A giant stone statue comes to life to protect the residents of a small town against the depradations of an evil warlord.
Practical Effects
1966 suitmation that looks like actual stone coming alive.
Direction
Yasuda makes you wait 70 minutes—then earns every second.
Score
Akira Ifukube's music treats a statue like a cathedral organ.
Director
Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Daimajin was one of three kaiju films Daiei rushed out in 1966 to compete with Toho's Godzilla—yet it plays more like a jidai-geki period drama until the final reel.
The statue's design was based on traditional Japanese magaibutsu cliff carvings, and the production built a 15-ton prop that required 12 men to operate.
JP
