Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

[TokyoVigilante]

Subtitles and dubbing both serve different functions, and in the case of dubbing are an important aspect of both the genres history and identity. It's silly to compare them. I enjoy both perfectly fine depending on what I'm in the mood for.

[The Dark Uniter]

The only real live-action dubs I like are the ones from AIP. Most if not all the voices fit the characters and the scripts are very good, for the most part. However, I don't watch a lot of live-action films dubbed; maybe anime depending on the show.

[Rossk]

My 2 Disc Masterpiece set came in today, and it was the first time I saw the Japanese version uncut.

Wow, there is quite a difference between KOTM and this. Of course the Japanese version is wayyyy better.

[Showa Gyaos]

I'll pop this SOB in any day. It's the one that led to everything we're talking about right now.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I guess you can rejoice that you're not in one of the English classes that I teach. My former students express symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

I should work Gojira into a class next semester, though. Surely college freshmen are capable of analyzing a 1950s Toho film, right? They're probably watching The Seven Samurai in their film classes anyway.

They had better be capable of Gojira. We did Seven Samurai in high school.

Inspired by the presence of noir-veteran Raymond Burr in G:KotM, I wrote an article in college linking some of the themes in the film to those in film noir in general, and to the nuclear-noir like "Kiss Me Deadly".

[shinmattiathekaiju]

Inb4 TokyoVigilante says this movie is boring.....


Its really one of the greatest movies in Japan's history along with the Kurosawa's movie and its kinda underrated in this forum.

I give this movie a 5/5.

[The Dark Uniter]

Japanese Version:
Despite its often-shaky science, this movie still holds up as the classic Japanese monster movie. It takes the U.S. sci-fi flicks' fear of the bomb and enhances it with the first-hand knowledge of the only nation to experience the horror in reality. The suit and other effects still hold up, allowing Godzilla to come off as a true symbol of terror rather than as a goofy suit actor.

Burr-ified Version:
While inferior to its source material, this Americanized version actually enhances the documentary style feel and masterfully incorporates a subplot that would have been anything but seamless in inferior hands. Raymond Burr is fun as he watches the havok wrought by a "big...and terrible!" monster.

I agree on this. I like both versions for different reasons.

[kikomia]

Everyone who hasn't seen this go get it!!!!


For me its the best film in the series and it all started the whole franchise

[HeiseiGodzilla117]

Inb4 TokyoVigilante says this movie is boring.....


Its really one of the greatest movies in Japan's history along with the Kurosawa's movie and its kinda underrated in this forum.

I give this movie a 5/5.

Trying to start stuff again? You should probably stop that, Mattia. And I would hardly say it's "underrated in this forum". It's a well respected movie on the forum. Just about everyone here recognizes it as the most important film in the franchise and a damn important film in general.


Now, on topic, I do still think this film doesn't get the amount of respect it deserves. It does touch on the horror of nuclear warfare and brings to the screen the terror and dread felt by the Japanese people. I still hope, foolishly perhaps, that one day people will at least respect this entry in the franchise.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

At the moment, I've been watching a lot of Godzilla films, trying to come up with a thesis paper for why Godzilla can and should be viewed critically. Right now, my feelings on Gojira have been changing as of late.

I believe that, critically, Gojira the best Godzilla film, and always will be. However, its not even close to being my favorite Godzilla film. I like to say that Gojira is a lot like Citizen Kane: That it does a lot for film, and you grow to appreciate what it does for film. However, that doesn't mean that you have to like it.

When I think of Godzilla, I think of him from his 60s films, like Mothra vs. Godzilla and Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep. Those films are enjoyable, interesting, and I can sit through the entire film more than once and say, "Wow! I'm glad I watched that. I want to watch more Godzilla films." Gojira is not like that. Sure, it's emotionally powerful and very well made, but its also depressing, dark and leaves me with a feeling that humanity sucks. That's not what Godzilla is to me. Godzilla is about having fun and enjoying yourself, not making you depressed and feeling bad about yourself.

I love Gojira, but its not my favorite Godzilla film.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

To be honest,while still one of my favourites,i don't think Mothra vs Godzilla is the best of the showa series for the following reasons.


1)It seems that the movie was trying to decide if being a comedy(the egg eating journalist,Godzilla's tail stuck in the tower,the quarreling between Yuriko Hoshi and Akira Takarada)or a dramatic movie(the fight beetwen the two rich douchebags,Infant Island devastated by the atomic bombs).

2)Godzilla appaers only in few scenes.

3)There are some holes in the writing.


4)80% of the musical score is basically the Godzilla's theme repeated over and over again(thats kinda lazy).

5)the special effects are average good but there are some that are mediocre(Godzilla looks like a hand puppet in some moments during the fight with Mothra).

6)Blind Navy Guys.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

^ Not sure why this is in the topic of Gojira, but Mothra vs. Godzilla is my favorite Godzilla film. So, I'll defend it here:

It seems that the movie was trying to decide if being a comedy(the egg eating journalist,Godzilla's tail stuck in the tower,the quarreling between Yuriko Hoshi and Akira Takarada)or a dramatic movie(the fight beetwen the two rich douchebags,Infant Island devastated by the atomic bombs).

That's part of the fun. That's its a film that takes itself seriously, but is also willing to take the time to make the audience laugh. That's something that is rarely seen in Godzilla films, and I love it for that.

Godzilla appaers only in few scenes.

