Talkback Thread #2: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

[omgitsgodzilla]

I think it was the other radio girl. Hidemi was Tsukioka's girl, I don't think Kobayashi was the sort to go messing with other people's girlfriends.

[Gussilla95]

Just watched the American version with the Audio Commentary. Really interesting how this film was put together :xilien:

[shinmattiathekaiju]

At least the fight between Godzilla and Anguiras was epic.

[omgitsgodzilla]

Agreed, though it probably would have been better if it had been filmed properly.

[Huan_of_Valinor]

Just watched the American version with the Audio Commentary. Really interesting how this film was put together :xilien:

I love the commentary for this film... Makes the american dub watchable.

That's it, i'm going and watching it now

[tymon]

^Lol, I have yet to watch it without the commentary, though I did turn it off at a couple parts just to hear some of the ridiculous dialogue and monologue.

[Tamura]

GIGANTIS is hilarious, and so is its companion film TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE.

[Huan_of_Valinor]

Indeed, Gigantis is a very funny movie.

I think i laughed harder at that movie than any of the other cheesy movies from the 70's

it's sooooooo bad, MST3K wouldn't have been able to improve on it.

GRA is a weak entry, but compared to Gigantis it's world class entertainment

[Julia Bristow]

Hell the commentary for Gigantis was kinda like MST3K with all the ribbing on the American version and the changes made but it made the US version much more bearable to view

[Huan_of_Valinor]

^ truth, steve ryfle did a good job with that commentary...

i wonder why the japanese version didn't have commentary.

Actually, do any of the classic media releases besides Gojira have commentary on the japanese version?

I have them all up to astro monster and they don't, how about the others? Same trend?

[tymon]

Actually, do any of the classic media releases besides Gojira have commentary on the japanese version?

Nope.

[Huan_of_Valinor]

Actually, do any of the classic media releases besides Gojira have commentary on the japanese version?

Nope.

Boo!


Oh well. *shrugs*

[Gojira-Fan]

Actually, do any of the classic media releases besides Gojira have commentary on the japanese version?

Nope.

Boo!


Oh well. *shrugs*

They specifically talk about the Japanese versions in the English versions. None of the films, other than Gojira/Godzilla, King of the Monsters, warranted having a commentary on the Japanese version because the English versions just aren't that different from their Japanese versions.

[Tamura]

^They still discuss the English versions whenever necessary, like when a cut is made.

[Gojira-Fan]

^They still discuss the English versions whenever necessary, like when a cut is made.

Yeah, but the point is that there isn't enough information to talk about to warrant making 2 commentaries for 2 versions that are only slightly different.

[Space Hunter M]

Hello everybody! I watched the Japanese version first. I wasn't too impressed, Although I liked how radically different and overall more brutish the fight scenes were from later films. The butchered mess that is Gigantis, the Fire Monster makes the original look cut like Seven Samurai! The dub, for some cryptic reason gives "Gigantis" a serious case of "Angurus" hiccups and you can even seamlessly stitch together Keye Luke's annoying narration with the one from Rodan. The U.S. cut also screws up the overall unsettling atmosphere by constantly looping the extremely unfitting score from Kronos over and over again! It also manages to even further push the already shallow character development up into a corner until there is nothing left of it! They even turned the generally respectable character of Kobayashi into a infuriatingly stupid buffoon! I couldn't understand half the things he was saying! Despite overall financial success of King of the Monsters, I'm surprised Warner Bros. didn't just call it exactly what it is: Godzilla. There must have been at least a few people in the audience who stood up and shouted "Hey, That's Godzilla!"

Despite it's shortcomings and overall underwhelmingness, the Japanese cut is still one of my favorites.

[Julia Bristow]

From what I heard in the US version's commentary was that the American producer (Paul Schribeman) wanted to rename Godzilla "Gigantis" because he didn't want the audience to be confused and he thought it'd be a safer bet by trying to give Godzilla a different name so that people would think that they are seeing a brand new monster

[Space Hunter M]

Yes, I know, but it's quite moronic anyway you look at it. Apparently Schribeman regretted that choice ever since. But you'd think if he was that concerned about a confused audience, he would have edited out the stock footage of the first film.

[Space Hunter M]

Hmm, I guess you're right. On a side note, wasn't the film matted to a 1.85 : 1 ratio to fit the theatrical standard of the time? This kind of cropping is present in this U.S. theatrical trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll8H4bpZgTw

[Titanosaurus75]

I have seen both the Japanese and American versions of this movie. The original Japanese version, while definitely not the best Godzilla film, was not too bad in my opinion. Gigantis, on the other hand is pure B-movie gold. My favorite part is the little conference after the two pilots encountered "Gigantis" and Anguirus. I can't help but laugh as the scientist reads about the possibility of "Angillasaurus" being awaken by H-bomb tests and having the ability to "wipe out the human race," all while maintaining a very serious tone. Still, even if you totally despise this movie, there's still the redeeming factor that it introduced Anguirus (unless of course you hate Anguirus, in which case you're screwed).

As for my two cents on the debate as to whether or not GRA started the formula of Godzilla fighting another monster, there is no denying that it was indeed the first movie in which Godzilla was faced with a monster foe. However, I do think that it was KKvG that perfected and popularized this formula. As someone else pointed out, the fight between Godzilla and Anguirus occurred as part of the entire second act, whereas the films from KKvG onward saved the big fight for the climax.