The Godzilla Thread

[Zandrax]

Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)


Far better film than I expected it to be, given the ridiculous premise. This movie never had an official release in the States, other than being broadcast on cable a time or two. It is literally the most difficult film to find any English version of, even with torrents. I was only able to track down a subtitled version. I will go into more detail than usual in this review due to this being so hard to find.

This film is a direct sequel to Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985. The climactic scenes are shown while the opening credits roll, right down to Godzilla falling into the volcano. Some of the aftermath is shown with an American reporter talking about the struggle Tokyo has ahead to rebuild itself.

Some American UN soldiers are scraping up pieces of Godzilla flesh and putting it in cases, presumably for military study. They are killed by a sunglasses-wearing gunmen, who steals the samples.

Dr. Shiragami is an intelligent, daring scientist working in the middle-eastern country of Saradia. He is ready to return home with his daughter, Erika (played by Yasuko Sawaguchi from the previous film). Sadly, the lab they work at is bombed and Erika is killed. Flash forward to the year 1990. A Japanese company is perfecting a "nuclear eating" bacteria. Not only do they see this as a defense against nuclear explosions, but a potential weapon against Godzilla should he return.

Dr. Sheragami is now semi-active in the field of science. He is called upon to continue his work on Godzilla cells from the years past. He declines, blaming his work for the loss of his daughter. He is visited by two women, one of whom (Miki) is a powerful psychic. Miki makes mention that one of Sheragami's roses is calling his name. Sheragami comes to believe that Erika's spirit is still living in one of his rose bushes.

Before long, Dr. Sheragami changes his mind, and joins the Godzilla bacteria project. He secretly blends the 'Zilla cells with the rose bush he believes is inhabited by Erika. Seems like a perfectly logical thing to do... take the only remnant of your daughter and mutate it with Godzilla. I'm sure any loving father would have come to the same decision.

Word gets out that the doctor has the bacteria, and two BioMajor agents (an American based science group with terrorist tactics) break in to steal it. They are caught by the rogue agent from the beginning of the film (who shall henceforth be known as Ringo due to his resemblance to a secret agent version of Ringo Starr) and a firefight breaks out. The fight is broken up by large mutated vines that ensnare and kill one of the BioMajors. The other jumps out the window as Ringo is grabbed. Ringo is able to free himself, but fails at retrieving the bacteria.

The next morning, Dr, Sheragami's lab is in shreds, with a huge hole made in the wall. There are also little bits of mutant plant and human remains littered about. The doctor's creation has broken free, and soon takes root in the shallow ocean in the form of a giant rose. Sheragami confesses his experiments, and names the plant Biollante, after a plant in Norse mythology that had a human soul. I've never hear that in Norse mythology, but my knowledge of Norse mythos is limited to Thor comic books.

Japan then gets a demand from BioMajor that they hand over the anti-nuke bacteria. They have set bombs around the volcano where Godzilla is imprisoned, and will free him if they do not comply. How they were able to plant the many thousands of tons of explosives necessary without being noticed is never explained... Japan agrees, and the remaining BioMajor thief from the lab shows up to collect the bacteria. Ringo shows up, kills the agent, and runs off with the bacteria. The volcano bombs are detonated, and Godzilla is freed to rampage once again. Biollante somehow hears Godzilla, and begins "calling out to him", presumably psychically. 

The Japanese Government unleash the Super X2, a stronger version of the Super-X with the ability to channel back Godzilla's breath attack. It is also controlled remotely so it's crew doesn't suffer the same fate as the original. And it does a good job against Godzilla... until the main weapon starts to melt and it is forced to retreat.

Godzilla eventually confronts Biollante. It soon becomes apparent that G's atomic breath has a strange effect of Biollante's physiology. Biollante flares up in a big ball of flame and sparks flutter into the sky.

Japan has now assembled several rockets with the anti-nuke bacteria, and are ready to use it on Godzilla. They lure Godzilla into the target area and hit him with four of the rockets. One even places squarely in his mouth. Unfortunately, the bacteria seems to have no effect. It's theorized that since Godzilla is cold-blooded, his lower body temperature may be slowing or stopping the bacteria. They enact a plan to use microwave weapons to increase G's body temperature.

