original "Yongary" on cable

[Darkautumn]

Anyone catch "Yongary, Monster From the Deep" while it was making the rounds on cable movie channels the last few weeks? I tuned in just for the hell of it, not expecting anything different from the old Orion VHS I own, but I was pretty surprised. The print was much brighter and colors were much better defined. It also had a longer pre-credit sequence (a lengthy pan across space, focusing finally on the moon and Earth) and a different title card and credits from the version I remember on TV and that's on the VHS. Not only that, but there were bits of footage not present on the old prerecord (and that I can't recall EVER seeing on television.) Also, some scenes were presented in a different order. Equally strange was the fact that the cable version is scoped differently then the VHS print. I assume the film was originally in widescreen, and that it was pan-and-scanned to fit TV screens by AIP, since it went directly to television here. I would have thought that ALL US AIP prints would have the same framing (wouldn't the master print?) but the version I watched the other night proves otherwise. Where I found it most noticeable was the scene where the kid watches Yongary take a drink from some gasoline tanks. The Orion print is framed so that the kid is center screen and the monster is completely offscreen. The cable version is a much better composition, with Yongary far left and the kid far right. As far as the dubbing and music, it's identical to the Orion print. I realize I'm rambling a bit, but I was just wondering if anybody else picked up on this since it struck me as pretty strange.

[Chris K.]

Darkautumn wrote:

> It also had a longer pre-credit sequence (a
> lengthy pan across space, focusing finally on the moon and
> Earth) and a different title card and credits from the version
> I remember on TV and that's on the VHS. Not only that, but
> there were bits of footage not present on the old prerecord
> (and that I can't recall EVER seeing on television.) Also, some
> scenes were presented in a different order. Equally strange was
> the fact that the cable version is scoped differently then the
> VHS print. I assume the film was originally in widescreen, and
> that it was pan-and-scanned to fit TV screens by AIP, since it
> went directly to television here. I would have thought that ALL
> US AIP prints would have the same framing (wouldn't the master
> print?) but the version I watched the other night proves
> otherwise. Where I found it most noticeable was the scene where
> the kid watches Yongary take a drink from some gasoline tanks.
> The Orion print is framed so that the kid is center screen and
> the monster is completely offscreen. The cable version is a
> much better composition, with Yongary far left and the kid far
> right. As far as the dubbing and music, it's identical to the
> Orion print.

This is certainly strange. As far as what I know from the grapevine, MGM owns the television distribution rights since the film was an American International Pictures release. I, too, have seen the A.I.P.-TV release version and from what you have written it seems interesting.

Their have been instances where A.I.P. picked up a film that was already released theatrically and re-released it to either television or theatres (i.e., the film GAPPA-THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER was released in both International and American theatries in English by Manson Corporation, was later picked up by A.I.P. in 1972 and released to television as the misleading MONSTER FROM A PREHISTORIC PLANET; MAJIN was released in U.S. theatres by Bernard Lewis Enterprises, in both International English dub and original Japanese Language with subtitles, and was later released by A.I.P.-TV as MAJIN-THE MONSTER OF TERROR utilizing the International English dub). And their have been a few cases where A.I.P. has  made a film for television distribution and was also shown in theatres (i.e., the Larry Buchanan films THE EYE CREATURES, MARS NEEDS WOMEN, and ZONTAR were financed by A.I.P. for television distribution, but A.I.P. also released them to a few drive-in theatres in Southern locations). A few years ago, Something Weird Video was able to obtain the original 16mm negative of the A.I.P.-TV film VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET (1965) and contained a brief scene that was not in any of the existing 16mm television prints!

And then their is the case of what dubbing track A.I.P. utilized on their import features. The English language dubbing was never done by Titan International (originally Titra Sound Services back in the early 60's), rather it was done by an International company. Their are a few instances where A.I.P. used the International English dub (i.e., ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE) or make their own American English dub (i.e., ATTACK OF THE MONSTERS, BLACK SUNDAY). With YONGARY, A.I.P. seems to have stuck with the International dub and it does have some familiar voices that I have heard in English dubbed Italian pictures.

