Talkback Thread #7: Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

[Godzillian]

I thought the suits for the movie were fine. Ebirah is one of the most realistic looking monsters in the entire series, and the Godzilla suit was... okay. It wasn't great, but it was better than what we got later in the Showa era.

It's the same suit from Invasion of Astro Monster. It just looks a little different because it got trashed due to all the time it spent in the water.

[Giga Kaiju]

The suit is alright all things considered with the water lodging deal. It is quite fitting for the movie, I say in terms of 'tone'.

[Goji]

It's the same suit from Invasion of Astro Monster. It just looks a little different because it got trashed due to all the time it spent in the water.

..Yeah, I already basically said the same thing.

[g2vd]

I thought the suits for the movie were fine. Ebirah is one of the most realistic looking monsters in the entire series, and the Godzilla suit was... okay. It wasn't great, but it was better than what we got later in the Showa era.

It's the same suit from Astro, it just got damaged and water logged because of how many scenes it had in the water.

[Goji]

What's going on? Lol.

[Spuro]

I like the 1965 suit, but the 1968 version is much better. I don't get why people lump it together with the '67 and '73-'75 suits as examples of "crappy" later Godzillas.

It's the eyes, for me. 1968 and onward look like cartoon characters to me. Never been a huge fan of them, even as a kid.

Monster Zero/Sea Monster at least looks just a tad more realistic. At least to me. Not sure why that is, though... the jaws maybe?

[g2vd]

What's going on? Lol.

You can't handle the truth!

[edgaguirus]

The eyes never bothered me. They worked for this film as they showed Godzilla's fatigue pretty well. The large eyes slowly closing are effective, just as the sudden opening is when the attacks come.

[Mini-Godzilla]

I just watched the Blu-Ray release of the film. I must admit that the human characters clicked with me this time, which helped my enjoyment of the film immensely. I'm still convinced that Godzilla's presence in the movie doesn't make much narrative sense*, but his fights with the Horror of the Deep have some great camp appeal. Thankfully, we weren't bombarded with too many Goji A-Go-Go films afterward, so this little experiment in tone adds to the diversity that distinguishes the 1960s monster flicks as Toho's kaiju heyday without causing any real harm. I still regard it as inessential, especially compared to the three movies it follows, but I no longer hate it. In fact, I kinda like it.


*The writer in me insists that the film really should be Mothra vs. Ebirah. The guardian goddess should have been the one destroying the Red Bamboo facilities, not some other random monster (whether it's Godzilla or the originally-planned King Kong) who has no stake in the fate of the Infant Island natives. If Tsuburaya could have pulled off a brawl between an airborne moth puppet and a guy in a lobster suit, it may have been among his greatest work.

[Rodan]

For whatever reason, on my last rewatch, the humans really didn't click with me. I like the role Godzilla plays in the plot, with everyone trying hard to avoid waking him up and then later using him to their advantage, and I was really excited for another tropical Fukuda flick the first time I saw it, but ...

I don't know. If you described the characters on paper, including the weird super-spy antagonists, I'd be super into it. But everything winds up somehow lifeless on screen. The fight against Ebirah is fun, but this one almost can't help but remind me of how much I'd rather be watching Son of Godzilla instead, which has a lot more heart and, I think, a much better human cast.

Don't get me wrong, though: the surf-rock score is awesome. I actually wish this were a substantially sillier movie than it is.

[edgaguirus]

Making it sillier might not be good for the film. The characters of Daiyo and the robber are the strongest. I like how the criminal, normally a bad guy in these films, turns out to be a hero and strong leader.

[Dannybeane]

This film is always a favorite of mine. This film has the feel of a Gilligan's Island film to me and I love. Akira Takarada plays one of my favorite characters in the series. Its also a shame the Red Bamboo weren't brought back in some form or other in another film.

[Missingno.]

I never saw this until recently (it was always one that seemed to evade me in my early years), and I'm sorta mixed on this one. I really don't let the KK references both me much at all. The cast/acting and effects are great as well. But on the downside, none of the monsters in this movie seem to pose any threat to Godzilla, leaving much to be desired from the fights.

[Rodan]

But on the downside, none of the monsters in this movie seem to pose any threat to Godzilla, leaving much to be desired from the fights.

So, I rewatched it today, and this was my takeaway as well.

It's clear from their first skirmish (which is pretty fun) that Ebirah poses no threat to Godzilla. Which unfortunately means half the plot loses tension.

It's still a Sekizawa script and the relationship between the humans and monsters works well, but the Showa movies tend to be at their most engaging when there's both a human threat and one for Godzilla. It's just not as satisfying to see Ebirah taken down the climax at the same time the humans escape because he becomes a non-issue from the time Godzilla wakes up.

Oh well. I did end up liking the characters a bit more, but it's still hitting this weird spot where you have cartoonish elements like Ryouta being carried by balloon to Infant Island, but is generally played fairly straight (certainly not the tongue-in-cheek film King Kong vs. is, nor the anything-goes weirdness of Fukuda's '70s Godzilla movies). I feel like both characters and tension are better done in, again, Son of Godzilla, and it's still hard not to compare the two. On a very basic level, Kumonga is the villain, to both the humans and Godzilla, that Ebirah isn't, and that goes a long way.

It's pleasant, but toward the bottom of the Showa series for me.

[Rody]

One big strength that is often overlooked in this film is how well they balanced Godzilla as both a menace to man as well as a inadvertent ally, which I think this film does one of the better jobs of...

DaisensoGoji is probably my favorite incarnation of Godzilla, personality-wise, and this is why. Godzilla, as he appears in Monster Zero and Ebirah, is highly aggressive, but only when provoked. He's treated - or should I say, even wielded - like a weapon of mass destruction, set loose to wreak havoc upon the opposing force, good or bad, with the responsible parties still minding that they stay out of Godzilla's way. Godzilla is neither benevolent or malevolent - he simply exists, his power a tool to be used, abused, or maybe better off left alone.

I kind of like that none of the enemies in Ebirah pose a serious threat to Godzilla. While I agree it makes his second fight with Ebirah a little anticlimactic, it illustrates how much of a game-changer Godzilla really is - again, the WMD parallel.

[Mechagigan]

I keep finding myself drifting towards this one when I'm in the mood to watch a Kaiju film... it's just so, simply put, enjoyable. Goofy, easy to follow characters, fun plot, and even pretty good fights. Totally one of my favorites.

I really love the suit from this one, too - He's cartoony, but he still looks mean and monstrous.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

As one of my earliest Godzilla movies I'll always have a soft spot for it. Plus I find it had one of Akira Takarada's best characters. Love the scenes where the find Godzilla in the cave. Also love when they awaken Godzilla and the Red Bamboo's "oh shit" reaction. Plus the score is very infectious just like Son of Godzilla's after it.

[godzillalives88]

As one of my earliest Godzilla movies I'll always have a soft spot for it. Plus I find it had one of Akira Takarada's best characters. Love the scenes where the find Godzilla in the cave. Also love when they awaken Godzilla and the Red Bamboo's "oh shit" reaction. Plus the score is very infectious just like Son of Godzilla's after it.

Pretty much agree on all counts. This and Godzilla 1985 are probably the two films I have the most nostalgia for. I still think well of Sea Monster too, especially the score and human characters.

[GodzillaFanatic2001]

I found the original international title card on YouTube, never seen this before!

[Ookondru99]

Still my favorite godzilla movie, at least of the showa series. Whether it's due to nostalgia, the setting, or the actors I always enjoy throwing this movie on. Great for a lazy sunday afternooon.