All Things Godzilla

[Tandaemonium]

Just saw the new Godzilla yesterday. My overall Godzilla experience consists of: seeing Sony's '98 "Godzilla", being aware of Mothra, knowing who/what Toho is and that there have been two (sort-of) continuities with tons of films, and lastly the legalities/IP/trademark/renaming to 'Zilla' stuff.

2014 Godzilla made me a fan. I expected to enjoy the movie, but not nearly as much as I actually ended up liking it. Expectations exceeded.

I have one major gripe with this movie, though. The ending. SPOILER WARNING:



The Olsen twins' sister SHOULD HAVE DIED or at least have been found dead. Narratively, THAT was the arc Kick-Ass was supposed to have...to finally understand what his father felt/why his father did what he did. It was completely needless for the film to keep emphasizing he and his son looking around the city/stadium/wherever for Elle...unless that was the intended ending until some dumb focus group who always ruins movie endings (I Am Legend being one, but certainly not among few) because it didn't end on a good note or warm and fuzzies which made studio suits all panic-y.

Man, that would have been a much more poignant ending. Oh well, bring on the sequel! (And holy shit, Zilla sucks. At least all those Simpsons voice-actors got me through that one.)

[GrifterWC]

Saw the movie last night and I really enjoyed it. The theater was quite full for a 6:30 showing and there was a huge applause after the final battle for Godzilla.

[Hilden B. Lade]

Some stuff of interest regarding Zilla 98.

Originally, as crafted by designer Stan Winston, Zilla actually resembled the King and was to fight a giant alien monster called the Gryphon. However, his origins wouldn't be faithful to the King's radioactive roots, as this Godzilla was to be created by Atlanteans out of all possible origins.


http://filmconnoisseur.blogspot.com/...lla-films.html
However, this version of the movie was scrapped due to budget disputes, and as such the new Emmerich team was brought in which discarded the previous versions of the design and script, and the new designer created the mutant iguana we all know and "love" today

[wjowski]

Some stuff of interest regarding Zilla 98.

Originally, as crafted by designer Stan Winston, Zilla actually resembled the King and was to fight a giant alien monster called the Gryphon. However, his origins wouldn't be faithful to the King's radioactive roots, as this Godzilla was to be created by Atlanteans out of all possible origins.

Given that 'radiation gives you super powers' was a laughable origin story long before 1998...

[Sighphi]

Some stuff of interest regarding Zilla 98.

Originally, as crafted by designer Stan Winston, Zilla actually resembled the King and was to fight a giant alien monster called the Gryphon. However, his origins wouldn't be faithful to the King's radioactive roots, as this Godzilla was to be created by Atlanteans out of all possible origins.


http://filmconnoisseur.blogspot.com/...lla-films.html
However, this version of the movie was scrapped due to budget disputes, and as such the new Emmerich team was brought in which discarded the previous versions of the design and script, and the new designer created the mutant iguana we all know and "love" today

Given that the new one has a new origin and hardly anyone is pointing out.... they should have went for it.

[Angilasman]

Given that the new one has a new origin and hardly anyone is pointing out.... they should have went for it.

Well, it's different, but it still contains most of the traditional Godzilla origin elements: prehistoric, H-Bomb tests/radiation, 1954...

I never liked the idea that Godzilla was one thing (a more traditional dinosaur, a lizard) that got irradiated and became bigger. That's not a plot element in the original film, where it's theorized that Godzilla's kind have been living through the ages in deep sea trenches which have been destroyed by atomic tests. The new film is actually closer to the original origin than the last few decades of movies.

[Sighphi]

Well, it's different, but it still contains most of the traditional Godzilla origin elements: prehistoric, H-Bomb tests/radiation, 1954...

It only has the prehistoric bits,spoilers:

the H-bombs were trying to kill it rather than being the reason the thing woke up to start stomping.

end of spoilers

I never liked the idea that Godzilla was one thing (a more traditional dinosaur, a lizard) that got irradiated and became bigger. That's not a plot element in the original film, where it's theorized that Godzilla's kind have been living through the ages in deep sea trenches which have been destroyed by atomic tests. The new film is actually closer to the original origin than the last few decades of movies.

Not really, spoilers:

in this movie this is a creature that lived in a time where earth was "ten times more radioactive" which is as silly as the idea that a nuke pumped up a dino. Plus he wasnt even woken up by nukes a sub happen to be passing by a noticed him

end of spoilers so outside of being a old dino there is little that matches.

[Yeoman]

Given that the new one has a new origin and hardly anyone is pointing out.... they should have went for it.

Original Godzilla was just a pre-historic creature. Pretty much the exact same origin. The idea that he was a mutated creature of some form was a later retcon.

[Calighoula]

Wasn't the Godzilla vs. Gryphon script the one penned by Clive Barker, that was subsequently rejected for being too dark?

I don't mind concepts like "the Earth was ten times more radioactive" or "a nuke pumped up a dino like the ultimate HGH" or whatever. These days we watch movies where some guy literally turns himself into an icicle (or a matchstick) and then reverts back to flesh, with his hair perfectly styled as before.

[Angilasman]

Not really, spoilers:

in this movie this is a creature that lived in a time where earth was "ten times more radioactive" which is as silly as the idea that a nuke pumped up a dino. Plus he wasnt even woken up by nukes a sub happen to be passing by a noticed him

end of spoilers so outside of being a old dino there is little that matches.

I like this change. It adds an almost Lovecraftian element to the origin that hasn't really been present since '54. I'm not saying the new origin isn't, well, new, I'm only saying that it does a good job of containing the distinctive features of Godzilla's classic origin while updating it for today (and providing an easy explanation for further kaiju, to boot!).

It's similar to how Superman's origin has varied but stayed the same these 75 years.

[Hilden B. Lade]

Wasn't the Godzilla vs. Gryphon script the one penned by Clive Barker, that was subsequently rejected for being too dark?

I don't mind concepts like "the Earth was ten times more radioactive" or "a nuke pumped up a dino like the ultimate HGH" or whatever. These days we watch movies where some guy literally turns himself into an icicle (or a matchstick) and then reverts back to flesh, with his hair perfectly styled as before.

Apparently, the Godzilla vs. Gryphon script, based on various sources I searched up, was written by Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott who have written Aladdin and the PoTC movies amongst other thing.

This is apparently a summary of what the plot would've been: http://www.kaijuphile.com/rodansroos...sgryphon.shtml

[Vibranium]

so are there about 2-3 different "origins" for Godzilla?

[Calighoula]

so are there about 2-3 different "origins" for Godzilla?

Variations on a theme, yes.

[BeastieRunner]

so are there about 2-3 different "origins" for Godzilla?

Variations on a theme, yes.

• Giant mutant lost dinosaur irradiated after injuries sustained during WWII
• Giant irradiated lost dinosaur via Atomic Bombs
• Giant mutated & irradiated reptile via French Nuclear Tests
• Giant irradiated Godzillasaurus via nuclear submarine crash
• Giant mutant Godzillasaurus irradiated after injuries sustained during WWII, revived and possessed by the spirits of the Japanese soldiers that died during World War II
• Giant amphibious reptile evolved while Earth had ten times more radiation

His origin is akin to Superman's; basic changes to fit a new narrative.

[Angilasman]

^The term 'Godzillasaurus' is itself a retcon from '91 and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, where Godzilla was seen to be a smaller, more scientifically accurate looking dinosaur on a Pacific island before his atomic mutation. In the original film Godzilla was basically still Godzilla before the H-Bomb, which destroyed his deep sea habitat, gave him his atomic breath, and burned his flesh (his distinctive, barky skin is meant to be scarring).