Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.
Easily the most hotly debated entry into the never-ending series, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah is truly an oddity, and despite the fact it was made in 1971, is about as full of 1960s trippiness as you are ever likely to witness without the aid of acid. Starting life as Gojira tai Hedora, the movie would be predominantly known in the USA as Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster, until the recent Columbia Tristar DVD release, which is, I believe, America's first release of the film under the official International title. Personally, my introduction to Hedorah, one of Godzilla's most controversial foes, did not even begin in cinema. The Smog Monster has long been a popular monster for inclusion in Godzilla videogames, and he was the only Kaiju I didn't recognise on the cover of Godzilla for the Game Boy, and was one of the toughest opponents in Godzilla: Monster of Monsters for the Nintendo. I first saw the film in 1998, when it was release on video in the UK for the first time by Carlton, under the title of Godzilla Vs. Hedorah, and to be honest, my initial feelings were less than enthusiastic. However, upon attaining a copy of the Region 1 DVD, I decided to give it another shot.
In many ways, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah would be an important entry into the Godzilla series, and would be the first movie to introduce some things, some of them positive, some negative, and some debatable as to which side they fall upon. Easily the most negative was that it was the first movie not to feature the name Eiji Tsuburaya in the credits. The effects guru had not worked hands-on with the effects in a Godzilla movie for a while, but his deputies had done a good job under his supervision, and the loss of his knowledge of effects was a great blow. The movie was also the first movie since the unfanciable Godzilla Raids Again not to be directed by either Ishiro Honda or Jun Fukuda. Stepping up to direct his first, and only Godzilla feature would be a chap named Yoshimitsu Banno, who also co-wrote the picture. When long time series producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was stricken with illness early in production, Banno was given something that neither Fukuda nor Honda was given over the movie; almost complete control. Upon witnessing the finished movie, Tanaka declared that Banno had "ruined the Godzilla series" and was forbidden from ever directing a Godzilla picture again.
As for the positives, well, inside the suit of the Hedorah was a fellow making his debut in the series, named Kengo Nakayama. While the name may not sound familiar, even to fans of Godzilla, Nakayama later changed his name to Kenpachiro Satsuma, and was Godzilla from 1985-1996.
The debatable? well there are plenty. First and most prominent of all is the change in Godzilla's character. Up until this point, he had been percieved as somewhat of a threat. I mean he wasn't a bad or evil monster, but he was a monster. This was where the transformation into mythical hero became complete. Godzilla is not once referenced relating to his nuclear origin, despite the fact that Hydrogen and Atomic bombs get mentioned often. In a step clearly aimed to try and regain some of the youth market from rival studio Daei and it's Gamera pictures, Godzilla is also idolised by a young boy who plays a key role in the plot. Toho even got some product placement of their own license on the go as the kid is seen to play with the then brand new toys of King Ghidorah and Godzilla.
This element doesn't sit well with some fans, but others, myself, to a degree, included, really enjoy this aspect of the character. There was only so far they could have taken the somber and nasty Godzilla, and I've no doubt in my mind he would have struggled to attain as iconic a status as he has going that route. Ironically, this is also the darkest in tone Godzilla movie since the original, the irony being that Godzilla is trying to save the Earth from the oncoming darkness, rather than being the source of it.
The movie also features the infamous scene where Godzilla, by using his flame-breath as propulsion, flies to pursue Hedorah. The scene is completely needless, which is probably what makes it so funny, and in turn annoys so many fans.
I guess the main character in the movie is the kid, Ken(Hiroyuki Kawase - Godzilla Vs. Megalon), whose scientist father Dr.Yano(Akira Yamauchi - Babycart in the Land of Demons) is brought a mysterious creature a fisherman has caught. Ken and the Doc are shocked when they next turn on the TV, as they witness what appears to be a giant version of this tadpole like creature sinking oil tankers. Going out into the sea to investigate, Dr.Yano comes face-to-face with this odd creature which burns his face with sulphuric acid before flying out of the sea.
After much research, they come to the conclusion that the monster, dubbed Hedorah by Ken, is actually of alien origin, and came to Earth on a meteor, and feeds off of all of the pollution we have dumped into the ocean. Family friend Yukio(Toshio Shiba - Ultra Q: The Movie) is there with his girlfriend Miki(Keiko Mari - TV's Spectreman), who makes the observation that wouldn't this be good for the Earth if Hedorah chowed away all of our pollution and waste? but as it turns out he emits a toxic gas that not only kills humans, but completlely disingtegrates them.
The problem is getting bigger, as Hedorah is getting more and more pollution, and morphs into a land-walking creature to consume some fumes from a factory. Ken, who all along has said Godzilla will save them, is proven right as the King of the Monsters shows up for a scrap with Hedorah, only for it to escape and re-emerge as a flying-saucer style creature that constantly emits toxic gas that kills plants and most small animals, as well as making all humans that come into contact with it sick.
Yukio and Miki decide to throw a party on Mount Fuji before Hedorah can spoil it, but things take a turn for the worse as the Smog Monster re-emerges and decides to make a bee-line for that exact place. Thankfully the military have something up their sleeve that could help. Ken, in a moment of brilliance that kids in monster movies always have, theorised that they could dry Hedorah out, given that it's just a big pile of sludge. The Doc agreed with this, and has helped the military build a large electric weapon to fry the beast before it does any more damage. Hedorah is pretty lucky though, in that the army don't actually have the correct voltage to power it, but he gets less lucky as Godzilla shows up again, spoiling for round 2...
