Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Ape-like 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 Kunigami, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest
Bellbella Lin	...	Nami Kunigami, the Azumi Royal Family Princess (as Barbara Lynn)
Shin Kishida	...	Interpol Agent Nanbara
Gorô 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:

alien | giant robot | robot | robot monster battle | kaiju | 

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Taglines:

All New! Never Seen Before!

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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. Mechagodzilla

Filming Locations:

Okinawa, Japan

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,122,958

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 is the final Godzilla film to feature a score from Masaru Sato. It was an all new score, which fitted exceptionally well with the film, and only has one stock music track that Sato re-uses from Son of Godzilla (1967) for the King Seesar vs Mechagodzilla fight.

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Goofs

The fake Godzilla disguise that MechaGodzilla initially wears makes little sense. MechaGodzilla's shape doesn't match up with his suit, for example he can bend his fingers when disguised, even though it's later revealed that his fingers are stiff, unbend-able missiles. He also has a large "crest" on his head, but when wearing the suit, his head is the shape of Godzilla's.

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Quotes

Tengan Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest: Nami! Nami!
Nami Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family Princess: What's the matter, Grandfather?
Tengan Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest: The monster, as you had prophesied, Godzilla has appeared on the mainland!
Nami Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family Princess: Eh?
Tengan Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest: Only one thing can defeat Godzilla, and that is our own King Caesar! But no one can find the key to unlock the divine monster.
[kneels down]
Tengan Kunito, the Azumi Royal Family High Priest: O' Godzilla! Destroy the people of Japan, who once tried to conquer the Azumi Tribe! You will be the instrument of our revenge! O' Godzilla!
[Nami looks on in sadness]

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Alternate Versions

The older US television and video version (and no longer used) released by Cinema Shares had the "Godzilla vs the Cosmic Monster" title (red background with title written in white letters in an almost circular pattern). Also, in the beginning of the film when they show Anguirus in Siberia, the Cinema Shares version is slightly bright, enabling you to see Anguirus and to see the snow on the mountain. The Japanese version is the same. In addition, the Cinema Shares version cuts the ending out and ends a few seconds after the huge explosion and when King Seesar re-seals himself back in the mountain. The end title shows a statue of King Seesar on the left and shows a red background with the words "The End" on the right. Later video re-releases use the newer "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" title in the US and has the Siberia scene exceptionally dark, making it hard to see Anguirus. But, this newer video version restores the full ending of the film, where you see the characters putting the King Seesar statue back in place (without this full ending, it would appear the heroes also die in the explosion).

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Connections

Follows Rodan (1956)

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Soundtracks

Beat Mechagodzilla
("Mekagojira Wo Yattsukero")
Music by Masaru Satô
Lyrics by Jun Fukuda
Performed by Bellbella Lin
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.