Dir. Ishirô Honda (1965)
A mysterious race of aliens comes to Earth to ask for help defeating Monster Zero, but their intentions may not be as good as they seem.
Invasion of Astro-Monster was the first film in the series so far that I watched that was dubbed into English, and it's an interesting experience. One of the actors involved, Nick Adams, was actually speaking in English throughout the film, while all of the Asian actors are dubbed over their normal speaking voices. Normally, I would much rather watch a film in its native language, but there's something special about watching a Godzilla movie that's dubbed because it's so integral to many American fans' experiences with the franchise. Dubbing over Asian vocals has become a meme all its own, and while it does take away a little bit from the experience, it's nonetheless a great way to watch the film as its currently streaming.
Two astronauts enter Planet X, where they are met by a subterranean group of aliens named the Xiliens. These aliens ask the Earth to borrow Godzilla and Rodan in order to defeat "Monster Zero," which is actually Ghidorah from the previous film, promising the cure for cancer in return. The astronauts themselves are not sure that the aliens can be trusted, and it quickly becomes clear that they're right to be suspicious: the Xiliens want to use Godzilla and Rodan to take over the Earth. The Earth's scientists must join together in order to thwart their plot and save the world.
Invasion of Astro-Monster is a great throwback to the science fiction films of the 60's, which I suppose makes sense because that's when it was made. The aliens wear silly costumes, with futuristic looking dials and panels everywhere in their lair, while the planet they live on looks straight out of Fantastic Voyage. Invasion was made four years before we landed on the moon, and you can tell: absolutely nothing that we actually ended up exploring the stars in looks like the spacecrafts in this film. The "futuristic" aesthetic is so incredibly charming, and it's a delightful look at the science fiction visions from some of the earliest examples of the genre in film.
The effects, which of course don't even slightly stand up today, must've been groundbreaking at the time: floating UFOs, levitating monsters, and an entire rocky landscape of foreign planets far beyond our ability to explore. The monster fights are amazing, and the costumes are cheesy and hilarious. The Xiliens look as much like partygoers at Frank-N-Furter's mansion than they do the typical aliens from the science fiction films at the time. This is also the first film in which Godzilla does the hilarious dance that eventually became an internet meme a half-century later.
The alien plot to take over the Earth is an interesting wrinkle in the Godzilla story, and far more time is dedicated to that overarching plot than it is to the kaiju goodness it continually promises. Eventually, of course, we do get to see Godzilla and Rodan wereak havoc, both on Earth, when they are being mind-controlled by the aliens, and on Ghidorah. There's a ton of destruction, with explosions and fires raging all throughout the Japanese city where they land, and there's some excellent scenes of the military firing on Godzilla that hearken back to the original film.
While the science fiction in the film is a little overwrought, the monster action is exactly what you're looking for in a kaiju film. The set miniatures are amazing, the effects are a lot of fun, and I'm continually impressed by the creature design on King Ghidorah. If you're a fan of Godzilla films, you'll really enjoy this one, even if it loses its way at times with its ridiculous plot. Once we actually get to the monsters, it's a hell of a lot of fun.
Who this movie is for: Science fiction fans, Kaiju movie lovers,
Bottom line: Invasion of Astro-Monster is a fun, ridiculous kaiju film with some great 60's-era science fiction and some stellar monster mayhem. Godzilla and Ghidorah go at it again, and the underrated Rodan is always a welcome addition to the series. It's a classic kaiju film that combines a lot of different genres, and the effects are still super fun today. Gives this one a look.
