Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Legion1979 »

Very fair assessments of all the films!

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Kaltes-Herzeleid »

edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm 3. G vs Gigan- I know this film gets some flack, but I like the story and characters. It also has the best city rampage and one heck of a kaiju battle.
The entire refinery destruction and fight sequence is one of my favorites of the whole franchise. Great stuff.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Maritonic »

edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm

14. GRA- Among the Showa films, this is the one I watch the least. I love that it introduces Anguirus, but the third act slows the movie down.
As a staunch defender of Godzilla Raids Again, I will fully agree with you that the third act, right after Anguirus is killed, the movie comes to a screeching halt. The entire sequence trapping Godzilla in ice is SUPER slow. But I do so love the rest of that movie. Lot of fond memories of seeing it as a kid.

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Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:34 pm
edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm 3. G vs Gigan- I know this film gets some flack, but I like the story and characters. It also has the best city rampage and one heck of a kaiju battle.
The entire refinery destruction and fight sequence is one of my favorites of the whole franchise. Great stuff.
Same, the fire on Gigan's face is wonderful.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Mac Daddy MM »

This is really hard for me, because I like each decade of films for different reasons and think each have their strong points and weak points. But alas, of personal favorites and what I'm likely to watch more than others...

1. Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla
2. Godzilla vs. Gigan
3. Destroy All Monsters
4. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
5. Mothra vs. Godzilla
6. Godzilla
7. Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster
8. Son of Godzilla
9. King Kong vs. Godzilla
10. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero
11. Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster
12. Godzilla vs. Megalon
13. Terror of MechaGodzilla
14. Godzilla Raids Again
15. Godzilla's Revenge

This is not a ranking of how good they actually are, but just out of personal enjoyment.


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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by MechaGoji Bro7503 »

My ranking:

1) Terror of Mechagodzilla
2) Mothra vs Godzilla
3) Invasion of Astro-Monster
4) Son of Godzilla
4) Godzilla vs Gigan
6) King Kong vs Godzilla
7) Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
8) Gojira
9) Godzilla vs Hedorah
10) Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
11) Big Duel in the South Seas
12) Destroy all Monsters
13) Godzilla's Revenge
14) Godzilla vs Megalon
15) Godzilla Raids Again

I do not dislike any of these films, there are just ones I favor far more than others. Seeing Godzilla's growth as a character literally and in a meta way is a treat to see. Seeing Japan itself evolve is incredibly interesting. Showa Godzilla himself truly set the template for every Godzilla incarnation afterwards.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Jeff-Goldblum2 »

Invasion of The Astro-Monster
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla vs. Gigan
Gojira
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Son of Godzilla
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster
Godzilla's Revenge
Terror of MechaGodzilla
Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla Raids Again

I think I always love the Xilians and Godzilla being on Planet X the most as a concept for a fun movie. Something about it rings 60's b-movie in all the right ways for me.

I really like Hedorah and Gigan as monsters so I rate those pretty well.

Godzilla Raids Again really feels like a cheaper end of a Gamera movie, I understand that it's only the second Godzilla and a lot of franchise tropes hadn't been established yet.

Destroy All Monsters is by far the most overrated. Tons of the movie is quite poor and a lesser retread of Astro-Monster.

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by InfiniteHollywood »

Maritonic wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 5:58 am
edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm

14. GRA- Among the Showa films, this is the one I watch the least. I love that it introduces Anguirus, but the third act slows the movie down.
As a staunch defender of Godzilla Raids Again, I will fully agree with you that the third act, right after Anguirus is killed, the movie comes to a screeching halt. The entire sequence trapping Godzilla in ice is SUPER slow. But I do so love the rest of that movie. Lot of fond memories of seeing it as a kid.
I recall watching that as a kid when I was really young, and then catching it on a rare showing when I was a little older and thinking the movie was really good and underrated. But I feel like maybe I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have and I know I came into a little late.

Anyway, it took me several years, at least until I was a teen or whatever to finally watch it again and I recall just being bored to tears in the last act and not really enjoying the movie as a whole.

I haven't revisited since TBH, so I'm wondering how I'd feel these days.

Perhaps soon on a rainy day!

