Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (aka Godzilla vs. Hedorah)

The 11th Godzilla film, hailing from 1971, tried to pull the series out of its downward spiral with some goofy humor and juvenile adventures. First-time director Yoshimitsu Banno adopts an environmental theme and introduces a new creature named Hedorah (the “Smog Monster” of the title, made up of pollution and toxic waste), while also adding pop music numbers and a young adult costar, Hiroyuki Kawase, who plays Ken, a rock band leader who frequents go-go clubs. This is one of the strangest Godzilla flicks ever made, following Hedorah as it grows from a tadpole into a monstrous blob that swims, crawls, and flies through the air, oozing poisonous gas in its wake. Viewers will witness animated interludes, an impromptu concert in the middle of an evacuation, a little boy who has visions of Godzilla rising from the ocean to save them all, sloppy monster battles, and a scene in which Godzilla uses his radioactive breath as a jet engine. The oddball mix of themes and styles makes for an anomalous film that tends to split fans, but while hardly the best, it's certainly one of the most weirdly entertaining entries and a bizarre time capsule. Re-released on DVD and debuting on Blu-ray (with both subtitled original Japanese and English-dub soundtracks), this is a strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)