The Showa Era Godzilla movies (1954 - 1975): Fifth film: San daikaijû: Chikyû saidai no kessen / Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) - The scariest villain - 8/10

This fifth entry in the Godzilla franchise introduces the giant lizard's most impressive opponent ever. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster doesn't only convince with intense fights involving Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Rodan and Mothra but also with a quirky plot involving a princess possessed by Venusians and tracked down by her uncle who attempts to assassinate her. Released only eight months after Mothra versus Godzilla, this movie surprisingly convinces with great cinematography and special effects for its time. It's impressive how quickly those involved in the project managed to pull off a high-quality kaiju eiga.

While the plot is fairly unrealistic, even by science-fiction movie standards, this movie is entertaining from start to finish. The diversified set of characters is quite dynamic, quirky and sympathetic. The three story lines involving scientists examining a meteor, a princess escaping her own assassination and four monsters fighting on an earthly battlefield are quite overwhelming but fusion well in the movie's second half and keep viewers on the edges of their seats. This film is as much an adventure flick and a thriller as it is a science-fiction movie. It might be the most diversified movie in the entire franchise.

To keep it short, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is one of the most creative, diversified and quirky movies in the franchise that still entertains from start to finish after all these years. The introduction of the franchise's scariest villain is another reason why this movie is rightfully considered a classic. Ignore the overwhelming plot elements and at times frantic pace in the first half and enjoy all the action, drama and effects that lead to a wholly satisfactory second half and explosive conclusion.