![Godzilla Contraataca 1955 Godzilla's Counter Attack (Godzilla Raids Again) (Gigantis the Fire Monster) (Godzilla 2) [Non-usa Format: Pal -Import- Spain ]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71fB-0dLZWL._AC_UL140_SR140,140_.jpg)
It's hard to review this disk, because it contains two different movies, the original Japanese version and the version as redubbed for American release. I recommend watching the Japanese version and leaving the dubbed version to rot in silence.
There some flaws in the japanese version, due to the fact that it was made in a hurry to take advantage of the popularity of the first movie, but on the whole it is a fairly good movie, with a reasonably well developed plot. To the science fiction fan, there seems to be a lot of time spent on developements that don't have much to do with Godzilla and his foe Anguiras, but it does have a lot to do with the relationship between the two heroes, Tuskioka and Kobayashi. there is also the matter of Godzilla's teeth. As fans may know, there were actually two forms of Godzilla "costumes". One is the rubber suit with an actor inside. In this movie, the actor had actually gone to work with the maker, and the suit for this movie was actually somewhat better than the one for the first movie. The suit was capable of better range of motion and, in my opinion, slightly better proportioned.
The other "costume" was, basically, a hand puppet showing only the head and neck. Obviously, the people who designed the puppet did not see the suit. The head was a different shape and the teeth stuck out in every direction but the right one. No wonder Godzilla had such a temper! No living animal possibly eat anything with those teeth. The poor creature was starving to death!
But with all these objections, the movie was not that bad. Certainly not a classic like the first one, but good enough for an evenings entertainment.
But then somebody got up the idea of releasing an English language version, and everything went to pot. The first plan, apparently was to produce a movie with English-speaking actors and insert action scenes from the Japanese film, much as had been done with the first movie, but that plan fell through. So what they did was dub in an English narrative and english speach over the words of the actors. We know that the english speaking actors used were, in fact, very talented people because they were later to give outstanding performances (particularly George Takei), but no actor can give a good performance without a good script and the script for this show was a certified, lead plated, clunker.
You might remember that, at this time, science fiction and monster movies were mostly aimed at a teenage audience,and most teenagers were considered to have the maturity and comprehension level of a twelve year old with an IQ rating of 101. But apparently the producers did not want to deal with such a highly intellectual group. This script was aimed at ten year olds with an IQ of 90. For one thing, the narrator never stopped talking, even when there was nothing to say. For another thing what was said was totally stupid. At one point, the hero, Tsukioka, shouts "banana oil", a slang term from the 1920's, which no teenager had ever heard, and so,had no idea what it meant. Another thing that I found objectionable was the addition of a plot line which has the hero, Tsukioka, being afraid and trying to overcome his fear. The man had, according to the plot, served as a wartime combat pilot and had just performed a daring rescue of his buddy Kobayashi from an island occupied by two monsters known for the habit of burning planes out of the sky. Nobody familiar with the history of WWII would even think of accusing a Japanese combat pilot with cowardice. The whole concept was just too ignorant for words.
It is sad that the audio commentary is added only to the english version and is thus compelled to a discussion of the miserable voice-overs.
I suggest that you watch the Japanese language version with the subtitles, and leave the English dubbed version for ten year olds with IQ's below 90, though you will have to explain to them what "banana oil" means. ( the more modern term is "codswollup".)
One thing that almost makes the disk worth its price without the movie is the featurette Art Of Suit Acting. It's worth watching if only to learn who was inside those hot, stuff rubber suits.
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Customer reviews
but fun nevertheless. The prison escapees (3 Japanese Stooges) was ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017
Definitely lacking the dark impact of the previous film, but fun nevertheless. The prison escapees (3 Japanese Stooges) was a great comic relief. I was tickled by the 'circus-music' theme at the beginning.????????🤣
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017
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Top reviews from other countries
Avada Kedavra
Very poor considering the first, 'gigantis' didn't even have the correct roar.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2012
Darren Nash
Great service all round..
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2019
