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Template:Infopelicula Son of Godzilla (怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子?, Kaijū-tō no Kessen Gojira no Musuku, lit. Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son) is a 1967 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Toho Company Ltd., and the eighth installment in the Godzilla series as well as the Showa series. The film was released to Japanese theaters on December 16, 1967. Template:TOC
Plot
A team of scientists stationed on Sogell Island attempts to perfect a weather control system. Their efforts are hampered by the presence of giant praying mantis-like creatures and by the arrival of a nosy reporter. The first test of the weather control system goes awry when the remote control for a radioactive balloon is jammed by an unexplained signal coming from the center of the island. The balloon detonates prematurely, creating a radioactive storm that causes the giant mantises to grow to enormous sizes. Investigating the mantises, now called Kamacuras, the scientists find the creatures digging an egg out from under a pile of earth. The egg hatches, revealing a baby Godzilla. The scientists realize that the baby's cries for help were the cause of the interference that ruined their experiment. Soon Godzilla himself arrives on the island, incidentally stomping the scientist's base as he rushes to defend his offspring. Godzilla kills 2 Kamacuras. One is killed by being beaten up in an action move based off of the Waltz, and the other is blown up by Godzilla's atomic breath.
The baby quickly grows to about half the size of his father, and Godzilla instructs the child on the important monster skills of roaring and using his radioactive breath. At first, the baby has difficulty producing anything more than smoke rings, but Godzilla discovers that stressful conditions, such as stomping on the baby's tail, produce a true radioactive blast. Dubbed Minilla, the baby comes to the aid of Riko when she is attacked by a Kamacuras, but inadvertently awakens Kumonga, a giant spider. The spider attacks the caves where the scientists are hiding, and Minilla stumbles into the fray.
The scientists decide to complete their experiment, thereby freezing the monsters so they can escape. Godzilla comes to the aid of his offspring, and together the two are able to defeat Kumonga, with Minilla finally learning to control his radioactive blast. As the scientists escape to a waiting submarine they witness Minilla succumbing to the cold. Unable to abandon his offspring, Godzilla shelters his son in his arms, and the two fall unconscious. The scientists realize that the cold has placed the two monsters into a state of hibernation, but they will awaken once the snow melts and live in peace on the island.
Staff
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Jun Fukuda
- Written by Shinichi Sekizawa, Kazue Shiba
- Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka
- Music by Masaru Sato
- Cinematography by Kazuo Yamada
- Edited by Ryohei Fujii
- Production design by Takeo Kita, Akira Watanabe
- Special effects by Teisho Arikawa, Eiji Tsuburaya
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Akira Kubo as Goro Maki
- Bibari Maeda as Riko Matsumiya
- Doctor Kusumi as Tadao Takashima
- Akihiko Hirata as Fujisaki
- Yoshio Tsuchiya as Furukawa
- Kenji Sahara as Morio
- Kenichiro Maruyama as Ozawa
- Seishiro Kuno as Tashiro
- Yasuhiko Saijo as Suzuki
- Susumu Kurobe as Navigator
- Kazuo Suzuki as Pilot
- Wataru Omae as Radio Operator
- Chotaro Togin as Surveyor
- Osman Yusuf as Submarine Captain
Appearances
Monsters
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Weapons, Vehicles, and Races |
Gallery
- Main article: Gallery:Son of Godzilla.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Son of Godzilla (Soundtrack).
Alternate Titles
- Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son (Literal Japanese Title)
- The Son of Godzilla (El hijo de Godzilla; Spain; Mexico; Il figlio di Godzilla; Italy; Syn Godzilla; Poland)
- The Planet of the Monsters (La planète des monstres; France; French Belgium; De planeet der monsters; Dutch Belgium)
- Frankenstein's Monster Hunt: Godzilla's Son (Frankensteins Monster jagen Godzillas Sohn; Germany)
- Godzilla's Son (Godzillas son; Sweden)
- Frankenstein's Island (Frankensteinin saari; Finland)
Theatrical Releases
- Japan - December 16, 1967; August 1, 1973 (Re-Release)
- United States - 1969
- Italy - 1969
- Germany - 1971
- Sweden - 1973
- Finland - 1976
- Netherlands - 1978
U.S. Release
When Son of Godzilla was released in the United States, it was distributed by the Walter Reade Organization.
Video Releases
Toho (2003)
- Released: 2003
- Region: Region 2
- Language: Japanese
TriStar Pictures (2004)[1]
- Released: December 14, 2004
- Region: Region 1
- Language: Japanese, English (Dubbed)
- Format: Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Other Details: 2.35:1 aspect ratio, 84 minutes run time, 1 disc, Japanese and American versions
Madman (2006)[2]
- Released: January 31, 2006
- Region: Region 4
- Other Details: 1 disc
Box Office
When Son of Godzilla was released on December 16, 1967 in Japan, it sold 2,480,000 tickets. When the film was re-issued on August 1, 1973, it received 610,000 attendees, adding up to a rough attendance total of 3,090,000.
Reception
The film received mixed reviews. Critics enjoyed the style and monster fights, but thought the film was too childish. It currently owns a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film sold 2,480,000 tickets. It was released for TV in the US in 1969, and was not screened for critics.
Videos
Trivia
- Son of Godzilla is very similar to the previous year's Ebirah, Horror of the Deep. Both take place largely on a south pacific island populated by monsters, and both include a "native girl" among the cast. Also, both end in a similar way, with the heroes waving goodbye to the monsters as the island is destroyed/frozen. The similarities are due to the faces behind the scenes that worked on both films, including director Jun Fukuda and music composer Masaru Sato.
- The suit in this film, MusukoGoji, was used again in Godzilla vs. Gigan for the water scenes.
- Son of Godzilla is the last Showa era film that takes place within a set continuity, as the next year's Destroy All Monsters took place 32 years after the events of this film. 1969's All Monsters Attack hardly picks up where Son of Godzilla left off, and the next five films (1971's Godzilla vs. Hedorah through 1975's Terror of MechaGodzilla) fare no better in terms of tying the 1960's and 1970's films together in one, flawless timeline. What happens to Godzilla, his son, and the other monsters between 1967 and 1971 (between the films Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Hedorah) is up to the viewer to decide.
References
Poll
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