* boys clothing depictions in movies : Voyage into Space







Voyage Into Space (Japan, 1970)

Figure 1.-- Here we see Mr. Mono and Johnny Sokko after the captive scientist blows uo the Gargoyle base with a nuclear explosion. Johnny is a smart dresser with id double-breasted short pants suit. One remarkavle thing about Joohnny is that regardless of shio wrecks, capture and nuclear exposiin, he never even lossens his tie or allows his knee socks to fall down. No ;Iur Willian' is Johnny..
A little Japanese boy, Johnny Sokko, and his giant flying robot in this film fight tomsave Tokyo from an evil alien monster--Daconian. There is also Emperor Guillotine. Evil space monsters for some reason all seem to go after Tokyo. one reviwer describes as a 'dog-faced lizard' monster. That is as good a descroption as we cam come up with. It has been described as campy, writing, "It doesnt get any campier than this." But that was not what the director had in mind. 'Voyage Into Space' follows the adventures of Johnny Sokko, played by Mitsunobu Kaneko. Unlike many American child stars, he did not have an extensice career. He was, however, emacuately dressed in a doubke-breasted short pants suit. Johnny has gained control of a giant flying robot from the evil space invading Gargoyle Gang led by Draconian. The Gargoyle has an endless supply of horrid giant monsters and su-glaased imiformed men atg his disposal. Actually the film was based on the 'Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot" TV serie (1967-68). Rather than actually shoot the film, the producers stitched together four episodes of the TV series. Draconian has his heart set on destroying Tokyo which Johnny and his giant robot friend along with the Unicorn secret agents are defending. This was of course just one of many monster films taht became a Japanese genre after World War II like 'Ultraman' andofcourse 'Godzilla'. Many of which were done with childrren. We are not sure why monsters were such popular fare in Japan. Or why they were so often pared with children. The speceal effects were particularly cheesy. But in the days before 'Star Wars' this was usually the case and rememnber this was made as a TV program. We think it was made a children's program. We are not sureabout Japanese destribution, but in the States was released by American International. It was mostly viewed by boys in after-school TV programs for children. Biys wouldvhave kikedJohnny's adventurs, but I doubt that they were impressed with his fancy duds. Girls did not share the boys' viewing tates. And now it is a classic of goofy Japanese monsters and TV vieewrs who see it as a campy 1970s cinena. The film begins with the alien flying saucer destroyomg interceptor jets. The aliens unleash a aquid-like monster that begins destroying ships. One of which is carries Johnny Sokko and Mr. Mano, a Unicorn agent. Sokko and a man he met on the boat called Mr. Mano who is actually a secret agent get shipwrecked on an isolated island where a captured scientist is forced to build advanced weaponry. There they encounter the prolific Gargoyle Gang that wants to conquer the world which is about to deploys a powerful giant robo. Hohnny manages to gain comtrol id Giant Robot and use it to combat the alien invaders and the Gargoyle Gang. The film is a=swirl of giant rubber monsters smashing toy tanks, secret agennts, uniformed crimianl gang, terrifying monsters, captive scientists, secret weapons, space aliens, a giant robot, a boy who wields a gun and communicates through a Dick Tracy wristwatch--all in the era before smart phones.






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Created: 6:00 PM 3/7/20200
Last updated: 6:00 PM 3/7/2020