Talkback Thread #5: Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster(1964)

[Tyler]

Is it wrong that my firsts thoughts on this picture were that it looked like Godzilla's about to get it up the ass? 'Cause I'm pretty sure it is.

Considering your Avatar, I'm sure you'd know from first hand experience.

Come on, can we be gentlemen?

[ebirahsmeg1]

Some more interesting pics:

[Rody]

I love that shot of Rodan colliding with Ghidorah.

I bet that silk was a real pain to clean up.

[Space Hunter M]

Yeah, apparently they had to douse the costumes in gasoline to clean them up.

[The H-Man]

The pictures make me want to go back and watch the movie, just to see if I can catch a glimpse of Rodan in the scene where Godzilla gets thrown into the bridge. The one pic he's flying directly up behind Ghidorah, but it's probable that none of that was used in the film.

[Rody]

I watched both Ghidrah and Monster Zero today. Here are my thoughts on the former.


Ghidrah, The Three Headed Monster has a great story; aliens, international incidents, and giant monsters all wrapped into one. It's very clever, and I like the ominous tone the movie tries to adopt.

However, a good story still needs to be executed properly; unfortunately, the presentation in Ghidrah is somewhat lacking. The pacing seems a little slow, and the balance between the different plots isn't handled as well as it should have been: I think it focuses too much on the political assassination plot and not enough on the IMPENDING DOOM AND DESTRUCTION AT THE CLAWS OF THREE GIANT MONSTERS. Granted, Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah all have impressive intros, but then it takes a long time before they actually start doing stuff -- and once again, the menace these monsters present seems underplayed.

On to the action. This is, of course, what we want to see most, but once again the film gives a mixed performance. There are some great shots (I don't think I need to say which ones), but there are a lot of bad ones as well. The mediocre-looking puppets are greatly overused, and shifting scenes from puppets to suits is a bit jarring. Once everyone gangs up on Ghidorah, pretty much everything improves.

Like previous viewings, this one was the dubbed version - and I really realized this time how bad the dub is. You can easily imagine these voice actors reading their lines straight off the script, and what's more, some of them don't even sound like they know English well. I really need to see this movie in Japanese, because the dub greatly detracts from the viewing experience.

Overall, Ghidrah is still a good movie, but I can't call this one of the best. 5/10.

(EDIT: would someone bump the thread for ASTRO-MONSTER? I was the last one to post there.)

[menschenjaeger]

Whoah, 5?! I agree with almost everything you said, review wise (except maybe for the dubbing bit), but...5 out of 10?

I watched the English version again about a week or so ago, just for fun, and it did seem to drag just a bit. My VHS copy was one of my most heavily played tapes during my college years, and I LOVED that movie. I got it on DVD mostly to see the Japanese version. It's a shame the Japanese version doesn't have the "what terrible language!" bit which is really one of the highlights, but I do like the interplay between Natsuke and Hoshi which we lose in the English version. The English version does have slightly better pacing due to the editing (at the expense of some of Ifukube's music), but the Japanese version is good without any real "cheese factor"...it's a shame there isn't some version that has the best of both.

[Tohosaurus]

It's a classic and one everyone has to smile at while watching if you're into this sort of thing. That aside, I can't help but prefer Astro Monster somehow. Can't really put my finger on why.

[Rody]

Whoah, 5?! I agree with almost everything you said, review wise (except maybe for the dubbing bit), but...5 out of 10?

Hopefully, my opinion will change for the better when I manage to see it in Japanese. The dub was really distracting.

That aside, I can't help but prefer Astro Monster somehow. Can't really put my finger on why.

Having watched the two films back to back yesterday, I agree with this. I'll give a review once somebody bumps Astro-Monster's thread.

[Legion1979]

Whoah, 5?! I agree with almost everything you said, review wise (except maybe for the dubbing bit), but...5 out of 10?

Hopefully, my opinion will change for the better when I manage to see it in Japanese. The dub was really distracting.

The Japanese version has a fuller Ifukube score, which really helps.

[Goji]

Rody, do you not have the GHIDORAH DVD from CM?

[Rody]

I do not. I've tried to get ahold of it through my library, but to no avail.

One of these days (when I can better afford it) I'll break down and just BUY all of these blasted DVD's.

[Goji]

Ah, I see. Yeah, I suggest just buying the Godzilla Collection that CM offers. It's only like $20 on amazon, I believe.

[GodzillaDude]

I really like this one. The final battle with Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra Larvae fighting Ghidorah is good and I liked the process it took them to cooperate! That was fun to watch/listen to. The only slight problem I have with it is that I didn't like how often Godzilla resorted to kicking/throwing/hitting big rocks at Rodan and sometimes Ghidorah. I would rather have seen Godzilla go melee more often like Showa Godzilla usually does but that is only a minor nit picking complaint! Also Ghidorah had a good presence in this movie.

[menschenjaeger]

I always liked the way Rodan and Godzilla were shamed into fighting King G. Godzilla looks so uncomfortable when Mothra declares he's going to fight by himself and crawls away.

[locomike65]

one thing that always bothered me. In the last movie there were 2 mothra caterpillars. Now suddenly there is only 1 and no explanation. The fairys explain that "the older one died you know" (adult mothra) but that must be referring to the one that died in Godzilla vs Mothra. It seems they just dropped the ball on that detail????

[NSZ]

one thing that always bothered me. In the last movie there were 2 mothra caterpillars. Now suddenly there is only 1 and no explanation. The fairys explain that "the older one died you know" (adult mothra) but that must be referring to the one that died in Godzilla vs Mothra. It seems they just dropped the ball on that detail????

That's the English version. The Japanese version says the sibling ended up dying (presumably from the fight).

[locomike65]

hmm ill check it out. i have the classic media dvd on its way to me now. I dont see how it would die form the fight though since Godzilla really didnt hurt either one of them much.
at what point in the movie (japanese version) do they sate that?

[NSZ]

hmm ill check it out. i have the classic media dvd on its way to me now. I dont see how it would die form the fight though since Godzilla really didnt hurt either one of them much.
at what point in the movie (japanese version) do they sate that?

During that show with the two boys. One of the boys ask how the two larvae are doing, and the shobijin reveal that one had died.

[ebirahsmeg1]

hmm ill check it out. i have the classic media dvd on its way to me now. I dont see how it would die form the fight though since Godzilla really didnt hurt either one of them much.
at what point in the movie (japanese version) do they sate that?

He blasted at them with his atomic breath numerous times...exposure to the radiation could have done some serious damage, and he whacked the living sh*t out of one of them pretty good with his tail...very easy to see how one of them could have died from injuries later on...