Talkback Thread #2: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

[Tamura]

Am I the only one who likes GIGANTIS?

[Ethan]

Am I the only one who likes GIGANTIS?

It's great in a The Giant Claw sort of way. I'd like too see the original title one day.

[Tamura]

[GotengoXGodzilla]

For the record, I don't think Godzilla Raids Again is the worst Godzilla film. GRA is not insulting, unlike other entries in the franchise (*cough*GFW*cough*). GRA is just so unimportant and unnecessary that it's easy to forget about.

[Giga Kaiju]

I dont think GRA is THAT BAD but is easily to be bored in the beginning until the fight scene between
Anguirus and Godzilla which for me was the highlight of the movie.

[The H-Man]

The english dubbed version is a chore to watch, unless your idea of a good time is listening to a pre-Star Trek George Takai drone on about fisheries. The original Japanese version with subtitles is much better.

[Sydney Aradi]

I don't like Godzilla Raids Again all that much because it doesn't have ANY engaging characters, it is quite boring until the monsters show up. The score by Masaru Sato is only okay at best but nothing special. The acting leaves alot to be desired and isn't much interesting. It doesn't follow the original Godzilla film in terms of dark tone at points (especially with scenes of the characters laughing & the prisoners escape scene) but however it is only slightly better than its horribly dubbed & MST3K ready counterpart Gigantis The Fire Monster (which murdered most of the score and added in ill fitting stock footage bits and TERRIBLE narration)

[Lord Gappa]

Pretty much the only thing GRA is noteworthy of anything is that it features the first kaiju battle in the franchise (though KKvG would establish the formula we're all familiar with today).

Other then that, yeah, GRA is completely unneccassary.

[Tyler]

I think it's better than most people make it out to be. I always thought Godzilla looks best in black in white. It's not one I'll watch at random, but during a marathon I have to put it in.

[Irys X]

I like GRA well enough. Certainly not the worst. It's great right up until the middle, then it just gets too lighthearted when everyone completely ignores the fact that Godzilla is still around somewhere.

[Varan58]

I'm one of the handful of folks that really enjoys GRA. I think it has some great atmospheric moments (the scene where the jets fly over the city to confront Godzilla is particularly effective), and I love the brutality of the monster brawl. Admittedly, though, it's terribly slow at times and none of the characters are particularly interesting, so I completely understand the problems people have with this one.

On the other hand, I find Gigantis to be absolutely hilarious. Easily one of my favorite bad movies.

[Goji]

Am I the only one who likes GIGANTIS?

I definitely like it, in a "train wreck sort of way". It's just so silly. The narration can get on my nerves at times, but I actually dig some of the stock music used. Same goes for GHIDRAH; I love some of the stock tracks used in that.

[SpanishBulldog63]

Am I the only one who likes GIGANTIS?

Nope.Being the very first Godzilla film i'd ever seen,its also the movie that actually got me into being a fan of the series.besides the fight between Godzilla and Anguirus is up there as a personal favorite

[TokyoVigilante]

It has nice atmosphere, good tension, and a decent climax in "concept", but the movie is still total ass. The franchise would not be weakened if the film didn't exist. The score is weak, the story is bland, the characters aren't engaging, the special effects are atrocious, and if the film wasn't Black & White and so directly connected to Gojira as a result, it wouldn't be noteworthy.

[Sydney Aradi]

It has nice atmosphere, good tension, and a decent climax in "concept", but the movie is still total ass. The franchise would not be weakened if the film didn't exist. The score is weak, the story is bland, the characters aren't engaging, the special effects are atrocious, and if the film wasn't Black & White and so directly connected to Gojira as a result, it wouldn't be noteworthy.

Especially the head puppet shots of Godzilla & Angurius

[kaiju115]

I didn't think Godzilla Raids Again wasn't all that bad, but compared to most of the others that came after it, it is at times forgettable.

[Huan_of_Valinor]

@ the OP: quickie cash in sequels tend to get ignored in the long run of things. This is one of the better quickie sequels i've seen but it's just not memorable outside of the fight between godzilla and angurius.

As for Gigantis, the MST3K jokes almost write themselves, it's a shame the movie never got riffed. It's far inferior to GRA imo: at least the script for GRA made some sense lol

[JVM]

GRA depends on a fair amount on how you find it.

I hate it because I had to wait years to see it and it simply wasn't worth the wait.

[thatsoundman]

Back when i first started collecting the films, i did not know that this one existed, and it was part of a set that i purchased to get the original. so, i did the obvious, i watched it was part of a marathon that i did. I only have 2 problems with it tho,
1) it seems that they had problems getting the roars and the screams of the monsters (just right).
2) the scene with the escaped prisoners could have done differently, so that it would be a better film, (please understand that i do understand that without it the fire that got gigantis' (godzilla's) attention would not have happened.
otherwise i really like the film. i really do. the underlying story is something that at the time in japan really occurred. (the scene with fish hunting with small prop planes) the friendship between the friends helps get the story thru to the end. I have both versions of this film, both in english and in japanese, there is less narrative in the japanese version that makes it run very well. please consider the time frame that the movie was made (1959) there weren't a lot high quality sxf during those years.
sorry post so long....

[GodzillaXGomoraFight]

I personally enjoy the Godzilla vs. Anguirus scenes very much in this film. I always thought that this was one of the darker fights in my opinion since its not one with a clear villan, the opponent is slaughtered in front of the audience in a way that makes Godzilla look pretty brutal, and how it leads to devastating results for the people. I would agree that its ignored since it's a forgetable in a series of multiple films that boasted more memorable scenes, better plots, and a lighter approach to Godzilla.

I definately wouldn't say that it's one of the worst Godzilla films though.