Prophecies of Nostradamus

Plot

In 1853, Genta Nishiyama begins preaching the prophecies of Michel de Nostradame using a copy of his book, "Centuries." When Nishiyama is executed by the Tokugawa Shogunate for supposed heresy (after discussing the arrival of "black ships" that will end Japan's long isolation), his wife and son flees with the book in hand, passing down the knowledge to future generations. At the onset of World War II, his descendant, Gengaku, is interrogated by an Imperial Japanese Army officer about the family's continued preaching of the prophecies, which predicted the rise of Nazism and the Axis defeat.

In the present day of 1999, biologist Dr. Ryogen Nishiyama is called in to analyze recent scientific phenomena, such as the appearance of giant mutant slugs, children wielding advanced abilities, and large ice packs just north of Hawaii. He is also a leading figure in the fight against environmental pollution, natural disasters, and the global arms race. The UN sends a research expedition to New Guinea to investigate a radioactive dust cloud that appeared over the island, but the team suddenly goes out of contact. Nishiyama joins a second team to find them and discover that the area around the team's last known position is now infested by mutant bats and leeches; one leech renders a team member unconscious and he later turns violently insane after the team sets up camp. He is sedated but is later feasted on by cannibals. The team fights off the cannibals and chases them to a cave where they find the remains of the original group, but are disheartened that some of them are barely alive; they are forced to kill and bury the survivors.

An SST explodes in the atmosphere over Japan, with the explosion puncturing the ozone layer and unleashing ultraviolet rays below. The polar icecaps melt, triggering massive floods in Japan. After more natural disasters hit the country, the civilian populace turns to looting as rationing takes effect. Society breaks down further, with several people committing suicide. The panic escalates until nuclear war breaks out and mutated survivors fight each other for food.

It is revealed that the nuclear war is one of many nightmare scenarios Nishiyama is explaining before the Japanese Cabinet. As the prime minister explains a resolve to find a solution, Nishiyama, his daughter Mariko, and her boyfriend Akira (a globetrotting photographer) leave the Diet complex.

Cast

Production

In the credits, Toshio Yasumi is listed as the writer and Toshio Masuda and Yoshimitsu Banno are credited as having "adapted it." This is not exactly true. Yasumi wrote the script for the earlier Toho disaster movie, The Last War that this movie is very loosely based on. The new screenplay itself was written by Yoshimitsu Banno in about 10 days with occasional imput by Masuda. Masuda is given to top writing credit because of Banno's less-than-warm reputation at Toho. Music is by Isao Tomita.

Release

Prophecies of Nostradamus was released theatrically in Japan on 3 August 1974 where it was distributed by Toho. Toho released their 90 minute international version in the United States on 13 July 1979. It was later released to television by United Productions of America as The Last Days of Planet Earth with an English-dub. The television prints run 88 minutes in length.

Prophecies of Nostradamus is infamous for its depiction of mutated human beings. After the film was released, a protest group lodged a complaint with the Eirin (the Japanese film ratings board), citing the New Guinea sequence and the post-climactic scene featuring two mutants. Toho publicly apologized and cut the movie down to 90 minutes before putting the movie back into circulation for the rest of its theatrical run. After its theatrical release and a 1980 television broadcast, the uncut version of the film was officially pulled from circulation by Toho. The 90-minute re-cut does occasionally make appearances in re-releases and it is this version which is on file at the Library of Congress.

Cancelled sequel

A sequel for Prophecies of Nostradamus was planned by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka as far back as 1974, the year Toshio Masuda's film was released in theaters. Literally titled The Great Prophecies of Nostradamus II: Fear of the Great Devil and set for a 1975 debut, the proposed project was to reunite most of the principal staff from the first. The project never saw the light of day, which could most likely be credited to the controversy that amounted around Prophecies of Nostradamus that eventually led to a self imposed ban on the 1974 film and most likely sealed the fate of this sequel.

The plot was to focus on reporter Tsutomu Goto, who is troubled by the predicting ending of the world. He begins investigating a spirit medium experiment being conducted at the labs of the University of East Asia which is aimed towards reaching the long deceased Nostradamus in hopes of shedding light on his prophecies for the end of the world. Unfortunately, the experiment fails to make contact with the French prophet, being interrupted by an ominous UFO hanging over Japan.