Best End of Era Film

[Llante]

So far Godzilla has had three eras and a movie at the end of each one, but which one was your favorite? I'll post my answer later.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

Terror Of MechaGodzilla.

Outside of the last fifteen minutes or so, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is boring and forgettable. Nothing interesting happens, and the film does not take advantage of Godzilla blowing up and destroying the whole world in the process. There's a lot possibilities in that scenario, but GvsD doesn't use any of them. On top of that, the characters seem to be unaffected that their world could end at any moment. It makes for un-relatable and un-sympathetic characters. The last fifteen minutes save the film, but only by a bit.

Godzilla: Final Wars...yeah...it sucks. Worst Godzilla film, IMO.

By process of elimination, Terror Of MechaGodzilla is the best last film of any Godzilla era.

[JAGzilla]

I haven't seen GvsD in years, or Final Wars period, so Terror gets my vote by default. It'd be a hard one to top, anyway. Great movie, one of my favorites.

[Julia Bristow]

Terror of Mechagodzilla easily, Godzilla vs Destoroyah outside of the last half of the film is just a boring Heisei Godzilla film. It had some potential, like Godzilla possibly destroying Earth, the characters should've been scared shitless about the very fact that this monster who's meltdown could bring an end to their world but they don't seem to care. If they don't care about their world possibly ending due to Godzilla's meltdown then I don't give a rat's ass either. Godzilla Final Wars......eh let's not really open up THAT can of warms

[TokyoVigilante]

Terror of Mechagodzilla is certainly the better film, but Godzilla vs. Destroyah has a better sense of finality and closure to it.

[Showa Gyaos]

I'm going with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. It had the most heart, and had an ending that was meant to tug at the audience's heartstrings. It also seemed the most appropriate for the circumstances.

[GodzillaDude]

Godzilla vs. Destroyah gets my vote here. Like TokyoVigilante said it gave the best sense of finality and closure to it which is what an end of an era film should have. Although I don't hate Final Wars as much as some.

[Ethan]

Destroy all Monsters, by quite a long shot.

[TokyoVigilante]

Destroy all Monsters, by quite a long shot.

Best answer.

[Ethan]

I'm one who loves his happy endings. What is happier than all the monsters living on the island, finally making peace with humans.

[Gojira-Fan]

I voted Terror of Mechagodzilla. It's one of my favorites and easily beats out Godzilla: Final Wars in terms of quality. In Godzilla vs. Destroyah's defense, I have never watched it.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

If we're including Destroy All Monsters, then DAM is the best film out of the four in terms of closure and finality. However, the best film, in general, is still Terror Of MechaGodzilla. If only for two reasons: Dr. Mafune and Katsura, arguably the most developed, well-written and interesting characters in any Godzilla film. Honestly, I watch ToMG just for them.

[Gojira-Fan]

^ Agreed. Katsura and Dr. Mafune were some of the few characters in the Godzilla series I remembered even at a young age.

[RedZillaKing]

Is this a joke question? Terror of Mechagodzilla is easily my favorite Showa Godzilla film, and could be my favorite Goji film EVER. Great characters, a fantastic original monster, and amazing fight sequences. That's more than I can say for the other two... though Destoroyah was a neat original monster.

[Llante]

Although I think all three films were exceptional, Terror of Mechagodzilla was superior because of great villians (human and monster), a great way to wrap up the Showa era, and excellent film making. And it was definitely of a higher quality then the rest of the 70s films.

Meanwhile, what made Godzilla vs Destroyah good was Destroyah, who was one of the greatest kaiju of all time.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

Meanwhile, what made Godzilla vs Destroyah good was Destroyah, who was one of the greatest kaiju of all time.

Not really.

There's nothing special about Destoroyah. He's just another big bad powerful monster for Godzilla to face off with. He has no personality, no need to destroy the world but does anyway, or any discernible characteristics that make him stand out above other monsters like King Ghidorah or MechaGodzilla.

[RedZillaKing]

^That... is an opinion. One that a lot of people disagree with. There are several things that are special about Destoroyah, the most apparent being his life cycle. Another is that his Genesis is directly tied into the one weapon that was ever able to destroy Godzilla. His Horn Katana is a very unique weapon, he can revert to his other forms at will, and he has a very distinct (and demonic) design. BTW, the "just another big, bad monster with no motivations etc." description fits with most of Goji's enemies.

BTW, Destoroyah's motivations were predatory. Pretty sure he wasn't rubbing his claws together saying "Mwa ha ha... time to destroy the world!" As if he could with those stuibby arms.

[Llante]

Although he is similar to other monsters, Destroyah does have several things that make him different (only one other monster killed Godzilla). And I wouldn't say that he had no personality, since he seemed to enjoy causing pain or death.

And, I meant that he was better than most one or two time appearance monsters. King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla are not monsters that much of anyone stand out above.

[RedZillaKing]

Destoroyah didn't kill Godzilla. I also don't believe he had a sadistic streak either. He behaved like a predatory animal. Nothing more.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

^That... is an opinion.

Yes, I'm aware that it's my opinion. I never said it was more than that.

There are several things that are special about Destoroyah, the most apparent being his life cycle.

Having a life cycle doesn't add anything interesting for me. It especially doesn't add any characteristics, specifically strengths, weaknesses or flaws, or lead to anything interesting later on.

Another is that his Genesis is directly tied into the one weapon that was ever able to destroy Godzilla.

I never cared about that, since, like the life cycle bit, it doesn't add up to anything. Sure, it created him, but it really could have been any other chemical weapon that created Destoroyah, and you would have had the same impact.

His Horn Katana is a very unique weapon, he can revert to his other forms at will,

...Okay. So what?

That's good for a fantasy match, but when it comes to adding to a character, that really does nothing for me. Every monster has its own unique attack. An attack does not equate to personality.

and he has a very distinct (and demonic) design.

I will say he has a great design, but like attacks, design doesn't mean anything when it comes to personality or characteristics. His design just doesn't scream "I was created by a chemical weapon!" His design screams "I am the devil!". Two very different things.

BTW, the "just another big, bad monster with no motivations etc." description fits with most of Goji's enemies.

Not King Ghidorah, MechaGodzilla (Showa), Hedorah or the like. They have personalities and reasons for why they do what they do. I can't say the same for Destoroyah.