Budapest Classic Film Marathon 2024: Dragon Superman

Director: Satoru Kobayashi, Bao-Hui Shao,

Screenplay by Hsiao-Tao Chen, Satoru Kobayashi
Director of photography: Seishi Heino
Music by Chung-Ying Tseng
Cast: Chih-Bang Kuei, Te-Nan Lai, Ching-Hsia Chiang

Programme section "The Future of the Past" / Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute

It’s not easy to define the genre of the Satoru Kobayashi and Bao-Hui Shao film trilogy. Maybe adventure film, but it’s not far off an invasion horror flick. Deserted squares and the overall cityscape are pure fantasy. But of course it is first and foremost a superhero movie. The figure of Dragon Superman, the biker masked action man, can be traced back to the Japanese genre of tokusatsu. Tokusatsu films are known for their special effects and monster movies such as Godzilla fall into this genre, as well as works documenting the adventures of superheroes such as Kamen Rider and Metal Hero. Dragon Superman battling members of the Cosmos gang can be considered their progenitor.

Supporting film: Gustavus, the Good Neighbour (6)
Hungarian animation, colour, 1964, No dialogue, 5’

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