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Opinions on the Godzilla Series?

post #1 of 31
1/5/08 at 5:55pm
Thread Starter 
I've been a fan of the Tokusatsu genre for a couple of years now, and I have to say that this series includes a lot of great classic films. I realize that many of you probably aren't familiar with the series in detail, but I'd still be interested in hearing your thoughts about it.
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post #2 of 31
1/5/08 at 8:47pm
Opinions on the Godzilla "man-in-suit" movies?

What the hell sort of open-ended deal is that? It's Godzilla. As long as it's a guy in a costume opening the can of whup-ass on various Nippon cities, bring it on!

The Saturday morning cartoon thing was considered a series, too. But I don't think that's what you're talking about.

Perhaps you can narrow the parameters of your post? I have a great love for the showa series of films (1955-1975) as I grew up on those. Actually saw "Godzilla vs the Smog Monster" at the drive-in on first run when it was out....how cool is that?

I've been a little spotty on catching all the flicks in the Heisei series, and only caught GMA out of the Shinsei series. But I still groove on the things.
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post #3 of 31
1/5/08 at 9:24pm
I say go fuck yourself with a Godzilla sized anal plug.

Japanese Godzilla = Fucking awesome.

American Godzilla = Why American remakes always suck.



GO GO GODZILLA!
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post #4 of 31
1/5/08 at 9:26pm
Thread Starter 
I suppose the Showa series, as its the earliest, and features some of the best and most notable movies in the series. The Heisei and Shinsei series' have a few good films, but they suffer from stale scripts.

Uncle Cthulhu, if you have nothing to add to the discussion, why post at all? I realize a lot of people aren't fans of the movies, but you don't have to come in this thread, and start trying to instigate things for no reason.
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post #5 of 31
1/5/08 at 9:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Cthulhu
Is the thread not titled Opinions on the Godzilla Series?

I didn't instigate anything, I gave my opinion.

Oh, then please tell me why you'd like to "Fuck Godzilla", I'd really like to know.
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post #6 of 31
1/5/08 at 9:43pm
Godzilla movies are like eating pussy: you either love it or you don't. you'll never convince anyone who thinks it's nasty putting your mouth where a woman pees from that it's great, and there's no way you'll ever convince someone who loves to do it that it's awful.

I wonder if Godzilla movies are like sucking dick? Probably not since most women don't like Godzilla. Wow, I think I may have just realized I'm gay...
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post #7 of 31
1/5/08 at 10:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boogen
I wonder if Godzilla movies are like sucking dick? Probably not since most women don't like Godzilla. Wow, I think I may have just realized I'm gay...
Not sure that's entirely true, Boogen. To be fair, based on my experience (and it might just be my age group - 40), I've see a healthy amount of females get into the Showa series of films - again, probably because they grew up seeing those flicks on TV or at the movies. Watching an old school Godzilla (or Rodan or Mothra) flick is sort of like common ground for movie watching amongst the average moviegoer. Love 'em or hate 'em, watching a rubbery monster smash a city filled with toy cars brings that little kid out of everyone.

Case in point: couple of months back (around Halloween), my wife (very much a geek for all things anime and manga) and I went out to the local bar and grill for dinner. Instead of sports, they had clicked on Destroy All Monsters. A healthy chunk of the crowd (us included) were laughing our asses off, sharing stories of when we used to watch this as kids, etc. A small group of women were having a discussion about their favorites - one girl remarked she liked King Kong ("Awww he's just a big cuddly monkey!"), and was very animated in how Kong kicked Godzilla's ass in King Kong vs. Godzilla.
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post #8 of 31
1/5/08 at 10:05pm
Love the old-school series... definitely a childhood staple. The newer series that popped up in the late '80s through the '90s never really interested me, despite the advances in rubber suit technology and other effects.

I did see Godzilla: Final Wars though, and it was definitely entertaining. From what I understand, it's part of a third/separate series? I could be wrong. All I know for semi-sure is that the original line ended with Terror of Mechagodzilla. Do correct me if I'm wrong!

