Canon-Strike XIII: Godzilla

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 10 - All Monsters Attack
The next annual release would mark the tenth but also the first real time that reaction to an entry really blew back in the studios face with the film being considered the worst entry up to this point. With a plot involving a kid who befriends Manilla, the son of Godzilla, who is also being bullied by other monsters and together they learn to stand up for themselves.




Is the film the worst of the first ten?

[QualityChimp]

I've always given All Monsters Attack a swerve because of its awful reputation and lame-sounding synopsis.

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 11 - Godzilla vs Hedorah
It would be two years until the next film released and this time the enemy monster was created by pollution. Hedorah is initially easily defeated but is able to absorb pollution to become stronger as it evolves and this is used to attempt to dial up the dramatic stakes from prior films with Godzilla being severely injured and almost defeated. Responses to the film were mixed.




An improvement on the previous film or does it do your hedorah in?

[QualityChimp]

It seems like the Godzilla films I like, I've seen loads, but there's a bunch I've not seen, including Hedorah.

It's an interesting concept and I'm more likely to see it than All Monsters Attack.

Although I love the monster mashups, I definitely appreciate when the environmental aspect is brought in to the discussion.

[CMcK]

Watched Godzilla last night. Still a great film. Lovely transfer on the disc that’s preserved a lot of film grain and little blemishes. Must admit I’d forgotten just how much bureaucracy there is in there which was an aspect of Shin Godzilla people criticised but it was just reflecting the original. The relationship between Emiko, Ogata and Serizawa is a big point but it is kind of underdeveloped. I also see how it influenced other films like Evangelion and maybe even Spielbergs War of the Worlds. When the big G hits Tokyo it’s utter carnage which you see when the Martians attack in WotW.
There’s a smattering of extras on the disc including commentary a documentary on the model work and three interviews from 2011. Plus the American version of the film. Given the age of the film it’s not surprising there isn’t more.

[briareos_kerensky]

Hedorah is an interesting movie, despite the series now trying to pull a Gamera and put obnoxious child characters in a prominent role. Granted, they are nowhere near Gamera levels and in Hedorah the kid isn't as annoying as in other movie, but the series could still deliver tick loads of cheese (that's what the movies from this era are all about) without them.

The eco-message in Hedorah is diluted a bit too much by the psychedelic photography and direction, and I always wonder what went through the director/writer's head with the kitten scene.

All Monsters Attack is dowright terrible, boring and annoying at the same time.

[Brad]

Watched the first Godzilla movie. Loved it! I thought the monster was as done really well about 80% of the time. They shouldn’t have done the close up headshots though and the arms flailed too quickly during the jet strike.

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 12 - Godzilla vs Gigan
Haruo Nakajima's final performance as Godzilla, the next film released in 1972 and wouldn't receive an americanised release for another five years. Still involving alien creatures, cockroach like creatures escape their dying world and plan to colonise Earth. Their plan bizarrely involves taking the form of dead humans in a theme park where a Manga artist discovers their plan. Despite the films title, the intention was to create a film that would bring King Ghidorah back into the fray in an effort to revive the popularity of the franchise.





A return to form?

[QualityChimp]

LOVE Godzilla Vs Gigan, or should I say War of the Monsters!

So, I'd gotten into Godzilla films when Channel 4 were showing them (more later) and I'd come in half way and wanted mooaar!
On holiday in Rhyl, it was either in Be-Wise or Woolworths...



Where I found this absolute gem:



I couldn't believe my luck! I tried to see if they had any other ones, but I was out of luck, it was just this one.

Some of the stuff I love about this is the hokey, but engaging plot.
I mentioned earlier that the best Godzilla films are the ones where you click with the humans too.
There was this ultracool artist guy with massive hair and a leather jacket.
A cool sassy black belt chick trying to find her missing brother.
Then, this guy, always chomping on sweetcorn, so it looks like a phallus.


The two guys trying to build Children's Land seem like a right pair of officious a-holes and what the hell is a 17-year-old doing being able to chart interstellar coordinates, including the orbit of the M Space Hunter Nebula. Hmmm?
"That's very bad"

Love the mystery that unfolds and our hapless manga artist hero getting dragged into a battle of interplanetary proportions!

Love the sets, with Monster Island, Tokyo Bay with flaming chemical plants ablaze and Children's land, with the mint giant mushrooms and Godzilla Tower.





