Alternate Japanese monster movie titles in Japanese Giants Forum

0 Points

Forum Jump

Alternate Japanese monster movie titles

Author	Comment
Ron Burton	Alternate Japanese monster movie titles	Lead	[-]
Feb 19 10 10:50 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Maybe someone can shed some light on this: different sources have listed three other titles for MONSTER ZERO. INVASION OF THE ASTROS BATTLE OF THE ASTROS INVASION OF PLANET X What I'm wondering is were those publicity titles or was MONSTER ZERO released under those titles in different parts of the country? Also, GHIDRAH is sometime slisted as THE GREATEST BATTLE ON EARTH, THE BIGGEST FIGHT ON EARTH (both of these are translations of the film's Japanese title), and MONSTER OF MONSTERS, GHIDORAH. Was DESTROY ALL MONSTERS released anywhere as OPERATION MONSTERLAND? And GODZILLA'S REVENGE is also listed as TERROR OF GODZILLA. There are two things that I DO know for sure. The first Mechagodzilla movie did play in the US as GODZILLA VS. THE BIONIC MONSTER and the sequel was released as THE TERROR OF GODZILLA. I saw both at the theater and the first MG was released in late 1976 rather than March of '77 as most sources have it listed. Maybe it was retitled COSMIC MONSTER in March, 1977.
	Remove this ad
DocZilla		#1	[-]
Feb 19 10 11:45 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	As mentioned here: http://monsterkidclassich...getrefs/id/528806/type/0 , I saw MONSTER ZERO twice under the Armed Forces theatrical title: Then, in 1972, here in San Antonio there appeared the tantalizing (to me, anyways) triple bill of MONSTER ZERO, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and GODZILLA'S REVENGE. It played at various drive-ins for probably 4 or 5 months and ended its area run at the downtown Texas Theater in October. I didn't get to see them anywhere. Then on November 3, 1972, following an airing of THE VALLEY OF GWANGI on the CBS Late Movie, "Project Terror," our best late night showcase aired MONSTER ZERO. Up until it aired, I had no idea whatsoever that it was the same film as ASTROS, other than knowing that Ghidorah was "Monster Zero" from ASTROS. Over the next two weeks they then aired GARGANTUAS and REVENGE as well. Cool!
Ron Burton		#2	[-]
Feb 19 10 12:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That was cool, indeed! I wish I could have seen the 60s films on the big screen. It wasn't until 1976 that SMOG MONSTER was shown at the local theater along with the live Dr. Evil's Stage Show. SM hooked me on the genre so I then saw the other 70s movies on the big screen, except for MEGALON, which I missed for reasons that I can't remember.
DocZilla		#3	[-]
Feb 19 10 12:56 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yes it was, and SMOG MONSTER was another that played all over town in '72, but always, it seemed, in theaters that were in less desirable locales. Did finally see it in early '73 at a kid's matinee at a better location. Finally found me an Aurora Godzilla model kit that day too!
Ron Burton		#4	[-]
Feb 19 10 1:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Sounds like a very good day! I saw MONSTER ZERO on TV a few times during the late 70s and the title card for this version was different than the title card for the DVD release by...I think it was Classic Media. Very good folks at CM! Another set of mysterious titles I just thought belong to ATRAGON. Some sources cite alternate titles as ATORAGON and ATRAGON--FLYING SUPERSUB or similar variations.
DocZilla		#5	[-]
Feb 19 10 3:24 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	It was a very good day for my 10 year-old self! Unfortunately, SMOG MONSTER was the last kaiju film I saw in a theater, unless you want to count the Korea-Kong-Klone of 1976, APE (and the premiere of KING KONG 76 later in the same week, for that matter). Fortunately, I moved to Southern California later in '73 and saw lots of stuff on TV I otherwise probably wouldn't have in such concentrated proportions for the time. Like SON OF GODZILLA, ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE and ATRAGON within weeks of each other, almost upon arrival there, on the then fantastic L.A. TV stations. I was then witness to the now fabled KTLA "Channel 5 Movie Theater" weeklong showings in subsequent months (and years) of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, VOYAGE INTO SPACE, MONSTER ZERO, THE MAGIC SERPENT...(and more!)
Ron Burton		#6	[-]
Feb 19 10 4:48 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm Gargantuan green with envy! Very seldom did the local TV stations here in West Tennessee show those great films and even then, they were scheduled for broadcast at insane predawn hours! I remember dealing with consternation because one such film was preempted due to the World Series. I could never fathom why the station scheduled the movie knowing full well that it would be preempted! And this was in the late 70s-thru mid-80s before late night television became the infomercial-laden wasteland that it is now.
Edkkakumon		#7	[-]
