TALKBACK #21: Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla

[king_ghidorah]

[MekaGojira3k]

[EricDent]

[Dr Kain]

Last time on "As the Monster Roars" Space Godzilla was flying through space. Moguera flies towards him. Space Godzilla flies towards Moguera. Moguera flies towards Space Godzilla. Space Godzilla nicks Moguera and Moguera's leg breaks. He runs away. Meanwhile on Earth, boring music plays. Boring people run away screaming. Godzilla roars as a drunk looking human whose brother was apperantly killed by Godzilla tries to kill him with a machine gun. Then Space Godzilla lands on Earth. Little Godzilla floats. Godzilla Floats. Then Space Godzilla floats. Moguera flies towards Space Godzilla... again. Then Moguera flies towards Godzilla. Moguera decides to fly towards Space Godzilla. And then Space Godzilla becomes a thorn in Godzilla's side and Moguera breaks again. Godzilla roars. Space Godzilla roars. Godzilla roars again. Space Godzilla roars back. Moguera explodes. Space Godzilla... uh... disintegrates? The day is saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls.

[jellydonut25]

[Mac]

[TripMasterMunky]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[Gwangi]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Giganfan]

One thing I found to be a bit amusing in this movie is that when the final battle begins, the connection to the G-Force "big-screens" goes out, and when it comes back on, everything is destroyed, Spacegodzilla is vanquished, Mogera is in pieces, but there's Godzilla! Even one of the G-Force officals says "Go-jira" in such a manner as to imply "you sunuvab*tch!" After all of that, he stills survives. It's like Shinjo says at the very end, "He's incredible, that Godzilla!"

Yeah, I watched Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla from start to finish, for the first time in what has to be about ten years or so. In the past, I had been extremely vocal about this being my absolute least favorite of all Godzilla movies. To be honest, with fresher eyes, I can't really say that anymore. I mean, it is definately one of the lesser movies in the series, but I found myself enjoying it a helluva lot more now than I think I ever have. I think the problem with this movie isn't so much that there are so many random threads of storyline. It's that each individual sub-plot isn't properly developed to its fullest potential. The T-Project angle isn't one of the most impressive ideas for a Godzilla movie, but it could still work if handled properly. The same goes for the Yakuza (who interestingly enough seems to be populated with as many western-looking members as orientals) controlling Godzilla for their own ends, Miki's telekinesis and the beaucratic politics that seems to be withing the G-Force ranks. It's all good stuff, that could have really added some depths to the Godzilla storyline. It's just that there is such a disconnect between director Yamashita, scribe Kashiwabara and effects tech. Kawakita, that nothing ever seems to come together the way it should. And Kawakita was notorious for never really caring for what's in the script, and it shows here. The final battle between Godzilla, Spacegodzilla and Mogera, while fun to look at, is really just a series of routines; here is Spacegodzilla levitating Godzilla and tossing him into a building, here is Spacgodzilla levitating himself and shooting cosmic lightning bolts out of his butt-hole at Godzilla, here is the part where Mogera seperates and becomes two different machines, etc. I won't say that Kawakita did an overall terrible job on this movie, but it does feature some of his absolute worst effects work in the Godzilla series, such as the asteroid belt sequence, which should have been a highlight, and basically any time Spacegodzilla morphs into flying mode. And as far as director, Kensho Yamashita is concerned, I think he keeps the thing moving at a decent pace up until Kawakita essentially hi-jacks the last half of the movie, but he really seems kind of lost in this kind of movie.

If I had to descibe Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla in one negative phrase, it would be this; "tons and tons of potential, most of which just left on the table".

However, if I were to describe it in one positive phrase, it would be this; "a typical Godzilla adventure, with a different flavor". To my own personal tastes, it's really not as awful as I remember it being. Bad filmmaking? Yes. One of the worst in the series? Sure. The worst Godzilla movie ever made? Far from it. I think it ranks at the "bottom-half of the middle".

[jellydonut25]

it's just above Megaguirus and Mothra '92 for me.

one completely positive thing I can say in this film's favor is that Miki actually belongs here, unlike in the previous three entries.

still, if the Heisei Mechagodzilla lacks character and personality (and it does), then MOGUERA not only lacks those things, but actively sucks them away from the film.

[MekaGojira3k]

I almost think this is a worse film than Megaguirus and vs. Mothra, but that I'd rather watch this ten times over before I watch those other films.

[jellydonut25]

[MekaGojira3k]

[kiryugoji04]

[metal_bryan]

[kiryugoji04]

[metal_bryan]

[kiryugoji04]

Toho Kingdom's Heisei board is so much fun for me.

[Legion]

Space Godzilla and Destroyah are powerful. Therefore the movies are good.

[The Real McCoy]

[MekaGojira3k]

[jellydonut25]