MD Bastek
Scifi Japan recently announced that SRS Cinema had acquired the North American home media rights to distribute an obscure 1960s Korean monster flick, Space Monster Wangmagwi.
According to SciFi Japan, Space Monster Wangmagwi is the “Golden Fleece of obscure unreleased kaiju films.” The 1967 film is regarded as one of the most sought-after obscure unreleased Kaiju films. It was believed that the film was lost until it recently surfaced with screenings at film festivals, hosted by the Korean Film Archive.
Space Monster Wangmagwi was directed by Gwon Hyeok-jin. According to Looper, an alien species sends the titular creature to Earth. However, there’s a King Kong-style twist when Wangmagwi lands in South Korea and becomes enamored of a military pilot’s wife. Wangmagwi goes on a rampage through Seoul. The film has never been released on home video in South Korea. The film’s upcoming release to home media will be the first time Western audiences will have a chance to see the film outside of a few seconds that have been posted on YouTube and some stills. Everything we know about the film comes from post-screening reports.
Space Monster Wangmagwi is one of many lost kaiju films, among them 1930s Japanese King Kongs, the original Daibutsu Kaikoku, and the 1962 version of Bulgasari. Many companies have tried to acquire Wangmagwi over the years until SRS Cinema managed to obtain North American distribution for the film. Space Monster Wangmagwi will be released in limited editions in August or September this year.
Daibutsu Kaikoku (aka The Giant Buddha Statue’s Travel Through the Country) is a 1934 Japanese film directed by Eda Masayoshi. According to Lost Media Archive, “Jurakuen Daibutsu (The Great Buddha) statue in Shurakuen Park comes to life, opens its eyes, and then rises to his full 33-meter height, and embarks on a walk to save humanity.”
According to Lost Media Wiki, Bulgasari is a Korean action/dark fantasy film directed by Kim Myeong-Jae. Bulgasari is also the first Korean science fiction monster film. Lost Media offers the following synopsis:
During the later years of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), a talented martial artist is murdered. His anger and resentment make him be born again as Bulgasari, a monster that grinds and eats up iron. The monster takes his revenge on the traitors responsible for his death.
SRS Cinema’s website will have regular updates on Space Monster Wangmagwi’s release. If you need some Korean kaiju in the meantime, you can check out SRS Cinema’s previous Korean kaiju release, 1984’s War of the God Monsters, which is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD, and VHS.
