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| Terror Of Mechagodzilla(1975); Discuss the film here. | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 16 2006, 11:51 AM (1,760 Views) | |
| packmule | Apr 16 2006, 11:51 AM Post #1 |
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On March 15, 1975 the Toho Motion Picture Company released Mekagojira No Gyakushu(Revenge Of Mechagodzilla)-it is also known as Terror Of Mechagodzilla, which was released in the U.S. in the summer of 1978. Once more Godzilla's most powerful enemy returns to challenge him, created and controlled by the latest threat to mankind, the sinister Black Hole aliens. The story: the Black Hole aliens, determined to conquer the Earth, build a new Mechagodzilla from the remains of the old one(wrecked by Godzilla in the previous film). Helping the aliens is an eccentric and emotionally unstable scientist, Dr. Mafune(played effectively by "Akihiko Hirata"), himself the controller of a giant aquatic dinosaur named Titanosaurus. When Mafune's daughter is accidentally killed(in a lab accident) the Black Hole aliens implant Mechag's controlling device in her body-she is resurrected by a cyborg. The aliens expect Mafune to oblige them the services of Titanosaurus as a kind of "payment" for their intervention to bring his daughter back to life, and the biologist complies, Titanosaurus coming to the surface. Both Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus begin an all-out assault on Tokyo. Godzilla appears and immediately fights Mafune's aquatic monster. Titanosaurus makes a brief retreat, but soon Godzilla and Titanosaurus fight again, and this time Mechagodzilla joins the fray. Just when it appears that Godzilla is going to be defeated, the local authorities employ a small sound device that disturbs the equilibrium of Titanosaurus, and soon Godzilla is back on the attack...(no spoilers). Observations: planning on this being the "final" Godzilla movie, Toho reunites director Inoshiro Honda and music maestro(the late)Akira Ifukube and the budget for the movie is increased, all to help boost the film and give Godzilla the proper send-off. While I think it still falls short it is, nevertheless, a fun and highly entertaining movie, one I enjoyed as much as it's 1974 predecessor. Again, the score is effective, the monster battles are visually exciting to watch, and the new monster, Titanosaurus, is, IMO, very well rendered. This film is available on Reg 2 DVD and various Reg 1 DVDs, the latter all pan'n'scanned. Thankfully, Classic Media is set to re-release this movie letterboxed and subtitled in September of this year. Post your opinions and takes of this movie here, and anything related. All replies welcome. |
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| Ro-Dan | Apr 23 2006, 12:26 PM Post #2 |
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"Terror" was kind of a letdown after G vs MechaG. The somber, dark tone was palpable, which I liked. I really wasn't feeling Titanosaurus. Like Rebirth of Mothra 1 we've got a monster with an annoying elephantine roar. Even though I did like the moody atmosphere and Ifukube's excellent score I keep comparing Terror of Mechagodzilla to the more light-hearted G vs MechaG and it keeps falling short. |
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| KaijuFanatic | Apr 23 2006, 02:15 PM Post #3 |
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I like this film. I thought the story line was good, the directing was very solid and the musical score was right on the money. Titanosaurus was pretty cool, although I can see where it's 'elephantine' roar could be annoying to some, I could get past it. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing this in widescreen and in it's original language. thumbs up |
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| Ro-Dan | Apr 23 2006, 02:17 PM Post #4 |
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Yeah, me too! |
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| packmule | Apr 25 2006, 08:04 PM Post #5 |
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Understandable, as the VHS version of this film I used to have was horrendous. The current Classic Media release is fairly bad in it's own right. Thank God that CM has "seen the light" about releasing this and the other Toho G films properly. thumbs up |
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| Ro-Dan | Apr 29 2006, 11:37 AM Post #6 |
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On a side note, I'm also looking forward to hearing the Japanese-language version of Monster Zero. I've read that Yoshio Tsuchiya's (The Controller) voice performance is really something in this film! |
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| KaijuFanatic | Apr 29 2006, 12:10 PM Post #7 |
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Slightly off topic, but was releasing a film say to VHS, considered less marketable if it was released in widescreen and in it's original language? Seems that it wasn't until near the end of VHS releases that we actually saw films in widescreen. I suppose part of the charm/fun of a dubbed film was the often, horrendous dubbing, but I love the choice of watching a film in it's original language and seeing a film in widescreen, is a must! |
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| Ro-Dan | Apr 29 2006, 10:16 PM Post #8 |
