Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Agent Smith
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Ewww this film is bad. Some kids may like it sure but we have seen most of the kaiju action in the other movies so it is redundant.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Agent Smith wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 3:27 pm Ewww this film is bad. Some kids may like it sure but we have seen most of the kaiju action in the other movies so it is redundant.
I mean, in that context it's only redundant if you've already seen and have access to the movies it sources its footage from. And even then it's not totally redundant, because there's still about an hour of material unique to this movie.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Well the film doesn't take frame for frame of the other movies so even if this movie was the first Godzilla film that someone watched they are still getting more or less "tricked" with the stock footage by not seeing the whole context of what was taken. I imagine most viewers saw those movies first anyway. Think about it. Who really is going to want to see this movie before so many of the others? Plus it's not like the original footage in this movie is really any good. Not counting kids of course. A little kid still in their single digits may get a lot of enjoyment and relate with the child protagonist. From my perspective the only good content in this movie that isn't seen elsewhere is the fight with Gabara. Despite this movie's reputation Gabara seems to stick in people's heads. So the movie definitely got something right with Gabara I'll give it that.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Agent Smith wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 3:27 pm Ewww this film is bad. Some kids may like it sure but we have seen most of the kaiju action in the other movies so it is redundant.
Redundancy seems like an odd charge to make specifically against this movie, given how often Toho went to the same well for other entries in the Godzilla series. Yes, this is arguably the most blatant in terms of lifting whole sequences for reuse but in the overall scheme of things, one could actually argue that thematically, this is one of the more unique stories from this particular era despite how much it is comprised of special effects footage from other films.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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You are definitely correct with saying it is different and unique thematically. That is most certainly correct. It definitely... ....subverts your expectations. Any RLM viewers get that? ;) Anyways I don't think that makes it any better. As a fan whenever I see recycled parts like that it is very distracting because I instantly think of the movie it is from. Especially when it is very blatant and extended. Shifting Godzilla suits around and all. I believe in suspension of disbelief but sometimes it is just too much. Some may disagree and that's fine, but that's my take. I am sure like all movies there are some that may "appreciate" it more than others.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Agent Smith wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:13 pm Anyways I don't think that makes it any better.
No one's asking you to like it better. You said that it was redundant: I simply don't believe that's the case when this film's dramatic elements set it apart from all other Godzilla movies. What you think of and how you weigh the drama against other aspects of the movie is a matter of preference, of course, but I'm not arguing that any and all Godzilla fans must appreciate this movie.

As for "Who really is going to want to see this movie before so many of the others," that still presumes it's a given that everyone has access to all of these movies. It's not a given that anyone can see these movies in any order they please. That was my point.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Terasawa wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:27 pm
Agent Smith wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:13 pm Anyways I don't think that makes it any better.
No one's asking you to like it better. You said that it was redundant: I simply don't believe that's the case when this film's dramatic elements set it apart from all other Godzilla movies. What you think of and how you weigh the drama against other aspects of the movie is a matter of preference, of course, but I'm not arguing that any and all Godzilla fans must appreciate this movie.

As for "Who really is going to want to see this movie before so many of the others," that still presumes it's a given that everyone has access to all of these movies. It's not a given that anyone can see these movies in any order they please. That was my point.
Ok sounds fair. :D I just believe a movie with minutes upon minutes of unoriginal footage is redundant. Others may disagree but that's cool.

Let me ask you this though. Do you like Godzilla 1998? That is the only Godzilla movie that seems to get more flak than this one. Anyway the movie was definitely unique and different. Very easy to tell from the rest. Or is G98 also redundant? It does have a lot of things that seem similar in other movies too. Basically my point is what one person finds redundant, another may not find redundant. Just comes to personal preference and what the person is looking for. For the record I do find G98 redundant at some parts despite the umm different Godzilla but I don't hate it like others do. I would say it is mediocre but moderately enjoyable at points. In fact I would say I enjoy it more than AMA because most of the footage is original.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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Personal preference, I would much rather watch a movie that repurposes and re-contextualizes existing footage to tell a unique and engaging story, than watch something that uses original footage to tell a bland and unoriginal story.

Neither is first and foremost what I want from a Godzilla movie most of the time.