The monsters got a whole load of personality in this one, too.
Gigan and King Ghidora taunting Godzilla and Gigan to attack, G blowing them a victory kiss as they flee, at one point (in my version) G actually talks to Gigan!

Best is the moment where Godzilla clocks the doppelganger of himself and bangs his head to check he's not dreaming.
(can't find a gif)

So all of this adds up to one of my fave G-Films because it's so bonkers, loads of great sets and a big ol' tag-team mashup at the end.

As for my first pic, that's a little Godzilla Diorama that sits on my desk at work as I love the suit in that film.

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 13 - Godzilla vs Megalon
Godzilla and Gigan return but this time with Megalon and the mech Jet Jaguar. The latter character came about as a result of a kids competition and this entry was put together as a last minute replacement for a cancelled project meaning that it entered production without a complete script. As a result it was filmed in a very short time and repurposed stock footage from prior entries. The final film scored bad reviews but is one of the most seen entries in the line up.




A Mega entry?

[QualityChimp]

OK, so here it is, my favourite Godzilla film.

I mentioned at the start of the thread that your entry point to shows and films is what gets you into them and will always heart them, like Bond or Dr. Who.

For me, there was a kid in the year above at school whom I really got on with and on the bus to school, in between him enthusing about Wendy James from Transvision Vamp or Ozric Tentacles, we'd chat about how brilliant Vic Reeves' Big Night Out was. It was like nothing we'd seen before and it didn't tell many jokes, just had repeating catchphrases and characters.

However, he also told me to start watching the Godzilla series that was shown on Channel 4 after it, so that Friday, I duly set my VHS to record both Vic Reeves and the film after - Godzilla Vs. Megalon.

I started watching it the following morning and my mind was blown. I only got half-way through before I had to go to the Saturday youth group I attended and I remember enthusiastically telling the bemused leader about the plot so far.

I loved everything about it and I watched it repeatedly for yeeears.
It was part of the C4 Creature Feature series and I can still hear the presenter's words as she says (over the classic C4 theme) "...and now on 4, a lesson to us all about letting off nuclear devices, where you shouldn't..."


Monotonal voice:
"In the first part of 1971, on a small island near the Aleutians, the second underground nuclear explosion took place. THIS is what happened"
Cue loads of explosions.
"The effects of the explosions were widespread, even on faraway Monster Island in the South Pacific."
Cue titles and trombone-lead theme tune!

(BTS photo of Monster Island)


We then cut to our heroes, testing a new dolphin pedalo invention, which is quite possibly the worst form of water transport ever invented, when the lake starts draining. (complete with tiny pedalo model)


One of the things I love about this is the characters are all great and there's a mystery to solve.
Who are those two thugs that turn up and why do they have sand on their shoes that can only be found on Easter Island?!

Jet Jaguar is my boy. Robotic automaton following commands until he needs to step up and help Godzilla against the tag-team threat of Megalon and Gigan.

The Godzilla model is my favourite because it has that great "cat" design and it looks like a head, rather than eyeholes in the neck:

->Open Spoiler<-

Megalon is a great enemy! To be fair, the citizens of Seatopia deserve their revenge for all the nuclear testing destroying their undersea kingdom, but he's got a great skillset from flight to laser antler to deadly drill hands.

There were some re-used footage from other films (I remember pausing the tape to see Gigan's claws, not Megalon's drills smashing the jet fighters) but to dismiss it outright is a folly!



Special Effects Directed by Teruyoshi Nakano put together some amazing sets and effects, with Megalon's rampage, smashing bridges and a dam being particularly spectacular:






By the time we get to the finale and Jet Jaguar has fended off the evil kaiju and teamed up with Godzilla to save the day, we've seen fire, explosions, and loads of great wrestling moves.

All that is left is to sing Jet Jaguar's theme!

I get why some people don't like it and it's the pinnacle of camp for the series, but it's what got me into kaiju films and I bloody love it.

Ultimately, I don't really care if people don't like it, it's brought me joy for decades and for that, I'm eternally grateful to Jet Jaguar, Godzilla and their human friends.


I don't have much tat from this film, despite it being my fave. The Jet Jaguar figures are either inhumanely expensive or unposeable junk.

I do, however, have this amazing Microman pack!
You put these little outfits on the figures to become Megalon and Jet Jaguar.

