Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

Monster Zero.

I cast mine for GTTHM as well, but with a big asterisk next to it, as it's been maybe 10 years since last I saw Sea Monster and at least 20 for KKvG. GvMothra64 is the class act of the lot, I'd venture to say, but I've long had a soft spot for its sequel. It might be the bad quality of my battered tape, but to me this film has an almost 40's era charm to it; it's hard to believe it's in color, it seems so old.

Ghidrah the three headed monster. Was the first appearence of Ghidrah who had proved to be a worthy opponent for Godzilla. And he smashed alotta stuff too.

WHY am I the only one who voted for Mothra vs. Godzilla? That DEFINES kaiju movies.

Had it said "best" 60s I would have voted for it, but it says "favorite" so I went with my favorite.

Godzilla vs. Mothra since that was a truly excellent film with all the godzilla fathers putting it all into the film from the superb special effects to the powerful music score which introduced the theme most familar with Godzilla.

Oh, that's a toughie. That would either be KKvG, Mothra, Monster Zero, or Sea Monster.

I agree that Godzilla V Mothra is the best,pretty much everything in the movie comes together.but my fav. is Ghidorah,it's flawed by it's somewhat sluggish ane muddled first third but after that it's just one great scene after another-Ghidorah's birth,the monsters 'talking'[yes,it's silly but it's one of the things I love about some of these movies],the end fight which is my fav. battle ever,I think it's just so rousing when Godzilla and Rodan finally come to Mothra's aid and eventaully coordinate their attacks.

Well, I'll go ahead and explain. To many fans (like me) this was the last true appearence of the original "people can just BURN!" Godzilla attitude. He has his own personality while being completelly, utterly ruthless. Mothra has never looks better, at least till GMM. The performances were very much above average, excellent for a Godzilla movie. The characters never wore out their welcome for me like they do in most G-movies (Case in point, I want to strangle half the characters of KKvsG and several of G:TTHM by the time 90 minutes are up). Godzilla also is in in best pre-90's suit by far, and the atomic blast effects are the best they have ever been in the original style (as in, not a giant cohesive beam like from the late '70s on). Mothra NEVER wears out her welcome, and her end is geniunely moving and beautifully filmed. This also has an excellent Ifukube score.

The most important thing Godzilla vs. Mothra did was that it DEFINED Godzilla movies. Before this, we had a great original, an entertaining but forgotten sequel, and a big revival/comedy/name-match brawl movie. This film was a GODZILLA movie. It defined the term. It brought back Godzilla's attitude as well as helping to make the Showa films one "universe" (bringing in Mothra) and establishing the overall look and feel of the Honda '60s Godzilla films. This movie is one of the reasons why I didn't dismiss Godzilla while I was maturing, and if I had I would not be talking to you right now and it's doubtful I'd have bothered seeing anything past Godzilla 2000. Perhaps most telling, it's a Godzilla movie normal people will watch! They'll say "That's the one with the little twins, right? I love that when I was a kid!" Then they'll watch it expecting a laughfest and get into it all over again. Even my dad will watch this with me if I corner him and beg (a distinction this shares with only the Gamera trilogy, GKOTM, and GMK).

In short, anybody who skips this movie because they don't like Mothra is doing themselves a disservice and anyone who doesn't recognize what it did for the series needs to watch it again. It defined the Godzilla movie and was the shining moment of the "Golden Age."

People certainly have the RIGHT to favor "Monster Zero" but I think they're nuts! The only efforts that came close in this era IMO were GTTHM and DAM, and even they got a bit too...silly. Damn if they weren't a hoot, but even if it isn't your favorite, you have to appreciate Godzilla vs. Mothra because it made those movies possible.

Because damn it all, Godzilla vs. Mothra was a GODZILLA movie and it wasn't afraid to show it and it looked good doing it! It was the pay-off of KKvsG's revitalization of the series. It showed that people were still interested in Godzilla. In the realms of realism, excitement, music, and characters, this film gets a 10 from me.

Well, G:TTHM is rather better than DAM and certainly better than KKvsG. At the beginning it was very much in the style of Godzilla vs. Mothra, and it would be right up there with it were it not for the stuff Honda didn't want: the monsters talking and clowning around. I won't say their antics aren't entertaining, but it yanks you right out of the feel of the movie. Godzilla goes from himself circa the end of GvsMothra (sorta clumsy, but likes to BURN innocents) to savior of planets and friend to grubs and pteranodons in one battle. Much as I enjoy that battle, that's where the Godzilla vs. Mothra magic fumbled.

Still, GTTHM is pushing the four-star range, kaiju movie-wise, so put it on your Christmas list CyHunter!