DVD Reviews: Terror of Mechagodzilla and All Monsters Attack

Classic Media released a handsome complete box set of all the original Toho Godzilla films, re-mastered, and re-packaged back in the fall of 2007. Included were two exclusive films: Terror of Mechagodzilla and All Monsters Attack. Impulsive diehard G-Fans snatched up Gojira and others as they saw their initial releases so they had no purpose of buying the box set, but finally those two films have been made available in single releases.

All Monsters Attack (1969)

A major turning point for Toho Godzilla films was All Monsters Attack aka Godzilla’s Revenge. In this film the dark and strange tales of science fiction was replaced with the lighter story of a latch-key boy, Ichiro (Tomornori Yazaki) estranged from his working parents and inspired by a wild imagination. The entire film follows the boy and his back and forth adventures in reality and the dream world. In his dreams he discovers Dinosaur Island and makes friends with Minilla, often rumored offspring of Godzilla. It’s in these dreams that Ichiro learns how to tackle his problems in the real world where he must overcome bullies, social acceptance, the neglect of his working parents, and yes, two bumbling crooks.

There’s no Godzilla saving the day at the end of this film, but it could have really used him. In fact the only supernatural elements in the All Monsters Attack are in Ichiro’s dreams marking the least amount of screen time for Godzilla. Attentive fans will find most of the fight sequences are lifted from older films and without proper context these scenes give off a hodge-podge effort of a studio film looking to stretch the dollar. In fact, the American title, Godzilla’s Revenge is pretty misleading when the real story is Ichiro and there is a lack of revenge. If taken as a Godzilla film, it may not satisfy you. If you’re looking for a film about Japanese children growing up in the industrial age, the film takes on a much more tangible flavor.

All Monsters Attack comes out after several big budget classics accentuating its odd place in Godzilla history. After establishing itself as a cult classic, the production values went south. Godzilla and the suits themselves looked cheaper and sets were less elaborate. Still, Ishiro Honda experimented with camera techniques used with friend, Akira Kurosawa. He or writer Yukiko Takayama must have been affected at Japan repairing itself from the war and the affect that had on children. There’s a message of youth standing up for itself and taking responsibilityt because the adults may not be there someday. Audiences spoke as this suffered greatly in the box office universally and would become a small blip on G-Fans’ radar.

Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Near the end of Toho’s original Godzilla run, aliens were running rampant on Earth and tired of getting their butts whipped by Godzilla they built a robot called Mechagodzilla and he would prove to be a deadly opponent. One of the most bloody final battles took place in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), where the robot met his doom at the bottome of the ocean floor. In Terror of Mechagodzilla aliens from Planet Three in the Black Hole employ Dr. Shinzo Mafune (Akihiko Hirata) to rebuild the giant robot. Forced to leave the science institute for his intentions, Mafune caught the aliens’ eye and they in turn earned his trust when they saved his only daughter, Katsura (Tomoko Ai) from dying as a result of his experimental work.

Mafune and Mechagodzilla are just the beginning. The Planet Three plot a hostile takeover of the world starting with Tokyo–naturally.They also control by a sea-dwelling monster called Titanosaurus who destroys a submarine investigating the Mechagodzilla wreckage. Interpol would later investigate and Katsura would cover for her father. But when Akira Ichinose (Katsuhiko Sasaki), a marine biologist and believer of Mafune’s work, begins to prod and things get complicated. He would champion Mafune’s work and fall in love with Katsura but doing so may be a deadly proposition.

After many lighter releases in the Godzilla library, Terror of Mechagodzilla returned to its roots with cynical views of the world, and the climate was ripe for a superior alien race takeover. Weighted with dark tones, wild science and sexy cyborgs–we even get our first nude scene (even though it’s fake)–the story on the streets of Tokyo provide more interest than the threat of Mechagodzilla. He would later prove to be more of a looming presence as viewers anticipate an epic rampage. But this film is just as much a stage for Titanosaurus as it is Mechagodzilla.

The English dub saw its American debut in 1978 under the same title but was butchered by Bob Conn, taking out everything that was remotely violent to get a G rating. I will never understand how films can be so mutilated when traveling across seas. The film would eventually be shown on US TV with the violence (minus the breast scene) put back in and would be over five minutes longer than the original release to include a prologue of clips from older films. This version is preserved in the US version on the DVD. Despite the return to the darker tone, Terror of Mechagodzilla was the final box office blow as the franchise as shelved until 1984. It would also be Ishiro Honda’s last Godzilla film he would direct, later joining Akira Kurosawa’s film crew. Still this is a more than worthy entry to the Godzilla lore. The acting is enjoyable with dramatic turns by Tomoko Ai and Akihiko Hirata. And with a story that contained bizarre love, giant robots and sea monsters, all of the iconic mainstays in Japanese science fiction are present here.