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Fropston »

Since I just got around to rewatching/first-watching the whole bunch, here's my list. I watched all of them subbed, if that makes any difference.

1. Gojira 1954
2. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
3. Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster
4. Mothra vs. Godzilla
5. Terror of Mechagodzilla
6. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
7. Invasion of Astro Monster
8. Godzilla vs. Gigan
9. Son of Godzilla
10. King Kong vs Godzilla
11. All Monsters Attack
12. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
13. Destroy All Monsters
14. Godzilla Raids Again
15. Godzilla vs. Megalon
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Terasawa »

Adjusted from my last stab at this, about two years ago.

1. Godzilla (54)
2. Mothra vs. Godzilla
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Monster Zero
5. Godzilla vs. Hedorah [+3]
6. Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster [+1]
7. Terror of Mechagodzilla [+2]
8. Son of Godzilla [-3]
9. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep [-3]
10. Godzilla Raids Again [+1]
11. Destroy All Monsters [-1]
12. Godzilla vs. Gigan
13. Godzilla's Revenge [-2]
14. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
15. Godzilla vs. Megalon

11-15 are definitely no better than below-average movies, but I like all fifteen here -- however, I think they're all pretty evenly ranked after DAM. I don't think Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is a bad movie, but there's such little depth to it that I can't bring myself to rank it over Godzilla vs. Gigan (worse production values but almost intangibly entertaining) and Godzilla's Revenge (which feels like such a personal work that I just find it more compelling). Godzilla vs. Gigan is a pretty self-aware movie (along the lines of, but not matching, King Kong vs. Godzilla) and it at least basically explores its manga tropes, all of which I find more interesting than the jejune Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.

Re; GRA -- I think it's just an OK little programmer, but fans seem to have such a low opinion of it that I think it's one of the most underrated films in the genre (still not as unappreciated as Battle in Outer Space, but...). More than any other element, its direction lets it down, but even that is workmanlike. On the other hand, though, it's the only film here besides G54 which directly evokes the horror of the bombings of Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. Anyway, its low ranking on my list is simply because the films ahead of it are better movies.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Gailah 1966 »

1. Godzilla - requires no words... just a masterpiece
2. Son of Godzilla - due to personal reasons this will be one of my all time favorites
3. Godzilla vs Gigan - Jun Fukuda didn´t want Ifukube`s music in his movies so the people could differentiate his and Ishiro Honda`s movies. But then, due to budget reasons Toho decided to use some old works from Master Ifukube and my god this worked so well. G vs G has it all! It´s heroic, dramatic and breath taking. If you consider the low budget this movie was Fukuda`s masterpiece. The endless team battle we all loved when we were children.

4. Destroy All Monsters - the last time Toho´s glorious quartett worked together, still a masterpiece
5. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep - Most underrated Godzilla moive. It has a nice story and a good cast.
6. Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster - As the movie is pretty good the end fight is somehow disappointing
7. Godzilla raids again - I like this one very much even if the end is pretty lengthy.
8. King Kong vs Godzilla - the one and only. Fun for the whole family.
9. Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla - The soundtrack is an evergreen, ask Rey Sifu and Gary Goodridge :)
10. Invasion of Astro Monster - nice one, not the best but still good. Kumi Mizuno, Akira Takarada and Mister Charming Nick Adams.
11. Godzilla vs Hedorah - Mr. Banno what have you done?!? Nevertheless, this movie has it´s moments.
12. Terror of Mechagodzilla - Not even Akira Ifukube and Ishiro Honda could save Godzilla at that point.

13. Mothra vs Godzilla - I don´t get it. Why do all love this movie so much? Okay, the Toho-star-cast is pretty good. I mean Akira Takarada, Kenji Sahara, Yuriko Hoshi, Jun Tazaki, Yu Fujiki... It´s great. But the kaiju battle is messed up due to a camera speed failure and the sound in this scene is not fitting. The battle against the two larvas is nothing special the story gets pretty weak at the end. So this remains a mystery to me and only 13th place.

14. Godzilla vs Megalon - Influence of Zone Fighter and Ultraman was too strong and budget was too low at this time.
15. Godzilla’s Revenge - It´s not that bad but still the weakest entry in the showa series to me.

