Reviews (10)

My Childhood Terror
This movie still haunts me today. I cannot look at a drain in a shower without horror and still fear a damp dark night. When I saw this movie as a child I could not sleep for months. The creepy rainy nights, innocent people dissolving into nothing and the terror of radiation. This is a 50's classic that all Sci Fi lovers would enjoy as a glimpse from the past.

Beautiful Women & the Hydrogen man
This movie is a well recommended "CLASSIC", from Japan combining 2 destinct styles of film:'the classic monster movie & tough crime drama(Film Noir)'. From the opening scene where the doomed thug(Misaki), fresh from breaking into a postal repository, encountering the monster and being dissolved for his trouble, we are made aware that something quite extrodinary has happened(all that are left is his clothing, and other personal items, the film becomes at first a police mystery, We are introduced to Police Inspector Tominaga as he examines Misaki's personal effects. Of course, this is merely the warm up for what is to come: I.E. standard police fare of checking known criminal associates, some of whom will also end up victims of the H-Man. We are then introduced to the true hero of the film: Dr. Misada. Misada is a close personal friend of Insp. Tominaga, and gives us the solution to Misaki's disappearance, Which is of course viewed with disbelief and skeptisism in the face of hard evidence. Futhermore, a glimpse of a Tokyo newspaper shows more strange disappearances are being reported. A sense of uneasiness begins to build: Chikako Arare(Misaki's Girlfriend) is assaulted in her apartment by another thug looking for Misaki, and who promtly pays for that indiscretion with his life, being attacked and dissolved, after climbing down from Ms Arare's balcony. The shocked look, of the detective keeping Ms. Arare under surveillance is one for the books, as he discovers yet another set of empty clothing in the street below. By this time the numerous disappearances are becoming too much for the police to ignore. Dr. Misada encourages Insp. Tominaga to talk with 2 men who are dying of radiation poisoning in the hospital that he works at. They relate in one of most frightning scenes, of how their ship encountered a strange derelic 'Ghost' ship, How they boarded the deserted ship, finding no signs of life, How they searched the ship finally coming to the captains quarters and discovering the ships log, and how they barely escaped with their lives as the H-Man attacked and dissolved the comrades. This too is viewed with disbelief until a deadly encounter at a bar/ganster hangout with the H-Man changes Tominaga's skeptisim to belief. The police and scientist, then band together to destroy the menace. Production values were kept high, and the eye popping dissolving scenes which frightened me as a child and viewed today are still quite powerful. Casting for all roles in the film are a cut above. And above all is Inoshiro Honda's directing. His skillful use lighting, special effects and backround music, coupled with a good script, and the skillful intercutting of both crime elements and monsterous encounters make this film a highly recommended for late night scarefest's.

Can a human vapor get gas?
There are many, radically different versions of this film. This is the one to get.

The one entitled The Human Vapor is not.

Old Nightmares
Back in the mid 60's in Knoxville, Tennessee, the first cinemascope theater opened. To fill the seats on Saturday mornings the owners struck a deal with Shoney's Big Boy; bring the toothpick from a Big Boy Burger and ten cents, and you'll see a Three Stooges movie, two episodes from the 40's Batman serial, and a feature film. On one such visit, at age seven, I viewed The H Man for the first time. For three years I couldn't fall asleep at night because I kept imagining the glistening, icy-blue goo creeping up the corners of my bedroom wall and across the ceiling, gathering above my bed, preparing to drip down, disolving me into a mass of jelly. Needless to say, I feel that this film is an atmospheric gem. The fact that the writers don't depend solely on special effects and that there is a parallel story line involving Tokyo's criminal underground (and literally the Tokyo sewar system) sinks the viewer even more deeply into its slimy atmosphere. We can only hope that someday the H Man shows up on DVD.

Japanese Blob was Pretty Cool in 1959
When this movie was first released, during the heyday of the Japanese monster movie dubbed imports, I wasn't allowed to go and see it, but I was in the theater for some really cool previews of the Eastman-Color green blob that could slip through air ducts and then reconstitute into the form of a transparent "man." The best part was the way he dissolved people down to a puddle, leaving their hair and clothes intact. In fact, in the theater lobby in our town there was a display of an "H-Man victim" -- which was a toupee lying on a pile of clothes atop an empty pair of shoes.

How neat for a kid my age! Not only that, the first 50 or so attendees at the box office were actually given an H-Man toy -- I never did find out whether that was a glob of Silly Putty or some kind of green "action figure." Anyway, I had to wait until I found it on video many, many years later to see whole thing through. And it is very much as described by the other reviewers -- a nice little movie with a better plot than some other Japanese imports, about a crime wave of dissolved people perpetrated by "things unknown" that leave a mess of "EC-inspired" shoes, clothes and hair. Along with RODAN, THE MYSTERIANS and BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE, this is among the better imports of its day. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

one of the best
Mechagodzilla is one of my favorite opponents for his namesake, simple in design but packing massive firepower he has also drawn plenty of blood. This is one of the bloodier Godzilla movies, Anguirus bleeds from his mouth before retreating and the might King of Monsters sprays arterial blood after a strafing pass. Godzilla's suit was nicely done for this film with a detailed face, it offsets King Seesar's somewhat comical "angry dog" look. The "Aliens from the Third Planet of the Black Hole: Outer Space" are my least favorite of the series. Plenty of action and monsters offset the rather groovy musical score as well. Overall "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla" is a great movie, creating a memorable opponent and a welcome addition to any collection.

Greatest Godzilla Film Everrrrrrrrrrrrr!
This is a great Big G film he battles his evil mechanical cyborg Mechagodzilla created by ape aliens(which was silly,the ape Aliens!)and disguises himself as Godzilla and Anguis arrives and makes the jappanese people confused becusase Godzilla and Anguris are freinds then the real Godzilla appaers and proves Mechagodzilla theres only room for one Godzilla in this world but Godzilla sadly loses that part and everything seems calm until Mechagodzilla strikes again and the Okinawain girl runs and sings a beuatiful jappanese song and awakens the Ancient savior monster King Cesar and then later on Godzilla appaers and makes himself a magnetic force,that's all I want to tell you I don't wan't to give the rest of this charming Godzilla movie whenever I watch it my eyes are glued to the TV I couldn't stop watching it becuase how good this movie is if you hate or dislike this movie Grrrrrrrrrrr to you and if you hate Godzilla watch this movie it will make you smile!And great music and finally a person singing not at the Credits but in the movie during it,it is a great thing to watch this charming,classic and also amazing movie,the fire looks real great special effects!

Pros.
.Great Sound Effects!
.Great choose of monsters.
.Great Special Effects!
.Fire looks real!
.Great monster battles and scenes!
.Will make you grin every time you watch it!

Cons
.Aliens are apes!
.Aliens from the Black Hole!

Which one has more Pros or Cons?
Pros so that means I would always give it 5 Stars!

NO MATCH FOR MECHAGODZILLA
This movie is one my favorite godzilla movies of all time.Talking about a good challenge I mean Mechagodzilla is godzilla ultimate rilvary in my opinion.This has a lot of monster action and mechagodzilla has alot of firing power that is hardly unbelieveable.We introdue King Seesar a guardian of the
people that really has no special skills except reflect.But godzilla is really cool but that costume was really lame he looks
to much like a puppy.but overal this G flick rocks.

An Amazing Way To Celebrate G's 20th!
This is one of the better G-films. The story is Godzilla appears in the mountains and heads to Tokyo. On the the way he fights Anguirus. Some Prof. thinks it's strange Godzilla is fighting his most trusted ally. Before Gojira kills Anguirus, Anguirus lets out a final cry. Now Godzilla raids Japan. Meanwhile, something hears Anguirus's roar and comes to avenge his death. And unbelievably, it's GODZILLA!?!?!? As the two kings battle it out the Prof. sees space metal on the first Godzilla where the second one blew off skin. I won't tell you the rest because it would spoil the rest of the film. The battles are great and plot is not half bad. This was actually made to celebrate Godzilla's 20th birthday. It also shows King Ceasar, an ancient god that tries to protect his homeland from the evil heard in the prophecies(wich is mainly the plot of the whole movie).

