Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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godjacob
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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LSD Jellyfish wrote:
godjacob wrote:I have one question between both movies, why the hell do these aliens seem to know so little about their own creation? They rely on a human to fix their own machine on two occasions and even let the doctor's daughter have full control over it here.
I don't have an exact reason for GvMG, but in the context of TOMG, placing the control of MG inside Katsura actually made a lot of sense. Often I forget it, but it was them responding to the issues with MG in the previous film. Having a base where they were stuck to made them vulnerable. During the climax of the film, a big plot point is interpol entering a deserted base, only to find that it's an elaborate trap. Another big part of Dr. Mafune, and why Katsura was chosen, was because of Titanosaurus. It gave Mafune an explicit reason to not betray the aliens. First, they "saved her", and second if Mafune wanted to disable MechaGodzilla he would have to kill his own daughter. Titanosaurus was an instrumental part of their plan to kill Godzilla, as Titanosaurus works well as a partner to MG as it compensates for some of it's weaknesses.

Katsura being chosen as a vessel to control MG2 might seem convoluted, and it is, but in the context of the film it makes a lot of sense. What they didn't expect, was for Katsura and Dr. Ichinose to fall in love. It's great IMO.
And that's fine, but the aliens seem to ignore a glaring weakness with this. If anything happens to Katsura, even on accident, they lose MG. If an enemy came in who didn't care for Katsura and just shot her while attacking the aliens they are kinda screwed over. Seems a bit risky just to keep Mafune in line.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Terasawa »

Because, dramatically, these are the stories the writers wanted to tell.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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I like Katsura being the MG controller a lot more than later incarnations where MG because a stock standard bland mecha.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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LSD Jellyfish wrote:I like Katsura being the MG controller a lot more than later incarnations where MG because a stock standard bland mecha.
I wouldn't exactly call Kiryu a bland mecha...
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by HedorahIsBestGirl »

godjacob wrote:
LSD Jellyfish wrote:I like Katsura being the MG controller a lot more than later incarnations where MG because a stock standard bland mecha.
I wouldn't exactly call Kiryu a bland mecha...
I wouldn't either, but having Mechagodzilla be controlled by one of the film's main characters, leading to a tragic ending where she is forced to kill herself to shut it down, is one of the best narratives in the whole Godzilla series. Kiryu being possessed by the spirit of Godzilla is interesting, but honestly makes a lot less sense than a controller being inserted inside of a cyborg if we're going to start questioning the logic of these movies.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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HedorahIsBestGirl wrote:
godjacob wrote:
LSD Jellyfish wrote:I like Katsura being the MG controller a lot more than later incarnations where MG because a stock standard bland mecha.
I wouldn't exactly call Kiryu a bland mecha...
I wouldn't either, but having Mechagodzilla be controlled by one of the film's main characters, leading to a tragic ending where she is forced to kill herself to shut it down, is one of the best narratives in the whole Godzilla series. Kiryu being possessed by the spirit of Godzilla is interesting, but honestly makes a lot less sense than a controller being inserted inside of a cyborg if we're going to start questioning the logic of these movies.
In theory it could be, but for me the film doesn't do much to really get you to fully sympathize with Katsura and that relationship she has the lead so I never got the emotional hook the filmmakers intended. Doesn't help she has love for a father whose motivation for wanting to destroy the world is a bit over the top and hard to get behind.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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HedorahIsBestGirl wrote:
godjacob wrote:
LSD Jellyfish wrote:I like Katsura being the MG controller a lot more than later incarnations where MG because a stock standard bland mecha.
I wouldn't exactly call Kiryu a bland mecha...
I wouldn't either, but having Mechagodzilla be controlled by one of the film's main characters, leading to a tragic ending where she is forced to kill herself to shut it down, is one of the best narratives in the whole Godzilla series. Kiryu being possessed by the spirit of Godzilla is interesting, but honestly makes a lot less sense than a controller being inserted inside of a cyborg if we're going to start questioning the logic of these movies.
The fact that Godzilla's bones are in Kiryu is so underdeveloped and plays little to no part in the film. Kiryu goes berserk once, and then runs out of power, only to be later used as if little happened. In the sequel, there's something Shintoistic regarding returning the bones to the sea, but Mothra quickly stops caring and it's abandoned.

