The Godzilla Power Hour
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The Godzilla Power Hour was an American Saturday morning cartoon, originally aired in 1978 on the NBC television network. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, the series was an animated adaption of the Japanese Godzilla films produced by Toho. Airing alongside Jana of the Jungle, hence the "power hour" aspect of the title, the series continued to air until 1981, for a time airing solo as The Godzilla Show, until its cancellation. Cartoon Network aired several reruns of the show beginning around 1997, amid the hype surrounding TriStar's Godzilla. This run ended in 1999, though the show is periodically broadcast on Cartoon Network's Boomerang network.
The series followed the adventures of a team of scientists on the research vessel U.S. Calico, who could call upon the monster using a special communicator when in peril, such as attacks by other giant monsters. Also included in the series was a cute diminutive Godzilla counterpart, Godzooky, who could summon the monster himself if necessary. Godzilla's size in the animated series shifted radically, sometimes within a single episode or even one scene. (For instance, Godzilla's claw will wrap around a large ship, and only minutes later the team of scientists fit rather neatly on Godzilla's palm.) In addition, Godzilla's trademark atomic breath was altered so he breathed simple fire. He could also produce laser blasts from his eyes much like Superman's heat vision.
Hanna-Barbera cast Ted Cassidy to produce Godzilla's roars and growls, similar to his role in the live-action series The Incredible Hulk. Godzooky's mischievous role in the series was similar to Scooby-Doo's, and he was also voiced by Don Messick.
The basic formula of a scientific team and research vessel in league with Godzilla investigating strange phenomena was revived in another cartoon, Godzilla: The Series.
The rights to the show have reverted to Toho (the company that created and owns Godzilla), and video rights have been picked up by Classic Media, which released eight episodes of the series on DVD in June, 2006.[1]
[edit] External links
- The Godzilla Power Hour at the Internet Movie Database
- The Godzilla Power Hour at TV.com
- Kaiju Fan Online: The Godzilla Power Hour
