Up From The Depths Reviews | Godzilla vs. Hedorah AKA The Smog Monster (1971)

[@TheLukeMonster]

Fun fact: Hedorah is played by Kenpichiro Satsuma, the same stuntman who would go on to play Godzilla in every entry of the Heisei era. The Hedorah costume reportedly weighed nearly 300 lbs!

[@MaskedRiderChris]

And he had to have doctors come to the movie set to operate on him to remove a ruptured appendix--while he was still in said suit, because it was so incredibly inconvenient to remove and he needed that appendectomy yesterday. According to Satsuma-san, that was the day he found out the hard way he was immune to painkillers!

[@steveschaff4620]

He's also the man that WALKED OUT of the Roland Emmerich, Tri-Star Pictures 'Godzilla' (1998) SHIT-FEST saying, and I quote, 'That isn't GOJIRA! It doesn't have his SPIRIT!'

[@djangofett4879]

​@@MaskedRiderChris The doctors examined and questioned him while he was in the suit but the actual surgery didn't take place in the suit. Satsuma said the story has been exaggerated

[@Nedziller]

The first time I watched this film I was having a really bad case of the flu and had rented it from Blockbuster a few days before I got sick, and oh boy, it is most certainly not the film to watch when you're sick (I was sick for almost two weeks). However, Godzilla vs Hedorah is probably one of my favorite films in the series. I never did return the copy I had (Blockbuster closed).

[@THEMEATBALLER1]

I love that this was Satsuma's first role in a Godzilla movie and he fights Nakajima. Hesei Goji vs. Showa Goji.

[@goldedrag111]

*Heisei

[@nathanieldiaz2845]

Just stand around and look at each other..... so that is where Dragon Ball Z got it from.. lol

[@UpFromTheDepths88]

It all makes sense now!

[@AngryGreen]

My favorite Showa versus film, besides Mothra. I love Banno's creativity and the film's eagerness to try new things. Excellent channel, by the way. Looking forward to many more videos!

[@nope5657]

This maaaay be my favorite Showa film outside Gojira. It's just so weird and entertaining.

[@christos0519]

Mine too! I mean it opens with Godzilla getting pissed and using his atomic breath on a bunch of ocean trash/pollution... as both an environmentalist and a Godzilla fan it put a huge smile on my face!

[@eagenthorror]

@@christos0519 doesn't his atomic breath make things worse? He is going to end up causing fires, and his atomic breath can cause nuclear fallout in the area and spread radiation.

[@eagenthorror]

@@christos0519 its literally like a nuclear powerplant having a meltdown along with ocean trash and pollution.

[@dougwalker8068]

I recently watched both for a binge I'm doing of the series' history, and so far, I actually think I like it more than the original Gojira. Something about it's presentation just speaks to me on a very personal level.

[@TheJboy88]

Films from the 70's that focus on environmentalism will always fascinate me. It was as if the whole world suddenly said to itself "oh shoot, the environment exists" and so just decided to throw anti-pollution stuff everywhere it could.

[@AroAceGamer]

Well things like the Green New Deal should have been done like 40 years ago if we want to actually mitigate climate change, so the 70s weren't wrong...

[@Hwje1111]

I mean tbf pollution was really bad back then. If you looked at 1969 era NYC, 1954 London or even 1984 Tokyo, you can see what I mean.

[@robertovaldivia1573]

Nuclear Energy vs Fossil Fuels the movie!

[@justler370]

This movie actually saved Godzilla's future.

[@Mecha_Machinehog1]

Like crapzilla 199ASS and actually good Murcia movie 2014

[@eagenthorror]

@@Mecha_Machinehog1 i liked crapzilla

[@scaper8]

Very literally given Banno was the driving force behind what would one day become Legendary's Monserverse.

[@dreamconsciousness]

aside from the fact banno was banned from making any other godzilla film for "ruining the godzilla series FOREVER" when all monsters attack ruined it before gvh 1971

[@jurassickaiju14]

I can't be the only one who was reminded of the "Save the Earth" song when listening to Emma Russell's motive rant in KOTM. Right?

