View Larger Image |
Godzilla Vs Gigan 1972 Director: Jun Fukuda Number of Items: 1 Format: Color, Widescreen, Dolby Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Running Time: 89 minutes Studio: Columbia Tristar Hom Region Code: 99 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2004-10-19 Buy from Amazon |
 "Good and bad at the same time"This is either one of the best godzilla movies, or one of the worst. It just depends on the way you look at it. The plot is surprisingly good for a 70's Godzilla movie. The only problem is that it has several of those "70's moments", the most prominant of which is the scene with the talking monsters (a scene so dumb, it puts megalon to shame). Scenes like that just make you want to take out the good ol' propane tank and down it. But if you overlook those parts, and just sit back, relax, and enjoy the cool monster action, Godzilla vs. Gigan is one of the most exciting, dramatic movies to date. However, the toxic cheese brought it down from the five stars I woud've given it if those parts were cut out. Oh, well, no movie's perfect. UPDATE: Forget what I said about the "talking monsters". The voices have been edited out for this DVD!!!  "My Vote for the Worst G Film."There's a fine line between entertainingly campy, and flat out sucky and unwatchable. Some give this film a lot of latitude and say it ain't that bad. I respectfully must disagree. In the huge (kidding) controversy over the all time worst G flick, this is my pick. Bad, bad, falling apart G costume. Terrible direction and cinematography - looks more like one of those chinese kung fu flicks from a production value stand point. Ifukube's the best, but even that's tired in this film for some reason. Is it that the score outclasses the movie too much despite being stock? The monsters "converse" ugggh! Throws sneaker at TV. Wait, look, there's Mobil Oil blowing up again! That goes back 10 years. Why did they use Mobil Oil over and over instead of something a little less conspicious? I remember when this came on UHF TV as a kid. Kewl! A never before seen, brand spankin' new, G-flick. Huh? What's this crap? I think I actually started channel surfing. Never did that before. Not even during Godzilla's revenge. This one doesn't improve with age. It's a shame Gigan's a pretty kewl monster. Might have been a good adversary in the 60's when they gave the filmmakers a fighting chance via a reasonable budget. "Fun Godzilla...well...fun!"A lot has already been said of the "plot" of the film, so I won't say too much. However...who really watches these old Godzilla films from the 60's and 70's for plot any way? We watch them for one thing and one thing only: the monster fights! And this movie has a lot to offer. A lot of times the monster battles in Godzilla movies are just a bunch of punching and fighting, but this is one of the great times when they put personality behind the guys in rubber suits. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as when I saw Gigan TAG-TEAM with King Ghidorah. Yes, that's right. No I did not make that up. As Godzilla is knocked down during the battle, Gigan hits Ghidora on the wing and the three-headed monster takes over the fight. And then they tag-team again and Gigan takes over! And to top it off, as Godzilla is getting his rear end kicked, Gigan and Ghidora are LAUGHING at the poor guy. Later on Angillus and Godzilla work together against King Ghidora, with Godzilla grabbing the three heads and then waving Angillus on to attack, something Godzilla would do later with King Cesar against MechaGodzilla. I'll admit I'm a big Godzilla fan so yes I may be partial to this movie. You have to keep in mind the really old Godzilla films were aimed at kids, and this has some of the worst editing you'll see in film with perhaps some atrocious acting and writing... But, hey, like other reviews have said: its Godzilla, not Akira freakin' Kurosawa. "Godzilla vs the Stock Footage"Okay, when they made this movie in early 73, Toho really was working with such a small budget that many scenes where Godzilla is fighting other monsters is full of stock footage from earlier Godzilla pictures. The music is also stock music, the effects are stock effects from earlier films, and there is a bad plot where Godzilla and Angillias are talking to each other. This is my least favorite Godzilla picture along with Smog Monster, Megalon, and Revenge.  "Not a bad Godzilla film. "it may seem that many dislike this godzilla film, but it has its moments |
