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 story, and a mysterious woman who vanishes whenever approached. However, the island is not just people as it is inhabited by giant mantis, and the titular son of Godzilla, who the OG man comes to raise. There is also another monster buried on the island, the terrifying Kumonga (or big spider to the layman).

Now, before I go on with this review which I think may sound a little scathing I do want to say that I do enjoy this film. In the words of Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit, ‘Call a lawyer and sue me, sue me…’ Yes I know it is really, really stupid but I can’t help but find it charming and at times really funny. The human narrative is so-so, and the kaiju fighting action is nothing great, but all the stuff with Godzilla and Minilla (the titular son) is so stupid and so silly that it becomes very entertaining. There is a section where Minilla is playing jump-rope with Godzilla’s tail then starts to surf the tail and decks it on his head. Now that doesn’t sound that funny on paper, but in the context of the film it is brilliantly ridiculous. Another moment sees one of the giant mantis throw a rock towards Minilla, and then the film cuts to his stupid, gormless face as the rocks smacks him in the most cartoonish manner. I’m giggling about it as I type it.

When I say Minilla has a stupid, gormless face I really mean it. I think his design is terrible and he effectively looks like a massive turd. He is also clearly made for a child audience which is absolutely fine, but then that design choice is forced on to Godzilla as well who is the worst he has ever looked in this film. He looks friendly which fits the tone of the film, but he mostly looks friendly because he looks like he’s been lobotomised. The giant mantis look fine, they are just big mantis. And the design of Kumonga is pretty solid, but he is just a big spider at the end of the day. However, despite the design of both Godzilla and Minilla being really bad, they both have very clear personalities and the dynamic between basically a giant toddler and his exhausted grumpy dad is very funny. Also, towards the end of the film the scientists test their experiment in an attempt to freeze the monsters so they can escape, and we see Godzilla and Minilla struggling through this snowy landscape and effectively freezing to death. Based on the tone of the rest of the film it feels really quite dark, with Minilla reaching out to his dad as he struggles to carry on. There is a line where it says they will just hibernate but in the moment it is fairly moving (so clearly this is a masterpiece).

I know I have said I enjoy this film, but I don’t know if I can recommend it. It is just so ridiculously silly that if you aren’t able to buy in you will probably be more frustrated and annoyed then entertained. Personally, it works for me, and I enjoy it enough. It’s not up there with some of the best pf the series, but it is still a fun time overall.