Stop Motion Godzilla?
- Pkmatrix
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Stop Motion Godzilla?
I've read in several places that Tsubaraya had originally wanted to use stop motion animation for the SPFX in Gojira, but settled on suitmation when it turned out the budget couldn't afford it. For argument's sake, let's say Toho found the money somewhere and let Tsubaraya use stop motion animation instead of suitmation. How would it have turned out? Do you think the film would have been as successful or popular as it was in real history, or would it have flopped? If successful, how do think the use of stop motion here would have affected the future of Japanese Sci-Fi and Fantasy?
It sounds really interesting, but I just can't picture the original movie with a stop-motion animated Godzilla in it!
It sounds really interesting, but I just can't picture the original movie with a stop-motion animated Godzilla in it!
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
I'd be interested to see how it worked, but overall nothing beats good 'ol suit action.
Speaking of that, once I figure out my new camera I'll be sure to do a giant monster stopmotion!
Speaking of that, once I figure out my new camera I'll be sure to do a giant monster stopmotion!
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Well,they did try it out for Godzilla vs Biollante.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6bFQFIVBgM
I've always wondred this too. Stopmotion back then was like CGI today so it would have changed alot.
One thing is for sure, they would have made a lot less Godzilla movies than what we have today if using stopmotion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6bFQFIVBgM
I've always wondred this too. Stopmotion back then was like CGI today so it would have changed alot.
One thing is for sure, they would have made a lot less Godzilla movies than what we have today if using stopmotion.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
I like stop-motion animation, but I think using a suit worked to their benefit. I don't think stop-motion could have captured Godzilla's rather eerie nature as well as the suit did.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
It would have been interesting to see but I think the suit worked better.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
I can't predict how popular or different Godzilla would have been if the monsters were animated with stop motion, but it definitely would have been interesting to see.
Indeed. Harryhausen's stop motion creatures had plenty of life and expression.Varan Bon Ziller wrote:A certain Harryhausen would like a word with you.Godzillatheultimate wrote:It may be just me, but a lot of the time when I see things done in stop motion.... it seems kind of hollow and lifeless to me. I feel like the suits give the monsters more characterization and life than stop motion could.
Q: Will we see that monster that Bryan was going to reveal this morning at the press conference?
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
I think Phil Tippet might have been able to pull off something pretty interesting with a stop motion Godzilla.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Agreed. Stop motion's slow, jerky movements can't help but look blatantly fake. Suit actors, being alive themselves and all, can move like actual living creatures, making it easier for me to suspend disbelief.Godzillatheultimate wrote:It may be just me, but a lot of the time when I see things done in stop motion.... it seems kind of hollow and lifeless to me. I feel like the suits give the monsters more characterization and life than stop motion could.
That said, the GvsB deleted footage was pretty cool. I really liked the tentacles circling around Godzilla, striking at him like snakes. I'm glad it was cut from the movie, though; it didn't fit at all with the rest of the effects, and would've been a very jarring change. It's a shame they couldn't do a similar scene with the props, though.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Simply put, the Stop Motion in that scene doesn't look that good.
Last edited by PopInPicsPresents on Sun Jan 13, 2013 10:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Not even these?PopInPicsPresents wrote:Simply out that Stop Motion doesn't look that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9kmjW73-v4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVdlxwX6A7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... c6U7_-BeGc#!
Q: Will we see that monster that Bryan was going to reveal this morning at the press conference?
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Sorry, typo on my part. What I was trying to say was that the Stop Motion in that scene didn't look that good. I'm quite the advocate for good Stop Motion if you didn't know.Dust_pan wrote:Not even these?PopInPicsPresents wrote:Simply out that Stop Motion doesn't look that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9kmjW73-v4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVdlxwX6A7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... c6U7_-BeGc#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TNhYdh_h4g
Jomei wrote:Congratulations. You've constructed the most perfectly wrong post ever seen on TK.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Mama Birdon is baeJomei wrote:Anyway, who's everyone's best girl for X? I'm on team Asuna.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Yes, I was thinking of that when I wrote the OP. I'm glad they cut it - it didn't match the rest of the SPFX at all - but it was certainly interesting.ScootaVaran wrote:Well,they did try it out for Godzilla vs Biollante.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6bFQFIVBgM
I agree. With the freedom stop motion granated, I can only imagine what sort of amazing effects pieces Tsubaraya might have come up with!ScootaVaran wrote:I've always wondred this too. Stopmotion back then was like CGI today so it would have changed alot.
One thing is for sure, they would have made a lot less Godzilla movies than what we have today if using stopmotion.
I couldn't disagree more strongly!JAGzilla wrote:Agreed. Stop motion's slow, jerky movements can't help but look blatantly fake. Suit actors, being alive themselves and all, can move like actual living creatures, making it easier for me to suspend disbelief.Godzillatheultimate wrote:It may be just me, but a lot of the time when I see things done in stop motion.... it seems kind of hollow and lifeless to me. I feel like the suits give the monsters more characterization and life than stop motion could.
