Kaijû daisenso (1965)

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writer:

Shinichi Sekizawa (writer)

Release Date:

29 July 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Aliens from Planet X request the use of Godzilla and Rodan to fight off King Ghidorah, but have a better use for the three monsters.

Plot Keywords:

Godzilla | Alien | Rodan | Astronaut | Pterodactyl

Cast

Nick Adams	...	Astronaut Glenn Amer
Akira Takarada	...	Astronaut K. Fuji
Jun Tazaki	...	Dr. Sakurai
Akira Kubo	...	Tetsuo Teri
Kumi Mizuno	...	Miss Namikawa
Keiko Sawai	...	Haruno Fuji
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Controller of Planet X
Takamaru Sasaki	...	Chairman of Earth Committee
Gen Shimizu	...	Minister of Defense
Kenzo Tabu	...	Commander from Planet X
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	General
Nadao Kirino	...	Military Aide
Koji Uno	...	Namikawa's Associate
Tôru Ibuki	...	Xian
Kazuo Suzuki	...	Xian

Also Known As:

Battle of the Astros
Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (USA) (video title)
Invasion of Astro-Monster
Invasion of Planet X
Invasion of the Astro-Monsters
Invasion of the Astros (USA) (armed forces circuit title)
Kaijû daisenso Kingughidorah tai Gojira (Japan) (reissue title)
Monster Zero (USA)
The Great Monster War
War of the Monsters (literal English title)

Runtime:

Germany:81 min | Japan:74 min (re-issue) | USA:93 min | Japan:96 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Lake Myojin, Kochi, Japan

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

The design of the P-1, especially the nose cone, was based on the rockets used for the Gemini space program, which had just started as filming for this picture commenced.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In several scenes the strings holding Rodan, Ghidorah and the flying saucers are clearly seen.

Quotes:

Tetsuo: You? Well this is a funny place to meet. Yah, I'm gonna die laughing.

Movie Connections:

Edited from Mosura (1961)

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1965) ***

This was one of the first Godzilla films I can recall watching on prime-time network television when I was growing up (back then it went under its Americanized title of simply, MONSTER ZERO). Though pretty far-fetched, it's still a highly enjoyable offering in the Toho series and gives us another chance to see Godzilla and Rodan join forces against the popular three-headed King Ghidorah (Monster Zero).

This time the widescreen English dubbed version is an asset, as American actor Nick Adams adds some spice to this one, since it's always fun to hear his nasal Brooklynese voice delivering such entertaining macho lines of gibberish as: "you stinkin' rats! What have you done to her?" Adams plays one of two astronauts sent to the newly discovered "Planet X" where he meets an alien civilization forced to live underground in order to avoid frequent attacks by Ghidorah up on the surface. The leaders ask our heroes to help them obtain the services of Earth monsters Godzilla and Rodan to help them vanquish 'Monster Zero'. But all may not be quite as it seems...

Some fans don't like the fact that the monster battles are kept to a minimum this time, but they're pretty good when they arrive and it's an added kick seeing the desolate looking Planet X in outer space, with its mountains, craters and dark, star-lit skies. The addition of aliens, flying saucers and double-crosses help make this a good time for Godzilla lovers.