Favorite Kaiju and Giant Monster Movies
All the Kaiju I’ve watched ranked.
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- DirectorJohn GuillerminStarsJeff BridgesCharles GrodinJessica LangeA petroleum exploration expedition comes to an isolated island and encounters a colossal giant gorilla.One of my favorite movies of all time. Its on my Mount Rushmore of favorite films in any genre. I was always obsessed with giant monsters (still am) and this movie, this "version" of KONG is the definitive version for me, always has been and it always will be.
Part of the reason it’s the most meaningful Kong to me I'm sure is Nostalgia obviously. But each and every time I watch it I’m captivated and completely immersed in it. It makes me feel today the exact way it did when I was watching it at 5.
The fact that it takes place in the present time, at that time the 1970's is a big upgrade over the noir of the original. It’s more relatable as I am a child of the 70’s..
This movie was made before the days of CGI overloaded (Video game movies) Movies relied on actually sets, and real locations, as well as actual built working parts, giant Gorilla hands and what not, it definitely isn’t actors pretending to see things that aren’t there in front of green screens. Some things hold up while others don’t, for me it’s just adds a little 70’s charm.
The Rick Baker’s Kong suit and Makeup is well done, so much emotion is caught in Kong’s eyes and with his facial expressions, you feel his emotions with him. Kongs Roar is chilling and terrifying yet also very vulnerable and sympathetic.
“Dwan” Jessica Lange’s character is absolutely gorgeous here, I was totally in love with her when I was very young watching this, she is unbelievably beautiful. The scenes between her and Kong you really can see and feel Kong's absolute infatuation with her and I don't blame him.
THE SCORE!!! Its absolutely magnificent!!! By leaps and bounds some of the most emotion pulling effective music I’ve ever heard, it really does a number on me!!! It gives this film the most heart of any entry in the series.
Stand out moments for me are the initial abduction of Dwan by Kong, him leveling trees on his way to get his “offering” we’ll say. I love that wall and the chanting of KONG KONG KONG with all the drums and the torches in the darkness of night. EPIC introduction to our first time seeing King Kong.
I also enjoy seeing Kong come back and seeing him Destroying that wall. He is in a Full blown RAGE at that point and I love it!! The New York stuff with the Subway and seeing him climbing The World Trade Center is cool. That Bloody Ending is still a bit of a Gut punch every time. Even though I know it’s coming. What a Film! Let’s get a fully loaded Blu-ray release someday PLEASE!!!! - DirectorGareth EdwardsStarsAaron Taylor-JohnsonElizabeth OlsenBryan CranstonThe world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.I love this movie! After having just watched Godzilla King of the monsters opening weekend I knew I needed to watch this one again for comparison sake. Back in 2014 when I saw this one opening weekend it had blown my doors off. I had seen it a couple of times since, and I had obviously picked up the Blu-ray, but this was the first time I’d watched it in well over a year. I honestly thought when revisiting this one that I would like it a lot still but feel it was inferior to King of the monsters. WRONG! This movie is so Good!!
Its played completely straight, no camp, no jokes. The Meltdown scene in the movies opening act is Chilling, Cranston shines (as always) This Film is beautiful to look at, all the MUTO City destruction scenes look great. The night scenes in Honolulu, the Tsunami that Godzilla creates while coming to shore. The city shots on that train. The scenes in the forest with the Russian submarine and the MUTO. The broken track and train scene. All the destruction in Vegas. This film features lots of night scenes that are ALL just over flowing with Tension and Atmosphere. That HALO jump scene, wow. The imagery, the colors, the score, it’s like they’re jumping strait into Hell! I love how when they land the city is a wasteland, just mass Destruction, all is in darkness, you can see the silhouettes of giant monsters! Very apocalyptic! That scene is cinematic perfection! Godzilla coming thru the Darkness Smoke and Debris right after that jump scene to ROAR is GOLD!! Every single time Godzilla is on screen it’s Electric!! The cinematography here is just gorgeous! The score is amazing, the tone is perfect, this is a near perfect film. Godzilla’s roar gives me Chills every time!
