Best Destruction Sequences

[Rodan]

I was watching Rodan (1956) earlier and was taken with how good the Fukuoka destruction sequence looks. I really think it's some of the best work Tsubaraya and co. ever did. The buildings, trains and other props look realistic, there's a remarkable amount of weathered signage and other small details, realistic interior skeletons, and an enormous amount of small debris tossed around in Rodan's wind. I think it may actually be the best full-color destruction sequence among Toho's giant monster films.

What else stands out? Screenshots appreciated too; I regret that I can't take any from Rodan right now.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Are we talking in scale and thematically or in the technical respects? Cause I honestly think there's few things coming close to the destruction in G54. The whole city is on fire and it reeks of hell on earth.

[BlankAccount]

GTTHM may be short for a destruction scene but damn does King Ghidrah feel like a destroyer of worlds in his rampage scene.

[Rodan]

Are we talking in scale and thematically or in the technical respects? Cause I honestly think there's few things coming close to the destruction in G54. The whole city is on fire and it reeks of hell on earth.

Should have been "favorite" I guess. Whichever ones stand out as memorable to you.

I agree that the first movie's is the most affecting by far. Though I think on a technical level Rodan's looks better. I'd at least give a distinction of being one of the best full-color ones, as I think the black and white footage of the first two films actually give them an edge in terms of believability, masking many of the miniatures' tells.

[LSD Jellyfish]

If it's favorite then pretty much the day time Hedorah scenes in Godzilla vs Hedorah. They're brief but eerie, Hedorah flying past that construction site and then pretty much melting with little sound, and some guy falling to his death, sure is creepy. Plus there's all the people who are implied to be killed by Hedorah.

Another one of my favorites is actually one I often forget, and I feel like others would as well. In Godzilla vs Gigan there's a scene where Gigan attacks a city. It's pretty awesome because it's one of the very few showa destruction scenes taking place at night and is actually very similar to a lot of the later heisei destruction scenes. I think I forget about it because the film had such a long drawn out battle at the end and since the film has so much stock footage I forget how much original cool footage the film does have, unlike Godzilla vs Megalon.

[DrBreakfastMachine]

I know it's got a lot of stock footage, but I love the destruction scene from Godzilla vs. Gigan (which is honestly one of my favorite Godzilla films in general). Ghidorah and Gigan give Tokyo one of the most thorough thrashings in the series before Godzilla and Anguirus show up to save the day.

[Missingno.]

While like only 4 minutes long, I liked Godzilla's landfall at Tokyo in RoG.

One that I think stands out though, is Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus's attack on Tokyo in ToMG. Especially with the music coupled with the sequence.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I know it's got a lot of stock footage, but I love the destruction scene from Godzilla vs. Gigan (which is honestly one of my favorite Godzilla films in general). Ghidorah and Gigan give Tokyo one of the most thorough thrashings in the series before Godzilla and Anguirus show up to save the day.

Actually there's little stock footage in that scene, other than Parts with Ghidorah. I imagine all the scenes with Gigan were where the money was poured into, it looks great especially for its time.

[Kaiser]

I've always been a huge fan of Godzilla's attack on Osaka in Godzilla vs. Biollante. The lighting in particular is outstanding for that scene. Godzilla's attack on Nagoya in Mothra vs. Godzilla also really sticks out in my mind as even though the destruction is light, both the scenes with the TV tower and Nagoya Castle are memorable and more of less iconic as far as Godzilla scenes go. Brief shout outs to Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus attacking Yokosuka in Terror of Mechagodzilla and Godzilla's rampage through Shizuoka in GMK.

[ArchdukeCaligula]

Godzilla destroying Osaka in Godzilla Vs Biollante has been my favorite ever since I was a kid. I am a big fan of Godzilla destroying the Nagoya Castle from Mothra vs Godzilla and Godzilla destroying Tokyo from Godzilla vs King Ghidorah as well.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Godzilla destroying Osaka in Godzilla Vs Biollante has been my favorite ever since I was a kid. I am a big fan of Godzilla destroying the Nagoya Castle from Mothra vs Godzilla and Godzilla destroying Tokyo from Godzilla vs King Ghidorah as well.

The destruction scenes are great in Godzilla vs Biollante, especially the ones with Godzilla in the water at a low angle. However, when the Super X2 arrives there's one painful angle that reeks of THIS IS A SET where the super X2 is high up looking down at Godzilla next to a building.

[Creature22]

There are a lot of them. I have to say Gojira is a pretty obvious answer, since it gives you a nice long sequence of Tokyo getting completely trashed. The Heisei series had a lot of good destruction scenes as well, Godzilla vs Destoroyah probably being my favorite.

