Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

is a 1995 Japanese ''
kaiju is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...
'' film directed by
Takao Okawara is a Japanese film director, writer, and producer. Biography Most famous for his entries in the Heisei ''Godzilla'' series, Takao Okawara joined Tōhō in 1973, but would not get his first shot in the director's chair until 1980, when he joine ...
. Produced and distributed by
Toho Studios is a Japanese film production company that is a subsidiary of Toho Co., Ltd. Founded in November 8, 1971 as , the company originally served as a spin-off of Toho's original production department, and produced over 160 films. In December 2020, ...
, it is the 22nd installment in the ''Godzilla'' franchise, and is the seventh and final film in the franchise's
Heisei period The is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Emeritus Akihito from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, ...
. The film features the fictional monster characters
Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...
,
Godzilla Junior is a kaiju which first appeared in Toho's 1993 film '' Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II''. Overview Godzilla Junior first appears in '' Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'' as an egg. Presuming it to be a '' Pteranodon'' egg, a scientific team unearth ...
and
Destoroyah is a crustacean kaiju who first appeared in Toho's 1995 film ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'', as its titular main antagonist. Overview Destoroyah originated as a colony of microscopic Precambrian crustaceans that had been awakened and mutated in ...
, and stars Takuro Tatsumi,
Yōko Ishino (born February 20, 1968) is a Japanese actress and tarento. She was born in Ashiya, Hyōgo. Ishino debuted in 1985 as a pop singer, and first appeared on television in 1986. Her older sister is Mako Ishino. Ishino has also attended in Horikos ...
, Yasufumi Hayashi, Sayaka Osawa,
Megumi Odaka , is a former Japanese idol, actress and singer. She is best known for the role of Miki Saegusa in six Godzilla films from 1989 to 1995. Biography Megumi Odaka was born on May 9, 1972 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. She graduated from Horikoshi H ...
,
Masahiro Takashima is a Japanese actor and singer. Early life Takashima comes from a family of actors, including his father Tadao Takashima, his mother Hanayo Sumi, and his younger brother Masanobu Takashima. Career Acting Takashima debuted in the 1987 film '' T ...
,
Momoko Kochi is a Japanese name for girls. Momo is usually written with the kanji character 桃 for "peach" or 百 for "one hundred" or 杏 for "apricot", followed by -ko, a common suffix for girls' names (meaning "child"). It may refer to: People *, Japanese ...
and
Akira Nakao is a Japanese actor, TV personality, and artist from Kisarazu, Chiba. Nakao is represented by the Furutachi Project agency. Biography Nakao attended Chiba Prefectural Kisarazu High School from 1958, and entered Musashino Art University from 1961 ...
, with
Kenpachiro Satsuma , born is a Japanese actor who portrayed Godzilla in the Heisei films, from 1984 to 1995. Born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsuma began his acting career in the 1960s with small roles in samurai films. In 1971 he was offered the role of the smog mo ...
as Godzilla,
Hurricane Ryu , nicknamed Hurricane Ryu, is a Japanese illustrator, comic book author, writer, director, martial artist and an actor. His real name is Hidemi Miyata, born in Tochigi Prefecture. Comics * 1980 - Parabola of Ecstasy, Comic DUMP #10, Daya Publish ...
as Godzilla Junior, and Ryo Hariya as Destoroyah. In the film, Godzilla's heart, which acts as a
nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from nu ...
, is nearing a
nuclear meltdown A nuclear meltdown (core meltdown, core melt accident, meltdown or partial core melt) is a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. The term ''nuclear meltdown'' is not officially defined by the Internation ...
which threatens the Earth. Meanwhile, a colony of mutated creatures known as Destoroyah emerge from the sea, changing form and terrorizing Japan, forcing the
Japanese Self-Defense Forces The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
to devise a plan to eliminate both threats. ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'' received global publicity following an announcement by Toho that the film would feature the death of Godzilla. It was the final film to be scored by composer
Akira Ifukube was a Japanese classical and film music composer, best known for his works on the ''Godzilla'' franchise. Biography Early years in Hokkaido Akira Ifukube was born on 31 May 1914 in Kushiro, Japan as the third son of a police officer Toshimi ...
before his death in 2006, though his themes would continue to be used in subsequent films. The film was released theatrically in Japan on December 9, 1995, and received a
direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
release in the United States in 1999 by
Columbia TriStar Home Video Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (abbreviated as SPHE) is the home video distribution division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Background SPHE is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures lib ...
. It was the last ''Godzilla'' film to be produced by any studio until the 1998 film, and was the last ''Godzilla'' film produced by Toho until the 1999 film ''
Godzilla 2000 is a 1999 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura, produced by Shogo Tomiyama and starring Takehiro Murata, Hiroshi Abe, Naomi Nishida, Mayu Suzuki and Shiro Sano. Produced and dist ...
''.