As I said at the beginning I am fresh off watching Godzilla King of the monsters (2019) on opening weekend, which I did thoroughly enjoy. But now having revisited this one I feel as though this is clearly the superior of the two movies. And so at this moment anyway this is still the best American version of Godzilla. - DirectorMerian C. CooperErnest B. SchoedsackStarsFay WrayRobert ArmstrongBruce CabotA film crew goes to a tropical island for a location shoot, where they capture a colossal ape who takes a shine to their blonde starlet, and bring him back to New York City.
- DirectorMichael DoughertyStarsKyle ChandlerVera FarmigaMillie Bobby BrownThe crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
- DirectorJun FukudaStarsTadao TakashimaAkira KuboBibari MaedaA reporter stumbles upon weather experiments on a tropical island, discovering giant mantises, a castaway woman, and an infant monster that Godzilla must learn to raise as a son.I love the GIANT SPIDER and Praying Mantises!! The giant bugs look GREAT!! The island is cool and all the scenes involving the bugs are great! The island girl Riko played by Beverly Maeda is very nice to look at!!
The sounds the Mantises make is a bit creepy, as is the thought of giant insects and spiders. In a rarity we actually see two of the Godzilla opponents square off against one another, the Mantis gets bit or stung and killed by the giant Spider which is a cool scene, we also see Godzilla Torch a couple of the mantises and eventually in the films climax after battling the spider for a bit he torches him as well!!
One laughable aspect that prevents this one from being higher on the list is that it probably has the worst Godzilla suit in the entire series, it’s pretty terrible, pretty laughable but it adds to the campy feel of this one. We also meet Manilla (Godzilla’s son apparently) and wow........... This one is purely for fun for fans of the series. - DirectorYoshimitsu BannoIshirô HondaStarsAkira YamanouchiToshie KimuraHiroyuki KawaseA toxic, ever-evolving alien life-form from the Dark Gaseous Nebula arrives to consume rampant pollution, threatening to destroy all life in its wake unless Godzilla is able to stop it.This was one of the few Godzilla films I hadn’t seen.
And.... WOW, I LOVED IT!!! It’s so bizarre and weird. Hedorah was Great in all his forms. As he sludges across the sea in the early portion of the film I got a Creepshow 2 “The Raft” monster vibe. His red Eyes gave me an Octaman vibe. He reminded me of a Ghost from the PAC-Man Arcade game a few times. And the last weird (probably obscure) connection I drew was to the character of Tendril from The Inhumanoids cartoon. He looked a lot like him when in his full standing form, but the way everything he touched died reminded me of the character of D’Compose from the same cartoon. Now I want to revisit Inhumanoids. I actually want an Inhumanoids movie!! That would be insane!!!
Hedorah is now easily one of my favorite Kaiju.
This movie has tons of on screen Monster time, especially Hedorah. He’s super interesting, I was hooked the whole time. It also features long battle scenes between Godzilla and Hedorah, they start early then stop then go at it again and then they have a quite lengthy climax. I think my favorite shot of the film is Hedorah in what I call Pac-Man Ghost Monster form devouring a bunch of cars the shot looks cool of him slowly oozing and sludging over the top of them. That or him flying over in Flying Saucer mode and shooting out Toxic chemicals leaving everyone below as liquefied Skeletons
This movie also has a groovy score, some absolutely uniquely bizarre edits (which I loved) and some unique and weird animated Hedorah scenes. So many shots are now just stuck in my head. This one is great check it out. - DirectorIshirô HondaStarsTakashi ShimuraAkihiko HirataAkira TakaradaAfter a dinosaur-like beast - awoken from undersea hibernation by atom bomb testing - ravages Tokyo, a scientist must decide if his similarly dangerous weapon should be used to destroy it.The original Japanese classic! Much Darker then the American repackaging. Though being American the American version is the one I’m most familiar with. They are the same movie but the American version is spliced together with an American actor helping guide the story. This is the better version honestly. But I’m linked to the one I know best.
- DirectorIshirô HondaJun FukudaStarsKatsuhiko SasakiTomoko AiAkihiko HirataAn Interpol investigation uncovers a shunned biologist and his daughter, who are involved in an alien plot to use Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus to defeat Godzilla and wipe out humanity.I am currently making my way through the entire Godzilla library. Many of these films I watched when I was young but some I'm watching for the first time..