The Best Of The Rest!
This Godzilla movie is one of the Best Of the rest!When a phony Godzilla attacks Tokyo Anguris comes to battle the phony version of his pal!Then Anguris loses and Godzilla comes to the rtescue taring the phony Godzilla suit off of the clone who turns out to be a mechanical version of Godzilla controled by aliens of the third planet!The robot's name is Mechagodzilla!Then a beuatiful princess named Nami wakes the gardian monster King Seesar up to help Godzilla well she succseeds and Godzilla and Seesar team up to destroy Mechagodzilla which they do!But I'm not going to tell you any more about this great Godzilla movie becuase I want you to be suprised!Not unsurprised! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

A big load of bad
It's been a long time since I've watched a good chop-sokky flick, so last night I rented Jet Li's Contract Killer. Apparently, it was his last Hong Kong movie. Until now, I thought Jet Li's Hong Kong films are vastly superior to his North American ones.

My opinion has been altered a bit.

In general, his Hong Kong flicks are better. Contract Killer, however, is a big load of bad. I will give the benefit of the doubt, though. I watched a dubbed version (why are dubbed movies always so incredibly awful?), so perhaps part of the problem was the translation. There were many places in the film where character reactions and plot points really made no sense at all. This could have been because of horrific dubbing and translation. I'm sure it's much more watchable in Cantonese.

Nonetheless, even barring the translation barrier, this film had several strikes against it. First of all, what was with the camera work? One of the cameras had a badly-scuffed lens, and black scratch marks distracted me from quite a few scenes. Also, the big fight in the elevator shaft was so dark that I really didn't have a clue what was going on. I had no idea who was hitting who, or how.

Next, the story (as in most martial arts flicks) was pretty silly. This one seemed to be an Asian knock-off of The Boondock Saints, right down to the name of the mysterious vigilante (The King of Killers) and his over-the-top appearance during a hit (like in The Boondock Saints, he appeared from the ceiling hanging by his feet from a rope with guns blazing).

Fu's (Jet Li's character) motivations seemed blatantly artificial, as well. He's a poor ex-soldier from China who has promised to buy his mother a big mansion. He decides to come to Hong Kong to become a hitman, yet his people-loving ways mean he doesn't want to hurt anyone.

As a minor point, yet one which did distract me many times throughout the film, Jet Li has an AWFUL case of acne. In most movies, the makeup people will do a half-way decent job of covering up blemishes, but it looks like no one bothered even trying for this movie. Jet Li has an amazing crop of blackheads and whiteheads. His face looks like a horrible pizza. Poor guy. And poor me, when I keep thinking, "Pop it, already!" during closeups of the pus-filled bumps on his neck and cheeks. Eeeurgh.

On the plus side, the fight scenes that were visible (like the climactic end scene) are solid. I was pleased to see a dearth of wire tricks. I really prefer movies with unadulterated martial arts. It really showcases the actors' abilities.

More Jet Li...That Can't Be Bad
God's hitman. That is how people describe a killer who has been eliminating rich bad guys for little or no fee. It seems one particular bad guy covered himself pretty well, establishing a super fund that pays off to anyone who finds his would-be killer, a smart form of insurance. Fu (Jet Li) and the "Crocodile Man" (Eric Tsang) join in the hunt, and the story goes from there.

Surprisingly enough, this is a very complete movie in terms of emotions; it's not all shoot, kill and kick. Crocodile Man Tsang steals the movie, pulling off a convincing con man who manages to convice Fu that he needs an agent. His acting verges on overkill, but his portrayal of a betrayed, repentant father, a hardened ex-killer, a fearful target and a saddened friend all invite the viewer to share in his emotions. Actress/Singer (aren't they all?) Gigi Leung provides a pretty face for the movie, and actually adds a dimension to the personalities of Li and Tsang's characters.

Jet Li's acrobatics are showcased not only for fighting; the opening sequence shows him weaving in and out of traffic and pedestrians to retrieve some change that had dropped through a hole in his pants. He is also asked to beat up some restaurant patrons to prove to Tsang that he is worthy of the job. His skills are also showcased in escape scenes, more protective roles, and even ice skating--not your usual Jet Li fare. His portrayal of a broke, extremely selective "killer" is both hilarious and frightening when it needs to be.

The fight scenes are on the same level as Bodyguard From Beijing or The Master, not quite Fist of Legend or Twin Warriors (Tai Chi Master) good, considering that the last two were kung fu heavy. It's a much more rounded film, where the light-hearted moments contrast nicely with the darker fight scenes.

Watch this in Chinese to get the full range of Tsang's vocal gyrations and swearing. Highly recommended for any kung fu collection.

Jet, what were you doing in this?
Jet Li as a contrac killer? Come on! The reason why this movie isn't that famous is because it pretty much sucks. It's just a shootem up bang bang type of movie. No realy kung fu here.

The King of Killer Kung Fu
In Jet Li's final Hong Kong film before he starred in "Lethal Weapon 4", he plays Fu, a former soldier and martial arts expert living in Hong Kong with four roommates while trying to support his mother. To be sure, he's NOT dirt poor, but he's still can't afford to let money fall out of his pocket and roll into oncoming traffic.

Fu knows there's big money in bounty hunting, and he get's his shot at it when a Japanese buissiness man/crime boss is executed by the legendary "King of Killers", a self-employed assassin who murders only rich bad guys. The dead guy knew he had a lot of foes on both sides of the law, and set up a "revenge fund" of a whoppin' $100 million to strike back from the grave.

The murder victim's grandson, Eiji Tsukumoto, just covets the massive reward, but Fu needs some dough as well, and partners up with an "agent" named Norman Lu (Eric Tsang), to find the King of Killers.

Easily one of the best of Jet Li's later Hong Kong flicks, CONTRACT KILLER (called HITMAN in Hong Kong) provides some of the best non-wire-fu martial arts scenes I've seen, particular the scenes where Jet Li is paired with a chopsocky adversary with rings and shoes that emit flashy lights to confuse his opponents. Now There's something you don't see everyday.

Sat sau ji wong
The original, Cantonese, title of this film is 'Sat sau ji wong'.

Also known as: 'King of Assassins' (1998), 'The Hitman'(1998) and 'Contract Killer'(2002).

This film is in many ways similiar to other HK action drama films however it does have a more unique premise: an aging Japanese corporate magnate and WW II veteran (he boasts of raping Chinese women) is assassinated by a mysterious hitman in black. This hitman, known as the King of Killers, is infamous for both his skill in killing as well as not accepting any payment for targeting people of rather suspect morality to kill.

The Japanese corporate director has established a special Revenge Fund which will pay $100,000,000 (USD) to whoever tracks down his killer.

Fu (Jet Li) is a mainlander in Hong Kong doing errands for a minor triad boss when he comes hears about the Revenge Fund and subsequently comes across Mr. Nor (Eric Tsang) a hustler who takes Fu for a skilled killer and decides to be his agent. He is really trying to cheat Fu out of most of the reward money.

The Japanese director's grandson Eiji (Keiji Sato) is out seeking revenge for his grandfather as well as greedy for the reward.

Kwan (Simon Yam) is the CID inspector who is also tracking down the mysterious King of Killers. Which itself has irony, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the film ;-)

The plot develops as the principal characters above interact in a frantic race to find the King Of Killers.

This was Jet Li (Mandarin name is Li Lian Jie) last Hong Kong film (1998) before he moved on to greater paydays in Hollywood.

I prefer Jet Li's earlier films but this movie had a certain charm to it even though some plot elements were rather formulaic and charcter development was at times only 2 dimensional (Eiji in particular is portrayed rather over-the-top) while others are under developed (KiKi - Nor's daughter). I prefer Simon Yam's performances with Chow Yun Fat though he certainly did a good job in this film.

On a positive note the ending of this film has a nice twist to it. For those not accustomed to watching Hong Kong action/police films you may be a bit shocked by the level of violence. For example in a shoot out scene in a children's amusement park in the film there is a rather high body count as people are shot almost at random in a melee of gunfire. While it is a bit diturbing to see such levels of violence without proper context you must understand that there are different cultural moors at work in HK cinema. Many in the East would be similarly disturbed by the explicit sexual content of many Western films. So try not to let that sour you when watching this film.

Overall I recommend this movie, there is some well done sentimental moments buried inside the action. As a caveat I urge you to NOT buy the dubbed version. Instead, get the original version in Cantonese (with some Japanese) with English subtitles distributed by Tai Seng Video Marketing Inc. at www.taiseng.com

Zach ... Read more

Reviews (85)

The Monster Flic of All Time
There is none better. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is for the spliced-in Raymond Burr scenes to "Americanize" the story. I have a VHS copy of the original JAPANESE ONLY release, not shown in the U.S. That versin is longer, the scenes are in different order and the story takes on a whole new look, focusing more on the characters. Oh for a DVD of that version!

