Top 10 Favorite Ishiro Honda Films

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

As the man who helmed half of the Showa Godzilla films, I think it goes without saying that Ishiro Honda is a favorite director of many of us here on TK. He also had quite a career outside the Godzilla series, both in other sci-fi/kaiju films and in dramas and war films. So I'm curious, what are your top ten favorite Honda films? Not necessarily the best, mind you, just the ones you like the best (but feel free to throw in a best list if you want).

My Top 10 Honda Favorites:
1) Terror of Mechagodzilla
2) Mothra vs. Godzilla
3) War of the Gargantuas
4) Destroy All Monsters
5) Godzilla
6) Rodan
7) Mothra
8) Monster Zero
9) King Kong vs. Godzilla
10) The H-Man

[Terasawa]

Because I used the Preference Revealer I'm just going to rank all of his genre films:

1. Ghidrah
2. Mothra vs. Godzilla
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Frankenstein Conquers the World
5. Mothra
6. Monster Zero
7. Godzilla
8. The Mysterians
9. Rodan
10. Atragon
11. Destroy All Monsters
12. Terror of Mechagodzilla
13. The H-Man
14. The Human Vapor
15. Matango
16. Space Amoeba
17. The War of the Gargantuas
18. Godzilla's Revenge
19. Dogora
20. Gorath
21. King Kong Escapes
22. Battle in Outer Space
23. Latitude Zero
24. Half Human
25. Varan

I like all of these except Varan and maybe Half Human, but there are things about even those movies that I enjoy.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Because I used the Preference Revealer I'm just going to rank all of his genre films:

1. Ghidrah
2. Mothra vs. Godzilla
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Frankenstein Conquers the World
5. Mothra
6. Monster Zero
7. Godzilla
8. The Mysterians
9. Rodan
10. Atragon
11. Destroy All Monsters
12. Terror of Mechagodzilla
13. The H-Man
14. The Human Vapor
15. Matango
16. Space Amoeba
17. The War of the Gargantuas
18. Godzilla's Revenge
19. Dogora
20. Gorath
21. King Kong Escapes
22. Battle in Outer Space
23. Latitude Zero
24. Half Human
25. Varan

I like all of these except Varan and maybe Half Human, but there are things about even those movies that I enjoy.

Solid list, glad to see I'm not the only one who likes Frankenstein vs. Baragon. That was in contention with H-Man for my 10th place slot. Unlike most, I do like Varan, though I fully admit that it drags in its second half. Main theme is pretty excellent though.

[MaxRebo320]

Likewise Terasawa, with the addition of Farewell Rabaul, since its the only other Honda film I've seen, and its sometimes listed with Toho's other SFX films. I guess this is through more a more objective lens (As while Human Vapor is excellent, I find myself rewatching, say, Ghidorah a lot more).

The Human Vapor
Mothra
Godzilla
Matango
Mothra vs. Godzilla
The Mysterians
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Atragon
Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
Rodan
Monster Zero
Destroy All Monsters
Gorath
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Battle in Outer Space
The War of the Gargantuas
Dogora
Half Human
Frankenstein Conquers the World
King Kong Escapes
The H-Man
Latitude Zero
Godzilla's Revenge
Farewell Rabaul
Space Amoeba
Varan

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Ah to hell with it, I'll just rank all the Honda films I've seen, favorite to least favorite:
1) Terror of Mechagodzilla
2) Mothra vs. Godzilla
3) War of the Gargantuas
4) Destroy All Monsters
5) Godzilla
6) Rodan
7) Mothra
8) Monster Zero
9) King Kong vs. Godzilla
10) The H-Man
11) Frankenstein vs. Baragon
12) Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
13) Varan
14) Space Amoeba
15) King Kong Escapes
16) Atragon
17) Matango
18) The Mysterians
19) Latitude Zero
20) Battle in Outer Space
21) Dogora
22) Godzilla's Revenge

I've never seen Half Human, Gorath or Human Vapor, but I'd really like to, even though I've heard mixed things about all three.