[@derworfnet]

I actually quite like the Monster Battles in this movie. Not only because Hedorah is a constantly evolving monster with a multitude of abilities which give Godzilla a hard time, but also because of how eerie these battles feel: Most of them take place at night and are not accompanied by any music, which makes them quite suspenseful. Also, that they spend a lot of time just staring at each other kind of works for me. Okay, admittedly, I am someone who got used to this sort of thing from watching a lot of DBZ, but think of it this way: Hedorah is an Alien and thus simply weird. Godzilla on the other hand looks like he's kind of at a loss. He doesn't quite know what he's looking at, only that its dangerous, and thus, he's trying to get the measure of his opponent and plays it safe. Also, the sheer brutality of this fight deserves a mention: At the end, Godzilla just doesn't just rip Hedorah to shreds, he also burns its remains.

[@dougwalker8068]

I watched this film recently for a Godzilla binge I've been doing. I'm not gonna lie, this might actually be my favorite Godzilla movie thus far.

[@megalon73]

The Best thing about this movie is, Hedorah. He's the talk of the whole movie. He Overshadows, Godzilla in this movie witch is insane. Hedorah has probably the most Incredible design on the Suit.

[@juliuszhorst8083]

Probably my favorite Showa post-54 movie.

[@GilbertoBruno]

This movie is extremely awesome, one of the best in the series. XD.

[@oaktree149]

Honestly Hedorah is Slept on. Easily One of the Best Monsters in the Series. Perfect Design, Perfect Abilities (Besides the Generic Red Laser), Perfect Sounds, Perfect Metaphor, just a All Around Very Well Made Monster

[@MrMortombachman]

One of my favorites of the series

[@FreakinTheComments]

omfg that aesthetic

[@ShanaReviews]

Japan: "QUICK! WHAT'S THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION!?" Godzilla: "NUKE IT!"

[@kappyjr.gaming]

Now i know why i was scared at any hedorah episodes as a kid

[@TreePlantMan]

Personally, I don't think a separate plot is necessary for vs hedorah. The intrigue and danger hedorah poses to not just Godzilla but all life was enough to keep me hooked and interested in the film. I think the darker tone of the film is refreshing especially with most of the previous films being mainly for kids and is light hearted. You really root for Godzilla during this film, gives a similar vibe to gamera in his heisei films. I personally think this is the best of the showa godzilla films aside from the original but thats just me.

[@ChrisPeteG]

LOVE THIS CHANNEL AND CONTENT. Keep it up!

[@garypotter5569]

THE best monster in all Godzilla fandom.

[@derajnitram1882]

It's not good, and yet it's so unique that I can't really condemn it, and Godzilla takes a beating in this one, losing an eye, and having a hand dissolved down to the bone, Hedorah my look goofy but it actually made Godzilla sustain visible injury, which is rare in the franchise.

[@superlive98]

It's better than good. It's the best.

[@Popcultureguy3000]

deraj nitram I just love how it was made in response to Japan’s ecological catastrophe caused by poor industrial and environmental regulation during their post-WWII industrial boom. Any Godzilla movie that wants to really be a commentary on a Japanese societal issue like the original 1954 film is going to a favorite to me, whether it’s Vs. Hedorah, Godzilla GMK (ignoring the ugly parts of your history won’t get rid of that, this bad history will just come back to bite you in ways you did not anticipate), Shin Godzilla (3/11 Fukushima Daiichi and why the Japanese government dropped the ball over and over again in its response), or even Godzilla Vs. Biollante (it was sci-fi then, but the theoretical genetic experiments from that 1989 movie are the most sought after, industry and nation building technological innovations in the 21st century. Smart crops grows major capital, yo!).

[@nexusshark]

I only like this movie because of Hedora's interesting concept. But I can't deny how weird and bizarre this movie is at times. Though I've seen worse. Also, Godzilla flies.

[@junodonatus4906]

It's weird and bizarre in a well done way.

[@squiremuldoon5462]

This is one of my favorites, and i have a feeling the design for Shin Gojira(my all time favorite) was inspired in part by Hidorah.

