Gigantis The Fire Monster!

[lhb412]

In 1998 I bought the "Official Godzilla Compendium." I was 10 years old. Not only did I discover that there were several more movies in the 90s series (besides GvKG and GvM, which I'd rented from Blockbuster), but there was a movie I hadn't seen in the original series, the first sequel introduucing Angilas and also filmed in black and white! It was the summer of 2002 when I finally "obtained" a copy of Godzilla Raids Again, in Japanese with English subbs of course.

I think there are several fans like me with similar stories who never got to see the American version of what was considered the "Lost Godzilla Movie." Now, thanks to Classic Media's wonderful DVD release I've finally seen this American version and all I can say is....


HUH? ...watching Gigantis the Fire Monster is one of the single wierdest things I've seen as a Godzilla fan. Hearing basically the same dub cast as Rodan brought back tons of nostalgia, but things clearly went wrong with this. Rodan's narration was rather good, at some times excellent, this was obver narrated and with crappy writing, and Kobayashi's voice is just bizarre. Did I mention some incredible pieces of dialog that would make a writer for Mystery Science Theater 3000 shed a tear of joy as they realise how easy this weeks' writing is going to come?

By far the most hilarious scene is the sequence with Dr. Yamane, who's second dubb voice sounds even more like Elmer Fudd. The pseudoscience in the film is hilarious to be sure, and I dare anyone not to laugh at that cute little dinosaur puppet.

*scene of guys in rubbery dinosaur suits slowly rumaging around on a field*

Dr. Yamane- In the 20th century radiation stirred these ancient creatures back to life.

Tom Servo- ...where they just kinda milled about and didn't hurt anybody.


Of course the wierdest thing of all is taking away Godzilla's name (and voice to some extent). It just feels wrong hearing the name Gigantis. How confused were people who saw this film for the first time in the late 80s with the right tittle but the same dubbing? Did the Video Treasures VHS box have an explanation on the back? Why did the American producers leave in the part where Yamane mentions specific plot points from the first Godzilla film? Lets just say that this is Gigantis; why don't the fishermen recognize him after the other Gigantis FREAKIN' DESTORYED THE CAPITAL OF JAPAN!?!


Well, it was definetly and experience. That circle that can't seem to completely cover up that swastika (sp?) is great, as is "The International Club" (International = White people).

[Gfan54]

[Legion]

[Benjamin Haines]

Godzilla Raids Again easily suffered the absolute worst Americanization of any Godzilla film. Everything about this US version just goes above and beyond horrendous. The dubbing, the plot changes, the editing, the technical points, everything. The US distributors accomplished quite a feat in taking an already-bad movie like Godzilla Raids Again and managing to make it infinitely worse with their tampering, and thereby making the drab Japanese version look like a masterwork by comparison.

[Gfan54]

[RyanClark]

[Gfan54]

[GlassShatters86]

by the way, I thought Godzilla Raids Again, along w/ Mothra vs. Godzilla was suppose to be released on DVD in the middle of December? what happened w/ that???

[lhb412]