How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

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How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Voyager »

Overall, I’d say it’s the best era of Kaiju Eiga.

While there are some stinkers, we have a lot of truly awesome films. Examples are:

Godzilla
Rodan
Mothra
Mothra vs Godzilla
Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster
Invasion of Astro Monster
Frankenstein vs Baragon
War of the Gargantuas
Son of Godzilla
Godzilla vs Hedorah
Terror of Mechagodzilla.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by CrimsonBloodX »

Godzilla - 5/5
Godzilla Raids Again - 3.5/5
Rodan - 5/5
Mothra - 4/5
King Kong vs Godzilla - 4/5
Mothra vs Godzilla - 4.5/5
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster 4.5/5
Invasion of Astro-Monster - 4/5
Frankenstein vs Baragon - 4/5
The War of the Gargantuas - 4/5
Godzilla vs The Sea Monster - 4/5
Son of Godzilla - 3.5/5
Destroy All Monsters - 4/5
All Monster Attack - 1.5/5
Godzilla vs Hedorah - 4/5
Godzilla vs Gigan - 4/5
Godzilla vs Megalon - 3.5/5
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla - 4/5
Terror of Mechagodzilla - 4.5/5
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Spuro »

Gojira - 10/10
Godzilla Raids Again - 5/10 (Leaning a 6, it’s growing on me)
Rodan - 7/10
The Mysterians - 7/10
Varan - 4/10
The H-Man - 6/10
The Three Treasures - 6/10
The Battle in Outer Space - 2/10 (Yeah... not a fan of this one...)
The Human Vapor - 8/10
Mothra - 10/10
Gorath - 6/10
King Kong vs Godzilla - 8/10
Matango - 8/10
Atragon - 6/10
Mothra vs Godzilla - 9/10
Dogora - 5/10
Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster - 6/10
Frankenstein vs Baragon - 8/10
Monster Zero - 8/10
War of the Gargantuas - 6/10
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep - 7/10
King Kong Escapes - 3/10 (Not a fan of this one either)
Son of Godzilla - 8/10
Destroy All Monsters - 6/10
Latitude Zero - 4/10
Godzilla’s Revenge - 3/10
Space Amoeba - 5/10
Godzilla vs Hedorah - 8/10
Godzilla vs Gigan - 4/10
Godzilla vs Megalon - 3/10 (I greatly enjoy it, though, despite the low rating)
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla- 5/10
Terror of Mechagodzilla- 7/10
Last edited by Spuro on Mon Jun 14, 2021 7:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Voyager »

Just from the ones I’ve seen:

Gojira - 10/10
Godzilla Raids Again - 5.5/10
Rodan - 8/10
Mysterians - 6/10
Varan - 3.5/10
The Three Treasures -6/10
Mothra - 9.5/10
Gorath - 5/10
King Kong vs Godzilla - 7/10
Atragon - 6/10
Mothra vs Godzilla - 9.5/10
Dogora - 5.5/10
Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster - 7.5/10
Frankenstein vs Baragon - 8/10
Invasion of Astro Monster (Monster Zero) - 8/10
War of the Gargantuas - 8/10
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep - 6/10
King Kong Escapes - 4/10
Son of Godzilla - 7.5/10
Destroy All Monsters - 6/10
Godzilla’s Revenge - 3.5/10 (I still like this, along with Megalon as you’ll see further down)
Space Amoeba - 5/10
Godzilla vs Hedorah - 8/10
Godzilla vs Gigan - 4.5/10
Godzilla vs Megalon - 3.5/10
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla - 5.5/10
Terror of Mechagodzilla - 9/10

My opinion is like other’s but I got some unique gravitations.
Last edited by Voyager on Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Jermobooka »

Gojira: 9.5/10
Godzilla Raids Again: 3/10
Rodan: 8/10
Mothra: 8.5/10
Varan: 6/10
King Kong vs Godzilla: 8/10
Mothra vs Godzilla: 9/10
Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster: 7.5/10
Invasion of Astro-Monster: 7.5/10
Frankenstein vs Baragon: 8/10
War of the Gargantuas: 8.5/10
King Kong Escapes: 7/10
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep: 5/10
Son of Godzilla: 6/10
Destroy All Monsters: 7/10
All Monsters Attack: 3/10
Godzilla vs Hedorah: 7/10
Godzilla vs Gigan: 7.5/10
Godzilla vs Megalon: 7.5/10
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 8/10
Terror of Mechagodzilla: 9.5/10
Last edited by Jermobooka on Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:10 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Keizer »

Since this seems to be the format to go with:

Gojira: 9/10
Godzilla Raids Again: 5/10
King Kong vs Godzilla: 4/10
Mothra vs Godzilla: 8/10
Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster: 8/10
Invasion of Astro-Monster: 7/10
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep: 7/10
Son of Godzilla: 7/10
Destroy All Monsters: 7/10
All Monsters Attack: 4/10
Godzilla vs Hedorah: 2/10
Godzilla vs Gigan: 3/10
Godzilla vs Megalon: 3/10
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla: 7/10
Terror of Mechagodzilla: 8/10

Sorry for not seeing any of the Non-Goji stuff yet.

