Godzilla Vs Biollante [VHS]
Five years afterGodzilla 1985, the giant gray one awakens from his hibernation to take on his most unusual enemy, a towering mutant rosebush, the result of an ill-conceived genetics experiment. The 17th Godzilla feature (and second of the new wave) combines industrial espionage, military plots, and an element of the paranormal for a rather complicated story; but if the details blur in the confusion, the day-glo colors and bizarre monster designs help give the film a larger-than-life, comic-book look. Godzilla is still the lean, mean fighting machine, and Biollante is a distant cousin toLittle Shop of Horrorsvillain Audrey II, with its vine-like tentacles and Venus-flytrap mouths. In the era of modern special effects, the sight of the "suitmation" Godzilla can't help but appear camp; but it still holds an old-fashioned charm that monster-movie fans still find engaging.--Sean Axmaker