Post by abraxas on Sept 1, 2010 13:17:25 GMT -5
Terror of Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as Mechagodzilla's Counterattack, is a 1975 tokusatsu kaiju film. The film was titled The Terror of Godzilla in its original American theatrical release. The 15th film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishiro Honda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. It is the second film to feature Mechagodzilla and the only film to feature Titanosaurus.
Terror of Mechagodzilla was the last movie in the Showa series of Godzilla movies (chronologically Destroy All Monsters is the last movie) before The Return of Godzilla began the Heisei series of Godzilla films in 1984. Because of the crash of Japanese cinema and the oil crisis of the mid-to-late 1970s, the Godzilla film series was forced to go on hiatus. As a result, Terror of Mechagodzilla had the lowest attendance figures of all the movies in the series.
Now this is more like it, this sequel to Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla is in my opinion, far better then the first film. This one is noted for going back to the more darker tone of the early Godzilla films. Its simply a much better film, the plot is fairly intricate, luckily the film all but ignores the plot of the first installment. The characters, apart from the main cast, a not as annoying as they were in the previous film and the villains, despite the fact that they are basically wearing silver jumpsuits, are more realistic, interesting.
I think I may have discovered the reason why the humanoid aliens in the last few films didn't work as well as the ones portrayed in this film. Its simple....they didn't laugh manically all throughout the film, I mean aliens in dresses aren't that frightening (hear that Seatopians). An alien isn't truly evil unless every single sinister action he commits is considered to be hysterically funny, so that's the problem, there was no..........."Tomorrow we will destroy Tokyo....Mahahahaahahaha.......Ahhh hahahahahaha"
PLOT: Continuing after the end of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (and probably 25 years before Destroy All Monsters), Interpol agents, led by Inspector Kusaka, search for the wreck of Mechagodzilla at the bottom of the Okinawan Sea in the submarine, Akatsuki, to gather information on its builders, the aliens of the third planet from the black hole. But, the Akatsuki is suddenly attacked by a giant aquatic dinosaur called Titanosaurus, and the crew is apparently lost. In response to the incident, Interpol begins to investigate. With the help of marine biologist Akira Ichinose, they trace the incident and Titanosaurus to a reclusive, mad scientist named Shinzô Mafune, who was forced to leave the institute, and now wants to destroy them as well as all of mankind.
Once again we see Godzilla fighting for his very life as he does battle with two enemies, MechaGodzilla unleashes his awesome power and nearly kills Godzilla, they throw him into a pit and blow up the earth around him. Titanosaurus then precedes to jump up and and down on Godzilla's grave, so to speak, but then as MechaGodzilla is distracted by some jets attacking him Godzilla is able to muster up some strength. When Godzilla rises from his grave he is fucking pissed off, MechaGodzilla lets it all out and tries to stop him but Godzilla just charges on. When he finally gets to MechaGodzilla he beats the shit out of him, never before has Godzilla been so mad.
This Godzilla film starts what would become a kind of tradition in later films, at one point we see a cameo from the little boy (now a teenager) from All monsters Attack, which was made six years earlier.
This was the last Godzilla film directed by Ishirō Honda. He was slated to direct Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), but he died early that year.
This was Akihiko Hirata's final appearance in a Godzilla film. He was slated to play Professor Hayashida in The Return of Godzilla (1984), but he died of lung cancer before production even began.
This film had a much darker tone and largely returned to the original style of the series. As a result, it is often considered the darkest of the Showa Godzilla films since Gojira (and Godzilla: King of the Monsters).
The original U.S. release was quite faithful to the original Japanese version. Broadcasters requested that the film be edited due to scenes involving the suicide of a character. This was at a time when there were a rash of teen suicides in the United States.
This film also had the first shot of nudity in a Godzilla film (gone from all U.S. prints): Katsura's prosthetic breasts exposed while black hole surgeons graphically operate on her lower heart area.
Katsumi Nimiamoto, the actor who played Titanosaurus, occasionally wore the suit backwards in order to give the kaiju less human-like movements.
The film was released theatrically during in March 1977 and runs 78 minutes, five minutes shorter than the Japanese print.
Released to television in late 1978, this time under the title Terror of Mechagodzilla. This version runs 89 minutes, which is actually six minutes longer than the Japanese version. It included an odd prologue about the history of Godzilla, with footage from Monster Zero and Godzilla's Revenge (comprising scenes from Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster and Son of Godzilla).
In Japan, the film sold 970,000 tickets. It would be the least-attended Godzilla film in Japan and also one of only two Godzilla films to sell less than one million tickets. As a result, the series was put on hold until 1984. Despite this, the film is gradually becoming a favorite among fans due to its dark nature and strong violence.
