Customer Reviews
Short on thrills, but visually imaginative 
2008-07-14
Dogora is one of the most unusual monsters I've yet seen in a Toho 'kaiju' film. It's not given to wanton urban destruction like the rampaging beast that was Ghidorah. It's a hungry jellyfish-like creature, whose origins are never quite explained, who just wants the carbon it needs by plundering coal deposits and diamonds where it can find them. There's an intriguing array of strange phenomena building up to the monster's first major sighting and sufficient suspense until we get a handle on what kind of monster it is and what it looks like. When it finally makes a full-fledged assault on the coal deposits of Kyushu, the resultant collateral destruction is quite picturesque indeed. (The bridge-pulling scene is just breathtaking.) And the special effects scenes of Dogora hovering over Kyushu are among the most beautifully composed shots I've seen in any of the films for which Eiji Tsuburaya directed the effects.
However, such a monster doesn't quite provide the unabashed thrills we expect from a Japanese monster movie. Without a "good guy" monster like Godzilla or Gamera to oppose Dogora, there are only standard-issue military battles, with Japanese SDF troops firing artillery endlessly and uselessly at the sky. And when a diligent professor finally devises a scientific method to combat Dogora, it's pretty far-fetched and not terribly cinematic, leading to a distinctly anti-climactic finale. To make matters worse, too much of the action is taken up with a subplot involving a clichéd band of gangster movie diamond thieves who try to take advantage of Dogora's diamond-grabbing activity. During the final stage of the effort to neutralize Dogora, the movie shifts to a much less interesting shootout on a beach between the diamond thieves and the police. It's as if, during the climactic monster battle in a Godzilla film, the action suddenly shifted to a lover's quarrel on the outskirts of Tokyo. It might be interesting in another movie, perhaps, but not this one.
One bonus of DOGORA for longtime kaiju fans is the chance to see American actor Robert Dunham in a major role, as Japanese-speaking insurance investigator Mark Jackson. Dunham appeared in a handful of Japanese monster and sci-fi films whenever a westerner was called for (e.g., MOTHRA, GODZILLA VS. MEGALON, as well as the all-western cast in THE GREEN SLIME), but we almost never heard his real voice. Thanks to the inclusion of the original Japanese soundtrack on this DVD, we get to hear him speak Japanese in his own voice, since the dialogue was recorded sync-sound. There's even a funny line by a Japanese detective questioning him who declares, "I don't know where you learned Japanese, but you had a vulgar teacher."
Also on hand is the beautiful Akiko Wakabayashi, known to western audiences for playing Aki, first of the two Japanese Bond girls in the fifth James Bond film, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967). Here she plays a sexy, duplicitous member of the robbery gang. The obligatory good girl counterpart is Masayo, the pretty assistant to the elderly scientist who takes the job of analyzing Dogora, and she's played by Yoko Fujiyama, who, alas, is given too little to do.
I liked the mix of extensive location shots with occasional studio sets and effects sequences that sometimes combine the two. It's visually well-crafted throughout and the print used for this DVD is very high quality. Overall, I just wish there'd been more of an emphasis on the monster and less on the diamond thieves.
Dogora-More Crime Drama, Less Monster Destruction 2008-07-09
Dogora is a decent movie. Personally, I have nothing against the movie. It is just more of a crime movie than a monster movie, which in this case, it is a good thing.
The acting and the special effects are, as usual, very well done. The character of Mark Jackson is very entertaining. But it just doesn't equal the Godzilla series or other Toho creations like Space Amoeba, Varan, Frankenstein vs. Baragon, The Mysterians, and others.
But don't let that spoil it for you. Buy this movie and enjoy it. It may not be the best monster movie, but it is a lot better than Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's Godzilla.
So buy the movie and enjoy. It is worth the price. Check it out! :)
Jellyfish horror............ 
2008-04-10
This may not be Toho's best movie. But it has its moment. You get the same actors from the Godzilla films, and the effect are great for its time. The best thing about this dvd it comes with the original a.i.p. dubb. As a g-fan I had to pick this up.
my favorite non-Gojira (Godzilla) daikaiju (giant monster) movie 
2008-02-13
Most Japanese monsters movies copy Gojira (Godzilla), Dogora is an exception. That Dogora is nothing like Gojira is one of the things I like most about it. It's great to have this classic Toho daikaiju eiga (giant monster film) on DVD. Thanks Mediablaster.
