National Frankenstein Day

Above, Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Universal Pictures.

According to International Business Times, today is National Frankenstein Day.

In an article they posted on October 25:

In a world where there's a national holiday for almost any and everything, it's only right that Frankenstein has one too. Friday marks the 22nd ever National Frankenstein Day.

What is National Frankenstein Day?

The special day was created in 1997 by Ron MacCloskey from Westfield, New Jersey, and is celebrated on the last Friday of October each year to celebrate the birth of one of the most iconic horror characters (Frankenstein's monster) and its creator Mary Shelley. 

The author began writing the story of Frankenstein when she was just 18-years-old. The novel tells the story of a young scientist, Dr. Victor von Frankenstein, who, traumatized by his mother's death, becomes obsessed with the idea of bringing the dead back to life. Eventually, he succeeds in bringing to life a creature made of body parts from various deceased people. Though Shelley never names him, many fans call the monster "Frankenstein."

To celebrate, people would do something Frankenstein related.

I chose to watch the original 1931 Frankenstein, starring Colin Clive, John Boles, Mae Clarke and Boris Karloff in his immortal first portrayal of the Monster. 

There is another "Frankenstein Day" that is celebrated on August 30, Mary Shelley's birthday.

To read more, go here.

"Godzilla" Is China's Biggest Opening Day of 2014

Above, the giant Godzilla poster at Warner Bros. in Burbank. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Godzilla is the King of the Chinese box office as the Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. feature had the biggest opening day of 2014 in China.

According to the International Business Times:

“Godzilla” has already made short work of the American box office, and now the monster is crushing China’s as well. Legendary Pictures’ reboot of the classic monster movie opened in China on Friday with a $10.9 million debut, the country’s biggest opening day of the year and Warner Bros.’ biggest-ever opening in China, Deadline reports. 

“Godzilla” and its massive Chinese opening were boosted by a big push into theaters. The film opened on nearly half of China’s 18,195 screens. With that many screens in play, it’s not hard to see why “Godzilla” rocked the box office.

The remaining country for Godzilla to open in is its home country of Japan. Godzilla opens July 25 in Japan.

To read more, go here.

IBT: Surprise! You Can Now Do Tokyo On The Cheap Thanks To 'Abenomics'

Above, Tokyo's Akihabara "electric town."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the past several months (give or take), I have been discussing how the devaluation of the Japanese yen would bring more tourists to the country.

Sure enough, when the dollar (and other foreign currencies) began to buy more yen in foreign exchange, the Japanese tourism industry began to take off.

Connor Adams Streets (gotta love that name) wrote an article in the International Business Times on how "Abenomics" has benefited the Japanese economy and is bringing foreign tourists back to Japan.

He begins with:

TOKYO -- Japan’s neon capital has long been known to frugal travelers as an inaccessible destination, one of the most expensive cities in the world, a shining beacon of seaside modernity with futuristic prices to match. 

But the country’s recent economic revival has allowed the Tokyo economy to come back to Earth as new Prime Minister Shinzō Abe’s “Abenomics” reforms have devalued the yen, allowing visitors of meager means to enjoy the city without breaking the bank.

There are some parts of the article I have some disagreement with.  For example, I have never had to pay "$300-plus" for a standard room.  Naturally, if one decides to stay at a five-star hotel, they will pay through the nose. My first trip to Japan back in 2001 had me paying around $54/night at a Tokyo ryokan (Japanese inn) in the Shibuya district as it was reasonable in price and in good proximity to the Tokyo International Film Festival that I was attending. Japan was and is no different than the United States. Bargains can be found if one bothers to take the time to shop around.

I also have to disagree with a (quoted) Japanese businessman who said is was tough for Americans coming to Tokyo ten years ago.  At the time of my first visit, the dollar bought around ¥122 in exchange.

Still, things have greatly improved as the dollar is now fetching around ¥100.  This is a lot better than the ¥77 it bought in exchange back in January 2012.

Despite those quibbles, it is a good article that will give you an idea how much cheaper it is to visit Japan and, most importantly to them, spend!

To read the full article, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide News Picked Up By IBTimes

Above, Ai with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The International Business Times and other websites have picked up the news release on the holiday sale of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

International Business Times is:

International Business Times (IBTimes) is a growing digital global news publication that delivers international business news to an audience of over 7 million in the U.S. and 13 million people worldwide every month through its network of digital publishing platforms. IBTimes provides comprehensive content around the most important business, economic and political stories from around the world, while also adhering to other niche areas that interest global readers. It is produced in 10 country editions in 7 different languages, offering in-depth coverage that is relevant and specific to each global market. IBTimes is currently the main business unit of IBT Media.

To view the site, go here.

Power Rangers/Tokusatsu Bar Opening In Tokyo

If you were a kid in the 1990s or had a kid in the 1990s, chances are the family television set was tuned to The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

I have to confess,  my daughter Amber was a fan of the show and I watched it with her.  Now, she and others of her age group have gone on to other things in life.  Still (or maybe), she and others have a fondness for the old show.  I have some good news for them.

International Business Times is reporting that a former actor in the show is opening a bar in Tokyo with show memorabilia on display.

According to the article:

Former Power Ranger actor Masaru Shishido is opening a "tokusatsu bar" in Tokyo where clichéd memorabilia and alcohol will unite under one roof, according to Kotaku. The literal translation for the term "tokusatsu" is "special filming," and this usually refers to television shows or movies featuring superheroes and monsters.  The tokusatsu-themed bar will do more than simply pay homage to the Power Rangers series; it will highlight the entire superhero-oriented genre.

Shishido played the role of OhRed, the leader of Chouriki Sentai Ohranger. For those English-speaking Power Ranger fans, this means he played the equivalent of the Red Ranger in the Japanese version, which was known as "Super Sentai." Footage from this series was localized in the "Power Rangers Zeo" series that aired in the U.S. in 1996.  

To read the full article, go here.