Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster

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Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster (1964)

Synopsis of Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster

In Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster, a meteor crashes to Earth. With a danger hidden within that will threaten the entire world. Only the combined might of Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra can stand against it. But neither Godzilla nor Rodan cares to help humanity since they’ve both been attacked by them numerous times. How can Mothra persuade them to work together before it’s too late?

Review of Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster

Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster is actually a very enjoyable movie. It has several plots woven together, with good acting and a cast that the audience cares about. First, the movie begins with a female reporter. She is investigating a group of UFO enthusiasts who are trying to contact alien life by brainwaves — unsuccessfully. But as their meeting is ending, a meteorite crashes in the mountains. So this leads a professor to investigate. At the same time, a lovely young princess is flying in from the Himalayas to Japan.

There, a handsome young police officer waits to act as her unofficial bodyguard. But the princess’ plane is blown up an hour after take-off. But then, a strange young “prophetess” appears. She claims to be a Martian, and warns of impending doom for the planet.

The subplots begin to intertwine. It turns out that the police officer’s sister is the reporter, who is … Interested in the professor. Shortly, Mothra’s fairies/priestesses show up. On a Japanese game show, no less. Then they sing a beautiful ballad, re-introducing Mothra to the audience. Moreover the police officer notices a striking similarity between the “prophetess” and the seemingly-dead princes …

Rodan

Soon, Himalayan hit men (there’s a phrase you don’t hear every day) are sent after the mystery woman. To determine her identity, and kill her if necessary. The various plots progress. Then the prophetess warns people at the rim of the crater where the meteorite fell warns that this is where Rodan is waiting. Sure enough, Rodan awakes (as a man tries to retrieve a hat, in a bit of humor). The second of her disastrous prophecies to come true.

She next warns that a boat mustn’t sail. This leads the reporter to escort her — and unknowingly, Mothra’s fairies — to a hotel. She’s seeking an interview. That night, the reason for the warning is revealed. Godzilla arises from the water, sees Rodan flying overhead. He destroys the boat and all aboard. Clearly, Godzilla is not yet in the “hero” category …

Things begin to move quickly. The police officer comes to see the princess/prophetess — against his sister’s wishes. As the hitmen are interrogating the princess. She insists that she is a Martian. The hitmen flee, after intervention by the fairies. The siblings take the princess to a doctor. In the meanwhile, Tokyo is being evacuated, as Godzilla arrives, and begins a slugfest with Rodan …. Warming the hearts of the young child in all of us.

Ghidorah’s first appearance

As they fight, back at the site of the meteorite impact, the glowing (and growing) meteorite “hatches”. It releases the three-headed golden Ghidorah for the first time on film. While Godzilla and Rodan are advancing on Tokyo, the Martian/Princess reveals that Ghidorah is responsible for the destruction of her highly-advanced civilization. In only one month’s time.

The fairies testify before a government panel. They reveal that the young, caterpillar-form Mothra is incapable of defeating Ghidorah by itself. But that it feels that Mothra, Godzilla, and Rodan can do so if they work together. However, Rodan and Godzilla are still fighting. The Princess reveals that she (among others) is a descendent of the destroyed Martian race. And the hitmen have tracked down the Princess …

I won’t give away the ending, except to say that it’s very satisfactory on all fronts. It’s a very enjoyable movie experience for all Godzilla fans.

Cast

Yôsuke Natsuki (Godzilla 1985) … Detective Shindo. The honest detective, tasked with protecting the Princess. But then, her plane explodes. However, the Martian resembles her …
Yuriko Hoshi (Godzilla vs Megaguirus) … Naoko Shindo. Reporter, the detective’s sister. But she’s more than that. An intrepid reporter. And she befriends both the Martian and the Fairies.
Hiroshi Koizumi (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) … Professor Miura. Scientist investigating the strange meteor. Also a courageous man. Moreover, he becomes Naoko’s love interest.
Akiko Wakabayashi (Ultraman 1966) … Princess Selina Salno of Sergina / Martian. She’s overcome by her Martian ancestry. However, in both personalities, she’s kind, courageous, and protective.
Emi Itô (Mothra) … Shobijin (Twin Fairy). They’re both living with Mothra on the “Island of Peace”
Yumi Itô (Mothra vs Godzilla) … Shobijin (Twin Fairy)
Takashi Shimura (Gojira) … Dr. Tsukamoto
Akihiko Hirata (Rodan) … Chief Detective Okita
Hisaya Itô (Destroy All Monsters) … Malmess, Chief Assassin. If he doesn’t kill the Princess, it’s his life. But he hardly needs the incentive.
Minoru Takada … Prime Minister
Kenji Sahara (Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II) … Editor in Chief Kanamaki
Haruo Nakajima (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Gojira
Shôichi Hirose … Kingugidora
Masaki Shinohara (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Radon
Katsumi Tezuka (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Mothra
Kôji Uruki (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Radon

Movie quotes from Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster

Yellow Hoodie Guy: Professor, look, it’s getting big again.
Professor Miura: Yes. According to these figures, it’s bigger than it was before.
Other Guy: That’s impossible. How can a meteorite grow?
Professor Miura: Nevertheless, it’s growing.

Naoko Shindo: Gimme that key or I’ll call the police!
Detective Shindo: Are you stupid? Have you forgotten that I AM the police?

Mas Selina Salno, Princess of Sergina: Why does no one pay heed to my warning? The entire human race will perish from the Earth. When the monster Ghidrah passes, only flaming ruins are left.
Detective Shindo: Ghidrah?
Mas Selina Salno, Princess of Sergina: Centuries ago, the monster appeared in the skies of Mars. Within a month, the culture of Mars had been wiped out completely. The civilization on my planet had reached a stage of development which you people will not achieve for a long time. Centuries, at least. Today, because of the space monster, it is a dead world. Dead and unpopulated.
Dr. Tsukamoto: It would be a bad situation if that creature came here to Earth.
Mas Selina Salno, Princess of Sergina: It’s worse, because he’s arrived.

[Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra are conversing]
Naoko Shindo: Good… good heavens, it looks like they’re having a conversation. Oh… Why, Shindo, what do you think they’re saying to each other?
Detective Shindo: Huh, how would I know? You expect me to understand monster talk?

Updated December 18, 2021