[@gabrielM1111]

most underrated movie godzilla (showa) movie. im a diehard godzilla (showa only) i refuse to watch the post showa because he and the production are drastically different.. im fascinated by the showa cinematic effects of vintage suit work, fake buildings trucks weapons etc) most notable is godzillas look, roars and fighting style is captivating entertaining and memorabe. . the sci-fi plots are cheesy but fun. godzilla vs hidorah is my favorite because it strayed away from the norm. the slow pace fighting without the usual godzilla theme musi.. only great sound effects(listen to the big long echo of hedorah hitting ground when G flips slams him down the last time) , unique camera work, jump cuts, super slow motion battles, sizing each other up make the fight scenes mesmerizing. every other showa movie fight scene is almost identical in style.. this one displays a true 1on1 battle with the viewer as a spectator because of its minimalism. also Godzilla here shows more intelligence.. he assists humans by blasting the electric walls, he analyzes hedorah's unique body matter and powers, Flies him back for more electrocution. and blasts the polluted sea. this is my favorite g film followed by terror of mechagodzilla (mainly because of the soundtrack , plot and titanasaurus) and 3rd is invasion of the astro monster.

[@thomassinclair7228]

I’ve seen this movie three times in the past year. I really wish the series had a few more experimental entries because this is one of my favorites of the Showa era even tho the last third really drags. Who knows, maybe we’ll get something weirder in the future. But probably not.

[@Gothos]

This was one of the six G movies available at my local VHS rental (the others being vs Gigan, vs Megalon, Terror of Mechagodzilla, vs Biollante and Heisei vs Mothra) when I was a kid, and I think this one's the one I watched the most... at least 10 times? It was my favorite... But I can't tell why anymore. Maybe because it was the most kids-oriented one? The hamfisted environmental message (I also loved Cpt Planet at the time)? I don't know. But it's always going to feel special to one lonely, escapist, scared, sad little kid.

[@josephmanno4514]

Interestingly enough, while I agree with what you say for the most part, the film's very surrealism makes it, in my opinion, one of the five indispensable Godzilla entries. The Godzilla-movie-on-an-acid trip is must see kaiju eiga.

[@zed6740]

The points you make in this movie are the same exact thoughts I had about the movie so I also give this movie a 3/5. Great review!👍🏽

[@Popcultureguy3000]

Despite all it’s problems, it’s still probably going to remain my favorite Showa era Godzilla movie since it truly was the only installment since Gojira to actually be _about_ something, given that the film was a response to the ecological holocaust caused by Japan’s unregulated post-WWII industrial boom. When I think about all the ways Hedorah killed and maimed people in the movie, I’m reminded about how the first film opened with the fishing boat being attacked by Gojira because of real life Japanese fishermen getting caught in snow-like fallout of a nearby H-bomb test that was closer to civilian areas than the US Military wanted thanks to a typo on their end. So if that inspired Godzilla’s first attack, what horrifying stories of pollution and death in 1970’s Japan inspired Hedorah?

[@MaskedRiderChris]

I'm with @Goji on this one, this is one of my favorite Showa era movies by far, for all the reasons you mention here. It's unique *because* it's trippy, surreal, weird, and downright dark, and I disagree with you re the fights; I find them tense and exciting as they square off, as though Godzilla is thinking "How the hell do I handle this thing," and Hedorah is daring him to attack. The camera work really adds to the atmosphere, as well, and the score (by Riichiro Manabe) is appropriate with how spare and creepy it is, how minimalist it is. It wasn't for nothing that Tanaka Tomoyuki outright barked at Banno Yoshimitsu that he was not allowed to direct a Godzilla movie again as long as he lived; Banno bucked the Japanese reliance on tried and true, and tradition, to create something fresh and new, interesting, and Tanaka was Not Having It. But Banno got the last laugh when he was given an assistant director credit on the 2014 Godzilla! With respect, I maintain this is one of the best Showa movies for that reason, its being totally different and out on a limb.

[@tantar1721]

Banno participating in the amazing 2014 godzilla is one of the best revenge stories out there

[@MaskedRiderChris]

@@tantar1721 Oh, yes it is! Banno-san definitely got the last laugh on that one.

[@joshchiang5995]

It's arguable if this is for kid with the at times deturbing sequences in the film

[@junodonatus4906]

Well, that was the seventies. Even Sesame Street was very trippy back then.

[@ek9509]

I think this would probably be my favourite Godzilla film because it means he is saving Planet Earth from a monster made out of pollution.

[@CaptainCanuck1975]

First Godzilla movie I saw, or at least the first one I remember seeing. Saw it at school on the last day of class before the Christmas holidays, where it was shown in the gymnasium on a big screen for everyone to watch. This was in the pre-VHS days, so they had actual film reels playing on a projector. It was fun; lots of people went "EWWWW!" at the gross-out shots.

