Godzilla: Japanese Classics or Just Crap?

[Eric G]

I only ask because I recently recieved the Oz version DVD to review. What's everyone's general thoughts on these films?

Some of the stories are believable enough and others are just fun, popcorn flicks....1960's style.




There are an absolute butt load of these films out there and it would seem that they had an audience once upon a time, but what about now?




I can see how they could have been popular, but I just can't put them higher than "Cheap, fun and silly"

[Chairman Kaga]

Gojira is great as is the US King of the Monsters....
The others while considerably less serious are fun most of the time though some can be considerably graon inducing.

[monorail77]

They're not exactly Kurosawa, but they're pretty fun. Don't get Knowles started on these...

[Eric G]

Gojira is great as is the US King of the Monsters....
The others while considerably less serious are fun most of the time though some can be considerably graon inducing.

The last one of these I watched was Godzilla: Attack of Astro-Monster. And the first fight between Godzilla and this astro thing, Godzilla wins and does this ALF little dance. Coke came out my nose I laughed so hard.

[havocSchultz]

Gojira is great as is the US King of the Monsters....
The others while considerably less serious are fun most of the time though some can be considerably graon inducing.

The last one of these I watched was Godzilla: Attack of Astro-Monster. And the first fight between Godzilla and this astro thing, Godzilla wins and does this ALF little dance. Coke came out my nose I laughed so hard.

i'm sure some coke was involved in the making of some of these movies as well.... ahem*americanremake*ahem...

[Chairman Kaga]

Yeah once Frogzilla (note the happier Disneyesque eyes) started showing up and making friends with small school kids in their day dreams etc it kinda falls apart for me. Jet Jaguar and the rest don't help much either.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

It's Classic, it's crap, it's CLASSIC CRAP!

Although they're all schlocky, the original is at least
as cool as KONG '33, if not cooler, and how could we
ever forget GODZILLA v. MOTHRA with the singing twin
pixie girls and the strong ecological conservation message
subtext?

Awesome entertainment.

[Eric G]

It's Classic, it's crap, it's CLASSIC CRAP!

Genius.

Oh well.....time to go and watch Minilla get hatched by a bunch of over grown Praying Mantis'....Praying Mantisses....Mantie.....what the hell is the plural for a Praying Mantis?

[Brocktune]

the first one is worth it.
more of a social commentary than a monster movie.
it stars the unflappable, incomparable, always amazing Takashi Shimura.
its worth watching for him alone.

[so sorry]

Manti

I was going to post a comment in the "Losing Your Geek Cred" thread taht I gernelly dislike Godzilla movies.
I watched them religiously as a child (i had a 2 foot tall godzilla plastic toy that routinely went all rampage on my gi joe and star wars toys), but i gotta say i can't sit thru two minutes of a godzilla movie today. not even during the parts where he steps on shit real good. its all just too fucking awefull.

that being said, if i could add a ring tone to my phone it would be the godzilla scream. that rocks

[Chairman Kaga]

that being said, if i could add a ring tone to my phone it would be the godzilla scream. that rocks

Nice idea....gonna make that tonight.

[so sorry]

that being said, if i could add a ring tone to my phone it would be the godzilla scream. that rocks

Nice idea....gonna make that tonight.

gimme!

[LeFlambeur]

I always thought they should go back and re-edit the Godzilla movies (accept for the first) into under an hour a piece and air it as a TV series. Seriously, I bet you could trim and hour from those movies (mostly the boring scientist middle part) and not miss a beat.

[Eric G]

you could probably cut out most parts and still not miss a beat. Just combined all the fight scenes into one big monster-romp.

[Chairman Kaga]

You can't cut out all of the weird Yakuza guys somewhere around the 70's ones.....

[buster00]

Japanese ART FORM.

[Eric G]

I just watched and reviewed Godzilla: Final Wars.

....after watching its predecessors, I gotta say;

This movie fuckin' rocks! that cheesy American General was hilarious! The one liners he came out with, while not intentional, were funny as hell. The only fault I could see was, maybe 2 hours was just 15-20 minutes too long. Besides that, this has got to be one of my favs.

[Chairman Kaga]

I disagree on Final Wars with all of the hype it is surprisingly sparse Kaiju action supplemented with a yawner of a a kung-fu alien face off fest.

