All Things Godzilla

[Goggindowner]

If I were in the shoes of the Toho decision makers, I would continue licensing the franchise out to Warner Bros and just rake in the cash. They can push to have a more Japanese centered film and it still do huge numbers.

The one thing I will say is that if Godzilla is presented as being a serious threat to mankind, the franchise needs to focus on more than him smashing Tokyo every time he pops his head out of the water, and I think an American made movie would be more likely to go that route. Globe trotting movies are a dime a dozen in the US market, so it wouldn't feel out of place to US audiences. Not so sure about Japanese audiences.

[Angilasman]

If I were in the shoes of the Toho decision makers, I would continue licensing the franchise out to Warner Bros and just rake in the cash. They can push to have a more Japanese centered film and it still do huge numbers.

I'm for as many kaiju/giant monster films as possible. I'm very excited about the possibility of two separate Godzilla series running at the same time, even though it would be really cool to have a non-Godzilla kaiju film from Toho (War of the Gargantuas? Rodan?).

I've been pretty hard on Toho's films of the last few decades, but that's because Toho was putting very little time and money into the series. I was watching the SciFi Japan TV interview with Masaaki Tezuka the other day, and while I'm not a fan of the three films he made I had a new found respect and admiration for him as a huge Godzilla fan who was struggling to make the best movies he could with very little resources behind him. If I felt it was still the same-old same-old at Toho I wouldn't be that excited, but from what I've been able to gather Toho is a very different studio than it was ten years ago and knows they can't get away with the half-efforts they have in the past in continuing such a valuable franchise. They're shaping Godzilla '16 up to be a huge event for them, and I can't wait to see what form it takes.

[Goggindowner]

Even though the last few decades have been just okay mostly, nothing has been as bad as the series was in the late 60's and early 70's when they were just using old footage, a twenty year old suit in tatters and the cheapest special effects they could get their hands on. Back then a lot of the scripts weren't even meant to be Godzilla movies, but he would get shoe horned in so the thing would make something at the box office.

The millennium series was only plagued by one of those issues (mostly). Cheap CGI.

[Vakanai]

Godzilla raids AGAIN!

Thread necromancy ...

Here's the new teaser logo/banner for the new Japanese film in 2016!

Attachment 18071

Now I know they probably haven't decided on suit or CG yet, never mind what Godzilla's actual design will be. But that teaser logo is obviously using the classic Showa era design, and as campy/silly and as unlikely as that is to ever be used in a movie in this day and age where realism is king...am I the only one who would spend money on a modern day film with classic Showa Godzilla? Seriously, if they made that Godzilla set in the modern day, with modern special effects and a good script, but keep it fun and campy like those originals, if they can do that version of Godzilla well, I'd watch that in the theaters twice! Maybe thrice even!

And I know a lot of Godzilla movies have been cheap and not good (and don't kid yourselves, that's been plaguing the series long, long before just the past few decades), there are a handful of good ones in every era, and even the bad ones are really kind of fun. I love them all. Toho doing Godzilla again after a decade? I have faith they'll produce something I'll want to see. Maybe not that Godzilla vs Gamera movie we all know will never happen, but something great just the same. (Even if I know they'll never use the Showa design again, sigh.)

[BeastieRunner]

I'm for as many kaiju/giant monster films as possible. I'm very excited about the possibility of two separate Godzilla series running at the same time, even though it would be really cool to have a non-Godzilla kaiju film from Toho (War of the Gargantuas? Rodan?).

I've been pretty hard on Toho's films of the last few decades, but that's because Toho was putting very little time and money into the series. I was watching the SciFi Japan TV interview with Masaaki Tezuka the other day, and while I'm not a fan of the three films he made I had a new found respect and admiration for him as a huge Godzilla fan who was struggling to make the best movies he could with very little resources behind him. If I felt it was still the same-old same-old at Toho I wouldn't be that excited, but from what I've been able to gather Toho is a very different studio than it was ten years ago and knows they can't get away with the half-efforts they have in the past in continuing such a valuable franchise. They're shaping Godzilla '16 up to be a huge event for them, and I can't wait to see what form it takes.

Storywise, those were the 3 tightest of the Millennium Series. They wouldn't even let him keep the same actors ... per his request ... for continuity issues he didn't want to have. I enjoyed his two Mecha G forrays the best out of that series. 2000, Mecha G, SOS, and GxM were my favorites in that order. GMK and Final Wars get ranked differently in my book but aren't as good as 2000 and the two Mecha G films.

The millennium series was only plagued by one of those issues (mostly). Cheap CGI.

I dunno, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus has the old, "You can see the fishing line" problem on many shots in the final fight. Final Wars is the one is the most CGI overuse (and soccer match fights) with poor execution most of the time.

