Movie Name: Gigantis, The Fire Monster
Rank:: 1 1/2 godzillas
 

Review:
I saw this movie many years after watching my first Godzilla film, and it was quite the surreal experience! My copy is in English, and I honestly can't tell if the plot really is full of gaping holes, or whether it's just the atrocious dubbing. The title monster is never actually called "Godzilla". In fact, reference is made to Godzilla's previous attack on Tokyo, and this new monster is assumed to be a member of the same species as Godzilla. According to this movie, Godzilla and this new monster are both members of a species of ancient "fire creatures" which lived millions of years ago and have been hibernating ever since. Scientists know this, apparently, because of a book which they found which explains, in great detail, the history and evolution of these creatures. Where this book came from is anybody's guess! The movie does try hard to recreate the somber feel of the first film, and to a limited degree it succeeds. There are some very spiffy fight scenes between Gigantis and another creature called "Anguiras" [or "Angilas"], and lot's of collateral property damage. Unfortunately, there is also a running narration explaining everything you have seen, are seeing, and might possibly see in the future! And, as mentioned before, the dubbing truly is atrocious.


* * *
Movie Name: Godzilla Raids Again (original Japanese version)
Rank:: 3 godzillas

Review:
Wow -- what a difference! I finally got a subtitled version of the original Japanese version of this, the second Godzilla movie ever made. All I can say is that they really butchered the American version of this film. Where the American version is completely nonsensical in parts, the Japanese version is clear and straightforward. No boring voice-over narration, and no "expert" American scientists spouting nonsense about prehistoric "Fire Creatures." This movie pretty much clears up the question of how Godzilla survived his destruction in the first movie; he didn't -- this is another Godzilla. All in all, a good story, as Godzilla returns to Japan, has a tremendous battle with another monster, Angilas, and is eventually defeated. My only complaint is that during a number of the fight scenes the action appears to be sped up instead of slowed down, and it looks really odd....


CREDITS

Gojira no Gyakushu [Counterattack of Godzilla] (1955)
Released in U.S. as Gigantis the Fire Monster (1959)

CAST
Shoichi Tsukioka...................Hiroshi Koizumi
Koji Kobayashi.......................Minoru Chiaki
Hidemi Yamaji.....................Setsuko Wakayama
Kohei Yamaji..........................Yukio Kasama

CREW
Director...............................Motoyoshi Oda
Screenplay...........Takeo Murata & Shigeaki Hidaka
Original Story......................Shigeru Kayama
Special Effects.....................Eiji Tsuburaya
Music..................................Masaru Sato

Running time: 82 minutes

U.S. VERSION:
Released by Warner Bros.
Supervisor.....Hugo Grimaldi
Producer.....Paul Schreibmann
Alternate titles: Godzilla Raids Again, Godzilla's Counterattack
Running time: 78 minutes