I also think it's really important to understand these movies in the context of their original production and release, and as a movie made exclusively for a Champion Festival, I think it's reasonable to guess that many of the children at whom AMA was targeted were not familiar with the movies its stock footage is drawn from; even if they had seen the movies, they likely had only seen them once each, years earlier.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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I fundamentally disagree with the story being unique and engaging, but I would like to ask about what I do believe to be a memorable part of the movie. Gabara. What are your thoughts on him? He certainly furthers the plot of the movie as well as stands out from the pack. He gets a thumbs up from me. Apparently Toho agrees since he is returning for SP.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by godjacob »

Gabara is the one silver lining I have with this movie. I despise everything else about it, but Gabara has an odd amount of charm to him and works as a bully to Minilla to help with its arc of standing up for himself.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by Locutus »

Definitely in the minority but I really enjoyed All Monsters attack, especially the English dub lol. The comedy of it, whether intentional or not, was a blast.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by edgaguirus »

Gabara is one of the more unique Godzilla kaiju. He has more in common with an ogre/oni than the prehistoric beasts or giant animals. The lack of a tail certainly sets him apart.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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edgaguirus wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:13 pm Gabara is one of the more unique Godzilla kaiju. He has more in common with an ogre/oni than the prehistoric beasts or giant animals. The lack of a tail certainly sets him apart.
I never realized how the lack of a tail was a big deal. Pretty much every monster, minus Gaira and Sanda, and the insect monsters have trails. But yeah definitely. He is relatively unique. Thats why it’s good he’s making a comeback.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by DragonZord13 »

This film is a favorite of mine. It hit me in the right spots as a kid. Truth be told I'd rather watch this movie than say Godzilla vs Destroyah.

Reasons I like this film:

1. A whimsical story.

2. Fun, goofy thugs.

3. Gabera

4. The family dynamic between Godzilla and Minilla.

5. The music makes some of those old fights more engaging and fun to watch.

6. Godzilla throwing Gabera!

I really like this film and I wish it wasn't hated so much.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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This movie’s fine, a fun time that doesn’t grow boring and remains entertaining throughout. Charming and whimsical are the best words I’d use to describe it. Gabara’s a fun kaiju villain and the robbers are fun human villains. I think a lot of people unfairly hate it because “stock footage bad” or “kiddie movies are bad, I only like serious movies” without giving it a proper chance.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by MegaGoji »

The only thing I like about this movie is when Gabara gets his ass kicked.

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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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GodzillavsRayquaza wrote: Tue Jul 06, 2021 8:55 pm This movie’s fine, a fun time that doesn’t grow boring and remains entertaining throughout. Charming and whimsical are the best words I’d use to describe it. Gabara’s a fun kaiju villain and the robbers are fun human villains. I think a lot of people unfairly hate it because “stock footage bad” or “kiddie movies are bad, I only like serious movies” without giving it a proper chance.
It's a great kids movie.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

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MegaGoji wrote: Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:47 pm The only thing I like about this movie is when Gabara gets his ass kicked.
I actually often forget that the film actually does feature a fight between Gabara and Godzilla. Godzilla does soundly beat Gabara, but I always forget Gabara does get a hit or two in.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by JAGzilla »

I love the music that plays during that fight, and Godzilla Judo-throwing Gabara over his shoulder. It's a short, one-sided fight, but fun.
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Re: Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Post by MechaGoji Bro7503 »

Rewatched this one on HBO Max yesterday, and I found it to be a wonderful film. I never really had ill thoughts towards the movie, I must admit it was one of the first Showa Godzilla films I ever saw (the others being Rodan, MvG, KOTM56, and TOMG). After seeing about 300ish episodes of Showa Ultraman I must say AMA feels right at home with it's contemporaries and of course the situations of the time period. Kids are fascinated with strange and wondrous characters, a little imagination goes a long way in finding enjoyment in life. Even the pollution and smog seen throughout Ichiro's area makes for nice context before Hedorah. As I've said before, AMA most definitely inspired the guys who made the Ultraman Gaia film, since the overall premise is quite similar.

It's a sincere film that I imagine feels personal to Ishiro Honda, who I must say his direction feels comforting and dreamy. I see AMA as a bridge between his non sci-fi work and his tokusatsu fare - reading about his "smaller" work in his biography a few years ago kept popping up in my head as I was watching the movie. I love Minilla's line where he goes: "We monsters don't lie like humans do." I'm pretty sure that opening song states that monsters aren't trying to be evil by choice. The stock footage works, and the battle with monster Gabara is a load of fun. It is interesting how Ichiro's own conflict occurs after the climatic monster battle, not only does it benefit the narrative but I think it makes the film stand out. Off the top of my head I think Biollante is another one where the final human versus human battle occurs after the monsters wrap up?

All in all, I'm a big fan of this film. Full of heart, sincerity, and what fan wouldn't dream of escaping to the world of Godzilla?
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