Invasion of Astro-Monster (1970)

Invasion of Astro-Monster, also called Godzilla vs. Monster Zero, not a bad Godzilla film at all. It gets kinda redundant that this film goes back to back with Ghidrah, the three headed monster, so twice in a row we have Godzilla and Rodan fighting Ghidorah. The only difference is the setting. This also was the only Godzilla film in which two monsters from earth are on another planet, and it also includes the famous Godzilla "dancing scene". The plot is a bit cliche and has been used in various other Godzilla films which were made afterwards, a mysterious race wants to befriend mankind, but in reality they want only to destroy us. Overall it's a neat little film for a Saturday night alone. The plot, at times seems to drag a little, but it's certainly more watchable than some other films I have reviewed.

Aliens from Planet X request the use of Godzilla and Rodan to fight off King Ghidorah, but have a better use for the three monsters.Often, Godzilla films are naturally cheesy, but I think this one really steps up the cheese. I was especially put off by the over-use of the Godzilla sound effect (he apparently cannot even change his tone, pitch or volume). Rodan made for a nice addition, and Ghidorah is a great villain.American star Nick Adams (whom Leonard Maltin calls the "poor man's James Dean") may be best known among horror fans as the star of "Die Monster Die" alongside Boris Karloff or from "Frankenstein Conquers the World", both of which came out the same year as this film. Sadly, he died at age 36 from an overdose of enough paraldehyde, sedatives and other drugs in the body "to cause instant unconsciousness."The film was co-produced between the Japanese company Toho, and Henry G. Saperstein's American company UPA, marking the only time a Godzilla film was co-produced with an American studio. The film was edited into Japanese and American versions, but perhaps because of this cooperation, the changes are very minor and the American version is only three minutes shorter.Despite my relatively low ranking of the film, I actually really enjoyed it... I just think it seemed cheesy and the twist was far too predictable. The big question for me, though, is why IMDb (or anyone) would use the name "Invasion of Astro-Monster"... terrible, terrible name. "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" sounds so much better.

Now here's a good entry to the franchise starring everyone's favorite fire-breathing dinosaur. Godzilla, having terrorized humanity in the past and battled his first few enemies, had just earned his title of being a hero having helped save the earth from his nemesis King Ghidorah (with some help from Mothra and Rodan). This left him open to being marketed more towards kids and it was time to keep the King of the Monsters on a role to being Japan's defender.Plot: A new planet has been discovered near Jupiter and soon humanity encounters its inhabitants, the Xilians. The Xilians promise to give to humanity a secret formula to cure diseases provided that they let the aliens borrow Godzilla and Rodan to rid their planet of the menacing King Ghidorah. However, not all is as it seems. They tricked the earthlings and using magnetic waves send the three monsters on a rampage to help conquer the planet. Can our scientific heroes find a way to free the monsters and stop the alien menace? Can Godzilla and Rodan's combined strength rid the Earth of King Ghidorah? The fate of the world hangs by a thread.There's a lot to like about this flick. This is the first time an alien race has been featured in a Godzilla movie and for the most part the Xiliens are pretty interesting. You don't know whether to trust them or not. All the monster/action scenes are great to watch with plenty of destruction, despite being unfortunately kept to a minimum screen time. Godzilla, along with the other monsters, is given a more lively personality, which allows him to express emotions more effectively. Surprisingly, the human characters are pretty likable, with Nick Adams delivering an amusing performance, and they are all more involved with the story. there's a good deal of realism to the science of this flick and the movie itself has a fun and somewhat mysterious atmosphere.Overall, this is a nice edition to the Godzilla series. It has all that you would like in a sci-fi creature feature plus a little more. Definitely worth a watch, especially if you're a Godzilla fan. All hail the King of the Monsters!

Another enjoyable Godzilla film. This time King Ghidra has appeared on a new found planet. The inhabitants ask to borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help them out in return for a cure to cancer. This film encompasses even more of a science-fiction tone. It does does it very well, with some nice interior designs and costumes. It once again focuses on the humans more than the monsters, even if the human characters lack some of the likability from previous outings. The monster fights aren't as impressive, with one of them taking place on a barren planet. A nice change, but no smashy :( Godzilla really begins to embrace his hero role, which makes this less horror. A nice development for the series.