Customer Reviews

Godzilla 1985 [VHS]

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

One of the best Godzilla films ever was made in 1985. Ten years transpired after the last Godzila film, "Terror of Mechagodzilla", which pitted Godzilla quite unfairly against one of his most hated foes, Mechagodzilla, and a gigantic dinosaur creature, Titanosaurus, which joined forces with Mechagodzilla and his alien creators. I, myself, am a tremendous G-Fan, and when I saw this movie at the end I started to cry. Since no Blockbuster Video stores or Suncoast Video stores in my area had "Godzilla vs. Biollante" in stock (or even heard of it), I didn't know there was a whole new series after this film. I was a little kid, and had seen every Godzilla movie there was---from the original 1957 movie to the 1975 movie. I loved each and every one of them, and my family had also grown an interest in Godzilla and kaiju (Japanese giant monster). Well, Godzilla basically returns, because this film strangely takes place after the original, in which Godzilla is allegdly destroyed by Dr. Seragawa and his Oxygen Destroyer machine. However, he returns, and after killing sailors on a ship out at sea, the Japanese press and public at large find out about his existence and immediately evacuate and panic. Public chaos erupts, and the Japanese military force combined with the goverment and the United Nations joins together to create an aerial foe for Godzilla--a ship called Super-X. Godzilla comes ashore after destroying the Japanese Air Force's jets at sea, then destroying the bayside squad of the army. A professor who's parents perished at the hands of Godzilla uses a special device to lure Godzilla to a volcano across the sea, after Godzilla lays wreck to most of Tokyo and kills a drunken man who is one of the main protagonists in the film, along with a woman who almost lost her brother to Godzilla if it wasn't for her new "boyfriend" who befriended the professor. Altogether they cheaply lure poor Godzilla to the volcano and he falls in upon dentonation of lots of dynamite placed around the volcano. Godzilla falls in the volcano, and melancholy music plays.....and Raymond Burr, as Steve Martin from the original Godzilla, tells viewers the "moral of the story". This was a great film, I just think it could've had a better story than Godzilla being reawakened after being attacked by Super-X in downtown Tokyo, and then woken up by a Russian nuclear missile that was stopped and caused lightning to re-energize the 328-foot tall King of all Monsters.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST GODZILLA MOVIES EVER MADE! WHY HAS THIS ONE BEEN LONG OVERLOOKED FOR DVD RELEASE? GET ON THE STICK AND GET THIS DONE!

This was the second Godzilla movie that I ever watched (the first being the original, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) and to this day I still get a thrill from watching it. It started my facination with Godzilla and has kept it alive since I was a small child.

I've seen the original Japanese version and yes THAT version is, story wise at least, the better film. But there is just something about popping in the slashed up American dubed VHS that brings back so many fond memories that I cant help but find that the American version, and not the original one, is my favorite.

Don't get me wrong, the original film is amazing, and just because I call it better (story wise) that does not mean that I prefer it. Both versions are great, but G:1985 is just something else. It has a great list of characters who you can actually be attached to, it had decent dialouge, the special effects are 80's-tastic! But, by far, the best part of this movie is the Big-G himself!

Godzilla is reinvented in this film. He goes from the comic super-savior of the world, as he is in the 60's and 70's, and becomes and indestructible force of nature, killing people by the hundreds and burning Tokyo to the ground in a sea of atomic fire! His roar is changed from the high-pitched shreek from his comic-book hero days into a animalistic and primordial roar, but still holding on to the classic sound we all expect from Godzilla. The costume used is the best one ever used, up to that time. At times I find myself forgetting that I'm watching a movie and part of me begins to think that I'm watching actual footage of the destruction of Tokyo! The point I'm trying to make here is that the costume looks very real, and is sometimes even scary! This is how The King was always ment to be shown!

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of Godzilla, or monster movies in general! I also HIGHLY recommend a good sound system (preferably Surround-Sound) to get the full effects of Godzilla's roar.

Wait until the sun goes down, close the windows, make yourself a bowl of popcorn, turn off the the lights, cuddle up under a blanket, turn up the volume, and prepare for the monster-movie ride of your life! 4 out of 5 stars for one of my favorite Godzilla movies of all time!

THIS MOVIE IS A BLAST!

After a 10-year break from the big screen, Godzilla stormed back in to theaters in this 1984 revamp, bringing with it a much more serious tone and the human touch that had been missing in the years since Ishiro Honda's departure from the series. Raymond Burr returns for the first time since the original GODZILLA as an American reporter that must assist the military in stopping the radioactive menace Godzilla after it resurfaces off the coast of Japan. Where GODZILLA delivered a powerful message against the horrors of atomic warfare in the fallout of World War II, 1985's film transposes the issue against the Cold War fears troubling the US, Japan, and Russia. Hashimoto revisits many familiar character arcs and plot points popularized in Honda's version, with the scientists and military leaders of each of the major world powers working alongside one another to put an end to the unstoppable force of nature. Godzilla is a far cry from the kid-friendly anti-hero of the 1970s as it returns to its destructive and menacing roots. Its costume shows marked improvements as well, though the extended shots are far more convincing than the puppets used in closeup. While Godzilla benefits from his vicious new look, the scale miniatures and special FX pale in comparison to Eiji Tsuburaya's intricate designs from the early Showa era films. GODZILLA 1985 made tremendous progress in resurrecting the fading monster series, and while it was easily surpassed by later entries, it is a solid effort that will get fans cheering once more!