Akiko Is All You Need to know 2008-01-12
Since none of the other reviewers mentioned her, I will because the mere presence of Akiko Wakabayashi alone, as the femme fatal, in Dagora is well worth the price. As James Bond's wife in You Only Live Twice she was the best part of that film too so get Dagora and enjoy her all over again. Anyhow, you can dismiss a number of the other reviewers comments as worthless since they obviously have not really watched Dagora but rather just enjoy seeing their names on the internet. I say that because some of them mention Dagora sucking up diamonds and that is simply not true. The space alien critter actually sucks up massive amounts of coal then ejects huge diamonds, we assume as waste. It matters not because Akiko is running around looking super sexy and that's what really counts throughout this fun film from Toho. Her co-star is American B actor Robert Dunham whose character as an international jewell cop is superfluous but also fun in a campy sort of way. The whole film is a hoot and while we don't get to see Akiko in a bath tub like in the Bond film she is still an eyeful.
dogora 2007-07-23
Considering i've never seen this film before and i always enjoy watching new japanese monster flick(makes me feel nostalgic like a kid again)i say it was pretty good.I did'nt really enjoy the diamond heist plot but thats mainly beacause i've been tired of heist movies for years now.But considering it is not a godzilla flick and that the special effects for the monster was very good and trippy i gave it a three instead of a two.none the less its japanese cheesy and made by Toho so i recomend checking it out since the price ain'nt that bad.
Great Effects, Not So Great Movie 2007-02-11
This one is for Tohophiles only. This rarely seen Japanese giant monster flick from the early sixties boasts very high production values, a nice "forgotten" Ifukube theme, a unique and very interesting kaiju, and stand-out effects work by Tsburaya and crew. Dogora is a gigantic semi-tranlucent cross between a jellyfish and a squid - reminiscent of one of those sea creatures you've seen that lives at the very bottom of the deepest oceans. It floats in the upper atmosphere semi-concealed within a monsterous storm cloud, lowering itself to earth to suck tons of coal (and diamonds), on which it feeds. No obvious man in a rubber suit is this creation. It is very impressively realized by the Toho special effects team using a mix of marionettes, sophisticated optical work, and cell animation. Given a bigger budget with fewer and less outlandish effects set pieces, the talent of Toho's effects team during this period is really showcased in this film. Everything is a notch above in the effects department, and Dogora arguably has the best effects of the Showa era.
Despite this - and Honda's direction, this film is for Tohophiles only for it is a failed experiment. Seems crime dramas were popular at the time in Japan, along with giant monster movies. It is apparent Toho tried to marry the two, and the contrived story to make that marriage happen simply doesn't work. As others have alluded, it's like watching two different movies - a Japanese giant monster flick and a 60's diamond heist drama. There are long lags between effects sequences and the diamond heist crime drama "movie" is too slowly paced, dated, foreign, and not very involving.
As a result - despite what might be the greatest kaiju of them from Eiji Tsuburaya and its evocative and menacing execution, Dogora is a "one off" kaiju and the film itself (it pains me to say) deservedly forgotten. It is, however, absolutely recommended to Tohophiles who are hooked on the kaiju films from the 60's, for its outstanding effects work, forgotten Ifukube score, and its curio value.
With one of my favorite movie lines ever! 2006-04-03
All I can add to the previous adorations of this archetypical 1960's atomic monster movie is that Dagora kind of looks like somebody took a fake vomit from a gag shop, and then sprayed on some glue, glitter, & rhinestones. My favorite scene is when the gangsters are "casing" an apartment building from their Corvair-like car & the police approach them, asking what they're doing there, hanging out. The woman among the gangsters gestures at an open window with its curtains blowing through. The men of the gang all giggle and one of them says "She's airing out her room,", which sends the police on their way. Why this still seems so absurdly funny nearly 40 years later, I can't tell you...
A Unique Kaiju Film 2005-10-28
I'm glad I finally got to see this film. Dogora is interestingly represented using both props and animation. It's a little short on extras, but contains the most obvious ones: the original Japanese theatrical trailer and a photo gallery.
Dogora will bore ya! 
2005-08-30
This ToHo movie will do what most Japanese films never do and that's bore the hell out of you. Dull Dull Dull. An alien that eats diamonds shows up and mucks up diamond robbers. Too much diamond robber stuff too little monster.
