Dir. Ishiro Honda
88 Minutes
Japan
1968
Starring: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yoshio Tsuchiya
***/*****
With waning financial returns, Toho decided to conclude their run of Godzilla films with a real juggernaut: the giant, multi-kaiju spectacle of Destroy All Monsters. Taking place in 1999 where humans have (somehow) attained world peace, the film begins on Monster Island, a confined area for all of Earth's kaiju (Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Baragon, Anguirus, and plenty more) with a controlled environment underneath to contain and study the beasts. When the alien Kilaaks gain mind control of the scientists in charge of Monster Island, connection with the kaiju are lost and they begin attacking cities. And when their plan starts to falter, they unleash the three-headed King Ghidorah leading to a giant brawl of the nine beasts against one for the safety of Earth.
Much of this plot exists as an excuse to merge all of these monsters, though the time jump and introduction of Monster Island is a particularly clever touch that manages to avoid an excess of exposition. Toho's general thriftiness in reusing successful sequences, such as the beautiful unveiling of King Ghidorah which is getting its third go-round in the franchise, allows for a bit more of attention to be put into the final confrontation. And the movie revels in the understanding of its simplicity, making this a mostly spiritual entry even though after its set-up it lacks many creative touches and relying on some "hit" plot points (the alien plot itself having echoes of Invasion of Astro-Monster). While the film ends on a hopeful note, with Toho's intent to complete their extended Godzilla narrative perhaps in their minds, the creation of Monster Island and the unrelenting survival of Godzilla as an entity that just cannot die makes this peace feel entirely temporary, though Destroy All Monsters certainly concludes a particular cycle, a dividing line within the Showa era that will have a noticeable shift with the next entry.
May 18th, 2020