Oh did I mention that one of the characters is named "Mr. Itchy Nosy"
Just makes it to 5 out of 5 roars
Terror of Mechagodzilla was the last movie in the Showa series of Godzilla movies (chronologically Destroy All Monsters is the last movie) before The Return of Godzilla began the Heisei series of Godzilla films in 1984. Because of the crash of Japanese cinema and the oil crisis of the mid-to-late 1970s, the Godzilla film series was forced to go on hiatus. As a result, Terror of Mechagodzilla had the lowest attendance figures of all the movies in the series.
Now this is more like it, this sequel to Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla is in my opinion, far better then the first film. This one is noted for going back to the more darker tone of the early Godzilla films. Its simply a much better film, the plot is fairly intricate, luckily the film all but ignores the plot of the first installment. The characters, apart from the main cast, a not as annoying as they were in the previous film and the villains, despite the fact that they are basically wearing silver jumpsuits, are more realistic, interesting.
I think I may have discovered the reason why the humanoid aliens in the last few films didn't work as well as the ones portrayed in this film. Its simple....they didn't laugh manically all throughout the film, I mean aliens in dresses aren't that frightening (hear that Seatopians). An alien isn't truly evil unless every single sinister action he commits is considered to be hysterically funny, so that's the problem, there was no..........."Tomorrow we will destroy Tokyo....Mahahahaahahaha.......Ahhh hahahahahaha"
PLOT: Continuing after the end of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (and probably 25 years before Destroy All Monsters), Interpol agents, led by Inspector Kusaka, search for the wreck of Mechagodzilla at the bottom of the Okinawan Sea in the submarine, Akatsuki, to gather information on its builders, the aliens of the third planet from the black hole. But, the Akatsuki is suddenly attacked by a giant aquatic dinosaur called Titanosaurus, and the crew is apparently lost. In response to the incident, Interpol begins to investigate. With the help of marine biologist Akira Ichinose, they trace the incident and Titanosaurus to a reclusive, mad scientist named Shinzô Mafune, who was forced to leave the institute, and now wants to destroy them as well as all of mankind.
Once again we see Godzilla fighting for his very life as he does battle with two enemies, MechaGodzilla unleashes his awesome power and nearly kills Godzilla, they throw him into a pit and blow up the earth around him. Titanosaurus then precedes to jump up and and down on Godzilla's grave, so to speak, but then as MechaGodzilla is distracted by some jets attacking him Godzilla is able to muster up some strength. When Godzilla rises from his grave he is fucking pissed off, MechaGodzilla lets it all out and tries to stop him but Godzilla just charges on. When he finally gets to MechaGodzilla he beats the shit out of him, never before has Godzilla been so mad.
This Godzilla film starts what would become a kind of tradition in later films, at one point we see a cameo from the little boy (now a teenager) from All monsters Attack, which was made six years earlier.
This was the last Godzilla film directed by Ishirō Honda. He was slated to direct Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), but he died early that year.
This was Akihiko Hirata's final appearance in a Godzilla film. He was slated to play Professor Hayashida in The Return of Godzilla (1984), but he died of lung cancer before production even began.
This film had a much darker tone and largely returned to the original style of the series. As a result, it is often considered the darkest of the Showa Godzilla films since Gojira (and Godzilla: King of the Monsters).
The original U.S. release was quite faithful to the original Japanese version. Broadcasters requested that the film be edited due to scenes involving the suicide of a character. This was at a time when there were a rash of teen suicides in the United States.
This film also had the first shot of nudity in a Godzilla film (gone from all U.S. prints): Katsura's prosthetic breasts exposed while black hole surgeons graphically operate on her lower heart area.
Katsumi Nimiamoto, the actor who played Titanosaurus, occasionally wore the suit backwards in order to give the kaiju less human-like movements.
The film was released theatrically during in March 1977 and runs 78 minutes, five minutes shorter than the Japanese print.
Released to television in late 1978, this time under the title Terror of Mechagodzilla. This version runs 89 minutes, which is actually six minutes longer than the Japanese version. It included an odd prologue about the history of Godzilla, with footage from Monster Zero and Godzilla's Revenge (comprising scenes from Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster and Son of Godzilla).
In Japan, the film sold 970,000 tickets. It would be the least-attended Godzilla film in Japan and also one of only two Godzilla films to sell less than one million tickets. As a result, the series was put on hold until 1984. Despite this, the film is gradually becoming a favorite among fans due to its dark nature and strong violence.
Oh did I mention that one of the characters is named "Mr. Itchy Nosy"
Just makes it to 5 out of 5 roars
HMaM Global Mod
