Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

Running time 108 min.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (ゴジラVSスペースゴジラ, Gojira vs. SupēsuGojira) is a 1994 kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. It was produced by Shogo Tomiyama and directed by Kensho Yamashita. It featured a musical score by Takayuki Hattori and a screenplay by Hiroshi Kashiwabara. The special effects were handled by Kohichi Kawakita. It is the 21st film in the Godzilla series, and the 6th film in the Heisei series.

Plot Synopsis
In 1995, one year after the defeat of Mechagodzilla at the hands of Godzilla, the U.N.G.C.C. (United Nations Counter-Godzilla Center) have devised two alternate plans that they hope will finally resolve the Godzilla problem. The first plan, dubbed Project: M.O.G.U.E.R.A (Project M), involves the rebuilding of Mechagodzilla's wreckedge into a new Anti-Godzilla mech: M.O.G.U.E.R.A. ( M obile O pporations G odzilla U niversal E xpert R obot A ero-type). This new machine, considered "the ultimate counter-Godzilla weapon", contains a powerful plasma laser cannon (similer to Mechagodzilla's), spiral missiles, advanced space-travel capabilities, and the ablity to split in half to form two different vehicles: Land Moguera, a burrowing tank, and the Star Falcon, a flying airship similer to the Garuda (a previous U.N.G.C.C. mech). The second plan is dubbed Project: Telepathy (Project T), and involves the placement of a telepathic amplifier on the back of Godzilla's head that, it is hoped, can be used to quite literally control the beast and keep it away from Japan. 23 year old psycic Miki Saegusa, a veteran Godzilla-fighter, is asked by Dr. Okubo, a biologist, and Dr. Chinatsu Gondo (sister of Lt. Goro Gondo who was killed by Godzilla in 1989 (see Godzilla vs Biollante)) to join the project due to her advanced telekinetic abilities. Miki, however, is opposed to the project as she believes it to be not only immoral, but impossible to pull off. Nevertheless, the Counter-G Buereau prepaires for the eventuallity of her agreament and sends a team of two G-Force soldiers, Koji Shinjo and Kiyo Sato, to Birth Island, a small, tropical paradise in the South Pacific that is often visited by the Monster King himself. While not an official "home" to Godzilla, the island is home to another creature: Little Godzilla, who has grown to 30 meters in height and begun to develop very Godzilla-like charactoristics. When Koji and Kiyo arive on the Island, they are greated by another soldier: Major Akira Yuki. However, Yuki does not have any intention of helping to control Godzilla, and plans to kill the beast insted. He recruits the two G-Force soldiers to help bury tear gas mines along the coast in preporation for the creature's eventual return. He reveals to the men that he has devised a weapon that should, in theory, finally destroy the monster for good. He shows them a special hand-made bullet that contains a deadly blood coagulator. Yuki claims that Godzilla has a weak-zone on his body (his arm pit to be exact) that can be breached by his bullet. He hopes that the coagulant, once in Godzilla's body, will poison and kill him.

Meanwhile, far out in the deep reaches of space, the guardian monster Mothra continues her mission to stop an approaching comet from impacting the Earth and destroying the human race. However, something more imediatly dangerous to the planet had come to her attention. In response, the giant insect begins to release countless smaller Fairy Mothras in her wake as she flies. One such Fairy Mothra travels to Earth and comes apon Miki, who is still considering her options about joining Project T. Before her eyes, the small moth transforms into an image of the Cosmos. The two twin girls then submit a grave warning to Miki: there is a creature, a space monster, on it's way to Earth. Its objectives: destroy Godzilla and conquer the planet for its own. The Cosmos warn Miki that if Godzilla is killed, the Earth will have no defence an be easily overtaken. They beg Miki to do her best to protect Godzilla and her planet, and then they disapear. The young woman now realizes that joining the T Project will give her the oportunity to help Godzilla and accepts the post of chief psychic on the scientific team.

Meanwhile, a meeting is held at G-Center between Japan's Counter-G Bureau and representatives from NASA to discuss a strange occurence. Something strange had happened to NASA's Interplanetary Research Vessel. The vidio file onboard showed that the craft had first suffered from an electrical disturbance, and then had its hull breached by strange, crystal-like projections. Unable to find an explenation to the strange happenings, NASA "could only speculate that it was some sort of... huge monster". In response, the U.N.G.C.C. votes to launch M.O.G.U.E.R.A. into space to intercept and attempt to destroy the creature, which, it is discovered, is approaching the Earth at great speed. At the same time, Miki, along with Dr. Okubo and Dr. Gondo arive at Birth Island. There, they join up with Koji, Kiyo, and Yuki to test Project T on Godzilla, whom it is hoped will visit the island again. Some time after the team sets up camp, they hear several explosions coming from the beach, and they quickly mobilize. However, it proves to be a false alarm, as it was only Little Godzilla that had wandered on to the beach and accedentaly set off the tear gas mines Yuki had burried earlier. Meanwhile, millions of miles from Earth, M.O.G.U.E.R.A. enters the asteroid belt as it moves to intercept the space monster. However, as it flies through the field of space rocks, it's scaners detect an object moving towards it at great speed. A few seconds later, a gigantic object comes into view. The huge, crystaline object flies straight for M.O.G.U.E.R.A. and attacks it, shooting energy pulses and even grazing the robot's body. Although the mech attempted to fight back, it could not stand against the incredible power of this creature, and was forced to retreat heavily damaged. Behind it, the space monster continues towards the Earth unimpeded.

