FIGHTS: Retrospective - #Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster (1966)

GODZILLA MIXES IT UP WITH A GIANT LOBSTER IN THIS CORNY CLASSIC
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Things always get crazy in a Godzilla movie.  'Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster' was no exception. I'll let Wikipedia fill you in on the plot of this entry, and then ZBFbooks.com will provide some highlights during the final fight.

PLOT

After Yata (Toru Ibuki) is lost at sea, his brother Ryota (Toru Watanabe) steals a yacht with his two friends and a bank robber, the crew runs afoul of the giant lobster Ebirah, and washes up on the shore of an island, where a terrorist organization manufacturesheavy water for their purposes, as well as a chemical that keeps Ebirah at bay. The organization, known as the Red Bamboo, has enslaved natives from Infant Island to help them, but the natives hope to awaken Mothra to rescue them.

In their efforts to avoid capture, Ryota and his friends, aided by a beautiful native girl, stumble across Godzilla sleeping within a cliffside cavern. The group devises a plan to defeat the Red Bamboo and escape from the island. In the process, they wake Godzilla using a lightning rod. Godzilla fights Ebirah, but the giant crustacean escapes. Godzilla is then attacked by a giant condor and a squadron of Red Bamboo fighter jets, but destroys them.

The humans retrieve the missing Yata, free the enslaved natives and Godzilla begins to destroy the base. Godzilla smashes a tower that has a self-destruct button that makes the island unstable. Godzilla fights Ebirah and defeats it, ripping off both Ebirah's claws and causing it to retreat into the sea. The natives summon Mothra to save everyone, however, Godzilla challenges Mothra when she gets to the island. Mothra manages to push Godzilla away and carry the people off. Godzilla escapes the island just before it explodes.

BIG FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS

-- EBIRAH'S SPLASH ATTACK
You remember how when you went to the pool as a little kid and cupped your hands to splash your buddy?  Well, Ebirah uses this move to stun Godzilla when they're fighting in the water.  It works enough to blind him so Ebirah can drag him under water

-- GODZILLA USES BIG ROCKS TO SMASH STUFF
When Godzilla is dragged under water, he picks up a big rock and smacks Ebirah with it.  Ebirah wants none of it and takes off.

-- GODZILLA GETS SMACKED AROUND BY THE BIG ASS CLAWS
Ebirah doesn't put up much of a fight, but when he connects with his claw with looping hooks, they rock Godzilla.

-- GODZILLA'S WTF FACE WHEN MOTHRA SHOWS UP
After tearing off Ebirah's claws before running it off, Godzilla celebrates.  It's then he looks to the sky and see's an old enemy:  Mothra.  Mothra shows up to help some of her friends off the island, and it flips Godzilla out.

-- MOTHRA EXPLOITS GODZILLA'S HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY
When he's not fighting or grappling with a giant monster, Godzilla has a very hard time maintaining a low center of gravity.  When Godzilla charges Mothra, who's just trying to save her human friends from an exploding island, Mothra uses her wings to generate high winds that knock Godzilla over.  That gives Mothra enough time to fly her friends away.

-- GODZILLA DOES A CANNONBALL INTO THE OCEAN
As the humans fly away, they don't want Godzilla killed in the explosion.  So they shout at Godzilla to jump off the island.  It seems to be able to understand what's going on, and he jumps in the ocean, cannonball style.

It's a fun classic entry to the series.  Check out the trailer here:

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  

Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website,ZombieBloodFights.com today.