Invasion of Astro-Monster

"The great fierce battle between Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah that will sway the ruler of the Universe, Planet X!"

1965 1h 36m JA

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 268

Science FictionAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Astronauts Glenn and Fuji investigate Planet X and encounter mysterious aliens known as the Xiliens, who ask Earth's people to help save their world from "Monster Zero". In exchange for borrowing Godzilla and Rodan, the Xiliens offer a cure for cancer. As Glenn investigates, he develops a romance with Miss Namikawa and uncovers the Xilien's true intentions.

“The great fierce battle between Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah that will sway the ruler of the Universe, Planet X!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Akira Takarada
Astronaut Kazuo Fuji
Nick Adams
Astronaut F. Glenn
Kumi Mizuno
Miss Namikawa
Keiko Sawai
Haruno Fuji
Jun Tazaki
Dr. Sakurai
Yoshio Tsuchiya
Controller of Planet X
Akira Kubo
Tetsuo Torii
Takamaru Sasaki
Chairman of Earth Committee

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ishirō Honda
Writers: Shinichi Sekizawa
Languages: Japanese, English
Countries: Japan, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

61 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Japanese, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Godzilla (Showa) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ishirō Honda, shot by Hajime Koizumi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ryôhei Fujii shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Akira Takarada and Nick Adams and Kumi Mizuno carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ishirō Honda directs. Hajime Koizumi behind the camera. Akira Ifukube scores. Ryôhei Fujii cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan, United States of America. Dialogue in Japanese, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

161 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Japanese, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.
4Part of the "Godzilla (Showa) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Ishirō Honda, shot by Hajime Koizumi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Ryôhei Fujii shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Akira Takarada and Nick Adams and Kumi Mizuno carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "The great fierce battle between Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah that will sway the ruler of the Universe, Planet X!".
10IMDB entry: tt0059346 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 14 themes, including "japan", "monster", "giant monster", "sequel".
12Released under 23 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Hajime Koizumi
Original score: Akira Ifukube
Editing: Ryôhei Fujii
Production design: Takeo Kita
Stunt coordinator: Haruo Nakajima
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $3,000,000
Original language: JA
Certification (US): G
IMDB: Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

Part of

Godzilla (Showa) Collection

Film series featuring Godzilla from the Showa era.

Also by

Ishirō Honda

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2015-05-24
★ 8/10
We need from you Monster Zero 1 and Monster Zero 2, Godzilla and Rodan. It's one of those Godzilla movies where you fully understand why some fans of the "Zilla" series positively dislike it. The big atomic lizard is only a bit part player here, and when push comes to shove the monster mayhem is in short supply, which considering we also have Ghidorah and Rodan in the mix is for sure a bit of a waste. Yet this is one of the better sequels from Toho's original wave, it quite literally has all the ingredients that made "Zilla" and the off-shoots so iconic. We are in live action cartoon territory, a sci-fi story of bonkers proportions yet engrossing all the same. The joyous model work synonymous with the series remains intact, the cardboard sets being obliterated are still fun to watch, and the divisive sight of "Zilla" doing the "shay" dance is in here whether you like it or not. More fun, though, is watching "Zilla" boxing the three headed Ghidorah, now that is comedy gold, if only the moody lizard had gone southpaw a bit earlier then saving the world could have been achieved quicker. Great fun, could have been better from a monster point of view? Yes, definitely, but this be a nutty fruitcake production from Toho and amen to that. 8/10

Production companies

Who made it

TOHO
JP
United Productions of America
US
BE
Benedict Pictures Corp.
US
HE
Henry G. Saperstein Enterprises Inc.
Tokyo Laboratory
JP

Key crew

Production DesignTakeo Kita
Assistant DirectorKoji Hashimoto
Special EffectsEiji Tsuburaya
Stunt CoordinatorHaruo Nakajima
Special EffectsTeruyoshi Nakano
Visual EffectsTeruyoshi Nakano
Executive ProducerHenry G. Saperstein
Executive ProducerReuben Bercovitch
Visual EffectsYukio Manoda
Visual EffectsSadao Iizuka
Lighting TechnicianSeishichi Kojima
Visual Effects Art DirectorAkira Watanabe
EditorRyôhei Fujii
Executive ProducerTomoyuki Tanaka
Special EffectsFumio Nakadai
Special EffectsSadamasa Arikawa
Music ArrangerHisashi Shimonaga
Production ManagerTadashi Koike
Sound RecordistWataru Konuma
Art DirectionTakeo Kita
Visual EffectsEiji Tsuburaya
Sound EffectsSadamasa Nishimoto
Compositing ArtistHiroshi Mukoyama
Production ManagerMasao Suzuki

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

japan
monster
giant monster
sequel
alien
ufo
dinosaur
alien invasion
rodan
kaiju
king ghidorah
godzilla
tokusatsu
coproduction

Release history · US

When it landed

Theatrical1970-07-29G· English dubbed, 93-minute edited version from UPA/Maron Films.
Physical2007-06-05· Classic Media DVD, 1st release of uncut JP version in the US.

Also known as