Directed by:
Ishirō HondaScreenplay:
Shinichi SekizawaComposer:
Akira IfukubeCast:
Nick Adams, Akira Kubo, Takamaru Sasaki, Reiko Mori, Toki Shiozawa, Akira Takarada, Jun Tazaki, 水野久美, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenzô Tabu, Hiroo Kirino, Tôru Ibuki (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Aliens from Planet X make an irresistible offer to the people of Earth: let them borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help defeat King Ghidorah, and in return they will provide a cure for all known human disease. But the aliens’ duplicity is soon revealed, as they deploy all three monsters in their quest to conquer Earth. This retro romp, featuring American star Nick Adams, stands as a high point in the Showa Godzilla series. (Criterion)
(more)Videos (1)
Reviews (3)
It's a silly monster movie, but entertaining in its own way, with delightful tricks and the intoxicating smell of rubbish that means well on the viewer. The serious atmosphere of the original film is gone, with Godzilla wallowing as he does a victory dance on Planet X, a stunned Radon kicking his legs like an angry child as he hits his back, the defeated aliens retreating to the future, and a chunk of Japan once again having to recover from an unsolicited visit from a rowdy demolition crew. For how stupid it was, it was really well shot. The fourth star is for Ifukube's amazing music again. ()
7) GODZILLA vs MONSTER ZERO – ORIGINAL SHOWA SERIES 1954-1974. Godzilla in a slightly sci-fi vein. This time, almost all the plot revolves around aliens from Planet X (located near Jupiter) who are being terrorized by King Ghidorah (Monster Zero), a three-headed dragon that shoots rays and destroys everything in its path. In exchange for the instructions for a superdrug for all diseases, the Earthlings "lend" Godzilla and Rodan to the aliens to help them fight a great "historical" battle. Said battle consists of comically throwing rocks at each other, Ghidorah is defeated and Godzilla can start the dance of victory (!). If you're wondering what a dance like that looks like, well: Godzilla jumps, crosses his legs in one jump, one hand slams into his stomach, the other goes to his temple, like a soldier saluting, and on the second jump, the legs and arms switch sides, etc. There are a few more twists and turns in the plot, and eventually the inventor Tetsuo and his device whose sounds paralyze the aliens come into play. If destroying aliens with unpleasant sounds reminds you of something, then yes, you're right: Tim Burton's Mars Attack. All in all: not enough Godzilla, too many aliens and less fun on the creators account. ()
Even though I didn't believe it much, this is another good kaiju film that Honda made in the 1960s. Once again, the connection with an extraterrestrial civilization is functional, and the film has excellent special effects, if we overlook the people in costumes. I really enjoyed it in this regard, and it has a romantic subplot and a lot of destruction - precisely everything a kaiju film should have. ()
Gallery (51)
Photo © Toho Company
Ads