Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

After rising from his volcanic grave, Godzilla is threatened by a mutated rosebush.

Director:

Kazuki Ohmori

Writers:

Shinichirô Kobayashi (story), Kazuki Ohmori

Stars:

Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshiko Tanaka, Masanobu Takashima

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kunihiko Mitamura	...	Kazuhito Kirishima
Yoshiko Tanaka	...	Asuka Okouchi
Masanobu Takashima	...	Major Sho Kuroki
Kôji Takahashi	...	Dr. Genichiro Shiragami
Tôru Minegishi	...	Lieutenant Goro Gondo
Megumi Odaka	...	Miki Saegusa
Toshiyuki Nagashima	...	Director Seiichi Yamamoto
Ryûnosuke Kaneda	...	Seizo Okouchi
Kazuma Matsubara	...	Self Defense Forces Officer
Yoshiko Kuga	...	Keiko Owada, Prime Minister's Representative
Yasunori Yuge	...	Prime Minister's Aide
Yasuko Sawaguchi	...	Erika Shiragami
Haruko Sagara	...	TV Reporter
Kôichi Ueda	...	Joint-Chief of Staff Yamaji
Kosuke Toyohara	...	Osamu Amesawa

Storyline

A scientist combines the cells of a rose with those of Godzilla to create a biological creature more horrifying than any seen before. The two do battle after a destructive tour of Japan by Godzilla. A newly released version includes many new fight scenes that were cut out of the theatrical version.

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Plot Keywords:

godzilla | kaiju | japan | tokusatsu | fictional country | 

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Taglines:

The Super-Beast Battle of the Century

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for traditional Godzilla violence

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

16 December 1989 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Godzilla vs. Biollante

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,538,198

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, Toho Eizo Co., Toho Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 83 min (VHS Screener Release)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It took over twenty crew members to manipulate Biollante in its final form.

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Goofs

The Godzilla suit used in the water scenes visibly differs from the one used on land. It has a higher forehead with a ridge running across it and its "cheeks" are also different.

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Quotes

Dr. Shiragami: I just wonder. Did Godzilla come all this way to see Biollante because it knew they were made from the same cells?
Asuka Okouchi: Yes, it's possible. After all, they're from the same family.
Dr. Shiragami: More than just the same family. They are both made from the same cells. They're identical, the same thing. Not brother and sister; they're both the same creature.

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Alternate Versions

Deleted scenes:

• When Godzilla comes ashore at Abarishi a scene of him walking past a lighthouse and smashimng it with his tail was cut.
• After Godzilla's first confrontation with Biollante in Lake Ashino in the which is set ablaze by Godzilla's radioactive breath, spores from the plant creature shower the surrounding countryside causeing flowers to suddenly bloom.
• Originally Godzilla was to atack the Osaka's Kansie airport, which was under construction at the time of filming, but permission could not be obtained. Instead Godzilla and Miki engage in a telepatch battle near a heliport for the site in the Ise Channel.
• A discarded concept was to have Biollante attempt to physically absorb Godzilla during the climatic battle. This was scrapped due to time and budgetary considerations but was the concept was visualised for the climax of 'Godzilla 2000'.

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Connections

Follows Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

User Reviews

Outstanding!

The Hesei Series began with Godzilla 1985. Godzilla vs Biolante is the second film of the new Hesei Series of Godzilla Films and is truly a Phenomenal Film.

Godzilla is still trapped inside of the volcano. A local scientist finds some of Godzilla's cells and starts to test with them. His daughter is killed when an explosion goes off in his lab. He then starts using his daughters cells, and mixes them with some Godzilla Cells and some rose cells. This starts to create a giant plant type monster with a rose bud for a head. Godzilla breaks free from the Volcano and starts to go on a rampage. Godzilla meets up with this giant plant monster, Biolante, and sets it on fire apparently killing it. Godzilla attacks japan and further attempts to destroy him are made.

The fact that this film follows up Godzilla 1985 and shows that he escapes from his volcano prison is awesome. I was always sad at the end of Godzilla 1985 so Godzilla escaping in this one set this film off on a good note for me.

Godzilla looks awesome. In fact for the rest of this series he looks pretty much the same and that is good. They did away with the fangs that he had in Godzilla 1985 and gave him a much more dinosaur looking head. Godzilla gets in a lot of action and proves how destructive he is. Nothing can stop him and nothing will slow him down. This is one of the best portrayals of Godzilla in any movie he is in and he gets in a lot more action than he did in Godzilla 1985. I am not saying that Godzilla 1985 is a bad film it is just that this film is much better.

Godzilla gets an opponent for the first time in the Hesei Series. Biolante is his foe, a truly unique monster. First it shows up as a giant Rose headed monster with Venus Fly trap tentacles. This form does not do anything for me, it looks like a giant rose and that is kind of odd. Godzilla destroys this form pretty easy. Biolante then turns into another form, a much more impressive looking form. In this form Biolante gets a giant crocodile type head and a huge body covered with sharp spines and is able to shoot a glowing acid ray. In this form Biolante towers over Godzilla and is the largest monster that Godzilla has fought in a film. In this form Biolante is a very dangerous foe and very physically imposing. One of the most memorable of all of Godzilla's enemies.

Also great in this film is the Super X 2, another vehicle designed to combat Godzilla. It is cool how it seems in each film a new vehicle is set up to fight Godzilla but none seem to work. Great scenes of Godzilla against the military in this film.

Also great in this film is how they brought back the original Godzilla march song. The films that have this soundtrack just seem to be better than the ones that do not.

So this is a phenomenal film, one of the best. Great special effects, a great foe for Godzilla, and awesome music. A must see.