CGI or rubber suits?

[Godzilla 1995]

Who cares as long as he looks and acts like Godzilla? I think we can all agree that CGI was not what made GINO a giant mistake.

Seems we can't, what with all the complaints about CGI ruining Godzilla.

[Living Corpse]

Who cares as long as he looks and acts like Godzilla? I think we can all agree that CGI was not what made GINO a giant mistake.

Seems we can't, what with all the complaints about CGI ruining Godzilla.

Those same people should save it until later IF they end up making a Godzilla that doesn't look or act like, well, Godzilla. Then they can get angry.

[Godzilla 1995]

Who cares as long as he looks and acts like Godzilla? I think we can all agree that CGI was not what made GINO a giant mistake.

Seems we can't, what with all the complaints about CGI ruining Godzilla.

Those same people should save it until later IF they end up making a Godzilla that doesn't look or act like, well, Godzilla. Then they can get angry.

They did make CGI Godzilla film where he didn't look and act like Godzilla. We know it as GINO, and that's why some don't want Godzilla in CGI.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

They did make CGI Godzilla film where he didn't look and act like Godzilla. We know it as GINO, and that's why some don't want Godzilla in CGI.

People seem to forget about that Third Street movie thing.

[TokyoVigilante]

They did make CGI Godzilla film where he didn't look and act like Godzilla. We know it as GINO, and that's why some don't want Godzilla in CGI.

People seem to forget about that Third Street movie thing.

And it's awesome!

[Blackout286]

They did make CGI Godzilla film where he didn't look and act like Godzilla. We know it as GINO, and that's why some don't want Godzilla in CGI.

That logic is pretty much out of place beyond all reason. It was the director's and the script writer's fault for the look and behavior of GINO/Zilla. Mainly because they did not respect the material and would only do the movie if they had complete control. CGI had nothing to do with the film's failure.

[HeiseiGodzilla117]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

[Chris55]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

Well yeah. They've wanted to expand on what the suit couldn't do. Godzilla swimming underwater in GMK for example

[Jomei]

A rubber suit Godzilla movie in the US would flop. Regardless of the merits of any particular method of special effects, the American public has a raging hard-on for CGI, and that's what they will pay to see. I understand those who feel that Godzilla sans-rubber suit is, in a way, sacrificing some of the spirit of the character. It's true that it does, but it's also true that, done correctly, a CGI Godzilla can recapture that spirit and allow it to live on in modern film territory.

Hoping for a rubber suit, though, is tantamount to wishing for this movie to fail financially. Every film has constraints placed upon it by its circumstances, and an American Godzilla movie in 20?? is going to have to be CGI. No ifs ands or buts about it.

[Gojira-Fan]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

I disagree with this post.

I think the man in the suit technique is part of the identity of Godzilla. That is the reason some people are upset of the uncertainty that Toho may choose to abandon using suitmation. Suitmation is what Godzilla is known for. While it may be the source of ridicule, that doesn't mean that Toho should just abandon a tradition. Suitmation can be done well, and does not have to become "inferior" to CGI just because it's technically more complex.

Eiji Tsuburaya originally wanted to use stop motion because that's what American films like THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS and KING KONG used. This was before "kaiju" was really it's own genre of film, and before suitmation was associated with the kaiju genre.

[HeiseiGodzilla117]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

I disagree with this post.

I think the man in the suit technique is part of the identity of Godzilla. That is the reason some people are upset of the uncertainty that Toho may choose to abandon using suitmation. Suitmation is what Godzilla is known for. While it may be the source of ridicule, that doesn't mean that Toho should just abandon a tradition. Suitmation can be done well, and does not have to become "inferior" to CGI just because it's technically more complex.

Eiji Tsuburaya originally wanted to use stop motion because that's what American films like THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS and KING KONG used. This was before "kaiju" was really it's own genre of film, and before suitmation was associated with the kaiju genre.

I don't understand how suitmation gives Godzilla his identity. Godzilla's character is not contingent upon what special effects are used to put him on screen. It's up to the writer and director to form that character and put it on the screen. They could just as easily screw up with suitmation as with CGI.

[Gojira-Fan]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

I disagree with this post.

I think the man in the suit technique is part of the identity of Godzilla. That is the reason some people are upset of the uncertainty that Toho may choose to abandon using suitmation. Suitmation is what Godzilla is known for. While it may be the source of ridicule, that doesn't mean that Toho should just abandon a tradition. Suitmation can be done well, and does not have to become "inferior" to CGI just because it's technically more complex.

