Story Ideas and Plot Speculation

[Godzillawolf]

It these story ideas were realistic in regards to what we may actually see in the LP movie I'd say this thread would make sense as a decent G2012 topic. But Orga? Destroyah? Grand King Ghidora? No matter how hard one tries to make it work this stuff is not happening this movie. At that point any "story ideas" are basically just random fan fiction as far as I'm concerned. Future Godzilla, you are aware that this is going to be 100% American-made film with no relation to any Toho film right?

Since this forum is for discussion of this specific film and what we expect of it, wouldn't it make sense for our "story ideas" to be a bit more grounded in reality?

There's one good reason for this thread, its FUN and we haven't gotten any new info to bite on for months.

[Future Godzilla]

It these story ideas were realistic in regards to what we may actually see in the LP movie I'd say this thread would make sense as a decent G2012 topic. But Orga? Destroyah? Grand King Ghidora? No matter how hard one tries to make it work this stuff is not happening this movie. At that point any "story ideas" are basically just random fan fiction as far as I'm concerned. Future Godzilla, you are aware that this is going to be 100% American-made film with no relation to any Toho film right?

Since this forum is for discussion of this specific film and what we expect of it, wouldn't it make sense for our "story ideas" to be a bit more grounded in reality?

Well if they have the rights to the Godzilla, then they can get rights to king ghidorah.

[Legion1979]

Well if they have the rights to the Godzilla, then they can get rights to king ghidorah.

Obviously. But don't expect to specifically see Grand King Ghidora. If Ghidora appears in this movie it will be with a new design and a different origin. It won't be related to a Toho incarnation.

[TokyoVigilante]

Alot of these ideas don't even have any mention of the human story. You don't have a movie without a relatable human cast. Period.

[Arrow]

The human cast is rarely discussed in these types of threads, which is too bad. The monsters are fun and all, but most of the time it's the human cast that determines whether or not I'm even going to bother watching the movie in full.

- For a human cast, I'm not picky on what I would like. I have ideas on what I would NOT like, but even that kind of thing would be fine if done correctly.
- I'd also like Godzilla to have a story and a personality all his own. The last thing I want for the character is something like GxMG/Tokyo S.O.S., where he exists to do nothing but appear whenever the plot calls for it. He doesn't need to be like the Showa Godzilla, but he needs something to do.

There, my story ideas.

[TokyoVigilante]

I'm a fan of the "American journalist in Japan" as a callback to Steve Martin, but also as a way to discuss themes of culture shock and integrating into that culture. Plus it's just a classic archetype of the genre.

a military character, but someone who is in the action on the ground; UN special forces, perhaps? Or some Maritime Coast Guards proving themselves rescuing civilians who got left behind by a system that rushed the rescue process and abandoned them.

Also a politician to relay the political rammifications of Godzilla. I think that will sell the reality of Godzilla more then just giving the monster a hack design.

Something that keeps the character in the action, but not so enligtened as to just lay the story out for the audience; hence why I say less emphasis on scientists and military experts.

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

- For a human cast, I'm not picky on what I would like. I have ideas on what I would NOT like, but even that kind of thing would be fine if done correctly.

Lemme, guess....

Military dudes?

[TokyoVigilante]

Just pasting this from another thread. My stance hasn't changed much since originally conceiving this, however it is rather barebones.

My idea of a successful Godzilla film? An American reporter working in Japan, themes of cultural divide prevail. Godzilla appears, the scientific community urges the world to study him to find out how he survived lethal fallout. But pressure from China and other Oriental Nations force the UN to extend their commitment to the removal of nuclear weapons to include Godzilla. They develop Anti Nuclear Bacteria, they mutate into a Hedorah type monster out of their control.

They duke it out in China, American reporter is in China at the time for the big scoop. When the Chinese government refuses aid workers from entering the country, the reporter relies on the locals to escape. Some more monster fighting, maybe a big clash with the navy. Godzilla is seemingly destroyed by Hedorah, and the reporter manages to escape with a sobering reminder of what paranoia and knee jerk political actions can result in.

It's a political thriller, first and foremost. Godzilla is treated in a similar way he is in G85. Have scenes of our protagonist treating the Chinese people with disdain, then when shit hits the fan, he needs the help of others to survive in a place where he's out of his element.

[Arrow]

Military dudes?

More specifically, mecha pilots. I was never big on any of them when they were used in the Godzilla series. But even they can work if done correctly (see: Neon Genesis Evangelion), so it's not like I would boycott the film if LP actually used them or anything. I remember once kicking around the idea of a special forces team in a Godzilla-themed fanfiction, so I'm not against them entirely.

