And now, here is the other of the two Turner Network "screener" VHS tapes I recently acquired! This is episode #7913 of the Hanna-Barbera GODZILLA, or as we know it, Season 2, episode 13, which happens to be the very last episode.
I have gone on at length about this episode, because I seem to have a special connection with it that I can't escape. I happen to own a handful of original backgrounds and cels from this episode, and I did a special post that shows them all, as well as showing screenshots of what they looked like when used in the finished episode! You can see all of that in this post from a few years ago, right here. What is interesting about that post is seeing how much of the finished backgrounds ended up obscured in the finished product. And this is for a company famous for cutting corners. You will see what I mean. Also, the way that the colors change slightly from production, to filming, to recording is also interesting to see.
I should point out something I completely neglected to mention in my other HB GODZILLA screener VHS post--these two episodes have NO TNT or Cartoon Network "bugs" in the bottom corner, which is sadly what you run into with the second-season episodes that circulate. Why? Because they have STILL never had an official release on any physical media whatsoever. Now, Toho did put them on their YouTube channel a couple years back, but they divided all of them into thirds that are about 7 minutes each. They are good quality, but the one I discussed last time seemed to have a different audio mix than my tape, because the music and sound effects were much quieter. So anyhow, these two episodes are worth downloading just for that reason. Moving on...
The plot of this episode, once it gets going, really has more of a SUPERFRIENDS feel to it than GODZILLA. Some Ice Aliens from planet Something have come to Earth, and in order to make it hospitable for them, have focused a beam on one of their moons (note: not an asteroid), and will simply slam it into the Earth, thereby making it a frozen wasteland where they can live. Makes sense, right?
Well, no, but it's Saturday morning cartoons, and I am not going to argue. The day--and the world--are both saved by Godzilla, who grabs the flying saucer generating the beam, and uses it to push the moon back into space.....somewhere. The aliens actually quickly follow and fly away, and there is a solid moment where you straight up expect Godzilla to blow their saucer out of the sky....but again, it's Saturday morning cartoons, and everyone just lets them get away.
Before we get to the download--since I've covered this episode before, here are some items that particularly struck me on this viewing:
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| The episode actually begins in a way very remniscent of the first GAMERA film, with some Eskimos in the Arctic Circle reacting to the aliens' flying saucer. |
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| Is photo-bombing still a thing? Godzooky knows how to do it. |
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| Godzilla doesn't have a whole lot to do in this episode, but here he smashes ice walls with an ice club. |
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| What happens when you have an episode about aliens made of literal ice carrying ice guns? You get: a Brock-cicle.... |
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| ...a Godzilla-cicle.... |
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| ...and, a Godzooky-cicle, all in the same episode! |
Here's another thing--this is one of MANY fictional franchise universes where famous landmarks no longer stand, because of some cataclysm, alien invasion, or what have you. It's a very popular thing to do in fiction--how many can you name? I can think of a handful, just typing this...
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| Yep, there goes Big Ben.... |
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| Wait, NO NOT THE SPHINX! We take that personally around here! |
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| Oh, well, it's...safe? That's BETTER? |
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| Here is a WEIRD one. So the crew gets hold of one of the aliens' ice guns, and sets it for "reverse," and melts several of the alien soldiers to puddles of water (I know). Right before they escape in their flying saucer, there is a VERY quick pan over to the alien leader, who silently struggles to his feet and pushes some controls on the wall. Before the camera stops on him, it briefly passes over what looks like a mound of reconstituted alien soldiers! Maybe it's supposed to be a pile of bodies, but the whole thing is bizarrely confusing, and never explained. The above photo are two combined screenshots, made from the quick pan. |
Now that you've made it through all of THAT, you can see it for yourself!
Enjoy!
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