Destroy All Monsters

Original title: Kaijû sôshingeki

1968
G
1h 28m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

YOUR RATING

Play trailer3:35

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Alien Invasion Globetrotting Adventure Kaiju Action Adventure Sci-Fi Thriller

In 1999, a race of she-aliens, the Kilaaks, brainwash Earth's monsters into attacking major cities, prompting a team of astronauts to stop the invaders while the monsters battle Ghidorah.In 1999, a race of she-aliens, the Kilaaks, brainwash Earth's monsters into attacking major cities, prompting a team of astronauts to stop the invaders while the monsters battle Ghidorah.In 1999, a race of she-aliens, the Kilaaks, brainwash Earth's monsters into attacking major cities, prompting a team of astronauts to stop the invaders while the monsters battle Ghidorah.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This film is considered the last entry in the Golden Age of Toho's kaiju films, and meant to be the last film of the Godzilla series. However, it was successful enough that it was decided to continue the series, albeit as part of a film campaign called the Toho Champion Festival, a seasonal matinee that specifically targeted children. This meant that subsequent films would have to reduced their budgets and staff since the Godzilla films were just too expensive to continue making in their original manner. For example, this film and the ones prior had two or more large groups of crew members that divided the work on the character drama and special effects sequences. Case in point: cinematographer Taiichi Kankura shot the live action character drama directed by Ishirô Honda, while different cinematographers, Yôichi Manoda and Sokei Tomioka, shot the monster sequences directed by Sadamasa Arikawa. Subsequent films reduced this to a singular crew that had to manage all of those aspects at once.

Goofs
When the news reporter in the film announces that Baragon is destroying Paris, France, it is actually Gorosaurus. The Baragon suit was loaned out to Tsubaraya Productions for use on one of their TV series and was not returned in time for filming.

Quotes
News Reader: The major cities of the world are being destroyed, one-by-one by the monsters: Moscow by Rodan, Peking by Mothra, London by Manda, Paris by Baragon. And, here's a special news bulletin. Godzilla is now in New York City. The city is being invaded by Godzilla!

Crazy credits
In Toho's international version of the film, its English-language credits list special effects director Sadamasa Arikawa as "Sanemasa Arikawa."

Alternate versions
A Toho Video documentary released in the 1980s contained several unused and deleted scenes from this film. The majority of this footage consists of alternate takes of finished scenes, such as the raids on Moscow and Paris by Rodan and Gorosaurus, respectively. Toho also filmed much more footage of the United Nations' defense of Tokyo from the monsters, including a number of scenes of missile launchers being deployed from the roofs of skyscrapers. The most notable unused scene in this feature has Godzilla thrashing Manda against several Tokyo buildings. According to Haruo Nakajima, this was an impromptu act at the end of a take. This was likely removed from the finished film as both monsters were under the Kilaaks' control and should not have been fighting each other.

Connections
Edited into Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

User reviews103

Review

Featured review

7/10

They say Avengers was the best crossover in cinematic history...well Godzilla and pals did it over 50 years prior!

All the monsters on "Monster Island" have been taken control of by an alien race through a mystical fart like cloud, and are set off on a rampage across earth. Meanwhile, a team of astronauts must band together to gain back control of the monster squad before it's too late.

As the end of the so called "Golden Era" of the Toho produced films, "Destroy All Monsters" is a suitably cheesy and throughly entertaining finale to this part of the Showa-era. Although I miss the darkness of the original, at this point in the series I was on board with the silliness of the plots. As always, the practical effects here are fantastic for the time period. The rampaging monsters look the best they have ever looked, and every scene that the monsters are on screen is so fun.

I'd be reluctant to say it's the best of the Showa era, but I would say it's one of the most entertaining in terms of pure monster madness. A must watch for Kajiu fans.

Side note: I've never watched a rated G movie that literally shows a guy getting shot in the face, with blood and all, AND a suicide. Damn the 60's were wild.