FilmExpertWannabe It took Giant Monster Varan some four years before it finally made it to America under the title Varan, the Unbelievable. As fate would have it, Varan isn't so "unbelievable" or "great". I am reviewing the Japanese version that's presently available on DVD, the very one in the picture at the top of the page. Despite the American version's title, it's the Japanese version with English subtitles. It is my understanding that the American version is significantly worse than the English version, but I can't comment on that.The giant monster plot is not unlike many other monster movies of the 1950s and 1960s. Scientists are searching for a unique species of butterfly and awaken the monster god. The Japanese military lends a hand, bringing their equipment and troops to the island, expecting an easy kill. As you'd expect, Varan is virtually immune to the weaponry, so the military retreats. Varan swims through the water and attacks an airport and some of the city, but certainly not on the scale that we see some other monsters, Godzilla for one. Eventually the military discovers a trick to defeating Varan, and the wounded monster retreats.Pretty basic, but it works. It's mediocre, but in some ways that's kind of a good thing. Toho didn't make the monster out to be as huge, destructive, and powerful as monsters like Godzilla or even Rodan. But while that bolsters the strength of those monsters, it makes this film and its monster forgettable. The first irk I have is that this movie was shot with a fairly tight budget, and it shows. The movie is shot in black and white, despite Toho having done color since 1956's Rodan. The acting is also average, with some rough spots where the character(s) should be acting more emotional (or seem to express the wrong emotions). Varan isn't particularly interesting as a monster, and although he's versatile, being able to operate in water, in air, and on land, he still comes off as derivative and staid. Two upsides to the movie were 1) a fairly good score, and 2) mostly good special effects.Is the movie worth checking out? Well, if you're just getting into monster movies or Japanese monster movies, there are many better choices. Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, War of the Gargantuas, and more were all done under Toho as with Varan, the Unbelievable, but are far more emotional, engaging, and solid films. If you're seen all of these main movies, then Varan is worth checking out. It's by no means a bad movie, it's just that it's not inspiring or riveting. If it comes pack of a discounted multi-feature set as they offer now (Varan with The Mysterians and Matango, for example), then the movie is probably worth it. On its own, for $10-15 it's less compelling. I purchased it despite that, but I'd more likely just recommend it should it be found in a $5 bin. I give it a 5/10, not bad, not great.

TheUnknown837-1 I hate this terrible version of a pretty good kaiju movie. It is just pathetic and boring. Uninteresting and a waste of time. It's so bad it's hard to find and purchase and it's not even worth that. It's THAT bad.There are several reasons to why this version is bad. First of all, the plot has been changed badly and once again, American actors and cast are cut in. And most of them don't even have any good acting talents at all. Myron Healy was the only good one. The others were lame.And here's a big thing. Why is the title called 'VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE' when the monster is never called by that name. The only thing he's ever called is 'Obaki.' His true name is never mentioned.The other actors in the film are pretty bland and uninteresting at all. Captain Kishi was pretty annoying throughout the movie and he repeatedly called Varan "the beast". In just about every line. "The beast is at Oneda" "Do you think the flares distracted the beast?" "The chemical stopped the beast."....and so on. Oh, and by the way, that footage of the soldier speaking into the radio was used over and over and over and over again.Not only was Varan ruined in this movie by having his name changed to 'Obaki', but they ruined his voice. In the original version, Varan sounded kind of like a cross between Rodan and Baragon and sometimes also kind of like Godzilla. But in this terrible wasted version, he sounds like a tire rubbing across the ground.My advice is to order the original version on DVD, now that it's available. Note, it's also titled 'VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE', but you can tell it's the Japanese version because it has a yellowish picture with an image of Varan towering over a group of people. The DVD cover for this terrible version has Varan's head appearing out of a lake.

Space_Mafune Despite some good monster suit and model effects, plus some good opening scenes involving a then barely seen monster, this one soon descends into the military repeatedly battling the monster (never actually called Varan in the film) and battling the monster and battling the monster and battling the monster some more...I hope you get the idea. Unfortunately none of this is enhanced by terrific music such as Akira Ifukube provided for so many Toho films and the ending is much too similar to GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS.

seashellz This came out paired with CIPs also POSSIBLY recut version of the East German etc FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS-Der Schwagen Stern- (or SILENT STAR) In a theater full of candy and popcorn munching kids, i was in pure heaven -not one but TWO cool sci-fi pictures! Although VARAN seemed OK to me at the time, even at 10 years old I felt that the Freeze frame-pan-right(?) film technique brought the action to grinding halt, when transitioning back to the American footage. I briefly had the Japanese Laserdisc in 2.35 Scope, and was amazed to find BARAN flying like a squirrel! I guess we would have hooted that off the screen back then, but what did we know? It was a Saturday, and we wanted our candy, soda and(believable) action.