[The Ginger Man]

i had a 2 foot tall godzilla plastic toy that routinely went all rampage on my gi joe and star wars toys

Was it the one that had a lever on his back that would cause a strip of plastic fire to come out of his mouth like a lizard's tongue? And did it have the fist that shot off like a rocket when you pushed a button?

I had that toy and it was frickin awesome! One of my faves as a kid. Interesting side note, I recently found the same toy welded into a giant piece of art in a NYC park. Gave me some good memories.

[Vegeta]

i had a 2 foot tall godzilla plastic toy that routinely went all rampage on my gi joe and star wars toys

Was it the one that had a lever on his back that would cause a strip of plastic fire to come out of his mouth like a lizard's tongue? And did it have the fist that shot off like a rocket when you pushed a button?

I had that toy and it was frickin awesome! One of my faves as a kid. Interesting side note, I recently found the same toy welded into a giant piece of art in a NYC park. Gave me some good memories.

I had that toy too, it kicked ass! I still don't understand why the fist shot off, but the rest of my action figures never had a chance with Godzilla around!

[unikrunk]

I would not go so far as to call them crap, but I certainly don’t find them interesting. Really, it holds my attention for about 10 minutes (the concept). But they are classics, in the sense that they define a specific time and place. 8/6/1945 - Hiroshima, and 8/9/1945 - Nagasaki.

That being said, any of the original stuff is a million times better than the Amuricun version. Ferris Bueller? Really?


.

[Bean]

I was a HUGE Godzilla fan when I was a kid. They are still fun films to watch now, but I can't take them seriously, nor do I think anyone else can. They are just what you said, Eric, cheap, fun and silly.

[cap]

As soon as you take it for what it is, it is nothing but fun.

I hated the updated Godzilla movie from a few years ago (with Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno). I thought they were trying to do something serious. Now they may have, but I decided they were making a Godzilla movie, and I love it!

[Eric G]

Here you go - I think I can answer your comments in the review I just wrote;

Godzilla: Final Wars, commemorates the 50 year anniversary of Godzilla films and I must say, they went out with quite a bang. Keeping in mind that these films aren't suppose to be taken too seriously and are never executed to perfection, Final Wars is a great, action packed and entertaining film. You've heard the phrase "Non-Stop Action" before, right? Well you haven't seen a film take that phrase so literal. Final Wars is action and destruction from start to finish.
It begins with the defeat of Godzilla in the South Pole and continues with Manda's destruction at the hands of a half English speaking crew. (You'll notice a lot of scenes with English speaking actors) From the beginning you'll notice that Final Wars looks more like a Hollywood production in the way it is shot, with some exceptional camera work at times. It also seems to be shot through a blue filter; not all the time, but it a number of scenes you may notice the "Underworld" blue look.
The action sequences and SFX dwarf the previous Godzilla films, in particular the practise fight between our hero and his best friend. I couldn't believe I was watching a Toho Godzilla film. Be sure to keep an eye out for it.
Like in previous Godzilla films, out of no where, monsters start showing up in capital cities around the world. King Caesar hits Okinawa, Kamacuras in Paris, Anguirus in Shanghai and I think it was Zilla who hit Sydney, Australia. Rodan's entrance was brilliant; perched high on a building in New York city, he leaps off, falling for a split second and then gives his giant wings one big flap and BOOM! All the windows to the surrounding skyscrapers shatter into a million pieces. I think the best looking monster was Zilla in Sydney. He looked amazing; almost out of place because he looked THAT good. Oh, I almost forgot - Minilla is found on Mt Fuji by a little boy and his Dad.
The twist on the all out Monster attack in this film is the threat of a newly discovered alien race, the Xilians, who at first came to offer peace. This is where the plot thickens and turns into a very cool sci-fi entanglement between the monsters, the Xilians and man kind.
Godzilla makes his appearance when man kind is at its knees. He is awakened by the same person to bring him down all those years ago and he does so to save the rest of the human race. The battle that follows between Godzilla and most of our favourite monsters are entertaining to the last degree but its when Monster X (And Monster X II) are revealed that Godzilla finds that he has met his match. In the end he has to look for help in the most unlikely of places.
Closing things off in Final Wars, Godzilla and Minilla are reunited in a truly touching ending.

I honestly enjoyed this movie from start to finish; I even put off dinner until it ended. Godzilla: Final Wars has got everything a Toho fan could ask for and more. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you give it a go.
Note - It goes with out saying that Final Wars puts Roland Emmerich's Godzilla to shame.

