Review – Godzilla vs. Hedorah

Also known as Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, at least in its initial U.S. release. And aptly so, as the stupid thing basically amounts to a giant pile of flying sludge with eyes. Godzilla has battled some lame monsters in his time, but this has got to be the all-time lamest. Still, it’s nice to see everyone’s favorite giant, fire-breathing monster taking on the earth’s pollution problem. This is an early 70s production in every way from the clothes to the music (“Save the Earth! Save the Earth! Let’s start a revolution to stop pollution! Save the Earth!” or at least the Japanese equivalent thereof) to the odd animated sequences right on down to the radical environmentalism (Minimata Bay, anyone?). To top it all off, the final battle goes on and on, even after it should logically have ended. Mildly amusing