Would a new headline monster save Terror of Mechagodzilla?

[Arbok]

Question for contemplation. Terror of Mechagodzilla ended the Showa series in Japan as attendance had more or less fallen off the cliff when it came out, with the following trend:

Godzilla vs. Hedorah Attendance: 1,740,000
Godzilla vs. Gigan Attendance: 1,780,000
Godzilla vs. Megalon Attendance: 980,000
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Attendance: 1,330,000
Terror of Mechagodzilla Attendance: 970,000

The question is, had Toho opted to not make the film a continuation of Mechagodzilla, trying for a whole new monster as a headliner, would fortunes have turned and perhaps the Showa series continued?

It's an interesting topic of debate. As shown by Megalon being a slump in the series, not any opponent would have worked. I personally don't think just replacing Mechagodzilla with a new monster would have turned the tides, as even Toho's all-out attempt on Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla wasn't able to get it to the level of the first two 1970's films.

...with the only exception being a new headliner with Godzilla and Mothra in the title. Audiences were clearly hungry for another movie featuring Mothra, but I don't think Toho realized it by this point in time until about five years later when a re-release of Mothra vs. Godzilla was a box office hit. So I don't think a different monster would have changed fortunes by itself, but facing a different monster using a story that featured Mothra might have let the Showa series hold out for another movie before the inevitable closure of the Showa series.

[MaxRebo320]

Very interesting assumption. Calling the film ''Godzilla vs. Titanosaurus'' would be interesting....

[GodzillaRangerPrime]

Maybe Terror of Mechagodzilla failed because people thought it was just the same film as Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla?

There's no telling how another film after that would done. It might've had a slightly higher or lower attendance. By that time, attendance would've stayed at that same average.

[Godzilla628]

I don't think it would have mattered bc in the late 1970's Japan's Film Industry was starting a downward spiral. People were not as interested in Godzilla movies at that time. That's why the attendance was low. A headline monster would have probably increased the attendance by a little, but not much.

[Xx_The_Masquerade_xX]

Wouldn't have mattered what monster or title they changed it too, People weren't as interested in going to the theater's.. The later showa films were declining with quality each release an people were just simply burnt out on Godzilla.

If anything Terror of Mecha-Godzilla, an G-vs Mecha-G 1974 were the first two decent/good films to come from Toho for like a decade. The decline was unstoppable, same thing happened with the 2000 series.

[kpa]

I agree with Legion and XxComablack1937xX. The Japanese film industry was in sharp decline in the early 1970s, with theaters shutting down, Daiei closing, Nikkatsu switching to adult films, and the other studios suffering massive cutbacks. By 1975, Godzilla was the last of Toho's long-running franchises still in production. I doubt a new monster or an A-lister like Mothra could have "saved" the series at that point... the audience was no longer there to make the movies financially viable.

[Godzilla6014]

I agree with Legion and XxComablack1937xX. The Japanese film industry was in sharp decline in the early 1970s, with theaters shutting down, Daiei closing, Nikkatsu switching to adult films, and the other studios suffering massive cutbacks. By 1975, Godzilla was the last of Toho's long-running franchises still in production. I doubt a new monster or an A-lister like Mothra could have "saved" the series at that point... the audience was no longer there to make the movies financially viable.

I would have to agree with them as well. Besides it seemed like there was a problem like I don't know if it was because of an oil crisis or what. I know that seemed to be part of the problem. Which is why Toho had to use stock footage scenes for Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs. Megalon. It would have almost seemed at the time that newer scenes were to expensive for even a company like Toho to afford. I don't think it was just them that did it though. I think any movie industary in Japan was forced into it. It also sounds like that even canceled Zone Fighter and after Terror of Mechagodzilla they just couldn't afford to do anymore films at that time. One more thing is that after Destroy all Monsters the movies stopped doing well in the box office and the last six movies didn't seem to do well at all. However, sometimes I think if this or even other Eras in the series would continue that it might be cool in a way but who knows.

[junkerde]

Godzilla vs Ghost Godzilla lol

[Alexzilla408]

I don't think so at all. The two MechaG movies, at least in my opinion were the height of the Showa series.

[o.supreme]

I agree with Legion and XxComablack1937xX. The Japanese film industry was in sharp decline in the early 1970s, with theaters shutting down, Daiei closing, Nikkatsu switching to adult films, and the other studios suffering massive cutbacks. By 1975, Godzilla was the last of Toho's long-running franchises still in production. I doubt a new monster or an A-lister like Mothra could have "saved" the series at that point... the audience was no longer there to make the movies financially viable.

