Prophecies of Nostradamus

Prophecies of Nostradamus
Directed by Toshio Masuda
Produced by
Screenplay by Toshio Yasumi
Based on A novel
by Tsutomu Goto
Starring Tetsuro Tamba
Music by Isao Tomita[2]
Cinematography Rokuro Nishigaki[2]
Production
companies
Distributed by Toho
Release date
  • 3 August 1974 (1974-08-03) (Japan)
Running time
 112 minutes[2]
Country Japan

Prophecies of Nostradamus (ノストラダムスの大予言, Nosutoradamusu no daiyogen) is a 1974 disaster film by Toshio Masuda, inspired by the prophecies of Nostradamus.

Plot

In 1853, Genta Nishiyama begins preaching the prophecies of Michel de Nostradame using a copy of his book, Centuries. When Nishiyama is executed by the Tokugawa Shogunate for supposed heresy (after discussing the arrival of "black ships" that will end Japan's long isolation), his wife and son flees with the book in hand, passing down the knowledge to future generations. At the onset of World War II, his descendant, Gengaku, is interrogated by an Imperial Japanese Army officer about the family's continued preaching of the prophecies, which predicted the rise of Nazism and the Axis defeat.

In the present day of 1999, biologist Dr. Ryogen Nishiyama is called in to analyze recent scientific phenomena, such as the appearance of giant mutant slugs, children wielding advanced abilities after drinking water near a zinc mine, and large ice packs just north of Hawaii. He is also a leading figure in the fight against environmental pollution, natural disasters, and the global arms race. The UN sends a research expedition to New Guinea to investigate a radioactive dust cloud that appeared over the island, but the team suddenly goes out of contact. Nishiyama joins a second team to find them and discover that the area around the team's last known position is now infested by mutant bats and leeches; one leech renders a team member unconscious and he later turns violently insane after the team sets up camp. He is sedated but is later feasted on by cannibals. The team fights off the cannibals and chases them to a cave where they find the remains of the original group, but are disheartened that some of them are barely alive; they are forced to kill and bury the survivors.

A SST jet explodes in the atmosphere over Japan, with the explosion puncturing the ozone layer and unleashing ultraviolet rays below. The polar icecaps melt, triggering massive floods in Japan. After more natural disasters hit the country, the civilian populace turns to looting as rationing takes effect. Society breaks down further, with several people committing suicide. The panic escalates until nuclear war breaks out and mutated survivors fight each other for food.

It is revealed that the nuclear war is one of many nightmare scenarios Nishiyama is explaining before the Japanese Cabinet. As the prime minister explains a resolve to find a solution, Nishiyama, his daughter Mariko, and her boyfriend Akira (a globetrotting photographer) leave the Diet complex.

Cast

Release

Prophecies of Nostradamus was released theatrically in Japan on 3 August 1974 where it was distributed by Toho.[2] Toho released their 90 minute international version in the United States on 13 July 1979.[2] It was later released to television by United Productions of America as The Last Days of Planet Earth with an English-dub.[2] The television prints run 88 minutes in length.[2]

Prophecies of Nostradamus is infamous for its depiction of mutated human beings. After the film was released, a protest group lodged a complaint with the Eirin (the Japanese film ratings board), citing the New Guinea sequence and the post-climactic scene featuring two mutants. Toho publicly apologized and cut the movie down to 90 minutes before putting the movie back into circulation for the rest of its theatrical run. After its theatrical release and a 1980 television broadcast, the uncut version of the film was officially pulled from circulation by Toho. The 90-minute re-cut does occasionally make appearances in re-releases and it is this version which is on file at the Library of Congress.[3]

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 297.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Galbraith IV 2008, p. 298.
  3. ↑ Patrick Macias. TokyoScope - The Japanese Cult Film Companion. Cadence Books, 2001. Pg. 167

Sources

  • Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 1461673747.
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