That aside, this is the film by which I judge all 'creature features'. You forget the monster is a man in a rubber suit, stomping around a miniature set. The black & white photography, the attention to lighting details make this a winner all around.
I feel guilty for being sad at the end as Godzilla dies, but that's just how the story pulls you in. The 1995 movie of the same name was an insult to this near-masterpiece.

Godzilla Lives!
----As a note the American version of the DVD was edited a lot, and raymond burr was added in, the uncut version (Which I hear will be out on DVD some time soon) was a lot more dramatic, or at least for a country that at the time was still living in a post nuclear bombing phase. ----
Wow it sure is amazing. When I was kid back in 94 and beyond we would be watching dubbed tapes of Godzilla VS the Sea monster and other things, and let me tell you, those were great times. BUT I never got the cahcne to watch to classic motion picture "Godzilla: King of the monsters" till recently.

Now at the time this film came out, it was amazing, because at the time there were no computers, or anything to really do any amazing special effects, with that said and done everything actually looks pretty good, even though you can tell what millitary veichles and cars were models, everything is actually kind of conving. And for Japan this was kind of a hard movie to swallow, in the origanal version there were scenes when a mother held her child and said "Its okay, we will be with daddy soon." before Godzilla crushed them. Many scenes like that were edited or removed, and if you notice there is a scene on a train where people are laughing, but what they cut out was when a woman said "I survived the (I forgot what the city was called) bombing." and some guy laughed and said "Then you wont surive this." momets before Godzilla picked up the train and ate it (which is one of the MOST popular Godzilla images, Godzilla with that train in his mouth) It was probably very hard for the Japanese people to stomach seeing a monster spawned out of nuclear testing destroying their city, so shortly after millions died from atomic bombings.

One beef I have, is that sense the film was in black and white it was some times hard to see Godzilla during the night shots (That or my TV had low contrast or something). And the whole Raymond Burr thing.

But let me tell you, With the deep soundtrack (You can hear the original versions of many rememberal Godzilla songs here) and other things you seem to have a real sense of terror when Godzilla destroys the cities.

Overall I would suguest this film highly, even though it is in fact edited (Almost 30 minutes were removed, and 20 minutes added with Raymond burr) from the Japanese version, it is still a good watch, and afterthe uncut editon comes out, it will be interesting to have the "Old American" version. (I think they were going to put that on dvd, wernt they?)

It's been 50 Years - Retire the Round-Eye Version!
I won't claim this is a movie review - everything said previously about the glorious original Japanese version (which I have as a VHS dub from laser disc) is true.
For the 50th anniversary of "Gojira," and with the original film making the rounds of specialty theaters in a new 35mm print described as "beautiful," it's time to retire the "Steve Martin" farce of the Raymond Burr version once and for all. Then maybe we can concentrate on the REPEAT Steve Martin farce from "Gojira 1985," a film which I must say is every bit forgettable except as it elements from it have recurred at Toho Studio's occasional whim.

This is the WRONG Godzilla
I recently saw the ORIGINAL Godzilla released in 1954, which was directed by I. Honda. The AMERICAN version has"cut out" critical footage to make the film "lacking in writing and direction" by Terry Morse. This version is a rock solid lack of truth, because of the failure of Hollywood to "leave it alone".
All reading this review should see the original and not purchase the 1956 version which has been "cut to ribbons"
The film because of Hollywood is a disaster, and should be avoided at all costs

Godzilla or the U.S.
Obviously the U.S. appears to be a gigantic radioactive monster in this movie. It was what they potray the U.S. to be at that time, and I would have to agree with that.

Gojira rocks! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

It's a Bird...it's a plane...it's RODAN
Actually its TWO (2) Rodans! Kenji Sahara leads the cast of Toho stalwarts in battle against GODZILLA's main competitor in Japanese monster mash film lore. The result is pretty good. First the movie is in color. Second, like the original Godzilla, it's sort of a pterodacyl didactic. That is: a monster morality/anti-BOMB fable. RODAN opens with stock footage of Los Alamagordo weapon's test. Then it shows the classic Bikini Atoll H-bomb blast.( Rodan is vengeful Nature's freak fruit of mankind's atomic loom) Third, judicious employment of Toho "Monsters-are-Us" models and miniature military accouterment (missiles; rocket launchers; jeeps, jets and toy soldiers)contrive to make RODAN's FX and "battle scenes" enjoyably realistic...or at least not "hokey-in-the-sky-with diamonds". The touch of RODAN and mate (2 Rodans for the price of 1) succumbing "together" adds what would now play as PC-environmental pathos: BAD MAN...GOOD RODAN! The Rodan himself comes-on like a mach-3 SR-71 Blackbird (complete with jet contrail). Its thunderball jetwash wrecks havoc like a living tornado; flattening buildings, bridges, and blowing countless, hapless extras off to OZ. RODAN is no Godzilla(King Kong or Gorgo). But it is fun 50's sci-fi monster stuff that used to play well at drive-ins or matinee. With today's hyped-up Jurassic Park raptors vengefully devouring viewers hungry for hysterical pre-historics, RODAN is unpretentious adventure in cool Creature Feature.

Rodan: The Horror of Claustrophobia
When audiences watch RODAN, they tend to view the movie as a companion piece to GODZILLA. In both films, Tokyo is squashed flat by outsized dinosaurs. True, both do that, but they differ in one critical respect. In GODZILLA, the monster makes its appearance fairly early on, so that the audience is carried along to view the destruction with the creature as the dramatic center. In contrast, the first half of RODAN, presents much smaller monsters--huge 'insects'--that Rodan will later eat. These insects are presented as living in a series of dark and damp watery tunnels that call to mind the claustrophobia that Ridley Scott would later employ in ALIEN. Several innocent miners and police officers are killed and devoured. The hero saves himself only to face one of the truly scariest of images in all of the horror genre, the gigantic egg from which a fully developed Rodan will emerge. The shock on his face nearly drives him insane. The shock within me was not much less. The destruction of Rodan and his mate are nearly anti-climactic, and fill the audience with a strange sense of loss that these flying creatures, despite their lethality, yet possessed their own innate sense of life and beauty. If nothing else, RODAN forces the audience to question the killing of animals only for following their natural instincts. Thus, RODAN is one of a rare breed of monster movies; it causes you to ponder the movie long after the monsters have bitten the dust.

Best Monster Debut
Rodan is my favorite kaiju. This movie is defintly one of the best!Rodan was the first movie of this genre to be filmed in color.Rodan had good special effects as well.It was nicely dubbed and had a great story.Rodan looked better in this than any other movie he starred in.Rodan could fly,walk,and swim. Rodan can fly at supersonic speed and emit an energy blast! I won't tell you how they kill him so get this DVD as soon as possible.

As Good As Godzilla
"Rodan" is frequently compared to studio-mate Godzilla in many ways. I think that "Rodan" is at least as well made and in some ways superior to any of the Godzilla films. For starters it is in color, which was a bit rare for a film made in 1956; furthermore, the color is vibrant and well preserved in this modern print. The acting is better than most of the Toho films, as is the script. The biggest difference is the sets, with the "Rodan" sets far and away more realistic looking than the Godzilla counterparts. The blending of real shots and miniatures is far above average for a film of this age as well. The 'bridge' set featured near the end of the film is probably the best miniature set in the history of Toho productions.

Rodan is a message movie, and, of course, cautions us about the use of nuclear weapons. The use of these weapons causes first the release of some just plain wacky looking caterpillar monsters, followed by two Rodans. The Rodans terrorize Japan until eventually they are engulfed by a man made volcanic eruption, in one of the best endings in any of the films of this genre.

Of all the Toho monster films, I think that "Rodan" is my favorite. Buy it today and see what monster movies are supposed to look like!

Classic Kaiju
Now, This flm, Rodan was the first movie to consist of the famous Rodan monster. and was also the first Toho Kaiju (Giant Monster) film to feature Color Video.

Rodan all begins when several miners are found dead, and then suddenly GIANT FREAKY monsters appear in the town, this all leads up to the hatching of Rodan, the giant prehistoric flying dinosaur, that is so big, when it flaps its wings it is propeled forward so fast it creates a sonic boom.

