Talkback: Rodan (1956)

[Giga Kaiju]

Good article about the movie. I found myself agreeing with the elements brought on it.

[TheSecondComing]

I realize I'm bumping an old topic, so apologies if necessary.

But according to the "Celebrity ICONS" kaiju page on facebook, Yumi Shirakawa has passed away at age 79. She played Kiyo, the girlfriend of Kenji Sahara's character. She also had roles in The Mysterians, The H-Man, and Gorath.

https://www.facebook.com/20213817319576 ... =3&theater

[Lain Of The Wired]

^ saw that on fb, very sad.

This movie was great, just wish the Meganulon didn't look so goofy

[Hellblaze]

I realize I'm bumping an old topic, so apologies if necessary.

But according to the "Celebrity ICONS" kaiju page on facebook, Yumi Shirakawa has passed away at age 79. She played Kiyo, the girlfriend of Kenji Sahara's character. She also had roles in The Mysterians, The H-Man, and Gorath.

https://www.facebook.com/20213817319576 ... =3&theater

[Darth Kiryu]

Sad she passed away, but then again, we're losing all the stars/actors from that era. That kind of makes it ultra sad...

I should watch this film again though. Rodan's 1956 suit blows the other Showa Rodan suit(s?) out of the water. Dare I say it, I even prefer the '56 look over the '04.

[eabaker]

Rodan's 1956 suit blows the other Showa Rodan suit(s?) out of the water. Dare I say it, I even prefer the '56 look over the '04.

You should absolutely dare to say it, because it's totally true.

[Lain Of The Wired]

Rodan's 1956 suit blows the other Showa Rodan suit(s?) out of the water. Dare I say it, I even prefer the '56 look over the '04.

You should absolutely dare to say it, because it's totally true.

Yeah, the 1956 suit was the best, hands down, but I have a special place for the 64 suit in my heart as well. Sure, it looks goofy, but it just has a charm to me that I like
If I had to rank the Rodan's, it'd be
1956
1964-1968
2004
1993

[GalacticPetey]

Yeah. I don't think many would argue with you about '56 being the best. I do really like the '64 design though.

[eabaker]

Rodan's 1956 suit blows the other Showa Rodan suit(s?) out of the water. Dare I say it, I even prefer the '56 look over the '04.

You should absolutely dare to say it, because it's totally true.

Yeah, the 1956 suit was the best, hands down, but I have a special place for the 64 suit in my heart as well. Sure, it looks goofy, but it just has a charm to me that I like
If I had to rank the Rodan's, it'd be
1956
1964-1968
2004
1993

I think I'd rank them:
1956
1993
1964-1968
2004

[Lain Of The Wired]

^ I'm not a fan at all of the Heisei Rodan, way too weak looking and frail to be "Godzilla's equal"
The Showa suits look great, but the FW suit just comes off as a 2000 era Ultraman Rodan, but it still retains that Showa Rodan look so I'll let it pass, not a giant fan of it, but I dislike the Heisei prop way more

[eabaker]

^I don't especially need Rodan to be Godzilla equal. I think the suit (well, really the puppet) serves the needs of that specific story, and it made for one of my favorite Bandai figures. Of course, I'm also a fan of the Heisei Mechagodzilla design, which is not very popular these days either.

The Final Wars suit doesn't give me any real sense of personality, which I'd say holds true for pretty much all of the FW designs.

[Rody]

Frankly, considering his size, I think Rodan gave Godzilla one of his toughest fights in the Heisei series. I've long thought that Rodan was essentially Godzilla's equal, without strictly being his enemy, and I guess I've always thought that was pretty cool.

This movie was great, just wish the Meganulon didn't look so goofy.

They may look goofy to you, but they still give me chills.

[eabaker]

This movie was great, just wish the Meganulon didn't look so goofy.

They may look goofy to you, but they still give me chills.

They're definitely uncanny.

[Spuro]

Rodan's 1956 suit blows the other Showa Rodan suit(s?) out of the water. Dare I say it, I even prefer the '56 look over the '04.

You should absolutely dare to say it, because it's totally true.

Yeah, I don't think most people here would disagree with that statement.

Hell, the FW suit is actually my LEAST favorite Rodan design. That's just me, though.

]Of course, I'm also a fan of the Heisei Mechagodzilla design, which is not very popular these days either.

I think it's the lack of personality that the machine has, rather than its design, that turns a lot of people off.

[eabaker]

I think it's the lack of personality that the machine has, rather than its design, that turns a lot of people off.

I can see that. To me, the cold, purely mechanical feel of it is appropriate to the story. Unlike other incarnations of MG, this one really is just supposed to be a machine masquerading as an animal.

[edgaguirus]

How sad to hear about Yumi Shirakawa passing. My sympathies to her family.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

Rodan is definitely one of Toho's best solo kaiju features. One of the few that really plays up the horror aspect. Would love a modern remake someday.

[edgaguirus]

I'd also like to see the Meganulon get their own solo film. Half the film belongs to them, and they made for good horror.

[eabaker]

I'd also like to see the Meganulon get their own solo film. Half the film belongs to them, and they made for good horror.

One of the reasons that I kinda-sorta stand by GxMegaguirus is that it gets some nice horror moments out of the Meganulon in the second act.

[JAGzilla]

Last time I watched this movie, which was in 2011, I remember the creepy, suspenseful Meganulon--centric portion of the movie being the part I enjoyed most. I felt like the movie lost a lot of its atmosphere after the Rodans showed up.