Meanwhile, in TOMG, Katsura is the focus of the film, serving both as a direct antagonist and love interest for the hero, as well as being the daughter of one of the antagonists. It's one of the most interesting character dynamics ever, and is fully realized as her being a cyborg directly ties into the ending.

Sure, Kiryu being made from Godzilla is interesting on paper, but TOMG does way more with it.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Voyager »

This is my new favourite Godzilla film, it’s surpassed Mothra vs Godzilla now. I still think it’s the inferior film of the two but sill.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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godjacob wrote: Doesn't help she has love for a father whose motivation for wanting to destroy the world is a bit over the top and hard to get behind.
When is love ever completely rational? Anyway, he's her father, and she knew him before he was a deranged monster hell-bent on revenge. There was more to him, but circumstances buried it.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Omegazilla »

One of my favorites in the whole Showa series. It is very goody, cheesy, awkward, and just plain over the top and nonsensical at times, but it is fun! It is definitely different and unique in the whole series that's for sure. Those alien space suits are awesomely silly and there are plenty of flashy special effects and action to go around.

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by H-Man »

As I was watching this last week, I noticed something: when Katsura seeks out Ichinose to give him her father's notebooks and they sit down for a cup of tea, "Claire de Lune" is playing in the background at the restaurant. That piece of music now has special meaning within the Godzilla fandom.

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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The irony is that the original MG, both 74 and 75, are less hokey than the supposedly more grounded iterations that came later. In the case of Heisei, we’re supposed to believe that humanity put together a diamond-encrusted, reverse-engineered mech in two years and shaped it like Godzilla for no apparent reason. Millennium gets away with this because of the mech being built over an existing skeleton, but then becomes the hokiest of all by introducing this spirit subplot- one that spirals beyond laughability at the end of Tokyo SOS.

From a writing standpoint, like in terms of what you’re asking from the audience, Showa MG is ideal. It looks like Godzilla because part of the plan is to trick the humans. It’s hard to destroy because it’s made from a foreign alloy. And if you think about it, implanting its control mechanisms in a seemingly innocent human would be pretty ideal.

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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H-Man wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:14 am As I was watching this last week, I noticed something: when Katsura seeks out Ichinose to give him her father's notebooks and they sit down for a cup of tea, "Claire de Lune" is playing in the background at the restaurant. That piece of music now has special meaning within the Godzilla fandom.
It might become to Godzilla what Ave Maria is to Hitman.

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by The Killer Meteor »

Living Corpse wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:26 am
H-Man wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:14 am As I was watching this last week, I noticed something: when Katsura seeks out Ichinose to give him her father's notebooks and they sit down for a cup of tea, "Claire de Lune" is playing in the background at the restaurant. That piece of music now has special meaning within the Godzilla fandom.
It might become to Godzilla what Ave Maria is to Hitman.
Funnily enough, Kenji Sahara is in ToMG AND the 1998 Hong Kong movie Hitman. ;)

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by GodzillaFanatic2001 »

I found a fan magazine from the 70's online that has a "synopsis" of the then-upcoming Terror Of Mechagodzilla, it's an interesting read. Among interesting differences are the Mu Empire being involved in the plot, and from what the end of the article says, the author seems to have gotten his plot synopsis from a Japanese comic adaptation.
https://archive.org/details/japanese-gi ... 5/mode/2up
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Zasraniec »

So does anyone else like that lead alien? Just his goofy uniform and over the top mannerisms are just great! That said while I like this one I preferred the previous Mechagodzilla movie.

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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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I was more confused if the alien leader was the same guy reborn (Hence the new suit) or a new character who happened to be played by the same actor. Which I felt the Showa era was a bit guilty of getting egregious with at times.

And as far as the alien leader, I think I was just fatigued by the alien invader trope at this point I was indifferent to the ones here.
Last edited by godjacob on Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

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Zasraniec wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:56 pm So does anyone else like that lead alien? Just his goofy uniform and over the top mannerisms are just great! That said while I like this one I preferred the previous Mechagodzilla movie.
As do I. Kuronuma has more of that slimy charm than Mugal.
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Jermobooka »

I might like Kiryu more than Showa...but damn, this film really put ‘em at an extremely close second

Oh, and Terror is good too, i guess lol
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Re: Talkback: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Post by Voyager »

This movie is pure KINO! Best Showa G film since ‘64. Godzilla is badass, MG is badass, Titanosaurus is there, Katsura, her love interest, Dr Mafune and Mugal are all amazing!
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