For this week's Cinema Insomnia/Twitch presentation (11/9 at 11pm), Mr. Lobo offers the ecological-minded Gigantis vs the Smog Monster, aka Godzilla vs the Smog Monster/Godzilla vs Hedorah, written and directed by Yoshimitsu Banno of Ninja the Wonder Boy fame. (For the record, Gigantis is the alternate name used for Godzilla in the retitled, U.S. release of 1955's Godzilla Raids Again.)
The 1971 Smog Monster followed Toho's creature-bash classic, Destroy All Monsters, and in comparison is scaled down in its monsterized action. With Smog Monster, it's Gigantis/Godzilla against a living/breathing, environmental evil: in other words, a giant, spiffy monster against a giant, sloppy one.
Though more basic in structure than its predecessors, Smog Monster's adversary, the morphing Hedorah, is, in fact, one of the big, green guy's most notorious foes, whose grimy villainy adds much to the movie's "save the earth" vibe.
For the presentation, Mr. Lobo's bracketing is distinguished by a bodacious, Beg-o-Rama, fan-club, membership drive, with accompanying Toho segments to strengthen its thematic flavor. Thanks to Mr. Lobo's gentlemanly grace, the results resonate with both humor and tender loving care.
Be sure to tune in for this ebullient, sludgy spree. It's guaranteed to work its "misunderstood" charm on you; and as a cozy warm-up, Mr. Lobo will be on hand at 10pm with a fun and friendly preshow!
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