JLRVancouver "Terror of Mechagodzilla" is a direct sequel to "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (1974) and opens with a submarine looking for the remnants of the Godzilla's robotic counterpart, thought to be at the bottom of the ocean near Okinawa. The submarine encounters an immense creature, which attacks and destroys the vessel, but not before the doomed crew radio that they are being attacked by a dinosaur. Interpol begins an investigation that leads to deranged misanthrope Dr. Shinzo Mafune and his daughter Katsura who are in league with the aliens that built Mechagodzilla. Mafune has perfected a device that can control the Titanosaurus and the aliens plan to use the combined might of the giant dinosaur and the rebuilt robot to first defeat Godzilla and then conquer the world (starting, of course, with Tokyo). The film, 15th in the series and last of the "Showa period", sees the return of director Ishiro Honda and is more serious (as kaiju films go) and less child-oriented that many of the previous sequels. Mechagodzilla combines the two popular Japanese tropes: mechas (giant robots) and kaiju (giant monsters) and proved to be a popular adversary (returning in both the Heisei and millennium periods). Titanosaurus, despite being quite well done, was a one timer (not counting a cameo in 2004's all-monster spectacular "Godzilla: Final Wars"). In general the monster scenes are pretty good (despite some weak rear-projection shots), although the buildings that they destroy are not as intricately detailed (and therefore less realistic) than in earlier films. Godzilla is less anthropomorphic than in previous outings but continues to 'box' with his opponents and gesture with his 'hands' in a very human fashion. Surprisingly, the film includes a gratuitous 'topless' scene and, although Katsura's exposed 'breasts' are more 'suit-mation', they are a lot more real looking than I was expecting having read about the scene in Kalet's "A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series". The scene is oddly adult in a movie clearly targeting a young audience and was cut from American releases (I am commenting on a subtitled Japanese version of the film). Although the last of its era and not a financial success, "Terror of Mechagodzilla" is a pretty good example of '70s kaiju action. Although a long way from the dark and somber original, the film is less silly than many of its predecessors and is generally an entertaining entry into the series. Best seen in conjunction with it antecedent "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla", although there are sufficient 'flashbacks' for the uninitiated to pick up the (admittedly uncomplicated) storyline.

a_chinn Sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla has the gorilla-like aliens return, who are shown primarily in their human form, once again trying to destroy Japan with their giant mechanical version of Godzilla. But wait! If the return of Mechagodzilla wasn't bad enough, the aliens also unleash Titanosaurus, thanks to a traitorous human scientist. This was the final film directed by Ishirô Honda, who directed the more high minded first film, and this was the also the final film in the original run of Godzilla films where he was the hero (he'd later be portrayed as a hero once again in "Godzilla: Final Wars," which in my opinion is the best of all the Godzilla sequels). But back to "Terror of Mechagodzilla," this is a film clearly aimed at children, but as a fan of Japanese Kaiju movies, I was entertained by this corny rubber suited nonsense.

AaronCapenBanner 15th and final Godzilla film in the first series from Toho studios sees(ho-hum!) another group of alien invaders reclaim and rebuild what's left of MechaGodzilla, in one last desperate attempt to conquer the Earth by destroying Godzilla. Meanwhile, a traitorous Earth scientist has been in league with them, and programmed a new sea monster called Titanosaurus to help them in that goal. Can the Earth be saved from alien conquest once and for all? Uninspired to say the least, though Titanosaurus is an effective creation, and the tone unusually grim, which may not have appealed to children. Best thing about it is the fitting final fade-out of a departing Godzilla.

dee.reid 1975's "Terror of Mechagodzilla" is a direct follow-up to 1974's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.""Terror of Mechagodzilla" was directed by the late great Ishiro Honda and co-stars the late great "Godzilla" series actor Akihiko Hirata (this would be the last "Godzilla" film the actor would appear in before his death from throat cancer in 1984) as a mad scientist named Dr. Mafune, who, years earlier, had discovered a giant dinosaur called Titanosaurus.Titanosaurus is the first monster to appear in this movie, attacking an experimental submarine that was looking for the remains of Mechagodzilla, the evil cyborg monster that had met its demise at the hands of Godzilla in the previous film. The evil ape-like aliens the Simians have recruited Dr. Mafune and his daughter to help them rebuild Mechagodzilla in their plot to take over the world. They team up, and they use their monsters, Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus, both of which are now under the mental control of Dr. Mafune's now-cyborg daughter, to attack Japan. Godzilla soon appears on the scene to combat the two monsters and save the world."Terror of Mechagodzilla" is the last film of the Showa-Era series of "Godzilla" films and I can gladly say that this film was a great end to the series. One thing viewers will immediately notice is how dark this film is compared to its predecessor; apparently, Honda made a move to return the series to its dark, Atomic Age-inspired roots and it succeeds there. Still, however, a lot about this film crackles and is quite sensational and moves at a fast pace; there's even a poignant and tragic love story in there, too, and some James Bond-like spy intrigue (spy movies were quite popular at the time). One of the more outstanding qualities of the film is the ominous score by long-time "Godzilla" series composer Akira Ifukube. Ifukube's score is pretty dark and ominous, a total turn-around from Masaru Satoh's lush, beautiful, and exotic score from the previous "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla." A lot about "Terror of Mechagodzilla" simply makes it a fitting end to the Showa series of "Godzilla" films, despite its obvious flaws, because four main characters (Honda, Ifukube, producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, and Hirata) from the production of "Godzilla" (1954) are on-board to make sure that "Terror of Mechagodzilla" counts as a satisfying end to the Showa series.Godzilla is and always will be the greatest movie monster that ever lived. I love Godzilla and his films. I've been watching them since I was a kid. Godzilla's transformation from rampaging menace in "Godzilla" (1954) to hero over the course of the films in the Showa series was inevitable, in my opinion, from the second that a sequel to the film was hastily commissioned by Toho in 1955 called "Godzilla Raids Again." And not to mention that the monster had become highly bankable as a children's icon over the years since his debut.But his return to menace in "Godzilla 1985" (1984) was the first instance that Godzilla had not outlived his usefulness as cinema's greatest movie monster.7/10