The film itself features a lot of human dialog, and there are not many Monster VS Monster battles, but we do get to see some interesting destruction scenes.

Without spoling anyone I would say that the ending was sort of cheap.

Overall would I sugguest Rodan to people? Yes, but not as much casual fans as fans deeper into the Giant Monster stuff. But if you like classics, and think you would like like a Giant Prehistoric bird flying around killing planes and sonic booming cities, then you probably will like this film ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Brought tears to my eyes...
This movie was absolutely excellent. It is undoubtedly the BEST of the newer Heisei series of Godzilla films. This video features awesome music by Akira Ifukube, Godzilla films' musical master (I especially liked Mechagodzilla's theme music), the return of both BabyGodzilla and Rodan (actually Radon), and of course a great new look for the Big G. Mechagodzilla definitely steals the show. He is a much better installation than the 70's version (ick) and literally whips ... until destroyed by Godzilla's more powerful heat beam. Rodan is awesome in the beginning and the battle between him and Godzilla is great too. BabyGodzilla is a million times better than the old one (Minya) and looks much more like Godzilla than he ever did. Godzilla's new suit is somewhat larger and the head is smaller. The eyes were also given a golden hue and the puppet of his head expresses true emotion. The acting is great also. Overall, great music and stunning special effects collide to produce an excellent daikaiju fighting movie that is considered by MANY, MANY fans to be the absolute best of the entire Godzilla series.

this is a Godzilla movie!!!
I watched this movie at 3am on the Sci-Fi yesterday, and I am so glad I skipped out on sleeping! Having recently watched "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah - Giant Monsters Attack," I almost lost faith in Godzilla. But this movie was fun and entertaining!

In this movie, the human scenes aren't boring, and they don't drag its feet around like the previously mentioned movie. The human scenes are actually fun - maybe not as campy as I like it, but it definitely works for me.

As for the monster scenes, they're great! In this movie, you feel like the monsters are the focus...and rightly so! There is tons of city-stomping in addition to the required monster-on-monster action.

Just to let you know, there are 3 fight scenes:
1) Godzilla vs. Radon
2) Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
3) The Final Showdown consisting of:
- Mechagodzilla (with help of the aircraft, Garuda) vs. Radon
- Godzilla vs. Supermechagodzilla

[note: I'm not sure why they refer to Rodan as "Radon" in this movie]

[also note: Supermechagodzilla = Mechagodzilla combined with Garuda]

Overall, the scenes flowed well together. The pacing was great. And I was never once bored; whereas in "Giant Monsters Attack," I had to slap myself several times to keep myself awake.

That's right. Godzilla movies are meant to entertain you...not send you to sleep.

I only have 2 gripes with this movie:

1) the monster-on-monster action consists primarily of ranged attacks (e.g. heat beams, atomic breath, missiles, etc) and not very much of that WWE Smackdown variety that's so fun to watch. Nevertheless, the fight scenes are still enjoyable.

2) I didn't like the Godzilla costume for some reason. For one thing, he seemed too lengthy. Secondly, his snout reminded me of a dog's. In fact, his snout remdined me of that giant, white dog from "Neverending Story."

MechaGodzilla Upgrade
What more can you ask.You got Mechagozilla looks bad ass I mean there was alot of major upgrade to him.Godzilla looking cool as ever espcially in this flick the suit was pretty cool.You got a new and improve Rodan!!Yup Rodan!! hes back and blast rays from
his mouth.Storyline very original I mean godzilla vs Mechagodzilla theres really no storyline you know whats going to
happen a big monster battle.Minya looks cool better then that retarded one in the showa ages.Akira Ifukube's music score is awesome the master of all godzilla music.I mean this is a must see flick and must have.

My Favorite Godzilla Movie
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is my favorite Godzilla movie of the entire series, and I don't think I'm alone! This movie has everything, and I do mean everything, that I expect from a good Godzilla movie. It has tons of monster action as well as human drama. Best of all, this film has the monsters as the central focus without losing the human element, which makes for a perfectly balanced motion picture.

The plot is simple, understandable, entertaining, and easy to follow. It unfolds at a fast pace, but not so fast that the viewer gets lost. This movie is part of the Heisei series (second series, 1984-1995) of Godzilla movies. It picks up after "Godzilla and Mothra"(1992). Here's a plot summary. In 1992, the U.N. salvages the remains of Mecha King Ghidorah (from "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" [1991]) and use the technology to build two robots, Garuda and Mechagodzilla. Meanwhile, a research team on remote Adonoa Island finds a huge egg and a giant mutated Pteranodon, called Rodan. Godzilla arrives and fights Rodan, seemingly killing it. The research team takes the egg to Kyoto, where it hatches a baby Godzillasaurus (an unmutated Godzilla). Godzilla comes looking for it, and is confronted by Mechagodzilla. Godzilla defeats his robotic counterpart and the military, and leaves when he fails to find the baby. Later, a plan to lure Godzilla, with the baby as bait, is carried out. But Rodan arrives and takes the baby away. Mechagodzilla and Garuda confront and badly injure Rodan. Godzilla shows up and Garuda and Mechagodzilla combine to form Super Mechagodzilla. Who will win this ultimate battle? This movie was highly entertaining and very exciting. It never gets boring or slow. It remains interesting and engaging throughout the whole thing.

The acting is good. The characters are likeable and entertaining. They play a vital role in the movie, while allowing the monsters to be the real stars. Megumi Odaka reprises her role as Miki Saegusa, who she played in every Heisei Godzilla movie since "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989). The actors in the monster costumes gave outstanding performances. Godzilla showed intelligence, emotion, and animal-like actions. Mechagodzilla's movements were 100% machine-like. The baby Godzillasaurus showed emotions effectively. It showed curiosity, affection, and fear, all like a real baby animal.

The dubbing isn't too bad, but still isn't that great. The translators showed emotion and reaction in their voices. Unfortunately, there are only a few people dubbing over the dialogue, which makes for several minor characters having the same voice. Also, Rodan's name was not translated in the dubbing. All the characters refer to him by his Japanese name, Radon. Still, don't let bad dubbing make you think any less of the movie itself. Besides, in the original Japanese version, the characters already speak English a lot of the time.

The special effects are extremely well done. They're some of the best of any Godzilla movie. The miniature cities are very detailed and look real. The destruction was all very convincing. The only CGI-effects in the film are the very nicely animated ray and beam attacks from the monsters, and computer simulations that are watched by the characters. This movie was made in 1993, the same year as "Jurassic Park", which had flawless CGI. But the suitmation and miniatures looked just as convincing as any CGI could. The monster costumes were all very real-looking with great attention to detail. Godzilla looked tough, mean, and intelligent. The animatronic Godzilla head displayed good facial emotions. Mechagodzilla looked awesome. With such excruciating detail in his design, he really looked like a 394-foot metal robot. Rodan looked very fierce and intelligent, but his wing movement looked bad at times. The baby Godzillasaurus, despite his large eyes, looked real. This movie is definitely one of the best G-movies in terms of special effects.

The music and sound effects are outstanding. The sounds of destruction are very real. The monsters roars are all very cool. Godzilla has the same traditional roars that he had in the previous G-movie "Godzilla and Mothra". Mechagodzilla has a high-pitched, very cool-sounding, mechanical cry. He also makes machine-like whirs and hums when he moves, just like a real robot. Rodan has his classic screeches, and his wings make realistic flapping sounds. The baby Godzillasaurus has a high-pitched crying sound, but usually only makes grunts and gurgles. The music is truly wonderful. Classic Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube does a magnificent job with this movie. His classic themes for Godzilla and the monster attacks are very nice. Mechagodzilla's new theme is very cool. The music for the more emotional scenes is very touching.

If you're wondering why this movie is called "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II", let me explain. It is NOT a sequel to 1974's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla", which is part of the Showa series (first series, 1955-1975) of Godzilla movies. In this movie, the two robots, Garuda and Mechagodzilla, are sometimes referred to as Robot I and Robot II, respectively. Garuda is occasionally called Garuda I throughout the movie. And if Garuda (Robot I) is Garuda I, then Mechagodzilla (Robot II) is Mechagodzilla II, hence the title.

