Favorite Godzilla Film Score

[Godzilla628]

Each film is listed along with the composer.

So, there has been six Millenium films, each with their own film score (which is all of the music in a film), but which one is the your favorite?

I personally love the GMK score, so that's probably my favorite. Oshima's scores are pretty good also.

[20th Century Boy]

Any of the Michiru Oshima scores work for me.

[tymon]

I love the majority of Oshima's Godzilla vs. Megaguirus score, and the main themes she established in that film are fantastic - but I can't stand the cheesy, overly-triumphant, stupidly repetitive Kiryu scores, especially Tokyo S.O.S.

I'm also not a fan of Hattori's work on Godzilla 2000: Millennium. I dig the main theme and a couple others, but man, this guy can't score an action sequence to save his life. The battle between Godzilla and Orga in the Japanese version is so boring, and a lot of it has to do with Hattori's bland music, as well as the weak sound effects.

Which brings me to J Peter Robinson, who wrote additional music for the US version of Godzilla 2000. His themes aren't earworms and aren't very melodic, but they blend into the film perfectly and give the scenes a sense of tension and energy that was sorely lacking in the Japanese version. He also did two great interpretations of Ifukube themes (one during Orga's reveal and the other in the final scene). This guy is seriously underrated IMO.

I like the GMK score, but it's a little too similar to his previous work on the Gamera trilogy, and I would have much preferred a traditional symphony over the electronic sounds.

Final Wars has a couple of cool things going, but for the most part, it's pretty terrible IMO - especially that theme that plays at the end credits and at a few points throughout the movie. God I hate that theme...

I would have voted for the US version of Godzilla 2000 w/Hattori/Robinson/Ifukube if it were an option, but I guess I'll go with Godzilla vs. Megaguirus.

[eabaker]

Tough call. I like the GMK score in context of the movie, but played on its own it's a little lifeless. The Megaguirus score sounds very good on its own, but doesn't accomplish quite as much in the context of the movie. I guess I'll go with GMK, but it's a narrow victory.

[Tapkaara]

Final Wars. GMK is far from Otani's best work and I find that Oshima is at least serviceable and, occasionally, very good. But she is by no means great.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

GMK by far! I really love some of the themes in Final Wars (Gigan Awakens, Rodan Attacks New York, King of Monsters) but overall as very mixed bag and lacks the darker more apocalyptic tone of the GMK score. All the other Millennium scores are pretty damn weak if you ask me. Oshima's music is extremely overrated, anybody who attempts to compare her music to Ifukube's seriously needs their hearing checked.

[JAGzilla]

Gotta give it to Tokyo SOS, I think. I haven't actually seen the movie in close to a decade, but I really like the tracks I've listened to online. The Main Title, especially. I love those fanfares at the beginning and end. Its version of the Mothra theme is one of my favorites, too.

I agree with eabaker on the GMK score: it works well in the movie, but not on its own. Still, it's roughly tied with Oshima's other scores for second place.

[Legionmaster]

Otani's score feels the same for me as GMK: starts exploring interesting places, but ultimately falls apart and seems too derivative of the Gamera films.

I'll go with Oshima's GxM score as the one I like the best, though the fanfare march she wrote for the Kiryu films is probably my favorite piece from her.

[eabaker]

I'll try to pay more attention to the scores of the Kiryu films next time I watch them. It's hard to listen to music when you're having to constantly dig your fingernails into your own hands just to keep from being lulled to sleep by the soporific powers of everything else about a movie.

[TyrantGojira]

I like alot of the scores from the millennium era, but my favorite would have to be the GMK main theme and Raging Mad Godzilla. Kow Otani knew what he was doing when he conducted for the film. You hear the theme, then you look at Godzilla, then you know that Japan is screwed.

[Legionmaster]

I'll try to pay more attention to the scores of the Kiryu films next time I watch them. It's hard to listen to music when you're having to constantly dig your fingernails into your own hands just to keep from being lulled to sleep by the soporific powers of everything else about a movie.

I think Tokyo SOS suffers from a lot of musical rehashing (gee, who would have thunk it?), and a lot of the other music in those two films isn't that spectacular. Well, rather, it fits the rushed televisiony feel of them.

[Arbok]

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla wins for me by leaps and bounds. Love the main motifs and the variety in there, with stuff like the flashback scene (Mothra and Gaira) or 'Running Wild' being incredible thanks to a very dynamic score.

[GodzillaXGomoraFight]

Tokyo SOS has the best score in my opinion. It may be a little repetitive, but all of the monster's themes are good and serve well as lietmotifs (if anyone knows classic opera you know what I am talking about). I also agree that the Mothra themes are at their best in this movie than any other.

[JGAR]

Definetely GMK for me, its the only Godzilla soundtrack aside from the Original and some of the Hesei films that I look it up only to listen its fabulous score.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

anybody who attempts to compare her music to Ifukube's seriously needs their hearing checked.

I feel like this is directed at me somewhat. Care to elaborate?

No! Its just something I've heard a lot in recent years. I just don't hear it. Ifukube is a legend and Oshima's music is mediocre at best, IMPO.

[Showa Gyaos]

I voted for GMK because it breathed new life into the Godzilla series, I thought. That's why I enjoyed it.

[thatsoundman]

besides the 1954 film i really like the synthesizers in Godzilla, Mothra and King ghidorah giant monsters all out attack.

[kiryu42red]

besides the 1954 film i really like the synthesizers in Godzilla, Mothra and King ghidorah giant monsters all out attack.

those were pretty cool. i want the album now

[Godzillian]

I really love GMK's OST it really gets you pumped up and matches the mood of the movie perfectly. The one thing I dont like is the Tokyo SOS/Against Mechagodzilla OST theme for Godzilla. It just doesn't have the power or force that should be in a theme for Godzilla

[akanes_kiryu]

Tokyo S.O.S.
I love, love, love all of Oshima's work (in the Godzilla series and beyond) and would rate her, in my personal opinion as the second best composer in the entire series. Her third Godzilla score however, takes the best of the themes she composed for Megaguirus and Mechagodzilla, adds in a slick new Mothra cue and ramps it all up to 11, while still maintaining the nice personal and quiet interludes that I like so much.