No. 50 - Monster Zero (1965) - aka Invasion of the Astro-Monster

Giant Excitement! Giant Terror!

Rated: G (General audiences)

Director: Ishiro Honda; Screenplay: Shinichi Sekizawa

Starring: Akira Takarada, Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Jun Tazaki, Akira Kubo, Yoshio Tsuchiya

Movie Introduction: In the distant future, a space mission ventures to Planet X, an orb hidden on the dark side of Jupiter. Two astronauts, Fuji (Tanaka) and Glenn (Adams) man the craft, which safely lands. However, they quickly become acquainted with humanoid beings, called Xiliens, who appear benevolent. They impress upon the astronauts that their planet is besieged by the destructive "Monster Zero". When the beast appears, Glenn and Fuji immediately recognize it as King Ghidorah, the three-headed dragon that terrorized Earth recently (well, the last film). The planet's leader, The Controller, promises to deliver a miracle cure for all disease if Earth will allow the Xiliens to capture and transport Monster Zero One and Monster Zero Two, Godzilla and Rodan. Earth's governments are more than happy to get rid of these destructive behemoths. There is a twist however, the Xiliens have hidden nefarious plans for Earth!

Defining Moment: round one

Earth's officials have gladly surrendered monsters Godzilla and Rodan to the alien Xiliens. Using advanced technology, the aliens transport the two giant kaiju through space to Planet X. When the space monster, King Ghidorah, attacks, Godzilla and Rodan are re-hydrated and awakened just in time. An intense battle commences. Earth's mightiest monsters prevail, driving the space demon away.

Something subtle you might have missed:  moon dance

When the earth monsters initially defeat and drive away Ghidorah from Planet X, Godzilla does a brief shie victory dance. At age ten, I loved it! Some fans hated it. The director, Ishiro Honda, was against the idea, as was the man inside the Godzilla suit, Sadamasa Arikawa. However, the special effects crew really liked it because it gave the monsters some mildly comical traits. I'll let you decide. 

Memorable Quotes:

"We need an exterminator, one that would drive away King Ghidorah. We need from your Monster Zero 1 and Monster Zero 2, Godzilla and Rodan."– The Controller

Dad's Review:

This treasure of the early series of Toho kaiju films (now regarded as the "Shōwa period"), directed of course by Ishirō Honda, was originally released in Japan as Invasion of the Astro-Monster. I saw the film, as released in America in 1970, as Monster Zero. It was on a double-feature bill with The War of the Gargantuas (1966). This was Toho's sixth Godzilla film, and has become a bit of a cult classic.

Godzilla was so important to me that my Top50 list would be incomplete without at least one Godzilla film.

Picking one film from the many was difficult. There were three personal favorites in the running, including Monster Zero. Second was King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), the third Godzilla film. King Kong battled the foul-breathed lizard and emerged the victor. Supposedly, an alternate ending was shown i Japan where Godzilla was crowned king. I always loved our American version. It's exciting, well-dubbed, and fun. The one dig is the Kong suit which frankly looks too fake.

My other favorite is Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster (1971). The plot is a little too eccentric and contained some psychedelic "60's" moments, that have not aged well. That said, the battle scenes are AWESOME, especially the finale! Hedorah, with its deadly eye-lasers, is one of Godzilla's greatest foes.  A bonus is the infamous scene where Godzilla actually flies - oh man...it's so bad, it's good!

Instead I landed on the more traditional, Monster Zero.  It has all the classic Godzilla elements, and a better than usual plot. It takes itself serious, and, other than Godzilla's celebration dance, it does not pander to little children, as some of the later films did.

I was so bonkers over this film that took my assorted markers and drew storyboards from the film - all from memory! (remember, no internet back then) Some of my renderings were quite good, as I remember. I think I may still have them somewhere. If I find them, I promise to scan and post them here for your enjoyment.

This film takes place after the events in Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1964), where Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra drove the space monster away from Earth. Monster Zero explores a new and more interesting plot that gives us another superb Ghidorah film. He really is the greatest of Godzilla's adversaries. (The multi-headed monster would go on to make numerous appearances in all Godzilla eras).

One of my favorite scenes in the film is the Xilien's extraction of Earth's monsters.  Unknown to anyone on Earth, Godzilla rests at the bottom of Lake Myojin, while Rodan is buried in the side of a nearby mountain.  The very cool alien space saucers hover above the proper area, then begin emitting a tractor beam of light that pulls the monsters from their slumbering lairs and forms buzzing stasis bubbles around them.  These buzzing force-field orbs protected the monsters as they are transported into space and onward to Planet X. Back then, I was impressed with the look of this scene - it was unique to the other Godzilla films of that time. 

Of course the Xiliens have more sinister plans, and I will let you watch the film because I don't want to spoil it. The final monster battle is awesome, but brief by today's Godzilla film standards.

Back to No.1...Keelhauls

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Onto the Prime 200!