Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
"Gojira tai Mekagojira" (original title)

Apelike aliens build a robotic Godzilla to destroy Japan, and the true Godzilla may not be powerful enough to destroy it.

Director:

Jun Fukuda

Writers:

Jun Fukuda, Masami Fukushima (story),

Stars:

Masaaki Daimon, Kazuya Aoyama, Reiko Tajima

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Masaaki Daimon	...	Keisuke Shimizu
Kazuya Aoyama	...	Masahiko Shimizu
Reiko Tajima	...	Saeko Kanagusuku
Akihiko Hirata	...	Professor Hideto Miyajima
Hiromi Matsushita	...	Ikuko Miyajima
Hiroshi Koizumi	...	Professor Wagura
Masao Imafuku	...	Tengan Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest
Beru-Bera Lin	...	Nami Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family Princess
Shin Kishida	...	Interpol Agent Nanbara
Goro Mutsumi	...	Alien Supreme Leader Kuronuma
Daigo Kusano	...	Yanagawa, Alien Agent #1
Takayasu Torii	...	Interpol Agent Tamura
Kenji Sahara	...	Ship's Captain
Yasuzô Ogawa	...	Construction Foreman
Takamitsu Watanabe	...	Alien Henchman # 1

Storyline

Aliens intend to take over the planet and, just in case Godzilla tries to interfere, have built a mechanical version of him to put an end to his interference. The Earth humans summon the legendary King Seesar to assist Godzilla in the battle.

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Plot Keywords:

godzilla | alien | 1970s | kaiju | giant robot | 

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Taglines:

Put the Monster to the Metal!

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Genres:

Action | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

March 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster

Filming Locations:

Gyokusen Cave, Okinawa, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, Toho Eizo Co.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was the last appearance of the monster Anguirus and only appearance of King Shisa until their long-awaited return 30 years later in Godzilla: Final Wars.

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Goofs

When the boulder containing Mechagodzilla (disguised as Godzilla) flies out of the exploding pit, the wires used to fly the boulder are clearly visible.

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Quotes

Professor Hideto Miyajima: This material can only be space titanium.
Masahiko Shimizu: Space titanium?
[pause]
Masahiko Shimizu: You mean it's from outer space?
Professor Hideto Miyajima: Uhum...
[and he lights a pipe]

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Connections

Remade as Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Beat Mechagodzilla"
("Mekagojira Wo Yattsukero")
Music by Masaru Satô
Lyrics by Jun Fukuda
Performed by Beru-Bera Lin (as Beru-Bera Rin)
Published by Toho Music Publishing

User Reviews

One of the best of the series

***SPOILERS JUST IN CASE***

Definitely the best made between the original movie and Godzilla 1984 (both of which are superior to this one).

Of course, it leaves a few things unexplained. For instance, if you're going to make a giant robot fighting machine, why shape it like Godzilla, in the first place? Not to put the Big Guy down, but he doesn't exactly have the most streamlined or efficient body design. The aliens' reason (disguise it as Godzilla to confuse people) seems a little thin, to me. What's the advantage to them in letting people think Godzilla's on the rampage, instead of just going all-out and attacking without a disguise?

Secondly, this was one of the series that used the regrettable 'install Godzilla in a piece of scenery' schtick, instead of just having him come roaring up out of the sea. I was willing to forgive this in King Kong vs. Godzilla, since discovering Godzilla in an iceberg was proper continuity from the end of Godzilla Raids Again. Finding Godzilla buried and sleeping under a mountain was a pretty far-fetched premise in Godzilla vs Ebirah. But even that was more believable than having Godzilla emerge from a warehouse!

That having been said, the good parts outnumber the bad. The soundtrack, with it's rocking, Stan-Kentonesque big-band theme for MechaGodzilla, is a great updating from the Ifukube scores which were just being re-used, time after time in most Godzilla movies. The song Ms. Moonface sings to awaken King Caesar is forgettable, but not so awful that it's hard to endure. It's preferable to the Minitwits' Mothra line-dance song that we heard so many times.

King Caesar, in his only performance (he was even cut from the flashback scenes in the sequel to this film) proves a worthy ally for Godzilla. He may not be an all-powerful titan, but there's no quit in him. Basing a monster design on a temple guardian dog was a far better idea, in my opinion, than making a monster out of a roach. Mechagodzilla's design is equally good, though I question the necessity of putting a Superman-like 'M' on his chest plate, and you can easily see the grating in his neck where the suit actor's eyes are.

The movie contains the requisite accidental goofiness, like the 'prophecy' which is repeated about a dozen different ways, and the Professor's solid-metal pipe, which must weigh about five pounds. This is a Godzilla flick, though. It's entertainment, not art.