Godzilla vs Hedorah (Nakagawa, 2021) – Short Film Review

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Godzilla vs. Hedorah, the short film was released during Godzilla Fest. The talented director Kazuhiro Nakagawa helmed the project and truly made something that commemorates the anniversary. With all the new films (both legendary and Toho produced), TV shows, comics, and now short films, today is a great time to be a fan of the King of the Monsters. But without further ado lets take a closer look at Godzilla vs. Hedorah….

Details of Godzilla vs Hedorah

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (Short 2021) - IMDb
Image Source: IMDb

Distributor: Toho Company
Production Companies: Cine Bazar, Toho Visual Entertainment
Director: Kazyhiro Nakagawa

Producers: Kota Ishizuka, Tetsuya Yoshikawa, & Keiji Ota 

Scriptwriters: Kazyhiro Nakagawa

Main Cast: Naoya Matsumoto and Hikaru Yoshida 
Released: 3rd November 2021

Running Time:  5 Minutes

Story of Godzilla vs Hedorah

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (2021) image gallery | Wikizilla, the kaiju  encyclopedia
Image Source: Wikizilla

Starting with blaring alarms in the distance, Godzilla vs Hedorah starts of strong. We see a plant get frozen before being drenched in what seems to be some toxic material. The camera then pans up to reveal the Kaiju that is the personification of the earth’s pollution- Hedorah. The design of the creature is impeccable. Remaining close to his original appearance whilst also being updated slightly to look more realistic. This short wastes no time before getting to the action. With Hedorah wreaking havoc on what appears to be an industrial site.

Godzilla Vs Hedorah 2021 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet  Archive
Image Source: Internet Archive

Suddenly a road is heard forcing Hedorah to stop destroying the site and turn around. The smog monster spots who it came from, the King of the Monsters, Godzilla! The two fight in the site with Godzilla ultimately being the victor.

Analysis of Godzilla vs Hedorah

Godzilla and Hedorah

Rise of the Smog God: Ecological Apocalypse in 'Godzilla vs. Hedorah'
Image Source: We Are the Mutants

The Kaiju designs are phenomenal. Complimented by the inspired cinematography that emulates the style of the earlier films. Bringing the Kaijus to life, making them look much bigger than they actually are. All through the use of clever angles and shots. The director really understood what made Godzilla films of that period so special and aimed to do his own version. One that honors what came before whilst standing on its own as an extremely entertaining Kaiju fight. The suits may look similar to Godzilla fans, as both Kaiju suits were actually made for Godzilla: Final Wars back in 2004.

Score and Sound Effects

GODZILLA VS HEDORAH 2021 SHORT FILM - Toho Kingdom
Image Source: Toho Kingdom

The score is performed beautifully, I love the use of classical music in thrillers/horrors. The best example I can think of is of course Jaws. When you first hear Godzilla’s roar you know what’s about to happen. Sound effects were created perfectly. The Kaiju’s roars, the sounds of their powers it all sounds phenomenal and puts you right into the ongoing Kaiju action.

Cinematography

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (2021) image gallery | Wikizilla, the kaiju  encyclopedia
Image Source: Wikizilla

Cinematography is brilliant. There is some smart uses where they have the Kaijus hide from sight whilst they fight. Presumably to keep the budget low as it is just a short film. Yet the film doesn’t disappoint the audience with it delivering more than one memorable shot. Several superb shots make up the final victory sequence alone. The bright orange sky basking over the victorious shadow of the might King of the Monsters!

Summary

Disaster Year: 20XX: Godzilla Appears at Godzilla Fest // Godzilla vs  Hedorah (2021)
Image Source: Disaster Year: 20XX

To conclude Godzilla vs. Hedorah is a superb short film. Taking heavy inspiration from when Godzilla was portrayed by a man in a suit and had more comedic elements included in the tense action. It was made to celebrate an anniversary but instead of just celebrating that, the short film manages to celebrate the whole Godzilla franchise. In what is a perfect dedication to the King of the Kaijus!

If you liked this article be sure to check out Top 10 Godzilla Kaiju Ranked, MonsterVerse Movies Ranked, and Kong: Skull Island.

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