[MaxRebo320]

I've never seen Half Human, Gorath or Human Vapor, but I'd really like to, even though I've heard mixed things about all three.

I haven't heard mixed things about Human Vapor - all reviews I've seen have been unanimously positive. Unless they're of the Brenco cut, perhaps.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

I've never seen Half Human, Gorath or Human Vapor, but I'd really like to, even though I've heard mixed things about all three.

I haven't heard mixed things about Human Vapor - all reviews I've seen have been unanimously positive. Unless they're of the Brenco cut, perhaps.

Probably the ones I've seen then. Are any of these films available for purchase on DVD in the US? Or available on any streaming service?

[MaxRebo320]

Probably the ones I've seen then. Are any of these films available for purchase on DVD in the US? Or available on any streaming service?

Nope. But finding them online (Whether its through bootlegs or downloads) is beyond easy.

[Terasawa]

Neither have I ever heard any negative things of The Human Vapor. In fact, it and Godzilla were the only two Honda films to make Kinema Junpo's top 200 Japanese films of all time (as voted by Japanese critics in 2009). It's not my favorite of Honda's films but it's certainly one of his strongest.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Ooooooh. This is a fun topic idea. Of the ones I've seen,

10. Destroy All Monsters
9. War of The Gargantuas
8. Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster
7. Invasion of Astro-Monsters
6. The H-Man
5. King Kong vs Godzilla
4. Mothra vs Godzilla
3. Terror of Mechagodzilla
2. Rodan
1. Godzilla

[Spuro]

1. Gojira
2. Mothra
3. Mothra vs Godzilla
4. Monster Zero
5. Frankenstein vs Baragon
6. Terror of Mechagodzilla
7. Rodan
8. Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster
9. Destroy All Monsters
10. King Kong vs Godzilla

Boring list, I know.


EDIT: This is my "best to worst" list.

[Jeff-Goldblum2]

1. Invasion of The Astro Monster
2. Godzilla's Revenge
3. Godzilla
4. King Kong Escapes
5. Terror of Mechagodzilla
6. War of The Gargantuas
7. Mothra vs. Godzilla
8. Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster
9. Rodan
10. Mothra

[GojiDog]

Well I've only seen his Sci-Fi/Monster stuff, so I can't speak to his whole body of work.

With that said:

1) Gojira
2) Mothra Vs. Godzilla
3) Rodan
4) Terror of Mechagodzilla
5) Destroy All Monsters
6) War of the Gargantuas
7) Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster
8) Matango
9) The Mysterians
10) Attragon
Honorable Mentions: Godzilla vs. Monster Zero, Mothra, Frankenstein Vs. Baragon, Battle in Outer Space

[Julia Bristow]

1. Mothra vs Godzilla
2. Invasion of Astro Monster
3. Mothra
4. Frankenstein Conquers The World
5. War of The Gargantuas
6. Matango
7. The H-Man
8. Terror of Mechagodzilla
9. The Mysterians
10. Godzilla

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Now that I've seen three more Honda films, I'll update my list:
1) Terror of Mechagodzilla
2) Mothra vs. Godzilla
3) War of the Gargantuas
4) Destroy All Monsters
5) Godzilla
6) Rodan
7) Mothra
8) Monster Zero
9) King Kong vs. Godzilla
10) The H-Man
11) Frankenstein vs. Baragon
12) Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
13) The Human Vapor
14) Varan
15) Space Amoeba
16) King Kong Escapes
17) Atragon
18) Matango
19) The Mysterians
20) Half Human
21) Latitude Zero
22) Gorath
23) Battle in Outer Space
24) Dogora
25) Godzilla's Revenge

[Spuro]

Favorite, to least favorite (NOT best to worst...)


