TALKBACK #15: Terror of Mechagodzilla

[Russzilla]

As I got older, I just saw this movie as being a dark, serious toned Godzilla movie. Like the Showa series coming full circle in that respect. Starting with the dark, serious tone of Godzilla '54, and ending with the dark, serious nature of TOMG.

[MekaGojira3k]

A sadgasm punctuated with INSANE CARTOONY SPACE HELMETS!

I think I'd like the movie 15% more if they didn't have the giant helmets. They just don't belong in this weird depressed companion piece to Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla.

Although, there's some appeal to be found in that juxtaposition as well I suppose.

[Dr Kain]

With “Godzilla vs. Mecha Godzilla” being so successful one year prior, what better way to bring in another entry into the series than just to rinse and repeat the same monster over? That is exactly what Toho did and with it came the end of an era. This would be the final movie in the series for nearly ten years as the monster’s popularity dwindled.

“Terror of Mecha Godzilla” starts off with a five minute recap of the previous movie, which may have been ideal in the 70s, but when you watch this movie immediately after the first one, it becomes tedious redundancy. The plot removes King Ceasar from the equation and replaces him with another adversary for Godzilla to fight named Titanosaurus. Titanosaurus was discovered by a scientist many years prior and with the help of the alien ape men, Dr. Mafune is finally able to control it. Interpol investigates this monster with the help of an oceanographer named Ichinose and they discover the fishy dinosaur’s weakness and in the process, uncover another alien conquest plot. Mecha Godzilla is repaired and a three way battle ensures between Godzilla, Mecha Godzilla, and Titanosaurus. In the end, this plot is kind of boring. It stars the same type of aliens from the last movie, only this time, they have far more screen time than before, and yet, even less is known about them than previously. It does not help that the entire Mecha Godzilla plot just feels rehashed as if Toho did not want to spend money on doing anything creative, and even the final battle feels that way. There seems to be a lack of energy from the finale and the actors do not seem to be all that enthused by their roles. It feels like they are just going through the motions of these characters because they are being paid to.

In fact, while the last movie focused on several characters and only developed half of them, this movie does even less of that. Katsura is nicely developed, but she seems to be the only one. Her father has a little bit of development while Ichinose seems to be there because they needed someone who was not an officer in the movie. Unfortunately, that does not help matters when the actress playing Katsura seems to have the emotional range of a tree. While it would make sense because she is part robot, it still does not give her an excuse to be so boring in her role, especially when she is the only character movie that is supposed to grow.

It is quite apparent that this movie was made on an extremely low budget because the effects look average, the miniatures look fake, and there is very little in the way of a city in this movie. The final battle starts in a city and then suddenly the trio of monsters are fighting over a vast country side without any warning. For all we know, if the battle had continued on for another few minutes they would have suddenly been fighting in the arctic. Even Mecha Godzilla’s barrage of attacks are boring. Ifukube’s score does not make the final battle any more exciting either.

Speaking of the monsters, there is not too much to say. Godzilla looks like he did in the last one, but with another new face that goes back to being super hero like. Mecha Godzilla is the exact same suit as before as well, just with a 2 on the arms below the MG. On the other hand, Titanosaurus seems to be where the entire budget of the movie went to, as he is unique looking and an interesting idea in concept. It is too bad he was short changed by being in a movie where he had to share screen time with Mecha Godzilla and with a budget too limited to really let him shine.

Overall, this movie is a mess. It is boring, the characters are uninteresting and phone in their performances, the monsters are bland, the music sounds off, and the effects are cheaply done. If there is one thing to learn from this it is that ending an era of Godzilla movies should not be this flat. I give “Terror of Mecha Godzilla” a 4/10 stars.

[eabaker]

Couldn't disagree more, I'm afraid. I put ToMG well above the first MG flick, which to me is easily the more boring of the two. Where the sequel wins out is in tone. I'm never inclined to feel anythign about anything in the GvsMG, but ToMG has a pervasive sense of resolved, fultile depression that is unique and strangely enchanting. The tragic storyline, the drab photography, the relaxed pace, the funereal music, the almost zombie-like performances, they are all absolutely chilling.