For sequences in particular, I have to give it to Terror of Mechagodzilla. I don't think any other monster was capable of making the streets explode upwards!
The other one is the beginning of Godzilla 2000. The whole film had a lot of good destruction, but that opening put me in total awe when I first saw it as a kid. Godzilla had never been more extreme. This image has been burned into my mind:

[Dannybeane]

Godzilla vs the Military on the Bridge in Godzilla 1985. Godzilla vs Anguirus in Osaka in GRA. Megalon vs the dam in Godzilla vs Megalon, and the end battle/destruction sequence of Godzilla 2000!

[LSD Jellyfish]

What about the worst destruction scenes? Like from Mothra vs Godzilla 1964. Godzilla stumbles into Nagoya, falls into a castle and then lazily pulls down the tower with his tail. It's really slow in a bad way, Godzilla is supposed to be threatening but just seems like he's in the wrong place and then it pales into comparison tone wise from his destruction from previous films.

[Missingno.]

What about the worst destruction scenes? Like from Mothra vs Godzilla 1964. Godzilla stumbles into Nagoya, falls into a castle and then lazily pulls down the tower with his tail. It's really slow in a bad way, Godzilla is supposed to be threatening but just seems like he's in the wrong place and then it pales into comparison tone wise from his destruction from previous films.

You thought that sequence was bad? I thought it was pretty good myself, especially compared to most of the destruction sequences of GRA; and if I recall, was there even any city destruction by Godzilla in KKvG? I know there was the attack on the military base, but I don't remember Godzilla being in a city throughout the film. It has been a while since I actually watched the film, though.

[attilagodzilla]

Gojira has my favorite destruction scene.
My second favorite is probably king ghidorah's destruction scene in gvkg

[LSD Jellyfish]

What about the worst destruction scenes? Like from Mothra vs Godzilla 1964. Godzilla stumbles into Nagoya, falls into a castle and then lazily pulls down the tower with his tail. It's really slow in a bad way, Godzilla is supposed to be threatening but just seems like he's in the wrong place and then it pales into comparison tone wise from his destruction from previous films.

You thought that sequence was bad? I thought it was pretty good myself, especially compared to most of the destruction sequences of GRA; and if I recall, was there even any city destruction by Godzilla in KKvG? I know there was the attack on the military base, but I don't remember Godzilla being in a city throughout the film. It has been a while since I actually watched the film, though.

There's a scene where Godzilla chases a train that has way more tension. The military attack, and Kongs attack on Tokyo, while brief feel like they have higher tension and stakes due to a lot more fast paced theming and the fact that characters are in danger.

GRA didn't have destruction scenes but a lot gets destroyed via Godzilla and Anguirus fighting each other.

[cmdmstudios]

One of my favorites is definitely Godzilla's attack on the NATO base in KKvG. The way it's shot and the way Godzilla moves is just on point and more than makes up for the short amount of time the sequence has.

Another would have to be Godzilla's raid on Osaka in GvB. Again, it's incredibly well shot, with great use of lighting to help with the mood and atmosphere.

Then, there's Godzilla's stroll through Shinjuku towards the end of GvKG. Not only for the wonderful scene with Shindo, but for the moments afterward before the appearance of MKG, especially the wide, far away shot. That shot really does make the scene feel much more like a real cityscape and less like a set, and it's truly impressive.

[Godzilla The King]

I think the destruction scene in Terror of Mechagodzilla is one that always stuck with me but that's because I had that film as a kid and would always watch it. I might also mention the original film and I always liked the bits of destruction in the begining of 2000 and the ending.

[LazerWhale]

If we're talking about our favourites, then I'll have to mention the opening sequence of Godzilla 2000: Millennium, as others have said themselves. It's not my favourite scene in the franchise, but as far as 'destruction' sequences go, it's definitely high on the list.

I actually like it for how different it is from the typical 'Godzilla attacks' sequence. There's no pathetic and useless military force, there's no superweapons, and Godzilla doesn't appear to be going out of his way to destroy buildings, just moving in a single path. And honestly I prefer that on almost all fronts to the usual material. It's far more interesting to me, because it really feels like Godzilla is this outside force, with motives that people could never really understand, and because it feels like his appearance is really something to dread, because he's a single-minded, almost alien thing that doesn't care about us, that will one day just appear and move on without warning or motive. People are running, evacuating on darkened streets while Godzilla just lumbers on in the background, with a red glow behind him.

I look at that scene, and I feel like the only thing someone can do when Godzilla shows up is just run away and hope that he passes their homes by. He's a source of awe, as much as terror.