Dir. Ishiro Honda
85 Minutes
Japan
1964
Starring: Yosuke Natsuki, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito
Ishirō Honda returns for a pair of Godzilla films that introduce the three-headed behemoth Ghidorah, as well as incorporating aliens as a plot device that basically fully pivots the giant lizard from a rampaging villain that must be destroyed to basically the only savior that can stop the world from even greater destruction. Also in the mix is a bizarre subplot involving a Princess visiting Japan and a police detective assigned to guard her from political assassination, with the evading of a group of contract killers overlapping with the brawl between Godzilla (and the pair of new Mothra's from the previous installment) and Ghidorah. Honda finds a nice balance between the menace and general awe of the spectacle on hand, though the gloomy and melancholic tone of it earliest installments is officially gone. Regardless, the series since feels fresh and the pair of his alien-themed films quite entertaining.
Viewed on May 4th, 2020
Part of the ongoing Godzilla Project, notes on selected films in the Godzilla franchise.