Sorry for putting so much text into my ranking but I needed to say a few words to each entry.
Last edited by Gailah 1966 on Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:09 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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Gailah 1966 wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 9:05 am 13. Mothra vs Godzilla - I don´t get it. Why do all love this movie so much? Okay, the Toho-star-cast is pretty good. I mean Akira Takarada, Kenji Sahara, Yuriko Hoshi, Jun Tazaki, Yu Fujiki... It´s great. But the kaiju battle is messed up due to a camera speed failure and the sound in this scene is not fitting. The battle against the two larvas is nothing special the story gets pretty weak at the end. So this remains a mystery to me and only 13th place.
I think it was intentional, just as it was in every instance after the alleged mistake during filming Godzilla Raids Again. This was only the third monster-vs-monster film produced by Toho and I think Tsuburaya's crew was still experimenting. And while I don't think all of those shots work as maybe intended, I think the movie's other numerous strengths more than make up for it.

You mentioned the cast, but I want to highlight Takarada and Hoshi, who are two of the best actors ever featured in the Godzilla series. They directly contribute to one of the movie's best moments, Hoshi's emotional appeal to the Infant Islanders. It also features some of Tsuburaya's best work, one of Ifukube's best scores, and arguably the definitive Godzilla vs. JSDF sequences. While stranding the children on the island at the climax is a convenience to get our protagonists involved, it doesn't bother me because it's an advancement of the film's primary idea and it provides the conclusion to Takarada's character's development. And the rescue segments themselves don't at all detract from the monster fight going on at the same time.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by eabaker »

Yeah, I've never seen it suggested that the use of high speed photography in the effects scenes was a mistake. My understanding has always been that they were done that way to add speed and dynamism to the inherently slow movements of the imago Mothra puppet. I find it a very effective choice that does a lot for the energy of the scenes.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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The only shot where I think it feels obtrusive is at 1:04:02 here, and only because Godzilla's movements are too jerky.

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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eabaker wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 12:02 pm My understanding has always been that they were done that way to add speed and dynamism to the inherently slow movements of the imago Mothra puppet. I find it a very effective choice that does a lot for the energy of the scenes.
I agree. It also made a good contrast between the kaiju. We have the powerful, lumbering Godzilla, and the fast, agile Mothra.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:34 pm
edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm 3. G vs Gigan- I know this film gets some flack, but I like the story and characters. It also has the best city rampage and one heck of a kaiju battle.
The entire refinery destruction and fight sequence is one of my favorites of the whole franchise. Great stuff.
It would’ve been considered one of the all-time greats had it not been for so much stock footage.

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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LegendZilla wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 6:29 pm
Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:34 pm
edgaguirus wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 1:36 pm 3. G vs Gigan- I know this film gets some flack, but I like the story and characters. It also has the best city rampage and one heck of a kaiju battle.
The entire refinery destruction and fight sequence is one of my favorites of the whole franchise. Great stuff.
It would’ve been considered one of the all-time greats had it not been for so much stock footage.
Care to explain? I’m intrigued on the thought process here.
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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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Voyager wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 6:33 pm
LegendZilla wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 6:29 pm
Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:34 pm

The entire refinery destruction and fight sequence is one of my favorites of the whole franchise. Great stuff.
It would’ve been considered one of the all-time greats had it not been for so much stock footage.
Care to explain? I’m intrigued on the thought process here.
In my opinion, the only real thing holding this movie back is it’s budgetary restraints. Everything else is minor.

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Gojira1604 »

1. Gojira
2. Godzilla Vs Hedorah
2.5. Zone Fighter
3. Invasion of Astro Monster
4. Mothra Vs Godzilla
5. Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla
6. Son of Godzilla
7. Godzilla Vs Gigan
8. Godzilla Vs Megalon
9. Godzilla Raids Again
10. Terror of Mechagodzilla
11. Godzilla's Revenge
12. Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

Post by Legion1979 »

....you're missing 3 films

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Re: Your ranking of the Showa Godzilla films

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Legion1979 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 3:25 am ....you're missing 3 films
Haven't seen them recently enough. DAM I remember not being partial to though.

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