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Yeah, I'd say widescreen didn't really catch on until the tail end of the VHS era. Now, most consumers demand it, mainly due to widescreen hi-def TVs. As for dubbing, I actually prefer the older 60's Godzilla movies dubbed. There's a real charm to the old Titra Studio's dubbing. Godzilla vs The Thing and the original Mothra have fantastic dubbing. |
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| packmule | Apr 30 2006, 02:11 PM Post #9 |
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I can only guess that it probably was. Why else would we see so few VHS titles in widescreen format, during of course, the heyday of VHS? Example: for the most part when it came to shopping for VHS(before DVDs) I almost always went to Suncoast Motion Picture Co. at a nearby mall. Despite this store's absolutely marvelous collection of movies on VHS only one medium-sized rack was dedicated to letterboxed/widescreen VHS movies, and the rack was always positioned at the back of the store, almost as an afterthought. Store clerks told me many times that lbx and widescreen movies did not sell very well-many reason were given. For instance, within the "family" shopping unit the black "bars" visible in various widescreen variants are not popular with young children, and when a parent is shopping at a video store like Suncoast, are they going to buy a letterbox title anyway over the screams and protestations of their kids? More often than not, no. The lack of popularity wih these lbx'd films was also, I think, borne out of ignorance: I have met people who have actually argued that a viewer sees "more" with cropped full-frame imaged films, basing their argument on the fact that the image fills up the entire screen, and the letterbox film does not crazy ... Having shopped at(now defunct) Turtle's Video I can tell you that this store never had any widescreen titles available. "Pre-DVD Blockbuster Video" also offered few, if any letterboxed titles for sale on VHS. I have several old VHS movies in letterbox: Godzilla(1998), The Creature From Black Lake(1976...Jack Elam fanboy here  ) and Godzilla Vs Biollante(1989). My advice to anyone with widescreen/letterboxed VHS titles: hang onto them, because they might be a collector's item in 10-20 years. nod
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| jimpickens | Feb 6 2007, 08:55 PM Post #10 |
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The best of the old school Godzilla movies loved the whole dark feeling of the movie. The Tianosaurus's first appearence was wild when I first saw it in 1979 on TV it was the most realistic giant monster scene that I have seen at that time. Godzilla blast |
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| packmule | Feb 9 2007, 08:04 AM Post #11 |
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Though not my favorite Showa "Godzilla" film it is still, for me, a fun and entertaining film, a nice follow up to Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla from the previous year(1974), and introduced us kaiju fans to what I thought was one of the more interesting, imaginative, and realistic-looking monsters, Titanosaurus. The overall kaiju battle scenes in this film were fun to watch-I especially liked the opening scene as Titanosaurus and MG first attack Tokyo. I have two DVDs of this movie: one is the bare bones Classic Media release, presenting the film in full screen(1.33:1 format), the print grainy looking and with severe editing. The other is a DVD of this movie paired with Son Of Godzilla(1967) on a single disc, in widescreen format and with english dubbing. I don't know about you Jim, but I am really looking forward to buying the Classic Media DVD re-release of Terror Of Mechagodzilla(1975). nod |
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| packmule | Mar 10 2007, 10:53 PM Post #12 |
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I came across an interesting DVD of Terror Of Mechagodzilla(1975) that is for sale as a Region 0 disc, at HKDVDStore.com. It is more affordably priced than the R4 "Madman Entertainment" DVD, includes an english language option, is currently in stock, and ships within 24 hours. The link: TOMG(1975) at HKDVDStore.com For those not wanting to wait for the R1 Classic Media DVD release of this film, later this year, this disc could be an option. eyebrow |
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| Ro-Dan | Apr 2 2007, 11:10 PM Post #13 |
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Do we have a release date for TOMG? I must say that I'm very grateful to both Classic Media and Media Blasters for all the great releases they've done in the past and are planning for the future. |
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| packmule | Apr 3 2007, 12:20 AM Post #14 |
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I have seen "Fall, 2007" posted at a few message boards, Dan. It was also posted at another site I look over periodically that the R1 DVD of TOMG will be released sometime in August, 2007. I scour online sources for this information like a hyena. When I see it I will post it here immediately. 
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| gojiramatthew | Jul 28 2007, 11:15 PM Post #15 |
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Terror of MechaGodzilla to me was a great way to end the Showa era. Godzilla looks better then before. Titanosaurus was a good Idea, the roar is annoying. MechaGodzilla looked the same as before. The Special Effects work nicely for me. |
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