This one was awesome!! THE SCORE was amazing, just perfect!! Titanosaurus and MechaGodzilla were both great rivals for Godzilla, the stand alone scenes of Titanosaurus attacking the city were good but the ones featuring MechaGodzilla destroying the city were even better, some of the best I've seen in this generation so far. Godzilla takes a few to show up but when he does it's a kick ass entrance!! He basically just appears in the darkness behind a giant building, and then promptly shoots his atomic breath at Titanosaurus and it's pretty damn awesome. The battle scenes satisfy, and the surrounding human story surprisingly is one of my favorites that I have seen thus far in the series. A very good entry in the series here. - DirectorLuigi CozziIshirô HondaTerry O. MorseStarsRaymond BurrMikel ConradPaul FreesIn 1977, the film was purchased and colorized by Luigi Cozzi in a terrible way of an old negative print. When American reporter Steve Martin investigates a series of mysterious disasters off the coast of Japan, he comes face to face with an ancient creature so powerful and so terrifying, it can reduce Tokyo to a smoldering graveyard. Nuclear weapon testing resurrected this relic from the Jurassic age, and now it's rampaging across Japan. At night, Godzilla wades through Tokyo leaving death and destruction in his wake, disappearing into Tokyo Bay when his rage subsides. Conventional weapons are useless against him; but renowned scientist Dr. Serizawa has discovered a weapon that could destroy all life in the bay - including Godzilla. But which disaster is worse, Godzilla's fury, of the death of Tokyo Bay?
- DirectorDesmond DavisStarsLaurence OlivierHarry HamlinClaire BloomPerseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda.Medusa, The Kraken, Calibos, Bubo, The Giant Scorpions, The Giant Vulture!! Lots of cool stuff here all thanks to the master Ray Harryhausen!! I love me some old school stop motion monsters!! Such charm I grew up with this stuff. The Ferryman used to creep me out when I was little, he’s still pretty wicked. I’d say Medusa is the highlight of a movie full of fantastical things. I put it here mainly because of the Kraken!
- DirectorIshirô HondaTom MontgomeryStarsTadao TakashimaKenji SaharaYû FujikiA UN reporter covers the appearance of a prehistoric monster that emerges from hibernation, while a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity with a monster of their own.
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsYôsuke NatsukiYuriko HoshiHiroshi KoizumiA detective protects a princess who prophecies Earth's destruction by a powerful alien dragon, which Mothra and her fairies - aided by Godzilla and Rodan - must battle against.The Rodan scenes are my favorite parts of this movie. Prior to seeing this film I knew who he was but I hadn’t yet seen his stand alone film (which I now have and it is excellent) But he is the highlight of this film for me.
The battle he and Godzilla have is so campy and so awesome. Godzilla constantly kicking rocks at Rodan to which Rodan simply head butts them back in the direction of Godzilla is hilarious!! We also have Rodan constantly pecking at Godzilla on the top of his skull with that beak of his, and then picking him up and dropping him like a bag of dirt after soaring thru the sky carrying him like a bag of groceries! When Mothra shows up and tries to calm them both down she sprays her silk on them and we are then treated to Rodan laughing at Godzilla and then Godzilla almost having to sit down because he’s laughing so hard at Rodan!!! Yeah.... It must be seen guys..
When we encounter the new monster in this film “The All Mighty King Ghidorah” Mothra is the first to attack but she pretty much gets blown away. Godzilla is pushed aside with little effort as well by the menacing KG.. Rodan however welcomes KG to the screen by racing fulltilt right at him like an out of control flying Rhino and rams him with the force of a million freight Trains!!! Which drops both monsters hard to the ground!!
For some reason Godzilla spends most of his time in the fight throwing rocks instead of using his fire or nuclear or radioactive breath whatever you want to call it, puzzling?? In the end the 3 monsters combine to turn KG away for now. This is a fun movie for fans of the Genre. - DirectorJun FukudaStarsAkira TakaradaKumi MizunoChôtarô TôginFour men searching for one's brother are shipwrecked on Letchi Island, where they encounter Godzilla, a monstrous lobster, and terrorists who have enslaved the natives of Infant Island.60’s Godzilla is one of my sweet spots!! This one is fun. Ebirah the giant Lobster is a cool looking monster! He and Godzilla have some really cool fight scenes in the Ocean! The film is laced with a groovy 60’s score which only adds to its charm. We even get a bit of Mothra in this one.
