1971 ‘ゴジラ対ヘドラ’ Directed by Yoshimitsu Banno
An ever evolving alien life-form arrives on a comet from the Dark Gaseous Nebula and proceeds to consume pollution. Spewing mists of sulfuric acid and corrosive sludge, neither humanity nor Godzilla may be able to defeat this toxic menace.
Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster, Godzilla 11: Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs Hedora, Gojira tai Hedora, Γκοτζίλα εναντίον Χεντόρα
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With numerous shots of dead arms, legs, and heads poking through pools of oily sludge, is this the only Godzilla film to actually show the bodies of kaiju attack victims? The imagery here is panicked, desperate, with whole chunks built out of shots of dozens of talking heads on TV screens shouting at you or screaming babies and skulls mocking us. The inky black color palette is disrupted by slashes of color, whether it's at some psychedelic happening or a cheerfully sinister animated interstitial scene, or even a James Bond-style opening credits sequence. It's maybe trying to jar an audience it sees as oblivious swinging 60s burgeoning Japanese consumers out of their complacency. The sheer urgency of its sincere and simple environmental advocacy is almost disorienting. I'm amazed it doesn't end with Godzilla crying a single tear over a garbage-strewn Monster Island.
substitutes the original's nuclear holocaust fears for pollution and environmental ones with a giant sludge tadpole born of sewage viciously mutilating half of japan while the population is distracted by the pastel colors and psychedelic grooviness of 60s consumerism that has repackaged very real threats (like environmental destruction or, uh, giant monsters) as goofy things you watch on tv or hear in a song. some of the wildest imagery and brutal destruction of the franchise (including on-screen acidic sludge melting of civilians???) all in service of godzilla telling us to stop all the littering. might be my favourite godzilla sequel tbh
Godzilla and Friends Marathon: 24 of 46
Godzilla vs. Hedorah is that movie where the franchise zigs instead of zags. Godzilla, who was once a metaphor for the destructive power of the atomic bomb, ends up fighting Hedorah, a metaphor for the dangers of pollution. It's a much darker film than anything the franchise has turned out since the original, bordering on outright horror at times. And yet, it still has moments of goofiness that shine through, like rays of sunlight penetrating thick, choking smog. It's also one of the more stylized Godzilla films, replete with psychedelic imagery, eccentric editing and animated sequences.
It's fairly safe to say that opinions are pretty mixed on this one. In a review for…
Man, the whole movie I just wanted to put Hedorah in my bong and take a hit of that sweet pollution Kush.
“Poison gas and sludge gets dumped in the ocean. Even sewage. I bet Godzilla would be mad if he saw this.”
Godzilla dabbles in LSD as he goes toe to toe with his greatest threat yet: pollution.
But this isn’t some Captain Planet bullshit, he’s not going to take pollution down to zero by recycling, no he’s going to do it by burning it alive.
There’s never been a Godzilla film as weird and experimental as this before or after. It’s truly one of a kind. To give you a little taste there’s a musical number about pollution where a guy hallucinates that everyone has a fish head. That happens and is never brought up…
Godzilla: "hey hedorah, get over here and fight me, you ugly ass hunk of sludge"
Hedorah: "but no! I am merely a manifestation of mankind's neglect for the planet!"
Godzilla: "me too bitch! come over here and fight me!"
*cut to swinging hippie soundtrack battle music*
Clearly one of the best Godzilla movies.
Godzilla VS Hedorah is certainly one of the most unique Godzilla movies ever made. This movie is full of so many bizarre wtf moments that I kind of love it!
Probably the only Godzilla movie I've seen where the final smackdown is the LEAST interesting part of the picture. That's because up to that point director Yoshimitsu Banno uses a plastic filmmaking style that's dynamic and exciting, with everything from animated interludes to onscreen poetry, whacked-out dream sequences, and a montage of man-on-the-street interviews that inexplicably includes footage of multiple babies trapped in sludge and laughing cartoon skulls (www.bigassmessage.com/5eea1 ).
The overall effect is difficult to describe without sounding incoherent and/or insane, so let me just say that this beats any episode of Captain Planet yet produced.
GODZILLA VS HEDORAH is often labelled “The Silly One”, but it’s just as serious and committed as Honda’s original, updated to reflect the era of its creation. Environmental collapse replaces nuclear annihilation and Honda’s grim documentary approach is switched out with some freewheeling 70s style: Groovy pop songs decrying the destruction of the earth, playful animated sequences about the murder of innocents, and nervy fourth-wall-breaking tricks that underline the story's consequences: Like when the screen’s colours explode to life when some teens start to party on Mount Fuji, but ghostly figures watch them silently, as the teens ignorant actions lead them to a terrible fate.
The wide narrative net Honda cast is absent and in its place is a focus…
"I bet Godzilla would be mad if he saw this" - Ken,
- Godzilla Ranked: boxd.it/5aQLO
This ridiculous piece of art should be assigned in all Environmental Science courses... this is something important for everyone to watch.
It's a fucking pollution monster.... YES!!!!! Earth is attacked by a space alien that feeds off of sludge and pollution, becoming a giant smog monster. A group of scientists figure it out right after Godzilla does and boy let me tell you Godzilla is really pissed off about the whole pollution thin. As a leftist who doesn't do shit I loved getting to watch a preachy film with weird environmentalist songs and a pissy pro-Green Party Godzilla ready to Captain Planet his way…
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"A negative world of death"
'Godzilla vs. Hedorah' is my favorite 1970's Godzilla movie along with 'Terror of Mechagodzilla'. Hedorah is like a Blob/Cthulhu hybrid from if not beyond the stars, then maybe the stars. But the stars occluded by pollutants. There are many animated science briefs, some of which discuss atomic radiation, some of which detail the life cycle of Hedorah, some fill in educationally on what just happened. There is acid rock and psychedelic lightshow action. There is a cat covered in muck. Hippies jam on Mt. Fuji against pollution by lighting many bonfires to decrease air quality. A child has a telepathic bond with Godzilla who appears to him in his dreams. Godzilla works directly with the…