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go for either the original Godzilla: King of the Monsters, King Kong VS Godzilla, or the much-hated Godzilla VS Hedora. Really fucking trippy, even for a Godzilla film. I love that the movie just revels in its hardcore enviro-wackiness.
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post #9 of 31
1/5/08 at 10:50pm
I've seen every Godzilla movie in the Netflix inventory. My kid's watching the cartoon as we speak.

My favorite Godzilla movie is the MST3K Godzilla vs. Megalon. It is the single funniest thing ever burned to disk.
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post #10 of 31
1/5/08 at 10:58pm
"He's got a tree! That's not the Godzilla we know!"
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post #11 of 31
1/5/08 at 11:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy225
...one girl remarked she liked King Kong ("Awww he's just a big cuddly monkey!"), and was very animated in how Kong kicked Godzilla's ass in King Kong vs. Godzilla.
Fuck that chick. Godzilla was whipping his ass till he magically became a walking superconductor.
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post #12 of 31
1/6/08 at 6:57am
The pussy-eating analogy is flawless. I will say only that GODZILLA VS HEDORAH (never seen the SMOG MONSTER variant) is very, very strange and is an interesting film in its own right if you can handle both off-the-wall psychedelic experimental techniques and a flying Godzilla. There's probably some overlap there...
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post #13 of 31
1/6/08 at 3:25pm
You might find an opinion or 2, in... (drumroll) The Kaiju Thread (Giant monsters attack!).

Yeah, the search function sucks, but it's not that useless.
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post #14 of 31
1/10/08 at 5:41pm
I always enjoy a good Godzilla flick, but it always annoys me when the story makes room for non-monster characters. For example Final Wars. There are some really fine man-in-a-suit scenes, but too much time is wasted on the alien / scientist / civilian story NO one cares for.

The ones I like the most:

Godzilla (1954)
Return of Godzilla (1985)
King Kong vs Godzilla
Godzilla vs Mothra
Godzilla vs Biollante
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla part II

Final Wars is the only one of the Millenium series I've seen so far. Can you recommend the others?
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post #15 of 31
1/10/08 at 6:01pm
Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack is the best modern Godzilla movie.
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post #16 of 31
1/10/08 at 6:13pm
I think all the films directed by Ishiro Honda are great except Godzilla's Revenge. The Big G is barely in it, instead this is about the exploits of his son.

The best of the current generation is Ryuhei Kitamura's Godzilla Final Wars. Great action, So way over the top even William Shatner would flinch, and many monsters, in the tradition of Destroy All Monsters. It is also the only recent Godzilla film I like.
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post #17 of 31
1/10/08 at 6:31pm
Free Robot Sex, One of the best scenes in Godzilla Final Wars is when The Big G (The Original Japanese Godzilla) kicks the American Iguana all over the city.
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post #18 of 31
1/11/08 at 1:52am
Toho is finally re-issuing the classic Godzilla films in a new transfer for DVD. Most have great commentaries as well.

Favorite Godzilla Movies:

Gojira
Godzilla: GMK
Godzilla Vs. The Astro-Monster (AKA Monster Zero)
Ghidorah: The three headed monster
Godzilla Vs. Biolante
Godzilla Vs. Mothra

Double the love for the MST3K senup of Godzilla Vs. Megalon
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post #19 of 31
1/11/08 at 10:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreeRobotSex
The Japanese Godzillas has 100% less Jean Reno in it. Therefore, mathematically, the American Godzilla is the best.
But the American Godzilla's toys aren't nearly as cute.

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post #20 of 31
1/11/08 at 11:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by innsmouthlook81
I am totally with you on those Cylon, but wheres the Destroy All Monsters love?

EDIT: isn't Godzilla vs, the three headed monster also simply known as Ghidora, the three headed monster?
Destroy all Monsters (OR DAM) was my all time favorite G movie....until I saw it again. It played on cable maybe once when I was a tyke, then disappeared for years. When I finally saw it on DVD it did not live up to (my) hype. However, I'll give it another shot when they release the new restored version.