[Gman2887]

[eabaker]

[Dr Kain]

To be perfectly honest though, I think I was drained by the time I watched this today as I had watched G2K and GvsMechaG before first and really wanted to just watch Terror today so I could watch both MechaG's back to back. I'll end up watching it again in the future and will decide then if I should change my review or not.

[Hybrid Gojira]

Terror of MG is in my top 3 favorite G films. It's far from perfect, but I find an enjoyment in it that is lacking in other movies. Titanosaurus is a vast improvement over Seesar and I thought the city destruction scenes were incredible, including the part where Godzilla is wading through a seemingly endless assault from MG that catches him on fire.
Ikfukube's score is excellent even if parts are recycled. There really isn't much I dislike about this movie, even though some of Kain's criticisms are merited. Showa MG is one of the best Godzilla villains and when you add to that Titanosaurus, the movie just works for me.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

>ITT
>Dr Kain hates on yet another "cheesy" Showa Godzilla film.


That's consistency!

[Gman2887]

I also don't really understand the complaint that the miniatures "look fake". I can see a criticism with this particular film that some of the miniatures lack the detail of previous films, but outside the original Godzilla when has this entire genre gone for realism? The miniatures and monster suits should be competent representations of what they are, not photo realistic presentations of something as it might be in reality. That's western films' job.

[jellydonut25]

fresh off a solid take on G2K, Kain goes back to insanity and we are right back at odds. I have no great love for ToMG, but 4/10 and "music seems off" and other comments....just, just NO.

[eabaker]

[Dr Kain]

[jellydonut25]

^well, you wouldn't be alone on any thought on GxMG. I like it, a few others around here like it, some notable people around here also find it dull and listless.

[Gman2887]

[eabaker]

[Goji 84]

[DannyBeane]

I'm a bottle of wine into TOMG and the only relevant thing I have to say is when it was said Titanosaur was from the bonin islands, I chuckled and said " As in I'd stick my bone in katsura" That is all.

*edit* sepcifically during the flashback when she has pig tails and skirt and gets electrocuted.

[jellydonut25]

Ha! Bonin...

[klen7]

[ILL GREEN]

I love Goji's suit and the fact he fights two against one. The human story was interesting though kinda confused how Akira falls in love with Katsura. I understand the infatuation though. He only took her to dinner once and next he's crying by her side like they were together for years. Another thing was the handling of the monster fights, some scenes show Godzilla gaining the upperhand then cuts to the humans for a quick second and come back to see Goji fatigued and thrown again into a ditch. Other than that, the story is pretty good and Godzilla fought an epic fight. Just wished it had more monster scenes.

[eabaker]

[lhb412]

Honda really tried to work in some '70s, experimental, weird for the sake of it stuff in his direction, didn't he? Half the time it works, have the time it doesn't - but it does make the film more interesting.

I think the reason that Fukuda's Mechagodzilla film is superior (despite this one having a better story and characters) is that you can really feel Terror chaffing at the confines of it's limited time and budget, whereas Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is slickly calibrated within the confines of it's limits.

[eabaker]

I'll certainly agree that vs. Mechagodzilla is the more slick film, but Terror has a raw sensibility that I find much more appealing.

[Gman2887]

Agreed. Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla has something of a suave personality to it. Terror of MechaGodzilla is rocky, but it works in context of the story. The world these aliens and MechaGodzilla exist in has become more cynical. Ignoring spies, watching mystical songs and utilizing earth shattering smoke pipes won't exactly work in the post-vs. MechaGodzilla world. The more I think about Terror, the more highly I rank it.

On another topic, I've always wondered if Honda didn't like the fact that the aliens were green apes. That whole aspect seems to be omitted from Terror of MechaGodzilla completely. Not that I missed it by any stretch, but it almost felt like a retcon.