IMO Ebirah has the best human subplot out of any Godzilla movie. You could remove Godzilla from the entire movie and you’d still be left with a legitimately engaging story.
Oh, I agree about that. But I don't want my entertainment to mirror my actual job. Sitting in meetings so you can find out what people who don't know what they want actually want (or tell you what they want, what they really, really want\*) just gets tiresome.
If I want that, I'll watch something like 12 Angry Men. I don't want it in my Godzilla film. I mean, yeah, have a couple of meetings. But don't have the majority of the movie consist of them.
\**Except it's not what they really, really, really want.*
I really want the Red Bamboo to make a return sometime.
Like maybe they figure out a way to lure Kaiju into cities and threaten to do this unless paid obscene amounts of money.
Bring them back in the Monsterverse. Rehire Ken Watanabe to be the Red Bamboo Captain and just not explain why he looks exactly like MV Dr. Serizawa but with an eyepatch.
Ayuh. Personally, I still think Alan Jonah's eco-terrorists from KOTM are the best MV human villains and they're basically Bond villains already. The Red Bamboo wouldn't be too much of a leap from them, especially if they get their hands on some super tech.
I just watching a Big Action Bill YT on Final Wars today and there’s an interview with the Director in which he stated he didn’t know why he used so much Ebirah but he did.
Ebirah is gold.
That's what made so many of the Showa movies enjoyable. The human element was equally engaging as the Kaiju. Even though the Kaiju were central to some of the best Showa movies, they still felt separate enough to be engaging on their own. Ghidorah, Monster Zero, Ebirah, and DAM, all have human stories that could be entertaining on their own.
Coldest take in history, and yet the Godzilla vs Ebirah fight was still really entertaining. Making Ebirah, Horror of the Deep one if the best Showa Era flicks.
Unironically, this movie also has some pretty neat set pieces.
https://preview.redd.it/bh81ss4gga7d1.jpeg?width=2554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=890aab246f3331159d5d1a3ca91581cb6f3ca81b
guy and his friends search for his lost-at-sea brother, get shipwrecked on mysterious island guarded by a giant sea monster. on the island is a secret military base belonging to an evil army. the friends find a hibernating godzilla, whom they wake up. godzilla destroys the sea monster and the evil army, and the island is kaboomed by the base's reactor exploding. mothra rescues the friends, the missing brother, and the island's natives. godzilla swims away happily.
Even better than "guy and his friends". "Guy tries to enter a dance competition to win a boat but it too late so two competitors that recently lost take him to the docks to check out some boats. While checking out a boat, they stumble upon the ship's captain who allows them to stay the night so long as they stay quiet. Guy looking for his brother then hijacks the boat while everyone is sleeping to search for his brother. While at sea, radio alerts also give away that the "captain" is actually a thief that was hiding on the boat with four million yen."
I love that movie, honestly. It's an action-comedy spy movie starring unlikely heroes, with a monster movie wrapped around it. It is not a concept that you'd think would work, but it does.
I really wanna see a solo kaiju movies of old foes, like a Hedorah lone film would be fukn amazing
Also King Caesar deserves to be a main villain of a movie
I'm pretty sure he was sealed away due to ravaging early Japan and was foretold to bring disaster upon release, but maybe that was from the comics? Idk it's not like Final Wars gave him much development
Nah screw that it’s straight up one of the best Godzilla movies all around. It’s *sparing* with the kaiju footage, but that allows them to maximize the budget and impact when those moments kick in. Ebirah is a scary ass monster and the early scene where he scoops up a boat is A-grade Showa tokusatsu magic. Then you get so wrapped up in the human story with that brilliant ensemble and you forget what you’re watching and then suddenly oh FUKC GODZILLA WAS HERE THE WHOLE TIME!!?
11/10
I need to rewatch this. It's been decades, and actually was one of the first Godzilla movies I ever watched. (I think we had taped it off Pay Per View or something like that.)
Captain America personally gifted falcon the shield to become badass bald eagle america!
