This review is for the wide-screen Japanese english subtitled Ghidora The Three-Headed Monster, directed by Ishiro Honda, and a score by Akira Ifukube.This is a fun family film, and it offers a glimpse into what Japanese culture understood then, and what America has finally come to understand now. They are actors...so what if they are interacting with monsters? You can read the plot synopsis on other reviews. The highlights of the film are the monsters of course. But the extreme camp that the plot involves, namely a conversation between Godzilla, Ronan, and little Mothra, is one of the memorable points. The film shows it extensively, giving the actors in the suits and the puppeteers plenty of screen time for us to enjoy the profound joy of this ridiculous situation. We are rewarded by seeing Rodan head-butt Ghidora, and Godzilla tail-tow Mothra up a hill. Godzilla 1954 was horrifying Nuclear allegory; Godzilla Vs. Mothra (1964) was fantasy. This is campy family joy. But this is Kaiju at it's best. Notice the great cinematography, especially Ghidora approaching the arches. The film also delivers a nice human subplot. A princess suffers from trauma and believes that she is a Venusian profit (in the American film it is changed to Martian). This role is played very strongly by Akiko Wakabayashi, who is better known as Aki from "You Only Live Twice". She posses well for the screen. Since this is the early Bond era, the human plot involves an assignation attempt on our princess.But our Japanese police detective is a normal Joe, played by Yosuki Natsuki. And finally, the doctor who tries to help the Venutian Profit remember that she's a princess is played by the great Japanese actor Takashi Shimura. He was in the original Godzilla as Dr. Yamane, but is best known for his work with director Kurosawa. namely Seven Samurai, Ikura, and Rashomon. Damn, those are three of the best movies ever made. Our movie allows our actors to actually act, even if only for a few minutes. The viewer does have to wait for a clumsy exposition, but when the movie gets going, it's a delight. It serves as an example on how to have a Kaiju be a satisfying viewing experience.

I've watched a lot of Godzilla movies and other monster movies, but I'm not sure if this was one of them. I once saw a movie where these scientists or something find I guess a meteor but looked like an egg and it kept growing and its had powers that could attract anything that was made of metal. I am just wondering if this is the same movie or is it something else that I am thinking of?

Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster was a turning point in the Godzilla series. This is where the monster rumble was born. Godzilla, Mothra (in larvae form), and Rodan team up to battle a new monster named Ghidrah (or Ghidorah in the Japanese version). Ghidorah is an impressive beast - a colossal 3-headed dragon that spits yellow gravity beams. This is Rodan's first appearance since 1956. Unfortunately, the design of the suit was changed to look less menacing. This is when the series begins to gear towards children. Godzilla becomes a reluctant hero. In a rare instance of continuity in the series, Mothra vs. Godzilla is referenced. Invasion of the Astro-Monster (or Monster Zero) followed a year later and these 3 films really form a trilogy.The DVD includes both the Japanese and American versions of Ghidorah. The Japanese versions runs about 93 minutes and the English dubbed version runs about 85. This was the last Godzilla film to be extensively altered when brought to America. Both versions have their positives. Also included is an Image Gallery and Slide Show of movie posters, an Eiji Tsuburaya biography, and the original Japanese trailer.

This is the seventh kaijyu (monster) movie written by Toho's screen writer Shinichi Sekizawa, and the first to portray the monsters in a comical light which would become Toho's style for the following 10 years. The story differs somewhat between the Japanese version and the American version. This commentary is about the Japanese version.Princess Mars Dourina Salno (Eiko Wakabayashi) of Sergina requests Japanese police to give her protection due to political instability of her country. Detective Shindo (Yosuke Natsuki) is assigned by his boss Okita (Akihiko Hirata) to body guard the princess, but the plane carrying the princess explodes on its way to Japan. Shortly afterward a woman proclaiming to be from Venus appears and prophecies that Rodan and Godzilla will appear in Japan. Thinking that his assignment was over before it got started Shindo goes home, reads about mysterious Venusian woman who's attracting media's attention looks exactly like princess Mars. Convinced that the self proclaimed "Venusian" is princess Mars, he launches his own investigation. His sister Naoko who is a reporter is also on the heel of the Venusian woman. In the mean time a mysterious asteroid falls in the Kurobe area of Japan. Assistant professor Murai (Hiroshi Koizumi) is the team leader that's sent to investigate the asteroid witnesses the asteroid turning into a three headed monster. Naoko finally catches up with the Venusian woman and escorts her to a near by hotel. By this time assassins from Sergina is also on her trail suspecting that the Venusian woman is princess Mars. They converge at the hotel and shooting ensues between the assassins and detective Shindo. Assassins flees and detective Shindo, and Naoko escorts the Venusian to Dr. Tsukamoto's (Takashi Shimura) lab to see if her memories can be revived. In the mean time Rodan and Godzilla is sited and they converge near Mt. Fuji and starts a battle. Vanusian woman tells a story that 5000 years ago Venus was attacked by the monster King Gidora and was turned into a waste land, and that Gidora is now on earth. Mothra is called to Japan to ask Godzilla and Rodan to fight against King Gidora, but the two monsters aren't exactly interested in helping mankind.The plot of this movie is superbly written with each element supporting the entire flow of the story. Many die hard Godzilla fans might not like the campy flavor of this movie, but so many elements crammed into this movie that runs just over 90 minutes has intricacies and originality never seen in previous Japanese monster movies. This movie by far has the most intricate plot of movies written by Shinichi Sekizawa, but is hidden behind the tong in cheek humor that runs throughout the movie. In the US released DVD, three men accuses the Venusian woman as "kichigai" (crazy). The broadcast code in Japan has tightened up since this movie was made and this word is no longer allowed to be used in a movie, so the Japanese DVD has this word changed to another dialog, but you will hear it as it was in the US release DVD. Princess Mars' full name Mars, Dourina, Salno is a play on the Japanese phrase "Ma, sudori, nasaruno" (Are you just going to pass me by ?) and is intended to be an injoke.You'll get much more out of this movie if you catch the details of the movie. It was the first time Gidora was seen on screen. Gidora became a staple of subsequent movies guaranteeing a crowd draw for Toho.Watch this movie to see if you can catch the details.