Films inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein have been made since 1915, starting with the now-lost film Life Without Soul. However, it was James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) that really established how the story is typically told. Since then, the character has appeared in countless movies and shows, including many that directly adapt Shelley’s original novel. Some adaptations, like Whale’s films, take liberties with the story, while others, such as Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Guillermo del Toro’s new Frankenstein, currently on Netflix, stay closer to the source material.
No film using Frankenstein’s name feels as distant from Mary Shelley’s original story as Frankenstein Conquers the World (known as Frankenstein vs. Baragon in Japan). Like many films directed by Ishirō Honda, it’s a monster movie focused on a creature rampaging through a village. However, while it shares a name with Shelley’s novel, it’s quite different in tone and style from other famous kaiju films like Gojira and Rodan.
What Exactly Is Frankenstein Conquers the World?
The movie begins at the close of World War II, with Nazi officers stealing the still-functioning heart of Frankenstein’s monster. They give it to the Japanese Navy, who are conducting experiments, just as the atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima by the Enola Gay. The scene then jumps forward fifteen years to focus on a wild, silent boy living on the streets and surviving by eating small animals like rabbits and rats.
The story introduces us to Dr. James Bowen, played by Nick Adams – an American actor and a friend of James Dean who also appeared in Invasion of Astro-Monster. Alongside him are his assistants, Dr. Sueko Togami (Kumi Mizuno, who also starred in Invasion of Astro-Monster) and Dr. Yuzo Kawaji (Tadao Takashima, known for King Kong vs. Godzilla). After cornering a young boy in a cave, a group of concerned villagers bring him to the doctors.
The three doctors quickly discover the young man is immune to radiation, and a fellow scientist suggests he comes from a legendary, forgotten place. As the boy grows to an enormous size due to the radiation, he’s named Frankenstein and imprisoned in a cage. They learn from the original guardian of this place that if any of Frankenstein’s limbs are removed, they will simply grow back. This proves true when Frankenstein breaks free, leaving behind a single hand that crawls away on its own before eventually dying from lack of nourishment.
Who’s That Other Monster?
Before Frankenstein breaks loose and wanders through Japan, we meet Kawai (Yoshio Tsuchiya, known from Destroy All Monsters). He’s an Imperial Navy officer who originally delivered Frankenstein’s heart to an army hospital in Hiroshima, but after the war, he works at an oil refinery. One night, while working, he sees a huge crack open in the ground, revealing a large, horned, big-eared monster – essentially a dinosaur-like dog – that roars and quickly disappears back underground.
A creature now called Baragon is attacking villages near where Frankenstein lives. It’s destroying homes and attacking people who can’t escape. Because Frankenstein used to eat live animals, the military immediately suspects him of these attacks. While Doctors Bowen and Togami don’t believe Frankenstein could be responsible, Doctor Kawaji isn’t so sure he’s as gentle as they think.
Kawai locates the doctors just as they’re heading out to find the creature they’ve been studying, and argues that Baragon is responsible for the recent attacks. Dr. Kawaji is partially convinced, but still intends to incapacitate Frankenstein with grenades and then remove his heart and brain, which have grown to enormous sizes. However, the grenade blasts attract Baragon, who turns his attention to the doctors. Luckily, Frankenstein intervenes, leading to the monster battle featured on the movie’s promotional materials. Frankenstein defeats Baragon, but then the ground collapses beneath both creatures, and they seemingly fall into a chasm, disappearing completely.
There Was a Sequel?
A year after the release of Frankenstein Conquers the World, a follow-up film was made, but it doesn’t feel like a sequel at all. Surprisingly, The War of the Gargantuas is the more famous of these two Toho monster movies, even though it’s not considered one of their best.
Russ Tamblyn, who replaced an American actor in the films, didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the projects as his predecessor. While the original actor happily participated in Invasion of Astro-Monster and Frankenstein Conquers the World, Tamblyn appeared to think the film The War of the Gargantuas was beneath him. This attitude wasn’t surprising, considering producer Henry G. Saperstein described Tamblyn as difficult to work with.
The movie Gargantuas features two giant, furry monsters. One is a green, evil clone of the original Frankenstein, now called Gaira. The other is the original Frankenstein, now covered in brown fur and known as Sanda. The explanation for all this isn’t very clear, but then again, the idea of a heart growing into a giant man isn’t exactly logical either.
It’s especially confusing that Tamblyn seems to be playing the same character as Adams, just under a different name. Kumi Mizuno returns, but her role is almost identical to her previous one – she again plays a doctor who cares for Frankenstein as a child. Luckily, if you can look past the complicated and illogical plot, both movies deliver a fun, classic monster movie experience.
Many of the non-Godzilla films from the Shōwa era are quite strange and unusual, though often in a charming way. While some, like Gojira, Rodan, Varan the Unbelievable, and Mothra, are fairly traditional monster movies, others—such as Frankenstein Conquers the World and The War of the Gargantuas—are more similar to films like Matango, Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, King Kong Escapes, and Space Amoeba in their oddness.
Honestly, those Japanese Frankenstein films are a world away from Mary Shelley’s original story, both in how they feel and what actually happens. But Japan wasn’t alone in taking liberties with the character! Even Universal threw Frankenstein into some pretty crazy situations – he battled the Wolf Man in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, and then ended up in a comedy with Abbott and Costello, with Bela Lugosi reprising his role as Dracula. Believe it or not, the same year The War of the Gargantuas came out, the US released Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter! It seems everyone wanted to mash up Frankenstein with something totally unexpected.
If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted monster movie, definitely check out The Monster Squad. Tom Noonan is fantastic as Frankenstein’s monster, and you’ll see classic creatures like Dracula, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man terrorize a small town. For a more thoughtful take, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation is a great choice – it’s both an exciting action movie and a faithful retelling of the original story.
Stream Frankenstein Conquers the World and The War of the Gargantuas on The Criterion Channel.
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- How To Watch Under The Bridge And Stream Every Episode Of This Shocking True Crime Series Free From Anywhere
- Breaking Down How Much the Dallas Cowboys Players Make vs Cheerleaders
- Silver Rate Forecast
- BTC PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- Brent Oil Forecast
- Ultra Rare Pokemon Card Collection Listed for $9 Million
- Lost Soul Aside ‘Weapons’ trailer
- Alien’s Most Divisive Movie Finally Gets a Sequel Update After 8 Years
- The 10 Most Spine-Chilling Spider-Man Villains
2025-11-15 00:43