Godzilla Fight Choreography

[Andrew]

I was watching "Godzilla  Against Mechagodzilla" and was suddenly hit by something that has bugged me about the last few films:  the action during many fight scenes.

For example, in "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" you have the times when Godzilla is tossed and smashes to the ground.  The effect seems way too fast and it is jarring.  Plus, a couple of times the battling beasts just seemed to be pushing into each other.  Some of the weapons systems were very cool (Mechagodzilla is Burt's dream) and I liked the robot design, along with the high technology that made so many of the older movies a lot of fun (along with ones like "Godzilla and Mothra:  The Battle for Earth.")  As a detractor, I have to say that Godzilla exhibiting no response to missile strikes was something that let me down.  I wanted to see him get mad a charge like some sort of angry bull.

I liked the fight between Baragon and Godzilla in "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Daikaiju Sogougeki," but most of the others were just unfun for me.  King Ghidorah and Godzilla did not mix it up nearly as well as they had in "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah."  In fact, in the latter movie, I really enjoyed the spitting fire bout between Godzilla and Ghidorah (when they are in the middle of the city).

"Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" was disappointing once the the really big queen bug arrived.  The super-fast movement annoyed me and I think only one other opponent has ever looked so tepid and clumsy, which would be Orga from "Godzilla 2000."  Sometimes I think they need to:
A.  Make the monsters more agile (lighter suits, better design, etc.).
B.  Need to make them sturdy enough for some exciting bashing scenes.

The more I think about it, the more I enjoyed some of the older films fights.  Godzilla charging Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla in "Terror of Mechagodzilla" has always been a favorite scene of mine.  Another is when Godzilla is beset by a force of tanks and strange VTOL craft in "Godzilla and Mothra:  The Battle for Earth."  And, not a Godzilla film, but I love the fight between Gamera and the adult Gaos in "Gamera:  Guardian of the Universe."

I've yet to see the very latest film, so I have my hopes.

[trekgeezer]

Can you imagine what those little Japanese guys go through  trying to fight while hauling around 80 pounds of rubber?

[fritz21]

Earlier Gamera is better for monster-on-monster action, but I think we all agree in saying that the final battle between King Kong and Godzilla is the best MOM fight ever.

[daveblackeye15]

What's a MOM fight if that means best fight then I disagree, I have many favorite fights but King Kong vs Godzilla is not one of my favorites. I thought the end battle of GaM was a lot better than Godzilla vs. Ghirdrah and Mothera at the end of the GMK, the fight would a have been better but it was slowed down by all the people. If there was someway to get all that done sooner then the end fight of GMK would have been better (Put that's when the Fast Forward Button comes in handy). I think the older Godzilla fights are my favorites but  a lot of the 90's battles are tons of fun to watch

[Brother Ragnarok]

I dug GxMG, but I agree about the lackadaisical approach to some of the fighting.  Good thing there were some pretty explosions to look at.  On the other hand, while Godzilla just kinda stood around, Kiryu was quite a mobile machine, moreso than I expected (even if some of it was done with CG).  When he clears several city blocks in one jump, grabs the jet out of Godzilla's mouth with one hand, clamps his snout shut with the other, and flies off over the ocean, that was a priceless moment.
I think about the only fight in G history to top King Kong vs, Godzilla for pure kinetic energy would have to be the one from Godzilla Raids Again.  It's fast-paced and extremely destructive, and it lasts through damn near half the movie.

Brother R

[Andrew]

I would have much rather have seen Kiryu acting much more like the battered machine it was.  It was acting like Hulk Hogan (during his big WWF years), being more spry after taking a pounding.

Also, I have not gotten into the human parts of the story in the last few movies.  The funky plots from "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" and "Destroy All Monsters" were more to my liking.  Maybe they should work more along the lines of a science fiction film and not a mixture of drama and action (for the human storylines).

On the other hand, "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" showed nice improvement in the way they injected Godzilla stomping across model landscape with real cityscape in the foreground.  The city destruction scenes were also impressive, like when Kiryu was rampaging.

[Jamtoy]

The scene my wife and I thought was cool from "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" was where Mechagodzilla was flying toward Godzilla who was about to blast a Hospital with his Nuclear Flame breath.  That shoulder hit that knocked Godzilla down was sooo cool!

But the lack of original fighting in the Godzilla movies has been a complaint lately.  Maybe it's one of the reasons Toho has decided to retire Godzilla for a while.

[fritz21]

MOM= Monster On Monster.
Maybe Kaiju on Kaiju would be more specific. In fact, that is a better term, so KOK is it.
The best KOK fights, to me, are in the middle of a city, very physical, and very destructive. Although King Kong vs. Godzilla is on an isolated moutaintop, you have to admire the energy of the no-holds-barred bout. This is merely my opinion, so don't take it seriously if you don't want to.

[daveblackeye15]

Come to think of it it does seem very energic and cool. It's been a while since I've seen the fight but the next time I see it I hope it has the original Japanese music

[JohnL]

>Maybe Kaiju on Kaiju would be more specific. In fact, that is a better term, so KOK
>is it.

How exactly would you pronounce "KOK fight"? :)

[Brother Ragnarok]

Well, John, I believe that would be cock fight.  Oh, I walked right into that, all right.

Brother R

[Flangepart]

Oh, you did , Brother, you did!
And you injoyed every nanosecond of it! Admits it!

I liked the new films, but the new G Vs. MechaG...i liked it the least. Mostly for the human story, though. G's entrance behind the weather guy...that was a keeper! I loved the image of "Oh, S%$#! he was thinkin'!
 Kiryu moved too fast for my taste. Lacking the sheer mass of such a huge machine, don't ya know.
The "Shoulder block" Kiryu gave G was cool, but a bit too fast. And lets have less "Flop the empty suit around" stuff, huh?
Andrew, did you notice the OBVIOUS wires in two shots, with the adult Megagurius? Was the continuity guy haveing some Miso soup while that was screening in the edit room?
G. M. KG, all monsters attack : THAT was one bad ass Godzilla! I felt sorry for the humans in that one! Man, would i wish i had wings, or a good rocket pack then...
You know the Kaiju flick has started when you have fleeing populace...
Also, the B.S. productionschick Yuri Oh, momma....babe city, guys...
In this flick, the old Joe Bob Briggs axiom "The monsters are the stars, the human actors are furniture." kinda loose some steam. Kinda...kinda...
Did i mention i like yuri?

So....do you think Toho might release the old flicks with the original cuts, and soundtracks? Oh, Man, i hope so!...

[raj]

Hmm, not K.O.K. ?  Like K.O. (knockout) and O.K. combined.
K.O.? O.K.!

[Scott]

I always made the connection of Pro Wrestlers in those rubber suits doing the best they could under the limits of the outfits. The Godzilla vs King Kong is my all time favorite battle with DESTROY ALL MONSTERS being next.