Movie Name: Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla
Rank: 2 godzillas

Review:
Well, the special effects are good, at least most of the time. Unfortunately,there are surprising lapses, and we've got another cheesy monster on our hands. This time, some Godzilla cells have managed to make it into space where they fell through a black hole, emerged in another part of the galaxy, and mutated into an "evil" version of Godzilla with telekinesis! Space godzilla looks just like regular Godzilla, except he has some giant plastic "crystals" glued to his back. Of course, he is filled with an uncontrollable urge to return to earth, who knows how, and kill the real Godzilla. Considering how good "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" was, it was really disappointing to see the U.N.'s latest mechanized anti-Godzilla weapon, MOGERA ["Mobile Operation Godzilla Expert Robot Aero-type"],in action. It looked and sounded like the 12" model it was, especially when flying in space. Plus, the "asteroid field" looked just like a bunch of styrofoam balls suspended in front of a velvet backdrop! [NOTE -- I had previously given this 2 1/2 "godzillas", but after watching it again I downgraded it to 2 "godzillas". A large part of that, though, is the sheer disappointment factor involved when comparing it to "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah", "Godzilla vs. Mothra" and "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla". I mean, "King Ghidrah" had it's cheesy moments, to be sure, but they were fun cheesy moments. There were too many spots in "Spacegodzilla" which were just badly done! My sincere apologies to Christian Dupuis, who has repeatedly tried in vain to convince me what a wonderful movie "Spacegodzilla" is.]


* * *
O.K. -- In response to the numerous people who have e-mailed me demanding to know why, exactly, I thought the movie was dumb, here are my top 7 reasons:


The space battle scene in the asteroid belt looked like styrofoam balls stuck to a velvet background!
The space ship in the aforementioned scene looked like a Pepsi Can [O.K. -- a Coors Light can] with wings.
"Little Godzilla" looks like a cross between the Pillsbury Doughboy and Barney! When he was first introduced in "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" as "Baby Godzilla", he looked like a juvenile mutant dinosaur, which is what he was. Now, however, they've decided to make him look "cute". That would be fine if the movie as a whole was intended to be lighthearted (a la "Son of Godzilla"), but this is apparently not the case. Here, it's just jarringly incongruous.
The entire explanation for Space Godzilla's existence was completely ludicrous. I mean, Godzilla cells somehow manage to make it into space, accidentally fall into a black hole [regardless of the fact that there isn't one within lightyears of here, if at all], then come out of a white hole at the far end of the galaxy, mutate into a punked-out clone of Godzilla who manages to find his way back across the galaxy to earth, etc., etc., etc.
The "crystals" on Space Godzilla's back look like plastic ice cubes.
Mechagodzilla was so well done, that Space Godzilla was a huge disappointment by comparison.
And finally, the number one reason....


Mogera looks like Woody Woodpecker!!!

CREDITS

Gojira tai Supesu Gojira [Godzilla vs Space Godzilla] (1994)

CAST
Kohji Shinjo..................Jun Hashizume
Chika Gondo................Towako Yoshikawa
Miki Saegusa...................Megumi Odaka
Kiyoshi Sato..............Zenkichi Yoneyama
Susumu Ohkubo..................Yosuke Saito
Commander Takaaki Asou..........Akira Nakao

CREW
Director...................Kensho Yamashita
Screenplay..............Hiroshi Kashiwabara
Special Effects.............Koichi Kawakita
Music......................Takayuki Hattori

Running Time: 108 min.

U.S. VERSION:
Released direct to video by TriStar Pictures
Running Time: 108 min.