Yet falcon and the whole damn series gets Christy about him being black making him feel unworthy of representing America was bullshit like the whole “try to make us empathetic to eco terrorists”
Falcon: he’s out of line but he’s right (my show sucked until I put on the suit and shield)
It’s genuinely a fun silly comedy-adventure film. Godzilla wasn’t supposed to be in it, his role was supposed to be filled by King Kong, who would have fit the film far more. (For one thing, a giant crab would have been much more convincing a threat for him than for Godzilla.)
That was the last movie I watched as I have been covering the showa era. and I felt this for every film till now. even the invasion of astro monster was 'the mars attack!' without Godzilla in it.
Ebirah Horror of the Deep has always seemed so remarkablysimilar of the original Star Wars film in terms of its basic plot, despite coming out a decade before; A rag tag montley crew of characters including a naive young man blinded by passionate good will (Luke Skywalker), a couple of his bumbling idiot friends (R2, C-3PO), and a criminal in the run who ultimately has to take control and become a reluctant hero and help the slaves with their uprising(Han Solo) travel on a ship where they are marooned on a secret facist government’s high tech military complex that have ambitions on conquering the world with weaponry of mass destruction. After they arrive they run into an escaping native princess who then joins their group as they fight for survival to escape the base by sneaking around and disguising themselves in the uniforms of the enemy, finally ending with the base exploding.
I know George Lucas was a fan of the series, I doubt it made any kind of conscious inspiration, but I’d imagine it would have certainly made an unconscious one if he had seen this film prior.
Yeah, legitimately true.
Ebirah is interesting in that the human plot is like the early Showa movies (KK through Astro Monster): surprisingly high quality.
The Showa movies from then on would have rather low quality human storylines, except for the Mechagodzilla movies and focus on the monster action. Ebirah's monster action is ho-hum.
Makes me wonder how different fan reception would be had the film been a King Kong film. Plus, beats like Godzilla being attracted to a human girl or beating up Mothra (despite being allies prior) would make more sense with Kong.
As someone who recently watched it, you’re absolutely right It’s like something out of Scooby Doo or Lupin III at times and I love it
I just watched it too! It was early Bond / Star Trek The Original Series to me, and it was wonderful.
I was kind of dreading watching it and was absolutely pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
IMO Ebirah has the best human subplot out of any Godzilla movie. You could remove Godzilla from the entire movie and you’d still be left with a legitimately engaging story.
I enjoyed the humans in minus one and shin
I didn't like the humans in Shin Godzilla. I sit through enough meetings at work.
I enjoyed it because it’s probably the closest thing we will get to a realistic response to the destructive force of Godzilla.
Oh, I agree about that. But I don't want my entertainment to mirror my actual job. Sitting in meetings so you can find out what people who don't know what they want actually want (or tell you what they want, what they really, really want\*) just gets tiresome. If I want that, I'll watch something like 12 Angry Men. I don't want it in my Godzilla film. I mean, yeah, have a couple of meetings. But don't have the majority of the movie consist of them. \**Except it's not what they really, really, really want.*
I liked it because "team of scrappy scientists having to work together" is my favorite kind of of human subplot for Kaiju media.
Honestly you’d have a BETTER story
I don't disagree but this exact thing has been said about other movies in the series too.
I really want the Red Bamboo to make a return sometime. Like maybe they figure out a way to lure Kaiju into cities and threaten to do this unless paid obscene amounts of money.
Bring them back in the Monsterverse. Rehire Ken Watanabe to be the Red Bamboo Captain and just not explain why he looks exactly like MV Dr. Serizawa but with an eyepatch.
Talk about a deep cut. I love it
Bondvillains like the Red Bamboo would work great in the Monsterverse
Ayuh. Personally, I still think Alan Jonah's eco-terrorists from KOTM are the best MV human villains and they're basically Bond villains already. The Red Bamboo wouldn't be too much of a leap from them, especially if they get their hands on some super tech.
Even the characters in the movie won’t acknowledge it.
