Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko (1967)

Director:

Jun Fukuda

Writers:

Shinichi Sekizawa (writer)
Kazue Shiba (writer)

Release Date:

16 December 1967 (Japan)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Japan's Greatest Foe Delivers an Heir!

Plot:

Scientists experimenting with changes in weather on a tropical island get more than they bargained for when Godzilla shows up to battle humongous insects and protect his newborn child.

Plot Keywords:

Godzilla | Scientist | Island | Weather | Giant Spider

Cast

Tadao Takashima	...	Dr. Kusumi
Akira Kubo	...	Goro Maki
Bibari Maeda	...	Riko (Saeko) Matsumiya
Akihiko Hirata	...	Fujisaki
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Furukawa
Kenji Sahara	...	Morio
Kenichiro Maruyama	...	Ozawa
Seishirô Kuno	...	Tashiro
Yasuhiko Saijo	...	Suzuki
Susumu Kurobe	...	Navigator
Kazuo Suzuki	...	Pilot
Wataru Ômae	...	Radio Operator
Chôtarô Tôgin	...	Surveyor
Seiji Onaka	...	Gojira
Haruo Nakajima	...	Gojira
'Little Man' Machan	...	Minira
Osman Yusuf	...	Submarine Captain

Directed by
Jun Fukuda

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Shinichi Sekizawa		writer
Kazue Shiba		writer

Produced by
Tomoyuki Tanaka	....	producer

Original Music by
Masaru Satô

Cinematography by
Kazuo Yamada

Film Editing by
Ryohei Fujii

Production Design by
Takeo Kita

Sound Department
Toshiya Ban	....	sound recordist
Minoru Kaneyama	....	sound effects editor
Hisashi Shimonaga	....	sound effects
Shin Watarai	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Sadamasa Arikawa	....	director of special effects
Fumio Nakadai	....	special effects marionettes
Eiji Tsuburaya	....	director of special effects
Akira Watanabe	....	art director of special effects

Visual Effects by
Sadao Iizuda	....	optical photography
Kuichiro Kishida	....	special effects lighting
Yukio Manoda	....	optical photographer
Sokei Tomioka	....	director of special effects photography

Stunts
Haruo Nakajima	....	stunt choreographer

Production Companies

• Toho Company

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1970) (USA) (dubbed)
• Budget Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Filmax Home Video (video)
• Hollywood Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Prism Entertainment Corporation (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son
Son of Godzilla (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some sci-fi monster violence.

Runtime:

USA:84 min | Japan:86 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:U | USA:PG (re-rating) | USA:G (original rating)

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

This was the second film of the Godzilla series to be sold directly to TV (the first one was Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (_Gojira-Ebira-Mosura: Nankai no daiketto (1966)_

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In several scenes the strings used to manipulate the Minya, Kamacuras and Kumonga marionettes as well as Godzilla's tail are clearly visible.

Quotes:

Goro Maki: [Godzilla and Minya are close by] Riko, I think they spotted us.
Riko Matsumiya: No, it appears to be teaching its son.
Goro Maki: Teaching its son?
[Riko nods]
Goro Maki: It's teaching its son all right. And, he's teaching its son just like people teaching its children, just like a papa.
Riko Matsumiya: Well, it is a papa, isn't it?
Goro Maki: Well sure, but I wouldn't want one like that.
Riko Matsumiya: Nor I, everything's relative I guess.
Goro Maki: You're right.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gojira: Fainaru uôzu (2004)

Son of Godzilla (1967) ***

Yes, this is a juvenile Godzilla film in many ways. Yes, the baby Godzilla is goofy. But you know what? I like this monster movie! It's entertaining, fun, and also very heartwarming whenever we get to see Godzilla taking the little guy Minya under his wing (Godzilla's always been more of a "surrogate" dad rather than an organic one in my view).

A group of scientists are conducting intense weather experiments on a remote island that just so happens to be inhabited by giant praying mantises, a giant spider that spins deadly webs, and a large egg that hatches to produce a "little Godzilla". The Big G gets to teach Minya all about breathing fire, stomping enemies, and also some quality father and son bonding (awww).

Those who don't like Godzilla movies very much are advised to stay away; even some die-hard fans don't care for the sentiment expressed in this entry. There is still a lot of steady monster action on hand, a good pairing between a young visiting reporter and a pretty island girl, and a truly touching ending that nearly brings a tear to my eye every time I see it.