[@Gertofius1]

One of my all time favorite Godzilla movies

[@bryanthunder1739]

Hedorah has been confirmed that it's a FEMALE! Let that sink in and I'm surprised that Monster Island Buddies already guess before anyone!!

[@junodonatus4906]

What guess? Godzilla destroys her eggs in the movie.

[@silverfish1924]

now this film is weird, but it is also a contextually dark film. Hedorah is a terrifying Kaiju that did a lot of damage on Godzilla, I love this film as one of my favorites in the showa era

[@SuperSirianRigel]

I wanted to share one more thing about this movie for me... My mom got this movie for me on VHS when I was a kid back in the 80's. She and my aunt had us kids watching it during breakfast one day. They gave me blueberry waffles to eat... (Or was it pancakes with blueberry syrup? I can't remember.) While I was starting to eat it one of those gross scenes where Hedorah is shooting sludge all over the place was going on. All of a sudden my kid brain connected sludge and the taste of blueberries together. I couldn't finish them because I felt sick and I haven't liked blueberries ever since. lol.

[@kaiju115]

If a majority of fans have to get drunk to sit through All Monsters Attack, a majority of fans have to get High for Godzilla vs Hedorah. I still enjoy the film despite how much of an acid trip it can be, plus Hedorah needs to make a comeback, and not as a brief cameo *looking at you Final Wars*.

[@junodonatus4906]

TV in general was an acid trip in the seventies. Especially kids TV....think Sesame Street or Land of the Lost.

[@chrisperry8752]

I’ve always loved this entry😎🤘🏻 Was one of my faves as a kid and I still love it at 40 years old!!

[@interviolet6675]

4:26 is my most favourite angle of flying showa gojira, unironically it's the best thing to come out of this era of films to me. encapsulating the "Send it" mentality they had Honda might have facepalmed to see gojira like this tho

[@TheFlanker47]

This movie is amazing!

[@surfmorworkless]

This was one of my fav Godzilla movies as a kid. It's still awesome.

[@siekensuu]

Your critique has excellent points. I can't help loving it, though... Saw it for the first time back in the 70s on TV when I was four or five, and I still get a huge kick out of it as an adult, as opposed to another campy/odd entries in the series that I saw when very young, like _Godzilla vs. Megalon_. I don't hate _Final Wars_, but that movie's treatment of Hedorah is the most egregious example of its quick fights in my eyes making an existing fault more glaring. That's all me, though. Thanks for your candid review, I'll be watching your other vids.

[@gorillawhale1046]

Honestly my favorite Godzilla film. I remember watching it when I was five. It's weridness is what makes it awesome.

[@tushaethewrong5602]

This is 100% without a doubt my favourite of the Showa era films. The fights were slow but too me it made them feel more weighty and impactful. It resembles more accurately what two giant monsters fighting would be like. And Hedorah is just so gross and disgusting I fucking Love it!

[@josemontano7767]

I love this Godzilla movie

[@robertcasipe1851]

Next to Hedorah the signature horn fanfare was the most memorable thing from the film.

[@Irrelevant402]

I'm positive this is my first Godzilla movie and I really like.

[@ButrzV2]

By the time id seen this (probly bout 9 or 10 years old), id already seen shit like the director's cut of Aliens and was quite fond of old-school DooM. So really, the graphic death didnt weigh too heavily on my (not-so-fragile) child mind (i think the random cartoon segments equalized things or something). Looking at it now? Yea...this is a FUCKED UP movie. The kind of movie that, if i did hallucinogens or something before watching, i probly wouldnt sleep for a few days.

[@brycevo]

This movie is a real product of its time. A real high time

[@kevinhughes3477]

When I was a child I loved this movie so much, that it was the first vhs (that's what we used to watch movies on) that I ever destroyed. I watched it so many times that the film became corrupted and large stretches of the movie were just static.

[@Thorn76]

I pretty much agree with all your points. The actual fights really are kind of boring and almost sink the picture, but still and all I'm in the camp of loving the strangeness and weirdness and horror -- I think it's one of the best in the series. It's the Gojira equivalent of an art-house movie, Gojira Meets Felllini! It particularly stands out because it's surrounded on both sides by two of the worst films in the series.

[@paulosborne6517]

I need to rewatch this. I was very drunk the first time, and I only really remember Gojira ripping Hedorah's 'balls' out at the end.