They fail miserably... until Biollante returns in an evolved, more mutated, and far more ugly form. The two monsters duel, with Biollante now dwarfing Godzilla. Eventually though, Godzilla's breath destroys Biollante... but the struggle was enough to raise G's temperature to the point where the bacteria takes effect, and he falls into the ocean. As Biollante burns to death, Dr. Sheragami sees the image of his daughter rise into the sky, thanking him.

Sheragami is hailed as a national hero by his boss, who pleads with him to continue his reasearch. But Sheragami vows to end his experiments. It's the attitude of using science to create weapons that created Godzilla and Biollante in the first place. As Sheragami walks away, he is suddenly shot by Ringo. Dr. Kirishimi (Sheragami's assistant through all this) catches up to Ringo and fights him. Ringo looks to have won, but he is standing on one of the microwave pads used against Godzilla, and is incinerated.

Kirishimi (who had formed a relationship with Miki's teacher)  realizes that there is good and evil everywhere in the world, and decides not to go with her to America. Suddenly, Godzilla leers above them... his temperature lowered by crashing into the water. But Godzilla swims out to sea, possibly aware of his temperature condition.

Sheragami's body is placed in a tent, presumably awaiting the return home for burial, when Erika voices over the moral of the film: How humans should remeber this day and rise above their petty selfishness. The film ends with a shot of Godzilla continuing to swim out to sea.

Roll credits....

This film had very good effects when compared to the previous installments. Godzilla still did ultimately look like a man in a suit, it's just a really good suit. Biollante is truly one of the ugliest creations ever put into a 'Zilla film, and probably would legitimately give young children nightmares.


"It's as if the Little Shop Of Horrors plant were designed by Satan..."

Overall this is a better film than expected. Good effects (real helicopters and jets used!), good directing, and a good humanistic theme despite the wacky premise of a soul taking residence in a plant. I give this one a 6.5. As I said before, this one is very hard to find in the States. But given one of the plotlines involves what are essentially terrorists with American ties, it's easy to see why.

Only
-appearance of Biollante, though the history is used in a future film

[Bob]

I love these reviews...... keep em coming.

[MSTJedi]

Good work, guys. I like the two different opinions, too.

[gojikranz]

i actually have the original hbo vhs that was released back in the day.  apparently it cost over a hundred dollars when it was released but someone found it for a present for me at, i assume, a much lower price.  and its a widescreen vhs  .

this film is pretty damn cool.  i havent watched it in a while cause i only have it on vhs i really should watch it again.  i think super x II is the best of the super xs i like that green color.  the funky techno music adaptations of ifukube's themes in the chase scene is a moment when i know i should hate it but i just cant bring myself to and instead i just jam out to the 80's beats(i have it on cd too!).  And when ifukube heard this he was so disgusted that he decided he had to come back for the next film so win win.

the effects really are very good in this one admittedly i havent seen it in a while but there is nothing i can remember feeling was particularly poor in it, and biollante is a great creation i belive this film had some sort of contest for the making of it kinda like megalon.  fortunately we got a good result this time.  the plot gets kind of confused at times i think but its overally pretty good easily best film of the 80's 8 of 10 
as soon as im back home with the vhs machine i think ill give this one a spin.

[Zandrax]

Good to hear people are enjoying the reviews. Just remember, a 6-7 from me still means pretty damn good.

[gbeenie]

Godzilla 1985 (1984)



The American version of Return Of Godzilla. This is one of the few times where the American version of a Godzilla film is in my opinion superior to the original. Like the original Gojira, the Japanese cut ran over 100 minutes, while the American cut runs about 85. Also, many scenes are deleted to make room for American footage filmed in English. Most importantly, Raymond Burr reprises his role as Steve Martin. But likely due to actor Steve Martin becoming a household name, he is referred to as Mr. Martin.

The plot unfolds in the beginning much the same as the original, with the lost boat and the big green slug. A few scenes are inserted that take place in the States to show what Americans think. Gone is the subplot of the coverup to the public. The US government looks to Steve Martin, who has lived a relatively quiet life for the last 30 years, for help in dealing with a potential Godzilla threat.

