On 16th May 2014, Toho’s greatest monster will return to the big screen in an American reboot. With just 17 weeks to go, we here at THN are counting down the GODZILLA back catalogue.
Director: Jun Fukuda
Starring: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Hiroyuki Kawase, Yutaka Hayashi, Robert Dunham, Kotaro Tomita, Ulf Otsuki, Shinji Takagi
Plot: A professor’s invention, a robot named Jet Jaguar, is stolen by a group of undersea dwelling humans in order to lead the monster Megalon on a path of destruction.
It was bound to happen at one point. The popularity of weekly tokusatsu shows such as Ultraman gradually weaselled its way into the Godzilla franchise. And who can blame Toho for trying? Robots? Cool! Monsters? Cool! This is even apparent today with the likes of PACIFIC RIM on the big screen in the last year. However, it wasn’t supposed to be that way at the beginning. In actual fact, as becomes apparent throughout the film, Godzilla was more of an afterthought, shoehorned into the final moments to add some star power to the feature that should have been titled JET JAGUAR VS. MEGALON. But I’m not complaining…well, maybe a little bit. But as this was the first film without Haruo Nakajima as the giant lizard, perhaps we needed a ‘less is more’ approach.
So what’s up with the absence of everyone’s favourite giant lizard? In 1973, Toho decided to capitalise on the idea that monsters were great, but monsters vs. robots were even better. Similar themed shows such as Ultraman and its successors including the magnificent Ultraseven lead the way, but there were also the likes of Iron King and Jonny Sokko and His Flying Robot. This led Toho to give fans the chance to design a new hero to battle a monster in an upcoming feature. At the time Godzilla wasn’t to be involved, but a monster originally scrapped from the first treatment of what would become GODZILLA VS. GIGAN, was to be the opponent. That was Megalon, who was cut from the previous film due to budgetary reasons. The hero created was Red Arone, later renamed Jet Jaguar, and all was going well for JET JAGUAR VS. MEGALON. But, during production Toho decided that maybe a fan created hero wouldn’t pull in the crowds as well as Godzilla, so the G-man ended up getting a call for what really surmounted to a last minute cameo. Remember how Robert Downey Jr.’s cameo was thrust into all the promotional material for THE INCREDIBLE HULK? It was kind of like that, but Godzilla at least had the decency to appear in 18 minutes at the end instead of a brief second.
But not even Godzilla was enough and so Gigan was also added at the last minute. It’s certainly a deceptive film on all accounts. When the film hit US theatres in 1976, Godzilla and Megalon were shown on a poster standing atop New York’s Twin Towers. This was to capitalise on the KING KONG remake that was released the same year (the difference being that King Kong actually appeared on top of the Twin Towers of The World Trade Center in that film). Of course, after the events of 9/11, the GODZILLA VS. MEGALON poster has become somewhat of a cult item and is probably more famous than the actual film.
The film opens with an underground nuclear test, clearly displaying humanities inability to learn from previous mistakes. Through some stock footage, we’re shown that this has a negative impact on the monsters of Monster Island. This is mostly a reminder that we are in the Toho universe. It’s quite the explosive opening, but this is quickly contrasted with some light and funky music. It is here that we join three male characters, as females seem to be completely absent in this picture (there’s a few for background purposes). This may be looked at as sexist, but it also refuses to cram one in for the sake of a pointless romance. We have inventor Goro Ibuki (Sasaki), his younger brother Roku (Kawase), and Goro’s friend? Student? Helper?… Jinko (Hayashi). This is obviously aimed at the young male crowd, with Roku being the small child who gets caught up in the adventure, Goro being the smarts, and Jinko being the brawn. As the three enjoy some time at a lake, an earthquake causes the water to glow and a whirlpool to develop. This sequence tests some pretty awesome effects, not usually used in Godzilla pictures, and it makes a change from explosions and crushed buildings.
The male trio decide to return to Goro’s lab, in what is a pretty awesome car. I’m not even into cars and even I think it looks ace. Mentioned in conversation, which is really some very unsubtle foreshadowing, is talk of “legendary continents” that once disappeared under the oceans. As the guys return to the lab, they are ambushed by some intruders. After Goro and Roku are knocked out, Jinko makes chase in a car. This isn’t the only car chase in the film, and it’s clear to see that different types of action were being included to stop the franchise from becoming stale. Meanwhile at the lab we see the outline of what will soon be known as Jet Jaguar, as a robot with a colourful suit but a very traditional Japanese mask for a helmet. This noh mask face certainly differentiates Jet Jaguar from other popular, predominantly silver heros, but only in close-ups. As Goro tries to discover who these invaders were by examining some sand they left behind, we’re treated to an experiment montage. Unfortunately Roku is rather comically kidnapped, and is used to regain entry to the lab. I must say that I really love the fact the intruders return to finish the job without coming up with some completely nonsense Plan B.