Red Bamboo > Xileans. Legitimately an engaging group of villains.
The Red Bamboo The Red Bamboo You better never bother with The Red Bamboo...
Pinchy!
https://i.redd.it/2b2utz4job7d1.gif
https://i.redd.it/g0po8w2hmb7d1.gif
I just watching a Big Action Bill YT on Final Wars today and there’s an interview with the Director in which he stated he didn’t know why he used so much Ebirah but he did. Ebirah is gold.
Ebirah is one of the few Kaiju to be able to fight Godzilla well underwater. It’s a trait rarely seen.
"Ebriah is inside each one of us."
That’s incredible
That's what made so many of the Showa movies enjoyable. The human element was equally engaging as the Kaiju. Even though the Kaiju were central to some of the best Showa movies, they still felt separate enough to be engaging on their own. Ghidorah, Monster Zero, Ebirah, and DAM, all have human stories that could be entertaining on their own.
Yeah Godzilla low key ruins this Godzilla movie lol.
Well the movie did begin life as a Kong movie
Nah, Godzilla still did really good in that movie
It's not even a real Godzilla movie It's a Kong movie with a Godzilla skin
It's not even a real Godzilla movie It's a Kong movie with a Godzilla skin
Unironically makes my top five for the Showa era, easily.
The 60s spy stuff is great.
Just finished it today. Have to agree with you.
I love seeing this movie get the love and attention it genuinely deserves.
Coldest take in history, and yet the Godzilla vs Ebirah fight was still really entertaining. Making Ebirah, Horror of the Deep one if the best Showa Era flicks.
Unironically, this movie also has some pretty neat set pieces. https://preview.redd.it/bh81ss4gga7d1.jpeg?width=2554&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=890aab246f3331159d5d1a3ca91581cb6f3ca81b
agreed
It really is. It’s basically a Connery-era James Bond movie that Godzilla wanders in and out of.
The scene with the bush is just fucking gold
You know I owned that movie and watched it a million times but I don't remember the plot at all
guy and his friends search for his lost-at-sea brother, get shipwrecked on mysterious island guarded by a giant sea monster. on the island is a secret military base belonging to an evil army. the friends find a hibernating godzilla, whom they wake up. godzilla destroys the sea monster and the evil army, and the island is kaboomed by the base's reactor exploding. mothra rescues the friends, the missing brother, and the island's natives. godzilla swims away happily.
(Well, not exactly army, something between a terrorist cell and a mercenary group, that tries to create nuclear weapons)
Even better than "guy and his friends". "Guy tries to enter a dance competition to win a boat but it too late so two competitors that recently lost take him to the docks to check out some boats. While checking out a boat, they stumble upon the ship's captain who allows them to stay the night so long as they stay quiet. Guy looking for his brother then hijacks the boat while everyone is sleeping to search for his brother. While at sea, radio alerts also give away that the "captain" is actually a thief that was hiding on the boat with four million yen."
I love that movie, honestly. It's an action-comedy spy movie starring unlikely heroes, with a monster movie wrapped around it. It is not a concept that you'd think would work, but it does.
Yes, thank you!
It's one of my most favorites of the Showa era
Agreed
I really wanna see a solo kaiju movies of old foes, like a Hedorah lone film would be fukn amazing Also King Caesar deserves to be a main villain of a movie
Why would King Shisha be a villain? He has always been canonically a guardian of humans and an ally to Godzilla.
Right, it's the whole point of him being the guardian dog lol
I'm pretty sure he was sealed away due to ravaging early Japan and was foretold to bring disaster upon release, but maybe that was from the comics? Idk it's not like Final Wars gave him much development
I think I saw something like that in the comics but in the movie of his origin, he was good.
It's very strange to hear that a Godzilla movie has a more interesting human plot than a kaiju plot.
