Starring Yosuke Natsuki, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Emi & Yumi Ito
Directed by Inoshiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After escaping an explosion aboard her plane, a royal princess claims to be an alien from the planet Mars, and predicts attacks by Godzilla, Rodan, and a terrifying new monster.
This was the first Toho monster rally to the best of my knowledge, which brings Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra together to battle an impressive new menace in Ghidrah, a three-headed flying dragon that spews destructive energy bolts from its mouths. But before we're presented with the climactic battle, we're introduced to Wakabayashi as the princess who jumps out of her plane before it explodes after a warning from a mysterious voice, and then resurfaces claiming to be a Martian who can predict the future. That's creative plotting to say the least! Although there's assassins after the princess, and plenty of death and destruction, the film has a very light-hearted tone, reflected in Godzilla's unorthodox attempts to battle Ghidrah and Rodan by throwing and kicking rocks at them. Eiji Tsuburaya's special effects are among the best I've seen in a Toho film, with the fast-striking and devastating Ghidrah the definite showpiece of the production.
Showing posts with label Yuriko Hoshi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yuriko Hoshi. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Godzilla Vs. The Thing (1964)
Starring Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yu Fujiki, Kenji Sahara
Directed by Inoshiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A giant storm transports an enormous egg to a Japanese city, which is claimed by greedy industrialists, but its contents are the progeny of Mothra, who will soon face off with Godzilla.
Although the American title of this film leads you to believe there's a mystery behind the egg, its Japanese title was Mothra Vs. Godzilla and it becomes pretty clear that the egg belongs to Mothra early on, as soon as Emi and Yumi Ito reprise their roles as the tiny princesses of Mothra's island from the creature's first film. Those hoping for a full-on battle between Godzilla and the flying moth monster may be disappointed as Mothra is weakened and dying during the battle, but there will be others who will carry on. The filmmakers stage a clever strategic confrontation by Godzilla's foes with some pretty good effects, and the human cast are entertaining, with Takarada returning for his second Godzilla film, although playing a different character. I haven't yet seen enough Godzilla films to estimate where this ranks in the series, although for me it's clearly behind the original, but still a fun entry, and one of the first to pair off Toho's different kaiju.
Directed by Inoshiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A giant storm transports an enormous egg to a Japanese city, which is claimed by greedy industrialists, but its contents are the progeny of Mothra, who will soon face off with Godzilla.
Although the American title of this film leads you to believe there's a mystery behind the egg, its Japanese title was Mothra Vs. Godzilla and it becomes pretty clear that the egg belongs to Mothra early on, as soon as Emi and Yumi Ito reprise their roles as the tiny princesses of Mothra's island from the creature's first film. Those hoping for a full-on battle between Godzilla and the flying moth monster may be disappointed as Mothra is weakened and dying during the battle, but there will be others who will carry on. The filmmakers stage a clever strategic confrontation by Godzilla's foes with some pretty good effects, and the human cast are entertaining, with Takarada returning for his second Godzilla film, although playing a different character. I haven't yet seen enough Godzilla films to estimate where this ranks in the series, although for me it's clearly behind the original, but still a fun entry, and one of the first to pair off Toho's different kaiju.
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