Has anyone else weathered this downright strange "feudal lord vs. an imposing monster that's fighting for the downtrodden" effort? I've heard all sorts of bizarre rumors, largely concerning its genesis, and including the use of GODZILLA FX techs in the effects work, to the kidnapping of the director and his being spirited over the North Korean border to make the film. I don't know quite what to make of all that. Makes a great story, though.
The film itself is a fairly minor little film, featuring variable special effevts. The gist being that a small figurine is transformed into a massive sort of reptilian bull beast, to fight a rampaging warlord. The unique element is the way in which the creature is "defused" at the end of the conflict. Majin had been nullified by a maiden's offer of sacrifice, but Pulgasari meets what has to be one of the most outre ends. He eats metal but can't tolerate flesh, so the girl who had been instrumental in his summoning attracts him with a giant bell, then conceals herself inside it so that he'll violate his cardinal taboo.
Very offbeat film. On the positive side, it neatly sidesteps the "annoying kid with the itch ray" trick of the original YONGARI...
The film itself is a fairly minor little film, featuring variable special effevts. The gist being that a small figurine is transformed into a massive sort of reptilian bull beast, to fight a rampaging warlord. The unique element is the way in which the creature is "defused" at the end of the conflict. Majin had been nullified by a maiden's offer of sacrifice, but Pulgasari meets what has to be one of the most outre ends. He eats metal but can't tolerate flesh, so the girl who had been instrumental in his summoning attracts him with a giant bell, then conceals herself inside it so that he'll violate his cardinal taboo.
Very offbeat film. On the positive side, it neatly sidesteps the "annoying kid with the itch ray" trick of the original YONGARI...
kind of surprise I haven't seen anyone rip a copy of this on
DVD-R.