Plot

In 1996, following the defeat of
SpaceGodzilla is a Godzilla clone kaiju that first appeared in Toho's 1994 film ''Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla'',as the main antagonist. Overview Appearance SpaceGodzilla largely resembles his earthly counterpart, but with several key differences. In addition t ...
,
Miki Saegusa is a recurring fictional character from the Heisei series of ''Godzilla'' films. She is a psychic who uses her powers to communicate with and, in some instances, control the mutant dinosaur Godzilla, and is credited for being the most frequently r ...
of the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center (UNGCC) travels to Birth Island to monitor
Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...
and Little Godzilla, only to find the entire island destroyed and both monsters missing. Godzilla, now covered in lava-like rashes, subsequently appears in
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
and destroys great swathes of the city with an empowered version of his atomic breath. The
JSDF The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
hires college student Kenkichi Yamane to unravel the mystery of Godzilla's condition. Yamane, a grandson of the same Dr. Kyohei Yamane who had encountered the first Godzilla, suspects that Godzilla's heart, which acts as a
nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from nu ...
, is undergoing a
nuclear meltdown A nuclear meltdown (core meltdown, core melt accident, meltdown or partial core melt) is a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. The term ''nuclear meltdown'' is not officially defined by the Internation ...
as a result of the monster absorbing the energy released from a volcanically triggered uranium deposit on Birth Island. Yamane theorizes that when Godzilla's temperature reaches 1,200 °C, he will explode with enough energy to ignite Earth's atmosphere and reduce the planet's surface to ash. The JSDF deploys the Super X III, an aerial combat vehicle outfitted with ultra-low temperature lasers, in an attempt to reverse Godzilla's self-destruction. While Godzilla's meltdown is not stopped, it is halted long enough to temporarily render Godzilla unconscious. Meanwhile, a colony of
Precambrian The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...
organisms mutated by the Oxygen Destroyer used to defeat the original Godzilla are awoken during the construction of the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line. The creatures combine into several man-sized crab-like creatures and engage the JSDF in several deadly skirmishes. The creatures, dubbed "
Destoroyah is a crustacean kaiju who first appeared in Toho's 1995 film ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'', as its titular main antagonist. Overview Destoroyah originated as a colony of microscopic Precambrian crustaceans that had been awakened and mutated in ...
", are revealed to be vulnerable to subzero temperatures, and are temporarily held at bay with low-temperature lasers. The creatures respond to the threat by merging into a larger Aggregate form which destroys the lasers and takes to the skies in its Flying form. Godzilla awakens, his condition having worsened to the point that his meltdown could potentially destroy the planet through a China syndrome-like incident. Miki locates Little Godzilla - renamed Godzilla Junior on account of his increased size - and telepathically lures him to Tokyo, hoping that Godzilla will follow and be killed by Destoroyah. Junior arrives and battles Destoroyah's Aggregate form, who absorbs his DNA before being seemingly defeated. Godzilla arrives at
Haneda Airport , officially , and sometimes called as Tokyo Haneda Airport or Haneda International Airport , is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Narita International Airport (NRT). It serves as the primary ...
and reunites with Godzilla Junior, only for Destoroyah, bolstered by Junior's DNA, to reappear in its final, Perfect form. Destoroyah kills Junior by dropping him onto
Ariake Coliseum is an indoor sporting arena in located in Ariake, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan. It has a capacity of 10,000 and is one of the few professional tennis venues which has a retractable roof. Events The arena is used as the center court for the Japan O ...
and blasting it with his Micro-Oxygen beam. Godzilla manages to drive off his adversary and unsuccessfully attempts to revive Junior. Godzilla's bereavement accelerates his meltdown, which is further worsened by a second attack by Destoroyah. In the ensuing battle, Godzilla loses control over his radioactivity and gravely wounds Destoroyah with a further empowered heat ray. Destoroyah tries to retreat, but the JSDF fires its low-temperature lasers at its wings, causing it to plummet onto the superheated ground and dissipate. Godzilla succumbs to the meltdown, but the JSDF is able to minimize the damage with it freezer weapons. While successful in preventing Earth's destruction, the JSDF is unable to prevent the resulting nuclear fallout from rendering Tokyo uninhabitable. Suddenly, the radiation levels plummet and Godzilla Junior is revealed to have absorbed his father's radiation and grown into an adult.