Were we watching the same film? Once Godzilla shows up, the whole movie turns to stopping him.

Also, who cares if Godzilla isn't around a lot? The characters in the film are just as interesting as what's going on with Godzilla, if not more interesting.

There are some holes in the writing.

Example?

80% of the musical score is basically the Godzilla's theme repeated over and over again(thats kinda lazy).

Its an amazing piece of music, though, so I don't care if its played over and over again. If the music is good, then who cares if its stuck on repeat?

the special effects are average good but there are some that are mediocre(Godzilla looks like a hand puppet in some moments during the fight with Mothra).

I completely disagree with that. I think that the effects in Mothra vs. Godzilla are some of the best effects Toho has ever done, if not the best effects they've ever done. For its time, they're amazing to look at. They also still look great today on the Classic Media DVD.

Blind Navy Guys.

...Really? That's a complaint?

Then don't freakin' watch the American Version. Do what I do and watch the Japanese Version. It's a much better movie.

[tymon]

To be honest,while still one of my favourites,i don't think Mothra vs Godzilla is the best of the showa series for the following reasons.

1)It seems that the movie was trying to decide if being a comedy(the egg eating journalist,Godzilla's tail stuck in the tower,the quarreling between Yuriko Hoshi and Akira Takarada)or a dramatic movie(the fight beetwen the two rich douchebags,Infant Island devastated by the atomic bombs).

Since when is a mix of comedy and drama a bad thing?

[2)Godzilla appaers only in few scenes.

He's in the movie quite a bit, actually.

3)There are some holes in the writing.

No more than any other average G-film.

4)80% of the musical score is basically the Godzilla's theme repeated over and over again(thats kinda lazy).

Yeah, that got kinda annoying.

5)the special effects are average good but there are some that are mediocre(Godzilla looks like a hand puppet in some moments during the fight with Mothra).

The special effects are amazing, dude. Yeah, the puppet sucks as always, and there's a couple other off-shots, but overall it's Eiji and his crew at the top of their game.

I love Godzilla (1954), but Mothra vs. Godzilla just has way too much going for it to not be considered the best IMO.

[Legion1979]

shinmattai is apparently trying to take AH's place when it comes to confusing reasons for disliking movies.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

shinmattai

Is Shin-Mattia!

[Goji]

shinmattai is apparently trying to take AH's place when it comes to confusing reasons for disliking movies.

I think he already did months ago. He's one of TK's resident trolls. All of his posts are just him trying to get a rise out of people.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

shinmattai is apparently trying to take AH's place when it comes to confusing reasons for disliking movies.

I think he already did months ago. He's one of TK's resident trolls. All of his posts are just him trying to get a rise out of people.

I'm just explaining my opinions.

[Goji]

Well, your observations regarding MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA are extremely poor. Other than Godzilla's them being overplayed, none of what you're saying makes any damn sense.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

Watched Gojira the other night. My opinion of it remains the same. Critically, it's the best Godzilla film, and one of the best monster films ever made. But, it's not my definition of a "good" Godzilla film. This film is dark, depressing, bleak and leaves you with a terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. In this regard, it's a lot like The Grave Of The Fireflies, Schindler's List and American History X: That even though they're all great pieces of cinema, you really don't want to watch them more than once or twice. For me, a "good" Godzilla film is something that you can watch several times, and always leaves you feeling happier than when you came into it, like Son Of Godzilla or Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep. So, I'll still stand by what I say about Goijra, about it being the Citizen Kane of the Daikaiju genre: While I do appreciate everything that it has done for cinema and realize that it's one of the best films ever made, that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Although, there was one interesting thing that stuck out to me in this viewing of Gojira. During Godzilla's attack on Tokyo, I paid more attention to the people around the attack, rather than the attack itself. This led me to the journalists/reporters on the tower just before Godzilla attacked it. Their faces and attitudes during this moment were amazing, especially how excited they were about dying, just as long as they covered the story of the century. This really made me think, that the film might have been more interesting if it was covered from the reporters side of story. Or at least have a smaller part in the film be a reporters side. It would have been nice seeing his boss telling him to go up to the tower, and see the reporter's reaction. I really would like to see characters like that guy get more screen time, especially with how hyper and excited he was.

[Mini-Godzilla]

I recently showed Gojira to a friend as part of a larger run of important science fiction films (alongside classics such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and more modern noteworthy pictures such as Blade Runner), and she quite enjoyed it. She especially thought that "eyepatch dude is super cool" and "Dr Yamane is super adorable," but she was not so thrilled with Emiko: "Are women only in these films to scream and be weak?" She also appreciated the "great music and sound effects!"

She then sent me the following review: "Overall reaction: It was great! Much more gripping than I had expected. Not quite as dark as what you had described. There were some moments when I wanted to laugh at the effects, but I resisted for the most part. My other exposure to sci-fi 50s cinema was this morning. It had the same screaming/crying women-blech. It had the same world unity speech at the end and mass paranoia aspects. A much better picture, and more human than I would have thought possible from a Godzilla film. It did bring up some passionate anti-war feelings within me, more effectively than The Day the Earth Stood Still. The scenes of evacuation and of the hospital: it read more like a report than a movie."

She is not interested in seeing the sequels, though, since she's afraid that they will undermine the original film's impact with their cheesiness. I'm not going to bother to insist that she does. Bananaoil wanted her to see the Raymond Burr version of the movie, but she wasn't won over by his argument.