[@thomasgarrison1088]

I'll be honest; Godzilla vs Hedorah is in my top 5 Godzilla movies. Hedorah is a very interesting and memorable villain to me, and this film is one of the few times it really feels like the world is in danger in the series. It's a shame Hedorah doesnt have more presence in the series as, based on the beating he gave Godzilla in this movie, he's on par with Mechagodzilla, Ghidorah, SpaceGodzilla and Destroyah in terms of power. The film is SUPER wierd, but once I just accepted it for what it was it really grew on me. In some ways it feels like a mix between a Godzilla movie and Ralph Bakshi's Wizards from a few years later (also SUPER wierd, but with a valuable message and one of my favorite animated movies). I can totally see why it's divisive among G-fans, but I'm glad it's gotten more appreciated. It's the closest we'll ever get to a cult-classic Godzilla movie, and that in and of itself makes it awesome :)

[@therealhero160]

I feel like I’m on drugs after watching this

[@zachthezombie]

This is a high point in the franchise for me

[@jacquelineroswell-sander1202]

Like I said it already before. I am probably the only one, but thats my favorite Godzilla movie (from the first parts until 1975). Our German Version is different in cut & sounds from the US and even the Original Japanese film. Ok, some moments are pretty bad, but after all this movie has a clear message. I saw this part of the series at least 40 times in last 40 years;-) The only thing I dislike are the weak and funny scenes (Like the rocket fly=terrible, really terrible). And btw. I can live with this review very well, because I saw often less objektiv ones before...

[@UpFromTheDepths88]

I can honestly understand how this could be someone's favorite, it's so weird and unique! In fact I kind of wish it was weirder. But I tried to be as objective as possible with it, and I think there are some real issues holding it back. Thank you so much for watching!

[@jacquelineroswell-sander1202]

The pleasure is to mine! Lucky to find your channel.

[@TheGojiShay]

I loooooved this one when I was a little kid. Hedorah was just so creepy and unsettling to look at, and he really gave Godzilla a tough fight. Nowadays as an adult I do admit this a very mixed bag of a movie and it probably wouldn't make my personal top 10, but I'll always have a nostalgic soft spot for it. I'll always kinda respect it too, because it really did have a message it wanted to say. In 1970s Japan pollution levels were FAR worse than what there was here in the USA due to rapid post-war industrialization without any government checks going on at all. Even though it could get really silly at times, this movie was almost if not just as relevant to Japan's fears in the 1970s as to their atomic fears in the 1950s. You do a great job on these reviews! I hope someday you'll get to review Frankenstein Conquers the World and War of the Gargantuas. I know they're not exactly easy to come by these days, but it'd be great to see you lend your insight to those classics as well.

[@UpFromTheDepths88]

@@TheGojiShay I have both of those and do plan on reviewing them after I've gone through the Godzilla series. It's funny, I have no nostalgia for this one because I could never find it on VHS when I was a kid. And your right about the message of Hedorah. It's one of only a handful of G films with a real relevant message for a specific time it came out. Thanks for watching!

[@JerkyD]

This is 1 of the few Godzilla movies I saw on TV as a kid. Even still, I knew something was off compared to the others I had heard of, especially given Godzilla's weird entrance music & flying ability.

[@stevensnake3008]

It was one of the most incredible Saturday matinee movies

[@gabedeltoro9423]

Happy 50th birthday, Godzilla vs Hedorah!

[@tracyndiyob162]

i loved this movie and actually liked the environmental tone compared to other movies, especially love the main theme(that i really love the lyrics to giving a nice message we shouldn't ignore.),the surreal 1970's feel(which i love seeing japan's era of.) and godzilla having a heroic personality with him helping the humans out with the electrodes/the flying scene being him having enough of hedorah flying away so he copies him making sure he's dead for good.(always took the final shot more as "if you don't clean up your act another hedorah may return".) how outside the original/shin godzilla surprisingly really dark it gets (going from godzilla nearly choking to death to a group of fleeing humans suffering the same horrible fate getting dissolved/the man falling off the scaffolding with it eerily collapsing silently and even showing a baby trapped in the toxic sludge.)yet like it's human characters outside ken's uncle idiotically trying to kill hedorah with fire after attracting him with it with hedorah being one of my favorite monsters with how even more than most versions of ghidorah he comes close to killing godzilla.(especially burning his hand to the bone/scarring his eye shut.) only had issues with the middle fights scenes(takes a bit to long with godzilla doing the "bring it"/sumo motions.),the blam moments like the animated segments(feel they could've been intro's to news reports/hedorah's origins,though love the smokestack he sucked actually is a character.) and everyone turning into fish in the dance scene(do love the singer for it and how she protects ken in the finale.:3) though didn't find it distracting enough to not give a recommendation.