That said, the GvsB deleted footage was pretty cool. I really liked the tentacles circling around Godzilla, striking at him like snakes. I'm glad it was cut from the movie, though; it didn't fit at all with the rest of the effects, and would've been a very jarring change. It's a shame they couldn't do a similar scene with the props, though.
Watch 20 Million Miles to Earth and tell me the Ymir seems "hollow and lifeless". Stop Motion was THE method of bringing fantastic creatures to life up until the 1990s, and when done properly gave amazingly expressive results. That's why I'm curious what Gojira would have been like.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love what Tsubaraya and co. pulled off with suitmation. Going back to Biollante again, I honestly can't imagine that film looking as good as it did had they gone with stop motion over suitmation (try to imagine the shot where Godzilla approaches Biollante's Rose form through the trees - I don't think that shot, in all its awesomeness, could be done any other way until CGI came along). But, the original movie? I can easily imagine the first film having some pretty amazing SPFX shots with a stop motion Godzilla instead of a suitmation one.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Oh. By that stop motion you meant the GvsB scene. Gotcha.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Sorry, typo on my part. What I was trying to say was that the Stop Motion in that scene didn't look that good. I'm quite the advocate for good Stop Motion if you didn't know.Dust_pan wrote:Not even these?PopInPicsPresents wrote:Simply out that Stop Motion doesn't look that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9kmjW73-v4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVdlxwX6A7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... c6U7_-BeGc#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TNhYdh_h4g
But yeah, good stop motion can make detailed figures look like lively and believable creatures.
Q: Will we see that monster that Bryan was going to reveal this morning at the press conference?
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
Cranston: Oh yeah! The only Godzilla movie with an X-rating.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Ironically enough I just stumbled upon this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Uv1xGhWPI
This is what Godzilla would have looked like in full stop motion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Uv1xGhWPI
This is what Godzilla would have looked like in full stop motion.
Jomei wrote:Congratulations. You've constructed the most perfectly wrong post ever seen on TK.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Mama Birdon is baeJomei wrote:Anyway, who's everyone's best girl for X? I'm on team Asuna.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
That is amazing.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Ironically enough I just stumbled upon this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Uv1xGhWPI
This is what Godzilla would have looked like in full stop motion.
Stop Motion takes a lot of practise to perfect (I should know, I'm working with it myself) but when you get it down....wow.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
Heck, without King Kong and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, we wouldn't have Godzilla.Pkmatrix wrote: Watch 20 Million Miles to Earth and tell me the Ymir seems "hollow and lifeless". Stop Motion was THE method of bringing fantastic creatures to life up until the 1990s, and when done properly gave amazingly expressive results.
Ain't nobody gonna tell me King Kong was "hollow and lifeless."
Tokyo, a smoldering memorial to the unknown, an unknown which at this very moment still prevails and could at any time lash out with its terrible destruction anywhere else in the world.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
King Kong was hollow and lifeless.eabaker wrote:Ain't nobody gonna tell me King Kong was "hollow and lifeless."
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
isn't the Theatre scene in Gojira stop motion?
Gojirawars 03 wrote: The Giant Condor is a blessing upon this Earth, however. He's easily the most important and most powerful kaiju in the franchise. so powerful that Godzilla is helpless against his power, and pleads for mercy, which the gracious Condor grants him. I mean, even the editor wasn't able to show a single shot of the Condor onscreen for more than half a second, because no-one can handle that much sheer power for more than a second.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
I mean...stop motion is the easiest thing to do in all honesty. All you need to do is take A LOT of pictures and adjust your framerate accordingly. People make it out to be this really difficult thing when it's really not. It's not so much hard as it is time consuming and tedious.Mincecraft wrote:That is amazing.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Ironically enough I just stumbled upon this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Uv1xGhWPI
This is what Godzilla would have looked like in full stop motion.
Stop Motion takes a lot of practise to perfect (I should know, I'm working with it myself) but when you get it down....wow.
Jomei wrote:Congratulations. You've constructed the most perfectly wrong post ever seen on TK.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Mama Birdon is baeJomei wrote:Anyway, who's everyone's best girl for X? I'm on team Asuna.
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Re: Stop Motion Godzilla?
The main difficulty I have is making sure I wasn't moving the subject too much or too little, but now that I have DragonFrame I have some better tech to help me out.PopInPicsPresents wrote:I mean...stop motion is the easiest thing to do in all honesty. All you need to do is take A LOT of pictures and adjust your framerate accordingly. People make it out to be this really difficult thing when it's really not. It's not so much hard as it is time consuming and tedious.Mincecraft wrote:That is amazing.PopInPicsPresents wrote:Ironically enough I just stumbled upon this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Uv1xGhWPI
This is what Godzilla would have looked like in full stop motion.
Stop Motion takes a lot of practise to perfect (I should know, I'm working with it myself) but when you get it down....wow.
Speaking of which, does anyone know a good program to add visual and audio effects? Halo stopmotions look kinda bland without plasma shots and explosions.