Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

About Terror of Mechagodzilla

Terror of Mechagodzilla is a 1975 Japanese science fiction kaiju film featuring Godzilla, directed by Ishiro Honda. It's the final film in the Showa series of Godzilla films. This movie sees Godzilla take on Mechagodzilla, a mechanized version of himself, and Titanosaurus, under the control of an evil alien race. The plot revolves around the humanization of Mechagodzilla and the ultimate showdown between the monsters.

Making / Production

Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, the film was made by the Toho studio in Japan. This film marked a return of the director Ishiro Honda, who had taken a break from the franchise. Despite a lower budget compared to its predecessors, the movie was able to create impressive special effects and cityscape destruction scenes.

Actors

• Katsuhiko Sasaki as Akira Ichinose: Katsuhiko Sasaki played the protagonist Akira Ichinose, a marine biologist investigating the strange happenings in the waters off Japan.
• Tomoko Ai as Katsura Mafune: Tomoko Ai portrayed Katsura Mafune, a cyborg under the control of the aliens.
• Akihiko Hirata as Dr. Mafune: Akihiko Hirata played the role of disgraced mad scientist Dr. Mafune who seeks revenge against humankind by controlling Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Terror of Mechagodzilla was Ishiro Honda's last movie.
• Despite its cult following, the film was a box office failure.
• The U.S. version of the film features archived footage from previous Godzilla films.
• The movie was supposedly the shortest in the series, running just over 80 minutes.

Awards

No prominent awards were won by this film.

Quotes

• "Godzilla's fangs and claws, Mechagodzilla's missiles - who will win?"
• "I'm afraid even Godzilla would not stand much of a chance against this Titanosaurus."

Music, Soundtrack

• Soundtrack composed by Akira Ifukube, who made a triumphant return after a six year absence from the Godzilla series.
• Main theme “Godzilla and Titanosaurus” is considered a classic by fans worldwide.