RODAN THE FLYING MONSTER (or just RODAN, as the title block reads) was Japan's first color giant monster movie. It was also one of the very last to be filmed in academy ratio. In the film, miners are having trouble with a very deep tunnel following the opening of an underground chamber. Bodies begin to turn up, horribly mutilated. Eventually, the culprit is revealed to be a species of giant, prehistoric insect. And, terrifying as that is, it's only the beginning. Turns out the monster bugs are only the food source of a much larger predator, which has also stirred to life... RODAN was a big hit on both sides of the Pacific, and the film became something of a television, and later video, staple. Rodan, the giant pterodactyl of the film, was so popular that the character was resurrected and brought into the Godzilla franchise beginning with GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER. Rodan was even more up front in the direct sequel, MONSTER ZERO. Rodan was also one of the major players in the all-out monster rally DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. Rodan has since been closely associated with Godzilla, and in fact is probably the second most popular Japanese giant, second only to Godzilla himself. Most every average Joe knows Rodan by name, and the monster was even a huge toy in the 70's (there was also a model kit from Aurora around the same time). I still have my old Vestron VHS release.
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