1) Godzilla
2) Mothra vs. Godzilla
3) Frankenstein vs. Baragon
4) Monster Zero
5) Terror of Mechagodzilla
6) Destroy All Monsters
7) Mothra
8) Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
9) Rodan
10) War of the Gargantuas
11) Space Amoeba
12) King Kong vs. Godzilla
13) The Mysterians
14) Dogora
15) Latitude Zero
16) Atragon
17) Varan
18) Matango
19) The H-Man
20) King Kong Escapes
21) Gorath
22) Godzilla's Revenge
23) Battle in Outer Space

Don't worry if a movie you like is lower on the list. I literally like everything here except the last two.


Haven't Seen: Half Human, the Human Vapor

[GodzillavsJason]

Might as well throw in my list.

1. Gojira
2. Terror of Mechagodzilla
3. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
4. Invasion of the Astro Monster
5. Mothra
6. The Human Vapor
7. King Kong vs Godzilla
8. Matango
9. War of the Gargantuas
10. Frankenstein vs Baragon
11. Mothra vs Godzilla
12. The H-Man
13. Latitude Zero
14. Space Amoeba
15. The Mysterians
16. Atragon
17. King Kong Escapes
18. Godzilla's Revenge
19. Destroy All Monsters
20. Gorath
21. Rodan
22. Dogora
23. Varan
24. Battle in Outer Space

[Terasawa]

Because my earlier list was subjective I decided to give it another shot from a more objective perspective.

Spoiler:

• Godzilla
• Mothra
• The Human Vapor
• Mothra vs. Godzilla
• King Kong vs. Godzilla
• Monster Zero
• The H-Man
• Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster
• The Mysterians
• Matango
• Atragon
• Frankenstein Conquers the World
• Terror of Mechagodzilla
• Gorath
• Rodan
• Destroy All Monsters
• The War of the Gargantuas
• Godzilla's Revenge
• Dogora
• Half Human
• Battle in Outer Space
• King Kong Escapes
• Latitude Zero
• Space Amoeba
• Varan

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

I don't know how different they'll be but I'll throw in my objective list, too:
1) Godzilla
2) Mothra vs. Godzilla
3) Rodan
4) Mothra
5) Terror of Mechagodzilla
6) The Human Vapor
7) Monster Zero
8) King Kong vs. Godzilla
9) War of the Gargantuas
10) Frankenstein vs. Baragon
11) The H-Man
12) Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
13) Matango
14) Atragon
15) The Mysterians
16) Destroy All Monsters
17) Space Amoeba
18) Varan
19) King Kong Escapes
20) Latitude Zero
21) Dogora
22) Half Human
23) Gorath
24) Battle in Outer Space
25) Godzilla's Revenge

It pains me to admit it, but Destroy All Monsters really is one of Honda's weaker films, despite being one of my favorites. While the effects sequences are the highlights of most of Honda's films, in DAM they're the only highlights, and these scenes are more to Tsuburaya's credit than Honda's. It's a shame, because if DAM had supplemented its spectacular kaiju action with characters who are more than just their occupations, it could truly have been one of Honda's very best, instead of a flawed fan favorite.

[Terasawa]

Fairly or not I place the blame on DAM on Takeshi Kimura, who did some pretty poor work during his "Kaoru Mabuchi" phase:

• The War of the Gargantuas (co-written by Honda)
• King Kong Escapes
• Destroy All Monsters (co-written by Honda)
• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (co-written by Banno, who allegedly had much more input in the screenplay)

Those are all movies where characterization takes a back seat to the monsters. Honda's voice is also pretty evident in the two he co-wrote: in WOTG I suspect he was responsible for highlighting the drama between the two monsters, while DAM builds on his idea of international cooperation in the face of a crisis.

Even some of the better elements of FCTW (his first sci-fi screenplay as Mabuchi) are present in the ~1964 outline written by Jerry Sohl. The story goes that Kimura wasn't very enthusiastic about his assignments after Matango, and I think that's pretty evident from his work. It seems like he was more interested in writing procedural stories than characters.