ID this Japanese monster movie (probably impossible)

Cafe Society
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Okay guys, this is so vague as to be useless but it is *plaguing *me. In fact how or why it popped into my head is a plague of it’s own. Anyway, I can’t imagine anyone but the most die hard fan of the genre will be able to get it but of course everyone is welcomed to play.

I saw this about 38 years ago on one of the local channels but that obviously doesn’t help to identify the year it was made. It goes by two titles, which, remarkably I knew at the time, though I don’t know if I really “got” that one was the Japanes name and one the American. In fact, I don’t recall either of the names sounding particularly Japanese but it was odd sounding to my five year old ears. It also seems like one of the names had “CH” in it. “Chariot” keeps popping into my head but I’ve tried looking that up and no go. I also don’t recall the plot (not that these kinds of movies are exactly plot driven) but I have a vague sense that it was less about a monster coming after the people and more about the people going where they shouldn’t be and encountering it. I don’t remember there being any of the usual monsters like Godzilla or Mothra or whatever, though there may have been. What I have a verrrrrrryfuzzy memory of is the monster being some kind of statue or maybe even a monolith type thing that had fire coming out of it. It may or may not have had mobility. I remember it had really scary eyes and an angry fire breathing mouth and I was absolutely freakin’ traumatized when it killed people. By the time I was five I had seen lots and lots of scary movies and usually didn’t even bother with these kinds because they didn’t effect me at all, but this one absolutely freaked me out. That’s why I can’t believe I don’t remember the name or even the details.

I know it’s a ridiculously long shot, but does any of this ring anyone’s bell or does anyone have any suggestions how I can research it?

Arigato in advance.

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Maijin, Monster of Terror?

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I think you may be correct! It’s not *exactly *as I remember, which is weird to say since I seemingly don’t remember much, but how many movies could share so many similarities? I’ll probably know for sure if I can find a clip of it. Thanks a million! And if anyone else is racking their brain and thinks they have another suggestion, do tell. Don’t know if this could possibly be a common enough theme that might have been in other movies. For what it’s worth, the title doesn’t match what I think I have in mind (and I’m pretty sure I’d recognize it if I saw it) and I’m picturing the setting as being contemporary. Thanks again, Rocketeer.

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I was going to say Daimajin. (I have it, BTW.) I never knew it had a different name.

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Wow, that’s impressive. I wish I could find somebody to ID my mystery Japanese monster movie!

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I think you both must be right. Reading **Rocketeer’s **link brought up more memories such as there being no action by the monster until lhalfway through and the part with the chisel through its head. I guess time has played tricks on my memory. I would love to see it again but it looks like it’s only available on VHS. Can you remind me how it ends? I feel like there was a particularly grisly scene (?) ..

This place is the best!

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All 3 Daimajin movies (it was a series!) are available on DVD, though I can’t vouch for if you’ll actually be able to find them - the company that released them (ADV) went out of business a few years back. Although a different company (Image Entertainment) released DVDs of the first two a few years after the second ADV releases.

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I’m one of the lucky ones to have the daimajinn box set, which it looks like would set you back about 35 bucks on amazon, or about 6 bucks each for the individual discs.

as for how it ends… IIRC Majin grabs the bad guy and throws him at the pointy end of something.