Rocking Tokyo with monster hits

'Pacific Rim," opening Friday, harks back to one of Japan's greatest exports -- those cheesy monster movies of the '50s and '60s -- but done on a larger scale. Here are some of the most memorable big-screen creatures who chewed up the scenery -- and half of Tokyo.

GOJIRA (aka

GODZILLA) (1954) -- Still the granddaddy of reptilian movie monsters. For the 1956 reissue, scenes were added featuring Raymond Burr and awful English dubbing. Many sequels followed, including the 1962 smackdown "King Kong vs. Godzilla."

RODAN (1956) -- Sure it's a creature feature -- giant pterodactyl Rodan blows into a mining village and creates destructive winds with his wings -- but above all, it's the touching love story of Rodan and his mate with an ending worthy of Romeo and Juliet.

MOTHRA (1961) -- Cinematic proof that music has charms to soothe the savage beast. When Tom Thumb-size twins are captured by evil scientists, their only hope is to sing out a telepathic cry for help from the titular gigantic moth. And if a few buildings must crumble, so be it.

GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964) -- It's like the Justice League of Japanese monsters as Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan join forces to battle Ghidorah, who pops up after a meteorite hits Japan. How's this for a shocker? Ghidorah spews electrical current from his mouth.