With Roku and Goro taken hostage and transported somewhere in the back of a metal container, Jinko is tied up and conveniently kept in the lab. It’s also revealed that these antagonists are members of Seatopia, one of the legendary continents mentioned earlier. Seatopia is a land that once fell beneath the sea, and the recent nuclear activity puts them at danger. This is an interesting angle to explore, with the Seatopians being perfectly justified in their self-preservation, but unfortunately not enough is made of their motives and you soon forget that they’re actually a group who you can easily sympathise with. It is a shame, as this could have brought about the serious message that came with the first Godzilla feature. Instead, they’re a bunch of throwaway villains and humanity’s acts are never brought into question. Having decided to fight back against the people of the land, the Seatopians awaken Megalon who looks like a big beetle with drills for hands. It’s obvious to see his design was finalised at the same time as Gigan, with the mix of organic and metallic substances. The Seatopians use Jet Jaguar to guide Megalon to the points of destruction, in a rather forced plot point as it later appears that Megalon will gladly follow commands by himself.
Jinko manages to escape and first engages in another epic car chase, this time pursued by a car and a motorbike. It certainly displays some fantastic stunt skills, as well as also highlighting some of the tonally odd slapstick comedy. It’s tonally odd, as the film may not exactly be dark, but the slapstick usually has a darker sense to it. When Roku is kidnapped, he rides face first into a car door, and when the intruders break into the lab, Roku is kneed in the gonads. Each time it’s done for laughs. Jinko does manage to catch up with the truck transporting Goro and Roku, which he manages to stop as it’s on its way to dump the container in the river. It just so happens that the nearby dam is Megalon’s first stop of destruction and once again it is a scene that highlights the fantastic effects. Megalon is superimposed along with the live action footage, as well as superior model work looking grand both standing and while being destroyed. We’re also treated to more of the bizarre slapstick as the crate containing Roku and Goro is sent hurtling through the air and would have most certainly killed anybody inside.
Goro manages to get control of Jet Jaguar, who is able to understand very specific commands and is sent to Monster Island to ask Godzilla for help. Megalon is attacked by the army and then bounces across the landscape. The bouncing kind of undermines how intimidating he should be, but it still looks fun. As the monsters finally take centre stage, the humans are given a very pointless side quest which involves getting a model plane from a toy shop. What is this model plane used for? Knocking on the door of the lab and throwing it in the face of the Seatopian agent of course. Quite why they couldn’t have just used a rock is beyond me, but once again the dark slapstick is on show as the agent’s face gushes blood. The Seatopians decide to ask the aliens from the previous film for help, although this happens off screen and is a mere throwaway line to explain Gigan’s appearance. While waiting for Godzilla to swim to Japan from Monster Island, Jet Jaguar achieves full sentience and also has the ability to grow to the size of the monsters. He soon has his ass handed to him as he ends up being a volleyball in a game between Megalon and Gigan. Just as everything is looking grim, Godzilla finally shows up. With an animatronic mouth and big eyes, he looks friendlier without looking froglike. With a new actor behind the suit, Shinji Takaji, Godzilla arrives like a boxer to the ring. He pumps his fist in the air, and bends his knees to enter martial arts stances. Along with his handshaking and shoulder patting with Jet Jaguar, this is a friendly Godzilla.
In fact he’s far too friendly, as we’re left with wondering “Why does he even care?” before he’s tried to save the earth because he lives there, but why has he been convinced by a robot to save humanity? It isn’t that important, as Godzilla soon helps to turn the tables and conquer the alien/Seatopian bastards. Another fun instalment to the series, it may have worked even better as a non-Godzilla film as originally intended. Godzilla and Gigan both feel forced in, and the humans are relegated to bit parts in the latter third. The whole plot about Seatopians is also just phased out. The focus on stunts and HOME ALONE-style slapstick, in that it’s really twisted when you think about it, could have given Jet Jaguar a franchise of his own. Unfortunately, despite being given a catchy theme tune at the end as Roku rides on his shoulders, Jet Jaguar never got his own film just like Edward Norton not returning as The Hulk. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have their movies hijacked by more popular characters.
Dub-Misstep: As the American distributor, Cinema Shares, decided to release the Toho dub of the film, there aren’t any dramatic changes. A few things were cut here and there, such as a shot of a bloody face, the violence towards Roku, and some other violent images, but otherwise it’s a fairly straightforward dub. The German version decided to call Jet Jaguar “King Kong” because…Germans don’t know the difference between robots and apes?
Monsters: Godzilla essentially ends up in a cameo performance to add some star power, as does Gigan on the villains side. Megalon is a fine enough monster although, like Gigan, his arms would cause him some serious problems in life. Jet Jaguar doesn’t really count, being a giant robot and all.
Notes For GODZILLA (2014): I doubt we want any undersea civilisations for now, and giant robots have been covered in PACIFIC RIM. It was also too close to the likes of Ultraman. Some fun to be had, but let’s leave it at that for now. Besides, if you want a giant robot for Godzilla to faceoff against, there’s only one choice…
G-RATING:
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GODZILLA will be released 16th May 2014. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Sally Hawkins, Akira Takarada, and David Strathairn.