As I said, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah is easily the darkest of all the Godzilla flicks since the original, with numerous people and animals seen dying at the hands of the horrible smog monster, and much talk of the Earth's depleting quality of atmosphere. It's almost like a particularly downbeat episode of Captain Planet, without those god-awful Planeteers or the prat with the green mullet running around. Hedorah is the first monster since Godzilla himself to actually carry any ecological commentary, and not just a giant lizard or something. And in his most predominant 'adult' form, he is basically a big, raggy pile of slime with two arms jutting out and two nasty red eyes. The movie features some really odd animated segments to show Hedorah drinking oil and eating smog, and exactly what they are meant to represent(Ken's dreams or thoughts?) I don't know, but they certainly make the movie unique, even in the never dull Godzilla series.
The movie is short on city destruction, although the gas Hedorah emits corrodes metal, leading to some nice scenes, meaning most of the monster's havoc is wreaked upon humans. As I said, numerous people die, which really isn't a usual occurance in a Godzilla movie, even if numerous skyscrapers are being smashed. While the story isn't overly inventive, the whole 'pollution monster' probably hadn't been done to death in 1971, and I actually feel it has some of the better 'Movie Science' that the Godzilla series has seen.
The film does have some utterly surreal moments, and I'm talking about stuff that it would take days of drug intake to even contemplate hallucinating. Aside from Godzilla flying, we have various shots of a disco, which put me in mind of the hilarious South Korean Godzilla wannabe Yongary: Monster from the Deep, and in one scene, all of the characters suddenly develop Fish-masks over their faces while dancing. The less said about the scene towards the end when Godzilla appears to rip out Hedorah's testicles the better.
While at times it's downright odd, others dumbfounding, in general upon re-viewing it, I actually really quite enjoyed Godzilla Vs. Hedorah. It's one of the most serious Showa era movies, and the fact it actually has a message behind it actually gives it something to work with. My only real complaint is that maybe, for a Godzilla movie, the big guy isn't in it enough, he just sort of shows up occasionally, out of the blue.
Before Tanaka declared this a disgrace, oddly a sequel, set in Africa was planned to be made. This would not only have been the series first direct-sequel since Invasion of the Astro Monstersreferenced the events of Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster, but exactly what the hell the African setting was designed to do for the film I guess I'll never know. Personally I'm actually quite glad the sequel never went ahead, it preserves the unique charm this picture has.
I've viewed this movie in two incarnations now, dubbed (the Carlton VHS) and subtitled(the Columbia Tristar DVD) and I'm gutted to report that both of them have robbed me of two of the movie's most famous ingredients. First of all, right at the start of the movie, Yukio asks Ken if Godzilla is his favourite toy. In the now immortal line, Ken replies "Superman beats them all", whereas I have to work with either "he's a superman" or "Superman too", neither of which are very fun.
Also, in the original US print of the movie, it's theme song, as sang by some pretty yet nameless Japanese lady, was translated as 'Save the Earth'. Neither my DVD nor VHS includes the English version of the song.
With that said, both dubbing and subtitles are of a pretty high quality as far as these go, and it makes it a lot better able to judge the acting of the players, even if I'm still rather reluctant to do so. Most of this lot are basically playing simple roles, and none of them disappoint. Even Kawase manages to avoid the pitfall of being the dreaded pre-teen youth in a monster movie, and doesn't great the nerves, well not much anyway. He's a hell of a lot more workable than that little git Akio in Attack of the Monsters anyway.
While the effects lack Tsuburaya's golden touch, they are still of a high standard actually. The Godzilla suit looks better than it has in a while, and he no longer has 'Muppet-Mouth', which I'm thankful for. Hedorah looks pretty lame close up, but when seen at full-body length it actually looks kinda creepy and real in terms of sliminess. The big horrible red eyes are a nice touch as well.
As I said, very little real estate gets flattened, but the scene where Hedorah's gas corrodes metal girders, making them bend and melt out of shape is awesome.
Music also lacks the touch of maestro Akira Ifukube, or even Fukuda's main composer Masaru Sato, and is provided by a fellow named Riichiro Manabe, whose main credits are for Godzilla Vs. Megalon and the first two entries in Toho's 'Vampire Trilogy'. While it lacks the memorable scores Ifukube endows films with, Manabe's score kind of suits the off-kilter nature of the movie. Godzilla's arrival is signalled by a horn section, but we also have some bizarre funk-style music at points, not to mention the 'Save the Earth' song.
You know, when all is said and done, I actually have to say that Godzilla Vs. Hedorah may be one of my favourite Showa era movies now. I mean, you can't go into it with the mentality you approach any other Godzilla flick, but I feel it's bizarre juxtaposition of somber darkness and sheer psychadelia make for one of the most memorable and fun Godzilla pictures. I feel Tanaka's claims that it ruined the series are incredibly harsh, and it's leagues ahead of the movie that preceded it, the woeful Godzilla's Revenge. While some may call it madness, I think Godzilla Vs. Hedorah battles for a deserved 4/5 from me. Godzilla fans should give it a chance, and those who just want to see something rather odd should also probably look into it.
Year: 1971
Titles: Gojira tai Hedora
Godzilla Vs. Hedorah
Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster
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