As for the VHS itself, the quality is terrible. It's in SP mode, which is good, but the picture is frequently jumpy and occasionally calls for tracking adjustment. The sound is occasionally bad too. Sometimes it's too quiet, needing the volume to be cranked up just to hear it. But most of the time, the sound is good. I've viewed this tape on several VCR's, and it's been the same on all of them. Who knows, maybe my copy is just bad.

Overall, this is an outstanding Godzilla movie. This is Godzilla at his very best. If you see this movie, you'll understand why I, as well as many other Godzilla fans, consider it as a favorite. It's action-packed, entertaining, serious, fun, exciting, and has a good moral at the end.

A Great Movie For the whole family
I have been a Godzilla fan for almost all my life.Since I was 3 or 4 I loved Godzilla.I first saw this movie it was on sifi.My mom told my brother and I that Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla was on.We rushed up stairs grabed a tape and recorded it.But so far this is my favorite.SuperMechagodzilla was awsome.The one thing I don't get is why Mechagodzilla can't fight at close range.The first battle was my favorite battle.In the final battle was awsome.It looked like Godzilla was down for the count.But Baby(the baby godzillasaur)woke up Radon.Radon some how reconstatuted Godzilla's second brain.It was kind of hard to under stand.But over all a great movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When a malevolent race of Moonwomen try to put the big hurt on Earth, it's up to (take a deep breath) Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Anguilas, Minya, Manda, Baragon, and Spigas to resist their evil mind control and make the world safe for monster (and human) kind! Long unavailable on video, Destroy All Monsters is the crowning achievement of the Japanese monster genre, with wall-to-wall action, cheesily magnificent special effects, and a final nine-to-one battle royale (against the awesome three-headed dragon known to fans as King Ghidorah) that's guaranteed to get even the most passive viewer noisily bopping around the room. A badly dubbed, logic-defying, supremely gonzo blast, presented in a widescreen format that allows the watcher to see every single rubber scale. The original title for this quintessential creature bash translates as Godzilla Electric Battle Masterpiece, which just about says it all. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Monsters, Destruction, Aliens, what's not to like?
This my favorite Godzilla movie of the first, or Showa (the period in Japan in which Hirohito was emperor), series. It's got all the best giant monsters: Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra, Rodan, Manda (from Atragon, one of my favs), Baragon (from Frankenstein Conquers the World), Varan (from Varan, the Unbelievable), Gorosaurus (from King Kong Escapes), Minya (ugh), and Spiega/Kumonga (from Son of Godzilla). All but Varan and Baragon get a good amount of screen time. The city destruction scenes are great and the final battle is just awesome. They all gang up on King Ghidorah and he gets a terrible beating. The aliens are the usual people in silly suits. The plot is really just a means to an end. I don't mind, though. The movie is a lot of fun. That's what counts. The DVD has no extras and uses the international dubbing (cheap, poorly done), which is Toho's fault (they don't want Japanese buying this DVD before they put out their own). The video is good. The colors are vibrant, picture is sharp, but there are a good amount of scratches and lines in some parts. The audio is mono, but the dialogue and the great score by Akira Ifukube aren't are clear. The cover artwork is mediocre. Not very detailed, but it features a good amount of monsters. There aren't any menus, it just takes you to the movie. At least there's a keep case.

Movie: 10 out of 10 Video: 8 1/2 Audio: 7 Presentation: 5 Extras: 0 Overall: 8 out of 10. Get it if you're a Godzilla fan.

You have to admit, this one has them ALL!
Oh, how well I remember this one from a Saturday afternoon way back when! "Destroy All Monsters" is the ultimate Japanese monster movie that makes good on its promise to offer up every creature in this pantheon: Godzilla, Rodan, Gidrah, Mothra, Bagara, Spidrah, Minilla and Manda. There are so many monsters in this movie that there are some I have never seen before, and I thought I had seen more than my fair share of monster flicks from the Land of the Rising Sun. The excuse for the non-stop mayhem is that a sinister race of aliens is using Earth's own monsters to destroy every capital in the world (e..g, Godzilla takes out NYC). The only chance for the human race is for the United Nations Star Ship Moonlight SYS (you have to love the name) to locate the secret hidden base of the Kilaks, which is somewhere on the moon. If they can break the control of the aliens over the monsters, Earth has a chance! This 1968 film from director Ishiro Honda is letterboxed and dubbed in English (of course; would you have it any other way?). "Destroy All Monsters" certainly jams more destruction by guys in monster suits (or monsters suspended by wires) than any film you will ever come across. Sooner or later, if you are a fan of this genre, you have to check this one out.

Fun movie -- very bad dubbing
For the 50th anniversary of Godzilla, we have a special relelease of Destroy All Monsters on DVD. This in itself is good, and an added attraction is that there's a second disc -- a CD of the soundtrack. But there are two downsides:

-- there are no special featuers -- not even a theatrical trailer.

-- the dub is the poorly acted recent dub from a few years ago. The original dub is not great (what dubs are? Why, oh, why, don't they also offer subtitled versions), this one is very poorly acted, more so that usual even for these types of films.

Overall, I'd still recommend this to Godzilla fans (and I've been one since seeing King Kong vs. Godzilla in its original US showing at the drive-in when I was a kid), but it could have been so much better.

baragon
I don't think Baragon is really in this movie; the only scene he gets (I think) is at the end, and that scene is stock footage. At least Varan's quick scene is new (must be, it's in color). I wish this film had the old AIP English dub. Also wish there were chapter stops, menu, extras. But I disagree with the one review that says this version is missing monster scenes -- as far as I can tell, comparing it to the old AIP version and the original Japanese print, there are no scenes missing here. Buy it, but really, Baragon isn't in this!

The best Godzilla movie ever
Do you like Kaiju and classic sci-fi flicks?Then you've definetly watched this one. For the few who already hasn't only one suggestion......hurry up and buy it.

I'm not going to complain about the quality of the DVD release or the dubbing in English. For a Godzilla movie of this magnitute, this sounds a bit pointless. For me this film is the top of all the monster flicks. I,d also like to have it uncut and subtitled but i feel privileged and lucky just to own it in a DVD copy. That way i could watch it as many times as i want without damaging the movie. Now i'm even thinking of buying a second copy just to replace the first one in case something happens to it.

I first watched it at a summer theater when i was young and from that point i fell in love with it. I own all of the Godzilla films since i am a Godzilla maniac but this one surpass every other one, easily.
Inoshiro Honda's best movie ever and Ifukumbe's best soundtrack ever.

The story in a few words is the following:
Human race confined all the monsters in monster-island using some kind of transmitters with creates an invisible barrier surrounding the island. Aliens with bad intentions are setting them loose and afterwards they control them. Their primary orders are the demolition of every major city in the world. Later on humanity find the way to set the monsters free from the alien control and turn them against the Alien invaders. At that point the aliens have no other choice than to summon the space monster Ghidrah and set this party on fire.

As you all monster-movie lovers probably asumed by the story above, hell breaks lose on earth and we all can be the front watchers of this titanic rampage!! Godzilla saga DEFINATELY at its best moments.The only movie i expect and hope to throw this 1968 flick from the top of my list is Toho's upcoming Godzilla last project, "Godzilla: Final Wars".

I feel the need to express my graditute to Inoshiro Honda and his crew for making these kind of films(anyone seen "Mysterians" or "Battle in outer space" knows exactly what i'm talking about),which allow you to feel young again and send you on a fabulous journey throughout the boundries of your imagination. Thanx Inoshiro, you'll always have a special place in our hurts. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Childhood favorite no longer makes the grade
This is an ambitious genre film, and when I was young, I thought it came off superbly. I saw "The Mysterians" in the theater, when I was about 11 years old. I was so taken with it that I sat by myself, thru the entire picture twice that Saturday afternoon.

This is the stuff of wild fantasy and imagination, with a ten story robot tromping on the Japanese islanders, flying saucers setting up impenatrable domes armed with nasty destruction rays, and abductions of human females necessitated by the Mysterians' inability to reproduce with their own sterile females. The driving musical score added a sense of great urgency and excitement. Anyway, that's how I remembered it.

I recently viewed a video of the film, and came away very disillusioned. The tape transfer was from an extremely poor print, and was very difficult to sit through. The dubbed dialog is poorly done, the acting is very stiff, and the script is ludicrous, no matter how you look at it. The music is a loud minimalist drone, and the special effects are simply dreadful, especially when compared with say, any of the Harryhausen pictures, or the Jack Arnold efforts of the same period.

