Which title do you prefer? Monster Zero or Invasion of the Astro-Monster?

[Crazy Jim Films]

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero is the title I grew up with, and therefore it's the title I'll call it till the day I die. And I just think it's a cooler sounding name than Invasion of Astro-Monster, even if they did add a "the".

Same. I first saw it on TV in the early 80's (it was one of the earliest Godzilla films for me as I remember it being my first glimpse of both Rodan and Ghidrah). I had also rented the Paramount tape down the line and it had the same title. Nothing against "Invasion of Astro-Monster" but never even came to know that was a US title until Classic Media did their release.

[Dr. Professor]

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero is the title I grew up with, and therefore it's the title I'll call it till the day I die. And I just think it's a cooler sounding name than Invasion of Astro-Monster, even if they did add a "the".

Same. I first saw it on TV in the early 80's (it was one of the earliest Godzilla films for me as I remember it being my first glimpse of both Rodan and Ghidrah). I had also rented the Paramount tape down the line and it had the same title. Nothing against "Invasion of Astro-Monster" but never even came to know that was a US title until Classic Media did their release.

Those Paramount tapes were my childhood, man. If I ever see the cover art from those online it really takes me back.

[Terasawa]

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero is the title I grew up with, and therefore it's the title I'll call it till the day I die. And I just think it's a cooler sounding name than Invasion of Astro-Monster, even if they did add a "the".

Same. I first saw it on TV in the early 80's (it was one of the earliest Godzilla films for me as I remember it being my first glimpse of both Rodan and Ghidrah). I had also rented the Paramount tape down the line and it had the same title. Nothing against "Invasion of Astro-Monster" but never even came to know that was a US title until Classic Media did their release.

Technically "Invasion of Astro-Monster" is not an U.S. title. That's the title Toho used in all its English promotional materials for the film, including a poster and trailer. (No print with the English title "Invasion of Astro-Monster" has ever surfaced and it's not clear one with that title was ever produced.)

Before it was ever released as "Monster Zero," it appears that Henry Saperstein wanted to use a modified version of the title, "Invasion of the Astro-Monsters," for the U.S. release, and prints of the U.S. version were prepared with this title. At some point prints were struck with the title "Invasion of the Astros," and this version even saw some release, reportedly on overseas military bases and through film rental outfits. (Posters for "Astros" and WOTG.)

[LegendZilla]

War of The Monsters would’ve been perfect had it not been snagged by Gamera vs Barugon.

[Terasawa]

War of The Monsters would’ve been perfect had it not been snagged by Gamera vs Barugon.

[LegendZilla]

War of The Monsters would’ve been perfect had it not been snagged by Gamera vs Barugon.

Judging by the look of Godzilla on that poster, that's for Godzilla vs Gigan.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

They're all nice titles, does it matter?

[GojiDog]

To me, it will always be Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero since that is the title it had the first time I saw it.

For me, having Monster Zero in the title makes the most sense since it directly relates to material in the film itself.

Invasion of Astro Monster sounds like any other generic throwaway Sci-Fi movie from the 50s or 60s. It could literally be anything.

Monster Zero invokes a certain level of mystery, sounds more intriguing, and like I said, it relates to what is going on in the film's story itself.

And "Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero" works best for me since it has Godzilla's name in the title. Makes it fit better with most other entries in the series. As is, I think Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster and Destroy All Monsters are the only ones that don't have any titles (Japanese or English) with Godzilla's name in the title.

[Freebleeper]

To recourse the original title of the Japanese version is called I think "Invasion of Astro Monster" but once it was released in America, Saperstein productions retitled "Monster Zero" and it was like that until it was release on video in the 1980's and I guess they retitled it again to Godzilla vs. Monster Zero to make sure for people to know it was a Godzilla movie, just my theory.

[UltramanGoji]

The original Japanese title is “Great Monster War”.

[Terasawa]

• Japanese title (1965): Kaijū Daisensō (Great Monster War)
• Toho’s English title (promotional): Invasion of Astro-Monster*
• American “working title” (circa 1966): Invasion of the Astro-Monsters**
• Intended American release title/film rental title (early 1970): Invasion of the Astros***
• American release title (beginning July 1970): Monster Zero
• Toho Champion Festival release title (1971-1986): Kaijū Daisensō: Kingu Gidora tai Gojira (Great Monster War: King Ghidorah vs. Godzilla)****
• American video/TV title (1980?-circa 2006): Godzilla vs. Monster Zero*****

*Promotional materials with this title include a trailer, posters, and lobby cards. I’m sure press books and other traditional advertisements were made as well, I just haven’t seen them. There’s no evidence that any print with this title was ever struck. This is the title Toho wants distributors to use today, so that's why the Classic Media DVD and the Janus versions were presented with this title. I hate hate hate that the subtitles for the Japanese versions of those releases translate 『怪獣大戦争』 as "Invasion of Astro-Monster" because that's totally dishonest, but that's the title Toho wants on their movie so these distributors have no choice but to cooperate.

