The United Nations has gathered all the monsters in the world and established a home for them on Monster Island. The island is located in the Ogasawara chain. The habitat is geared especially for each monster according to that particular monster’s needs. Various safety features are established to ensure that the monsters stay within the island’s boundaries. A control center beneath the island ensures that all the monsters are happy and contained. The island is also a research facility. The monsters are studied at a safe distance.
When communications with the island abruptly stops, the monsters begin to attack various major cities. Captain Yamabe and his crew man the spaceship Moonlight SY-3. They are called back from space to investigate the black out. Yamabe finds out that the scientists of Monster Island have been taken over by aliens from outer space. The aliens are called Kilaaks. They use mind control on both the monsters and people. The leader demands that the Earth surrender to their rule.
The aliens attacked the various cities to draw attention away from their real intent. The establishment of an underground base near Mt. Fuji. The Earth forces discover that the mind control devises are spread around the world. The aliens then begin broadcasting from the Moon. The crew of the SY-3 are sent to the Moon to destroy the underground base the Kilaaks have established there.
Once the Kilaaks lose control of the Earth’s monsters they turn on the aliens and surround the alien outpost. To try to regain the upper hand the Kilaaks release their secret weapon. The alien created King Ghidorah is let loose on the other monsters, but it’s ten against one. King Ghidorah is destroyed. The Kilaaks have one last card to play. A monster they call the Fire Dragon is sent to destroy Tokyo.
“Destroy All Monsters” was released in 1968 and was directed by Ishiro Honda. It is the ninth film in the Godzilla franchise. There are about eleven monsters in this movie.
Monsters include Godzilla, Rodan, Anguirus, Gorosaurus, Mothra, Minilla or (Minuya), Manda, Spiega AKA (Kumonga), Baragon, Varan, King Ghidorah, and even Kamacuras makes a brief cameo appearance.
When it comes to monsters there’s a reason that Ghidorah is called King Ghidorah. As a space monster he is different from the rest. He is usually controlled by aliens and here is no exception. He is pitted against ten other Earth monsters so the fight is not fair. Well, nine, I’m not sure how much help Minilla is other than as a cheerleader.
As with most of the American dubbed movies there are a few cuts. Both the dubbed International and American versions place the action in 1999, the Japanese version just says the end of the 20th century.
Toho had intended to make this the last Godzilla movie, hence the all out monster parade. Since the movie ended up being a cult favorite I guess Toho felt there might be a little more mileage left in the old guy in a rubber suit yet. I’ll admit this is not one of my favorite Godzilla movies. Lots of monsters yes, but not lots of action. Godzilla also looks too nice. Give me a nasty looking Godzilla any day. Even King Ghidorah wasn’t at his best.
It is; however, historical in that it is the last time four of the original Godzilla masters worked together. They are Ishiro Honda director, Tomoyuki Tanaka producer, Akira Ifukube music and Eiji Tsuburaya special effects supervisor.
English dubbed