Review: YONGARY: MONSTER FROM THE DEEP (1967)

Oh, brother.

Continuing our way down the big list (seen HERE), we've come to the South Korean monster film, Yonggary: Monster from the Deep (aka Yongary; 1967).

James goes first:

So, a kid named itchy attacks things with a itching gun, and that's not even in the top 5 ridiculous moments list. it's that bad. #5. random car crash, #4. "ummm.... just say action sir" (man in the suit just standing around.) .......  #3. whoo!! pouring beer on someones head while everyone's drunk is awesome!!!! #2. Pull the flowerpot!!!! #1!!!! Dancing in a small spot light!!!!! 

Rating wise, i'll say 3.0000000000001 out of 5!!  Its so bad it's almost good.

My turn:

Yikes.  The first twenty-five minutes are as dull as dog crap.  I mean, really.  Someone detonates a nuke in the Middle East so South Korea sends a space capsule to investigate ... huh?  Yes.  It's snooze inducing to say the least. 

Then the wackiness begins.  Lame special effect after lame effect.  The guy in the Yonggary suit at one point lounges around the set apparently waiting for lunch.  Model tanks are hopelessly out of scale with the cars and buildings they roll past.  One general sees the giant reptile and immediately recognizes it as Yonggary, though we're never told how or why he knows this or why everyone in the room goes along with it.  After a soothsayer implores the people to repent, we're shown gluttons and drunkards who refuse to leave a restaurant and we're also shown the stereotypical partying teens who continue to spaz out and get high (I'm guessing) despite the danger. 

And the acting.  When it's not over-the-top ridiculous, it's so laid back it'll induce comas.
And an annoying kid who, of course, helps defeat the monster. 

The monster is an upright version of Barugon (Gamera's opponent).  In fact, the copying of Gamera vs. Barugon continues with the missile battery.  It's set in a hillside, just like in that earlier film.  The only thing missing was a rainbow beam to destroy them. 

And then, after shining his itching light (not a typo) on the monster, the kid, somehow, makes the thing dance.  I'm not kidding.  There's a late '60s surf rock song to go along with it.  It's too stupid to be funny. 

Yonggary ... South Korea just wanted to play in the kaiju toybox, too.  0.5 out of five atomic breath blasts.

Here's the trailer ... from Germany (couldn't find a Japanese or American one):



Up next, the king returns: Destroy All Monsters!