Synopsis
A group of teens (one of whom is searching for his brother, who is believed to be lost at sea)board a sailboat commandeered by a thief. The ship is unintentionally unmoored, and the groupfind themselves at sea. During a storm they are shipwrecked in an encounter with giant lobsterEbirah, and wash up on what at first appears to be a deserted island. In fact, they haveunwelcome company here: this is the base of the evil Communist outfit Red Bamboo, who areenslaving natives an… forcing them to work on nuclear weapons for the terrorists. Asleep in avolcano is Godzilla, and as the Red Bamboo close in on our heroes, they decided to revive themonster. And then there is Mothra: will she wake up in time to save the natives who are beingkidnapped from her island?
There are some strange ingredients to this monster mash: Godzilla and Ebirah engaging in avolleyball game with a boulder, Godzilla dancing a little jig to surf guitar as jets roar in on him,and a hefty dollop of second-rate James Bond what with all the running around through secretbases. It’s all rather complicated and silly, but Ebirah’s first appearance is most impressive, andthe monster battles, though occurring far too late in the day (Godzilla doesn’t even surface untilhalfway through the film) are enjoyable.
Audio
The soundtrack is mono, and, as with the other recent DVD releases, finally gives us thechance to see the film in the original Japanese. The music sounds just fine, and the sound overallshows its age, but isn’t bad at all.
Video
Another great 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I can’t say it enough, but it makes ahuge difference to finally see these movies as they were meant to be seen. Throw out those oldLP VHS tapes! The colours are cheerful and bright, there is no grain or edge enhancement. Theblacks are strong, and the image is sharp. Good print, too.
Special Features
All we have by way of extras is the usual Godzilla-related previews. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
“Godzilla Fights in a War Against Terror!” says the back of the case. Don’t worry, though,the big guy hasn’t been co-opted. This is straight-up all-ages goofiness.
Special Features List
- Trailers
