Destroy All Monsters! - Sequential Tart
- Sequential Tart
- Sheena McNeil
- 11/01/04
- click here
"If you like Godzilla or other Japanese monster movies then you really need to get this DVD."
Destroy All Monsters: 50th Anniversary Special Edition
by Sheena McNeil
Reviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk.
Studio
ADV Films
http://www.advfilms.com
Credits
Director: Ishiro Honda
Starring: Akira Kubo, Yukiko Kobayashi, Kyoko Ai, Jun Tazaki, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenji Sahara, and Andrew Hughes
Rating: PG
Grade: 8
I love Godzilla movies. When I was younger, my brothers and I would watch them (and the other Japanese monster movies) all the time. Destroy All Monsters is one I saw once, a long time ago so I wasn't extremely familiar with it. This particular DVD is the 50th anniversary special edition with two discs: the movie and the soundtrack.
The year is 1999, and all of the world's monsters have been contained on an island (Monsterland) with a specific shield to keep each monster there. An alien race known as the Kilaak have freed the monsters and are controlling their minds and actions in order to claim earth for themselves. The crew of the Moonlight SY-3 must find a way to stop the Kilaak operating from their lunar base and another base within Mt. Fiji before humanity is whiped from the face of the Earth. In order to do this, they must gain control of the monsters for themselves. When that fails, and the monsters think on their own once again, will they fight together or will they be defeated by the space monster, King Ghidora?
The movie was made in 1968, and it's amazing (and a bit humorous) to see where they thought the world and technology would be by the year 1999. And the title is misleading ? only once monsters dies, and it isn't killed by mankind so they aren't 'destroying all monsters'. Looking back, some of the special effects, and the stilted acting are not so good, and occasionally funny, but the monsters are quite well done. Yes, the do sometimes look like the puppets/bodysuits they are (especially when Anguirus crawls away in one battle, with rather human-like back legs), but still, the designs and details are exceptional.
The movie is dubbed into English, and is pretty good. There are a few voices that sound a bit funny, and there are some odd pauses due to the voice actors trying to match lip flaps, but overall, it's well done (if a little stilted). While I'm used to, and enjoy, the dubs of these monster movies, I would really like to see the sub (especially with a special edition like this). How hard is it to use the original film in Japanese and add subtitles? It's already translated with the dub. Oh well.
The 30 track soundtrack is actually rather long considering the movie is only 90 minutes. Much of the music is ominous ? which fits well with a 'scary' monster movie. The more up-beat battle anthem of the humans is a wonderful complement to the movie and the rest of the music. However, by the end of the movie and soundtrack, I am quite tired of hearing that same musical theme over and over. Some of the music also has that 'space age' synthesized sound since this movie involves aliens and space travel. I don't know how often I'll listen to the soundtrack, but it's enjoyable music (albiet a bit dark) and a very nice bonus with the movie.
If you like Godzilla or other Japanese monster movies then you really need to get this DVD. Godzilla, Mothra, Anguirus, Baragon, Gorosaurus, King Ghidora, Kumonga, Manda, Minilla, Rodan, Varan, and the son of Godzilla all make an appearance. I love Kumongo (the spider) ? and if it wasn't such a complicated puppet there might have been more of it, but as it was, it had a small part. Godzilla, of course, steals much of the monster lime-light, but he is, without question, one of the best monsters ever. This movie is a little different from the others in that the monsters destroy cities all over the world (not just Tokyo) and don't fight each other (except for King Ghidora). It's still not my favorite Godzilla movie, but it's fun to watch with the plethora of monsters it has!
Posted on Monday, November 01, 2004 (Archive on Wednesday, December 01, 2004)