I love SF films, especially from the 50's, but I find it hard to understand why I thought this film was so good back then. But of course, then I saw it as it should have been seen; a fresh new anamorphic color print projected by carbon arc, on a huge screen within a great cavern of a movie palace. It being an early widescreen film no doubt added a lot to the overall effect.

I suppose a fan of the Godzilla pix might find this title okay as an interesting precursor of Japan's output in the SF/monster genre, but there are so many better SF titles from this period that I cannot really recomment this film very highly. If, however, it is ever restored and transfered to 16:9 DVD from 35mm, I will take another look. Fat chance, I'm afraid.

WAR of THE WORLDS...in Tohoscope
The same crew that put together GODZILLA: KING of the MONSTERS produced this (the cassette jacket proclaims)Science Fiction Super-Spectacular.Who am I to disagree? Much about this '50's made, invasion-from-Mars (in this case Mysteroid)epic is spectacle. While hardly in the ball park of "Forbidden Planet"; "This Island Earth"; or George Pal's WAR OF THE WORLDS, I would say THE MYSTERIANS is a better story and more fun than its vastly more accomplished, genre-clone INDEPENDENCE DAY.Unfair to ID-4? Hmm. The Mysterians boasts solid fx.(For its time...40 years ago: they are excellent).UNIVERSE SHIPS(their flying saucers) are wicked to the max and it's rumored the designer of George Pal's Martian War Machines in WOTW were buddies. Toho,in fact, produced a clone of The Mysterians called BATTLE in OUTER SPACE, simply to showcase the hot-to-trot flying saucers one more time...

A Mysterians "probe" robot is up-there with Robby and HAL 9000
for RUR-type cool. The fact it looks like they've crossed birds, a samurai warrior and Godzilla gives you an idea about how "bad" this horrific hybid is with Laser beam eyes whose glance ruins your day. The Underground Dome-Command Center of the Mysterians is also engaging.(It ooks like a game rip-off of Altair 4; The Forbidden Planet's subterranean power source)And the plot is good. Typical of many Japanese sci-fi entries of the time, an anti-atomic weapons theme is intrinsic.

MYSTERIANS have destroyed...literally blown-apart...their world in nuclear warfare.Their survivors, looking ready to party in psychedelic helmets and musketeer capes, want to colonize earth and revitalize their dying race by mating with Earth women. What it is! right? Bring-on Toho's Models-are-US array of rockets, missiles,TV-disc lasers and a special United Nations battle ship that could double for the GOOD YEAR Blimp and you've got a War of the Worlds. The Mysterians play by "deterrence" rules: "If earth uses atomic bombs...Mysterians will use atomic bombs". Earth doesn't; the Mysterians don't and get duly whipped on the laser-beam battle field of honor. THE MYSTERIANS is the best sci-fi produced by Japan next to the original Godzilla. Director Imoshiro Honda is the same. Some of 'Zilla's cast favorites are there to give The Mysterians what-for.It's a fun flick; if you can get a copy you won't be disappointed.

Robot-zilla and the Aliens.
The invaders-from-space theme gets its first workout from TOHO. Aliens from the planet Mysteroid seek to subdue Earth. They use a giant "robot-zilla" to squash Japan. Spaceships abound, and the military adds to the fiery destruction with bombs, tanks, and rockets. Japanese actors run around in space suits complete with dark-visor pilot helmets. Ray guns zap things with blazing special effects. The is a worthy entry in the legendary Japanese sci-fi canon. Along with the second Godzilla flick (sometimes known as "Gigantis, the Fire Monster"), this '50s flick has been unfairly ignored over the years. Unless, of course, you are like me, a die-hard fan. Unfortunately, it has also suffered from limited availability in low-grade editions. Depending on your outlook, it's either a sci-fi thriller targeted at younger audiences, or camp entertainment for older viewers. The special effects are typical of the genre. In other words, don't expect much in the way of sophistication. The script is better than usual, and the action moves swiftly along. The martial background music adds to the excitement of the battle scenes, and the color photography helps. Bottom line, it's good fun on several levels, and a worthy addition to any serious collector's movie shelf. ;-) ... Read more

Amazon.com

The monster-about-town becomes doting dad when he adopts orphan lizard Minilla, the result of a radioactive storm caused by a scientific experiment gone wrong. This decidedly juvenile affair shows signs of the series' cost-cutting measures and Godzilla himself has been redesigned to reflect his new, younger audience, with an oversize head and big, doll-like eyes. This kindler, gentler lizard king proceeds to protect the happy-go-lucky kid from the newly mutated giant insects of the island and teaches him how to breathe fire. Much of the film is played for comedy--Minilla blowing smoke rings instead of flames, skipping rope with Dad's tail, skittering about like a mischievous little kid as put-upon Godzilla tries to keep the tyke focused--and is obviously aimed at Godzilla's enormous adolescent audience. But as always, the picture delivers great monster battles, notably with the mutant spider giant Kumonga. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Godzilla family values
"Son of Godzilla," directed by Jun Fukuda, is one of the most fun of the Godzilla movies. In this film, a group of scientists encounter the legendary "King of the Monsters" while conducting weather experiments on a tropical island. When a mysterious egg hatches into a "baby Godzilla," the big monster becomes a reptilian father figure to the playful youngster. A horde of monstrous bugs show up for the traditional monster battles.

This "Godzilla" movie seems to be directed towards a younger audience; it is more exciting and funny than scary. The enjoyable antics between "Dad" and baby are enthusiastically portrayed. The film as a whole is well complemented by Masaru Satoh's funky, energetic score. And the monster battles are well done. Although the "silly" quotient of the film may turn off fans of the serious original Godzilla, I think that this sequel should be enjoyed for what it is: an entertaining sci-fi fantasy.

The final scenes of "Son of Godzilla" contain some of the most haunting and poetic images ever filmed for a giant monster movie. If you are a fan of the Japanese giant monster genre, you won't want to miss this delightful film.

ALright I guess
This movie is focuing towards a harm hearted godzilla.This the movie introdue minya the retarded son of godzilla who blows smokes instead of a fire blast or sort.Mainly it focus on the minya and his adventures running off but really the end its pretty cool when they team up and destroy Kumonga ( a Big Oh Spider).

Better than you think.
This movie is a step up from."Godzilla's Revenge" Which clearlyuses stock footage from "Godzilla's Son" My vote for the worse Zilla is the "Terror of Mecagodzilla"It's even worse than 'Smog Monster'Which is lame.

Spiga owns all
I used to watch this movie as a kid, and when that spider(spiga) came out of the ground, I was in total awe of him. He is one of the coolest monsters in the earlier Godzilla series and was only be defeated due to the combined force of 'G' and Minya. This movie has a real centimental value as the viewers see Godzilla's more fatherly or loving side contrasted by his brute strength and Power and he fries some giant mantises.
To sum up, for any true Godzilla fan, this is definitely a MUST SEE!

Minilla isn't all bad! At least it's better than Barney!
This movie weighs in as yet another South Seas fantasy yarn. Very low bloodshed, light-hearted subject matter. The locations are great on this film. The acting is good, not spectacular, but both consistent and entertaining. Unlike some of the other Godzilla yarns, the monsters here are very plausible and natural. In the science fiction world, heat and radiation can enlarge just about anything. A few of the Godzilla/Minilla scene to feel more suited for "Barney goes back to his roots" but Minilla makes a good dramatic focus for the film. "Son of Godzilla" reveals another side of Godzilla, that of a parent. This concept seems to hold some favor with the Japanese, as it is repeated through several other films. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mizoguchi's Swan Song
Kenji Mizoguchi's final film before his death at age 58. This movie features an all-star Japanese cast (Machiko Kyo and Ayako Wakao, to name a few). "Street of Shame," like many of Mizoguchi's movies, focuses on the plight of women in Japanese society. The film chronicles the lives of five prostitutes who work in a Tokyo brothel called Dreamland, an appropriate name indeed. One prostitute named Yumeko dreams of living with her adult son. But that son rejects her because he's ashamed of her profession. Another prostitute named Yorie longs for a happy married life. But her dream also turns into a nightmare. One of the most memorable moments in the film is when one of the prostitutes goes insane. The stories of the women, often heart-wrenching, are told by Mizoguchi with a sense of compassion. The acting is first-rate. Machiko Kyo, who also starred in Rashomon and Ugetsu, gives one of her strongest performances. This movie is a worthwhile addition to any collection of Japanese films. My only real disappointment concerns the soundtrack which I found to be extremely annoying at times.

