Godzilla vs. The Thing (1964-Film)

Mothra **vs**. **Godzilla** was released theatrically in Japan on April 29, 1964. An edited version titled **Godzilla vs**. the **Thing** was released by American International Pictures in the United States on August 26, 1964. The film was followed by Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, released in the same year on December 20.

## Plot

News reporter Ichiro Sakai and photographer Junko Nakanishi take pictures of wreckage caused by a typhoon. They uncover a strange, bluish-gray object in the debris, not knowing its significance. Later that day, a giant egg is discovered on the shore. The local villagers salvage it and Kumayama, entrepreneur of Happy Enterprises buys the egg from the local villagers. Instead of letting scientists study the egg, Kumayama intends to exploit it. While Sakai, Junko, and Professor Miura are discussing the egg at a hotel, they spot Kumayama checking in. Kumayama meets with Jiro Torahata, the head of Happy Enterprises. They are unexpectedly confronted by tiny twin girls known as the Shobijin and try to capture them. The Shobijin escape and meet with Sakai, Nakanishi and Miura. They explain that the egg belongs to Mothra. If the egg hatches, the larva will cause great damage looking for food.

The trio agree to help and attempt to reason with Kumayama and Torahata but fail to do so and the Shobijin leave. Miura informs Sakai and Junko that the strange object they discovered is radioactive and return to the beach to find the source. Godzilla surfaces from buried mud and attacks Nagoya. Sakai, Junko, and Miura travel to Infant Island to request the Shobijin to send Mothra to defeat Godzilla. The natives and the Shobijin initially refuse due to the atrocities inflicted on the island and its habitants by nuclear testing, but are eventually convinced. However, the Shobijin warn them that Mothra is too old and nearing death.

Kumayama confronts Torahata and demands to get back the money that Torahata had recently swindled from him. Kumayama is shot by Torahata, then he too is killed when Godzilla destroys his hotel. Godzilla advances on the giant egg but is interrupted by Mothra. Mothra initially gains the upper-hand but is defeated by Godzilla's atomic breath, and dies of exhaustion. The JSDF launch multiple attacks on Godzilla until two giant larvae hatch from Mothra's egg. They follow Godzilla to Iwa Island, trap it with their silk spray and force Godzilla into the sea. Sakai, Junko, and Miura thank the Mothra larvae and Shobijin as they return to Infant Island.

## Cast

* Akira Takarada as Ichiro Sakai
* Yuriko Hoshi as Junko Nakanishi
* Hiroshi Koizumi as Professor Shunsuke Miura
* Yū Fujiki as Jiro Nakamura
* The Peanuts as the Shobijin
* Kenji Sahara as Jiro Torahata
* Jun Tazaki as Maruta
* Yoshifumi Tajima as Kumayama
* Kenzo Tabu as the Mayor
* Akira Tani as the Village Leader
* Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla

## Themes

Historian Steve Ryfle called the film's themes as a "classic good-versus-evil stand-off". He noted the film raises philosophical questions about unity and humanity's will to put aside their differences for the greater good. Ryfle refers to Godzilla as a "specter of nuclear annihilation", metaphorically casting its shadow over Japan. Ryle also compares Godzilla as a "symbol of moral judgement" after indirectly killing the film's villains. Actor Hiroshi Koizumi felt that Honda was able to emphasize his themes through Mothra better than Godzilla, stating, "Mothra's role was a messenger of peace." Kenji Sahara emphasized that his character "was a symbol of greed." Honda purposely chose to portray the film's version of Infant Island as a partial wasteland, stating, "I wanted to visualize the terror and the power of the atomic bomb."