[Theta]

The original "Godzilla" is pretty interesting in proper historical context.

The series rapidly went to hell, though, although they are at least amusing in a cheesy way. The Millenium series is better than the later Showa and Heisei, I think, mostly because effects technology has advanced and they have a decent director. "Final Wars" is great in a packed theater but not as a home-viewing experience (and I bought the four-disc set, which tells you how much of a sucker for Godzilla I am.)

[raasnio]

I honestly enjoyed this movie from start to finish; I even put off dinner until it ended. Godzilla: Final Wars has got everything a Toho fan could ask for and more. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you give it a go.
Note - It goes with out saying that Final Wars puts Roland Emmerich's Godzilla to shame.

Yes, it does. Only problem is that any Godzilla movie out there puts that one to shame. Final Wars was bad, though. I love watching Kaiju films, but this one didn't work for me. For exactly the reasons Chairman Kaga stated.

Oh and why the hell would you cast Don Frye in your movie? Yikes. I don't mind watching him fight in the UFC or Pride, but he's got zero acting ability. It's painful really.

[Eric G]

I love watching Kaiju films, but this one didn't work for me. For exactly the reasons Chairman Kaga stated.

Funny, but It worked for me completely. The cornyness of the whole thing topped off with the casting and acting of Don Frye entertained me quite nicely. Frye's first appearance was painful, but I got used to it and it worked well for me.

EDIT: After watching the first one, Son of Godzilla, Astro Monster, Destroy All monsters and the rest....to watch Final Wars was a piece of cake.

[Theta]

I love watching Kaiju films, but this one didn't work for me. For exactly the reasons Chairman Kaga stated.

Funny, but It worked for me completely. The cornyness of the whole thing topped off with the casting and acting of Don Frye entertained me quite nicely. Frye's first appearance was painful, but I got used to it and it worked well for me.

EDIT: After watching the first one, Son of Godzilla, Astro Monster, Destroy All monsters and the rest....to watch Final Wars was a piece of cake.

Dude, if you can get through "Son of Godzilla" in one viewing you deserve a Purple Heart. "Final Wars" was the first movie to use Minilla so that he wasn't fucking annoying.

[Chairman Kaga]

It wasn't that I hated the kung fu bits (I didn't) I just prefer a Godzilla movie focusing on Godzilla especially the 50th Anniversary one. At the very least they could have had the 70's sunglasses wearing yakuza thrown in there somewhere.

[raasnio]

It wasn't that I hated the kung fu bits (I didn't) I just prefer a Godzilla movie focusing on Godzilla especially the 50th Anniversary one. At the very least they could have had the 70's sunglasses wearing yakuza thrown in there somewhere.

Yeah. Maybe they should have had Takashi Miike do Final Wars.

[Eric G]

It wasn't that I hated the kung fu bits (I didn't) I just prefer a Godzilla movie focusing on Godzilla especially the 50th Anniversary one. At the very least they could have had the 70's sunglasses wearing yakuza thrown in there somewhere.

I can understand that....and to be honest, I was expecting to see something like that. I was suprised to only see Godzilla in, what.....the last 30 minutes? 40 minutes, of the film?

Dude, if you can get through "Son of Godzilla" in one viewing you deserve a Purple Heart. "Final Wars" was the first movie to use Minilla so that he wasn't fucking annoying.

Thanks mate. There was some painful viewing throughout this Godzilla ordeal....Should I even attempt watching the Emmerich version again? I actually fell asleep in the cinema watching that fu*kin thing.

[Theta]

Thanks mate. There was some painful viewing throughout this Godzilla ordeal....Should I even attempt watching the Emmerich version again? I actually fell asleep in the cinema watching that fu*kin thing.

I think I would have liked the Emmerich version a bit more if it hadn't been called "Godzilla"; I think a review I read calling the monster in that movie "a hysterical postpartum velociraptor" pretty much sums things up. In "Final Wars", originally Godzilla raped GINO (Godzilla In Name Only) in the ass. Toho apparently had it cut out; too bad, I say.

I still have, despite myself, a hell of a lot of affection for "Godzilla Versus Megalon"; I LOVE playing as Megalon in "Destroy All Monsters Melee", even if he is insanely cheap.

