Talkback Thread #10: All Monsters Attack (1969)

[ShinGojira14]

Rewatched this one on HBO Max yesterday, and I found it to be a wonderful film. I never really had ill thoughts towards the movie, I must admit it was one of the first Showa Godzilla films I ever saw (the others being Rodan, MvG, KOTM56, and TOMG). After seeing about 300ish episodes of Showa Ultraman I must say AMA feels right at home with it's contemporaries and of course the situations of the time period. Kids are fascinated with strange and wondrous characters, a little imagination goes a long way in finding enjoyment in life. Even the pollution and smog seen throughout Ichiro's area makes for nice context before Hedorah. As I've said before, AMA most definitely inspired the guys who made the Ultraman Gaia film, since the overall premise is quite similar.

It's a sincere film that I imagine feels personal to Ishiro Honda, who I must say his direction feels comforting and dreamy. I see AMA as a bridge between his non sci-fi work and his tokusatsu fare - reading about his "smaller" work in his biography a few years ago kept popping up in my head as I was watching the movie. I love Minilla's line where he goes: "We monsters don't lie like humans do." I'm pretty sure that opening song states that monsters aren't trying to be evil by choice. The stock footage works, and the battle with monster Gabara is a load of fun. It is interesting how Ichiro's own conflict occurs after the climatic monster battle, not only does it benefit the narrative but I think it makes the film stand out. Off the top of my head I think Biollante is another one where the final human versus human battle occurs after the monsters wrap up?

All in all, I'm a big fan of this film. Full of heart, sincerity, and what fan wouldn't dream of escaping to the world of Godzilla?

Well-said, man.

[Terasawa]

It is interesting how Ichiro's own conflict occurs after the climatic monster battle, not only does it benefit the narrative but I think it makes the film stand out. Off the top of my head I think Biollante is another one where the final human versus human battle occurs after the monsters wrap up?

Tokyo SOS is another one kinda like this. The real climax is the JXSDF rescuing Chujo from Kiryu, which takes place after the monster battle has concluded. And I mean Godzilla's technically involved because Kiryu is carrying his webbed-up body to sea, but he doesn't participate in the climactic action at all. Pretty weird.

[Legion1979]

I'm watching the movie right now. It's just an extremely fun, breezy, sincere and well directed little kids movie. It always amazes me how people will trash this simple little film and call it the worst of the worst while praising truly incompetent later films that we should be holding to higher standards.

[eabaker]

It is interesting how Ichiro's own conflict occurs after the climatic monster battle, not only does it benefit the narrative but I think it makes the film stand out. Off the top of my head I think Biollante is another one where the final human versus human battle occurs after the monsters wrap up?

Tokyo SOS is another one kinda like this. The real climax is the JXSDF rescuing Chujo from Kiryu, which takes place after the monster battle has concluded. And I mean Godzilla's technically involved because Kiryu is carrying his webbed-up body to sea, but he doesn't participate in the climactic action at all. Pretty weird.

I think AMA may be the most successful of these movies at making a post-kaiju human climax satisfying because, even though it's farthest from the monster action in terms of screen time, it's a human climax that is directly motivated by Ichiro's relationship with Minya and Godzilla. Biollante keeps its human-focused final showdown as more of a coda, and returns to Godzilla pretty quickly, so it's doesn't become a pacing issue or feel like it dominates over the G/B conflict. In Tokyo SOS, on the other hand, Godzilla himself feels completely incidental to the finale.

[Terasawa]

Definitely agree with that, although I'd like to say that IMO the GMMG climax with Chujo having to escape Kiryu in mid-flight is so much more thrilling than the monster stuff that precedes it.

Another one that slipped my mind earlier (somehow) is DAM, oof.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Well-said, man.

Thank you thank you!

It is interesting how Ichiro's own conflict occurs after the climatic monster battle, not only does it benefit the narrative but I think it makes the film stand out. Off the top of my head I think Biollante is another one where the final human versus human battle occurs after the monsters wrap up?

Tokyo SOS is another one kinda like this. The real climax is the JXSDF rescuing Chujo from Kiryu, which takes place after the monster battle has concluded. And I mean Godzilla's technically involved because Kiryu is carrying his webbed-up body to sea, but he doesn't participate in the climactic action at all. Pretty weird.

I think AMA may be the most successful of these movies at making a post-kaiju human climax satisfying because, even though it's farthest from the monster action in terms of screen time, it's a human climax that is directly motivated by Ichiro's relationship with Minya and Godzilla. Biollante keeps its human-focused final showdown as more of a coda, and returns to Godzilla pretty quickly, so it's doesn't become a pacing issue or feel like it dominates over the G/B conflict. In Tokyo SOS, on the other hand, Godzilla himself feels completely incidental to the finale.

Ah yes, SOS is another one! Great example Teresawa.
Eabaker, I think I'll have to agree about AMA having the most successful ending of these aforementioned films. It takes center stage in the best ways possible.