[briareos_kerensky]

I've made myself clear about this movie before and I haven't changed my mind since then...one of the weakest entries, the plot in Gigan was as cheesy but more bearable. It's clear this wasn't meant to be a Godzilla movie because there's very little Godzilla in it, and way too much Kenny.

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 14 - Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
A concept so ridiculous it would never be used in a US made Godzilla movie... right?
A prophecy states that a black cloud will emerge and a monster will destroy the Earth which shortly is followed by a cloud appearing and a now normally peaceful Godzilla going on a rampage. The destruction continues until another Godzilla appears and during their battle the destructive one is revealed to be a mechanised fake. With Godzilla and the monster King Caesar ultimately coming together to unite and battle the space metal, alien origined Mechagodzilla. Despite the fame of the new robo-monster, the film didn't attract back missing audience numbers earning enough for the franchise to continue though.




Did this entry mecha your day?

[QualityChimp]

I've made myself clear about this movie before and I haven't changed my mind since then...one of the weakest entries, the plot in Gigan was as cheesy but more bearable. It's clear this wasn't meant to be a Godzilla movie because there's very little Godzilla in it, and way too much Kenny.

No that's perfectly acceptable.
I think it's good there are so many G-films, that quite often reinvent the character, so there's plenty to choose from.
That's why I was looking forward to this thread and hearing what people like about them.

I never planned to change your mind, just explain why I love it and nothing can change that!

Found someone put up the Megalon commentary that came with the Media Blasters DVD, from a couple of Godzilla book authors that actually love the series, including Steve Ryfle (author of Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of Godzilla) & Stuart Galbraith IV (author of Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo), although if memory serves, Ryfle is less than complimentary about the film in his book!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo18EoH0T2s

EDIT: we should say if we have any books!

Also, Megalon has boobs in it.
It's one of those things you pick up on from repeated watching, but there are two lorry drivers and in their cab is a pin-up!


The version they showed on C4 was definitely uncut as there a few "go to hell" and a bit of blood and a guy gets crushed.

[QualityChimp]

So I came to Terror of Mechagodzilla first, because that's what C4 showed, but finally managed to track down Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla, which wasn't as easy to do, back in the VHS days!

This has so many great moments, I love it.
Everyone is really confused as to why Godzilla is being a city-stomping dick after he was a hero to mankind before.
Even his bezzie, Anguiras, is fighting with him!
That whole sequence is great where "Godzilla" is just smashing on a tower block, then punting Anguiras into a bridge - just excellent models!


He then goes on to mash up Tokyo as the sun sets, and there's a classic sequence where he's just blowing up a chemical plant with those spherical storage tanks and there are flames everywhere, but he senses movement and another Godzilla appears! "Two Godzillas?! What does it mean?!"
The two duke it out (to more explosions) only for a glint of metal to be revealed under the evil Godzilla's skin! Godzilla blasts him again and sparks fly out:


The jig is up and the Black Hole Planet 3 Alien leader curses Godzilla, whilst nonchalantly chomping on a cigar, confident that Godzilla is still outmatched by Mechagodzilla and flips a switch revealing it wasn't Godzilla but a cybernetic facsimile!


Then, in a sequence that cinema was probably invented for, we see the true form of Mechagodzilla from his missile toes, to his monogrammed torso to his rotating missile hands to his laser eyes!




All of this is by the 30 minute mark, so there's another hour of monster fighting, prophecy fulfilling and evil alien chuckling.

King Caesar is a bit lame, to be honest, but at least he helps Godzilla when outnumbered by the sheer onslaught of Mechagodzilla's weaponry. I love the bit where MGZ is just blasting the good guys so much he just disappears behind a wall of smoke!


There's a bit of a lull in the third quarter as we resolve the human issues, but as soon as MGZ blasts off from his bunker we get the final showdown, finishing with Godzilla using the magnetic powers he gained from getting hit by lightning to stop MGZ taking off, so he can get close-quarters and just pull his animatronic head clean off!



There's no denying Mechagodzilla is one of the toughest enemies Godzilla faces and I didn't like it in the later films where he becomes a hero built by the humans. I prefer it when he's an evil bast, controlled by gorilla-faced aliens, hell-bent on ruling the Earth.

Side note:
Does anyone remember Vidz on C4? They had a monster series showing a few choice Godzilla fims.
Here are the intros:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8BB67CA6B9B7A267