[Chairman Kaga]

Megalon is a bitch in DAMM. I actually like the first half of the US Godzilla....Just building up and the first bit of wandering around NYC but once they got Jean Reno complaining about coffee and the txi cab in his mouth and the baby G's in MSG etc etc went downhill for me fast.

[AtomicHyperbole]

After the Great Yokai War, I'd pay for a ticket to Japan to see Takashi Miike's Godzilla alone if it ever were to surface.

[TheButcher]

They're not exactly Kurosawa, but they're pretty fun. Don't get Knowles started on these...

Some are better than others, but I love them all.
I have heard rumors that Kurosawa wanted to make a Godzilla film.

[Chairman Kaga]

I have heard rumors that Kurosawa wanted to make a Godzilla film.

That is the sort of thing that time travel should be invented for.

[TheButcher]

I have heard rumors that Kurosawa wanted to make a Godzilla film.

That is the sort of thing that time travel should be invented for.

or cloning

[bastard_robo]

I've seen this thread for a while now, but i've never got around to posting on it.

Shocking as im probably one of the biggest whores for Godzilla.

And with Mori puting out a review of the new Godzilla dvd that just hit shelves, i figured now is better than ever to post.

Godzilla films are a weird section of cinema.

They're almost they're own genre. Not giant moster or mutant monster movies like what the US put out, but its own style of film.

Never have issues in the real world been presnent with a giant mutant dinosaur. Everything from Nucluar Destruction to the Horror of gentic tampering to enviormental safty have been coverd.!

Honestly for me, i've been a fan of Godzilla since i was 4 years old. My dad turned Godzilla 1985 on TV and being a redblooded american boy, i was fasinated with Dinosaurs at the time (what boy wasnt) And just something with Godzilla clicked, and i tormented my parents and family for the next 18 years with my obession.

I have watched all 29 Godzilla movies (including the american remake) at least 5 times a piece (some more so than others)

Now older, and more of a movie buff, I can see why people write off Godzilla films so easliy. They do come off goofy.

But thats just to an average watcher. To the people who hold stuff like Citizen Kane or the works of Kubrick high (there aint nothing wrong with that) they just poo poo godzilla films as crap cinema.

I say BAH!

Every Godzilla film is diffrent and is enjoyable on a diffrent level, dated effects and all.

Just like Star Wars or The Bond Films. Bond especially. Try to think up new ideas for a movie series that lasts over 20 films. It aint easy.

Take the Original Godzilla. A serious Noir film about the horrors of radiation and war. Just presented through a giant monster.

King Kong vs. Godzilla: Patriotic cock fight!

Godzilla vs. Mothra: Capitalist greed!

Destroy All Monsters: Fun eye candy like todays major blockbuster films

Godzilla's Revenge: Latch key kids can be dangerous!

Godzilla vs the Smog Monster: Give a Hoot, Dont Pollute

Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla: Japanese Exploitation films.

Godzilla vs. Biollante: Dont fuck with what nature inteded.

Godzilla vs. Mothra and Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla 2: Man vs. Nature

Godzilla vs. Destroyah: death is sad

Godzilla 2000: How to make up for America fucking it up.

GMK: Respect your elders, and never forget

Godzilla against MechaGodzilla: Politcal Propaganda!

Godzilla: Final Wars: Sensory Masturbation

Thats not every film, but fuck, each one has something to offer.

From the best to the worst. They are all entertaining pieces of work. The problem with people today is that we're use to big budgets with lavish effects and yet, Godzilla movies still go old school and use Men in Suits which gives it certin feel.

And like Star Wars, there is a rabid following. While not as vocal as Star Wars fans (who are more assholes than godzilla fans), they both share a fond love for both series, and if you ask both, most will tell you that it stems from childhood.

Hell, just like star wars, there are huge casts of charecters that can be whored for merchandising purposes:

Example:















Hell, heres a horrible example of such merchandising!



Basicly, dont just write off Godzilla Films.

Go back and watch some. Some from the early years (and compare them to american monster movies, the quality is suprisingly better) to the modern day fx heavy popcorn films.

[Doc Holliday]

This pic made me feel sad:



I never EVER want to see this pic again (the first one, yes the one with the bony legged spider thingy) >shudder<




Robo - thats the coolest post I've read in this place in a long long long time - 10 out of 10 for reminding me why I come here.