Remember the Soviet soldier that died trying to stop the nuclear failsafe? Well in the American version he dies trying to launch the missile. See, you couldn't paint Soviets in a sympathetic light in 1985...

Anyways despite Martin's cynicism, the US Government goes ahead with precautionary measures as well as shooting the missile out of the sky as before. Martin correctly predicts that any physical measures to stop Godzilla will be futile ("General, I hope you succeed. But no matter the outcome... Godzilla will live").

The resolution is the same as well, with some streamlining of dialogue and deletion of scenes. The final dramatic scenes of Godzilla plummeting into the volcano are accompanied by Raymond Burr voicing over the motto of the film.

"Nature has a way sometimes of reminding Man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up terrible offsprings of our pride and carelessness to remind us of how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla. The reckless ambitions of Man are often dwarfed by their dangerous consequences. For now, Godzilla - that strangely innocent and tragic monster - has gone to earth. Whether he returns or not, or is never again seen by human eyes, the things he has taught us remain..."

Allegedly, New World pictures originally wanted to dub the film in a satirical manner, much like Woody Allen's What's Up Tiger Lilly? Raymond Burr objected to this, taking the nuclear metaphors of Godzilla seriously. The end result is an entertaining, but again campy attempt at a giant monster movie. I give it a 6, because as I said before, the American version was a better cut for once.

Lasts
-Appearance of Raymond Burr
-Film to have any American footage added
-Film to have any significant alteration for an American audience.

This is the only Godzilla film I've ever seen in the theatre.

[gojikranz]

This is the only Godzilla film I've ever seen in the theatre.

it was the last godzilla film in theaters till godzilla 2000, which you shoulda seen...

[gbeenie]

This is the only Godzilla film I've ever seen in the theatre.

it was the last godzilla film in theaters till godzilla 2000, which you shoulda seen...

Alas, I did not, on account of the lameness of me...

[Zandrax]

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)



Quite campy, and not very good at explaining the whole time continuum thing, but it's an enjoyable film nonetheless.

The film begins with a stinger of two people in a submarine in the year 2204 (the sub strangely looks like a present day sub) overlooking the body of a dead King Ghidorah.

Cut back to 1992. Dashing reporter Terasawa (who looks like a Japanese Elvis) is investigating claims of a dinosaur sighted during WWII, and how it saved a Japanese platoon from American forces. He theorizes that this dinosaur is what later mutated into Godzilla. His story is pretty much confirmed by a tycoon named Shindo, who was part of the Japanese platoon that was saved.

A UFO appears over Japan, piloted by two Western looking men: Wilson (in a purple suit) and some guy that looks like Three Stooges Larry with a haircut. With them is a Japanese woman named Emiko (or Emi). They come to warn Japan of the dangers that are ahead. Godzilla will destroy Japan, and they propose to go back to WWII to teleport the dino from its location and prevent it from becoming Godzilla in the first place. Thus altering time and saving countless lives.

The Japanese Government agrees... the poor saps. Anybody that has any sci-fi knowledge knows what's really at work here. Wilson and Larry are up to no good and things are falling right into their plans.

Emi, Elvis, Miki (from the Biollante movie, and a regular in the Hensei series) and an android named M11 travel back to 1944 along with a couple critters called Dorats. They witness the incident of the young Godzilla (in his unaltered dino form) squishing the American force, saving the Japanese platoon. This scene caused some controversy in America because some Americans thought it was an anti-American sentiment. Of course, we've made movies shooting up Japanese all the time, but some Japs squish some Americans and we get our panties in a wad...

A gag here is that an American Major (not sure what a Major is doing on a Navy battleship) sees the time travel craft land. He's excited to tell his son someday. His name? Major Spielberg...

M11 successfully teleports the dino away, and they heroes fly off for their own time... but Emi secretly lets the Dorats out the door before taking off.


"I will hug them and squeeze them and call them George... or Ghidorah..."


"HEY YOU GUYYYYYS!!"

