Gojira vs. Mosura (1992)

Director:

Takao Okawara

Writer:

Kazuki Ohmori

Release Date:

12 December 1992 (Japan)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

In the midst of another rampage by Godzilla, Mothra emerges to save the human race from Battra.

Plot Keywords:

Godzilla | Mothra | Creature | Japan | Gojira

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Tetsuya Bessho	...	Takuya Fujita
Satomi Kobayashi	...	Masako Tezuka
Takehiro Murata	...	Kenji Andoh
Saburo Shinoda	...	Professor Fukazawa
Akiji Kobayashi	...	Yuzo Tsuchiashi
Akira Takarada	...	Environmental Planning Board Chief Jyoji Minamino
Makoto Ohtake	...	Marutomo Head Takeshi Tomokane
Keiko Imamura	...	Cosmos #1
Sayaka Osawa	...	Cosmos #2
Kenpachiro Satsuma	...	Gojira
'Hurricane Ryu' Hariken	...	Batora
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shinya Cowada
Shoji Kobashi
Susumu Kurobe
Megumi Odaka	...	Miki Saegusa
Yoshiko Tanaka	...	Asuka Okouchi
Shin Tatsuma
Kôichi Ueda	...	Marutomo Employee
Tetsu Watanabe
Shiori Yonezawa

Directed by
Takao Okawara

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kazuki Ohmori

Produced by
Tomoyuki Tanaka	....	executive producer
Shogo Tomiyama	....	producer

Original Music by
Akira Ifukube

Cinematography by
Masahiro Kishimoto

Art Direction by
Tadashi Sakai

Production Management
Takahide Morichi	....	executive in charge of production

Special Effects by
Koichi Kawakita	....	director of special effects
Tetsuzô Ôsawa	....	special effects production designer

Visual Effects by
Tetuzo Osawa	....	visual effects designer

Production Companies

• Toho Company

Distributors

• Toho Company (1992) (Japan) (theatrical)
• TriStar Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Kuk Dong
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Nihon Eiga Satellite Broadcasting (2008) (Japan) (TV)
• Strong Video (1998) (Spain) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Marbling FineArts (miniatures and models)

Other Companies

• Toho Studios  sound stages

Also Known As:

"Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth" - USA (video title)

Runtime:

102 min | USA:100 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG | Germany:12 | UK:PG | USA:Unrated

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

This film's origin went back to 1990 with the concept Mothra Vs. Bagan. The film would include battles all across Asia in places like Shanghai and Bangkok. However, when Gojira tai Biorante (1989) failed, Toho blamed the fact that an unfamiliar monster was used and this project was put on hold to give Godzilla another shot with Gojira tai Kingu Gidora (1991).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Battra first makes landfall, as the terrified Japanese pedestrians are running for their lives, take note of a woman to the right of the screen wearing a brown pant suit and carrying a black purse. She is still running in the next crowd scene on the sidewalk. The next time we see her, she is running up the stairs from the subway, having apparently taken the "A" train to escape the rampaging monster.

Quotes:

Takuya Fujita:There isn't a job that is too tough for me, except, the one time I was married to a real stubborn woman.
Masako Tezuka:[chokes on coffee] I told you we should forget about this crazy guy,
[looks at Takuya]
Masako Tezuka:you cockroach!

Movie Connections:

References Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

EMMERICH, WHO?

In short, this movie puts the team of Roland Emmrich and Dean Devlin to shame. Although put out before the North American debacle, Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth is a beautiful amalgam of classic Godzilla stomp and Mothra poeticism, but it also gives us something else; a menace by the name of Battra (The Black Mothra). Having viewed this movie several times I can say it gets better with each watching. When we first see our old pals, Godzilla and Mothra, Godzilla is safely ensconced in the Marianas Trench having a deep-sea siesta, while Mothra is serenely tucked away in her egg on Infant Island. However, after a metor crashes on the earth the egg is unearthed and we meet another baddie, Battra, Mothra's twin buried in a sea cave underwater. After a sup-plot involving an Indiana Jones-like robber, the action gets going. Mothra's egg as well as the Cosmos (the two fairy twins who keep watch on Infant Island) are being brought to Japan. The egg is being towed on a barge when the Big G appears madder than a hatter and wanting scrambled eggs. With the twins' help the egg hatches and Godzilla and the larval stage Mothra engage in battle. Godzilla none to pleased to be facing his old webbed menace. Suddenly Battra shows up to enjoin the fight. We really don't know at this point whose side Battra is on, except that she or it is one mean worm with an attitude. Mothra ducks out leaving Godazilla and Battra to go at it. The action moves to the city (of course) where the Cosmos are taken. Mothra arrives to rescue them and is met with military force. She finds the girls and is told they're out of danger and to stop hurting people. She then goes away making a'bee' line for the capital building where she coccoons herself for the next stage of the battle. During this time, Godzilla appears and begins to wreck most of the city before Mothra escapes and heads straight for the Big G. While batting Godzilla Mothra is injured and a transformed Battra comes along to help her sister. Between the two of them they get the better of Godzilla, but Battra is mortally wounded and in the most thrilling scene since Godzilla's entrance in the original Gozilla vs. Mothra (1964) they in tandem hoist Godzilla into the air and take him to be drowned in the ocean. But Battra gives her life to save the world. Mothra pays homage to her fallen sister by sealing the sight and ensuring Godzilla stays buried (which we all know won't happen). Mothra then goes out into space to save Earth from an impact with a meteor. The End. Whew!!! There's so much in this movie that it takes your breath away. The music is excellent here. Godzilla and Mothra are represented by their prospective themes and you're left with awe after the movie ends. The makers of this one really outdid themselves and I for one thank them all. A wonderful addition to the Godzilla series and is perfect staging area for the future films in this series. It also spawned a series of movies where Mothra is on her own to battle the despicable Desghidorah and her offspring from that movie goes to battle Daghara (Mothra 2) and a revamped King Ghidorah (Mothra 3). Check all of these treasures out, they're worth the time!!!!!