Would you consider "Gojira" to be a horror flick?

[Tamura]

Is it me or do people intensify the "darkness" of this movie each passing day?

[eabaker]

Is it me or do people intensify the "darkness" of this movie each passing day?

It's a movie about nuclear weapons, which transitions into its third act by decimating a major city and then letting the audience check out the wounded and the dead for awhile, and ends with a hero's suicide and a message of warning.

The darkness doesn't need intensifying. It is a pretty dark flick.

[Gojira-Fan]

What qualifies film as "horror" is if it plays on the audience's primal fears and elicits negative emotions because of that.

Death is a common human fear. Because nuclear weapons could literally kill the population of a city and the nuclear weapon theme (and subsequent fear of nuclear weapons) is so prevalent throughout the film that I do think it could be classified as a horror film.

[JimmyD1318]

Yes, I would consider it to be a horror film. Or maybe a sci-fi film with very horror feel too it.

[Dust_pan]

I do. The message is urgent, the imagery can be horrific, and I think Godzilla is at his most terrifying in this movie. Even when he isn't around, there's a lot of suspense over when he's going to strike again.

If it was a horror film, or at least an effective one, the children would have been terrified of the monster scenes.

I know this is a late reply, but people can be terrified by something and still love/enjoy it. That's why I read so many damn horror stories. It's for the thrill.

[Beef Bigshot]

Ya I fucking hate xenomorphs, but I've still seen every alien movie out there. Seriously, aliens are the bane of my existence....

[Jory]

The purpose of a horror film is to horrify people. If you don't feel horrified when you see the widow with her children in the street telling them "we'll be with your father soon," I don't know what to say.

[tymon]

Again, just because something has horrific elements doesn't necessarily mean its horror. I wouldn't ever call Dexter horror, despite the fact it's a show about a serial killer. It's a drama/thriller/dark comedy that just happens to have some insanely creepy shit going on beneath the surface...but it ain't horror. And I don't consider Godzilla horror either.

[Beef Bigshot]

Your right, if it isn't a horror movie, its a really powerful movie

[Ligerzilla2014]

It is not a horror film. The film was supposed to be sobering. It was meant to open people's eyes to the truth. Just because that truth may be scary, does not make the film a horror film.

[gojira96]

I think it is. Keep in mind there was no kaiju genre when it came out.

[Dust_pan]

Seeing all of these different opinions made me realize that perhaps it all depends on how you look at it. Gojira has elements of horror, sci-fi, and sobering drama all in one, so it would be understandable for people to classify it as one or more of those categories.

[JimmyD1318]

Seeing all of these different opinions made me realize that perhaps it all depends on how you look at it. Gojira has elements of horror, sci-fi, and sobering drama all in one, so it would be understandable for people to classify it as one or more of those categories.

Best way to have said it. it is several types of genres in one movie.

[eabaker]

I have seen not a single argument in this thread which used a valid contrapositive to prove Gojira is not horror. However, it has been thoroughly established that - although it also contains elements of numerous other genres - Gojira does contain all the generic and psychological markers that define a thing as horror.

Whether or not it horrifies you personally, whether or not it is predominately a horror film, it contains all the things that define horror, and thus it is - among other things - horror.

[Dust_pan]

Edit: Disregard this post.

[tymon]

I have seen not a single argument in this thread which used a valid contrapositive to prove Gojira is not horror.

That's funny, because I have yet to see a single argument that proves it is horror. Go read my Dexter analogy. There are things in that show that are far more disturbing and unsettling than in Godzilla (Trinity Killer, anyone?), and yet, surprise, it's not horror.

The reason we're debating this in the first place is because genres are a little bit subjective. Go into a metal forum and say Opeth is progressive death metal and you'll have an army of others crying "no, they're not truly progressive" or "they're not really death metal!".

[eabaker]

I have seen not a single argument in this thread which used a valid contrapositive to prove Gojira is not horror.

That's funny, because I have yet to see a single argument that proves it is horror. Go read my Dexter analogy. There are things in that show that are far more disturbing and unsettling than in Godzilla (Trinity Killer, anyone?), and yet, surprise, it's not horror.

Who says Dexter is not horror, though? Dexter is, among other things, horror.

The reason we're debating this in the first place is because genres are a little bit subjective. Go into a metal forum and say Opeth is progressive death metal and you'll have an army of others crying "no, they're not truly progressive" or "they're not really death metal!".

Which is why the best definition is the most inclusive one.

If it includes the uncanny and the abject, then it is - to some degree - horror.

[Gojira1963]

I see the original and all Kaiju movies as science fiction.

[eabaker]

I see the original and all Kaiju movies as science fiction.

They are all sci-fi and/or fantasy, but that in no way keeps them from also being horror.

[Gojira1963]

I see the original and all Kaiju movies as science fiction.

They are all sci-fi and/or fantasy, but that in no way keeps them from also being horror.

I agree but I think it also depends on the tone of the film. Gojira would also fit the description of a horror film but Godzilla vs Megalon would not.