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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Destoroyah of Worlds »

Gojira - 10
Godzilla Raids Again - 4
King Kong vs. Godzilla - 5.5
Mothra vs. Godzilla - 8
Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster - 8
Invasion of Astro Monster - 9
Son of Godzilla - 10
Destroy All Monsters - 9
Godzilla vs. Megalon - 6
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla - 7.5
Terror of Mechagodzilla - 10


Films I've seen, but can't remember and need to rewatch:
Godzilla vs.Ebirah
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla vs. Gigan
King Kong Escapes
War of the Gargantuas - Remember really liking this as a kid
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Major sssspielberg! »

Godzilla-10
Raids again-5.75
King Kong vs-8
Mothra vs- 10
Ghidorah- 8
Astro Monster- 8.5
Sea Monster- 8
Son- 8.5
DAM- 8.5
Revenge-6
Hedorah-9
Gigan-6.75
Megalon-4
Mechagodzilla-8
Terror- 8.5

I try and rate them as both "films" and as far as the specific enjoyment I find most get out of kaiju and specifically Godzilla pictures. I'd probably have to do a separate ranking for the non-Godzilla Toho sci-fi pictures.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by tbeasley »

Showa without a doubt the best with the most creativity, ingenuity, variety, etc.

You have that post-Godzilla (1954) period where they experiment and find their footing with films like -

Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Rodan (1956)
The Mysterians (1957)
The H-Man (1958)
Varan (1958)
Battle in Outer Space (1959)
Mothra (1961)

Before hitting their stride with King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), cracking the formula with films like -

Matango (1963)
Atragon (1963)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Dogora (1964)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
The War of the Gargantuas (1966)
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
King Kong Escapes (1967)
Son of Godzilla (1967)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)

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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Jermobooka »

After a recent rewatch of the Showa series, my ranking has changed

Gojira (9/10)

Raids Again (4/10)

King Kong vs Godzilla (8/10)

Mothra vs Godzilla (9/10)

Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster (8/10)

Invasion Of Astro Monster (9/10)

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (8/10)

Son of Godzilla (7/10)

Destroy All Monsters (6/10)

All Monsters Attack (3/10)

Godzilla vs Hedorah (9/10)

Godzilla vs Gigan (8/10)

Godzilla vs Megalon (7/10)

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (8/10)

Terror Of Mechagodzilla (9/10)
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by ShinGojira14 »

Godzilla: 5/5
Godzilla's Counterattack: 4.5/5
King Kong vs Godzilla: 4/5
Mothra vs Godzilla: 4/5
Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster: 3.8/5
Invasion of Astro Monster: 3.5/5
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep: 3.5/5
Son of Godzilla: 4/5
Destroy All Monsters: 3.5/5
All Monsters Attack: 4/5
Godzilla vs Hedorah: 3.8/5
Godzilla vs Gigan: 3.9/5
Godzilla vs Megalon: 3.9/5
Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla: 4/5
Terror of MechaGodzilla: 3.9/5
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by GodzillavsRayquaza »

Gojira: 9.5/10
Raids Again: 2.5/10
KKvG: 7/10
Mothra vs Godzilla: 9/10
GTTHM: 8/10
Astro Monster: 8.5/10
Horror of the Deep: 8/10
Son of Godzilla: 7.5/10
Destroy All Monsters: 3/10
All Monsters Attack: 6/10
Vs Hedorah: 8.5/10
Vs Gigan: 7.5/10
Vs Megalon: 7.5/10
Vs Mechagodzilla: 5/10
TOMG: 9.5/10

Rodan: 7.5/10
Varan: 0/10
Mothra: 9.25/10
Atragon: 7.5/10
Frankenstein vs Baragon: 8/10
War of the Gargantuas: 7/10
KKE: 2/10
Last edited by GodzillavsRayquaza on Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Spuro »

GodzillavsRayquaza wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:19 pm Varan: 10/10
Wow, you're a huge fan of Varan, aren't you? :P
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by GodzillavsRayquaza »

Spuro wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:24 pm
GodzillavsRayquaza wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:19 pm Varan: 10/10
Wow, you're a huge fan of Varan, aren't you? :P
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ShinGojira14 wrote: Neither. Hideki Anno wins because he writes a hilarious comedic satire movie where Shin and Legendary have to team up to destroy a grotesque crap-monster created by the constant toxic bickering of Shin fans and Legendary fans.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Terasawa »

I'm going to include non-kaiju movies with large scale special effects because they're similar enough.

