Godzilla vs. Biollante

Godzilla vs. Biollante
Directed by	Kazuki Ōmori
Produced by	Tomoyuki Tanaka Shōgo Tomiyama
Written by	Story: Shinichirō Kobayashi Screenplay: Kazuki Ōmori
Starring	Kunihiko Mitamura Yoshiko Tanaka Masanobu Takashima Megumi Odaka Toru Minegishi Manjot Bedi Kenpachiro Satsuma as Godzilla
Music by	Koichi Sugiyama
Distributed by	Toho Dimension Films
Release date(s)	December 16, 1989 (1989-12-16) (Japan) December 9, 1992 (U.S.)
Running time	105 min.
Language	Japanese
Budget	US$5,000,000

Godzilla vs. Biollante (ゴジラVSビオランテ, Gojira tai Biorante^?) is a 1989 science fiction kaiju film written and directed by Kazuki Ōmori. It was the seventeenth film to be released in the Godzilla franchise and the second in terms of the franchise's Heisei period. The film is set after the events of The Return of Godzilla, and involves a sample of Godzilla's DNA being recovered from his last rampage and falling into the possession of a tormented scientist who combines the samples with the DNA of a plant and his deceased daughter, creating Biollante. At the same time, Godzilla appears to plague Japan again, and a massive fight breaks out between him and Biollante that threatens most of Japan. This is the first film of the series with special effects by Koichi Kawakita.

Plot

A scientific team picks through the ruins of Tokyo, searching for tissue samples left behind by the mutant dinosaur Godzilla following his recent rampage. A team of American paramilitary soldiers working for a United States-based genetics research company called Bio-Major attempts to escape with a sample, but is overcome by a lone mercenary and the samples are stolen. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, researcher Genshiro Shiragami looks forward to returning home to Japan with his daughter, Erika. However, a terrorist bombing destroys his research facility and kills Erika. Five years later, Dr. Shiragami is now a haunted dreamer, who has lately turned most of his attention to the study of the psychic energy of roses. Psychic Miki Saegusa, who also heads an institution for intuitive children, aids him in his research. Dr. Shiragami is now seen as a harmless old man who uses his scientific knowledge to satisfy his own curiosity. However, two groups are watching Dr. Shiragami: a gang of thieves hired by Bio-Major and an assassin from a Middle Eastern country called Saradia. As it turns out, Dr. Shiragami is involved in the study of Godzilla cells. It is believed by Shiragami's employers that he is aiding them in figuring out how to utilize the cells' properties to create Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria (ANEB), which is supposed to be used as weapons against Godzilla. The bacteria are designed to devour all radioactive material, and should prove fatal to Godzilla, but Shiragami has been conducting his own secret experiments. When the thieves and the assassin catch each other breaking into Shiragami's laboratory, a gunfight ensues. It is interrupted by an attack of a giant, mobile plant that kills one man and nearly kills another. The surviving thief flees, and the assassin barely escapes from the plant's grasp. They do not realize that they have just encountered the result of Dr. Shiragami's secret experimentations. The next morning the giant flower is seen in a nearby lake, and Dr. Shiragami confesses that he combined the DNA of roses with some extracted from Godzilla's cells. Furthermore, he confesses privately to a young official that he had, in a fit of grief-driven madness, added Erika's DNA to the genetic composite, so that technically, the creature is partially human as well. He names his creation "Biollante".

Meanwhile, Bio-Major anonymously sends a letter to the Diet of Japan, informing them that they have planted several bombs inside Mt. Mihara. If the Anti-Nuclear Bacteria is not handed over, the company threatens to detonate the bombs and release Godzilla from his prison. With the country held hostage, the Diet is forced to comply. The trade-off with the remaining thief goes well until Shiragami's assassin kills the thief. The thief dies before he can show Lieutenant Goro Gondo and Dr. Kazuhito Kirishima how to deactivate the timed explosives. Godzilla is released as Mt. Mihara is destroyed. Upon hearing Godzilla's roar, Biollante's blossom opens, and the monstrous plant begins calling out to Godzilla. Dr. Shiragami theorizes that this is because Biollante is partially composed of Godzilla's DNA. With Godzilla's destination made clear, the Japan Self-Defense Forces, under the leadership of Major Sho Koruki, prepare their strategies for dealing with the King of the Monsters. The Super X II, a remote controlled and stronger version of the first Super X, is deployed, and though it first seems effective at combating Godzilla, it is eventually overwhelmed by Godzilla's nuclear breath, and is forced to retreat. Godzilla finally reaches Biollante. A huge battle ensues, and briefly it appears that there is a stalemate. However, Godzilla defeats Biollante with his atomic breath. With Biollante apparently dead, Godzilla continues on. Godzilla, running low on radioactive energy after his fights with the Super X II and Biollante, heads towards the nearest operational nuclear reactor, which is located in Tsuruga, on the other side of the country. The military is sent out to meet Godzilla at Ise Bay. Godzilla instead surfaces in Osaka Bay, avoiding a confrontation with the JSDF. Saegusa tries to help, attempting to make Godzilla turn away from Osaka. Her efforts distract Godzilla momentarily, but the force of Godzilla's will and his physic brainpower overwhelms her and she faints. A plan is put into action, involving infecting Godzilla with the regained ANEB. In its final battle, the Super X II is destroyed by Godzilla after luring it into Osaka's business district. Lieutenant Gondo and his soldiers use rocket launchers equipped with the ANEB. The operation is initially successful, despite the death of Lieutenant Gondo, with ANEB injected into Godzilla into three points in his body. Godzilla is seemingly unaffected by it, and continues on.

