No More Godzilla For Me...

[Great Sage]

The last Godzilla flick I saw was Godzilla 2000 and it was NOT a good film.  I’ve been a Zilla fan for a long time, but the movies have just not gotten better.  They’re still following the same formula that has put them in the B-Movie category.  It seems Toho is content with just living off the title of Godzilla and not innovative story-telling or cinematography.

I’ve read mixed reviews about the latest Godzilla film â€" Godzilla X Mechagodzilla.  Most say this movie isn’t great...  There’s an overreliance on the human plot, which has really taken over Godzilla...  Godzilla is really the subplot these days.  To tell the truth, I’d rather watch mindless Monster mayhem than senseless storylines with confused actors.  The movie was filmed in a 4-month time span.

The appeal of Godzilla is aimed towards purists, but what about those who want a good movie?  There should be something more captivating than the latest Godzilla incarnation...  

The next move is Godzilla, Mothra and MechaGodzilla... Which I could care less about.  I like watching the old 70’s Godzilla where it was still fun and innovative for that time period.  The best thing today are the Bandai Godzilla figures that you can buy...

[Chadzilla]

I wrote up a review of Godzilla 2000 for scifilm.org

http://www.scifilm.org/reviews3/godzilla2000.html

[Evan3]

I have to agree with you here. Although I have never seen the first Godzillas, the ones I have seen were awfully boring. One had a robot who assisted Godzilla in a fight against two other monsters, and most of the plot was focused on the robot.

The other I have seen had some long contrived plot with an artist that I never truly understood.  Oh and the monsters could talk to each other with sound bubbles

Either way, Godzilla seemed like a mere intermission to the boring convoluted plots/.

Neither ogf them amazed me, and the american one really swas awful too.

[Fearless Freep]

My kids love Godzilla.  They sing the Mothra song the little pixies sing and after they watch the movies all I hear is "I get to be Godzilla....I wanna be King Ghidorha..."

[Dolph Lundgren]

I have fond memories of Godzilla 2000, but that's mainly because me and a friend of mine went to see it during its theatrical run on the big screen.  Us and a black dude sitting in front of us were the only people in the theater.  It was awesome.  The entire experience made the movie better than it was, although I still liked it when I watched it on DVD.  I realize it's not the best Godzilla ever made, but it's competent.  As for the new ones, I haven't had the chance to watch them yet.  I want to, but no one's releasing them on DVD over here in the states.  Which completely sucks, I might add.

Who knows though, maybe they'll go back to making Godzilla films the way that they used to be (with the exception of the special effects, obviously).  I agree though, when I'm watching Godzilla flicks, the last thing I want to see is a tremendous amount of character interaction.  C'mon, I watch Godzilla to see him wreck stuff.  

Nick

[Ash]

Whenever I watch a Godzilla film I always fast foward to the big monster fight scenes and skip the absolutely horrible dubbed Japanese acting.

I don't think I've ever watched an entire Godzilla film from start to finish.

Just the fight scenes.

[Fearless Freep]

But then you miss the whole subtle context of *why* they are fighting!


:)

[Flangepart]

Hey, it ain't Shakespear. Never was! As Joe Bob Briggs says, "The monsters are the stars, the human actors are furniture."
Still, i like the old boy. Can't take the 70 films without Joel and the bots. "Careful, we look like corncobs to him!" But, they all make good beer and pizza movies...and some times, thats all ya need.
Often, i listen to audio tapes of the japanese soundtracks of the Toho flicks when i go to bed. It helps me relax, and takes my mind off the real world  enough i can fall asleep. Weird, but it works. Boy, does it take my mind off the real world!

[Cullen]

I don't agree with a lot of what you said.  Not that that matters much - to each his own, after all - but I thought I would post my own thoughts:

Quotes is it italics, replies is in regular font.

I’ve been a Zilla fan for a long time, but the movies have just not gotten better.  They’re still following the same formula that has put them in the B-Movie category.  It seems Toho is content with just living off the title of Godzilla and not innovative story-telling or cinematography.

 I’ve read mixed reviews about the latest Godzilla film â€" Godzilla X Mechagodzilla.  Most say this movie isn’t great...   There’s an overreliance on the human plot, which has really taken over Godzilla...  Godzilla is really the subplot these days.  To tell the truth, I’d rather watch mindless Monster mayhem than senseless storylines with confused actors.