I agree it is sad that the state of the industry dictated the low theatrical performace of this film. Howwever I do take some things away from this. Godzilla went out on high note. Although I like BOTH showa films with Mechagodzilla, I perfer TOMG both personally & critically.

[Alexzilla408]

I don't think so at all. The two MechaG movies, at least in my opinion were the height of the Showa series.

In what?

It certainly wasn't ticket sales.

In the quality of the films. Ticket sales don't mean anything to me. If they did, Transformers would be the greatest shit ever.

[eabaker]

I don't think so at all. The two MechaG movies, at least in my opinion were the height of the Showa series.

In what?

It certainly wasn't ticket sales.

In the quality of the films. Ticket sales don't mean anything to me. If they did, Transformers would be the greatest shit ever.

Sure, but the topic of the thread is ticket sales, not cinematic quality.

[eabaker]

In what?

It certainly wasn't ticket sales.

In the quality of the films. Ticket sales don't mean anything to me. If they did, Transformers would be the greatest shit ever.

The two Mechagodzilla films pale in comparison to the early to mid sixties.

I'd say this is particularly true of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. It's passably diverting, but in no way emotionally engaging.

[Godzilla6014]

come to think of it there wasn't really much of a cliff hanger to be had in the Showa Series. I mean really though unless you look at the fact that only one Showa villian survived in the series and that's Megalon he was the only one that wasn't killed off in the Showa Series. Unless you would say Ebirah although no telling if he really counts or not it depends. I mean though I guess if Setopia wasn't bothered with to may explosions after Megalon was defated by Godzilla and Jet Jaguar than I gues they would have no reason to really want revenge since the Human race above pretty much left them alone. As, for Ebirah well he doesn't have claws left to fight with anyways so I guess that answers that. Does it?

[ScootaVaran]

come to think of it there wasn't really much of a cliff hanger to be had in the Showa Series. I mean really though unless you look at the fact that only one Showa villian survived in the series and that's Megalon he was the only one that wasn't killed off in the Showa Series. Unless you would say Ebirah although no telling if he really counts or not it depends. I mean though I guess if Setopia wasn't bothered with to may explosions after Megalon was defated by Godzilla and Jet Jaguar than I gues they would have no reason to really want revenge since the Human race above pretty much left them alone. As, for Ebirah well he doesn't have claws left to fight with anyways so I guess that answers that. Does it?

Gigan survived both battles against Godzilla.

[ScootaVaran]

Gigan survived both battles against Godzilla.

And was killed by Zone Fighter.

Really? But Gigan is my Showa Boba Fett!!
Did...Did he die a warriors death?

[ScootaVaran]

[You tell me.

Well, That was unfortunate.
Gigan should've known to never pick a fight with someone that has a theme song with child backup singers.
Zues striking him in the ear with lightning didn't help any either.


Oh well, sorry to fly off topic.

[Godzilla6014]

[You tell me.

Well, That was unfortunate.
Gigan should've known to never pick a fight with someone that has a theme song with child backup singers.
Zues striking him in the ear with lightning didn't help any either.


Oh well, sorry to fly off topic.

Your fine I can kind of understand where you are coming from any some ways it doesn't seem to realistic for Zone Fighter (Human grown into a giant super hero don't know what you'd call him when he's big.) could kill a powerful kajiu like Gigan but for as how like that i guess anything like it is possible keep in mind he was strong enough to defeat King Ghidorah but not to kill him. Now if Gigan's laser beam would have been used for back then than I don't know if Zone Fighter could do as good of a job in doing so.

[Alexzilla408]

The two Mechagodzilla films pale in comparison to the early to mid sixties.

Not to mention Gojira.

I guess we just have differing opinions because I find both MechaG movies far more entertaining than anything else in the Showa series. And to be honest, even though Gojira is in the Showa series, I tend to put it on a separate realm from the rest of the series, so that's my justification for that omission.

[eabaker]

And to be honest, even though Gojira is in the Showa series, I tend to put it on a separate realm from the rest of the series, so that's my justification for that omission.

I'm the same way. When I think of the Showa series, I generally think of it as the first wave of sequels and other kaiju flicks that followed the impact of the original, but the original - not being inspired, obviously, by its own success - is an entity with a unique origin, and thus has a separate status from all others.