DailySkew

Review: Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1965)

Invasion of Astro-Monster; AKA Great Monster War AKA 怪獣大戦争 AKA Kaijuu Daisensou AKA Monster Zero AKA Godzilla vs. Monster Zero AKA Invasion of the Astro-Monsters is the sequel to Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. I gave that movie a pretty bad review, and this movie is only slightly better.

Monster Zero Trailer (misleading as usual…you’d think this was an action packed movie, but these scenes are actually the ONLY good parts):

Plot

Two astronauts- an American and a Japanese- explore Planet X, which is located after Jupiter. The aliens on Planet X ask for help because their planet has been ravaged by “Monster Zero” (they said they use numbers for everything)- Ghidorah. The aliens want Monster One and Monster Two (Godzilla and Rodan) to be transported from earth to Planet X to stop Ghidorah. Remember, in the last movie Godzilla became a good guy. In exchange, the aliens will give earth a cure for all disease (in the Japanese version: cancer).

The subplot features a romance between the American astronaut and an alien spy. Another subplot features the Japanese astronaut’s sister’s romance with a Clark Kent nerdy inventor.

Of course, the aliens turn out to be bad. After Godzilla and Rodan are on Planet X, the aliens wind up controlling all three monsters and set out to destroy earth.

Thankfully, the aforementioned nerdy inventor, the astronauts, and the alien spy team up to break the mind control.

Keep in mind, that’s the long story short.

The Good

• As usual, I love the sound effects and destruction Ghidorah makes.
• The American actor Nick Adams is unique for Godzilla films- he’s a stark contrast to the polite, reserved, and respectful Japanese actors. He is cliched, of course, but a pretty interesting character for Toho.
• The Japanese actresses were pretty cool.
• The actual battles between Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah were okay, although it looked like stock footage was used from Rodan and Ghidorah’s previous appearances.

The Bad

• Planet X had bad special effects and scenery.
• The aliens turning bad was pretty predictable.
• Plot holes the size of…I don’t know what! This movie was just MADE for Sunday morning syndicated TV. It’s pretty bad sci-fi…bad Flash Gordon stuff.
• The focus of the movie was on the aliens and the astronauts, not the monsters.
• What’s the lesson of the movie? Don’t trust aliens offering a cure for all disease (Japanese: cancer)?
• There’s no Godzilla fear factor from the general public. Granted, he’s a “good guy”, but the characters aren’t afraid.

The Ugly

• Godzilla is a background character here. He’s like a doll. This is barely a Godzilla movie…he’s clearly making a cameo. It’s like someone wrote the whole “aliens deceive and conquer earth” script, and then added Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidora in it.
• Godzilla does a….dance. You can see the dance at the end of the trailer.
• The last movie featuring the four masters teaming up from the original Gojira: director Honda, screenplay writer Sekizawa, SFX Tsubaraya, and composer Ifukube…and ultimately they went out with a flutter.

Conclusion: This movie is overrated by Godzilla fans simply because it’s better than Ghidorah. Godzilla’s screen time is so short, you’d be hard pressed to realize this was a Godzilla movie. In fairness, Godzilla isn’t even in the Japanese movie title, which shows how Godzilla’s box office appeal was pretty bad in 1965. Heck, why isn’t Ghidorah or Rodan in the movie title in Japan? Why the whole “Astro Monster” and “Monster Zero” bit?

Similar Posts:

• Review: Godzilla in Destroy All Monsters (1968)
• Review: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
• Review: Godzilla vs Gigan (1972)
• Review: Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)
• Review: Rodan (1956)

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