Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by Rando Yaguchi »

JAGzilla wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 1:48 pm *Gamera and Guiron sit dejectedly on the sidelines, wondering why they've been forgotten*
*has PTSD flashbacks of Guiron slicing Space Gyaos up like a guillotine*
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by SonOfGorgo »

Can I just bring how utterly bizarre and surreal this polish poster is?
I know the Godzilla showa era can be known for many weird, misleading posters in many countries, but this one...
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Like, what the hell is that "thing" supposed to be?
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Still the best, 1955... 8-)

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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by MaxRebo320 »

That...thing's "beak" always made me think it was meant to be Rodan, but honestly, who knows. That's why I kind of love it.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by SonOfGorgo »

MaxRebo320 wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 10:00 am That...thing's "beak" always made me think it was meant to be Rodan, but honestly, who knows. That's why I kind of love it.
I suppose so, but then again, the angle seems a bit off. And honestly, it's looks like an attempt to "draw/paint" a pair of thick sneering lips.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by edgaguirus »

It looks more like an angry chicken than Rodan.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by Masterofsome01 »

Ah the first of many Alien Invasion plots in Godzilla movies and still my favorite, Nick Adams brings a Kaiju-sized amount of cheesy 60s charisma, the human scenes have enough going on to keep me entertained until the monsters start brawling which is pretty great too, this film also gave us the Monster Zero March which is one of Ifukube's best pieces IMO and the Xiliens are a big selling point for me compared to some of the other Aliens we get in later films and I feel that because they aren't trying to be villains at first (Sure it was all a ruse to begin with), the characters and by extension the audience were invited into their homes, their world. we learned little by little about their society how the number everything, act like robots in trying to emulate the efficacy of their technology, how gold means very little to them as it's everywhere on Planet X and they want Earth for it's large amount of water which the have very little of themselves, the Xiliens out of all other Aliens in the Showa Era felt the the most flushed out

With all that praise being said this film does rub me the wrong way with how it stated the trend of making Ghidorah a lackey to be controlled by an invading force rather than the uncontrollable and chaotic entity shown in Gt3HM

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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by MogeGoji1994 »

What did the Xilien leader mean at the end of the film when he was talking about escaping to an unknown future? I felt it was an odd inclusion when I was watching the movie recently. Does anyone have any insight into this?
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

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MogeGoji1994 wrote: Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:07 am What did the Xilien leader mean at the end of the film when he was talking about escaping to an unknown future? I felt it was an odd inclusion when I was watching the movie recently. Does anyone have any insight into this?
Clearly he escaped into the Final Wars timeline. Toho was building towards a No Way Home style multiverse movie since 1966. All part of the master plan.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by The One and Only »

I knew it. Those Japanese really think ahead.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by JAGzilla »

Rewatching Monster Zero right now for the first time since 2012. I'm glad I waited, because even remembering how much I loved it, I'm still getting that Dr. Grant "Oh my God, I'd forgotten" feeling.

The scenes of the spaceship flying are surprisingly impressive; that shot of Jupiter as they approach it, not so much . :lol: The Jupiter background as the ship lands is incredible, though. More thoughts to come.

And the initial meeting with the Controller of Planet X is great. Even if the kaiju are puppets in this movie, you don't forget what they're supposed to be. "Can't you drive him away?" "If you have any idea how to do that, please, won't you tell us?" Lot of good lines in that scene.
Last edited by JAGzilla on Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by Spuro »

JAGzilla wrote: Wed Mar 09, 2022 10:40 pm "Can't you drive him away?" "If you have any idea how to do that, please, won't you tell us?" Lot of good lines in that scene.
It's for sure one of the best Godzilla dubs out there, for my money. I usually avoid dubbed movies where I can, but I'll happily watch the American version of MZ.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by JAGzilla »

Yeah. I haven't seen it in Japanese yet, and I thought about trying it this time, but... it's such a good dub, and I'd hate to lose Nick Adams' original performance. Next time, I guess.

Also, the scene where the saucers capture Godzilla and Rodan never fails to impress. Tsuburaya was at the top of his game with this movie.

EDIT: That shot of Godzilla and Rodan beginning the attack with Mt. Fuji and the saucers in the background is top-tier. Wow.

I love Godzilla's boxing moves during the final battle. :lol: And Rodan's wings being set on fire by the gravity beams was a cool touch. That fight gets dismissed for being so short, but its small amount of screen time was used well. It was an intense, closely matched little skirmish.

Yeah, overall this movie is one of Toho's greats. A solid cast of memorable characters, an iconic plot that would be recycled into a genre staple, effects that could almost hold up today, some of the genre's best photography and sets, and even a high quality dub. Ifukube phoned it in just a little bit, but his score had its moments. Just an outstanding movie to experience.
Last edited by JAGzilla on Thu Mar 10, 2022 12:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by UltramanGoji »

A hybridized version of the Japanese dialogue with Nick Adams' on-set English voice should be the bog standard version of this movie if Toho absolutely must have only one.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by Spuro »

UltramanGoji wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 9:22 am A hybridized version of the Japanese dialogue with Nick Adams' on-set English voice should be the bog standard version of this movie if Toho absolutely must have only one.
I'm surprised there isn't a fan cut like the Return of Godzilla/1985 combined cut.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by JAGzilla »

UltramanGoji wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 9:22 am A hybridized version of the Japanese dialogue with Nick Adams' on-set English voice should be the bog standard version of this movie if Toho absolutely must have only one.
Full agreement. You get the best of both worlds that way.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by Legion1979 »

As cool as a version featuring all natural dialog would be as a novelty, I'd never want it to be the only version available. I dont know if I'd be able to relax with the movie if the language is constantly jumping back and forth between English and Japanese.

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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by szmigiel »

Legion1979 wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:13 am As cool as a version featuring all natural dialog would be as a novelty, I'd never want it to be the only version available. I dont know if I'd be able to relax with the movie if the language is constantly jumping back and forth between English and Japanese.
You should try the Japanese version of Gunhed. In the opening act characters either speak Japanese or English and converse back and forth, then in the 2nd and 3rd Act it is just Nim and Gunhed speak all their lines in English, and Brooklyn speaks in Japanese. There is a nice touch in the film where Nim says one line to Brooklyn in Japanese, and Brooklyn says one line in English to Gunhed.

I wish I still had the subtitled version of Gunhed since the US release is dub only.

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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by eabaker »

Legion1979 wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:13 am As cool as a version featuring all natural dialog would be as a novelty, I'd never want it to be the only version available. I dont know if I'd be able to relax with the movie if the language is constantly jumping back and forth between English and Japanese.
Plus, it doesn't accurately represent the way the movie was originally released in any market, and I doubt there was ever any intent by the filmmakers that it would be seen in a hybrid-language version. I'd be interested in watching it as a curiosity, but I certainly don't think it should be any kind of default.
Last edited by eabaker on Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by UltramanGoji »

Spuro wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:40 am I'm surprised there isn't a fan cut like the Return of Godzilla/1985 combined cut.
There is, but I have no idea where you can find it.

For the record, I don't think it should be the only version available either, but it definitely is the best way to see the movie IMO. The Japanese version loses a lot of charm with dubbing over Adams' original lines. Without them, the dialogue is way stockier and duller. The English dub is really good for the most part as well, but I really like hearing the original actor's performances myself.
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Re: Talkback Thread #6: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

Post by miguelnuva »

I forgot where I saw it but someone made a quick monster zero three scene on Twitter where Imago Mothra joins right before the mind control where's off.
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