giantdevilfish

This movie was so out there it's not even funny. Producer Tanaka said that director Banno "ruined the series" with this film, but I can't see how. This movie featured a cool new Kaiju, lot's of human death, gruesome fight scenes and freaky music. Throw in bizarre closeups and camera angles, animation (featuring Hedorah drinking from an oil tanker), bizarre visuals (such as a crying baby sitting in Hedorah muck, and the refusal of a blob of Hedorah to eat a cat in a dance-club), and hippies playing electric instruments out in a field. This movie had it all. It's the fact that this wasn't your run-of-the-mill Godzilla film from that time-period such as the typical Kaiju tag-teams, like GODZILLA VS GIGAN and GODZILLA VS MEGALON that followed, that makes it standout.

Hedorah is one of the more funkier of Godzilla's opponents. he likes to suck out the smoke from factory smokestacks, defecate on Godzilla (TWICE), laughs sadistically when he puts a hurting on Godzilla, and has a pention for spraying sulfuric mist that melts people into skeletons.

Godzilla on the other hand acts like a buffoon constantly wiping his mouth in battle. He also takes a beating in this movie. His hand is dissolved to the bone, his eye is burnt out, his skin get's burned by Hedorah's acid. He looks like a mess by the time the film ends.

Despite all these cool and freaky things, one thing tends to ruin this movie in most people's eyes.......GODZILLA FLIES!!!!!!! Still I think that if you can forgive that horrible campy scene near the end, you'll find yourself enjoying this movie especially after a night of drinking.

This was the first blend of aliens and monsters in the Godzilla series and what a blast it was. Some people put this movie down mainly because the monster action is so limited. But, the engaging story about deceptions and doublecrosses from space, tragic love and fun characters (American actor Nick Adams gives this film a fun dynamic with his energetic performances) make the minimal monster action a non-factor.

Watch as a hibernating Godzilla and Rodan are abducted by aliens from beyond the moon.

See Godzilla give Ghidrah a flying tackle and dance the night away after his victory on Planet X

Marvel at the monster mayhem, and watch as Rodan carries Godzilla through the air and slams him into Ghidrah.

And keep an eye out for the best shot of the film near the climax. When Godzilla wakes up a fallen King Ghidrah (via a kicked boulder) and Rodan (via a tail slam), watch the extreme close-up of Rodan's face after he awakens. If you ever wanted to see Rodan look stoned, here's your chance.

All this makes this film one of the best of the Godzilla sequels!!

I still don't understand why G-fans feel that this particular Godzilla suit was the best of the series?? Not only was it too skinny (taking away any sense of power), but his upper lip quivered the entire movie, and he had those stupid giant eyebrow ridges! This suit by far paled in comparison to the earlier suit from King Kong VS Godzilla! Utterly overrated!

Anyway, this film is one of the best of the series. I give TOHO credit for making a giant moth and two giant caterpillars credible foes for the great Godzilla. Realistically Godzilla should have wiped the floor with these big bugs (I mean come on! A moth is such a fragile creature). But TOHO makes it work by making Mothra a magical creature, punctuated by the tiny fairies who speak in unison that are her priestesses as well as her island of worshippers. You feel sadness when an aging near-death Mothra dies defending her egg against Godzilla's onslaught and cheer when her two babies score the big upset victory over Godzilla at the end scoring the win for the underdog.

Also the militarys battles against Godzilla are some of the best in the series. Everything from artificial lightning, to giant electrified nets, to the US navy getting involved with mighty frontier missiles. And none could stop Godzilla.

While not the best of the original series sequels(as most G-Fans will have you believe) it certainly is a gem and is a deserved classic.

Keep an eye out for Godzilla falling into Osaka castle, and dig that freaky turtle skeleton on Mothra's Island.