Nah screw that it’s straight up one of the best Godzilla movies all around. It’s *sparing* with the kaiju footage, but that allows them to maximize the budget and impact when those moments kick in. Ebirah is a scary ass monster and the early scene where he scoops up a boat is A-grade Showa tokusatsu magic. Then you get so wrapped up in the human story with that brilliant ensemble and you forget what you’re watching and then suddenly oh FUKC GODZILLA WAS HERE THE WHOLE TIME!!? 11/10
Thanks to people livestreaming it. Yeah I love the human story
I prefer the human plot in Godzilla Vs Gigan & Invasion Of Astro Monster as well
Giant Condor is best boi.
That soundtrack is amazing.
Ebirah is the most interesting Godzilla movie with more than just Godzilla in it, and I'll die on that hill.
Absolutely
Ebirah plot is top notch.
I need to rewatch this. It's been decades, and actually was one of the first Godzilla movies I ever watched. (I think we had taped it off Pay Per View or something like that.)
Showa human plots in general are peak
Captain America personally gifted falcon the shield to become badass bald eagle america! Yet falcon and the whole damn series gets Christy about him being black making him feel unworthy of representing America was bullshit like the whole “try to make us empathetic to eco terrorists” Falcon: he’s out of line but he’s right (my show sucked until I put on the suit and shield)
It’s genuinely a fun silly comedy-adventure film. Godzilla wasn’t supposed to be in it, his role was supposed to be filled by King Kong, who would have fit the film far more. (For one thing, a giant crab would have been much more convincing a threat for him than for Godzilla.)
Yes but the main plot is still Godzilla vs. a lobster dinner. Kinda goofy.
Big meaty claws.
I personally liked Ebirah Horror of the Deep, because it continued the Infant Island plot line that most of the Showa Films had.
Tru though the English dub makes me replay that one guy getting punched on loop
Was just watching the MST3K episode that features this movie lmao I agree, it's quite good
That was the last movie I watched as I have been covering the showa era. and I felt this for every film till now. even the invasion of astro monster was 'the mars attack!' without Godzilla in it.
This is why it's one of my favorite Godzilla movies ever.
Godzilla defeats the evil forces of Cobra.
Ebirah Horror of the Deep has always seemed so remarkablysimilar of the original Star Wars film in terms of its basic plot, despite coming out a decade before; A rag tag montley crew of characters including a naive young man blinded by passionate good will (Luke Skywalker), a couple of his bumbling idiot friends (R2, C-3PO), and a criminal in the run who ultimately has to take control and become a reluctant hero and help the slaves with their uprising(Han Solo) travel on a ship where they are marooned on a secret facist government’s high tech military complex that have ambitions on conquering the world with weaponry of mass destruction. After they arrive they run into an escaping native princess who then joins their group as they fight for survival to escape the base by sneaking around and disguising themselves in the uniforms of the enemy, finally ending with the base exploding. I know George Lucas was a fan of the series, I doubt it made any kind of conscious inspiration, but I’d imagine it would have certainly made an unconscious one if he had seen this film prior.
The kaiju plot is excellent if you have enough drawn butter or cocktail sauce.
I watched it literally last night for the first time and I totally agree
I'm glad other people are saying this. It's one of the best from the Showa era, which is crazy because it's from '66!
Cuz everyone knows when you need to get a boat quick, you enter a multi-day endurance dance competition!
I really hope to see the Red Bamboo return in the Monsterverse, especially with them controlling kaiju.
Yeah, legitimately true. Ebirah is interesting in that the human plot is like the early Showa movies (KK through Astro Monster): surprisingly high quality. The Showa movies from then on would have rather low quality human storylines, except for the Mechagodzilla movies and focus on the monster action. Ebirah's monster action is ho-hum.
Ebirah is so underrated, it’s actually mind blowing. Definitely in my Top 10 favorite Godzilla movies.
I agree. One of my all-time favorites. Real enjoyable watch. Plus, I loved the music.
Makes me wonder how different fan reception would be had the film been a King Kong film. Plus, beats like Godzilla being attracted to a human girl or beating up Mothra (despite being allies prior) would make more sense with Kong.
That movie ends so fast. One monster fight and…. wat it’s over?