But as far as I can remember their is no record of YONGARY released in U.S. theatries by A.I.P. or any other company. Still their are a few possibilites to consider of: MGM found the International English Language release with it's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio in the A.I.P. vault and released it to television in panned-and-scanned format; MGM bought the rights for the International English Language version. Who knows.

But from what you have told me, I'm interested in seeing it. Do you know when it will be on again? I really would like to see this version.

[Darkautumn]

Chris K-

I also wondered about some of the points you mentioned. This print did have the MGM logo preceding it (as did the apparently unaltered print of "Return of the Giant Monsters" that the UPN network aired about a year and a half ago.) I know that MGM/UA has been "restoring" some of the old AIP releases they have for home video and DVD, such as "The Vampire Lovers," "The Dunwich Horror" and "Planet of the Vampires," in some cases actually tracking down prints that contain footage that AIP never included in their domestic versions. Somehow, though, I don't think they'd do that for "Yongary," particularly since, as you said, it never was theatrically released over here. Both "Yongary"  and "The X From Outer Space" (which I didn't catch) were all over the various Showtime networks, and the "Action" network. I saw "Yongary" on The Movie Channel late night (or early morning) on Wednesday 10/29/03. I did spot a listing for it on one of the movie stations for some time in November, but I don't have any exact info. Keep an eye out in the TV guide. If you catch it, post your thoughts on it. I'd be interested in your take.

[Chris K.]

Darkautumn wrote:

> Chris K-
>
> Somehow, though, I don't think they'd do that
> for "Yongary," particularly since, as you
> said, it never was theatrically released over here.

Don't be too unsure of yourself there, Darkautumn. MGM restored some small footage that was cut from the A.I.P. release of THE OBLONG BOX, and even restored the original William Joseph's music score of CRY OF THE BANSHEE (1970). But then, I have to somewhat agree that why would MGM bother restoring YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP!

Another thought that I had was the one scene you mentioned that involved the little kid watching Yongary drinking from an oil tanker. I just watched a little bit of my old Orion Home Video tape and I too notice that only the kid was in the frame. And from what you saw, you said that both Yongari and the kid could be seen in the full frame.

So my other theory is that when 16mm prints were being made from the 16mm film negative of YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP during it's early television run, somehow the framing transfer might have been off. And the old Orion Home Video release might have taken the transfer from a 16mm print rather than the negative, while most of the usual bootleg copies are the same as they were taken from rare 16mm television prints. But then, I feel this might be a half-baked theory myself as I watched the short title sequence and the panned-and-scanned framing seems to be accurate!

And let's not forget you mentioned that you saw a few sequences in different order than the A.I.P.-TV version. As I said earlier, MGM might have gone through all the trouble to restore the film. But who knows? When it comes back on TV again, I'm going to have to take a look at it.

[Dunners]

YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP ...

sounds familair whats the movie about again?

[Chris K.]

YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP is about an Atomic Bomb that is set off in the Middle East by China and as a result it causes an earthquake. But this is no ordinary earthquake as it begins to shift and head towards South Korea. Their is an old Korean legend about a prehistoric monster named Yongary who had the ability to move underground. The legend, of course, turns out to be true as Yongary rises and makes his way towards Seoul.

The history of YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP is that it was made to catch on the Japanese monster film craze and used as a propoganda tool. In this case, South Korea's main culprit at the time was China, and thus in the film it's the Chinese that causes Yongary to rise, not the Atomic Bomb (of course, this is all silly nonsense that harkens back to the days of the World War 2 American propoganda films). In other words, the perfect propoganda tool. But, YONGARY-MONSTER FROM THE DEEP was not the first Korean monster film as in the same year of 1967 a South Korean film called WANG-MA-GWI (English International Title: MONSTER WANGMAGWI) was made, but sadly never was released here in the United States.

[Ash]

I'm kinda yongary...I could eat.....
How 'bout you?
Are you yongary?

Hehe!!
(sorry...I couldn't help myself!)

[lester1/2jr]

I like when it dances "go yongary"