On 16th May 2014, Toho’s greatest monster will return to the big screen in an American reboot. With just 15 weeks to go, we here at THN are counting down the GODZILLA back catalogue.
Director: Ishiro Honda
Starring: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Tomoko Ai, Akihiko Hirata, Katsumasa Uchida, Goro Mutsumi, Tadao Nakamura, Shin Roppongi, Toru Kawai, Ise Mori
Plot: Godzilla’s mechanical nemesis is rebuilt by an alien race and it’s up to Godzilla to save the day once again. However, a twisted human scientist has joined the aliens and just so happens to have control over a new monster, Titanosaurus.
He’s back, baby! No – not the terrible robotic doppelganger of our favourite lizard, but the director who started it all, Ishiro Honda. Of course, we could also remind ourselves he was the director of the worst Godzilla film of all, and that being his last flirtation with the franchise we’d be forgiven for being hesitant at welcoming his return. But as this also turned out to be his last credited directorial effort (he did also direct half of AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS), and the fact that this was the last in the Showa series (technically), and the last Godzilla film for 9 years, it all adds up to quite the momentous occasion.
The Showa era spanned from GOJIRA in 1954 to TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA in 1975. Although technically the next instalment was produced during the reign of Japanese emperor Hirohito, thus also placing it within the Showa period of Japanese history, that was officially the start of the VS. Series or Heisei era. Godzilla’s change into different eras were reboots before reboots were cool. It’s quite poetic then, that the man who started it all would be the one to finish the first series. This isn’t a big send-off of a movie, as it is unclear as to whether this was a planned stopping point for a decade or not. After 2004’s GODZILLA: FINAL WARS, Toho specifically stated that would be the last Godzilla film for at least 10 years.
TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA opens with rambunctious militaristic drums accompanied by synths. This mixture of very serious solidarity and modern techno wizardry sort of sums up Godzilla’s transformation from the original film to the science-fiction, alien fighting camp it would become. The recap footage that follows sums up Godzilla’s beef with Mechagodzilla, but also freezes the frames and goes all black and white for the credits. It also helps that this is supported by Akira Ifukube’s powerful theme. This recap is probably there to remind us it is both a Godzilla and Mechagodzilla film, since the two don’t appear in physical form for some time. We’re then met with the contrasting view of a calm ocean.
As we join the interior of a submarine we get some well placed exposition stating that Mechagodzilla is missing, in that his remains are no longer in their final resting place. It is then that a sea monster attacks, with the exterior shots of the submarine showing just how realistic the model work can be in a Godzilla film. After destroying the submarine, we are treated to a view of the monster from a fantastic low-angle shot. You’d think that low-angle shots would be overused in the franchise in order to convey the sheer tremendous size of the monsters, but they are actually quite rare. It means this monster, whom is later dubbed Titanosaurus, seems even larger and more dominant. And I suppose the lengthy neck also helps out in this regard.
Such an incident must be brought to the attention of the International Police Organisation, or “Interpol” to you and me. In a big room where lots of similarly styled men sit, we are introduced to a couple of characters, but in all honesty it’s hard to get close with any of these guys. They don’t have any discernible characteristics, and all the fun and development is given to the film’s human villain (more on him later). Joining the Interpol agents is Akira Ichinose (Sasaki), which did make me laugh. Why not just scratch it? HAHAHAHA. Interpol listen to a recording from the ill-fated submarine, and overhear the word “dinosaur”. This is our cue to jump to our villains, a band of human-looking aliens. I get why these aliens always disguise themselves as humans, but you have to wonder who exactly is getting rich from this technology. Their aim is to rebuild Tokyo in their image, feeling that humans are inferior. However, knowing that Godzilla has once destroyed Mechagodzilla, they decide to get some back-up with the help of Dr. Mafune (Hirata), a man who hates humanity and wants revenge on them. Apparently his work on controlling animals was a bit controversial for some.
