Discussion: When did the Showa Age go Wrong?

[Mini-Godzilla]

Maybe I would be able to appreciate the only original monster fight if Gabara didn't look incredibly stupid.

If you're watching All Monsters Attack for the monster fights, then you're totally missing what makes the movie so compelling. The film highlights the alienation and loneliness of latchkey kids on the uncaring city streets and suggests that the failure of adult authorities to supervise and nurture the children forces them to adopt violence as a means of self-defense (a fascinating conclusion to be made by Ishiro Honda, a known pacifist--a thesis that arguably parallels the moral ambiguities of using the oxygen destroyer in Gojira).

[King Caesar]

Gigan's stock footage always pissed me off. Seeing how bad the film's actual special effects were, and then seeing King Ghidorah's awesome attack in GTTHM less than ten years prior just showed how far the series had fallen.

Yet there were shots where Gigan was silhouetted against the flaming Tokyo and Anguiras's first arrival on the beach (where he looks amazing from far away). The movie did lack a lot, but it had a couple of noteworthy moments that make it better than Godzilla vs Megalon or Godzilla vs Hedorah IMO

[Legion1979]

Yet there were shots where Gigan was silhouetted against the flaming Tokyo and Anguiras's first arrival on the beach (where he looks amazing from far away). The movie did lack a lot, but it had a couple of noteworthy moments that make it better than Godzilla vs Megalon or Godzilla vs Hedorah IMO

Despite it's slow pace, strangeness and odd music, at least Hedorah is a complete film that doesn't take any special effects or musical shortcuts.

[TokyoVigilante]

Well, more subtle than complete scenes being recycled as if the movie were a "best of" compilation.

But that's what it is. It was made for Toho's Champion Festival; where kids go to hang-out and watch superhero shows and monster movies in a theater. This is where a lot of classic Godzilla films the demographic was possibly to young to see saw them (albeit in edited down, 60-70 minute cuts). All Monster's Attack was commissioned for this festival, not a standard theatrical release (as I've come to understand it). Hence, it's not fair to bash the film for being nothing but stock footage and a kids movie when that was the entire intention and goal from day one of the project.

[Goji]

Yet there were shots where Gigan was silhouetted against the flaming Tokyo and Anguiras's first arrival on the beach (where he looks amazing from far away). The movie did lack a lot, but it had a couple of noteworthy moments that make it better than Godzilla vs Megalon or Godzilla vs Hedorah IMO

Like what exactly?

Regarding SPX, GIGAN doesn't even come close to HEDORAH. Not in the least. At least all-new SPX sequences were used in that film. The amount of recycled SPX footage seen in GIGAN is down right embarrassing. They even use footage of the damn refinery exploding from HEDORAH, which had just come out the year before. Not to mention footage from films as old as THE LAST WAR (1958). That's pretty sad.

[The Dark Uniter]

I have to agree. I can't think of any noteworthy moments in Gigan at all except Gigan, he's a cool cyborg.

[KaneLocke]

Gigan had plenty of noteworthy moments. They were just overshadowed by a huge, HUGE amount of "blah."

[The Dark Uniter]

I kinda curious what are the noteworthy moments...I still can't think of one.

[King Caesar]

Yet there were shots where Gigan was silhouetted against the flaming Tokyo and Anguiras's first arrival on the beach (where he looks amazing from far away). The movie did lack a lot, but it had a couple of noteworthy moments that make it better than Godzilla vs Megalon or Godzilla vs Hedorah IMO

Despite it's slow pace, strangeness and odd music, at least Hedorah is a complete film that doesn't take any special effects or musical shortcuts.

The music in GvH is just...not memorable (save for Save the Earth...that's the mother of all earworms). While yeah the scores are recycled, they actually sound good. That, to me, is better than a mediocre new score.

@ Goji: the oldest footage actually dates back to Rodan... Just thought I should let ya know

[Goji]

Yet there were shots where Gigan was silhouetted against the flaming Tokyo and Anguiras's first arrival on the beach (where he looks amazing from far away). The movie did lack a lot, but it had a couple of noteworthy moments that make it better than Godzilla vs Megalon or Godzilla vs Hedorah IMO

Despite it's slow pace, strangeness and odd music, at least Hedorah is a complete film that doesn't take any special effects or musical shortcuts.