Back on Birth Island, as Yuki checks several of his traps, Godzilla finally rises from the sea, and begins to lumber onto the island. Koji and Kiyo quickly return to the base and recieve their marching orders: they are to shoot the psychic amplifier onto the back of Godzilla's head via high-powered rifle. As they head towards the beach, Yuki grabs his own rifle and loads it with his coagulant bullets, prepaired to shoot and kill Godzilla. Both the G-Force soldiers and Yuki take their positions and wait for Godzilla to reach the beach. When he does, he trods on several of Yuki's tear gas mines. As he turns his head to avoid the gas, Koji takes his shot and succesfully hits the titanic monster in the back of the head. Yuki then takes his shot, aiming for Godzilla's armpit, but misses. Kiyo radios back to Okubo and Gondo, who switch the T-Project computers on and prepair to test it. Miki places a device on her head designed to amplify her T-wave, and she commands Godzilla to walk along the beach. Outside, Godzilla seems to comply, and begins to walk peacefully along the coast towards the cape. Eventually, however, Godzilla begins to regain control of his mind, and Okubo increases the power to a dangerous level, causing the computer to short circuit and Miki to pass out after a powerful electric shock. With that, control of Godzilla is terminated.

Koji and Kiyo are called back to the tent, and Miki regains conciousness. However, when she awakens, she feels the space monster the Cosmos warned her of approaching, and approaching quickly. Outside the tent, Koji and Kiyo discuss assisting Yuki in shooting Godzilla, and quickly depart to find him. Nearby, Yuki is following Godzilla across the island, crawling through the brush in an attempt to find an opportunity to shoot him. Soon, the two G-Force soldiers, with Miki and Gondo hot on their heals, arive and point their guns at Godzilla, prepaired to fire. However, before any triggers can be pulled, the sky begins to darken and, from out of the sky, a gigantic creature decends. It lands on Birth Islands, and as it does, huge crystaline spires and towers errupt from the ground. Miki, along with the others, are shocked to see that the space monster bears a remarkable resemblance to Godzilla himself! As the monster baths in the energy from the crystal structures, Little Godzilla creeps out from behind a rock. Curious, the infant monster lumbers forward to investigate the newcomer. Unfortunatly, the space monster turns and violently attacks Little Godzilla, who attempts to flee. As the heartless creature assults the young monster with a powerful Corona Beam, the adult Godzilla arives and attacks his child's tormentor. However, Godzilla's beam is deflected back at him by an energy shield the space monster has projected around itself. Little Godzilla finally escapes, and runs to his father for protection. The humans watch in horror as the space monster, now airborn again, relentlessly blasts Godzilla and his son with energy beams. Soon, however, Godzilla is brought down, and can only watch as Little Godzilla is lifted away by the space monster's telekinetic energy and imprisoned within a field of crystals. Unfortunatly, those crystals have given the space monster all the energy that they can, and the creature retreats, leaving Little Godzilla trapped and Godzilla wounded. Unable to rescue his son, the King of the Monsters leaves the island to recuperate. The scientists discover that the space monster is a clone of Godzilla, so they name it SpaceGodzilla.

The Japanese Mafia captures psychic Miki Saegusa and brings her back to their base, in an attempt to use Project T to gain control of Godzilla. However, their plan backfires. A recovery team is successfully dispatched and Miki and the team escape before SpaceGodzilla arrives and destroys the building. SpaceGodzilla lands in Fukuoka and destroys it in a matter of minutes, creating large crystals from the ground and turning the city into its fortress. Moguera arrives to once again fight SpaceGodzilla but is still no match for it. However, Godzilla arrives and fights SpaceGodzilla. It is discovered that SpaceGodzilla is using a large tower in the city as a power source and is absorbing the energy through its shoulder crystals. After taking advantage of this weakness, Godzilla destroys SpaceGodzilla (along with Moguera) by using his spiral ray and frees LittleGodzilla. The G-force now accepts Godzilla as their new protector. Miki, with her telepathic powers, gets the control device off of Godzilla.

The film ends with Godzilla swimming back to Birth island and the Fairy Mothra returns to outer space.

Box Office
The film sold approximately 3,200,000 tickets in Japan.

