A Quick Look: VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE (1962)

   VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE was another import from Japan's Toho studio, re-edited to include new footage of an American star. Myron Healy was a gruff character actor who kept busy for decades, but headlined several genre films during the 50's and early 60's. He plays a Navy scientist making preparations for an experimental process designed to desalinate large bodies of water. The target for the test is an ancient lake located on a small Japanese island, an island modern on one end, but still trapped in the past on the other end. Superstitious natives are worried that Healy will rouse the anger of their deity Varan (known only as "Obaki" in the film itself). Well, this being a Japanese monster movie, you know what happens. Soon, a giant dinosaur is smashing modern cities! 

   This was an economical import, leaving much of the Japanese footage in it's Japanese language (and I imagine the effect would be somewhat undercut if you could speak Japanese, since several scenes are switched around and placed in new context which the native dialog would betray). This is mixed with new footage of Healy and his supporting players carrying the main story on the outskirts of the original action. Healy narrates, and explains what's going on elsewhere on the island. The new footage is minimalist, and looks fairly cheap compared to the more expensive Japanese footage. Even so, it's done with enough professional sheen that you have to be an experienced cinemanaut to really notice how inexpensive the new footage is. No doubt seeing it in a scope transfer would make the footage look a bit slicker. The American version even adds a special effect, one of Varan reaching into a cave to menace the American cast. The prop claw is a pretty good match to the Japanese suit's hands, and although rather stiff, it blends seamlessly into the process shot of the cast cowering in the foreground (this was probably done with rear projection, but the effect is lovely regardless).

   The original Japanese version was always considered weak, something of a misfire. The US version is certainly a stronger vehicle, with far more compelling human drama (with some unflinching but unobtrusive political content regarding the planned relocation of native peoples), though it's fallen almost completely off the radar in recent years. It did have a VCI video release way back when, and the video is a collector's item now (a Synergy Entertainment DVD was likely taken from the video tape copy). The film screams out for a wide-screen transfer, being one of those movies which took full advantage of the wide lens. 

   Although it uses the American title, the version currently available on official DVD release from Tokyo Shock is the subtitled Japanese version -though it is at least a nice scope transfer (oddly, the cropping on the American version is more noticeable in the Myron Healy scenes than it is on the Japanese footage). Of the films I'm very much hoping will be unearthed in a nice scope transfer, VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE is right near the top of the list! Not the most fantastic Japanese monster movie, but a very agreeable 70 minutes.