I can;t recommend these new DVDs highly enough by the way. All the edits and crappy dubbing detracted from these movies IMO. Seeing the original edit with subtitles makes me understand why Ishiro Honda was compared favorablly with Kurosawa by their contemporaries. (Of course, to introduce your kids to the Big G you do need the crap US versions)


You got me on the title to Ghidorah...I could have got up and checked my DVD shelf, but I was too damned lazy.
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post #21 of 31
1/15/08 at 1:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by innsmouthlook81
Are you referring to the reissues they've been collecting over the last couple of years? Those DVDs are tits (in the good way). I have the original Godzilla ( not the King of the Monsters, although its included) and that dvd is fantastic looking, hopefully I'll get a chance to replace my DAM DVD, the one I have looks great but has no chapter stops or menus (it was an official release and everything).
That sounds like the edition I have..except I thought it was some sort of bootleg knockoff. ]


Steve Ryfle (who provides commentaries on some of the DVDs) wrote Japan's Favorite Mon-Star a survey of all the G movies up to Godzilla vs Destroyah (hopefully an update is coming). Another good book on the Big G is Godzilla on my mind by William Tsutsui (though he is way too apologetic for loving these movies)
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post #22 of 31
1/26/08 at 12:38am
Just watched the Invasion of Astro Monster (Monster Zero) DVD, and it was glorious... as always. I'm already searching around for the rest of the released DVDs - I simply must own them.

It's sad that Sony/Tristar has control over my beloved Godzilla VS. Hedorah, but it's hard to be too upset when I've got these guys on DVD.

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post #23 of 31
2/13/08 at 10:48pm
I have always been a huge Godzilla fan but I just can't get into the Millenuim series at all.
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post #24 of 31
3/4/08 at 12:20am


What are you thinking tonight? Olive Garden?

Yeah, that sounds good.
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post #25 of 31
3/4/08 at 5:44pm
The early ones were good,but when the series became aimed at kids it went downhill and resulted in crap like "Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster".
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post #26 of 31
3/7/08 at 12:56pm
THis is where powerrangers got its mojo from .. . Ah the Power Rangers hahahah
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post #27 of 31
3/7/08 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmont View Post
Their inseams need adjusting.
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post #28 of 31
3/7/08 at 2:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmont View Post
It's sad that Sony/Tristar has control over my beloved Godzilla VS. Hedorah [...]
Actually, just yesterday I saw it on DVD at the new Best Buy they opened over here... if that's what you mean!
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post #29 of 31
4/1/08 at 6:20pm
After enjoyng Godzilla vs the cosmic monster on VHS even with its crappy croped for T.V aspect ratio this weekend I dicided to see some more and got Final Wars and tought it was great too.
Im thinking on buying some more of them on DVD.
What are the Godzilla films i should stay away from, either because there boring (almost no godzilla fighting in them) or simply just bad?
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post #30 of 31
4/2/08 at 12:23pm
I love Godzilla movies.

Does anyone know how many titles the series has as a whole? And if there is any plan to have a great big, huge, gigantic box set of all the titles?

Cheers!
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post #31 of 31
4/11/08 at 7:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy225 View Post
Case in point: couple of months back (around Halloween), my wife (very much a geek for all things anime and manga) and I went out to the local bar and grill for dinner. Instead of sports, they had clicked on Destroy All Monsters. A healthy chunk of the crowd (us included) were laughing our asses off, sharing stories of when we used to watch this as kids, etc. A small group of women were having a discussion about their favorites - one girl remarked she liked King Kong ("Awww he's just a big cuddly monkey!"), and was very animated in how Kong kicked Godzilla's ass in King Kong vs. Godzilla.
I would love to live in this magical seemingly alternate universe where Destroy All Monsters plays in resteraunts and incites conversation amongst the female patrons. It sounds like a beautiful place.
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