[Legion1979]

Well, the ending works because this movie isn't about the monsters. All the conflicts in the movie have nothing to do with Godzilla. It's about a kid whose parents are never home, who gets harassed by a bully and who ends up getting kidnapped by bank robbers. It's Ichiro's story, and the fantasy scenes are only there to help teach the kid the life lessons he isn't getting in the real world. It's a film that has a climax that CAN NOT be about a monster battle. It's a very personal movie by a director with something to say.

I know it's a cliche to say people don't get it. But...people don't get it.

[Voyager]

Underrated, too bad it’s shit on by the general fandom to no end.

[edgaguirus]

Well, the ending works because this movie isn't about the monsters. All the conflicts in the movie have nothing to do with Godzilla. It's about a kid whose parents are never home, who gets harassed by a bully and who ends up getting kidnapped by bank robbers. It's Ichiro's story, and the fantasy scenes are only there to help teach the kid the life lessons he isn't getting in the real world. It's a film that has a climax that CAN NOT be about a monster battle. It's a very personal movie by a director with something to say.

I know it's a cliche to say people don't get it. But...people don't get it.

Not to mention that some moments from the fight with the bank robbers parallel the fight with Gabara.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Well, the ending works because this movie isn't about the monsters. All the conflicts in the movie have nothing to do with Godzilla. It's about a kid whose parents are never home, who gets harassed by a bully and who ends up getting kidnapped by bank robbers. It's Ichiro's story, and the fantasy scenes are only there to help teach the kid the life lessons he isn't getting in the real world. It's a film that has a climax that CAN NOT be about a monster battle. It's a very personal movie by a director with something to say.

I know it's a cliche to say people don't get it. But...people don't get it.

It's funny because a few years back you called me out on parroting other people's beliefs (James Rolfe-types) on here, and I think a lot of people in general do the same. A lot of people saw GRA once, after watching a bad review of it and don't give it a second thought. "Haha, this is the one we make fun of right?". It's not my favorite film in the series, and it's not a film I'd recommend to people trying to get into Godzilla, but it's definitely a solid and worthy entry in the series. As you say, it also takes a lot of understanding that the film was made with a really specific idea in mind, and it for the most part faithfully executes what it's trying to accomplish: a simple story about a kid growing up with some minor peril that uses monsters that parallel the plot to entertain the viewer. Like most of the Showa series, the film is reflective of social issues at the time, especially ones that people might not "immediately get".

I think it's so fascinating that this is the film sandwiched between DAM and Godzilla vs. Hedorah. The three are so stylistically different and it really makes you appreciate the variety that went into these films. And yeah, I think AMA has the best post monster ending in the series.

[Spuro]

I know it's a cliche to say people don't get it. But...people don't get it.

Some people get it just fine. We just don't agree that the movie is good at executing its concepts and believe that it mishandles its ending. I appreciate that Godzilla's Revenge has a lot of artistic thought put into it, but at the end of the day the film just doesn't do it for me.

[godjacob]

I am not sure I want to live in a world where All Monsters Attack is considered this "misunderstood classic", for me it is the absolutely bottom of the barrel of the classic Toho franchise.

[Terasawa]

I totally understand why some fans don't like it, but I think the absolute vitriol hurled at it is excessive and ridiculous. It's harmless, but you wouldn't know that from the legion of mostly casual Godzilla fans who act like it traumatized them.

Edit: I'll always wonder if this film would have a better reputation among American G-fans had it been more widely released under this title as originally intended.

[Legion1979]

I dont think it would have mattered what this movie was called. People were going to close their minds and hate this film regardless.

[Spuro]

[pic=https://i.postimg.cc/Dng13xX1/All-Monst ... d-States-1[/pic]

Mildly off topic, but did they edit that poster to make Ichiro look more Caucasian???

[MaxRebo320]

You must have a very fragile ego if you cannot bear to live in a world where many people have a different opinion than you over a freaking movie.

Mildly off topic, but did they edit that poster to make Ichiro look more Caucasian???

Yeah, ever since seeing this poster for the first time in Sean Linkenback's Godzilla Collectibles guide, I always thought Ichiro looked...off. Though I almost think the airbrushing makes an attempt to have him look more "Asian" with the eyes and all.

[LSD Jellyfish]

A Youtuber named ZaGourdan recently put up a good review of the film:


He doesn't think that it's a classic, but it doesn't deserve the hate.

One thing that is discussed in the review is when Ichiro leaves at the end his mother starts crying. I never really understood that moment, but now I get it. She's upset that she wasn't around more to protect and help Ichiro. Thanks to this review, I got a lot more out of the film.

[LegendZilla]

This movie would likely be even more hated if it came out in the Heisei era.

[JAGzilla]

This movie would likely be even more hated if it came out in the Heisei era.

If only because it would be wildly out of place, yes. At least it fits in with its fellow Showa movies.

[Voyager]

This movie would likely be even more hated if it came out in the Heisei era.

I see a pattern of posts.

We don’t dislike movies for simply being part of the Heisei Era.