[@Godzilla-tu2cd]

Wow I feel high right now. And I don't take drugs.

[@gusteen3292]

I will just say this is my favorite of the Showa Era, I just love niche stuff and I love the environment so this clicks with me. The latter half of the show era as a whole is a guilty pleasure of mine and Megalon is my 3rd favorite kaiju behind Mecha-King Ghidorah and Monsterverse Kong, Godzilla is 4th in my ranking.

[@brandonb1681]

This one scared me as a child. now it is just plain weird...but watchable.

[@lilflip9611]

My favorite godzilla film

[@randquadrozzi1280]

I was horrified as a 8 year old seeing the skeletons.the stuff nightmares are made of.

[@tracyndiyob162]

happy 50th anniversary godzilla vs. hedorah!!! :3

[@Punchout101]

Godzilla vs Hedorah is so underrated

[@anand736]

hedorah killed so many people

[@TheOnlyLucatoni]

I was watching this half asleep and honestly thought I was high

[@twest344]

The first Godzilla movie I ever saw, on "creature double feature" in the 70's... I had seen the Hanna-Barbera cartoon and the Marvel comics at the time, but not the movies. Up til then, I didn't know that that Godzilla came from Japan! I was 6 or 7. I still love this movie. The fight scenes are paced just right for a 7 year-old to watch, as I remember him punching through the monster, and him being buried with toxic waste (Is Godzilla dead?). I'm sure it would be disappointing to watch now as I haven't seen it in nearly 40 years.

[@williamburke1731]

Out of all the films in the entire series from 1954 to the present, "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" holds the well-deserved distinction of being the WEIRDEST! It's both a monster movie AND an acid trip, with an ecological message to boot! Although I wouldn't do it myself, I suggest that you watch this one under the influence of your "vice" of choice, ha ha!

[@andrewpragasam]

Be honest. Who thought Yoshimitsu Banjo of all people would be the the key Toho player behind Godzilla's Hollywood comeback in the 21st century? Patrick Macias' excellent book Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion features an interview with Banno in which he outlines his intentions for the film and influences in great detail. I love G vs Smog Monster so much.

[@mattmacaulay2900]

This film is the first thing that I remember being terrified as a kid.

[@brianlawton8172]

Not the worst (looking at you ‘Godzilla’s revenge’) if not the most misunderstood. Like “Matango” and “Goke” Toho was starting to look outside the box of the usual offerings. Bono was fired from the director chair after the flying godzilla stunt but you have to give him credit for originality If not consistence and that he didn’t have to rely on stock footage from previous films Godzilla films (which seemed to be the thing at that time frame.) Another Nice and honest review.

[@blacksamurai-irs7rw]

I love Godzilla vs The Smog Monster.

[@SuperSirianRigel]

Ummm. I think the fight scenes are pretty good in this movie actually. Too be honest I watched this when I was a little kid. I still have the VHS tape. (Why my mom thought it was a good idea... I don't know.) But this was the only movie where I really felt like Godzilla was in big trouble and might actually die. I guess the fact that his atomic breath didn't really do anything to Hedorah directly. And he was constantly getting splatted by Herdorah. To the point to where his eye got burned and his hand got melted somewhat... Yeah I just always thought the fights were good. They were very suspenseful fights. That's why Godzilla and Hedorah stared at each other a little longer than usual. They were both very cautious, worried that if they messed up the other would find a way to kill him. So they seized each other up a lot trying to figure out how to finish the other one off. Trying to come up with anything that might work. And the death scenes were pretty graphic and horrible as well. Making you wonder if Godzilla would end up the same. But yeah good review. I always thought of this one as close to a 4 star rating but maybe not quite. 3.8 stars perhaps. lol.

