| From a personal standpoint,
The Return of Godzilla is a very special
Toho movie. It was my second Godzilla movie, and
I first viewed it over a decade ago. The chilling
images of an antagonistic Godzilla that burned
themselves deep into my memory so long ago are
still very entertaining thirteen years later.
The Return of Godzilla is an excellent
classic that holds up even today. After the abysmal
failure of Godzilla's final hero flick, Terror
of Mechagodzilla (1975), Godzilla was
finally returned to his antagonistic persona in
this movie, something that truly hadn't been explored
since Mothra
vs. Godzilla (1964). Every Godzilla movie
between Godzilla
Raids Again (1955) and Terror
of Mechagodzilla (1975) was wiped from
Godzilla's history when this movie came to theatres,
for the renaissance period for Godzilla, and Toho
as a whole, was just beginning. The Heisei Timeline
was in its infancy, and the first powerful kaiju
movie that it brought to cinemas was packed with
enhanced special effects, solid acting, an intriguing
plot, and a brilliant new musical score. The
Return of Godzilla is the first real landmark
Godzilla film since the original, and it revived
the awe-inspiring spirit of the monster's darker
days.
In the mid 1980's, a fishing vessel
went missing 100 miles South of Tokyo. Everyone
aboard was drained of his vital fluids, due to
a savage attack by an immense sea louse. However,
the abominable arthropod was merely the symptom
of a far greater horror... for this mutant's existence
foretold of the reemergence of a far more sinister
beast. Godzilla, that nuclear monolith whose relative
was annihilated 30 years earlier, had finally
returned. The only survivor of the yacht, Hiroshi
Okumura, was kept in hiding, for this discovery
had to be leveled for the moment in order to avoid
mass chaos.
Hiroshi's rescuer, reporter Goro
Maki, was forced to give his story a low profile
temporarily, while the government analyzed the
situation. Goro continued to follow this amazing
course of events, which led him to Dr. Hayashida,
a geneticist whose studies presently surrounded
Godzilla's physiology. After a short chat, it
was revealed that Nakao Okumura, Hiroshi's sister,
was an assistant to the professor, and that she
had no idea of her brother's safety. Disobeying
a government mandate, Goro revealed to Nakao that
her brother was safe.
Meanwhile, a Soviet nuclear submarine
was annihilated off the coast of Japan. It was
believed that the Americans were to blame for
this catastrophe, and the Soviet Union began to
mobilize its allies as America did the same. The
Prime Minister of Japan, faced with a potential
nuclear conflict, intervened, and finally revealed
that Godzilla was to blame for the attack on the
submarine. Though the Americans and Soviets wished
to quickly dispense with the terror before he
could potentially ravage their own countries,
Japan refused to allow nuclear weapons to be used
within their sovereign borders. Meanwhile, the
self-defense force began to mobilize for what
would be their greatest battle since the onslaught
of the first Godzilla, as a mysterious Soviet
ship drifted quietly in Tokyo harbor...
On the Japanese coast, near a wetland
area, a nuclear facility was enshrouded by the
mists of an early dawn. A fissure cracked through
the pavement as the undead eyes of the ultimate
repercussion of nuclear disaster peered into the
souls of those who witnessed his terror. Godzilla
breached the perimeter of the facility and tore
it apart, grasping the nuclear core and absorbing
the electromagnetic waves and subatomic particles
as they entered into his heart and replenished
his energy. As Goro, Hiroshi, and Dr. Hayashida
looked on in awe, something peculiar occurred.
Godzilla took his leave prematurely, following
a flock of chirping birds toward the coast. This
amazing stimulus response would prove to be a
remarkable step toward Godzilla's defeat...
As Japan mobilized its anti-nuclear
hovercraft, the Super-X, Hiroshi Okumura and
Geologist Minami studied Mt. Mihara on Oshima
Island. Their discoveries, along with the avian
frequency phenomenon, led to a plan of action.
If an amplified avian frequency device were
created in order to lure Godzilla to Mt. Mihara,
strategically placed explosives could cause
the mountain to erupt and bury the monster in
the gaping pit of lava flows. As these plans
began to come together, Godzilla was sighted
in the Tokyo Bay area. The city evacuated, and
the Japanese self-defense force began to send
their weaponry to the docks. Godzilla emerged
once more, and several jet fighters began to
engage the monster. Their efforts were futile,
and the silhouette of horror moved toward the
docks and easily withstood the power of dozens
of military vehicles. They were all wiped out
in a single swipe of his nuclear ray, as the
nearby Soviet ship was rocked. In the ensuing
chaos aboard the Russian vessel, a nuclear warhead
was set to launch from an orbiting satellite.
