Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko (1967)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Jun Fukuda

Writers:

Shinichi Sekizawa (writer)
Kazue Shiba (writer)

Release Date:

16 December 1967 (Japan)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Japan's Greatest Foe Delivers an Heir!

Plot:

Scientists experimenting with changes in weather on a tropical island get more than they bargained for when Godzilla shows up to battle humongous insects and protect his newborn child.

Plot Keywords:

Godzilla | Scientist | Island | Weather | Giant Spider

Cast

Tadao Takashima	...	Dr. Kusumi
Akira Kubo	...	Goro Maki
Bibari Maeda	...	Riko (Saeko) Matsumiya
Akihiko Hirata	...	Fujisaki
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Furukawa
Kenji Sahara	...	Morio
Kenichiro Maruyama	...	Ozawa
Seishiro Kuno	...	Tashiro
Yasuhiko Saijo	...	Suzuki
Susumu Kurobe	...	Navigator
Kazuo Suzuki	...	Pilot
Wataru Omae	...	Radio Operator
Chotaro Togin	...	Surveyor
Seiji Onaka	...	Gojira
Haruo Nakajima	...	Gojira

Also Known As:

Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son
Son of Godzilla (USA)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some sci-fi monster violence.

Runtime:

USA:84 min | Japan:86 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:U | USA:PG (re-rating) | USA:G (original rating)

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

A pool was set up on stage nine during the production (stage nine is one of the largest on Toho's lot in Setagaya). They used the pool, which was about five feet deep, to film the shot of Godzilla rising above the surface of the ocean. Haruo Nakajima (the actor in Godzilla suit) was on a cart on a rail. He held onto the handle of the cart while it was towed by a truck. As the cart moved forward, he slowly rose out of the water. He wore a very tiny air cylinder that contained enough air for about ten minutes. The water that rushed by his face while the cart was being towed made it very difficult for him to prevent the mouthpiece from coming out of his mouth.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In several scenes the strings used to manipulate the Minya, Kamacuras and Kumonga marionettes as well as Godzilla's tail are clearly visible.

Quotes:

Goro Maki: [Godzilla and Minya are close by] Riko, I think they spotted us.
Riko Matsumiya: No, it appears to be teaching its son.
Goro Maki: Teaching its son?
[Riko nods]
Goro Maki: It's teaching its son all right. And, he's teaching its son just like people teaching its children, just like a papa.
Riko Matsumiya: Well, it is a papa, isn't it?
Goro Maki: Well sure, but I wouldn't want one like that.
Riko Matsumiya: Nor I, everything's relative I guess.
Goro Maki: You're right.

Movie Connections:

Featured in So war das S.O.36 (1985)

neat, neat

Son of Godzilla is one of those weird movies which inspire strange feelings. The story is unique, no Godzilla doing his typical destruction. The story centers on the very human relationship between Godzilla and his son, Minya. This movie really touched me on this level. Some scenes really stick in my mind. The great scene with Godzilla teaching Minya how to shoot radioactive fire comes to mind. There is a real bond that comes out. When Minya is confronted with a monster, i.e. a bully, Godzilla makes Minya fight his own battle but is always there to back up his son.

Godzilla protects Minya and teaches him lessons; and in one of the climactic scenes, the son fights for his father's life; this is poignant. The scene at the end of the film in which father and son embrace to huddle from the cold is touching. If you divorce this from the typical Godzilla movie, what you are left with is a movie about a very close bond between father and son. I think I'm probably the only one who appreciates this movie on this deep a level.

One question: What Hollywood movie has a positive view of a father and son relationship?--- This movie made me very emotional, go figure. In short, if you want to see a typical camp Godzilla, look elsewhere. If you want to see something with emotional content; see this movie

8++++++/10