A large earthquake hits Tokyo, which was predicted by a seismologist but was ignored.A large earthquake hits Tokyo, which was predicted by a seismologist but was ignored.A large earthquake hits Tokyo, which was predicted by a seismologist but was ignored.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe film was a follow-up to a TV movie from early the same year, Tokyo Daijishin Magnitude 8.1 (1980), starring Shin'ichi Chiba, with special effects by Kôichi Kawakita, and also produced by Toho.
- Crazy creditsAlthough the title is at the beginning, all of the credits are at the end of the movie (in the original Japanese version).
- Alternate versionsIn all versions of the film, the title is shown early in the film (in the shot of the crater of Mount Mihara), but in the original Japanese version, all of the credits are at the end of the film; after the final freeze-frame of Kayo Matsuo's character (Yuko Kawazu), the film fades out, and a credit roll in white text over a black background is set to the sentimental pop song "Amethyst Sunray" (performed by Hatsumi Shibata), ending with a "The End" ("Owari") credit. In all international versions, the cast credits are placed over the opening footage of Oshima Island (before the title), and the rest of the credits over the aerial montage of Tokyo (right after the film's title), both originally credit-less, and the film ends with the final freeze-frame of Matsuo's character (with "The End" and the Toho copyright superimposed over the shot). "Amethyst Sunray" is omitted altogether.
- SoundtracksAmethyst Sunray
("Amejisuto Sanrei")
(Closing credits theme - Japanese version only)
Composed by Masaaki Hirao
Lyrics by Makoto Kitajô
Arranged by Tatsumi Yano
Performed by Hatsumi Shibata
Featured review
Compared to films like The Swarm or When Time Ran Out, Jishin Retto (Deathquake, Earthquake 7.9, Megaforce 7.9, etc.) stands as a very competent disaster film. It even stands very well when pitted against some of the higher class disaster movies released before it. The fact that the film centers around plot lines that would have better place in The Young and the Restless than in a disaster film tends to bog it down during the first hour, though. But at the midway point, the quake hits, and we are treated to a mishmash of new effects and stock footage from Nippon Chinbotsu (and even the exploding freeway scene from Nosoturodamasu no Daiyogen). Not that this is a bad thing. The effects for all of those films were done by Teruyoshi Nakano, and he creates some great new images while not going overboard in the use of stock footage. The acting, direction, and special effects are all rather well done, and the music and color schemes help to give the film a fittingly dark tone. I was lucky enough to purchase this film on the now oop Toho released laserdisc, which preserves the original 127 minute running time as well as presents the film in stunningly high quality. I have no trouble recommending this film to fans of the disaster genre.
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- Earthquake 7.9
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