Goke - Vampir aus dem Weltall

I saw a cheap pan & scan VHS of an English dub of this film years ago but I found a Japanese DVD of it recently and even though it is not dubbed or subtitled, and I don't speak Japanese, it is still quite unsettling. The Japanese don't play when it comes to stories like this and they don't pull punches either. At least the disc is widescreen, preserving the Shockiku Grandscope compositions. If you have seen KILL BILL Vol. 1, you will find out that even Quentin Tarantino was inspired by this film once you see the opening scenes. The special effects are usually not realistic but are quite imaginative. The whole film could be seen as something of a morality fable.

There is definitely a message to the film, although most people write this one off because of it's exploitative sounding title. There are several very creepy and effective scenes in the film and this film left a lasting impression on me. I think someday this film will be recognized for the horror classic that it is. Even if you have to watch a pan & scan dubbed copy, it is well worth catching.

By the way, the English-language version is called GOKE, BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL. It certainly got my attention. Pacemaker was the American distributor. I first saw it on a lousy VHS rental copy. Rumors about a letterboxed American NTSC release to DVD have yet to be fulfilled but I remain optimistic.

This was another film I had long been intrigued by via a solitary still from it in a horror-film tome of my father's; it's also proof that the Japanese could make adult-oriented horror just as well back in the day (and not merely kiddie stuff like the "Godzilla" films – one of which, incidentally, followed this viewing). Intriguingly, the Janus logo which preceded the opening titles suggests this may be forthcoming on DVD from Criterion (I haven't yet purchased the other cult Japanese horror they've released, JIGOKU [1960], due to the defective first pressing of that film's disc; having watched GOKE, I wonder whether I should take the plunge now…hoping that I end up with a corrected copy).

Admittedly, the plot of the film isn't all that original: the English title, obviously, implies a certain kinship with Don Siegel's 1956 classic – while the gelatinous alien which possesses the human body through the face(!) is also redolent of THE BLOB (1958); but maybe its influences actually came from European genre efforts – as a matter of fact, two Italian films I've just watched have a good deal in common with it, namely CALTIKI, THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959; the oozing creature, again) and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965; the remote setting, the 'body snatcher' element, the vivid color scheme and even the final apocalyptic revelation)! Besides, the fact that the narrative revolves around a handful of passengers from a crashed plane also brings to mind the oft-used 'hazardous situation' plot line of classic Hollywood films such as FIVE CAME BACK (1939), STAGECOACH (1939) and the like; under pressure of hunger, thirst, isolation and the imminent threat of alien takeover, all the basic natures of the various characters come to the boil – leading most of them inexorably towards their doom!

This mish-mash of elements ensures a stylish and entertaining ride – but it's all filtered through the innately weird sensibilities of Japanese cinema (not to mention the country's first-hand experience of nuclear fall-out, which unmistakably pre-occupied most of their sci-fi entries), giving it a distinctive creepiness; the final reel – peppered with red-tinted newsreel footage of devastation and violence – has the two lone survivors finally reaching civilization, only to be met with a less than comforting sight.

A seemingly ordinary flight is quickly and inexplicably cursed by blood red skies, a bomb threat and suicidal birds splattering themselves against the windows. As if this were not enough, a globular glow-in-the-dark UFO causes the plane to crash in an unoccupied and desolate area which looks suspiciously like the quarry where Fred Flinstone once worked. The survivors are soon faced with an alien invasion in the form of moldy cosmic silly putty. The slime takes over human hosts by oozing its way up over the face and into a gash opened in the hypnotized victims forehead...a gash which, even when closed up, rather resembles a vagina and gave me the uncontrollable giggles.

Anyway, the possessed human hosts go on vampiric killing sprees, draining their victims of blood and turning them a pleasant shade of blue. In the end, the dwindling survivors show their bravery and do battle with the nasty aliens, or become cowardly lumps of Jell-o and run away screaming. There's a lot of anti Vietnam War protesting throughout, complete with stock footage of wartime atrocities. It's a nice touch, considering the time in which this film was made and the unpopularity of anti-war protesting period. There's also a surprising twist ending which, for some reason, reminded me of Fulci's film "The Beyond" combined with "28 Days Later."

All in all, this is a goofy, badly dubbed and totally entertaining film to watch. If you're a fan of Japanese cinema, vampire films and sci-fi flying saucer invasions, you won't want to miss this one.

Goke has this great, rare exploitation look of the 60's. With extreme bright colours like orange, red and yellow. Great sounds of cheap ass spaceships sending out information to those who has a twisted mind, and venerable for their wicked master plan. Namely to take over the world again. The real cool thing of this cheap thrill flick is the message underneath. In fact the aliens want to make clear to us that taking over the world isn't that difficult. Cause we people are bound to destroy each other. We are building for the kill and the only thing the invaders have to do is to sit and wait till each and one of those humans are dead. Of course in Goke are some people who don't give up and try to fight the aliens. Only for them to find out that this guy and girl are all alone on planet earth. Goke take you all the way. Spaceships, weird landscapes psychocolors weird sound effects, enough action packed scenes and classic shots of spaceship invaders attacking the world. I love this Movie deeply!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Quentin Tarantino homaging 'Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell's blood red sky in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' I can finally get to see this obscurity on DVD in Japanese with English subtitles, instead of a badly dubbed fading old VHS tape. Yay! Okay, this is a b-grade movie and the effects are pretty lousy (especially the plane crash sequence), but to say it's a bad movie is far from the truth. For me it's the perfect example of a low budget horror movie transcending its limitations, coming up with something surprisingly creepy and surreal (See also William Castle's 'The Tingler', Herk Harvey's 'Carnival Of Souls', Coffin Joe's 'At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul',etc.) The opening is terrific - a plane flies through an eerie red sky and birds throw themselves at the windows in sheer terror. There's a suspected bomb on board and the plane crashes after sighting a UFO. On the ground the survivors are initially worried about the basics, like water and rescue, plus the presence of a suspected assassin, but pretty soon they also have to contend with a bizarre alien invasion! Like I said, many of the special effects are cheesy, but they're still effective. The acting is generally quite good, the alien will freak you out, and there's several interesting references to the Vietnam war, which was unexpected and gave the movie quite a unique background (can you remember any American SF movies of the 1960s even MENTIONING Vietnam?). I highly recommend 'Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell' to all horror fans who treasure the offbeat and the unusual. Hopefully this overlooked movie will now reach a larger audience. QT, I salute you!