7/10
Spoiler:
Godzilla
The Human Vapor
Mothra
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Mothra vs. Godzilla
6/10
Spoiler:
The Mysterians
The H-Man
Matango
Atragon
Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster
Monster Zero
Submersion of Japan
5/10
Spoiler:
Godzilla Raids Again
Half Human
Rodan
The Secret of the Telegian
Gorath
Frankenstein Conquers the World
The War of the Gargantuas
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Son of Godzilla
Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
4/10
Spoiler:
Battle in Outer Space (1959)
Dogora
King Kong Escapes
Latitude Zero
Godzilla's Revenge
Space Amoeba
Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Prophecies of Nostradamus
3/10
Spoiler:
Varan
The War in Space (1977)
I need to revisit these -- the ratings could change:
Spoiler:
Invisible Man - 4
The Three Treasures - 6
The Last War - 7
ESPY - 5
Conflagration - 5
The other Toho tokusatsu and genre films of the Showa era are pretty removed from "kaiju movies," so I'll skip 'em.
Last edited by Terasawa on Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Spuro »

Terasawa wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:26 pm 7/10
Spoiler:
Godzilla
The Human Vapor
Mothra
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Mothra vs. Godzilla
6/10
Spoiler:
The Mysterians
The H-Man
Matango
Atragon
Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster
Monster Zero
Submersion of Japan
5/10
Spoiler:
Godzilla Raids Again
Half Human
Rodan
The Secret of the Telegian
Gorath
Frankenstein Conquers the World
The War of the Gargantuas
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Son of Godzilla
Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
4/10
Spoiler:
Battle in Outer Space (1959)
Dogora
King Kong Escapes
Latitude Zero
Godzilla's Revenge
Space Amoeba
Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Prophecies of Nostradamus
3/10
Spoiler:
Varan
The War in Space (1977)
I need to revisit these -- the ratings could change:
Spoiler:
Invisible Man - 4
The Three Treasures - 6
The Last War - 7
ESPY - 5
Conflagration - 5
The other Toho tokusatsu and genre films of the Showa era are pretty removed from "kaiju movies," so I'll skip 'em.
Wow, and I thought my ratings were harsh compared to others on here. Not even the original Godzilla is above a 7?
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Terasawa »

Spuro wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:39 pm Wow, and I thought my ratings were harsh compared to others on here. Not even the original Godzilla is above a 7?
I copied my ratings directly from IMDb, where I rate all movies I watch, and I didn't want to readjust every rating or grade on a curve.

7/10 is still a very good movie. 5/10 is an average movie. 3/10 is firmly in the "bad" range. I save 9s and 10s for really great movies and masterpieces, respectively; I don't think any tokusatsu movie is in that conversation (no matter how much I love many of them).
Last edited by Terasawa on Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Spuro »

Terasawa wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:50 pm 7/10 is still a very good movie. 5/10 is an average movie. 3/10 is firmly in the "bad" range. I save 9s and 10s for really great movies and masterpieces, respectively; I don't think any tokusatsu movie is in that conversation (no matter how much I love many of them).
Ah, I can understand that, then. I have a letterboxd account, and my ratings up at the top of this page were taken from it too.

The way my rating system on letterboxd works, I tend to take into account the genre and style of film and contrast it against similar movies while determining a rating. For example, I'll have a sci-fi/horror movie with a 10/10 rating (Godzilla 54, The Thing 82, and Alien all come to mind) right alongside something like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly or Ikiru (both of which have 10/10 ratings). But I'm not necessarily comparing those films to Seven Samurai and Ikiru; I'm comparing them to movies within their respective genre. In Godzilla's case, that's horror movies, or disaster movies, or tokusatsu.

I don't think I'd ever be able to compare all movies of different types equally to one another. Different movies have such wildly different goals and audiences that it's hard to take everything into account.
Last edited by Spuro on Thu Jul 08, 2021 9:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by LegendZilla »

If it only had a higher budget, Gigan could’ve regarded as one of the better Godzilla films.

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Re: How would you rate the Showa Kaiju films? Godzilla or Otherwise.

Post by Terasawa »

Spuro wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 9:30 pm I don't think I'd ever be able to compare all movies of different types equally to one another. Different movies have such wildly different goals and audiences that it's hard to take everything into account.
Yeah, I don't think there's a perfectly ideal way to rate movies, whatever your goal may be. There are too many things to consider. My system mostly serves to remind me of my general feelings for hundreds upon hundreds of movies I've seen.
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