Forget the Monsterverse, These 3 Forgotten Godzilla Movies Deserve Way More Love

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The Monsterverse has been a welcome addition for longtime fans of Godzilla. However, it requires a bit of flexibility – letting go of extremely high expectations and recognizing that Hollywood is genuinely trying to honor the franchise’s rich history and lore. While there are some changes – like the unique origin of Mechagodzilla being tied to King Ghidorah – these are often positive. Hollywood is successfully putting its own spin on these classic characters without straying so far that they lose what makes them special.

Despite their huge budgets, modern Godzilla movies don’t quite capture the special appeal of the older Shōwa and Heisei eras. While those were generally the peak years for the franchise, even then, some films from those periods are still underrated and deserve more recognition.

3) Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (also known as Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster) marks the beginning of a weaker period in Godzilla’s Showa series, often called the ‘jungle films’ by fans. Ebirah, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, and Godzilla’s Revenge all primarily take place in jungle settings. While Destroy All Monsters only features a few jungle scenes, it shares a similar tone with these other films.

While many consider Destroy All Monsters to be the best of these four films, Ebirah, Horror of the Deep is actually the strongest. It successfully captures the classic Godzilla feel of movies like King Kong vs. Godzilla and Mothra vs. Godzilla, as well as the early Ghidorah films. What really sets it apart is its ability to balance lighthearted moments – like the famously silly volleyball scene between Godzilla and Ebirah – with genuinely suspenseful and frightening scenes of Ebirah attacking humans.

2) Godzilla vs. Gigan

The last five Godzilla films from the 1970s are known for their strange and psychedelic style, and most fans remember them fondly. Godzilla vs. Hedorah is particularly bizarre and well-regarded for it. The two movies featuring Mechagodzilla were a strong way to end the decade, and Godzilla vs. Megalon gained a following thanks to Mystery Science Theater 3000, introducing many new viewers to the series – even if they enjoyed it ironically.

Often overshadowed by its sequels, including Megalon and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, this film is actually the second-best of the five. It strikes a good balance – it’s not as strange as Hedorah or as childish as Megalon. While it does reuse a lot of footage (mostly due to budget limitations), it makes up for it with a wonderfully bizarre plot: alien cockroaches planning to build a kaiju theme park, complete with a Godzilla statue that shoots lasers. It’s a delightfully creative concept, and Gigan’s unique design established him as a truly impressive villain…until Megalon came along and made him feel a bit unnecessary.

1) The Return of Godzilla

While other Godzilla films might be technically superior, The Return of Godzilla remains my personal favorite. I first saw it when I was around six years old – it was actually the American version, Godzilla 1985, but it introduced me to the character. So, some might say my fondness for it is just nostalgia, but I genuinely believe it’s one of the best movies in the entire Godzilla series.

Despite being a monster movie, Return successfully blends thrilling action with the political anxieties of the Cold War, creating consistent tension throughout. Combined with a fantastic score and impressive animatronic effects, the film holds up remarkably well. So why isn’t it more well-known? For almost 20 years, it was incredibly difficult to find, especially in the United States. Before the now out-of-print Blu-ray and DVD releases from Kraken Releasing, viewers were limited to a worn 1985 VHS copy or less legitimate sources.

Stream all three of these Godzillamovies on HBO Max.

I’m a huge Godzilla fan, and I’m always curious to hear what everyone else thinks! What Godzilla movie do you feel doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves? I’d love to hear your thoughts – come share them with me and other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/feature/godzilla-fans-can-have-a-monster-movie-marathon-for-free-right-now/embed/#

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2026-02-14 00:42