The music in GvH is just...not memorable (save for Save the Earth...that's the mother of all earworms). While yeah the scores are recycled, they actually sound good. That, to me, is better than a mediocre new score.

@ Goji: the oldest footage actually dates back to Rodan... Just thought I should let ya know

I'm well aware of the stock footage from RODAN. I was just going from memory, and THE LAST WAR was just the first film that popped into my head. I don't need to reference the main site whenever attempting to "1-up" someone like you clearly have.

A good chunk of the music in HEDORAH is definitely memorable, it's just that everyone only ever references Godzilla's drunken theme. Just because the music isn't your cup of tea, doesn't suddenly make it bad. It's just different from what was heard before. Ifukube or Sato's themes wouldn't have fit the film at all.

[The Dark Uniter]

I'm more of a fan of the composer's work in Godzilla vs Megalon moreso than Godzilla vs Hedorah. Probably because the score was more "upbeat". But his Hedorah score is very good.

[Lord Gappa]

When did it go wrong? Since when did it go wrong?
If you mean when it got all kooky and silly, i blame Godzilla vs Hedorah. Where else would you see fish people dancing in a bar, Godzilla flying, a giant crap monster, Godzilla FLYING, the wierd music, GODZILLA FLYING, all the...
The main point is, i thought Godzilla vs Hedorah changed the focus of the series because of it's somewhat child targeting storyline.

[Goji]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

[Legion1979]

The flying scene in Hedorah was added because they felt that the overall movie was too dark.

Echoing Goji, what's so childish about this movie?

[King Caesar]

@ Goji's earlier comment to me: Well, actually i was on google looking on a different site before I looked at the box office stuff here and...F*** you're right. Whatev...anyways, I'm don't think the musical score is an overall bad piece, but it just rubs me the wrong way. I really have never liked it. I like Sato, just not Hedorah.

@ Legion1979: It is dark, but all the funky colors and cartoon diagrams (plus another short shorts kid...) could make someone consider GvH childish. I think it's strange...I'm somewhere in the middle of the road.

[DaikaijuSokogeki!]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Cuz it has a kid as the lead and, like, y'know, that means it's a, like, kid's movie, y'know?

[Chris55]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Cuz it has a kid as the lead and, like, y'know, that means it's a, like, kid's movie, y'know?

Eh. I don't think that makes it childish

[KaneLocke]

@ Goji's earlier comment to me: Well, actually i was on google looking on a different site before I looked at the box office stuff here and...F*** you're right. Whatev...anyways, I'm don't think the musical score is an overall bad piece, but it just rubs me the wrong way. I really have never liked it. I like Sato, just not Hedorah.

@ Legion1979: It is dark, but all the funky colors and cartoon diagrams (plus another short shorts kid...) could make someone consider GvH childish. I think it's strange...I'm somewhere in the middle of the road.

Uh... The movie basically opens with a guy getting his face burned, people being reduced to skeletons, Godzilla having his hand almost completely melted, MANY people dying on screen, and some psychadellic colors and a scene with Godzilla flying makes it CHILDISH?

[Lord Gappa]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Godzilla flying.
The random animation sequences.
That little boy.
The goofy/Western esque music.
I'm not saying Godzilla vs Hedorah is childish, i'm saying it's SOMEWHAT childish and yet dark and mature at the same time.

[Goji]

That's clearly not what you said the first time Gappa, but sure, okay.

Godzilla's flying sequence was put in at the last minute to off set the grim tone of the film. Essentially, it was included for the kiddies and nothing more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the scene (it takes you out of the moment every time you see it), but honestly, after 23 years of watching this film, I can just look at it and laugh. It literally only lasts a couple of seconds.

The boy is a supporting character in the film, and is hardly as cringe worthy as he is in MEGALON (I actually don't know the actors name, but it is the same kid). Seriously, when compared to the children from the Showa Gamera films, he's Oscar worthy in comparison.

I've never heard the word "goofy" to describe the soundtrack...unless you're referring to Godzilla's theme. Which, again, is all anyone ever references. If it just doesn't work for you, then that's fine. However that doesn't make it "bad" or "childish".

The animation sequences were definitely random, but it was just the way that Banno choose to keep the films narrative going. It was simply an artistic choice. The entire film was an "avant-garde" approach to film making in the first place, and it's important to realize that when trying to shit all over it simply for being different from the film's that surround it.