The newer Godzilla's hark back towards the original Gojira, where the humans were important to the plot (vital, in fact) and Godzilla was treated seriously.  In an ideal world, both would coexist and be interesting.  Mindless monster mayhem is entertaining to a point, but gets repetitive.

For an excellent example of what a Godzilla movie should be like, check out the new Gamera movies.  Or, (and I'm going by rumor alone here) Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidora: Daikaijû soukougeki, which is directed by the same guy who did the Gamera movies

The appeal of Godzilla is aimed towards purists, but what about those who want a good movie?

Being a purist does not mean you don't want a good movie.

I like watching the old 70’s Godzilla  where it was still fun and innovative for that time period.

I love this part.  70's Godzilla.  Innovative.  Cracks me up.  

With one exception, every single movie out of that period has the same plot (formula):  An otherworldly race sends out a monster to destroy humanity, and it's up to Godzilla (with help, more often than not) to beat them back.  The same plot they'd been using almost non-stop since Godzilla v. Monster Zero

The exception I mentoined is Godzilla v. the Smog Monster which is regard by many (I'm not among them) to be the worst of the lot.  Two words for you:  Flying Godzilla.

Complaining about formula then praising formula is silly.

At least, that's what I think.
______________________

[AndyC]

Evan3 wrote:

> One had a robot who assisted Godzilla in a fight against two other
> monsters, and most of the plot was focused on the robot.

Godzilla vs. Megalon

> The other I have seen had some long contrived plot with an
> artist that I never truly understood.  Oh and the monsters
> could talk to each other with sound bubbles

Godzilla vs. Gigan


I recall that both of these relied on the human characters for long stretches, and did tend to bog down, but I consider them two of my favourites. Both have wild fight scenes, and some pretty funny human characters, like the robed Seatopian leader with sideburns and a mustache, or the hippy who was always eating corn on the cob. The human scenes can also offer a load of amusingly bad science and hokey dialogue in general.

On the other hand, when the people are all played straight and done reasonably well, it's very dull. That was my biggest complaint with Godzilla 2000. That one still has special memories for me, though, because I saw it at B-Fest.

[Scott]

Well, I really loved GODZILLA 2000. I grew up watching all the Toho movies during the 70's and would draw all the monsters and tape them to my bedroom wall (I made my own posters). Not only that, but  I would also have dreams that Godzilla was coming down my street while I hid somewhere in the house. When I went to see GODZILLA 2000 at the theater on the big screen at 36 years of age, I nearly wept with joy. He really filled that giant screen, destroyed cities, and let out that famous GODZILLA roar. After the movie the few who went to see opening night of the film truely applauded. The adults around my age had also taken their children. The power of Godzilla just may live on.

GODZILLA starring Mathew Broderick just before GODZILLA 2000 did nothing for me. Get rid of that CGI and give us the man in the rubber suit.

While giving out candy this Holloween I played Godzilla's Famous Theme music outside. The kids liked it. One year I put my TV/VCR in the window near the door and played a VHS tape called Creepy Clips. Clips from 1950's horror films. It was the best.

[Brother Ragnarok]

To Great Sage:  Blasphemer!  Just kidding, the big G ain't for everyone.  But you really should check out GMK: Daikaiju Spaghetti.  You can get a really good bootleg DVD from www.fareastflix.com, that's where I got mine.  That and the three new Gameras (well, you can skip the first one, it's crap, but the second two are amazing).
To AndyC:  You got no picture on ya profile, boy!  I don't know what you look like, but if you're at B-Fest this year, look me up, the Brotherhood of Bad Movies shall be present once more.  I don't recall seeing you at the 02 or 03 'Fests.
To ASHTHECAT:  Coming from a man who likes Ice Pirates, complaints about acting calibre don't mean much ;)

Brother R

[AndyC]

Brother Ragnarok wrote:

> To AndyC:  You got no picture on ya profile, boy!  I don't know
> what you look like, but if you're at B-Fest this year, look me
> up, the Brotherhood of Bad Movies shall be present once more.
> I don't recall seeing you at the 02 or 03 'Fests.
> To ASHTHECAT:  Coming from a man who likes Ice Pirates,
> complaints about acting calibre don't mean much ;)

I was at '02, and did meet a few people. Andrew was fairly easy to pick out in a theatre full of couch potatoes. Can't say when I'll be back. I have to convince my wife to visit Chicago in winter again.

[Great Sage]

I hope you're not dozing off to Monster Island like in "Godzilla's Revenge."