The DVDs

Both discs load up initially with a rundown of all of the Classic Media Toho releases and a trailer for the Godzilla Unleased video game released last year from Atari. After the trailers, one chooses which version of the film they want to view, English dubbed or the original Japanese cut with subtitles. Each title comes packaged in a slim case with classic poster art on the cover and decorated in silver foil. Don’t throw away the small sleeve to keep the case closed when not in use, otherwise it opens like a book. Both films are presented in an enhanced transfer (2.35) that look and sound great. This is the reason to buy the Classic Media releases. So many poor transfers of the Toho films were released in years past, but the color is vivid, and only a trace of dirt. The original Dolby Digital Mono soundtracks is preserved in both languages so whether you grew up on the badly dubbed English cuts or you’re a purist like me who will stick with the original Japanese. Regardless, it’s a nice touch to have both available because each has their own particular experience and is a testament to Godzilla’s popularity transcending the language barrier. And you won’t need to turn it up much to hear Godzilla’s wailing fill your home.
SHOCK VALUE: A

Extras

All Monsters Attack Extras

Like Mechagodzilla, the IMAGE GALLERY and POSTER SLIDE SHOW are basic production photos and poster art which you can thumb through. The ISHIRO HONDA biography is a short biopic about the legendary Godzilla director as a post-war filmmaker and his friendship and collaborations with film visionary, Akira Kurosawa. Again these snippets of Godzilla history are some of the best things about these Classic Media releases but the potential is ripe here for much longer and deeper productions. For the AUDIO COMMENTARY, Richard Pusateri (contributing writer for G-Fan and Cult Movies) is a great choice for trying to make sense of the film. He provides a well-spoken track that’s natural and in the flow of the film. It’s filled with facts and theories behind the dramatic change in the Godzilla films (it’s intended audience was for fourth graders) and Pusateri is able to not take the film lightly by poking a little fun at it as well. I’m a firm believer that the weakest films still make for good commentary especially in this case where the film is such a departure from its predecessors and if you’re going to pick this up, this makes for the film. SHOCK VALUE: B

Terror of Mechagodzilla Extras

The ART GALLERY is as thrilling as an old slideshow can get as users click through promotional stills and poster art accompanied by factoids. WOMEN OF GODZILLA 1954-1976 is a ten-minute feature about the important role of the leading ladies in Godzilla films and Toho science fiction film library. Portrayed as complete and assertive femme fatales to scientists, simple damsels or one-dimensional villains, women always played pivotal roles. It’s a fast rundown narrated by Steve Ryfle who tributes versatile actresses such as Momoko Kochi (Gojira), Kyoko Kagawa (Red Beard, Shall We Dance), Akiko Wakabayashi (Dogora), and fan-favorite Kumi Mizuno (Matango, Gorath, and Monster Zero) all of which would become or were already contemporary actresses or of Japan from the 1950’s through the 1970’s. I only wished it could have been longer and that they would have flashed the names of the actresses so that fans could easily look up their work. The main extra is the AUDIO COMMENTARY by Keith Aiken and Bob Johnson accessible only through the English Version special features menu. This track is in-depth and continually keeps the facts and anecdotes coming from both Aiken and Johnson who each recorded a track separately and both were clipped into one. There are a few problems though. It could have benefitted from having both parties in the same room to play off one another to create a more natural conversation instead it’s clear that both men are reading from a scripted commentary and some rehearsal could have helped. SHOCK VALUE: B

Final Thoughts

Classic Media’s re-masterings look great and if you haven’t purchased a single one of their releases spend big on the box set. They’ve really made a great effort to preserve the look and sound of these films and they haven’t looked this sharp in decades. The Godzilla legacy has evolved and in some cases devolved since the 1956 classic, Goijira, but the broad scope of Japanese science fiction and fantasy continues in its many forms. For film buffs it’s interesting to see two films under the Toho studio could be so drastically different yet still fit within the great Godzilla library, pick these up. These two films may not the ones to start a Godzilla collection, but they will satisfy completists and Toho fans alike who were buying the single-release films that the high quality was maintained through the last film.