Cast


Production

After ''
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II , is a 1993 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Wataru Mimura, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 20th film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' franchise, as ...
'' and ''
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a 1994 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Kensho Yamashita, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 21st film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
'' failed to match the attendance figures of the highly successful ''
Godzilla vs. Mothra is a 1992 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Kazuki Ōmori, and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 19th film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' franchis ...
'', producer
Shogo Tomiyama Shogo, Shōgo, Shohgo or Shougo (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese baseball player *, Japanese professional baseball player *, Japanese politician * ...
announced in the summer of 1995 that the next ''Godzilla'' movie would be the series' final installment. Screenwriter
Kazuki Ōmori was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Career Born in Osaka, Ōmori studied at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and held a license to practice medicine. While in school, he began making films independently, with ''Kuraku naru m ...
initially proposed a story treatment entitled ''Godzilla vs. Ghost Godzilla'', in which the current Heisei Godzilla would have faced off against the ghost of the original 1954 Godzilla. While this idea was scrapped, it was decided to maintain the reference to the original film by reintroducing the Oxygen Destroyer, the weapon that killed the original Godzilla 40 years earlier. In the original script, the final battle was to have taken place in the then still under construction World City, a development project costing $2.35 billion, though Tokyo governor
Yukio Aoshima was a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1995 to 1999. He is also well known as a TV actor, novelist, film director, screenwriter and songwriter. Early life and artistic career Yukio was born in Nihonbashi ward of Tok ...
scrapped the project on account of its unpopularity with
taxpayers A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or n ...
. Toho began promoting the movie via large placards featuring the ''
kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
'' text ゴジラ死す ("Godzilla dies"). Five days prior to the film's release, a large bronze sculpture of Godzilla was erected on the
Hibiya is a colloquial name for a neighborhood of Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo. The area along Hibiya Street ( National Route 1) from Yūrakuchō to Uchisaiwaichō is generally considered Hibiya district. Administratively, it is part of the Yūrakuchō dist ...
cinema district. After the film's release, Toho studios was bombarded by letters of protest demanding Godzilla's resurrection, and several mourners gathered at the bronze statue to leave ¥10-
100 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to de ...
coins and
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
. One Japanese travel agency commemorated Godzilla's demise by hosting tours of various locations destroyed by Godzilla throughout its 40-year tenure. Toho representatives assured the public that Godzilla's death was not permanent, though they were not planning to revive him until the 21st century due to
TriStar Pictures TriStar Pictures, Inc. (spelled as Tri-Star until 1991) is an American film studio and production company that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, part of the multinational conglomerate Sony. It is a corporate sibling of Sony ...
' plans to adapt the character in a film trilogy. However, after
the first film ''The First Film'' is a 2015 British documentary film about cinema pioneer Louis Le Prince, made by David Nicholas Wilkinson. It argues the case that Le Prince, rather than the Lumière brothers, was the true inventor of moving pictures, making ...
was poorly received, Toho returned to the series in 1999 with the first film of the "Millennium Era", '' Godzilla 2000: Millennium''.