- DirectorJun FukudaStarsMasaaki DaimonKazuya AoyamaReiko TajimaAn Okinawan prophecy appears to foretell Earth's destruction at the hands of Godzilla, only for the true Godzilla to reveal his doppelganger as a mechanical alien weapon.BLOOD SQUIRTS OUT OF GODZILLA!!!! Aliens turn into Gorillas!!! King Caesar and Godzilla crush Mechagodzilla until Godzilla beheads him, classic entry!!!
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsNick AdamsAkira TakaradaJun TazakiAstronauts encounter the Xiliens, who ask Earth to rid their planet of "Monster Zero", but when one astronaut romances a mysterious woman, he uncovers the Xilien's true intentions.
- DirectorIshirô HondaTerry O. MorseStarsRaymond BurrTakashi ShimuraMomoko KôchiAn American reporter visiting Tokyo becomes a witness to the city's destruction by a dinosaur-like beast awoken from undersea hibernation by atom bomb testing.Godzilla looks wicked here. Excellent Suitmation utilized here, some of the best in the entire series. The Black and White helps to enhance the visuals and create quite a Dark and Sinister look. The tone in this American retelling is quite tame compared to the much darker Japanese version.
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsRhodes ReasonMie HamaLinda MillerThe evil Dr. Who captures King Kong to dig for Element X when his robot duplicate, Mechani-Kong, is unable to do the job, but Kong soon escapes and battles his doppelganger.
- DirectorJordan Vogt-RobertsStarsTom HiddlestonSamuel L. JacksonBrie LarsonAfter the Vietnam war, a team of scientists explores an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong and must fight to escape a primal Eden.
- DirectorIshirô HondaJun FukudaKengo FurusawaStarsKenji SaharaMachiko NakaTomonori YazakiA latchkey child living in the industrial city of Kawasaki confronts his loneliness through his escapist dreams of Monster Island and friendship with Minilla.GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT
After seeing this a half dozen times as a youngster it’s only natural that’d I’d have a connection with it. Having always seen the English dubbed version tonight I watched the actual Japanese version with English subtitles and I found it a much more enjoyable watch.
Is the movie 50% Godzilla Monster fight footage from other films, yes. Son of Godzilla, Destroy all Monsters, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster and so on.. But as a youngster watching this and following the story of this young boy Ichiro as he would close his eyes and teleport to monster Island, it hit home, you get lots of monsters, lots of Godzilla and in spite of the hate this film gets it plucks at my nostalgia strings and I find it quite enjoyable. - DirectorIshirô HondaStarsKenji SaharaYumi ShirakawaAkihiko HirataA mining engineer investigates the deaths of his colleagues, discovering prehistoric nymphs and a creature capable of flying - and wrecking havoc - at supersonic speeds.This is one of my favorite Kaiju films. I really like the look of Rodan, his design is very well done, far superior to how cheesy Godzilla sometimes looks in his films. The scenes where Rodan is attacking the Cities look real and devastating. When Rodan whips across the screen breaking the sound barrier and creating shock waves producing hurricane type winds its quite the thrill! The sound of him breaking the sound barrier in edition to his screeching cry are both fantastic. The movie plays it strait mostly, with a serious tone, nothing goofy or comedic and I like that. The ending is a bit of a downer but doesn't take to much away from this very good movie.
- DirectorJack ArnoldStarsJohn AgarMara CordayLeo G. CarrollA spider escapes from an isolated Arizona desert laboratory experimenting in gigantism and grows to tremendous size as it wreaks havoc on the local inhabitants.
- DirectorDon ChaffeyStarsTodd ArmstrongNancy KovackGary RaymondThe legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.Talos is my favorite Harryhausen creation ever!! Wish there was even more of him here!! He is one of my absolute favorite Giant Titans. He looks flawless.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsNaomi WattsJack BlackAdrien BrodyA greedy film producer assembles a team of moviemakers and sets out for the infamous Skull Island, where they find more than just cannibalistic natives.
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsAkira TakaradaYuriko HoshiHiroshi KoizumiWhen opportunistic tycoons refuse to return Mothra's egg to Infant Island, its people must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help when Godzilla arises near Nagoya.
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsRuss TamblynKumi MizunoKenji SaharaA giant, cannibalistic humanoid's rampage through Tokyo is halted by his more docile twin, but neither their reunion nor their scientist caretakers can prevent their eventual duel.“The words get stuck in my throat”