“With no audience, the film will fade from people’s hearts.”
What do we leave behind? How does our work impact our families and admirers after we’re gone?
Brush of the God seeks to answer this and more in a fantastical tale full of imaginative kaiju and community reflection. Directed by Keizō Murase, a legend whose body of sculpting work goes back to the Showa era of Japan’s illustrious cinematic history – including films such as Varan, Frankenstein Vs. Baragon, Return of Daimajin, and many, many more. Iconic kaiju such as Baragon, Titanosaurus, Gamera, King Ghidorah, and of course, Godzilla, were masterfully hand sculpted by Mr. Murase throughout his tenure with the monsters. The 88 year-old cemented his final legacy this year, with Brush serving as a directorial debut and his swan song picture simultaneously, something uncommon and unique within this genre. Previously collaborating on Howl From Beyond the Fog with producer Daisuke Sato, the pair sought to bring Murase-san’s vision to complete fruition, utilizing the old ways of classic Tokusatsu sculpting and modeling to bring an emotionally-charged look back at an era that has left us.
It’s worth noting that this film was funded on Kickstarter & is very indie-spirited, but it absolutely emulates Showa-era Toku films in my opinion. That is a comparison thrown around a lot in this era of the community, especially to films with lighter tones and more “action” – but in this regard, I refer to it by the way the film’s kaiju practical effects are built, the way they are characterized, and the overall presentation. It’s all meant to be retro; a nostalgic film asking for us to remember a bygone time. Not only are there loving references to other independent directors and their films woven throughout (no spoilers!), but the film also features a plethora of fictionalized nods to the long-standing career of Keizō, such as Kaimajin (wink wink) that kaiju eiga enthusiasts will get a great kick out of.
The main event of the movie in particular, iconic Japanese mythological deity Yamata no Orochi, aka Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon, is the practical effects spectacle I’ve been waiting a very long time to witness. It’s among the best puppeteering/suit work I’ve ever seen in a tokusatsu production. Every inch of Orochi is designed and performed with the masterful craft of the effects team – things such as minute detailing and sculpting on the beast’s many heads, the life-like movement and portrayal, and the overall cinematography backing the beast’s aura. Murase and his team put every decade of his experience (and their own expertise) to the test in a culmination of knowledge of experience. What a spectacular kaiju! The price of admission is worth it alone for this magnificent beast.
I’ve seen other reviews mention the acting being a bit wooden, and to some extent, it is fair to admit the dialogue was underwhelming at times. Shinji Higuchi, best known for his effects directorial contributions, and his own directing career, made a notable cameo in this film, and I thought that was the best performance in the movie. Despite all of that, I do feel like the actors in this film genuinely cared about the production as a labor of love. I personally found the “Otaku” character quite amusing, with his direct commentary on kaiju fans, and his subtle remarks referring to a Shin Mighty Gorilla and the “latest installment in the Kaijuverse”, particularly amusing. A sign of the times, indeed.
I think the greatest strength of this film lies within the layers upon layers of meta storytelling. As previously mentioned, this film is extremely autobiographical. It’s about the funeral of a fantastic artist and storyteller with years of work… only for the possibility of it being completely forgotten by the individuals – both fans and family alike – that are left behind with nothing but their work. I speculate that this was absolutely on the mind of Murase-san as he explored his twilight years. What if he is to be forgotten, lost in the sands of time, despite all of his fruitful work, and long-lasting career? Will anyone remember his name? People remember Godzilla, but we should always remember the Keizō Murases and the Eiji Tsuburayas of this world.
The film’s willingness to explore those themes in a fun, imaginative island adventure is the picture’s greatest strength. At its core, Brush of the God is an art film – one man’s total creative vision realized on the screen; truly creative freedom exemplified. Beyond that, it serves as a culmination of the exciting movement of indie tokusatsu productions that we’ve seen in recent years. All of those filmmakers owe it all to Murase-san, gathering together to uplift their mentor one final time. It isn’t afraid to shy away from being light-hearted and fantastical, but when the book is closed, and the story is done… as long as the torch, or in this case, brush, is passed on to the next generation, we will always have an audience, and the show will always go on. Your mileage may vary on this film, but if you appreciate Tokusatsu and independent art filmmaking, Brush of the God is a triumph, standing tall and reminding us that practical effects and hand-crafted monsters will always remain alive, if we keep it in our hearts.
Release Info
2024
Director: Keizō Murase
Writers: Keizō Murase (Story By), Takeshi Nakazawa (Written By)
Producer: Daisuke Sato
Assistant Director: Yoshikazu Ishii
Creature Design: Shinji Nishikawa
Character Design: Akira Takahashi
English Subtitles: Norman England
Advisor: Shigenori Shogase
Special Thanks: Avery Guerra
Starring:
Takumi Saitô
Shinji Higuchi
Yumiko Shaku
Rio Suzuki
Shirô Sano
Masanori Machida
Takeru Narahara
