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The economy must have been bad on Odo Island, in the Seventies, darlings, because, when I bought home the film "Godzilla's Revenge," from 1971, what seemed might have been a charming excursion into fantasy, recalling "The Wizard Of Oz," in a bizarre way, turned out to be incredibly boring for its entire 70 agonizing minute length.
The best things in this film were, of course, Godzilla, (whom I always refer to as Gojira!!!!!!!!) his cute, prepubescent male offspring, here called Minilla, but is known to all of us at home as Baby Gojira, who, as he got slightly older, became more Gojira looking, and, as I can tell you, his voice changed. And then there was Gamera's colored, punk looking hair style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The little boy cast in the central role was one of the pudgiest kids. I bet today he is a Sumo wrestler. In the story, he is being bullied by his classmates, and has 'Oz' like dreams of going to Monster Island, where he meets Gojira and his son. It seems the son is having the same problems as the boy; all the monsters pick on him, and Gojira wants his Baby to fight his own battles and stand up for himself, which is the lesson that the little boy ultimately learns from Baby Gojira and Gojira.
This film was directed by Ishiro Honda, who directed the original, 1954 artistic masterpiece, "Gojira," and, seventeen years later, all I can say is he must have been facing a mortgage foreclosure to do this film. Gojira won't even talk about it today, and Baby Gojira, who comforted me while I watched it, turned away, in embarrassment. I cannot say I blame him.
If you like the franchise, you cannot afford to ignore it. If you respect Gojira as an artistic artiste, you had best steer clear of this lesser effort.
After all, you would not want him staring at you through your window, giving you a gigantic wink, now, would you??????????? He has been known to do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG, I haven't seen this since they used to run it in the WWOR 4:30 Afternoon Movie during the '70s! Of course, at the time it didn't strike me as quite *that* bad, because Baby Gojira was cute and I felt empathy with the bullying storyline.
ReplyDeleteI imagine if I saw it again today I would be as horrified as you were: that Baby Gojira costume alone redefines "outre," even for the Japanese. Twenty years ahead of the Nippon Kitsch Kraze, I wonder what contemporary critics thought? Maltin's Movie Guide dates it as 1969 and rates it "good juvenile fun."
ReplyDeleteWell, it is juvenile. The premise IS valid; to think Ishiro Honda, who directed the 1854 Masterwork (which I am attending at the Film Forum tomorrow) did this.
Our Baby Gojira who I purchased at the 50th Anniversary Screening there 10 years ago, looks more the way he should--in miniature. Maybe they will see others this time--I wonder. He cost $15 but is a treasured member of our household!