Feb 20 10 12:29 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	When it appeared on television, it was always titled G vs Monster Zero. Godzilla and other Japanese flicks were usually shown on weekends on channel 7 or 4.
Hachigatsu		#8	[-]
Feb 20 10 3:51 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	During its original television syndication run (1970s-1980s), MONSTER ZERO, was under the same title it was released theatrically as, which was MONSTER ZERO. Sometime after it was released on home video via Paramount, it may have been broadcast under GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO, but I don't recall seeing it under that title. In Northern California, and specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area, we were regularly deluged with Japanese monster movies on several stations (which would compete with each other for viewers). Here's a TV Guide ad for a Japanese Monsters Week, from 1974 for the San Jose ABC affiliate, KNTV-11, San Jose (now better known as Silicon Valley), 50 miles south of San Francisco: This was the first time I saw DESTROY ALL PLANETS (aka GAMERA VS. VIRAS). August Ragone Author EIJI TSUBURAYA: MASTER OF MONSTERS Blog THE GOOD, THE BAD AND GODZILLA Last Edited By: Hachigatsu Feb 20 10 3:53 AM. Edited 1 times.
DocZilla		#9	[-]
Feb 20 10 1:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	TV section listings (from the now defunct San Antonio Light) for Friday, Nov. 3, 1972: This happened to be one of those occassions that I had catalogued the actual date of the airing, as I had struck upon the genius (first time ever!) idea of actually taping the whole movie for posterity. Audiotaping that is. Still have the tape and it's plastic case with info ephemera Scotch-taped to it. Too bad I don't have the tapes of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (from 11/10/72) and GODZILLA'S REVENGE (from 11/17/72) as well. They both were eaten soon after taping during playback. I did get new versions made later in CA though.
Ron Burton		#10	[-]
Feb 20 10 2:25 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I suppose OPERATION MONSTERLAND could have been the title of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS when it played in the UK, though it was probably the William Ross dub. But what about TERROR OF GODZILLA for GODZILLA'S REVENGE? Don Glut cited the title in "Classic Movie Monsters".
	Remove this ad
Baradagi85		#11	[-]
Feb 20 10 3:55 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	DocZilla wrote: Then, in 1972, here in San Antonio there appeared the tantalizing (to me, anyways) triple bill of MONSTER ZERO, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and GODZILLA'S REVENGE. It played at various drive-ins for probably 4 or 5 months and ended its area run at the downtown Texas Theater in October. I didn't get to see them anywhere. Then on November 3, 1972, following an airing of THE VALLEY OF GWANGI on the CBS Late Movie, "Project Terror," our best late night showcase aired MONSTER ZERO. Up until it aired, I had no idea whatsoever that it was the same film as ASTROS, other than knowing that Ghidorah was "Monster Zero" from ASTROS. Over the next two weeks they then aired GARGANTUAS and REVENGE as well. Cool! The MONSTER ZERO/WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS double-bill did fantastic business in Texas back in '70. A local Houston station also ran UPA's newly titled "Godzilla vs Monster Zero" back in the mid to late '80s.
Hachigatsu		#12	[-]
Feb 20 10 4:25 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Nice score (and post), Brad! August Ragone Author EIJI TSUBURAYA: MASTER OF MONSTERS Blog THE GOOD, THE BAD AND GODZILLA
Yongary		#13	[-]
Feb 20 10 8:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ron Burton wrote: I suppose OPERATION MONSTERLAND could have been the title of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS when it played in the UK, though it was probably the William Ross dub. But what about TERROR OF GODZILLA for GODZILLA'S REVENGE? Don Glut cited the title in "Classic Movie Monsters". My guess is that he was just confused. TERROR OF GODZILLA was the US theatrical release title of TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA. Anyone know where the GAMERA STRIKES BACK title for GAMERA VS BARUGON/WAR OF THE MONSTERS came from?
ThunderScore		#14	[-]
Feb 20 10 9:17 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yongary wrote: TERROR OF GODZILLA was the US theatrical release title of TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA. Anyone know where the GAMERA STRIKES BACK title for GAMERA VS BARUGON/WAR OF THE MONSTERS came from? I recall seeing a list of upcoming releases in an old Famous Monsters (or Monsters of the Movies -regardless it was circa 70s) that had "TERROR OF GODZILLA" coming soon from Maron Films. I suspect the title GAMERA STRIKES BACK came from East West DVD... Last Edited By: ThunderScore Feb 20 10 10:08 PM. Edited 1 times.
Joe Karlosi		#15	[-]