Now I know they probably haven't decided on suit or CG yet, never mind what Godzilla's actual design will be. But that teaser logo is obviously using the classic Showa era design, and as campy/silly and as unlikely as that is to ever be used in a movie in this day and age where realism is king...am I the only one who would spend money on a modern day film with classic Showa Godzilla? Seriously, if they made that Godzilla set in the modern day, with modern special effects and a good script, but keep it fun and campy like those originals, if they can do that version of Godzilla well, I'd watch that in the theaters twice! Maybe thrice even!

And I know a lot of Godzilla movies have been cheap and not good (and don't kid yourselves, that's been plaguing the series long, long before just the past few decades), there are a handful of good ones in every era, and even the bad ones are really kind of fun. I love them all. Toho doing Godzilla again after a decade? I have faith they'll produce something I'll want to see. Maybe not that Godzilla vs Gamera movie we all know will never happen, but something great just the same. (Even if I know they'll never use the Showa design again, sigh.)

The only rumor that has been substantiated in Japan has been that it will be a reboot ... so expect no ties to Godzilla 1954. The only other thing I've read in Japanese trades and news is some company is working on some animatronic Godzilla parts, with more articulation than has been used in a Godzilla film to date. So maybe we're getting a really, really nice suit this time? I think King Kong 1976 is good and still ages well because the suit work was so good and they put a lot of effort into the mask and face.

[Vakanai]

Storywise, those were the 3 tightest of the Millennium Series. They wouldn't even let him keep the same actors ... per his request ... for continuity issues he didn't want to have. I enjoyed his two Mecha G forrays the best out of that series. 2000, Mecha G, SOS, and GxM were my favorites in that order. GMK and Final Wars get ranked differently in my book but aren't as good as 2000 and the two Mecha G films.


I dunno, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus has the old, "You can see the fishing line" problem on many shots in the final fight. Final Wars is the one is the most CGI overuse (and soccer match fights) with poor execution most of the time.



The only rumor that has been substantiated in Japan has been that it will be a reboot ... so expect no ties to Godzilla 1954. The only other thing I've read in Japanese trades and news is some company is working on some animatronic Godzilla parts, with more articulation than has been used in a Godzilla film to date. So maybe we're getting a really, really nice suit this time? I think King Kong 1976 is good and still ages well because the suit work was so good and they put a lot of effort into the mask and face.

I'd love an incredibly well done suit. And 76 Kong was the one where he jumped from one twin tower to the other right? If so, I saw it a few years back and yeah, it's aged really well.

[Angilasman]

The only rumor that has been substantiated in Japan has been that it will be a reboot ... so expect no ties to Godzilla 1954. The only other thing I've read in Japanese trades and news is some company is working on some animatronic Godzilla parts, with more articulation than has been used in a Godzilla film to date. So maybe we're getting a really, really nice suit this time? I think King Kong 1976 is good and still ages well because the suit work was so good and they put a lot of effort into the mask and face.

Wow, that's an interesting tidbit. As a practical effects lover I'm resigned to CGI but always hopeful for more practical stuff.

[Pharozonk]

I thinking creating an animatronic Godzilla is definitely the right idea here. The man in a suit approach is unfortunately dated in the 21st century, but animatronics still look damn good if the original Jurassic Park is any indication. By using animatronics, they can keep the spirit of practical effects alive while also keeping Godzilla popular in the 21st century global cinema market.

[Goggindowner]

I thinking creating an animatronic Godzilla is definitely the right idea here. The man in a suit approach is unfortunately dated in the 21st century, but animatronics still look damn good if the original Jurassic Park is any indication. By using animatronics, they can keep the spirit of practical effects alive while also keeping Godzilla popular in the 21st century global cinema market.

Are we still allowed to use the original Jurassic Park as a bench mark for modern day special effect practices?

[Vakanai]

Are we still allowed to use the original Jurassic Park as a bench mark for modern day special effect practices?

For practical effects? Have you seen better looking dinosaurs since then? I'd argue their still the benchmark for practical creature effects yes. Now whether you believe practical creature effects are/can be modern or you go 'CGI only or get out' is another debate.

[Pharozonk]

Are we still allowed to use the original Jurassic Park as a bench mark for modern day special effect practices?

Jurassic Park and The Thing (1982) are the benchmarks for effects in creature features in my opinion.

[Angilasman]

The animatronic dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, The Thing... yeah, those are pretty much the tops.

Of course, I still love the more stylized effects of '60s Godzilla movies and Ray Harryhausen, too.

[BeastieRunner]

Stan Winston (RIP) and Ray Harryhausen (RIP) can design and make monsters for movies any day of the week and I'm there. I love that stuff.

Maybe Toho can use Winston's Godzilla '98 designs for the Big G and a new baddie (Gryphon):

[Donald]

Quack, quack, quack!

The Gryphon looks to much like a demon for my taste.

[BeastieRunner]

Quack, quack, quack!

The Gryphon looks to much like a demon for my taste.

Thanks ... Donald.

The Gryphon resembles Battra and Megaguirus too. But I'm partial to Winston's monster design in whole.