Godzilla marched into the city,
crushing those unfortunate people in his path.
He trudged through the main streets, and annihilated
everything that he touched. Lifting a train
to his eye, the passengers aboard were horrified
at this terrible image they were forced to witness
before they plummeted to the Earth below. As
the reign of destruction continued, the avian
frequency device was activated in order to lure
Godzilla to Dr. Hayashida's laboratory. What
Dr. Hayashida didn't expect was that Godzilla
would mindlessly begin a collision course with
the building! Luckily, laser tanks managed to
distract the massive monster, and minimal damage
was done to the laboratory. As the lasers continued
to fire, a UFO approached from the distance.
The blinding, surreal glow of the Super-X began
to approach the mountain of flesh. Cadmium missiles
were fired and Godzilla was rendered unconscious,
as the special element continued to absorb the
rogue neutrons in his internal reactor. The
world breathed a sigh of relief, for Godzilla
was apparently defeated...
Alas, the countdown aboard the
Soviet ship had reached zero, and a nuclear
missile was launched from an orbiting satellite.
In order to save Tokyo, the United States launched
their own nuclear warhead in order to intercept
the incoming weapon, and the mission was met
with brilliant success. The Stratospheric blast
interrupted electromagnetic communications across
two hemispheres, resulting in severe, atmospheric
static discharges. The radioactive beams of
static energy pulsated into Godzilla's flesh,
reviving the monster, and returning him to his
rampage. The raging reptile began his final
assault on the Super-X. The Super-X's full arsenal
of ultra-modern weaponry failed as it was pounded
into submission by the greater firepower. As
if sadistically aware of the full scope of the
situation, Godzilla tipped a building, allowing
it to fall and collide with the craft, trapping
and killing all aboard.
Meanwhile, Goro Maki and Nakao
Okumura had been left alone as Dr. Hayashida and
Hiroshi Okumura were airlifted to Mt. Mihara.
Goro and Nakao descended through the building's
staircases, prepared to await rescue from another
helicopter. Fortunately, a homeless man assisted
them as they approached the streets, but he too
fell victim to Godzilla's raw power like so many
others. It appeared as though Goro and Nakao too
would face Godzilla's devastating wrath, but he
suddenly turned his attention toward the sea.
Entering the harbor, Godzilla began to swim mindlessly
toward Oshima Island, where he ascended the cliffs
of the towering volcano. Lured by the avian frequencies
broadcast from the other side of the mountain's
maw, Godzilla hesitated before he tumbled onto
a rocky precipice below. The explosives were detonated
and Godzilla disappeared into the endless plumes
of smoke and fire. Into the volcano he fell, calling
out with a piercing bellow of horror as he endured
the terrible temperatures and grueling conditions
of this new and terrible environment. Godzilla
was defeated; however, little did anyone realize
that deep within the volcano, Godzilla's slumber
would last for only half a decade. For the monster
would eventually reemerge and wreck havoc on the
planet once more...
Many styles of the original Godzilla
movie are revived here, and the style of acting
presented in Godzilla
(1954) also resurfaces. There is a much more melodramatic
tone in this movie as compared to the previous
Godzilla movies, even the strangely un-contemporary
Terror
of Mechagodzilla (1975). Yosuke Natsuki
is really the best performer in the movie. His
subtle style and dramatic tone really lend to
a character that reminds one greatly of Takashi
Shimura's role in the original film. Keiju
Kobayashi, as the Prime Minister, is also an excellent
addition to the cast. His expressions at each
new twist in the plot, and each resolution, cast
light into his emotions and thoughts as each new
event occurs. Raymond Burr, though only in the
American version, outshines his fellow American
add-in actors. His appearance, though unnecessary,
is still intriguing. His inclusion in the plot
as Steve Martin draws connections to the first
movie for American audiences, and his mysterious
style lends to the eerie nature of the film. His
final soliloquy is an absolutely brilliant addition,
and makes some of the groan-moments that his fellow
add-in actors bring to the screen worth it just
to get to this part of the plot. The remaining
performances are more than adequate for the film.
Tetsuya Takeda's role as the homeless man is a
somewhat amusing comic relief. The performance
is a bit over-the-top, but for a movie of this
intensity, it does help to alleviate some of the
drama. Finally, Hiroshi Koizumi, a veteran of
the Showa timeline, makes a cameo appearance in
this movie. Though his appearance is rather short,
he does a great job with what he is given, and
proves that he is still a formidable performer
in the Godzilla universe, as seen by his eventual
return to a larger role in 2003.
