Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

[Mini-Godzilla]

The only 70's film that is too bad to be "so bad it's good." Space Hunter Nebula M lends Gigan's stock footage over to underground dwellers who have had enough of those H-bomb tests. Meanwhile, the bland humans construct an Ultraman knock-off to stop Gigan and his giant bug pal, Megalon. Oh, and for some reason, Godzilla is here, probably mistaking this movie for an episode of Zone Fighter. One of the worst films in the series, watchable only with MST3K's assistance.

[Dash 7]

I think this one deserves a bit more of a liking. With a bit better writing and less stock footage, it could have been good. Elaborating on the Seatopians would make the film seem a lot less simplistic. Turning them into a foe with similar intent and power as the Mu civilization from Atragon would make the film a lot better IMO.

[TokyoVigilante]

It should have stayed a Jet Jaguar film. It wouldve been an obscure little peice of Tokusatsu, with an eventual release by Media Blasters. But now it's an incredibly poor Godzilla movie. As a TV pilot, it would be awesome. I would love to watch this show (probably more so then Zone Fighter IMHO).

I will give it this credit: it basically had its budget dedicated to making 4 new suits. Which is damned impressive by any standard.

[Mini-Godzilla]

You're on-the-money there, TokyoVigilante. The irredeemable factor of this film is the inclusion of Godzilla. His mere presence sets the bar higher than this film can reach because of the quality standard associated with his name.

[TokyoVigilante]

It's true. This doesn't play out like a Godzilla film. It's more like a long TV show, especially in the production values. If this film was Godzilla-less, we wouldn't have the same expectations, wouldn't have gotten the same exposure, and I think it wouldve strengthened th film as a result.

Simplier put; it's an especially bad Godzilla film. But as a Godzilla-less film, it's just an average little super robot movie. Other then the stock footage, it's really not much more elaborate then the average episode of Ultraman.

[TokyoVigilante]

It was SUPPOSSED to be that. But Godzilla was added to bring in more money. And it shows, as Godzilla before and after this (not counting Zone Fighter) was never quite this blatantly super-heroic.

It's kinda like GINO. The general concensus is that it's a good monster movie but a bad Godzilla movie.

GvsMegalon is a good super robot movie, bad Godzilla movie.

[Arrow]

It was SUPPOSSED to be that. But Godzilla was added to bring in more money. And it shows, as Godzilla before and after this (not counting Zone Fighter) was never quite this blatantly super-heroic.

A sign of the times. For what it is, I like Godzilla vs. Megalon. It's not a masterpiece, but it's an entertaining children's movie featuring some great suits and monster action. I prefer it to a majority of the films coming afterward.

It's kinda like GINO. The general concensus is that it's a good monster movie but a bad Godzilla movie.

I thought the general concensus outside the G-fandom is that GINO's a terrible movie. Hence why it's still considered a failure even with the money it made.

[TokyoVigilante]

A sign of the times. For what it is, I like Godzilla vs. Megalon. It's not a masterpiece, but it's an entertaining children's movie featuring some great suits and monster action. I prefer it to a majority of the films coming afterward.

I maintain that it would've been stronger without Godzilla; it has 13 films, the majority of which are classics of the franchise before it. There is certainly different standards and expectations going into it as "Godzilla vs Megalon" then if it was just "Jet Jaguar vs Megalon". But what is there is undeniably entertaining.

It's kinda like GINO. The general concensus is that it's a good monster movie but a bad Godzilla movie.

I thought the general concensus outside the G-fandom is that GINO's a terrible movie. Hence why it's still considered a failure even with the money it made.[/quote]
different concensi :p I've seen lots of comments stating they wouldn't mind GINO if it wasn't a Godzilla movie.

[Arrow]

[quote="TokyoVigilante]different concensi :p I've seen lots of comments stating they wouldn't mind GINO if it wasn't a Godzilla movie.[/quote]
I've seen comments like that, but they seem to exist mostly within the fandom, which consists of giant monster fans. Outside the fandom I believe the reception was pretty bad.

[HayesAJones]

Its harmless fun, pure and simple.

As opposed to those dangerously fun movies.

[Showa Gyaos]

When I was a kid, I thought this movie was badass. My thoughts haven't changed, so I guess I'm still a kid.

[Battra2346]

Guilty pleasure I have for liking this film.It's not definatley a masterpiece but better than one of the 90s movies like Arrow said.As a kid,I always loved Gigan and Megalon's dancing when Godzilla and Jet Jaguar were trapped in the ring of fire and the gestures and taunts Gigan and Megalon would do.I still like this movie to this day.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

I'll be the voice of dissent. I like ALL of the 90s movies better than this one. =)

Ditto.

By the way,i think the reasons this movie is hated is because of the fact this movie is why the general public doesn't take Godzilla seriously and the general public doesn't like rushed movies with a lame story,lame special effects and big animals who acts like cartoon characters instead of being like true animals(which is also the same reason why the dumb kids of today likes GINO more than the true Godzilla).
The general public pretends skreooonking realism in every movie.

[Tim85]

Not a good movie, but a fun movie. I remember when I first watched it. Mom was visting with friends so Dad and I popped some popcorn and watched Megalon. It was the first Godzilla that we watched before I watched it first. Plus it was the episode that got me hooked on MST3K and still my favorite episode.

[Killswitch]

Godzilla vs Megalon is like cheap beer. It taste bad, but has all the right ingredients to get you drunk.

[Hedorah]

I have one question, is Megalon a cyborg or not? I always assumed he wasn't.

[KaneLocke]

Well, in a 70s flick, a bug with organic drill arms doesn't seem as far-fetched as some of the other stuff from that time period. That's why I don't bother racking my brain trying to figure it out.

As bad as Megalon is, it's a wonderfully brainless popcorn flick. An underground civilization with alien connections? A robot that can randomly become sentient and change size at will? A giant cockroach with drill hands that breathes napalm bombs? Godzilla and Gigan?

It's like an acid trip in motion.

[Hipster Thor]

What I never understood is why Megalon gets villain stigma in Unleashed. He's basically the same as Mothra. The Seatopians live on earth, and they only used him because the people on the surface where destroying their homeland. Sure, they could've sent diplomats to worldwide governments instead of Severus Snape and a Canadian to hijack a robot in a house that's immune to the local police, but still Megalon is their guardian monster. He's kind of the same as King Caesar and Mothra. I'm sure if aliens started attacking the earth, then they'd send up Megalon right an quick to help defend it....

[GotengoXGodzilla]

As much crap as Godzilla vs. Megalon gets, I do think it does one thing that most other bad Godzilla films fail to do: Be entertaining. Godzilla vs. Megalon is probably the only Godzilla film that I will say falls into the category of "So bad, it's good". Yes, the story sucks, the characters are bland and the logic makes no sense, but it knows that the audience is here to see action and not a story. And Godzilla vs. Megalon packs in as much action as possible, including action that isn't monster-related and still fun (ie, the car chases). It does have a lot of stock footage, but it uses it in the right places, to the point where it really doesn't matter if it's stock footage or not, which is why I personally prefer this film over Godzilla vs. Gigan. Overall, it's not a good Godzilla film by any stretch, but it's still entertaining from start to finish.

Also, the MST3K of it is some of the most entertainment I've seen in an hour and a half.

[Julia Bristow]

Even though Godzilla vs Megalon lacks a solid story & characters but for me it's a pretty fun film with exciting action. It had a cool villian kaiju in Megalon and Jet Jaguar with Gigan & Godzilla. I loved the zany score for this film as well. I mainly watch this film for the action as the story & characters suck but I'd gladly take this over any of the Heisei films any day of the week