Review: Son of Godzilla (1967)
Son of Godzilla, AKA Monster Island’s Decisive Battle: The Son of Godzilla AKA 怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子 AKA Kaijū-tō no Kessen Gojira no Musuko is kid’s movie, and his 100% comical. I assume this was intentional. I mean, I hope.
Instead of trailer, here is a fan video using the best clips from the movie:
Plot
A bunch of nerdy male scientists are stuck on a hot island for a long time (ewwww) to test the professor’s weather controlling device, while they fend off giant praying mantis monsters (Kamacuras). A nosy goofy reporter lands on the island to break the story about the weather controlling device, but gets a bigger story when they find a giant egg, which contains Baby Godzilla (Toho calls him Minilla, although I never heard them call the baby that).
Godzilla trains his baby in the ways of the world, as they fend off multiple Kamacuras and the main bad monster on the island: Kumonga, a giant spider with webs (webs, as many sci-fi lovers know, are the cheesy weapons in the world- and can stop anything.)
Oh, and the reporter finds a woman on the island, who was raised by her father years ago, and is like Jane, from Tarzan.
Unfortunately, the bulk of the movie is about the freakin’ humans and their stupid weather control device and running from the giant insects.
In the end, the device finally works- the professor’s life long dream achieved- and the snow stops all the monsters on the island, and Godzilla and son hibernate together in one of the most touching scenes in such a goofy movie.
The Good
- The special effects for the giant spider (Kumonga) is awesome for 1967. The spider is very well done and extremely scary to see for a kid. The giant mantises are also scary and good quality, although the eyes are probably too big. I recall being frightened by them when I was a boy. Now, of course, I am not afraid; I can appreciate the work that went into making them.
- Seeing Godzilla being a parent is very funny. Godzilla is a brutal parent- unforgiving and impatient. Godzilla tries to teach his son the hard way, but he does love Minilla, as he protects the boy from the monsters.
- The ending- it’s tough to keep a dry eye when Godzilla hugs his son and burrows with him in the blizzard, snow, and ice at the end to conserve heat and begin hibernation.
- The music is very bombastic and lively. I believe they were going for a Son of Kong vibe, and it worked.
The Bad
- Man, the humans were boring. And they occupy, like 85% of the screen time. Give me more Minilla!!!
- The plot is pretty hokey.
- Acting is extremely bad.
The Ugly
- Horrible Godzilla and Son costumes. Horrible.
- No one can take Godzilla teaching his son how to shoot the death breath seriously. Hard core Godzilla fans hate Minilla and hate Godzilla acting goofy. They hate this movie because of the bad Godzilla and Minilla costumes.
The Pink Elephant in the Room Question: How the F#@$#%@ can Godzilla have a $@#%$%@ baby?
My theories:
1) Minilla isn’t Godzilla’s baby. First of all, they don’t even look alike. Second of all, in the movie Destroy All Monsters (1968) the future is shown in the year 1999, and Minilla is still small, which means that he can’t be the same species as Godzilla. In fact, it’s very possible that Minilla is a kind of ugly duckling…a baby monster that follows around an unwilling parent, who begrudging adopts him. Besides, that is one BIG egg. How did Godzilla lay that egg?
2) There are many Godzillas. This has already been said in Godzilla Raids Again. So obviously, if there are many Godzillas, two of them could have procreated, and laid that egg.
3) Godzilla doesn’t need a mate. Some animals in real life are asexual.
(Oh, and is Godzilla a MAN OR WOMAN?- I don’t know)
Conclusion
In many ways, this movie is as ridiculous and humorous as Adam West’s Batman TV show, which means “serious” sci-fi and Godzilla fans don’t like to talk about this movie. The truth is, the Godzilla and son scenes are so funny that I LOL’ed. I just wish we could have seen more of those scenes than the awful human plot and acting. Really, the movie is very boring except for the monster scenes (15% of the movie). I would say that this movie holds a special place in your heart if you saw it as a kid, and although everything is over-the-top and silly when you watch it now, the parent-child relationship between the monsters is great.
Similar Posts:
- Review: All Monsters Attack (1969) [Godzilla's Revenge]
- Review: Godzilla in Destroy All Monsters (1968)
- Review: Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (1966)
- Review: Godzilla vs Gigan (1972)
- Best Godzilla Movie: Ranking Godzilla Movies Showa Series
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Youre now scraping the bottom of the barrel on these godzilla movies.
first the one with animation and godzilla flying using his breath and now this.
Im glad youre revewing these movies so I can know what happened in them without actually having to watch them, its just not funny without the robot puppets.
Its seems like they had a good idea with godzilla in the begining but kept going ewith this franchise long after they should have stopped.
This stuff definitely works better as unintentional comedy.
I saw that baby godizilla and its like they just slapped the whole thing together without caring how it looks.
the only thing that could make this stuff even better would be the people were puppets like on thunderbirds, then somehow it would be watchable.
horrible costumes indeed.
VERY unconvincng.
the adam west batman was a must watch for me as a teen and I frequently wore the logo t shirt, comedy gold.
my father who was a comic book fan despised it, and said they ruined batman, whereas I thought it was just too damn funny not to watch.
Yes, R.A.W., many “serious” comic book fans despised Adam West’s take, but I loved it.
Just so you know, the 60’s and 70’s were a dark era for Godzilla..things really picked up in the 1990’s.