Review of Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) by Zachary C — 17 May 2012

Often considered by serious kaiju fans to be the worst decade for the Godzilla franchise, the 1970s nonetheless managed to turn out some very memorable and fun films. This, the final chapter in the Showa era that began in 1954 with the original Gojira/Godzilla, King of the Monsters, ended the first generation on a high note. Besides bringing back Mechagodzilla, Terror of Mechagodzilla throws in a new monster to team with Godzilla's cyborg doppelganger and some intriguing human drama.

A group of simian aliens disguised as humans (the same at those from the previous year's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) has rebuilt Mechagodzilla to use as a tool for world domination and destruction. At the same time, an ancient ocean-dwelling creature known as Titanosaurus has arisen from his aquatic home to wreak havoc in Japan. The eccentric Dr. Mafune (Akihiko Hirata), who was laughed out of the scientific community for his theory about the existence of Titanosaurus, aligns himself with the Simians and allows them to control Titanosaurus. Once again the big G must save Japan before the aliens' goal of conquest becomes a reality.

Unlike previous installments in the franchise, Terror of Mechagodzilla does away with the tradition of giving Godzilla a partner to fight the evil monsters. Instead, the big B must do battle alone with Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla. I actually liked this change of pace because it forces Godzilla to be more self-reliant in his battles. At one point, it almost seems as if everyone's favorite reptile is down for the count.

An interesting subplot concerns the daughter of Dr. Mafune, Katsura (Tomoko Ai). After being shot, the aliens agree to bring Katsura back to life by implanting a control device in her heart. The once doting daughter of Dr Mafune has now become an impassionate cyborg.

It is through the efforts of lead hero Akira Ichinose (the dashing Katsuhiko Sasaki) that Katsura begins to rediscover her humanity. However, this love affair has tragic consequences for Akira and Katsura alike. I shall not proceed in spoiling the beans here, but you will be touched by the climax where Akira is faced with an impossible choice.

Titanosaurus makes for an imposing monster here. Our first look at the prehistoric beast is a majestic low angle shot of him rising from the ocean to destroy a submarine. This shot establishes Titanosaurus as a truly frightening creature, but not a completely evil one. After all, he is under the control of the aliens. Titanosaurus is a worthy opponent for Godzilla, using his tail to create windstorms and relying on his powerful kicks and throwing abilities.

For his final bow in the Showa series, a new Godzilla suit was constructed. Although not the best Godzilla suit, he looks far more aggressive than in some of his other '70s appearances. Godzilla's first appearance doesn't occur until much later in the film, but it is a treat worth savoring. He rises from behind a patch of skyscrapers with a flurry of lights illuminating his arrival. This shot is the definition of the word "epic.".

Keep in mind that Eiji Tsuburaya, the architect of the inventive SFX for Toho's kaiju films, was deceased by this time. Teruyoshi Nakano, who took over as director of special effects for Toho in 1971, did an admirable job in redesigning the big G and also in creating Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla. Details that particularly stand out are the orange fins running up and down Titanosaurus's back, Titanosaurus's reptilian eyes, and Godzilla's scornful eyes.

Series veterans Ishiro Honda (without question the greatest film director to come from the Land of the Rising Sun) and Akira Ifukube (likewise for film composing) came back to work their magic on Terror of Mechagodzilla. Needless to say, they both turned in remarkable efforts. Ifukube's score shows a wide range, moving from the somber to the rousing. Honda keeps both the monster fights and the tension between the aliens and the humans moving at a fast clip.

Terror of Mechagodzilla would be the last Godzilla film until 1984's The Return of Godzilla got the series back on track. There were a few ideas for potential reboots tossed around in the late 1970s, but sadly none of them ever came to pass. Still, titles like Godzilla vs. Gargantua and Godzilla vs. the Devil would have made for good movies. Considering how inferior movie series like American Pie and Saw continue to be sequelized, it's a crying shame the world never got to see Godzilla battle Old Scratch himself.

Anyway, that's enough of my bellyachin'. At least we have a satisfying conclusion to the Showa era of Godzilla films. Although I personally don't believe there is such a thing as a truly bad Godzilla movie (the abominable American remake doesn't count), Terror of Mechagodzilla definitely improved on some of its precedecessors in the story and SFX departments. Best of all, Messrs. Honda and Ifukube returned to make this a slam-bang finale. For Godzilla novices and veterans alike, this is highly required viewing.