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

Thirty years later and it's still about radiation and models.

"Godzilla 1985" is a slightly updated version of the classic Godzilla movie: it's still a guy in a big rubber suit stomping around detailed models, and he's still embroiled in a plot with heavy-handed doses of the Japanese skepticism of radiation. (Given their history, I don't blame them.)

Here Godzilla once again emerges from the sea, and poses a peril to mankind. The Soviets defy the wishes of the Japanese government and launch a nuclear weapon at Godzilla despite the fact that he happens to be in Tokyo at the time. Collateral damage, anyone? The US military fortunately dispatches the Soviet missile with a missile of their own, while consulting with Raymond Burr who is reprising his role as Steve Martin. Burr advises that firepower is not the answer, and that a deeper understanding of Godzilla's motives are key to defeating him. With that in mind they immediately plan to lure Godzilla into a volcano.

Along the way we get to see some special effect typical of the genre. My personal favorite is the "Super-X" secret levitating craft, although Godzilla's encounters with the model boats, helicopters, planes, and buildings are still fun to watch. The best laugh of the movie comes from the drunk guy running from Godzilla after mistaking him for a restaurant waiter repeatedly. (I'm not making that up.) There is another customary device in this movie, namely, everyone in Japan seems to know everybody else. True to form, plot contrivances abound here.

The movie ends with Godzilla in the volcano, although we aren't totally sure whether or not lava can destroy him, as there is always another sequel right around the corner. Please note the sanctimonious voiceover work from Burr during the volcano-luring: it really wants to be deep, but it just doesn't work given the ridiculous onscreen image.

This is a great resurrection of the Godzilla franchise after a decade-long break. It is enjoyable if you like the giant-monster-attacks-models genre, which I do. For those fans I recommend the film wholeheartedly.

This has always been my favorite out of all the Godzilla movies. This one always seems to be one of the more serious movies out of the series. Godzilla himself looks great in this film. When I was a kid, it had a scary tone to the movie, and now it still has a scary side to it. The scene when Godzilla starts to go towards the city at night always was creepy to me. I don't recall there ever being a scene of Godzilla in daylight on this film.

though a shame for the heavy editing this movie got in the American release the fire power and special effects makes this one of the best of the old school Godzilla films. It is still this godzilla fan hope that a uncut version of this movie will some day see the light of a dvd release.

'probably the best godzilla movie i have ever seen, the music was just exellent espiecely for this kind of movie and godzilla is evil again and if watch the burr parts many times you might get a little aditicd to his, great movie! of course some of us like or hate it but it's still good to see the big guy back, that's the best part!

This is one of my favorite Godzilla movies. It takes place in the mid 1980's, about 30 years after Godzilla's original rampage. According to the plot, the events of all other Godzilla sequels never happened, and it is the direct sequel to the original 1956 movie Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. The movie begins with a search of a boat mysteriously destroyed. Oddly enough, Godzilla is not the only monster in this movie, as this really weird creature(but not threatening to the majority of civilization), possibly the result of Godzilla's radiation, appears at the beggining of the movie, reminding me of the aliens in Half Life. However, it is quickly killed and never seen again. Soon, Godzilla follows up to this by destroying a soviet sub that fires on him. The Japenese do not reveal that it was Godzilla, though they know it was him who was responsible for the ship disaster and subs destruction. The Soviets think it a American attack, and the Soviet and American militaries begin gearing up for war. Soon, however, the Japenese reveal that it was Godzilla, and the two countries abandon their plans for war, instead turning their attention towards Godzilla. Soon, big G sucks power out of a nuclear plant and turns his attention towards Tokyo. He attacks the city, and despite the Japenese Defence Forces vast arsenal, he quickly breaks through the fighter planes, tanks, and missile launchers defending against him. Now the world goverments have three options to destroy him. Some Japenese men have discovered that he follows the sounds of birds, and decide to duplicate the sound to luer him into a volcano. The military also has their latest plane, the Super X, and the Americans and Russians are considering a nuclear attack. Meanwhile, the american reporter in the original version released in the US makes a return and gives his thoughts on Godzilla based on his experiences. Will they kill Godzilla? And if they do, which way wil get him? You must see the movie to find out. Its a great movie. The only bad thing is the way Godzilla looks. There's also a funny hobo guy who goes around looting when Godzilla comes to town. Interestingly, there is a similar charecter in a year numbered Godzilla movie, Godzilla 2000. It was funny at some moments, but serious at others. And it had plenty of action.

Some people rate this movie bad but which it was not.It didn't do well in the U.S. theaters ''NO DUH''people in u.s. doesn't find Godzilla all that amusing.Sure they heard of him but not really that apealling.This is 30th annv. of Godzilla and return with a mean look and the suit look very cool.This movie is kinda like a remake of the original you could say.It has good music and full of suspence and man does his footsteps and growl sounds
mean as hell in this Flick.The only downfall is the Raymond Burr (why U.S. put this idiot in here)and the ending which we all know
he comes back to face Biollante.But overal this is a must have Godzilla Film