[@dreamconsciousness]

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) or formerly in North America known as Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster (1971), is a decently well made Godzilla movie of the Showa era, and probably one of my favorites. Hedorah basically is the main monster that represents pollution, I like that idea, but most people conclude it's not humanity's fault because it "came from outer space". But didn't Hedorah come from a sludge planet. Pollution is her obsession, both sludge and pollution probably are the same thing. So humanity is still to blame. The environmental message is also strong, it shows what was happening in Japan seas, rivers, and basically oceans at this time. The film also has some issues. This is the weirdest film, you hate it or not, you cannot deny that fact. The fights are pretty slow if you think about it. The final fight is pretty much the slowest, since Hedorah is looking at toy model cars for 5 minutes straight. It makes me want to click off or skip. But it has good moments, the most infamous being the moment where Godzilla defies the laws of physics by using his atomic breath to fly backwards. It's the most ridiculous yet creative moment in Godzilla's history. Sadly he cannot do this later on the rest of the Godzilla films. The film has some more graphic imagery than most other Godzilla films in the Showa era, with flesh being dissolved to bone, people being turned into skeletons, basically this film is more disturbing and graphic if you think about the deaths. Hedorah is a good monster, despite having less appearances, except from the Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) cameo. It also killed many people, proving her power. Hedorah also makes a hard foe for Godzilla to defeat. Despite this, it's not the greatest Godzilla film, but's it not the worst, it's rather around decent. The film tries to bring back the tone the original film had, but take it to the next level. It's a mixture of kid-friendly and older audience. It's a must see for Showa fans. Thus makes it a 3/5.

[@soulsparx]

this movie was honestly great when it was being super weird and out there but a lot of the time i felt it was just a bit slow and kind of boring.

[@monkopooey5197]

Hedorah in a nutshell: mankind attacks the ocean by dumping a whole bunch of sh*t into it, a whole bunch of sh*t rises from the ocean to attack mankind ;)

[@amin2047]

for me i found this movie to be one of the best of the series, the best part about it is the direction and production and overall theme, and the worst thing is def its bland characters

[@captainmarvelous1221]

This is one movie I haven't seen yet. I have been looking for on DVD. Anyways like the videos man just remember to "Rev it up"

[@toonbat]

Am I the only one who finds Hedora's design oddly beautiful? It just looks so organic and unique. Half the time it's easy to forget it's a guy in a suit.

[@Car1Sagan]

As a kid in the 70s, I thought this flick was disturbing.

[@SharkAlien66]

Love this movie. It's my kind of crazy.

[@ghostoftheoldworld5104]

i'm just wondering why they put some baby chest deep in mud

[@Projectprohonda2009]

This movie was kind of weird but I still like it because it was different from the rest but I still have it in one of my favorite Godzilla movies in March or years this movie was one of the ones that I watched most of the others so it has in my mind my favorite Godzilla movie that I used to grow up on

[@HeroicAge616]

I saw this as a child and the graphic imagery, especially the baby drowning in sludge gave me nightmares. Don't show this to your kids folks!

[@Kaiju-Driver]

I always thought that this monster was really gross the more you think about it

[@treystephens6166]

Keiko Mari 🥰

[@jackhamilton9604]

Today I've just thought of a theory of why Ken Yano has a psychic connection to Godzilla. What if he's the reincarnation of the original Godzilla? How does that sound as a theory?

[@parkerpshebnisky1051]

This movie is both strange! and fun!

[@bold810]

Another kick-Ass song in the nightclub scene

[@BaldPerspective]

Idk if Japanese audiences dug this film, but North American critics, along with Tomoyuki Tanaka, were both stupidly- & wrongly-harsh towards this film. Yoshimitsu Banno's love of Godzilla is extremely evident, Hedorah is the first Godzilla villain to truly challenge him since Ghidorah's first appearance, & the film truly stands out in the best way with so much creativity, energy, & panache. Banno swung for the fences with this one, & even though it's not a home run, it's an impressive performance. I'm so sad he never got to direct another G-Film.

[@alphonsofrett2757]

There is a apart of me that wants to see this movie Remade with a deep spiritual meaning to done carefully and respectfully yet I appreciate it Auckworkness. Yes! I painfully agree with you I saw this movie as a child but now that I am a man I there 3 changes I would make make Change 1 make the human characters deeper. 2 better combat in the monster fights. 3 deeper Spiritual meaning!

[@DeanLaPoint]

Hedorah is awesome!

[@kidz4p509]

A lot of people never take Hedorah seriously, but I take it seriously due to its nightmarish appearance.

[@carlo2384]

this is the closest we'll get to seeing what Sajan Suzuki might have done with godzilla! this and ebirah Horror of the deep are among my favorites. both are a nice break from the formula.