Special effects

Effects artist Koichi Kawakita originally envisioned Godzilla being luminescent, and coated a Godzilla suit with luminescent paint and reflective tape, though this was deemed to look too unnatural. The final product was the result of placing 200 small orange light bulbs on the suit previously used for ''
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a 1994 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Kensho Yamashita, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 21st film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
'' and covering them with semitransparent vinyl plates. The resulting suit proved difficult for suit actor
Kenpachiro Satsuma , born is a Japanese actor who portrayed Godzilla in the Heisei films, from 1984 to 1995. Born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsuma began his acting career in the 1960s with small roles in samurai films. In 1971 he was offered the role of the smog mo ...
to perform in, as the cable powering the light bulbs added extra weight to the suit, and the
carbonic acid gas Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...
emitted by the costume nearly suffocated him six times. For Godzilla's confrontation with the Super-X III, the now-expendable suit previously used for ''
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II , is a 1993 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Wataru Mimura, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 20th film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' franchise, as ...
'' was used, as it was predicted that it would have suffered irreparable damage from the
liquid nitrogen Liquid nitrogen—LN2—is nitrogen in a liquid state at low temperature. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of about . It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. It is a colorless, low viscosity liquid that is wide ...
used during the scene. Godzilla Junior and Destoroyah were also portrayed via traditional suitmation techniques, though because the Junior suit was almost the same size as the main Godzilla one, a small animatronic prop was used in scenes where Junior interacts with its father. During the scene where the JSDF bombards the immature Destoroyahs, the creatures were realized with
Bandai is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and Richmond ...
action figures. Kawakita made greater use of CGI than in previous installments, having used it for the Super-X III's freezing of Godzilla, shots showing helicopters, computer schematics showing the outcome of Godzilla's meltdown, and Godzilla's death.


Music

Composer
Akira Ifukube was a Japanese classical and film music composer, best known for his works on the ''Godzilla'' franchise. Biography Early years in Hokkaido Akira Ifukube was born on 31 May 1914 in Kushiro, Japan as the third son of a police officer Toshimi ...
, who had previously declined to compose the score of ''
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a 1994 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Kensho Yamashita, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 21st film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
'', agreed to work on ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyahs soundtrack since he "felt that since
e had E, or e, is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''e'' (pronounced ); plur ...
been involved in Godzilla's birth, it was fitting for imto be involved in his death." For Destoroyah's theme, Ifukube had initially wanted to give each of Destoroyah's forms their own motif, though he subsequently chose to give them all the same theme. He chose not to use the Oxygen Destroyer theme from the original 1954 film, as he felt that the theme expressed the tragedy of the weapon's creator, and thus was inappropriate for a monster. He also deliberately avoided using Godzilla's death theme from the original film, as he wanted to focus more on the dark side of humanity rather than on Godzilla itself. In describing his composition of Godzilla's death theme, he stated that it was one of the most difficult pieces he had ever composed, and that he approached it as if he were writing the theme to his own death.


English version

After the film was released in Japan, Toho commissioned a Hong Kong company to dub the film into English. In this international version of the movie, an English title card was superimposed over the Japanese title, as had been done with the previous 1990s ''Godzilla'' films.
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (abbreviated as SPHE) is the home video distribution division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Background SPHE is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures lib ...
released ''
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a 1994 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Kensho Yamashita, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 21st film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
'' and ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'' on home video on January 19, 1999, the first time that either film had been officially released in the United States. TriStar used the Toho dubs, but cut the end credits and created new titles and opening credits for both films, which included subtitling the film's title. The complete Toho international version of ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'' has been broadcast on several premium movie channels since the early 2000s.


Merchandise

Various video games based on the film were released, all published by
Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
and released in 1995. '' Godzilla: Kaijuu no Daishingeki'' for
Sega Game Gear The is an 8-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear pri ...
, ''Godzilla: Heart-Pounding Monster Island'' for
Sega Pico The Sega Pico, also known as is an educational video game console by Sega Toys. Marketed as "edutainment", the main focus of the Pico was educational video games for children between 3 and 7 years old. The Pico was released in June 1993 in Japa ...
, and ''Godzilla: Rettoushinkan'' for
Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...
. ''Rettoushinkan'' was well known for being a first
real-time tactics Real-time tactics (RTT)(Article at IGN discussing their perception of RTS and related genres as of 2006. RTT is discussed as a new and not yet established genre from the publisher's perspective, so currently all RTT possible titles are still con ...
video game to be released on 32-Bit Consoles, by 11 month before the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
port of Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat. as well as the only real-time tactics video game for the system, as the Sega Saturn version of
Syndicate Wars ''Syndicate Wars'' is an isometric real-time tactical and strategic game, developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for DOS in 1996 and for the PlayStation in 1997. It is the second video game title in ...
was being cancelled in March 1997, with Bullfrog's head of conversions, Steve Metcalf, explaining that the Saturn market was not large enough to cover development costs.