Back in 1992, Godzilla is not around... and King Ghidorah shows up wreaking havoc. Emi feels this is a double cross, and goes back to Elvis to spill her guts about the Futurians' plans. they want to eliminate Japan from history.

Here is where things get interesting. A group of Shindo's men take a nuclear sub to the location of the dino body, hoping to re-create Godzilla with nuclear missiles. But to their surprise, they find GODZILLA still recovering from his condition brought about at the end of Godzilla vs. Biollante. The irony is that history wasn't changed, but fulfilled. Godzilla destroys the sub and absorbs its power, curing his condition and becoming almost twice the size as before... AND HE'S NOT HAPPY!!

Godzilla shows up on land and battles Ghidorah, blowing one of its heads off. Japan is now at the mercy of Godzilla, but Emi has a plan! She and M11 bolt back off to the future to use 23rd Century technology to revive Ghidorah.

Another scene of irony is Godzilla rampaging through the city, and finding the building Shindo owns. Shindo sees Godzilla, remembers the time in WWII, and seems to embrace his fate with open arms as Godzilla reduces his tower to rubble. Shortly afterward, Emi shows up in the new creation MECHA-KING GHIDORAH, now with M11's brain built in. She goes a few rounds with Godzilla, eventually entangling him and dropping him into the sea.


Why should Godzillas have all the mecha versions?

Finally, Emi flies off triumphantly into the future, telling Elvis that she's a distant descendant of his.

This one gets a 5. It is campy, and the whole time travel story is a bit whacked when you think about it. Why would the Futurians need help from 1992? Why not just do the job themselves? Once Emi realized the error, why didn't she go back again and change the past back to what it was? Why didn't they just teleport the dino into space or something?

It's also funny seeing 23rd century villains that still use CRT monitors, QWERTY keyboards, vector graphics, and CD storage. In fact, when Emi reprograms M11 to make him a good guy, she doesn't even have to bypass any security or write any code. She just switches around a few CDs in his head.

To top it off, the effects actually looked better in Godzilla vs. Biollante. The beaming and flying technology obviously uses cutouts, and M11 pulling a Lee Majors and running at high speeds just looks so laughable it should be made into an animated GIF....

Firsts
-King Ghidorah playing any sort of face role. Albeit resurrected in Mecha-King Ghidorah form.

Only
-appearance of Mecha-King Ghidorah
-appearance of the unaltered dinosaur form of Godzilla (sans a flashback montage in Final Wars)

[gojikranz]

you forgot to give it a number rating.

this was the first heisei film i saw after the wonders of the internet taught that there were more than the few godzilla tapes i had in existence.  it was pretty damn awesome then and its still pretty cool albeit campy nowadays.  i thought the world war II stuff was done pretty well aside from the infamous american captains seeing the ufo scene.  my boy yoshiro tsuchiya is back as shindo does a nice job an that scene with him in the building facing down godzilla is i think my favorite all time godzilla moment so bad ass.  i remember thinking mecha king ghidora was only a toy that i had finding out it was actually filmed was a major revelation and its pretty cool here.  this film is notable for all the monsters being bigger than ever before with the new continuum having godzilla made larger due to greater irradiation (this was done because tokyo had grown so much larger since 1954 that godzilla was dwarfed by the skyscrapers).  i can forgive this film most its sillliness but M11's run and the flying thing he uses are a little much for me(incidentally the actor who played m11 is a very nice fellow and has been at g-fest every year for the past couple he acts as translator for a lot of the special guests).

i cant hate this film its just a lot of fun with some very powerful moments as well 8.5 of 10 and nice return from ifukube.

