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JUST ANOTHER FILM REVIEW
I adore films. Whether that be a black and white silent classic or a popcorn fuelled blockbuster I am at my happiest when escaping into the worlds that only films can create. This blog allows me to go on a journey of film discovery and although there will be good and bad times along the way it is an adventure that I hope you will join me on. I don't take myself too seriously, you shouldn't either. - Robert Hay
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December 12th: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
So, we have just had the best film in this series since the original, a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Where should we go from here? Bring back Jun Fukuda and go back to the formulaic family friendly stuff we were doing before? Sigh. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) Â reintroduces aliens back into the franchise, who again are wanting to use Ghidorah to help takeover the world. However, this time around they also use a new foe, Gigan, to create a terrible double act. Earths on
December 11th: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
A new director steps up to the plate, with Yoshimitsu Banno taking the reins for Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) and this is exactly the kind of breath of fresh air that this series needed. The film tells the story of Hedorah, an alien life form that comes to Earth on the back of a meteor. Hedorah feeds on pollution, and the more he gets the bigger her gets. Dr. Toru (Akira Yamanouchi) is disfigured by Hedorah when trying to find out more about it, which strengthens his resolve t
December 10th: All Monsters Attack (1969)
It’s happened guys, we’ve finally hit a genuinely terrible Godzilla film. We have quite a lot to go still but honestly, I would be very surprised if any turned out to be as bad as All Monsters Attack (1969) . The film tells the story of Ichiro (Tomonori Yazaki), a young boy who loves kaiju and is being bullied. So in order to learn to stand up to his bullies he daydreams about being on monster island, befriending Minilla, and learning to be confident enough to stand up for hi
December 9th: Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Avengers assemble! Or whatever the equivalent for Kaiju films would be, because that is effectively what this Destroy All Monsters (1968)  is. A massive who’s who of all the previous monsters, as well as some from other Toho properties that have not appeared in Godzilla films. The story of the film sees a world somewhat at peace with its monsters, with them all being housed and secured on an island where they live peacefully. That all changes when a group of female aliens man
December 8th: Son of Godzilla (1967)
If you thought the last film in this series was silly, you have seen nothing yet. I mean, lets be serious, no one looking at a tile of Son of Godzilla (1967) is expecting the film to take itself seriously, and if you are shame on you. The film follows a team of scientists on a secluded island who are testing a weather machine in order to help with future food shortages. The only other people on the island are a nosy reporter who has followed them to the island looking for a s
December 7th: Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) is the first film in this series since Godzilla Raids Again (1955) where Ishiro Honda does not have directing duties, with the role being passed to Jun Fukuda, and boy is that tone change swift. When three stowaways on a boat end up being shipwrecked due to an attack by Ebirah, they find that the island they have landed on is home to a terrorist group who have enslaved the people of Infant Island. In escaping from the terrorists, they find a
December 6th: Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
And the King returns for Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) . That is Ghidorah, not Kong, if you were wondering. And strap yourselves in, because this is the first time that aliens have fully been involved in one of these films, and will absolutely not be the last. The film opens with two astronauts, Glen (Nick Adams) and Fuji (Akira Takarada), who are tasked with exploring Planet X. After landing they meet the inhabitants of the planet who take them in to protect them from an
December 5th: Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster (1964)
It only took five films for us to get to Godzilla’s most iconic nemesis, and the namesake of the film: Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster (1964) . It is also the start of a trend for the Shwa ere of Godzilla films, that being Godzilla is as the good guy. The film opens with meteor showers appearing all over earth, with one particular meteor crashing into Japan. At the same time, a Princess from a neighbouring small country to Japan is shot down in an attempted assassination w
December 4th: Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
On to the fourth film of the Showa era and it is our first introduction to one of the big hitter of the franchise, Mothra. The film opens up with a typhoon that once it passes has left behind a giant egg. A shady entrepreneur takes control of the egg for monetary gain, refusing to give the egg back when two tiny twins from Infant Island appear in Japan explaining that the egg to belong to their island’s deity, Mothra. When Godzilla reappears to cause havoc, our heroes have to
December 3rd: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
With King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) we see the series step into a new decade and in to colour. It is also a very clear step into the type of films the series will become, and also the last time such a significant gap in film releases would exist until the end of the Showa era of films. After Godzilla is freed from his iceberg prison, he gets right back to his favourite hobby: destroying Japan. However, this time he may have a real foe, as a new monster arrives to do battle wit
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