My experience of Godzilla is really poor - the American remake, the cartoon (complete with Godzuki) and the tongue in cheek moment in JP II is about it I think.

But whenever I see one on TV now, I'm not only going to watch it, I'm going to try guess the subtext then come back to this thread and see if I got it right.

[bastard_robo]

This pic made me feel sad:



I never EVER want to see this pic again (the first one, yes the one with the bony legged spider thingy) >shudder<




Robo - thats the coolest post I've read in this place in a long long long time - 10 out of 10 for reminding me why I come here.

My experience of Godzilla is really poor - the American remake, the cartoon (complete with Godzuki) and the tongue in cheek moment in JP II is about it I think.

But whenever I see one on TV now, I'm not only going to watch it, I'm going to try guess the subtext then come back to this thread and see if I got it right.

What bothers you?

Spiga (the spider)
Eibra (the loberster)
Or Hedora (the walking pile of shit)



But good for you. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that some one will at least watch a godzilla movie and not blow it off in the first 10 mintues.

[Doc Holliday]

Spiga...

...always with the spider. I loathe them.

The lobster makes me hungry....and I just have empathy, not hate, with anything described as "walking piece of shit"

[bastard_robo]

Spiga...

...always with the spider. I loathe them.

The lobster makes me hungry....and I just have empathy, not hate, with anything described as "walking piece of shit"

thats good. As Hedora only wants to bring you pez... pez AND DEATH!

[bastard_robo]

I have found the best example of godzilla goodnes!

This is the ULTIMATE box set released in japan that contains every Godzilla movie (sans american remake)

I DARE YOU NOT TO ENJOY!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=847124531

[Hal2814]

I watched Godzilla films as a kid and continue to watch them today. My faves are the Showa era films up to Destroy All Monsters and just about all of the Heisei era flicks. I admire the FX in the Mireniamu films but they seem sort of hollow, like the Brosnan Bonds: top notch on a technical level but lacking the emotional pull of the earlier series. That said, I own just about all the films (save Gigantis & Godzilla vs. Megalon) on tape or disc. I think you have to become a G-Fan as a kid, so that you'll never really grow out of it. I would imagine it hard to get into the films as an adult.

BTW, anybody here ever read the nifty book on Big G by Professor William Tsutsui, Godzilla On My Mind? A fun book by a pretty cool cat.

[Chairman Kaga]

I just picked up This the other day. I don't think I will ever watch the "Steve Martin" version ever again.

[Hal2814]

I just picked up This the other day. I don't think I will ever watch the "Steve Martin" version ever again.

Agreed! Don't forget, the 2nd & 3rd films in the series get the Deluxe treatment next---discs are slated for November 7th.

[bastard_robo]

I watched Godzilla films as a kid and continue to watch them today. My faves are the Showa era films up to Destroy All Monsters and just about all of the Heisei era flicks. I admire the FX in the Mireniamu films but they seem sort of hollow, like the Brosnan Bonds: top notch on a technical level but lacking the emotional pull of the earlier series. That said, I own just about all the films (save Gigantis & Godzilla vs. Megalon) on tape or disc. I think you have to become a G-Fan as a kid, so that you'll never really grow out of it. I would imagine it hard to get into the films as an adult.

BTW, anybody here ever read the nifty book on Big G by Professor William Tsutsui, Godzilla On My Mind? A fun book by a pretty cool cat.

Compleatly agree. Its just like star wars. Most people who are hard core fans are because they got into it from Childhood. Most of peoples most cherished memories or hobbies stem from childhood.

Im happy that every movie after Raids again and Mothra get released, will be avalibable on dvd in NORTH AMERICA. I remeber as a kid that i had to wait to go to comic conventions to pick up the bootlegs inorder to watch them.

I honestly think that if done properly, Godzilla could have been a major franchies in american, but insted it was fucked up like a lot of other missed oprotunities.

[godzillasushi]

Wow talk about a thread brought back from the dead. I LOVE Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster. Mainly they arent very good and some can get pretty boring. Final Wars was outrageous. The Mecha Godzilla stuff was farely entertaining. Overall I wouldnt call 90% of them classic, just stupid fun. I mean even back then the movies werent amazing feats of special effects.

[cinephile2000]

They are fun movies that have a moral. Thats something that doesn't happen very often nowadays.

[bastard_robo]

They are fun movies that have a moral. Thats something that doesn't happen very often nowadays.

nailed it on the head!