Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) Saturday Monster Movies

Godzilla was not destined to be a forever monster. Not in the early days and popularity with kids in the sixties. It was inevitable that he should become a champion fighting FOR Japan, and in “Ghidora, the Three-Headed Monster” he becomes that hero. He also gains one of his two greatest enemies.

With the success of monster matchups in the past two films, Toho decided to continue the trend as well as up the ante. This time, the threat would be an extra-terrestrial monster, and not one, not two, but three earth monsters would have to fight him off. Mothra was already a good monster in the Toho stables, and it would be up to her to convince Godzilla and Rodan to join sides to protect humanity.

(There is also an over-the-top complicated plot involving an assassin, a princess, a possession, and prophecy. This is nothing if not excessive escapist fun.)

The scene where four people dressed in monster costumes fight amongst miniatures trying to convince us of the fantastic drama is effective, not because of the special effect (even though they are good and fun for what they are), but due to the drama. Mothra tries to get Rodan and Godzilla to put aside their differences as well as their resentment for humanity, to face the alien threat. When they refuse, she sets out to fight alone. It is her willingness to sacrifice herself that convinces the other giants to join the fray and do the right thing.

Perhaps that is what we need today in our over-tribalized culture at war with one another. The problem is that we only have eyes for the threat that we ourselves pose, or that we are told that we pose, to see each other as fellow humans, citizens, and people who want essentially the same things.