhabits the body of a cuttlefish, causing it to mutate into what is called "Gezora." The tentacled kaiju begins attacking ships and islands in the area.
All Monsters Attack, 1h10
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about insects, Giant monster films, Godzilla films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Disaster films
Actors Hideyo Amamoto, Kenji Sahara, Haruo Nakajima
Rating39% 1.970831.970831.970831.970831.97083
Ichiro Miki (Tomonori Yazaki) is a highly imaginative but lonely latchkey kid growing up in urban (and at that time, polluted) Kawasaki. Every day he comes home to his family's empty apartment. His only friends are a toymaker named Shinpei Inami (Eisei Amamoto) and a young girl named Sachiko (Hidemi Ito). Every day after school, Ichiro is tormented by a gang of bullies led by a child named Sanko Gabara (Junichi Ito). To escape his loneliness, Ichiro sleeps and dreams about visiting Monster Island. During his visit he witnesses Godzilla battle three Kamacuras and Ebirah, a giant sea monster. Ichiro is then chased by a rogue Kamacuras and falls into a deep cave, but luckily avoids being caught by Kamacuras. Shortly afterwards, Ichiro is rescued from the cave by Godzilla's Son, Minilla. Ichiro quickly learns that Minilla has bully problems too, as he is bullied by a monstrous ogre known as Gabara.
Latitude Zero, 1h29
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Underwater action films, Submarine films
Actors Joseph Cotten, Cesar Romero, Akira Takarada, Masumi Okada, Richard Jaeckel, Patricia Medina
Rating59% 2.950732.950732.950732.950732.95073
Three men (Dr. Ken Tashiro, Dr. Jules Masson, and Perry Lawton) are trapped in a bathysphere due to seismic activity. They are rescued by the crew of the supersubmarine Alpha, captained by Craig Mackenzie (Cotten), who they learn is over 200 years old (and that the Alpha was launched in the early 19th century). Mackenzie takes them to Latitude Zero to deal with the serious injuries of Dr Masson. While returning to Latitude Zero, they are attacked by a rival supersubmarine, the Black Shark, captained by Kuroi, who works for a rival of Mackenzie, Malic, who is also over 200 years old and has a base at Blood Rock.
Destroy All Monsters, 1h29
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Sur la Lune, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about spiders, Films about insects, Films about dragons, Films about extraterrestrial life, Les fées, Giant monster films, Space opera, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films
Actors Yoshio Tsuchiya, Haruo Nakajima, Yukiko Kobayashi, Kenji Sahara, Akira Kubo, Andrew Hughes
Rating64% 3.20513.20513.20513.20513.2051
At the close of the 20th century, all of the Earth's kaiju have been collected by the United Nations Science Committee and confined in an area known as Monsterland, located in the Ogasawara island chain. A special control center is constructed underneath the island to ensure that the monsters stay secure, and to serve as a research facility to study them.
King Kong Escapes, 1h44
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Robot films, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, Hideyo Amamoto, Ryūji Kita, Andrew Hughes
Rating55% 2.761652.761652.761652.761652.76165
An evil genius named Dr. Who creates Mechani-Kong, a robotic version of King Kong, to dig for a highly radioactive Element X, found only at the North Pole. Mechani-Kong enters an ice cave and begins to dig into a glacier, but the radiation destroys its brain circuits and the robot shuts down. Who then sets his sights on getting the real Kong to finish the job. Who is taken to task by a beautiful female overseer, Madame Piranha. Her country's government is financing the doctor's schemes, and she frequently berates him for his failure to get results.
The War of the Gargantuas, 1h27
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Horror
Themes Films about animals, La fin du monde, Films about computing, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films based on science fiction novels, Films about cephalopods, Frankenstein films, Giant monster films, Cyberpunk films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Russ Tamblyn, Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, Kipp Hamilton, Nobuo Nakamura, Haruo Nakajima
Rating62% 3.1030953.1030953.1030953.1030953.103095
As the film opens, a small boat is seen chugging through stormy seas. A giant octopus appears from the ocean and seems bent on killing the sole crew member on deck. Suddenly, the octopus releases the man and retracts its tentacles from the boat. Relieved, the sailor peers out the porthole to see Gaira, a large green man-like creature, fighting the octopus. After easily defeating it, Gaira turns his attention to the boat and sinks it.
Frankenstein Conquers the World, 1h34
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La fin du monde, Films about computing, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films based on science fiction novels, Films about cephalopods, Frankenstein films, Giant monster films, Cyberpunk films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Haruo Nakajima, Tadao Takashima, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenji Sahara
Rating55% 2.763052.763052.763052.763052.76305
The prologue is set in Nazi Germany during the final days of World War II. A Kriegsmarine Officer, flanked by three Commandos, barges into the laboratory of a Dr. Riesendorf with orders to seize the immortal heart of the Frankenstein Monster, on which Riesendorf is busy experimenting. The heart is summarily transported by U-Boat to be passed off to their Japanese allies via the Atlantic. In the Indian Ocean, off the Maldives, the U-Boat meets up with a Japanese Imperial Navy submarine to make the exchange. They are sighted by an Allied Forces scout plane and bombed, but not before the Kriegsmarine pass the heart (contained in a locked chest) to the Japanese, who take it back to Hiroshima for further experimentation. But just as the experiments are about to begin, Hiroshima is bombed by the Allied Forces, and the heart and the experiments vanish in the atomic fireball.
Invasion of Astro-Monster, 1h36
Directed by Ishirō Honda
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Space adventure films, La fin du monde, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about dragons, Films about extraterrestrial life, Giant monster films, Space opera, Godzilla films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Alien invasions in films, Disaster films
Actors Akira Takarada, Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akira Kubo, Haruo Nakajima
Rating62% 3.105773.105773.105773.105773.10577
In the 1960s, two astronauts, Fuji and Glenn, are sent to investigate the surface of the mysterious "Planet X". There they encounter advanced and seemingly benevolent human-like beings called the Xiliens and their leader The Controller. The aliens usher the astronauts into their underground base, and moments later the surface is attacked by a creature the Xiliens call "Monster Zero", but which the astronauts recognize as King Ghidorah, a planet-destroying monster that had attacked Earth once before. The monster eventually leaves, but the Controller states that Ghidorah has been attacking repeatedly, forcing them to live underground in constant fear. He requests to borrow the Earth monsters Godzilla and Rodan to act as sentries against Ghidorah's attacks, in return for the cure for cancer (the English dub says the formula can cure any disease). The astronauts return to Earth and deliver the message.