Toho Kingdom

Okay, seriously. Enough, guys. Discuss Son of Godzilla. The next person to mention Godzilla's unmentionables (or any other monster's) is getting a warning.

Ok. Overall opinion of the movie: a nice, fun and lighthearted movie with some great (not so powerful) opponents that really are unique to the G-series. The best part is Minya. The kid's a hoot and every scene he's in is laughable (save for the last seen where he falls behind...that's a tear jerker). The human plot isn't terrible, but Kubo is definitely one of my favorite actors in the Showa. Also, quick question (whoever answers correctly earns a cookie): is Spiega Kuminga's dubbed name or the original name?

I always thought it was just the dubbed name. Honestly, I like the name Spiega better. Rolls off the tongue easier.

Kumonga has a cooler connatation though. I hear Kumonga, I think bad-ass spider, but when I hear Spiega, I think of a cheesy low-budget pitiful spider. That's just me though

I liked Spiega better anyway.
It sounds spunky to me.
SPYGAH.

King Caesar wrote:Kumonga has a cooler connatation though. I hear Kumonga, I think bad-ass spider, but when I hear Spiega, I think of a cheesy low-budget pitiful spider. That's just me though

Funny, I think its the other way around. lol

Well, Kumonga is the original Japanese name. So take that into consideration.

I've always preferred Kumonga. Spiega sounds... odd.

Gimantis also sounds lame.

After watching the film again this summer and thinking it over, Son Of Godzilla is now my second favorite Godzilla film, next to Mothra vs. Godzilla. Mostly because this film is the most well-written diakajiu film I've ever seen. And not just in terms of human characters, but especially how the monsters are written. Rather than most monster films, in Son Of Godzilla, every single monster feels like an actual character, rather than a monster that is just a plot device. Every monster serves a purpose, and all add another layer to the film, especially Godzilla and Minya. I just love the way that Godzilla is used in the film, how he trains Minya for his own purposes, yet still retains that feeling of a villain from the early 60s, only to change by the end of the film to protect Minya.

Other than the writing, I love the atmospheric score. One thing that I enjoy more about Sato's scores over Ifukube's scores, is that each one feels fresh and unique, which adds another component to the score. While I love Ifukube's music, after Invasion Of The Astro-Monster, his scores really started to repeat and got old fast (they repeated before that, but I didn't mind). There are some great pieces of music in this film, all of which make the film even better.

The fight scenes look fantastic here. The effects are the real highlight of that, which really showcase how Tsuburaya could do more than just explosions. Also, rather than most of the Heisei films, every fight scene in the film serves a purpose to the plot. They all happen for a reason, last as long as they should and grow organically from the story. That's something that I feel is rare in daikaiju films, and it's great to see it when it does happen.

Lastly, I really love the themes of the film and how they managed to work it into a Godzilla film. Specifically, themes of making the future better and protecting it. This is not only shown through the human plot, as the main cast tries to come up with a way to control weather which will help grow food for the future, but through the monster plot, with Godzilla raising up Minya to (apparently) be like him, while also learning to accept Minya. This culminates in the final scene, which is the only scene in the entire franchise that makes me teary-eyed.

The only thing that I don't like about Son Of Godzilla is the Godzilla suit, which I still hold as my least favorite Godzilla suit. It's just freakin' ugly. But, I'm willing to over look that, because of everything else that this film gets right. Probably the best story of the Godzilla franchise, great cast, brilliant atmospheric score, awesome effects, themes that help the film survive and much more. Overall, this really is one of the best films of the entire franchise, and I'll probably like it even more as I grow older.

Fun fact I first thought when they said Spiega they were actualy saying Speaker.

Kumonga and Speiga are both fine names, but Gimantis was really just terrible.

"Godzilla and its youngster, and the Gimantises, and now a Spiga! It's an island of monsters!"

Wow, no talk in over two years? Whoa.

Either way, this movie = boss. The cast, the visuals, the score, the monster and compositing effects work, everything, just boss. Both dubs are boss too.

Also, best ending EVER.


*holds up lettuce*
"Eeeeuuuuggggghhh"

And screw all y'all. Gimantis is an awesome name. Only a reporter could come up with it!

Godzilla's look isn't the best in this movie, but I still like Son of Godzilla. It was my first Godzilla movie.

I love this movie! I prefer Kamacuras and Kumunga, but Spiega and Gimantis aren't all that bad.

The plot is interesting, all the characters are different (VERY different) and in the end, you get this feeling of "wow that was cool and.....cute." And when I say cute, I don't mean it's silly and childish. It's more of a "like father like son" or "dad and son team up."

I never minded Minya in this movie- this and DAM are his best. The just hatched prop though looks like a giant turd, for a lack of a better word. His "speaking" (it's not really a roar, just a lot of sounds) isn't all that bad. I kind of like it.

The Godzilla suit looks pretty bad. I understand why it looks that way, but I don't think it works for him in this one. G always looked a little fatherly (except for 1954), and this one especially, but I feel it's not right.

Back to Kumunga and the Kamacari, they are cool opponents for the father-son team. They have to do with the whole plot, Kumunga's powerful, and the Kamacuri have large numbers (although numbers never really matter for the Big Guy!) They were used in numerous movies, and were in many more ideas (i.e. DAM, Godzilla X Kamacuras, Final Wars) and Kumunga was my dad's favorite growing up!

Definitely one of the best of the Showa

Cimmerian Dragon wrote:Toho loved the "add a syllable to an animal name" nomenclature.

Mothra (obvious one)

Kamoebas = Turtle-bas

Ebirah = Shrimp-ra (Thank god they didn't mess with that. Imagine: "Look out! It's Shrimpra!")

Kumonga = Spider-ga, so Spiega is reasonable attempt at translation. I still prefer Kumonga, just because it sounds more exotic to me, even if we do know it's mundane meaning.

It's funnier when you consider that "ra" is basically the Japanese equivalent of "zilla". So Ebirah basically translates as Shrimp-zilla.

I love this film to bits and have not one bad thing to say about it.

Anyone who doesn't enjoy it is a monster.

EDIT -- Oh, actually, some styrofoam boulders bounce off the ground during a cave-in scene, and that looks silly. Everything else about the movie is awesome.

TBH when I first saw this film I wasn't fond of it. But after rewatching it recently I found myself enjoying the film. It's has some good human characters, an interesting story, some awesome villians. And one of the most heartwarming moments in the whole series.

Really good 7.5/10

Godzilla was too ugly and also Milla.

The climax with Kumonga was very suspenseful. I remember my hear beating just a little faster.

How does Kumonga drink blood that fast? Seems impossible but Kumonga looks cooler though

I haven't seen this movie yet but the Godzilla suit is less attractive than Cell from Dragonball Z and that's saying something.