Ichinose and Interpol agent Murakoshi (Uchida) arrive at a house that is most definitely haunted in some respect. You need only look at the creepy gardener to figure that out. They’ve been led here after researching the papers of the discredited Dr. Mafune, but are soon told by Mafune’s daughter, Katsura (Ai), that Mafune has been dead for 5 years. After she shoos them away, Katsura joins her father who really is alive, just as he knocks back a few drinks with his new alien buddies. He is then taken to an underground lair where Mechagodzilla has been rebuilt. The sheer enormity of Mechagodzilla is highlighted here, with wonderful composite shots of people against Mechagodzilla. Having moving people and the suited Mechagodzilla in the same shot adds so much to accepting the fantastical elements. Whereas before, editing trickery was heavily employed, we now get more fluent scenes. A mute worker escapes his alien captives but is soon taken down by a firing squad, which has the decency to use squibs. How I miss that term!
With so much plot crammed into the first 18 minutes, TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA risks being convoluted and overstuffed, but fortunately the story has an organic progression to it. It is detailed how Mafune wished to control Titanosaurus in order to bring him to the surface and prove his theories, but his experiments lead to the death of Katsura, who was then rebuilt as an android. Mafune thus becomes the tragic character who not only feeds off his hatred, but is also in debt to the wrong people. Mafune decides to command Titanosaurus to attack Tokyo, so as to lure out Godzilla, knowing only he could stop Mechagodzilla. Unfortunately, Katsura is killed (again) and it is up to the aliens to recreate her once again. However, this time they place the controls for Mechagodzilla inside Katsura.
Ichinose’s investigation ends in his kidnapping, and Katsura is now capable of controlling both Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla. The destruction they cause is the most epic in any Godzilla film so far. The expansive model work is knocked down, burned, and is obviously taking place on some of the biggest soundstages. This also allows for Honda to provide us with sweeping views of the landscape as monsters move around. No longer do claustrophobic close-ups remind us that these are just guys in suits. For the fights between Godzilla and Titanosaurus, Honda utilises an awesome circular shot that zooms around buildings with the monsters in the centre. With Godzilla given quite the beating, it’s Ichinose’s escape that changes the course of the fight. Murakoshi also enters and shoots Katsura, relinquishing all control of the monster/robot and aiding Godzilla’s victory. It’s a tragic and heartfelt end, and also shows that Hirata became the master of twisted/regretful scientists. This is the third time he’s played such a role in a Godzilla film, but each time is different. Only the heartless wont empathise with the man who just wanted to be taken seriously.
TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA is a fantastic summary of everything the Showa era gave us. Fantastic monster battles, weird sci-fi elements, and a lot of heart as well. I’m so glad that Honda was able to go out on such a high, considering he gave us the mighty original and risked leaving the franchise with ALL MONSTER’S ATTACK. The next series of Godzilla films would be an entirely different beast altogether, but Mechagodzilla would return in not just that, but also the Millenium series too, and each film would be one of the best in their respective series. Godzilla may have sometimes lost his way, but this was a wonderful way to bring back what made Godzilla so good in the first place, without ignoring all the other twists and turns it had taken on.
Dub-Misstep: Originally edited for violence, TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA was released as THE TERROR OF GODZILLA with 5 minutes cut from the film. It was later restored for TV, with the change of title as well, and now ran longer than the Japanese version thanks to a summary tacked on to the beginning which included scenes from other Godzilla feature films.
Monsters: Mechagodzilla is a welcome return, and this time is aided by the wonderfully long-necked Titanosaurus. He proves a worthy foe for Godzilla, and would also fit in well with any future reboot sequels due to his lizard-like design.
Notes For GODZILLA (2014): It has more of a human element than previous alien related Godzilla pics, but mostly in the form of the villains. There’s also the sweet and tragic father/daughter subplot which may be between a man and an android, but it’s something that could adapt over if you lose the robotic part. I also love the idea of humans becoming more like monsters and feeling hatred towards their own race.
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.
