Monster of the Day #290

Godzilla’s attempts to get cast as the lead in Double Agent ’73 were woefully inadequate.

  • Reed

    Ken, as much as I hate to admit it, I think that was pretty funny.

    Some day I’d like you to do a detailed analysis on the relative “merits” of Double Agent 73 vs. Deadly Weapons.

  • KeithB

    But at least they are perky.

  • John Campbell

    Big G needs to fire his plastic surgeon. They shouldn’t sit that far apart.

    Well…unless he’s lying on his back…

  • Flangepart

    Few people realized Godzilla’s removable gonads were his secret defense, and his greatest strength.

  • The Rev.

    Dammit, I almost posted yesterday that Ken actually could go with Hedorah all five days this week, if he included the orbs that were left behind upon its demise.

    Considering my roll this week, I’m sure everyone believes me, and am content with that.

  • Gamera

    I these were Hedorah’s eyes right? On some other site (I forget which one) the reviewer was joking about them being another, ahem part of Hedorah’s anatomy.

    I don’t care what anyone else says – as far as I’m concerned they’re Hedorah’s eyes damnit!!!

  • The Rev.

    They weren’t actually his eyes, although I recall G ramming his claws into the eyes to pull these out, so I can see why they might say that.

    They were basically what had created Hedorah; some kind of odd (alien?) mineral formation that had to be destroyed, lest they reconstitute the monster. It’s been a while so I don’t remember the particulars, but that sounds about right.

  • roger h

    Excuse me Mr. Greengrocer, how can I tell if these are ripe?

  • Gamera

    Hmmmmmm, thanks Rev. I think I need to go back and rewatch this one.

  • The Rev.

    Yeah, actually I do, too, since I really like this one and haven’t watched it in years. Gotta dig my VCR out since I don’t have it on DVD yet (I recorded that beautifully restored version the Sci-Fi Channel showed many moons ago, along with the restored Destroy All Monsters, which was the first time I saw that one).

  • BeckoningChasm

    I always wondered what the heck those things were supposed to be. It was just such a starling moment, and odd that Godzilla seemed to know exactly what he needed to do.

  • Rock Baker

    Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have another theory. Upon first seeing the film as a child, I understood these to be Hedorah eggs. Since the Smog Monster had matured, it had developed to a point where reproduction was via eggs. Fortunately, Godzilla’s almost supernatural instincts told him the creature was in a stage capable of reproducing and the big blue dinosaur destroyed the eggs. I thought it was obvious what was going on.

    However, the director of the picture states they were, in fact, supposed to be Hedorah’s eyes. Frankly, I like my egg notion better.

  • zombiewhacker

    Since this is the last day for GvsSM, one parting question: what’s the DVD/VHS status for this film?

    I read somewhere that the version that played on TV when I was a kid is not available on DVD, that it was only released on VHS.

    (Somewhere in storage I have a PAL VHS copy of GvsSM. I’ve never been able to play it, for obvious reasons.)

  • Gamera

    ZW: Not sure which cut mine is though it has both a Japanese and an American version on the DVD.

  • especially since it’s plainly obvious that they are eggs, not eyes.

    Or maybe spores. Anyway I was always sad as a k id that Hedorah’s eggs never hatched.

  • Rock Baker

    The version currently out there on DVD id the international print Godzilla vs Hedorah. I believe it was Orion that issued the AIP version Godzilla vs the Smog Monster on VHS during the video boom (as part of a slate that included Monster From a Prehistoric Planet, The X From Outer Space, and Yongary, Monster From the Deep). Orion also issued a laserdisc of the AIP print at the same time. Sadly, the AIP version isn’t currently available in scope format. If you can hunt up the old tape (which is now a collector’s item) you must chose between good-dub-but-cropped or bad-dub-but-nice-scope-print. I’ve learned over the years that I’d rather have the good dub, but the tape has eluded me so far.

  • Alas, poor Yorik. I knew him, Rodan. A man of infinite wit and tiny feet. Tiny, tiny feet.

  • Rock Baker

    Found a video of the Varan suit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDpWFCf8fmE

  • Ken – that was one of the funniest things I’ve seen you do. Thanks for the laugh!

  • Mr. Rational

    Well, I just hope his new implants don’t egg-splode.