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| packmule | Jul 30 2007, 07:10 PM |
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The year 1964 was a busy one for the Toho Motion Picture Company. In April of that year Mothra Vs Godzilla opened in theaters in Japan, followed by Dogora The Space Monster. Not satisfied with these two offerings Toho went for the trifecta with Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster, which opened in Japanese theaters in December of 1964. Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra, all Toho monsters who had starred in previous "stand alone" films, were now together along with a new monster from outer space, King Ghidrah, which would make repeated appearances in later Toho kaiju films and become arguably Godzilla's greatest enemy and rival. The film's story: meteors are falling all over the Earth-unfortunately for Japan one very different one lands in the Japan Alps. Meanwhile, a princess from a foreign country is presumed dead after the plane she is traveling in, her destination Japan, is obliterated in mid air. She mysteriously reappears and claims to be a Venusian, wandering the streets and predicting, among other things, the apocalyptic arrival of a destructive, planet destroying space monster named "King Ghidrah". While a local policeman and his reporter sister struggle to protect the "Venusian" from assassins, of her home country, and who recognize her as the princess, Rodan and Godzilla appear, and immediately begin fighting each other. A group of scientists dispatched to study the unusual meteor that crashed witness the space monster as it emerges from an airborne fireball loosed from the meteor. The creature is a golden, three headed, winged and dragon-like monster, which wastes no time in going on a rampage of destruction. The authorities, military and civilian, forum, understandably concerned that there are now three destructive and hostile giant monsters on the loose in Japan. Through the Infant Island Fairies larval Mothra arrives to converse with Godzilla and Rodan, it's objective to convince the two leviathans to join it in battle against King Ghidrah, to save the Earth from the rampaging space monster. Feeling less than charitable both Godzilla and Rodan, initially, refuse the larval Mothra's request-after the caterpillar monster is blasted about by the three headed monster's powerful oral gravity rays both Godzilla and Rodan join Mothra in engaging the bulky, gold colored space monster. (no other spoilers) Observations: this is a personal favorite of mine, a movie I have watched countless times on television, and most recently on DVD. This film received a stellar DVD release by Classic Media on April 3rd of this year. What I liked about Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster(1964): -all of the monsters have, IMO, outstanding entrance scenes, especially King Ghidrah -King Ghidrah looks best in this film, that is, his movements and the effects used to render his oral gravity beams -the score, which I think adds to the "spectacle" feel I get when watching this movie -the ultimate strategy employed by Godzilla, Rodan & Mothra to drive off King Ghidrah -the overall special effects. I had a few gripes but nothing that diminishes my enjoyment from watching this film -the ultimate fate of the leader of the group of assassins who were trying to kill Princess Saino What I did not like about Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster(1964): -the Rodan "suit": the neck was, IMO, way too long -the uniform worn by Princess Saino's personal valet on the plane: you couldn't pay me to wear a costume like that, even for a Halloween party. -the visibility of the wires in certain scenes -the policeman making no attempt to get the home number of the Princess, at the end of the film- I believe she would have given it to him had he asked  Post your takes and impressions of this films. All replies welcome. :) |
 Packmule's Pen Latitude Zero(1969) The Relic(1997) | |
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| Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster(1964) · Showa Godzilla Films 1954-1975 | |
10:59 PM Nov 26
