Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971)
"Gojira tai Hedorâ" (original title)

From Earth's pollution a new monster is spawned. Hedorah, the smog monster, destroys Japan and fights Godzilla while spewing his poisonous gas to further the damage.

Director:

Yoshimitsu Banno

Writers:

Yoshimitsu Banno, Takeshi Kimura

Stars:

Akira Yamauchi, Toshie Kimura, Hiroyuki Kawase

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Akira Yamauchi	...	Dr. Toru Yano
Toshie Kimura	...	Toshie Yano
Hiroyuki Kawase	...	Ken Yano
Toshio Shiba	...	Yukio Keuchi
Keiko Mari	...	Miki Fujiyama
Yoshio Yoshida	...	Gohei - a fisherman
Haruo Suzuki	...	JSDF Officer
Yoshio Katsube	...	JSDF Engineer
Susumu Okabe	...	Announcer A
Kentaro Watanabe	...	Announcer B
Wataru Ômae	...	Police Officer
Tadashi Okabe	...	Scientist
Shigeo Katô
Takuya Yuki	...	Correspondent
Eisaburo Komatsu	...	Non Commissioned Officer

Storyline

From Earth's pollution a new monster is spawned. Hedrah, the smog monster, destroys Japan and fights Godzilla while spewing his poisonous gas to further the damage.

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Plot Keywords:

monster | japanese | gojira | pollution | godzilla | 

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Taglines:

Our environment is doomed!

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Genres:

Horror | Music | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sci-fi monster violence and brief mild language

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

February 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster

Box Office

Budget:

JPY 90,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A sequel, set in Africa, was planned. However, G-series producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, who had been hospitalized during the film's production, was enraged by the film once he saw it, telling director Yoshimitsu Banno that he had ruined the Godzilla series. Tanaka immediately ordered the filming of a more conventional Godzilla movie (Godzilla vs. Gigan). Thus, the "Smog" sequel was never made.

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Goofs

When Hedorah throws some sludge at Godzilla's eye in the Mt. Fuji scene, it hit's Godzilla right eye, but after Hedorah gets done laughing, Godzilla's left eye is the one that is damaged.

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Quotes

Dr. Yano: In each creature there's a weakness.
Ken Yano: Hedorah's only sludge... he can be dried.

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Crazy Credits

In AIP's American version of the film, the entire cast is mysteriously uncredited.

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Connections

Featured in Godzilla and Other Movie Monsters (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Kaese! Taiyô wo"
("Return! The Sun")
Main Title Theme
Music by Riichirô Manabe
Lyrics by Yoshimitsu Banno
Sung by Keiko Mari, the Honey Knights and the Moon Drops

User Reviews

Campy Godzilla Fun

As the 1970s began, Godzilla started to turn into a much more campier, hipper if you will, Japanese institution. There is no evidence of that more striking than Godzilla Vs. the Smog Monster(Hedorah) with its cartoonish sedge-ways and psychedelic dance numbers, etc... I loved this film as a child. I remembered some scenes very well: a young boy on a rock calling, "Papa, Papa" and the scene with an oil/sludge covered cat amidst garbage and waste. The environmental issues were lost on my young brain, but having had a chance to see the film somewhat recently I have seen the obvious nature/message inherent in the film. And having seen the film again, I find that I like the film a lot less than I did as a child. Its magic didn't hold up for me, and I started to ask myself why? What could make the difference? Well, the story really is quite transparent as a young boy and his family(father a scientist)discover a new creature in the ocean that when dried turns to a cakey dust that when introduced to water again - creates new life. The scientist also learns that this new organism that feeds on waste has the ability to grow rapidly. Soon it grows to monster proportion as a giant black thing with glowing red eyes, destroying much of Tokyo and Japan, waiting to fight with Godzilla. While this film does indeed have some nicely shot, effective scenes, the story and the pacing just seem a bit strained. Hedorah is a pretty neat looking creature, and some of his fights with the big lizard are very rewarding. The film; however, doesn't have the sense of seriousness(if you can believe this?) that the earlier Godzilla films had. While ostensibly teaching about the evils of pollution and misusing the environment, Godzilla Vs, the Smog Monster is really nothing more than a very campy film of the big old green guy and a big pile of sludge.