The third of Toho's 'kaiju' films (and first in colour), "Rodan" finds Japan besieged by two immense prehistoric flying monsters. The film opens with a series inexplicable (and bloody) deaths at a flooded mine, later shown to be due to an immense, predatory insectoid that is identified as a larval Meganulon, a gigantic, fictional primeval dragonfly. One of the miners, trapped in the caves by an earthquake, witnesses the hatching of an enormous egg, from which a bird-like creature emerges and begins to eat the Meganulon. Not long after (the time scale in the film seems inconsistent if the hatchling was the adult Rodan), a Japanese fighter pilot reports a mysterious object flying at supersonic speeds, which suddenly turns and destroys the pursuing plane. People and cattle begin to disappear near Mt Aso, an active volcano and evidence points to a giant pteranodon-like creature, who is promptly christened 'Rodan'. To make matters worse, a second Rodan appears in the vicinity of the mountain (a well done scene). Determining that the colossal creatures may be nesting near the volcano, the military mount a massive missile and tank offensive, triggering a climatic volcanic eruption which leads to the film's surprisingly poignant ending. For a 60 year-old suit-mation kaiju epic, the film has aged remarkably well: the Rodan costume is quite good (much better than those used in later Showa-era kaiju films) and the miniatures used in the destruction of Fukuoka are excellent. The cables suspending the flying monster were occasionally visible (apparently they have been removed in some of the Blu-ray releases) but that (IMO) doesn't detract from the effectiveness of the scenes. The music by Akira Ifukube is good (although not as good as his work in Godzilla or Mothra). I watched a sub-titled version (I am unsure of the date of the subtitles, the language was more 'adult than I remember and the term 'global warming' was used) but the acting and 'subtitled' script was fine for a genre picture. Like the original "Godzilla" (1954), "Rodan" is a straight-out monster/horror film (albeit a little more affecting than Godzilla) and is an excellent example of the suit-mation kaiju genre pioneered by Toho in the 1950s. Rodan reappears (as a co-star or cameo) in nine more Godzilla outings (as of this writing), making the giant flying saurian one of the more active members of Toho's kaiju stables (but the Meganulon appeared to remained 'dormant' until 2000, when they reappeared in the excellent "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus", although with a different backstory).

Ishiro Honda directed this film, which starts off in a small Japanese mining community beset by mysterious killings and disappearances that turn out to be caused by giant insects who are later found to be sealed up in a cavern with Rodan, a giant flying prehistoric bird/lizard that escapes, then attacks Japan(still recovering from Godzilla!) It proves difficult to kill, and as it turns out, isn't alone, and has an egg it's guarding to boot... First film appearance of Rodan(and it's only solo film) has an imaginative opening sequence with the mine subplot, though picks up when Rodan finally appears, even though it's just an airborne version of Godzilla. The surviving Rodan would make return appearances in the Godzilla series, starting with "Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster".

When a village is besieged by giant caterpillars, a more horrifying discovery is made in their underground home... a giant flying creature that resembles a prehistoric pterodactyl. Soon after, a second Rodan appears and the two monsters begin to destroy Japan.I turned this movie on for a little cheese to enjoy after dinner. I find that films in the Japanese monster genre tend to be short and are easy to watch casually, with very little need to focus on details. A monster shows up and destroys things. And the reason is connected to atomic bombs.I found this to be a bit better than average. It had a slower start, with the caterpillars not being particularly interesting to me. But once the Rodans showed up, all heck broke loose. Is Rodan better than Godzilla? Possibly so. Certainly he seems to be more powerful and is more mobile. I look forward to seeing more of them on screen together.Oh, and George Takei lends his voice to the American dub.

While mining further under the earth, a giant Prehistoric insect is unearthed from the deep, going on a brief rampage through the Japanese village nearby. A giant earthquake capsizes the earth on top of the humongous insect—which certainly reduces the Japanese populace before its demise—but a much scarier creature is released from a very large egg, a massive Prehistoric bird called Rodan. A miner, missing for a period of time, returns with amnesia, soon reliving that horrific event where he watched Rodan hatching from its egg, actually eating those giant insects, like snack treats to the beast (remember, just one of the insects sent the decent-sized Japanese village into a panic, imagine the scale of terror and population decimation when Rodan is free to fly about, sweeping down to snatch humans for tasty treats).Even worse there's a *second* Rodan to contend with. Rodan have a wingspan, while in flight, that causes a shockwave with the deadly force of a Tsunami; even their breath can topple buildings! If you love Toho Studios, rubber monsters destroying toy tanks and army trucks, along with a giant model city full of buildings to wipe out, then RODAN is ideal for you.The story once again condemns the Americans for the H-bomb disaster by including in the storyline an experimental bomb, its effects tested in the ocean, responsible for the earthquakes which free the Rodan from captivity."Operation Rodan", where missile explosions into a mountain cause an avalanche, that trap the Prehistoric birds into their resting places, may be the Japanese only hope for survival. The film also has the military conducting strategy sessions with scientists and those associated with the mining disaster; fighter squadrons are sent on missions of flight to combat the Rodan. The film was narrated in a very serious tone throughout by Star Trek's George Takei! RODAN was directed by kaiju eiga specialist, Toho legend, Ishirô Honda. Future Toho monster movies are more concerned with mayhem and destruction than stories (which is why so many of the story lines are so preposterous, childish, and juvenile).