The Whale God (1962): Cast, Plot & Where to Watch
The Whale God is a 1962 adventure drama directed by Tokuzō Tanaka, starring Takashi Shimura as Village elder, Kōjirō Hongō and Shintarō Katsu. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes. Stream it on Bloodstream and Darkroom, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Bloodstream.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Tokuzō Tanaka
- Original language
-
Japanese - Studio
- Daiei Film
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Whale God About?
The premise of The Whale God without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A fishing village is terrorized by a giant whale, and the fishermen are determined to kill it.
The Whale God Themes & Keywords
· 44 tags- kaiju
- village
- meiji era
- japan
- black and white
- fisherman
- killed by a whale
- intoxication
- unwanted pregnancy
- whale hunting
- black and white film
- japanese village
+32 more Show fewer
- dead body
- fishing village
- bar
- harpoon
- loss of mother
- horseback riding
- rape
- vengeance
- village elder
- harpooner
- funeral
- critically injured
- loss of brother
- nature horror
- grief
- fistfight
- punched in the face
- whale attack
- obsession
- male female relationship
- drunken man
- whaler
- pregnant woman
- whale
- provoking a fight
- confession
- sea
- 19th century
- kiss
- baby
- revenge
- based on novel
Where to Watch The Whale God
Stream it on Bloodstream and Darkroom, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Bloodstream. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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The Whale God Cast & Characters
Takashi Shimura leads the cast as Village elder, with Kōjirō Hongō as Shaki and Shintarō Katsu as Kishu. Directed by Tokuzō Tanaka; 21 actors are credited in all.
- Director Tokuzō Tanaka
-
Takashi Shimura as Village elder - Kōjirō Hongō as Shaki
- Shintarō Katsu as Kishu
- Shiho Fujimura as Ei
Also Starring in The Whale God
· 17 more- Bontarō Miake
- Kichijirô Ueda
- Reiko Fujiwara Okoma
- Kōji Fujiyama
- Kyōko Enami
- Kanji Kawara
- Chieko Murata
- Chikara Hashimoto
- Kenichi Tani
- Jutarō Hojo
- Kenichi Miyajima
- Michiko Takano Yuki
- Tsuneko Sudō
- Masatoki Sasaki
- Yasushi Sugita
- Yosuke Takemura
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
The Whale God Plot Summary
What happens in The Whale God from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the early Meiji era, a whaling village on Hirado Island endures years of loss as men vanish into the maw of a colossal North Pacific right whale. The village elder, Takashi Shimura, presides over a grim bargain: the man who slays the Whale God will win land, title, and the elder’s daughter Toyo. The widow who raised her sons to avenge their father and grandfather’s deaths sees her elder son die in the hunt, while her younger son, Kōji Hongō as Shaki, rises to become a gifted whaler and the village’s chief harpooner.
Full summary
The whole story of The Whale God, scene by scene
The Whale God Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Whale God.
How Well Do You Know The Whale God?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the village elder's daughter who is promised to the man who kills the Whale God?
The Whale God Also Known As
4 alternative titles, including “Kujira Gami” and “Killer Whale”.
- Also known as
-
- Kujira Gami
- Killer Whale
- Бог китов
- 고래의 신
Seen The Whale God?
Movies Like The Whale God
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Whale Song, Orca and The Sea God.
-
The Whale Song 2023 -
Orca 1977 -
The Sea God 1930 -
Godzilla 1954 -
Whale Rider 2003 -
52-Hertz Whales 2024 -
She Gods of Shark Reef 1958 -
Reigo: King of the Sea Monsters 2008 -
Geharha: The Dark and Long-Haired Monster 2009 -
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep 1966 -
Howl from Beyond the Fog 2019 -
Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep 2006
The Whale God FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, post-credit scenes and language of The Whale God, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Whale God?
The Whale God runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Whale God released?
The Whale God was released on July 15, 1962.
Who directed The Whale God?
The Whale God was directed by Tokuzō Tanaka.
More films by Tokuzō Tanaka Who is in the cast of The Whale God?
The Whale God stars Takashi Shimura as Village elder, Kōjirō Hongō as Shaki and Shintarō Katsu as Kishu, among 21 credited actors.
Where can I watch The Whale God?
In the US, The Whale God is streaming on Bloodstream, Darkroom and Eternal Family and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Bloodstream and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
Does The Whale God have a post-credit scene?
No. The Whale God has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is The Whale God in?
The original language of The Whale God is Japanese.
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