Another great film by Mizoguchi
Terrific. The movie was made in 1956, but still appeals us so strong and never obsolete. Original title is "AKASEN CHITAI" means "Red District". The story is about women, who work in brothel in Yoshiwara, the red district in Tokyo right after WW II. At that time Japan was extremely devastated, many women are forced to work as prostitutes to survive and support their families. They have strong pain and sorrow working as prostitutes and you can feel their pain. Acting is terrific especially Machiko Kyo who played Mickey, runaway-turned prostitute from rich family. (You can tell she is from rich family, because she calls father and mother as "PAPA" and "MAMA" instead of "OTO-SAN" and "OKA-SAN") This film is very realistic and gives us a very storong message as same as other Mizoguchi's films and even now same thing happens in some countries all over the world. You should see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For Godzilla's 20th anniversary, Japanese film company Toho reinvented the series once again. Mixing science fiction (with a rather obvious nod to the Planet of the Apes series), mythological fantasy, and secret-agent intrigue, this 1974 entry begins with the startling image of Godzilla doing battle with himself! Actually it's a towering robot juggernaut unleashed by black-blooded ape-men invaders from outer space. Disguised as the King of the Monsters, Mechagodzilla sets off on a rampage until the real Godzilla shows up; however, unable to handle the mechanized menace alone, Godzilla teams up with a new character, a mythological lion-god named Caesar. This "bionic-zilla" is almost as impressive as the Big G himself, a titanium-clad robot equipped with ray beams, flame throwers, and dozens of missiles. Godzilla sports a peacocklike display of silver dorsal fins and a mean new suit with a fierce head. Bad alien makeup and Godzilla's decidedly "friend of mankind" attitude, all mixed with the James Bond-inspired spy subplot, lends a cheery camp flair to the science fiction adventure. This one's followed by the direct sequel, Terror of Mechagodzilla. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (48)

one of the best
Mechagodzilla is one of my favorite opponents for his namesake, simple in design but packing massive firepower he has also drawn plenty of blood. This is one of the bloodier Godzilla movies, Anguirus bleeds from his mouth before retreating and the might King of Monsters sprays arterial blood after a strafing pass. Godzilla's suit was nicely done for this film with a detailed face, it offsets King Seesar's somewhat comical "angry dog" look. The "Aliens from the Third Planet of the Black Hole: Outer Space" are my least favorite of the series. Plenty of action and monsters offset the rather groovy musical score as well. Overall "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla" is a great movie, creating a memorable opponent and a welcome addition to any collection.

Greatest Godzilla Film Everrrrrrrrrrrrr!
This is a great Big G film he battles his evil mechanical cyborg Mechagodzilla created by ape aliens(which was silly,the ape Aliens!)and disguises himself as Godzilla and Anguis arrives and makes the jappanese people confused becusase Godzilla and Anguris are freinds then the real Godzilla appaers and proves Mechagodzilla theres only room for one Godzilla in this world but Godzilla sadly loses that part and everything seems calm until Mechagodzilla strikes again and the Okinawain girl runs and sings a beuatiful jappanese song and awakens the Ancient savior monster King Cesar and then later on Godzilla appaers and makes himself a magnetic force,that's all I want to tell you I don't wan't to give the rest of this charming Godzilla movie whenever I watch it my eyes are glued to the TV I couldn't stop watching it becuase how good this movie is if you hate or dislike this movie Grrrrrrrrrrr to you and if you hate Godzilla watch this movie it will make you smile!And great music and finally a person singing not at the Credits but in the movie during it,it is a great thing to watch this charming,classic and also amazing movie,the fire looks real great special effects!

Pros.
.Great Sound Effects!
.Great choose of monsters.
.Great Special Effects!
.Fire looks real!
.Great monster battles and scenes!
.Will make you grin every time you watch it!

Cons
.Aliens are apes!
.Aliens from the Black Hole!

Which one has more Pros or Cons?
Pros so that means I would always give it 5 Stars!

NO MATCH FOR MECHAGODZILLA
This movie is one my favorite godzilla movies of all time.Talking about a good challenge I mean Mechagodzilla is godzilla ultimate rilvary in my opinion.This has a lot of monster action and mechagodzilla has alot of firing power that is hardly unbelieveable.We introdue King Seesar a guardian of the
people that really has no special skills except reflect.But godzilla is really cool but that costume was really lame he looks
to much like a puppy.but overal this G flick rocks.

An Amazing Way To Celebrate G's 20th!
This is one of the better G-films. The story is Godzilla appears in the mountains and heads to Tokyo. On the the way he fights Anguirus. Some Prof. thinks it's strange Godzilla is fighting his most trusted ally. Before Gojira kills Anguirus, Anguirus lets out a final cry. Now Godzilla raids Japan. Meanwhile, something hears Anguirus's roar and comes to avenge his death. And unbelievably, it's GODZILLA!?!?!? As the two kings battle it out the Prof. sees space metal on the first Godzilla where the second one blew off skin. I won't tell you the rest because it would spoil the rest of the film. The battles are great and plot is not half bad. This was actually made to celebrate Godzilla's 20th birthday. It also shows King Ceasar, an ancient god that tries to protect his homeland from the evil heard in the prophecies(wich is mainly the plot of the whole movie).

The Best Of The Rest!
This Godzilla movie is one of the Best Of the rest!When a phony Godzilla attacks Tokyo Anguris comes to battle the phony version of his pal!Then Anguris loses and Godzilla comes to the rtescue taring the phony Godzilla suit off of the clone who turns out to be a mechanical version of Godzilla controled by aliens of the third planet!The robot's name is Mechagodzilla!Then a beuatiful princess named Nami wakes the gardian monster King Seesar up to help Godzilla well she succseeds and Godzilla and Seesar team up to destroy Mechagodzilla which they do!But I'm not going to tell you any more about this great Godzilla movie becuase I want you to be suprised!Not unsurprised! ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Monster Mayhem Strictly for Patient Kiddies.
This movie gives sober men pause. When one embarks upon the path of schlock cinema, one naturally expects egregious movies. Nevertheless, this one is a real stinker. Look around you, and behold the bottom of the Godzilla barrel. Godzilla has a son named Minilla (according to the DVD case). Think Mini-Me. There is no explanation of Minilla's origin. Frankly, the thought of Godzilla and a she-monster procreating is too astonishing to even contemplate. A Japanese tyke named Ichiro fantasizes about Monster Island where Godzilla lives and fights. Ichiro wishes he could fight to rid himself of a bully and a pair of bungling bank robbers. In several dream sequences, Minilla (pronounced "Min-YA") gives Ichiro advice on dealing with tough guys. Although some of the things that make Japanese sci-fi so much fun are present, this film lacks the usual thrills of a building crumbling attack on Nippon. People of the 21st century, observe the heat ray doughnuts that Minilla spits, and stand in awed silence. One wishes that the filmmaker had alerted the first-time viewer that this movie is intended (for a change) for kiddies. Of course, it can be argued that all Godzilla flicks are of interest only to the very young, but there is no time for that debate. It's fair to say that this little sci-fi flick is okay for patient kids of pre-school age. Others should duck and run. Drawing the line between so-dumb-it's-funny and just plain silly is an inexact science. The technical quality of the DVD edition, including the audio, is clean and clear. Wide-screen fans beware the full screen format. ;-)

Stock footage bonanza!
If everyone would stop talking negitive about all the stock footage used in the film and sit down and think about the Godzilla movies that they took the footage from, it really isn't that bad. They took lots of the monster scenes from "Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster" and "Son of Godzilla" which were not the best of the Godzilla series and I really don't like to watch all the way though all that often. In this film, all the best battling scenes of those films are mixed together into one on this film without all the talking and boring storyline that graces the films they originated from. This story line is much more enjoyable, it stars a little boy who dreams of seeing Godzilla on his home island. He falls asleep and has a dream which consists of Godzilla battling a number of monsters and meets Godzilla's son and they quickly become friends and watch Godzilla battle though out the film. First Godzilla battles giant spiders (from "Son of Godzilla"), then he goes and fights a giant condor and then battles Ebirah: The Sea Monster (from "Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster"), which is one of Godzilla's best fight scenes of all his career of being in the movies. Then battles giant praying mantasis (from "Son"), and more. They did shoot some new monster footage for the film which features a new monster Gabera, who is a pretty dumb monster (both in look and intelligence) who bullies Godzilla's son Minya (and doesn't even do that well... always falling down and bumping his head). The old and new footage is edited together well and features a great opining score... a kind of jazzy sounding song with all the monster's roars appearing every so often which Toho released on a single back in 1969. If you buy the Simtar version of this film... you wont be dissapointed with the quality. It is in the SP mode, great crisp picture, excellent sound quality, and digitally remastered from the original theatrical negitives. Trust me, this film is a great Saturday afternoon film, with some of the greatest battle scenes of any monster film that comes before or after "Godzilla's Revenge"!

