MovieChat Forums > Kaijû sôshingeki (1969) Discussion > A perfect title

A perfect title

posted 18 years ago by deefred
5 replies | jump to latest

The title "Destroy All Monsters" is a rarity not only in the realm of movies, it is amost without compare in any branch of literature and in any medium.

Most titles try to engage the consumer through wordplay or by using a catchphrase, or by inventing a phrase that sounds memorable.

This movie title makes no pretense; it does not challenge the viewer to imagine the subject of the film. No emotional link is established either romantically or emotionally.

Like a heavy slab of marble slamming to the ground, the movie announces itself in the most definite of terms: 'Destroy All Monsters'.

The first word of the title sets the stage: 'Destroy' is a bleak and final word that brooks no ambiguity in intent or attitude. The monsters must be destroyed. We do not detain the monsters, we do not sympathize with them or discriminate against them. We make no attempt to understand them; we do not reach out to them in order to fit their existence into our lives; we do not accept them in any way. We destroy them utterly.

The second word of the title is as uncompromising as the first. 'All' monsters must be destroyed. We do not choose among them; we do not destroy some but not others. We make no judgements about the monsters; we treat all in the same way by destroying them without prejudice or favor.

The last word, 'Monsters', is a triumphant finishing hammer-blow! Monsters are monsters; they are what they are, and their fate is certain just as the title itself is certain, unambiguous, and straightforward. They must be, and in fact are, destroyed.

FEU 4/07

[–] dreamonforever1 18 years ago

good stuff.
we shouldn't mince words when it comes to monsters.
honestly though, why do so many japanese continue to inhabit the country after repeated assaults from those rancorous behemoths? and, their monster attack preparedness doesn't seem to get any better with passing time (or films) l.o.l.
i'd have ridden outta town on the fastest horse, buggy, bike or train (assuming they hadn't all been destroyed) the instant i heard the first monster was on his way (l.o.l.)
sayonara, baby!

gregory 050207

[–] joelreitzloff 11 years ago

lol good stuff

[–] The_Keeper_of_Angela_Baker 16 years ago

You do realize this movie's real title is "Attack of the Marching Monsters" ("Kaiju Soshengeki"), right?

[–] arthurblock 16 years ago

I'd prefer to say that Kaiju Soshengeki is the movie's original title. "Real" title sounds like we just imagined that it was ever called Destroy All Monsters. I know for a fact that it was called this when I saw it on TV as a kid. On the other hand, a few of the 19 alternate titles IMDb lists for this film might fail to be "real", as there's no information regarding when and where they were ever used.

In any case, whoever came up with the U.S. title for the film had a true stroke of genius. Destroy All Monsters is simply wonderful, much better than try-too-hard gimmicks like Rat Fink A-Boo-Boo or The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies.

[–] kingofthemonsters1995 10 years ago

"They must be, and in fact are, destroyed."

Have you even seen the movie? Only one monster gets "destroyed" in the entire film, and that's King Ghidorah. All of the other monsters are set free from mind control and live happily ever after in the end.

"Destroy All Monsters" is actually a pretty inaccurate title, all things considered. It's just become so iconic. The actual Japanese title, which roughly translates to "Charge of the Monsters" is much more accurate.