Thu 29.09.2011 Buttgereit's Monster Special

The author, director and monster film expert Jörg Buttgereit is a guest at the Hartware MedienKunstVerein at the Dortmunder U, where he will talk about his experiences and his passion for the uniquely Japanese genre of kaiju eiga (monster films). Buttgereit’s Monster Special sheds light on a film culture that, like no other medium, reflects Japan’s cultural and historical background and, in light of the current ecological crisis, seems more relevant than ever.

Thu, 29 Sept.
8.00 pm Buttgereit’s Monster Special – Godzilla (1954)

Off the coast of Japan, a gigantic monster emerges from the Pacific Ocean and wreaks havoc with its deadly breath of fire. Awakened by nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean, Godzilla is clearly enraged and heads straight for Tokyo.
The first of countless Japanese monster films is regarded as a milestone in film history.

Fri 30 Sept
19:00 Buttgereit’s Monster Special – Monsterland (2009)

In this documentary, Jörg Buttgereit – himself a horror filmmaker – embarks on a journey through the heartlands of monster culture and visits the greats of American and Japanese fantasy cinema, including Godzilla actor Kenpachiro Satsuma, make-up artist Rick Baker (King Kong, amongst others) and special effects guru Gregory Nicotero (Sin City, amongst others).

8.30 pm Buttgereit’s Monster Special – Film discussion with J. Buttgereit
Buttgereit is a guest at the HMKV at the Dortmunder U and talks about his passion for Japanese monster films