**Reported in Variety circa June 1966. You can read the same story from Paterson, NJ's the Morning Call (June 9, 1966) here. There's no evidence that the movie was ever shown in the U.S. with this title (and it remained unreleased here in any form until 1970). There is a print or some sort of film element with this “working title” in Toho’s possession. It’s sometimes referred to as an “international version” but there’s a long and technical explanation to why that version (released on video in the U.K.) is neither the original American nor an original Toho international version.

***This was the title of the film when it was submitted to the MPAA for rating, as reported in BoxOffice, February 16, 1970. Article. It doesn't seem to have gone into wide release as "Invasion of the Astros", but prints were struck and exhibited, exclusively (?) at U.S. military bases. For example, it played at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, according to the Hill Top Times. I can only find a few such screenings, but judging from the number of copies of the poster distributed with this version that have turned up online, it must have seen decent distribution.

It also appears that "Astros" was available in the form of film rental (probably only 16mm) for years and years after this. It may have been available as late as 1991: here's a clipping from the Central New Jersey Home News from July 29, 1991.

****This version was also heavily edited for the Champion Festival, and this edited release was the only Japanese version available until Toho released the full length original theatrical release on video & Laserdisc in 1986. (The initial 1983 Toho Video release was this 75 minute Matsuri version.)

****When Saperstein/UPA prepared new versions of his five Godzilla films for TV and video in the early ‘80s he took the opportunity to retitle this film (probably to make it clear it was a Godzilla film), “Godzilla vs. The Thing” (as “Godzilla vs. Mothra”, probably to make it clear that was a Mothra movie) and TOMG (which I won’t get into here, it’s too confusing). This version is essentially the "Monster Zero" version with a new title. Released on video by Paramount (83, 89, 94), Simitar (98), and on Laserdisc in ‘94. Heavily syndicated on television, usually seen on the Turner networks and AMC. I think the last time this version was seen on television was in 2006 on AMC.

“Monster Zero” was first released on video by Simitar (unlicensed) in 1990, and Simitar would again release a letterboxed edition of MZ on video in DVD in 1998 (this time properly licensed) alongside the pan & scan “Godzilla vs. Monster Zero.” A new scan of “Monster Zero” was shown on Monsters HD in the early 2000s; the reconstruction on the 2007 Classic Media DVD is based on this. The Classic Media reconstruction was based on the Monsters HD scan; this version was still playing on Svengoolie in the last few years.

[Freebleeper]

I knew they wanted to rename the film to "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" for that reason in the 1980's when it was released on video, but the Classic Media DVD audio commentary explains alot more in details into why it took the movie until 1970 to be released in the US.

[CrimsonBloodX]

If I'm watching the Japanese version, I'll call it Invasion of Astro-Monster. If I'm watching the theatrical U.S. version, I'll call it Monster Zero. If I'm watching the version that is called Godzilla vs Monster Zero, then that is what I'm calling it.

But I do like the Invasion of Astro-Monster title more. So that is the one that I prefer to use when talking about the movie.

[Gigantis]

Invasion of the Astro-Monster. Just like how it says exactly what the film is, an invasion of an alien (astro) monster, plus it's delightfully cheesy.

[Voyager]

Monster Zero. I just really like the name, Monster Zero.

[Chrispy_G]

I prefer having "Godzilla" in the title.

[Spuro]

And "Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero" works best for me since it has Godzilla's name in the title. Makes it fit better with most other entries in the series. As is, I think Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster and Destroy All Monsters are the only ones that don't have any titles (Japanese or English) with Godzilla's name in the title.

Don't forget Ebirah: Horror of the Deep.

Edit: I just responded to a post from 2018, FML...

[UltramanGoji]

And "Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero" works best for me since it has Godzilla's name in the title. Makes it fit better with most other entries in the series. As is, I think Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster and Destroy All Monsters are the only ones that don't have any titles (Japanese or English) with Godzilla's name in the title.

Don't forget Ebirah: Horror of the Deep.

Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster is still the more well known English title, despite what Toho International wants to shop it around as.

[Kaltes-Herzeleid]

I prefer Invasion. Not entirely sure why, maybe it's because it's less about the kaiju fighting than it is an alien invasion story along with a kaiju story?

[onerichman]

Godzilla vs Monster Zero