''Pugalsari'' (1985)

By Crusader1307

 Okay, North Korea can be blamed for many things. I suppose one that We can't do, is not giving them credit for a somewhat half-decent ''Giant Monster'' Movie. And while the County already has it's own ''Monster'', it is too bad they never made more (of The ''Giant Lizard'' kind). This leads us to the 1985 Film ''Pugalsari''. And yes, it is a type of ''Godzilla'' rip-off, but the story line ain't too bad. The Story is based “loosely'' on an Ancient Feudal Korean Myth (shared by both Nations). The ''tale'' goes back to the 9th Century AD and dealt with a Monster named Bulgasari (they changed the name in The North to be ''different''). As the film goes, a Blacksmith was fighting for His fellow Villagers against an Evil Warlord. Captured and put in Prison, he languishes before being executed. Before He dies, He created a small figurine of a Lizard-Monster, named Pugalsari. He prays to The Gods to ''give Life'' to His creation and for ''It'' to ''protect The People. His Daughter is allowed to see Him one last time, and accidentally cuts Herself (her blood drips onto the figurine). Her Father is executed, but the figure soon comes to Life. ''leaving The Prison, Pugalsari ''seeks out'' The Daughter (Her blood is their ''connection'' it seems).

The figurine grows at an alarming rate into The Giant Lizard Monster of the Film's Title. But Pugalsari has a particular fetish for eating Metal (any Metal). He rampages The Country, eating up any Metal and thus depriving The Warlord of any means by which to continue to persecute ''The People''. But Pugalsari turns somewhat ''bad'' and starts to persecute The Poor, in His search for more Metals to eat. Realizing that ''She'' was responsible for His Birth, She devises the plan to hide inside a giant metal Bell, which ''Lizard Boy'' greedily eats. But it appears that Pugalsari cannot eat flesh (or maybe His ''Creator''), Inside, and knowing She will die, the combination of Metal and flesh prove too much for Pugalsari – and He explodes, thus ''saving'' The Poor Villagers.

Okay, somewhat confusing, but an excellent example of converting an Ancient piece of Asian Mythos into a Film (who knew?), a copy was ''smuggled out'' of The Communist Nation and made its way to Japan in 1998. Screened there (and other places in a limited run), ''Pugalsari'' actually garnered good reviews. IF you can find a copy (which can be found as it was finally screened in The US in 2006), give it a shot (especially if your a former Toho Films Fan of The ''Godzilla Universe'' of old!)