EBIRAH, HORROR OF THE DEEP was one of the few Showa era GODZILLA flicks that I'd never got around to watching before, so sticking the Blu-ray on was a real treat. Because this is a fresh, vibrant addition to the series, one that tells a human story that's equally as interesting as the monster stuff. It's certainly a class movie and one designed to appeal to fans young and old.

When you start watching, you might be forgiven for thinking you're in the wrong movie, because there's hardly any monster stuff at all for the first hour. Instead we get a cast of engaging actors who find themselves pitted against the Communist occupiers of a remote island, and all of the shenanigans that go with that storyline. Eventually, though, Godzilla comes out of hiding in a bizarre twist that recalls FRANKENSTEIN, and ends up doing battle with a silly giant crustacean named Ebirah.

The story was originally written as a KING KONG sequel, hence Godzilla's unusual, humanised behaviour in this one. It's certainly something to see him interacting with the human cast for a change. As if the two monsters weren't enough, the producers also draft in Mothra, who as ever is a pleasure to watch. The film as a whole is packed with action, excitement and incident and I can't remember a single dull moment; it's great fun overall.

Talking to a spirit, a dance marathon, and a yacht jacking. The story doesn't really make sense as it stumbles from one situation to the next. All it really wants is a yacht and the monster. It could have gotten there a lot more simpler but it wouldn't be a Godzilla movie if it was well written. Four men are shipwrecked on an island after their yacht is destroyed by the monster. The island is controlled by terrorist organization Red Bamboo with the natives as forced labor. The quartet is joined by native girl Daiyo. They find Godzilla sleeping in a cave.

The franchise is getting more and more campy. The whole first act is a convoluted journey. Infant island is not always the most exciting but at least, it has the Shobijin twins. Only in this one, the twins are different and I don't like it. I don't really like a sleepy Godzilla either. It would have been better to have Godzilla trapped rather than sleeping. I also don't like the terrorists. The franchise seems to be losing its way.

Of all the Japanese monster films that came out from the mid Fifties to the mid Seventies, Godzilla Versus The Sea Monster is the only one that seems to have taken a political stand on anything. The Japanese for obvious reasons are big on nuclear disarmament. This film involves Godzilla and two other giant monsters involved with the Red Bamboo who are a group conducting nuclear experiments on a deserted south sea island. Of course there was no such a group as the Red Bamboo, but the power across the Sea of Japan did have a Red Guard who were pretty active in those days. I think that was another political statement that Godzilla Versus The Sea Monster was making.

Anyway some 20 somethings who were involved in a dance marathon which opened the film, commandeer a boat that was to be the getaway vehicle of a bank robber to search for the brother of one of them who set sail southeast and was not heard from.

It's there that a storm washes them ashore on the island of the Red Bamboo. These dastardly folks are not only conducting nuclear experiments, they're making heavy water to use as nuclear fuel, but are using slave labor. The slaves are being taken from the island that Mothra resides, but he's sleeping and the natives are doing their best to arouse their friend and protector.

To discourage escape in the meantime, the island is guarded by Ebirah a giant lobster monster. The Red Bamboo controls him by means of the nectar of some exotic tropical fruit that acts as a tranquilizer.

When our heroes arrive, they discover that Godzilla is in some kind of coma asleep on the island. Needing an ally they look to get him awake to start doing his thing. Of course all three monsters battle it out in the end.

This particular all star monster spectacular is a cut above the others for its political statement wrapped up in the dopey way these films play. But I have to admit a soft spot in my heart for them.