[Zandrax]

you forgot to give it a number rating.

this was the first heisei film i saw after the wonders of the internet taught that there were more than the few godzilla tapes i had in existence.  it was pretty damn awesome then and its still pretty cool albeit campy nowadays.  i thought the world war II stuff was done pretty well aside from the infamous american captains seeing the ufo scene.  my boy yoshiro tsuchiya is back as shindo does a nice job an that scene with him in the building facing down godzilla is i think my favorite all time godzilla moment so bad ass.  i remember thinking mecha king ghidora was only a toy that i had finding out it was actually filmed was a major revelation and its pretty cool here.  this film is notable for all the monsters being bigger than ever before with the new continuum having godzilla made larger due to greater irradiation (this was done because tokyo had grown so much larger since 1954 that godzilla was dwarfed by the skyscrapers).  i can forgive this film most its sillliness but M11's run and the flying thing he uses are a little much for me(incidentally the actor who played m11 is a very nice fellow and has been at g-fest every year for the past couple he acts as translator for a lot of the special guests).

i cant hate this film its just a lot of fun with some very powerful moments as well 8.5 of 10 and nice return from ifukube.

I gave it a 5

For those reading, if it doesn't become apparent in the reviews, the Heisei films are my favorite period of the Godzilla films. Everything from Godzilla 1985 - 1995's Godzilla vs. Destroyah is directly connected. So it's almost like a seven part movie series.

And here's the M11 running gif I was talking about. Anybody is free to use it for whatever.

[MSTJedi]

And here's the M11 running gif I was talking about. Anybody is free to use it for whatever.

So that's where that came from. I've seen the gif before, but never figured it for a Godzilla movie.

[gojikranz]

should read things closer .

heisei series is pretty cool though the continuity is a bit muddled at times its nice to have some attempt at a throughline, and the closure is great....

[Zandrax]

Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)



Overall I liked this a lot better than GvKG. This movie is especially notable for the appearance of a new Kaiju: Battra, the "Anti-Mothra".

A meteor strikes the Earth, uncovering a giant egg. This is of course a Mothra Egg. Keep in mind that these Heisei films ignore all the classic movies sans the original Godzilla, so this is a retelling of Mothra.

A Japanese Indiana Jones (Takuya), his ex-wife, and an assistant from the Maratumo company (Kenji) leave to explore the island. Mr. Maratumo sees the egg as a chance for profit (possibly a thrwoback to the 1964 film). The three meet the Mothra Twins, who tell them the story of Mothra and Battra. Mothra and Battra are the antithesis of each other, with Mothra helping nature and Battra being wrath. However Battra went mad and started destroying eveything. Mothra fought to stop Battra, and the two eventually lay dormant for millennia.


Battra, the badass Anti-Mothra

The other problem the meteor caused is it awoke Godzilla, who always seems cranky when he wakes up. Godzilla and Battra (still in larva stage) fight in the ocean and collapse in an underwater volcano. Their underwater fight has one of my favorite lines in all of Giant Monster filmmaking.

"What is it? Do you think it could be a giant monster traveling below the surface?"

Takuya and his ex return to Japan with the Mothra Twins, but Kenji takes them and presents them to Maratumo as an opportunity for commercial spokespeople. Naturally, the Twins do not want this, and are trying to warn people that Mothra will attack if mankind does not watch themselves. Indeed Mothra does show up in larva form and starts trashing the city. When she sees the Twins are OK, she starts cocooning herself.

Shortly, Godzilla and Battra (in adult form) both reappear. Mothra hatches, and starts combatting Battra.  Godzilla shows up, and the final 20-30 minutes of the film is a three way dance between them. One of the better booked fights in all of Giant Monster movies.

In the fight, Battra and Mothra eventually put their thousands of years of issues aside and double team on G. They carry him out to see, but Battra is mortally wounded in the struggle.

This one earns a solid 7. The story is passable sci-fi, and the effects still have that "guy in a suit" look (this was still before computer effects were the norm in filmmaking of course). You have to be a Giant Monster fan to like it, but as far as Giant Monster movies go it's definitely high on the list.

Only
-appearance of Battra
-appearance of Mothra in the Heisei series

[gojikranz]

i do not like this one as muck as g v kg.  but ive been known to be more the ghidora type than the mothra type.  i think i mainly just dont care as much about the human story in this one, doing indiana jones isn't as much fun as doing terminator.  and so sue me i never was big on the songs.  the final battle is pretty cool though nice usage of ferris wheel, and battras last moments are suitably goopy.  ill concur with a 7 of 10.