The failure of the bacteria to work is attributed to Godzilla's low body temperature, which keeps the bacteria in a near-dormant state. If Godzilla can be heated up somehow, Shiragami theorizes, then the ANEB should work. The JSDF develops another plan: force Godzilla onto a field of microwave-emitting plates during an artificial thunderstorm, where it will be heated by the microwaves. The operation begins, but it seems that Godzilla is not affected by the microwaves as he crushes it. Just as everything seems lost, a low rumble is heard and Biollante's spores rain down from the sky. Suddenly a larger, more Godzilla-like Biollante emerges from the ground. After destroying all nearby land forces, Biollante attacks Godzilla, and the two massive monsters fight to the death with Godzilla beginning to lose. At the last minute Godzilla blasts his atomic breath into Biollante's mouth killing the monstrosity. However, Godzilla falls headfirst into the ocean. With Godzilla temporarily knocked out, a critically injured Biollante dissolves into spores that fly upwards into space. As the monster's remains float upwards, Dr. Shiragami sees the image of his daughter among the spores. Calling out to her, he walks forward and gets killed by the Saradian agent, who is still after Godzilla's cells. Godzilla is dying and therefore will be unable to escape when the terrorist tries to get the cell. Dr. Kirishima chases the agent and fights him. The agent is at a disadvantage until he is able to grab his weapon again. The Saradian agent attempts to kill Kirishima, but Major Koruki disintegrates the terrorist. The characters celebrate their victory when Godzilla returns from the sea waters. The body of Dr. Shiragami is placed inside a tent, with his superior briefly mourning him before leaving. Erika's voice is heard to comment on the events of the film. Godzilla wades out to sea and Biollante, once again a giant rose, orbits Earth.

Cast

• Kunihiko Mitamura as Kazuhito Kirishima
• Yoshiko Tanaka as Asuka Okouchi
• Masanobu Takashima as Major Sho Kuroki
• Megumi Odaka as Miki Saegusa
• Toru Minegishi as Lieutenant Goro Gondo
• Koji Takahashi as Doctor Genichiro Shiragami
• Toshiyuki Nagashima as Director Seiichi Yamamoto
• Ryunosuke Kaneda as Seikun Okouchi, Azuka's Father
• Kazuma Matsubara as Super X II Coordinator
• Yasunori Yuge as Prime Minister
• Yoshiko Kuga as Owada, Prime Minister's Wife
• Yasuko Sawaguchi as Erika Shiragami
• Manjot Bedi as SSS9
• Koichi Ueda as General Hyodo
• Kosuke Toyohara as Super X II Controller
• Haruko Sagara as TV Reporter
• Katsuhiko Sasaki as Soldier
• Hirohisa Nakata as Helicopter Onlooker
• Kenzo Hagiwara as Officer
• Kurt Cramer as Bio-Major Spy John Lee
• Derrick Homes as Bio-Major Spy Michael Low
• Demon Kakka as Himself
• Abfallah Helal as Saradia Scientist
• Manjot Beoi as Saradia Plant Director
• Kenpachiro Satsuma as Godzilla

Production

Godzilla vs. Biollante began as a winner of a contest by Toho. The concept was created by Shinichiro Kobayashi, a dentist. His script was widely different from the final film, the few parts that remained were Erika's death, Biollante's creation, a psychic girl, and for the most part, the ending. This first draft also had Dr. Shiragami first create a rat/fish hybrid monster named Deutalios who was quickly killed by Godzilla. This was cut and replaced by Godzilla's battles with Biollante's rose stage and the Super X II. In another ending, Biollante begins to lose and makes a final attempt to kill Godzilla by turning into a wave of pure energy which Godzilla would absorb.

Reception

Box office

In Japan, the film sold approximately 2 million tickets, earning $7,000,000 (U.S).

Critical reaction

Ed Godziszewski of Monster Zero said the film is "by no means a classic" but felt that "for the first time in well over 20 years, a [Godzilla] script is presented with some fresh, original ideas and themes."^[1] Joseph Savitski of Beyond Hollywood said the film's music is "a major detraction," but added that it's "not only one of the most imaginative films in the series, but also the most enjoyable to watch."^[2] Japan Hero said, "[T]his is definitely a Godzilla movie not to be missed."^[3]

Home video

In 1992, HBO Home Entertainment released Godzilla vs. Biollante on VHS. This would later be re-released in 1993 as a Laserdisc release, and is the only time the film has been released in North America. Many American Godzilla fans want the film to be released on DVD in the United States.

Despite being unavailable in the United States, Godzilla vs. Biollante has been released on DVD in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Thailand, Spain, Italy and France.

In other media

• In the 1996 film Mars Attacks! a scene from this film is seen by the Martians.
• Dr. Shiragami re-appears in the 2007 video game, Godzilla: Unleashed. He accidentily creates a new Biollante while attempting to weaponize an alien crystal. Later, he reveals the secrets of the crystals & "Critical Mass".

References

1. ^ Review Ed Godziszewski, Monster Zero, June 10, 2002
2. ^ Review Joseph Savitski, Beyond Hollywood, August 2nd, 2004
3. ^ Review Japan Hero

External links

• "ゴジラvsビオランテ (Gojira tai Biorante)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1989/dm002870.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-19. 
• Godzilla vs. Biollante at the Internet Movie Database
• Godzilla vs. Biollante at AllRovi
• Godzilla vs. Biollante at Rotten Tomatoes

Godzilla vs Biollante