Godzilla Movie Tournament

[Legion]

Both are two of the very best Godzilla movies EVER, but Mothra vs Godzilla is definitely a stronger, more polished film. So Mothra vs Godzilla gets my vote. But I'm fine no matter which film wins.

[DannyBeane]

While both are about equal in the awesomeness department, Ghidrah gets my money. Its has better kaiju action and I enjoy the martian princess/assassination subplot more. You can't really critique either of these films that much so I am just going to say The Godzilla vs Rodan fight tips Ghidrah in my favor.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Mothra vs Godzilla and Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster are among the finest kaiju films ever made, and they're just good cinema period.

But Mothra vs Godzilla is the better made film, with a stronger and smaller group of core characters.

Godzilla as a roving force of nature is on full force. Mothra vs Godzilla for me.

[canofhumdingers]

Mothra might be the "better" film, but Ghidrah is way more fun. Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster all the way!

[Hybrid Gojira]

Mothra is a great movie and probably a better made film. It has one of my favorite military sequences in the Godzilla series - the electric net attack. At the same point, Ghidrah is slightly more fun and I enjoy it a little more, so it gets my vote.

[Psycho Soldier]

Mothra vs. Godzilla. Ghidorah is good, but MvG is a little tighter and has better visual effects. Overall, I find it easier to put on and watch. It's a top 4 film for me, whereas I'd rank Ghidorah merely in the top half of the franchise.

[Benjamin Haines]

Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster is my preference.

[klen7]

I'd be fine with either. Mothra edges out Ghidorah, BUT Ghidorah beat Gigan in this contest, so my vote goes to Ghidorah, because I'd much rather have Gigan lose to the winner than to the runner up.

[Reaper G]

I'm voting for "Mothra vs. Godzilla"

[jellydonut25]

I've said before that Ghidrah is pretty much the quintessential Godzilla film that in one movie features just about EVERYTHING, good and bad, you think of when you think of Godzilla: Godzilla as hero, Godzilla as villain, city destruction, kaiju battles, aliens, great miniatures, some bad/hokey effects, warmth, charm, unintentional hilarity...

HOWEVER, Mothra vs. Godzilla has my all-time favorite depiction of Godzilla, moments of stunning beauty (and contrasting that beauty with very ugly moments), is better made (let's be honest, Ghidrah is a TON of fun, and is all the good things I said about it, but it's also terribly rushed and it shows) and works on just about every possible level for me.

Mothra vs. Godzilla gets my vote.

[O.Supreme]

GTTHM

[Rody]

Mothra vs. Godzilla absolutely gets my vote. I've never been that big on Ghidorah, actually - possibly because, as Jellydonut stated, it basically covers everything about Godzilla - including all the bad.
...But Mothra vs Godzilla is perfect.

[canofhumdingers]

As I write this, the vote is split exactly 50/50 between the two. But I'm seeing a trend. Ghidrah is cited as being more fun and a veritable microcosm of the genre (both good and bad) while Mothra is being cited as more well made, even "perfect."

One specific area that has been cited a few time now is the visual effects. Ghidrah is said to be uneven with both good and bad, while Mothra is hailed as universally top notch. But I just don't see it. They BOTH have some astounding effects for their time, but they also each have some very problematic shots. You can't tell me the optically printed shots of Godzilla (where you can see through him) in Mothra are "perfect", or even that good. And they are especially jarring when the film immediately cuts to a shot of him on a soundstage.

I've got more thoughts but it's time to take the kids for a walk...

My point being that I think the films are, objectively, more evenly matched than some (I said some, not all!) Mothra voters seem to acknowledge. They're both great films and deserving of making it to the finals. But both have issues that keep them from being "perfect" if we're really honest...

Now come on Ghidrah!!

[Psycho Soldier]

The gap between their visuals isn't massive, and I wouldn't say MvG has perfect effects. I do remember the deflating rocks in the final battle, the Infant Island set, and a few other questionable shots. But when I think of Ghidorah, some of my first thoughts go to the assassin catching the boulder, the Godzilla and Rodan puppets hitting the rock back and forth, and the princess's jet falling apart. To my mind, whatever heights both films reach, Ghidorah's lows are lower and/or more conspicuous.

[JordanGLC]

Ghidrah

[Gentleman]

Holding off my vote until tonight when I've had a chance to mull it over, but I just wanted to say that this tournament's been great and I hope Godzilla Movie Tournament II isn't long in arriving.

[Henry88]

Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster for the win.

[Hybrid Gojira]

[tbeasley]

Other than the 1954 original, Mothra vs. Godzilla and Ghidorah are my two favorite Godzilla films. Mothra is a great film with an antagonistic Godzilla and Ghidorah is a great film with a semi-protagonistic Godzilla... they compliment each other quite well in my mind and prove the character can be done well in either role.

In the end, I have to give it to Mothra vs. Godzilla. It's the best the early Showa era has to offer in terms of fun characters and monster action, not to mention a powerful score and dynamic effects. That said, Ghidorah is still a fantastic runner-up. You can't go wrong with either.

[miguelnuva]

I'm going GTTHM here,

You've gotten arguably two of the very best Godzilla films here and there is only one small thing that separates them. If you had to show just one to a non fan which one do yo go with,

Mothra vs Godzilla to me is the best Godzilla film to date if I was only showing it to people who understand the franchise but GTTHM has a couple things as far as non fans are concerned.

-Better human story
-Ghidorah himself

The human plot allows for a non fan to want to see all the story. You want to see the princess get saved and the bad guys get got while you also want to see how the Earth monsters over come Ghidorah. GTTHM is also strengthened by the fact it is a sequel to MvG. Ultimately you see Godzilla as the destroyer only to later get him as a savior at the same time. You introduce the mighty Rodan who I have heard from some stole the film from the other three and you Godzilla teaming up Mothra. All this leads up to introducing the most iconic Godzilla villain of all time King Ghidorah.

GTTHM wins here.

[Gentleman]

Thought long and hard about it, and I'm going with Ghidorah.

[H-Man]

Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster

[MekaGojira3k]

Mothra vs. Godzilla, easily.

[Enjoying An Egg]

The monster action in both films is pretty much perfect to me, but I greatly prefer the human story in MvG, so, my vote goes to that.

[Gentleman]

*tumbleweeds