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  • Alternate Character Interpretation: The U.S. cut has the Soviets intentionally launching a missile while the original version has the agent trying to stop it. Also Godzilla is portrayed a bit more fiercely, upon finding the source of the bird call he seems angry and moves to attack. Only for a maser cannon to fire and save them. The original cut has Godzilla calm and then its ruined by a maser attack.
  • Anvilicious: The American cut of the film scraps the original's somewhat heavy handed but still well meaning and well told message about putting your differences aside when a larger threat comes in favor of the typical pro-American, Russians are the bad guys message that was common in films made during the Cold War, even during its final leg.
  • Awesome Music: Unable to get Akira Ifukube back, Toho hired Reijiro Koroku to compose the film’s score, in what is arguably one of the series most ambient, suspenseful and all around entertaining scores out there. The title theme alone perfectly exemplifies the film’s darker turn from the superhero days of old.
  • Character Rerailment: Possibly the reason why Godzilla is a destructive monster rather than his Showa counterpart.
  • Critical Dissonance: Critics absolutely despised the movie when it came out in the U.S so much Godzilla (As in the character himself) was nominated for Worst New Star. But fans themselves generally see it as a great movie, especially its original Japanese cut, and a worthy return of the King of Monsters.
  • Designated Villain: While Godzilla is supposed to be the antagonist, he doesn't actively destroy everything, and is at first portrayed as a lost, confused animal trying to survive. His actions are reactionary since he doesn't attack until he was actually provoked. Him downing a helicopter may seem as if he was annoyed if anything, and chasing the protagonists may be the only "villainous" action he's done. Of course, after the Super X nearly kills him with its cadmium missiles, Godzilla retaliates furiously and comes to perceive humans as a threat to his existence, causing him to become more aggressive toward them in later installments of the Heisei series.
  • Fan-Preferred Cut Content: The original American theatrical cut included an effect produced but omitted from the Japanese version: Godzilla's fearful screaming as he's plunged into the volcano. Toho apparently considers this an Old Shame for the character, as it's omitted from most home video releases, but fans tend to love it due to giving Godzilla more emotional depth beyond just being a rage-filled monster.
  • Moment of Awesome: Godzilla's showdown with the Super X; the airship is able to incapacitate Godzilla with Cadmium missiles - quite painfully, it seems. The beast is fully unconscious until the nuclear missile detonates over the city. The resulting radioactive storms revive and recharge Godzilla, who sees - and recognizes - the Super X, and what can only be described as a duel ensues; Godzilla's atomic breath versus the X's artillery (notably, they are out of Cadmium missiles at this point) with the city getting thoroughly trashed. The fight reaches its climax when Godzilla finally downs the airship with his atomic breath, then, literally, drops a building on it to finish it off.
    • Adding to the utter badassery of the previous and to punctuate his win, Godzilla then turns to the camera and gives a subtle, yet distinctive victory roar.
  • Narm: In his design for this film, Godzilla's irises are set very high up in his eyes, meaning certain specific angles can make his gaze look rather derpy.
  • Narm Charm: The international dub features most of the same cast as Macross: Do You Remember Love?'s and has all of the same super thick mid-Atlantic accents, stilted dialogue, and hammy deliveries.
    • "Godziller is eating...his supper."
  • Retroactive Recognition: Believe it or not, legendary manga artist, Akira Toriyama, was an uncredited extra during Godzilla's revived rampage.
  • So Bad, It Was Better: American critics panned the movie (or more pedantically, the dubbed and modified Godzilla 1985) at the time of its original release due to taking itself way too seriously and having an inconsistently serious tone, comparing it unfavourably to the later Showa Era movies that revelled in their So Bad, It's Good campiness and often ridiculous plots. This one's attempt to show Godzilla with far more gravitas and dignity ended up backfiring here, as critics noted that the effects had not really improved from the earlier Showa movies and it took away the entertainment value by attempting to ground the story in more realistic themes.
  • Special Effects Failure:
    • When Goro Maki gets attacked by a surviving sea locust, it's obvious that it's a puppet, and it literally takes Maki a second to react to the puppet clutching on his back.
    • Most of the shots with the Cybot Godzilla puppet have not really held up well over the years. The jerky robotic movements and odd proportions make it stand out whenever it's on screen and its face barely resembles that of the suits that were used in production, looking more akin to some of the suits from the early 70s instead. The fact that it's stuck in one place also makes it clear when the switch between the animatronic and the suit occurs. Later Cybots opt for cable controls instead of hydraulics, providing for much better movements and making this version even more dated by comparison.
    • The suit itself is not without issues either, as several shots have the eyes malfunction, making Godzilla look wall-eyed or derpy. Additionally, the suit wound up to be a case behind the scenes, as it was built for another stunt performer before Kenpachiro Satsuma assumed the role at the last minute when said performer dropped out, which led to complaints about it not fitting right. Later movies would have suits that would better fit Satsuma's stature.
    • Regardless of whether it's the suit or the animatronic, Godzilla stands around doing nothing quite often. While attempting to make him more menacing or calm depending on the scene, it more looks like he's either lifeless or simply like he's waiting for his cue to do anything. These moments were trimmed down for "Godzilla 1985".
    • Due to the size increase from 50 to 80 meters, the buildings have far less detail than in previous films in order for the skyscrapers to actually work to scale. Though that can be excused due to Japan's ever-evolving nature at the time.
    • One effect that was largely cut in the "1985" cut of the film was the use of a life-sized foot of Godzilla for closeup scenes. The prop itself, while impressive in scale, looks incredibly cheap and incredibly off when compared to the other props used.
    • The Sea Louse is generally considered the worst monster in any film in the series, and the fact it's a cheap prop thrown onto the actors, who then simply move it around like they're struggling with it certainly doesn't help.
  • Took the Bad Film Seriously: This is not a bad film, but not the kind most actors would go to the mat for. When the film was getting ready to be Americanized as Godzilla 1985, Raymond Burr was brought back to reprise his role from the Americanization of the first Godzilla film. He was told that they were trying to add a lighter tone to the dark, gothic film and that the writers had given him lots of funny lines. He turned them down cold, saying he took Godzilla's Japanese nuclear subtext very seriously, as it was portrayed in both the original and this film, and that he would only perform in a serious role. He likewise refused to help with any of the Dr. Pepper product placement in the film, note  and in the final product gives a deep, thoughtful performance at odds with much of the goofiness surrounding him, making him a highlight for many who prefer the original film to the recut.
  • They Changed It, Now It Sucks!:
    • Toho took out Godzilla's death cry on the Japanese home video releases as one executive at Toho said "Godzilla shouldn't scream."
    • How many fans felt about the American cut of the movie, Godzilla 1985. Aside from Raymond Burr’s dialogue and the ending credits suite, many fans were dissatisfied with most the numerous changes made to the film, such as the infamous change from one Russian trying to stop a nuke from launching to him actively trying (and succeeding) to launch it himself, character development for the Japanese cast getting cut down and some scenes needlessly being recut and put in the wrong order. Though some fans do appreciate how the citizens of Tokyo are not Too Dumb to Live in the US cut.
  • Visual Effects of Awesome: While there is a loss of finer details due to the change of scale, for his final turn as Godzilla special effects director, Teruyoshi Nakano still turns in wonderfully detailed sets, with his expansive set of Tokyo's business district in particular being a sight to behold, and Godzilla's Roaring Rampage of Revenge against the Super X is a fantastic parade of miniature destruction and Nakano's trademark pyrotechnics.

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