DVD Releases
SpaceGodzilla in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla - Columbia Tristar (Sony)

Released: February 1, 2000

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (1.85:1) letterboxed

Sound: English (2.0)

Region 1

Note: A double feature with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

Trivia

 * In this film the cosmo's state "if godzilla is killed earth will have no defense". This might mean Mothra felt earth was safe assuming if any new monsters appeared while she was in space, Godzilla would "defend" earth against them.
 * It is possible Spacegodzilla and Mothra may have met somewhere in space. This is possible due to the fact Mothra seem's to be fully aware of Spacegodzilla and its intention to kill Godzilla.
 * This movie is Godzilla's 40th anniversary where instead of fighting his mechanical double, Godzilla fights his comsic double.


 * Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla is one of the only Godzilla films that contains nudity (the scene where the camera pans up Yuki's naked back as he showers on Birth Island).
 * The Godzilla suit used predominantly in this film has been nicknamed "Mogegoji".
 * The "Radogoji" suit, used the previous year for Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II, is used in this film for the water scenes, such as when Godzilla rises and lumbers onto Birth Island as both Yuki and the G-Force soldiers attempt to shoot him. However, as the suit was not built originally for use in the "big pool", the water proved to be quite detremental to the rubber and caused it to deteriorate rather rapidy.  (If one watches the film carefully, one will see that the "Radogoji"'s long tail is split towared the end and appears to be hanging on by a thread.  In fact, in a scene that was (thankfully) cut from the final product, when the wires that controlled Godzilla's tail lifted the tail up, the tip of the tail compleatly snapped off!)
 * Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla harks back to the Godzilla films of the 1960's (imparticular the films directed by Jun Fukuda, such as Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, Son of Godzilla, and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla), and bears many similarities to several concepts used those films, including South Pacific islands populated by kaiju, space monsters, a young Godzilla geared towared children viewers, and a Godzilla who fills a semi-hero persona. Takayuki Hattori's contemporary musical score for the film is also very reminiscent of Masaru Sato's work in Fukuda's films.
 * It was the idea of special effects director Kohichi Kawakita to redesign the Baby Godzilla as the rather Minilla-ish Little Godzilla for this film. According to one source, Kawakita disliked the dinosaurian features of Baby and revamped him for this reason.
 * In addition to designing Little Godzilla, Kohichi Kawakita also tried to get permission from the Godzilla series' producer Tomoyuki Tanaka to create a children's television series entitled Little Godzilla's Underground Adventure. This idea, however, never came to fruition.


 * The original story for Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla called for the inclusion of a second Mechagodzilla, who would have fought along side Godzilla in the battle against Spacegodzilla. However, this concept was dropped and M.O.G.U.E.R.A. was incorporated into the story. This not only brought in a new face to the Heisei series and gave Toho a chance to revamp one of its original monsters for a new generation, but also gave special effects director Koichi Kawakita the chance to indulge in his passion for mecha monsters. (After all, his work on 1989's Gunhed, which involved a great number of robots and giant machines, was what got him the job as special effects director for the Godzilla series in the first place.)
 * Several scenes shot for the film were ultimately left on the cutting room floor. In one, Godzilla, after loosing to Spacegodzilla on Birth Island, lumbers over to the crystal prison that holds Little Godzilla and attempts to free him.  Unable to rescue his son, he ultimatly abandons the attempted rescue and departs the island in persuit of Spacegodzilla.  Another scene that never made it to the final film depicted the Star Falcon (M.O.G.U.E.R.A.'s lower half) in orbit around Earth in a test flight.  Yet another unused scene was shot for the end of the film, when Godzilla departs Fukuoka after Spacegodzilla's defeat.  In the original sequence, Godzilla pauses for a moment as he leaves the city, and then continues on his way.  While not a huge change, it would have been a small glimpse into what the monster might have been thinking or how he percieved the battle that had just taken place.  Whatever it's true purpose, the scene, along with those previously mentioned, was cut in order to maintain a shorter running time for the movie.
 * In another (and rather unfortunate) similarity to Godzilla's earlier Showa adventures, Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla utalizes the use of stock footage. Such recycled footage was used for Godzilla's battle with the Japanese Navy as it approaches the country in search of Spacegodzilla. Although footage was shot for the sequence, special effects director Koichi Kawakita rejected it on the grounds that it was not realistic enough.  Under pressure to finish the film on schedual, Kawakita was forced to splice in the footage of Godzilla's battle with the Navy from the film Godzilla vs Biollante (1989).  The close-up scene of Godzilla roaring and firing his beam was culled from Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992).

Critical reaction
Critical reaction to Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla has been mixed. Toho Kingdom said the film is "far from terrible" and "an underrated movie" but felt it suffered from an "overly complicated story," "underdeveloped characters," and "forgettable" music. Monster Zero called the film "a curiously uninvolving effort" that "disappoints in nearly all aspects of the production" American Kaiju criticized the "wildly uneven pacing," "uneven special effects," and "exceedingly lumpy story," but added that "most of the special effects are pretty fair" and "the monster battles are mostly fun."DVD Cult said, "It does have some great destruction scenes and monster battles; two things that make these films worthwhile to begin with. The monster SpaceGodzilla is excellently designed, and is certainly far more menacing than anything Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich ever dreamed up."