Eiji Tsuburaya originally wanted to use stop motion because that's what American films like THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS and KING KONG used. This was before "kaiju" was really it's own genre of film, and before suitmation was associated with the kaiju genre.

I don't understand how suitmation gives Godzilla his identity. Godzilla's character is not contingent upon what special effects are used to put him on screen. It's up to the writer and director to form that character and put it on the screen. They could just as easily screw up with suitmation as with CGI.

Suitmation is part of Godzilla's identity because suitmation is the special effects technique used for every Japanese Godzilla production. It's also the technique associated with Godzilla.

[Tormentor]

Not really, Godzilla's identity is the very same identity that was displayed in World War II. The Atomic Bomb and a iconic character going against nuclear warfare.

Suit-animation is just a technique mostly used for most Japanese Monster films. You may feel that its part of Godzilla's identity, but really, it holds somewhat little meaning.

[Gojira-Fan]

Suit-animation is just a technique mostly used for most Japanese Monster films. You may feel that its part of Godzilla's identity, but really, it holds somewhat little meaning.

It most hold so little meaning that up until 2004 Godzilla has been portrayed through suitmation.

I'm not saying that it's bad that Legendary use CGI for Godzilla, but I don't want to ever see a Toho Godzilla realized fully through CGI.

[Blackout286]

Suit-animation is just a technique mostly used for most Japanese Monster films. You may feel that its part of Godzilla's identity, but really, it holds somewhat little meaning.

It most hold so little meaning that up until 2004 Godzilla has been portrayed through suitmation.

My friend that's called Budget.

[KaneLocke]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

I disagree with this post.

You're entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't mean your opinion can't be wrong.

A suit is NOT part of the character. The character is MUCH more than what it looks like. Had GINO not spent most of his time running away and being an overall giant animal rather than a monster, I firmly believe people wouldn't hate him NEARLY as much. You can redesign and execute the character any way you want as long as the heart of the character remains the same.

Why you people can't grasp the fact that suitmation is a part of the FILM's history and not the characters, I will never understand.

[Gojira-Fan]

I think it's funny how some people in the Godzilla fandom froth at the mouth with anger at the thought of Godzilla being anything but a man in a suit. A suit is NOT what makes Godzilla, regardless of what some may think. Godzilla can be delivered in CGI, suitmation, claymation, etc. and as long as it is done well, he will still be Godzilla. Didn't Toho originally want to use claymation to portray Godzilla in Gojira? I hardly think it matters what kinds of effects are used, as long as it is done well.

I disagree with this post.

You're entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't mean your opinion can't be wrong.

A suit is NOT part of the character. The character is MUCH more than what it looks like. Had GINO not spent most of his time running away and being an overall giant animal rather than a monster, I firmly believe people wouldn't hate him NEARLY as much. You can redesign and execute the character any way you want as long as the heart of the character remains the same.

Why you people can't grasp the fact that suitmation is a part of the FILM's history and not the characters, I will never understand.

Have you ever thought that I watch these films because of the suitmation?

And I think people would still be pissed if the GINO design was used.

[Living Corpse]

They did make CGI Godzilla film where he didn't look and act like Godzilla. We know it as GINO, and that's why some don't want Godzilla in CGI.

I'm talking about this film not GINO.

I still think they would get the best results, FX wise, if they used both but whatever, as long as it's Godzilla and not some pretender to the throne I'll be happy.

[TokyoVigilante]

Defining Godzilla by the special effects would be like defining a comic book character by its first artist. If a unified fanbase in the thirties embraced Joe Shuster as the only acceptable Superman artist, we would never have the iconic work of Curt Swan.

[GodzillaIsCool]

I enjoy Rubber Suits and they have a quality to them that only a small handful of people can enjoy. I'll never turn my back on practical effects ever. However CG has come so far I think Godzilla could benefit from it. There are enough examples of characters that I like that I could say prove they could make a likable Godzilla CG character. (Incredible Hulk, District 9 and King Kong)

Something that I have always wanted to see is a REAL Godzilla character implemented in US special effects done to the fullest. I have yet to see that. I'd like to see him not on a sound stage for once. (nothing wrong with that)

Shit, if I got to hand pick the who did the Special Effects it would be Whoever did the LA sequence in 2012 and have Weta or ILM do the creature effects. Intense destruction is what I want and I felt surprised that could be done with CGI when watching 2012.

I think Godzilla and Special Effects have finally caught up to him and they can make him become a screen presence not yet seen in film.

http://youtu.be/-NzDXHMwUoE