The special effects in this movie
are brilliant. Many will contend that they are,
indeed, a mixed bag... but when compared with
every Showa entry, the techniques utilized in
this movie blow away almost every previous attempt.
The Godzilla suit utilized is the best since
the original movie. The color is dark, the muscles
are bulging, the reptilian features are extant,
the flesh within the mouth is organic, and the
maw is lined with terrifying fangs. The eyes,
though somewhat fake, are still quite amazing
on the suit. They have a cold, zombie-esque
look to them. Where the suit excels, the animatronics
do meet with some problems. The animatronics
busts have a choppy motion, and along with the
puppet props, show Godzilla's appearance in
a way that seems to be obviously different from
the look of the suit. This can be somewhat jarring,
but at this time, one must remember that the
special effects were just starting to warm up
again. The attempts in Godzilla
vs. Biollante (1989), five years later,
would prove to be a great advancement. The
Return of Godzilla was a stepping-stone
in this regard. Another prop that makes an
appearance is the Shockirus prop. The Shockirus
is an interesting addition to the movie,
as the inclusion of this monster presents
a level of horror early on. The actual execution
of the prop is done with some sophistication;
however, it is not very fluid and seems to
lack animation. The somewhat similar Meganulon
prop, utilized 16 years later, would be used
with a much more terrifying level of expertise.
Suits and props aside, the rotoscoping in
this movie is phenomenal. First, the rotoscoping
low point of the film should be addressed.
The birds, which Godzilla followed from the
nuclear facility, appear very unrealistic.
They are barely better than the rotoscoping
effect used for the seagull 21 years earlier
in Matango
(1963). That aside, the beams are very realistic,
and they go for a simple effect as opposed to
some of the more cartoonish patterns used in
the Showa timeline. The laser beams, in particular,
are excellent. Godzilla's breath shows similarities
to the early rotoscoping effects for distant
shots in Godzilla
(1954) and the bluish beam effects for some of
the latter Showa entries. The lightning is probably
one of the only flaws, but lightning is often
a rotoscoping flaw in many films. A simple,
pulsating streak would be greatly preferred
to the flowing style that just appears unrealistic.
The blood-red aurora sky from which the beams
emanated is a visually stunning, yet simple
effect as well. The post-blast, crimson sky
is quite a surreal illusion, and it amplified
the scene it accompanied perfectly. Unfortunately,
there are some continuity problems thereon after,
where the sky sometimes appears like the aurora
and sometimes appears pitch black, but this
is only a minor flaw. Though the rendering effects
are portrayed brilliantly, the pyrotechnics
are also done with great sophistication. The
explosions and the pluming smoke really give
the illusion of scale and power. The miniatures,
which are often the victims of said explosions,
were at this point the greatest ever to grace
a Godzilla movie. The Return of Godzilla
may still hold the record for some of the most
detailed and magnificent miniatures in kaiju
history. The Super-X miniature, for example,
is a complete success! It's detail and ability
to portray mass is stunning! Its inclusion in
the plot not only gives the animators an excellent
opportunity to use their rotoscoping genius,
but its versatility manages to give the solo
movie a much needed fight scene. As far as the
miniature buildings are concerned, their architecture
is fantastic. The nuclear facility looks amazing,
as does the building that falls onto the Super-X.
The reflective building, in particular, presents
a brilliant illusion of size during Godzilla's
initial walk through the city streets, but there
are so many more miniature buildings that really
created this illusion of enormity. In fact at
some points, it is somewhat difficult to discern
the matting from the miniatures. Concerning
the matting, this is an effect that looks excellent
at first glimpse, but after closer study, appears
flawed. During one shot where Godzilla passes
the helicopter that had transported Ken Tanaka's
character, the building and surrounding city
make Godzilla look much larger than he should,
and even makes it appear as though the suit
is wading knee deep in the city streets upon
closer examination. The shots where humans
and Godzilla are blended together in the same
scene are often the real downfalls of this
movie in the special effects department. From
Koji
Ishizaka's character's first meeting with
the monster, to Godzilla wading through the
evacuating populace, to Tetsuya Takeda's character
running in slow motion from the monster, the
matting in this fashion was simply the downfall
in special effects. Finally, the volcano scene
is positively phenomenal. So many things come
together: the suit, the animatronics, the miniatures,
the matting, and the pyrotechnics, all to create
a vivid, realistic, and visual masterpiece.
