Film Composer Akira Ifukube 1914-2006

[Sefton]

Composer Akira Ifukube passed away yesterday in Japan. Most famous as the man who composed the score for the first Godzilla film (Gojira, 1954) and 12 other subsequent Godzilla films. He also created Godzilla's distinctive roar by rubbing a resin coated leather glove on a Contrabass and Godzilla's mighty footsteps by beating a kettle drum with a thick knotted rope. Some of his almost 300 scores(!) include:
Radon (1956) U.S Rodan
Chikyu Boeigun (1957) U.S. The Mysterians
(1959)
DaiKaiju Baran (1958) U.S. Varan the
Unbelievable (1962)
Uchu Dai Senso (1959) U.S. Battle in Outer
Space (1960)
Kaitei Gunkan (1963) U.S. Atragon (1965)
Furankenshutain tai chitei kaiju Baragon
(1965)
U.S. Frankenstein Conquers the World (1966)
Furankenshutain no Kaiju-Sanda tai Gaira
(1966)
U.S. War of the Gargantuas (1970)
Kingukongu tai Gojira (1962) U.S. King Kong
vs.Godzilla (1963)
Mosura (1961) U.S. Mothra (1962)
Mosura tai Gojira (1964)U.S. Godzilla vs the
Thing
San Dai Kaiju Chikyu saidai no kessen (1964)
Ghidrah-The Three Headed Monster (1965)
The entire Musashi Miyamoto series of films
many of the Zatoichi films from the 60s
Budda (1961)
His final Godzilla score was Gojira tai
Desutroiya
(1995) U.S. Godzilla vs. Destroyer (1995)

Farewell Maestro...Farewell Sensei...Thank you for your music!

 

[Baggers]

Sayonara, Ifukubi-san. Your music made an invaluable contribution to some of my favorite films. You helped create a genre that has never been duplicated sucessfully outside of Japan. You will be greatly missed.