Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Director: Kazuki Ohmori

Written by: Kazuki Ohmori

Following on directly from Return of Godzilla, with Japan reeling from the mighty Kaiju’s onslaught a clandestine operation to retrieve live Godzilla cells results in the tragic death of Japan’s most prestigious biochemist.

Five years later, with the world on edge and fearing Godzilla’s inevitable re-emergence from the volcano he was trapped in, bio-tech companies compete for a radiation-devouring enzyme that may hold the key to Godzilla’s defeat.

Meanwhile, the mourning bio-chemist attempts to preserve his dead daughter's soul by merging it with the DNA of a rose and later, tragically the genetic cells of Godzilla himself. This results in the birth of the monstrous Biolante, a titanic mass of tentacles that breaks free from the lab it was birthed in and takes refuge in a nearby lake, where it grows to titanic proportions.

Terrorists eventually make good on their threat to free Godzilla and with the aid of a psychic young lady and a renewed Super X a showdown between Godzilla and Biollante draws near.

Biollante is a remarkable and striking beast, the first new Kaiju created for the Heisei Era. Both horrifying and at times strangely beautiful it dwarfs Godzilla in size and proves to be a savage and visceral opponent. Be it towering motionless, in a misty lake, a giant red rose parting to reveal huge crocodilian teeth or a fully evolved predator, it always steals the screen whenever it appears. As such it’s a shame this would be the plant-based-Titans only movie appearance, despite its originality the lackluster box office results would see classic Kaiju re-introduced for the next few films.

Despite being
a slow boil, this somber tale of loss and letting go has some fantastic scenes and imagery. My personal favorite is a school of psychically gifted children all drawing a raging Godzilla.

Godzilla underwent a transformative redesign, establishing a new aesthetic paradigm for the subsequent suits featured in the Heisei era. Emphasizing sheer mass and power, the head was downsized while the neck was elongated, imbuing Godzilla with a more imposing presence. The facial features were altered to evoke a feline visage, adding a touch of predatory grace. Substantial musculature enhancements were made, particularly evident in the chest and thigh regions, enhancing Godzilla's physicality.

The eyes were enlarged, dominating the eye sockets and conveying a sense of cunning reminiscent of mammals. While the fangs were once again absent, Godzilla's dental array was upgraded to include a dual row of razor-sharp teeth in both upper and lower jaws. The dorsal plates flanking the spine were enlarged, nearly matching the size of the central row, accentuating Godzilla's formidable silhouette.

Despite retaining the previous suit's weight of 242 pounds, this iteration was tailored to fit suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma, facilitating greater mobility and performance. Additionally, a second suit weighing 176 pounds was constructed specifically for water scenes, ensuring seamless integration into the film's aquatic sequences.

Complementing the suits, a puppet was crafted to depict Godzilla's head, neck, and shoulders for close-up shots, adding depth and realism to key scenes.

***