Gojira VS Desutoroiâ (1995)

Director:

Takao Okawara

Writer:

Kazuki Omori (writer)

Release Date:

9 December 1995 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Get Ready for a Three-Way Monster Melee!

Plot:

The aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer brings forth Destoroyah, a beast intent on killing Godzilla, who is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown.

Plot Keywords:

Godzilla | Creature | Reverse Footage | Last Of Series | Sequel

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Takurô Tatsumi	...	Dr. Kensaku Ijuin
Yôko Ishino	...	Yukari Yamane
Yasufumi Hayashi	...	Kenichi Yamane
Megumi Odaka	...	Miki Saegusa
Sayaka Osawa	...	Meru Ozawa
Saburo Shinoda	...	Professor Fukazawa
Akira Nakao	...	Commander Takaki Aso
Masahiro Takashima	...	Major Sho Kuroki
Momoko Kôchi	...	Emiko Yamane
Shigeru Kôyama	...	Army General
Ronald Hoerr	...	Professor Marvin
Kôichi Ueda	...	Night Watchman at Aquarium
Takehiro Murata	...	Yukari's Editor
Shelley Sweeney	...	G-Force Technician
Akihiko Hirata	...	Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (archive footage)
Kenpachiro Satsuma	...	Gojira
Ryo Hariya	...	Desutoroia
'Hurricane Ryu' Hariken	...	Gojira Jr.

Directed by
Takao Okawara

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kazuki Omori		writer

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

Original Music by
Akira Ifukube

Cinematography by
Masahiro Kishimoto
Yoshinori Sekiguchi

Film Editing by
Chizuko Osada

Sound Department
Kazuo Miyauchi	....	sound

Special Effects by
Koichi Kawakita	....	director of special effects
Tetsuzô Ôsawa	....	special effects production designer
Shinichi Wakasa	....	suit maker

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

Animation Department
Hideo Okamoto	....	character designer

Production Companies

• Toho Company

Distributors

• Astro Distribution (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Korporatsiya Arena (Russia) (VHS)
• Kuk Dong
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Nihon Eiga Satellite Broadcasting (2008) (Japan) (TV)
• TriStar Pictures (USA) (dubbed)

Special Effects

• Marbling FineArts (miniatures and models)

Other Companies

• Toho Studios  sound stages

Also Known As:

Godzilla vs. Destroyer

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Germany:12 | USA:Unrated

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

Contains brief scenes that pay homage to the original Gojira (1954) - such as Dr Yamane's stegosaurus model - and during the simulated Tôkyô meltdown sequence (where they show what will happen if Godzilla explodes) Godzilla walks by the Wako Building and the Diet Building - two building he destroys in the original film.

Quotes:

Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: I know Micro-oxygen and it doesn't have that kind of power.
Army General: Then what does?
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: An Oxygen Destroyer!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Angry Video Game Nerd: Godzilla (#4.15)" (2009)

A piece of me died as well

When I first read about the existence of this film, I was horrified to learn that Godzilla died at the end. My first thoughts were, "how could Godzilla die at the hands of another monster." As I read more about it, I learned that that wasn't the case. However, that didn't change the fact that Godzilla passes in the next world at the end. As much as I knew about the ending, I still couldn't help but feel a part of me die also.

The movie takes the Heisei series full circle by connecting the origins of the monster Destroyer with Godzilla's original foe, the Oxygen Destroyer. Godzilla's offspring has grown from that rather-silly looking creature from Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla into a monster that looks like his father. Mix those elements with a Godzilla that is rapidly approaching the bring of self-nuclear destruction and you have this final blowout for the big "G".

This movie is quite entertaining. There are some good fighting moments and the finale is quite good. The battle between Godzilla Jr. and Destroyer was exciting also. The special FX for the most part were good, with a few cheesy scenes. Destroyer was quite a formidable foe and his various incarnations were very cool-looking. I especially like the hack n' slash scene where Godzilla and his enemy are tearing each other pieces, literally.

Also, there are some poignant moments in this movie. The finale left me with quite a lump in my throat. Godzilla finding Jr.'s body at the aquarium were also quite touching.

Well, all in all, this is a good kaiju film. Lots of monsters. A cool opening scene. Lots of cute Japanese girls, especially Megumi Odaka. A rousing Akira Ifukube score. Great.