Classic Media continues their release of Godzilla films on DVD with Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster. It was the fifth in the series, premiering in Japan in 1964 and The U.S. in 1965. This was the last Godzilla film that received major edits before crossing the Pacific, eight minutes were cut and scenes were altered. It also forever changed the character of Godzilla who, like many great characters of fiction, turns from villain to hero.

Both versions of the film tell the same basic story. A strange gigantic meteor crashes in the wilderness of a Japanese mountain range. During a plane trip to Japan, a disembodied alien saves a princess mid-flight right before her plane is blown up in a coup attempt. When we next see her, dressed like a street urchin, she proclaims to be an alien prophet and foresees the end of the world. When her picture makes the newspapers, her enemies back home wonder if the princess foiled their plans. An assassin is sent to Japan to discover the alien’s true identity.

After an odd television appearance, the twin fairies from Mothra vs Godzilla are set to sail home to Mothra Island. The princess appears warning of more danger, but the captain doesn’t believe her. A female news reporter befriends the princess, meaning she sees an opportunity for an exclusive, and takes her in.

King Ghidorah hatches from the meteor. It is a slight cross between Rodan and Godzilla, but looks like a Chinese dragon. It has large wings and, as the film’s title suggests, three heads, all of which shoot some type of energy/lighting beams. Whenever it is in a scene, there is a great electronic noise on the soundtrack. Left unchecked Ghidorah will cause the end of the world as it did on the alien’s home world.

As Ghidorah wreaks havoc, Rodan and Godzilla fight out in the countryside. The Mothra fairies are asked to get their master from his island to save the day. Unfortunately, the previous Mothra has died, and the current one is only a caterpillar. However, the fairies think that the combined force of the Earth monsters could defeat Ghidorah. Mothra arrives and breaks up the fight, although it could very well be a version of Hackey Boulder they are playing, between Godzilla and Rodan by shooting his silk on them. They stop and in a very funny scene the monsters talk, which is translated by the fairies. Considering they have been treated, Godzilla and Rodan see no need to help the humans. Mothra decides to go it alone.