What I would prefer, though, is something along the lines of the "Godzilla-chasers" in Godzilla 2000 as the main characters. Perhaps a team of five friends who manage to get tangled in events bigger than them (Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster did this pretty well), with a side collection of military characters, reporters, and scientists who deal with the threat of the monsters with force and whom we can see the effects of the monster story from their point-of-view. My only worry with something like that would be the "too many characters/subplots" that hurt films like Biollante and Space Godzilla.

[Inferno Rodan]

More specifically, mecha pilots. I was never big on any of them when they were used in the Godzilla series. But even they can work if done correctly (see: Neon Genesis Evangelion), so it's not like I would boycott the film if LP actually used them or anything.

Yeah, because the Godzilla series REALLY needs whiny teenage mecha pilots that are completely unlikable. If anything, the type of pilot seen in NGE is the WORST type.

[Monster Master]

More specifically, mecha pilots. I was never big on any of them when they were used in the Godzilla series. But even they can work if done correctly (see: Neon Genesis Evangelion), so it's not like I would boycott the film if LP actually used them or anything.

Yeah, because the Godzilla series REALLY needs whiny teenage mecha pilots that are completely unlikable. If anything, the type of pilot seen in NGE is the WORST type.

Well... Miki helped pilot SMG.
And she was a whiny bitch. Does she count?

[HayesAJones]

As someone (Can't quite remember who... Showa Gyaos maybe?) said a while back, I think a crytozoologist would make an interesting protagonist.

He/she could be investigating reports of a huge, reptilian creature on some South Pacific island and BAM! Godzilla appears. Said character would then begin studying/researching Godzilla. And then, when the King starts attacking cities, he/she would be swept up by the government, being both the only credible witness and most knowledgeable about the creature.

[Future Godzilla]

Well, the human story doens't need good actors, just good acting and good lines. re-shoot it for better acting if it's bad. like on godzilla vs king ghidroah:
"Take that you dinosaur"
Who wrote that?

[Godzillawolf]

As someone (Can't quite remember who... Showa Gyaos maybe?) said a while back, I think a crytozoologist would make an interesting protagonist.

He/she could be investigating reports of a huge, reptilian creature on some South Pacific island and BAM! Godzilla appears. Said character would then begin studying/researching Godzilla. And then, when the King starts attacking cities, he/she would be swept up by the government, being both the only credible witness and most knowledgeable about the creature.

I like this idea a lot, actually.

[Godzilla 1995]

As someone (Can't quite remember who... Showa Gyaos maybe?) said a while back, I think a crytozoologist would make an interesting protagonist.

He/she could be investigating reports of a huge, reptilian creature on some South Pacific island and BAM! Godzilla appears. Said character would then begin studying/researching Godzilla. And then, when the King starts attacking cities, he/she would be swept up by the government, being both the only credible witness and most knowledgeable about the creature.

I like this idea a lot, actually.

I don't, actually. Sounds too much like a sci-fi film people would try to avoid.

[HayesAJones]

Well, the human story doens't need good actors, just good acting and good lines. re-shoot it for better acting if it's bad. like on godzilla vs king ghidroah:

Doesn't good acting require good actors?

I don't, actually. Sounds too much like a sci-fi film people would try to avoid.

Godzilla is sci-fi. Besides, I don't think people are gonna decide whether to go or not based on the human story. It's a movie about a giant monster, Godzilla, the giant monster. That's what will draw in people or make them avoid it.

[Godzilla 1995]

Well, the human story doens't need good actors, just good acting and good lines. re-shoot it for better acting if it's bad. like on godzilla vs king ghidroah:

Doesn't good acting require good actors?

Usually does, I believe.

[Future Godzilla]

Better actors just add marque value. Getting a newbie and teachign him to say it right, can increase the movie value for years to come.

[TokyoVigilante]

What? Do you have any idea how filmmaking works? You can't just "teach" someone to act on the fly. Competent acting (which is something you need if you want this film to be successful or to be even taken seriously) requires a natural talent more then just 'saying it right'.

[NSZ]

Buddy, having fresh faces means jack in Hollywood these days. You can't just tell someone to say something like 'this', the actor has to be convincing, or else their effect on the audience is dropped. We want good characters from this movie after the never ending wave of bland characters supplied by Toho since basically the Heisei era began excluding Akane, General Aso (Thank you, MM), Gondo, Gordon, Katagiri, Shinoda, The Controller, and Yuki (heh, unintentional alphabetical order). The only way you can have good characters is to have good actors. And which do you think is the better actor: the freshman or the seasoned veteran?