Discussion: When did the Showa Age go Wrong?

[DaikaijuSokogeki!]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Cuz it has a kid as the lead and, like, y'know, that means it's a, like, kid's movie, y'know?

[Chris55]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Cuz it has a kid as the lead and, like, y'know, that means it's a, like, kid's movie, y'know?

Eh. I don't think that makes it childish

[KaneLocke]

@ Goji's earlier comment to me: Well, actually i was on google looking on a different site before I looked at the box office stuff here and...F*** you're right. Whatev...anyways, I'm don't think the musical score is an overall bad piece, but it just rubs me the wrong way. I really have never liked it. I like Sato, just not Hedorah.

@ Legion1979: It is dark, but all the funky colors and cartoon diagrams (plus another short shorts kid...) could make someone consider GvH childish. I think it's strange...I'm somewhere in the middle of the road.

Uh... The movie basically opens with a guy getting his face burned, people being reduced to skeletons, Godzilla having his hand almost completely melted, MANY people dying on screen, and some psychadellic colors and a scene with Godzilla flying makes it CHILDISH?

[Lord Gappa]

How is HEDORAH's story even the least bit childish?

Godzilla flying.
The random animation sequences.
That little boy.
The goofy/Western esque music.
I'm not saying Godzilla vs Hedorah is childish, i'm saying it's SOMEWHAT childish and yet dark and mature at the same time.

[Goji]

That's clearly not what you said the first time Gappa, but sure, okay.

Godzilla's flying sequence was put in at the last minute to off set the grim tone of the film. Essentially, it was included for the kiddies and nothing more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the scene (it takes you out of the moment every time you see it), but honestly, after 23 years of watching this film, I can just look at it and laugh. It literally only lasts a couple of seconds.

The boy is a supporting character in the film, and is hardly as cringe worthy as he is in MEGALON (I actually don't know the actors name, but it is the same kid). Seriously, when compared to the children from the Showa Gamera films, he's Oscar worthy in comparison.

I've never heard the word "goofy" to describe the soundtrack...unless you're referring to Godzilla's theme. Which, again, is all anyone ever references. If it just doesn't work for you, then that's fine. However that doesn't make it "bad" or "childish".

The animation sequences were definitely random, but it was just the way that Banno choose to keep the films narrative going. It was simply an artistic choice. The entire film was an "avant-garde" approach to film making in the first place, and it's important to realize that when trying to shit all over it simply for being different from the film's that surround it.

[Lord Gappa]

Sorry if i seem to be bashing Godzilla vs Hedorah, i LOVE this film to death, i'm just saying it's just....wierd.

[King Caesar]

Thanks to a deleted post, no one knows what I said earlier, but here:

@ Goji: The young protagonist, the flashy array of colors, and the overall not-so-serious soundtrack could give off the childish vibe to some people, but I definitely could see a dark tone trying to break through in it.

[TokyoVigilante]

GODZILLA VS HEDORAH is basically a remake of GOJIRA with a smog monster added. I don't see how anyone could interpret that as "childish".

[Gojira-Fan]

Well, Godzilla's in a superhero role. And about the violence thing, a lot of media directed at children at the time in Japan was violent. As well, this film is part of the Champion Film Festival, so it already had a young audience. I'm not saying this film panders to children, but it's not like it would be totally unappealing to them.

And I agree on the music, it ruined the entire final fight for me. I think this German trailer (that used Ifukbe music in it) shows how much better the film could have been IMHO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_Q_fjID68

And even the Japanese trailer didn't use the films score, but Ifukbe stock music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPoxF4gJPyY (note: you might want to turn your speaker down, this video is really loud).

[Tyler]

Hedorah reminded me of a really dark episode of Ultraman.

[Legion1979]

And even the Japanese trailer didn't use the films score, but Ifukbe stock music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPoxF4gJPyY (note: you might want to turn your speaker down, this video is really loud).

Most Japanese trailers use music from older films. This isn't unique.

[King Caesar]

I think people mistake weird for childish. The whole movie is weird as all get out (night clubs with fish, Godzilla flying, etc), but that doesn't make it kiddy. Now Godzilla vs Megalon...that's kiddy

[Lord Gappa]

GODZILLA VS HEDORAH is basically a remake of GOJIRA with a smog monster added. I don't see how anyone could interpret that as "childish".

If you count the original Godzilla being a Captain Planet with atomic breath.
I'm not trying to bash the movie, i'm just saying it's "kind of" kiddyish. I don't know why, it just seems that way to me. I haven't seen it a while, so i'll have to rewatch it again.

[TokyoVigilante]

A mysterious creature sinks ships and strikes at Japan under the cover of night, with said creature being the creation/embodiment of a major contemporary political/social issue. Military struggles to deal with it, scenes of the general publics reaction to the threat, and a one-eyed scientist comes to the rescue with a device that can save the day.

Which movie am I describing?

[Gojira-Fan]

A mysterious creature sinks ships and strikes at Japan under the cover of night, with said creature being the creation/embodiment of a major contemporary political/social issue. Military struggles to deal with it, scenes of the general publics reaction to the threat, and a one-eyed scientist comes to the rescue with a device that can save the day.

Which movie am I describing?

However, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah is a lot more Avant-grade then Gojira. While both have a dark tone and similar plots, both are very different in their style.

[TokyoVigilante]

I'm just saying they have basically the same premise with the same plot points. There isn't anything in a plain synopsis of either film to suggest that it's kiddy. They're both dark and morbid and show the devastation and fallout of nuclear weapons/industrial pollution in a very blunt fashion and both feature various bits of secondary sub-text that's interesting to look at.

[The Dark Uniter]

Gojira-Fan wrote
However, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah is a lot more Avant-grade then Gojira. While both have a dark tone and similar plots, both are very different in their style.

I agree. Gojira was completely dark with no lightheartedness whatsoever whereas Godzilla vs Hedorah, its dark however has some light elements and is more tippy.

[StonedHope]

.... I think this German trailer (that used Ifukbe music in it) shows how much better the film could have been IMHO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_Q_fjID68

I think its funny as hell how in the German cuts they always throw in talk of Frankenstein.
It appears that in the trailer their call Hedorah a creation of Frankenstein. So in the movie do they change it saying that Hedorah was created by Frankenstein and not pollution??? There by changing the theme of the movie.

[Lord Gappa]

A mysterious creature sinks ships and strikes at Japan under the cover of night, with said creature being the creation/embodiment of a major contemporary political/social issue. Military struggles to deal with it, scenes of the general publics reaction to the threat, and a one-eyed scientist comes to the rescue with a device that can save the day.

Which movie am I describing?

Pirates of the Carribean?

[NSZ]

.... I think this German trailer (that used Ifukbe music in it) shows how much better the film could have been IMHO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg_Q_fjID68

I think its funny as hell how in the German cuts they always throw in talk of Frankenstein.
It appears that in the trailer their call Hedorah a creation of Frankenstein. So in the movie do they change it saying that Hedorah was created by Frankenstein and not pollution??? There by changing the theme of the movie.

I wonder what would happen if we pulled the G fanbase out of Germany and had them watch the movies in their original form?