Godzilla Teaches Us About The Plight Of Latchkey Kids!
Of all the Godzilla films, this one is by far the most suitable for young kids. Essentially it is a movie about the evils of latchkey children. Our little hero, Ichiro, is shy and always beaten up at school. He visits Monster Island in his dreams several times where he befriends Minilla, the son of Godzilla, who is also shy and friendless. Ironically, both are picked on by bullies named Gabara.

In the first dream, Ichiro dreams he is aboard "Pan American Flight One, nonstop to Monster Island", then hangs out in the jungle while Godzilla dukes it out with Kamacuras, the Praying Mantis monster, Gorosaurus, a kind of giant badger-lizard hybrid monster, Manda the snake, Anguirus, the spiny armadillo monster, and a nameless flying giant turkey vulture monster (as silly as the bird from "The Giant Claw".) That's all in the first five minutes or so. Ultimately Ichiro falls into a hole and is rescued by Minilla, who speaks good English, but try to ignore that he sounds exactly like Droopy Dog, or you may not be able to cease laughing until the movie is over. Minilla is worried about his neighborhood bully (allegory anyone?) Gabara, who happens to be a giant furry, cat-lizard with glowing pink electric horns. He is much scarier than the Gabara in Ichiro's neighborhood. He is much sillier looking, too.

Between his dreams Ichiro is either going to school, hanging out with a creepy toy maker, or playing in an abandoned warehouse, where he collects used vacuum tubes. (The movie never explains what the deal with the vacuum tubes is.) He also gets mixed up with a couple of thieves who have stolen 50,000,000 Yen (about enough for a McDonald's Happy Meal today) and has to outwit them.

To get through the trauma of being kidnapped by thieves, he calls on the power of Minilla, and re-visits Monster Island, where this time Godzilla gets to play baseball with Ebirah, better known as the Crab Monster, and wrestle around in silk with Kumonga, the tarantula monster. Godzilla also teaches Minilla how to breathe fire in a touching male bonding experience.

Ultimately Ichiro defeats the robbers, and is a hero, having learned a valuable lesson that you have to stand up for yourself. Besides the lesson in pre-adolescent self-confidence, and some amusing monsters, this is one of the lesser works of Ishiro Honda. If you are a Godzilla completist, it's fine, but you can safely see it last.

Twilight Zone godzilla style.
This movie is about a little kids. During the movie the kid days dreams about visting monster island. There he hangs out with Millian Godzills son. Who is being bullied by a horrible monster named Gabara.

The name of the bullying pick on the little boy in the real rool. This has many classic battles in it from Godzilla versus the Sea Monster and the son of Godzilla.

It teachers children how to be brave and how to stand up for them selves. The boy use the lesson he learned on monster island of Minla and Godzilla to stop some bankrobbers and stand up to the bully Gabra.

Simitar DVD
VIDEO QUALITY:
This is a two sided disc - Side 1 contains the film in it's original Toho Scope ratio, and Side 2 contains the full frame TV version. Side 1 looks very nice, with very vibrant colours and reasonably sharp image (though it could sometimes become quite soft). Sadly, there is a lot of mess on the print at times. At times I also noticed some rainbows on the edges, but this isn't really anything you'd notice unless you were looking out for it. Of course that is nothing compared to Side 2, which is far less colourful, looses half the image (obviously), and is generally in far worse shape print-wise with hairs, cuts and other blemishes.

AUDIO QUALITY:
The disc comes packed with two tracks, both English dubbed. One is the original mono and the other an all-new 5.1 track. Both tracks contain a lot of fuzzing and distortion, though for the 5.1 track that's rather obvious since it's modelled after the mono track. The mono track is basically everything you'd expect it to be. The 5.1 track sound pretty much the same, but with some added sound effects. Sadly, these new sound effects really don't match the original audio at all - they sound way to modern and carry way to much bass to mix properly with the soundtrack and original sound effects.

EXTRA FEATURES:
"Godzilla's Revenge" carries the same basic features as all Simitar discs. There are several Godzilla screen savers included for DVD-ROM users, which are only compatible with Windows® 95 machines. There are also some custom trailers Simitar designed for their Godzilla releases, which are made in a cheesy 1950's American monster movie style. There is a video art gallery, and for DVD-ROM users a printable art gallery, which is fairly interesting, as well as a short trivia game to rest your knowledge on the film.

OVERALL:
A fair release which offers something you wouldn't find in America before; "Godzilla's Revenge" in it's original widescreen ratio, with a reasonably clean print and nice colours. Of course for the folks that want a trip down memory lane, there's the full screen TV version as well. The audio isn't anything to shout about, and the extra features are rather lacklustre (but at least existent), but overall it's giving you a pretty good version of the film. Of course, the film itself is another issue. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Hardboiled Egg Salad
A giant egg floats into Japanese waters after a hurricane. Twin miniature fairies plead for its return to Mothra Island. In a Shakespearean twist of fate, Godzilla attacks and the Japanese enlist Mothra's help. Godzilla's rampages are fine, building toppling fun. The military fights back and the battle rages. As juvenile sci-fi epics go, this one is worth the price. The production values are better than usual. Chuckle-headed humor asserts itself, but plenty of Godzilla screen time keeps the action moving. The Mothra song, as vocalized by the twin fairies, is enshrined in fantasy film folklore. Watching the giant egg hatch is exciting, and recalls a similar scene in "Rodan." Lightening flashes and thunder roars as cracks shoot across the egg's surface. The movie falters somewhat after two gigantic baby caterpillars take over for the first Mothra. Godzilla, who shrugged off rockets, bombs, and super-charged electrocution, has trouble with a rough-hewn silk shroud. Go figure. The Peanuts of the first Mothra flick portray the twin fairy girls. With all of the tiny women's mystery, one still lingers over their little faux-fur hats. The script doesn't explain the headgear. The special effects are unsophisticated by modern standards. The monsters are more lovable than today's ice-cold, computer-generated eye-candy. The Harry Potter generation can suit themselves. The venerable I. Honda directed this classic TOHO production. Saturday matinees and popcorn forever! ;-)

Godzilla Vs Mothra Sony 2002 release
Godzilla Vs Mothra (1964)(Sony 2002) 2/5
This is my first time seeing this film in the godzilla series but this review is about the dvd not the film. The picture is quite clear without much damage, the colour is okay to, pretty much it is an okay print not bad but not great. It is not in it's original widescreen format either. It shows signs of compression but not to the point of pixelisation. The frame rate is 24 fields 24 frames this improves on the King of the Monsters dvd as that was done in a standard NTSC VHS format of 60 fields 30 frames with a frame doubled every 4 which isn't as nice a picture. This has the same 'extras' as King of the Monsters which are the advert for the tie-in GameCube game and another 5.1 remix which makes everything sound like it's in a bathroom.
Good Points: It has a little fun animated menu, it also has quite a few chapters at good points.
Bad Points:It hasn't been remastered or restored, it's not in widescreen, the 5.1 sucks and not even a trailer as an extra??
The rating above is for this DVD not the film, I rated it 2 stars because it is watchable as a bog standard version of the movie but more dedicated fans should save their money for a future release.

Dreadful Monster on Monster Action
First the bad: The photographers and the director of this movie were sleeping and in their place they found a bunch of kids with ADD and gave them the cameras. Well that is my theory because of all the Godzilla films this movie has the worst fight scenes. They are analogous to a adult movie when the camera in the middle of the action goes and focuses in on the guy;s butt. Basically when Godzilla was fighting Mothra we saw one random part of Godzilla moving then another part moving then switch over to Mothra and see a part of Mothra m