Reception


Box office

The film opened at number one at the Japanese box office and went on to sell approximately 4 million tickets in Japan for a gross of total of (). It earned ¥2 billion in distribution income (around ). It was the number one domestic film at the box office in Japan by distribution income for 1996 and Fourth Place overall behind ''
Twister Twister may refer to: Weather * Tornado Aviation * Pipistrel Twister, a Slovenian ultralight trike * Silence Twister, a German homebuilt aircraft design * Wings of Change Twister, an Austrian paraglider design Entertainment * ''Twister'' (198 ...
'', '' SE7EN'' and '' Mission: Impossible''.


Critical reception

Critical and fan reaction to the film has been very positive. Toho Kingdom said, "With an elegant style, a powerful plot, brilliant effects, and believable acting, this entry is definitely a notch above favorites from all three
timelines A timeline is a display of a list of events in chronological order. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labelled with dates paralleling it, and usually contemporaneous events. Timelines can use any suitable scale representi ...
, and its impact on the series is challenged by only a handful of competitors." Michael Hubert of Monster Zero praised the "spectacular monster battles", adding: "Even for non-Godzilla fans, this movie might help dispel some of the preconceptions you have about Godzilla's 'cheese factor'." Japan Hero called the film "a work of art" and "a must see for anyone who loves Godzilla" that features "something for everyone". Stomp Kaiju gave the film a score of 4 out of 5, saying "This is one of the biggest productions the big G ever had. The new Super-X III, looking black and stealth-bombery, is a great addition, and the return of Lt. Sho Kuroki (Masashiro Takashima) from Godzilla vs Biollante as its pilot is a nice touch ..It's nice to see a company handle its property, beloved by millions, with a little respect and knowledge of that property's history." Tim Brayton of ''Alternate Ending'' called it "A Godzilla movie of particular grandeur and seriousness", saying "it's the best Godzilla film of the VS era: visually robust, focused on great heaving gestures and emotions that work so much better in this franchise than the attempts at human-scaled storytelling that some of the more recent sequels gestured towards." Mike Bogue of American Kaiju felt the film suffered from "several visual weaknesses" and a "disappointing editing", but that "the positive aspects of the visuals outweigh the negatives", and praised the film for "treating Godzilla with the same awe, majesty, and terror as the original '' 1954 Godzilla''." A mixed review came from DVD Talk, saying that "Although it benefits from having an honest-to-goodness storyline with some continuity from the previous Godzillas (going back to the earliest films), Destoroyah's portentous pacing, cardboard-thin characters and cheeseball effects apparently served as a primer on what not to do when Hollywood picked up the franchise."


Awards


Home media

The film has been released on DVD by Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment on February 1, 2000 along with ''
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a 1994 Japanese Kaiju, ''kaiju'' film directed by Kensho Yamashita, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, and produced by Shōgo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho, Toho Studios, it is the 21st film in the Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
''. It was released on blu-ray in ''The Toho Godzilla Collection'' by Sony on May 6, 2014 along with ''
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is a 2000 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura, produced by Shogo Tomiyama, and starring Misato Tanaka, Shōsuke Tanihara, Yuriko Hoshi, Masatoh Eve, and Toshiyuki Nagashima. Prod ...
''.


Notes


References

;Bibliography *


External links

* * * *
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah on Wikizilla
{{DEFAULTSORT:Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah 1990s monster movies 1995 films 1995 science fiction films 1990s Japanese-language films Apocalyptic films Films about telepathy Films directed by Takao Okawara Films produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka Films scored by Akira Ifukube Films set in 1996 Films set in airports Films set in Hong Kong Films set in Ibaraki Prefecture Films set in Japan Films set in the Pacific Ocean Films set in Tokyo Films set on islands Giant monster films Godzilla films Japanese science fiction films Japanese sequel films Kaiju films Toho films TriStar Pictures films Films about father–son relationships 1990s Japanese films