There is one small lapse during this scene,
however, and that is the toy Godzilla that
appears to be used in the mouth of the volcano.
The scene is very quick, and one can easily
miss it, but the lack of movement and position
of appendages simply screams: "toy!" However,
in the end, one can easily declare that the
triumphs easily outweigh the downfalls in the
special effects department.
Though the music is somewhat of
a reflection of the contemporary period to which
the film is attached, the soundtrack still holds
firm today. The music is simply beautiful. When
a scene calls for serenity, the music is pleasant.
When a scene calls for suspense, the music intense.
When a scene calls for destruction, the music
is powerful. It has an orchestral sound, but it
still has some very Eighties qualities, such as
the tempo, rhythm, and the particular instruments
utilized. There are many landmark scores in the
film. The opening theme, for example, solidifies
the notion that this is not just another Godzilla
film, but an intense, and perhaps even terrifying
revival of a long-forgotten allegory. The theme
that plays while Yosuke Natsuki's character evacuates
his laboratory is certainly an earworm piece,
and the suspense it brings to the events it accompanies
compliments the movie nicely. The closing theme,
in its extreme drama and sullen nature, brings
an excellent atmosphere to the climax. Though
the music is still a tad different from traditional
kaiju scores, Reijiro
Koroku manages to make this Godzilla movie,
like those to which Akira
Ifukube gave his special touch, a movie not
only of sight but also of sound. Mr. Koroku's
soundtrack is a complete success.
The final aspect worth mentioning
is the Americanization of the film. The dubbing
is actually a moderate success. Though it is nowhere
near as sophisticated as that used in the original
movie, it still excels above and beyond numerous
attempts in the latter Showa timeline. The Americanization
of this film goes far beyond just dubbing,
however. Raymond Burr, along with several American
actors, is cut into the film in several: "Meanwhile,
back in the United States..." scenes. Many
purists will, of course, complain about this.
It actually adds a new dimension of interest to
the story, in a way, due to the fact that it links
together with the American version of the original
Godzilla film. There are noticeable groan moments,
however. Lines like: "Thirty years ago, they
never found... any corpse..." do distract
from the plot, as the audience clearly saw Godzilla
disintegrate in the first movie, connoting that
this new monster is a different Godzilla. However,
since he did disintegrate, one thing is certain,
they surely didn't find any corpse, but it appears
as though the addition of this phrase was meant
to imply something different than that. It seems
as though it was meant to imply that this was
still the first Godzilla, brought back to life
through regeneration, perhaps? Of course, the
worst groan-moment is product placement. Perhaps
the Pentagon's soda of choice truly is Dr. Pepper...
There are actually a few stock footage shots added
to the "back in America..." scenes that
really accentuate this version of the movie. These
scenes show footage from Godzilla
(1954), and each shot manages to draw a firm connection
to the first movie. The scenes chosen are also
some of the more realistic selections from the
original movies, and the brownish tinting on one
scene adds a real sense of age. Unfortunately,
there is a problem with one shot: how exactly
did someone get footage of Godzilla firing his
nuclear breath head on? Finally, one of the most
subtle and petty of the Americanized aspects of
the plot has to do with the scene where the Soviet
commander appears to launch the nuclear missile.
In the Japanese version of the movie, the Soviet
commander attempts to stop the missile to no avail,
whereas in the American version, he attempts to
launch the missile with success. This is really
a very petty edit in the film, and money could
have been saved had they just left this part of
the original version unaltered. Alas, it was the
Cold War, and it was during an especially tumultuous
time when the administration continued to mobilize
its military technologies. At least it does serve
as an unintended symbol of contemporary politics.
The Return of Godzilla
was perhaps one of the most brilliant movies in
Godzilla's history. The timeline was revamped,
the special effects were increased, and Godzilla
became a symbol of the horrors of nuclear weaponry
once more. No longer would Godzilla films be characterized
almost entirely as cheesy; now there was some
hope for the series. Godzilla
vs. Biollante (1989) would continue this
trend, and it would return on and off over the
next two decades. After a long rest, Godzilla
had finally returned in full force, and ever since,
there has never been a gap between movies as long
as that which fans suffered between 1975 and 1984.
In the end, this is one of the crowning achievements
of the Godzilla series, for its existence, like
its title suggests, heralds "the return of
Godzilla". The original nature of Godzilla:
a natural disaster brought on by humankind's own
recklessness, was finally revived. Godzilla was
reborn. |
(3.5/5)