Feb 23 10 7:16 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	For the most part I must confess to preferring the Americanized titles most of the time. Maybe it's because I grew up with them, but also because - in the case of many of the Godzilla films at least - it's so much easier to identify them with their U.S. titles. I know that INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER (a lousy title, IMO) was titled MONSTER ZERO when I first saw it on TV in the early '70s. But my preferred title has always been GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO. In fact, I prefer the "GODZILLA VS... " bit to all the Godzilla movies. I prefer GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER to EBIRAH, HORROR OF THE DEEP... And then there's GODZILLA'S REVENGE. I never felt comfortable calling that thing ALL MONSTERS ATTACK.
Hachigatsu		#16	[-]
Feb 23 10 9:02 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Most of the translations/inventions by Toho's Overseas Sales Department have been weak, for the most part, but they did come up with DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. I personally prefer to acknowledge the films by their properly transliterated titles when referring to the Japanese versions, and the proper US titles when referring to the original US versions. GODZILLA - GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN - GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER KING KONG VS. GODZILLA MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA - GODZILLA VS. THE THING THE GREATEST BATTLE ON EARTH - GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER THE GREAT MONSTER WAR - MONSTER ZERO GREAT DUEL IN THE SOUTH SEAS - GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER SON OF GODZILLA MARCH OF THE MONSTERS - DESTROY ALL MONSTERS CHARGE OF THE MONSTERS - GODZILLA'S REVENGE GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH - GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER GODZILLA VS. GIGAN - GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND GODZILLA VS. MEGALO - GODZILLA VS. MEGALON GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA - GODZILLA VS. THE BIONIC MONSTER/COSMIC MONSTER MECHAGODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN - TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA August Ragone Author EIJI TSUBURAYA: MASTER OF MONSTERS Blog THE GOOD, THE BAD AND GODZILLA
Ron Burton		#17	[-]
Feb 23 10 11:15 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	GODZILLA'S COUNTERATTACK would have been a better title than GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN but maybe that's just me. RAIDS sounds like a title for a pirate film. By the way, when I saw THE TERROR OF GODZILLA at the theater in September of 1978, I had absolutely no idea that it was playing simultaneously on TV as TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA. And in late 1976 when I saw the TV spot for BIONIC MNSTER, I was amazed that it was a robot Godzilla. A few days earlier, a classmate had mentioned that title to me and I envisioned a dinosaur with mechanical parts. A few years ago, Tsuburaya productions came up with such a creature in the episode with the monster called "Weaponizer".
Ron Burton		#18	[-]
Feb 23 10 1:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Weaponizer episode was from ULTRAMAN TIGA. Forgot to clarify that point.
Hachigatsu		#19	[-]
Feb 23 10 5:22 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I prefer RAIDS AGAIN because it rolls off of the tongue well and has the connotation of a war movie, rather than a swashbuckler, while COUNTERATTACK is a bit cumbersome. I also like the transliteration GODZILLA STRIKES BACK or STRIKES AGAIN. Like you, I also saw TERROR OF GODZILLA in September 1978, on the lower end of the double bill with HALLOWEEN. It was not broadcast until the following year on television in the San Francisco market (one of the top three television markets in the country), so I found it odd when people claimed that it was on television in 1978 with no hard evidence to back it up (TV Guide ads, etc.). Since TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA was syndicated through our local ABC affiliate, KGO-TV 7, you'd think that it would have played in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco around the same time frame. August Ragone Author EIJI TSUBURAYA: MASTER OF MONSTERS Blog THE GOOD, THE BAD AND GODZILLA Last Edited By: Hachigatsu Feb 23 10 5:24 PM. Edited 1 times.
Ron Burton		#20	[-]
Feb 23 10 6:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That makes sense to me...if it had been released simultaneously, it would have played in those major cities. So it was in 1979 that it first played on TV. In my original post, I mentioned BATTLE OF THE ASTROS and INVASION OF PLANET X. Could those have been merely publicity titles for MONSTER ZERO, which would mean that no US prints were struck bearing those titles?
	Remove this ad

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Add Reply

Yuku free message boards

Alternate Japanese monster movie titles

Alternate Japanese monster movie titles