Talkback: GMK - Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah (2001)

[SpanishBulldog63]

if they could've used some other dragon

Manda?

[Tohosaurus]

if they could've used some other dragon

Manda?

I don't really think of Manda as a dragon but more important would be the execution of it. Manda looked great in Final Wars but Toho's CGI mostly sucks and a Manda suit/prop just wouldn't work. I think a better sense of immensity and power would be an actual dragon. I think that's part of the appeal with monsters like King Ghidorah or Orochi.

[SpanishBulldog63]

A form of Bagan thats not a totem-dragon or a grim-reaper esque demon but a full-fledged badass dragon?cuz im actually working on a design for that,i just cant think of how i can work wings in with his trademark shoulder spikes

[g2kmaster]

Instead of that, it would have been nice to see Godzilla fight against Yamto-no-Orochi. That would truly be something mind blowing. Regardless of Godzilla embodying souls, it's Godzilla going up against an ancient Japanese deity (not to mention they do plug him in the film, mentioning eight heads and such). It would have made things like the undersea battle be a little bit more elaborate than what it already is but, it would still be cool.

[Lord Gappa]

- King Ghidorah
- Final underwater battle was sub-par
- Some of the special effects are cringe worthy (especially the falling boat. That looked terrible)

[Biollante]

I liked King Ghidorah. They could have made his neck(s?) a little longer though, makes him look hunched.

[Rody]

All that does is stunt the development of future fans. The best way for Godzilla to continue to be popular and to prosper is by ensuring that younger people get to enjoy these films, not by limiting them to an even smaller and more fickle of adult fans. The attitude of not even bothering with dubbing is detrimental and short-sighted.

Well, the thing is, I don't see dubbing as useful except for if younger kids are watching. However, is GMK really a good choice of film for such an audience in the first place?

[TokyoVigilante]

Well, the thing is, I don't see dubbing as useful except for if younger kids are watching.

That's precisely why they're useful; so kids can watch these films about dinosaurs, space dragons, and giant robots and want to watch more. Besides, if the voice work is good, it's a perfectly legitimate way to watch a film. Subtitles draw your eyes from scenery, which is composed in a specific way to earn a certain reaction or draw your attention to a certain area of the screen. Subtitles interfere with the cinematography, even if slightly. Multiple viewings of films in both ways really is the best way to fully absorb the entire intended experience.

However, is GMK really a good choice of film for such an audience in the first place?

Why wouldn't it?

[Tohosaurus]

Well, the thing is, I don't see dubbing as useful except for if younger kids are watching.

That's precisely why they're useful; so kids can watch these films about dinosaurs, space dragons, and giant robots and want to watch more. Besides, if the voice work is good, it's a perfectly legitimate way to watch a film. Subtitles draw your eyes from scenery, which is composed in a specific way to earn a certain reaction or draw your attention to a certain area of the screen. Subtitles interfere with the cinematography, even if slightly. Multiple viewings of films in both ways really is the best way to fully absorb the entire intended experience.

However, is GMK really a good choice of film for such an audience in the first place?

Why wouldn't it?

I agree with all of this. Besides, I'll throw on the dubs instead so I can pay attention to the actual scenery, which you mentioned. Dubs are a 150% necessity for these sorts of movies. However, I still prefer subs.

[Legion1979]

I like subs (or just raw untranslated Japanese) because I prefer to hear the actor's natural voices and enjoy their performance, even if I don't understand the exact words coming out of their mouths.

[StonedHope]

I throw Dubs on when I'm just going to skim through to watch the monster scenes, because that's when I stretch the screen to remove the black boarders to fill my tv. I wished there was a way that I could stretch the screen and have the subtitles shift up as well.

Can't have my cake and eat

[Rody]

However, is GMK really a good choice of film for such an audience in the first place?

Why wouldn't it?

Well, due to its darker nature, young children may find it troubling or even frightening. But maybe that's just me.

[tymon]

^I'm sure some kids would be frightened of Godzilla, but overall it really isn't that dark of a movie IMO.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I think that even the Americanized King of the Monsters would be far more dark and menacing to a child than GMK.

[HayesAJones]

I'd say GMK is more serious than dark. Godzilla is no horror figure, but he sure isn't friendly either.

[Rody]

I just re-watched this film in Japanese yesterday, so I figured I would give my two cents:

GMK's story is pretty good, probably one of the best written in the franchise. It's original & interesting, and the pacing is great. Godzilla is portrayed as a full-blown menace; not since the 60's, I think, have we seen Godzilla as such a great threat.

The characters in GMK are good. They aren't just plot devices, and the acting is pretty decent. The dialogue is... well.... it's hard to say, but the "dub-titles" make it sound worse than it probably is.

The music is enjoyable, though it's not my favorite. I think Kow Otani did his best work with G3.

The kaiju look great. Sokogecki-Goji has flaws, but overall it's one of my favorites. Baragon is spot-on; my only complaint is that his feet look weird. Mothra is beautiful, but spooky at the same time; very fitting for this film. Ghidorah... well, he just wasn't meant for this role, but I give the suit makers credit for still doing a pretty good job.

The special effects are a vast improvement over the last two films. There are still iffy moments (and I know Shinji Higuchi is capable of better, e.g. G3), but this is probably due to the film being rushed. Even so, they're pretty impressive.

Overall, GMK is probably one of the best films in the franchise. It has it's flaws, but so does every other film in the franchise, and in this case I think most flaws are due to the film being rushed, or Kaneko not having the necessary control. I give the film an 8/10.

[Captain Aktion]

^Higuji-San wasn't the SFX director on GMK, only a "special advisor". If I remember right, one of the only sequences he had a major hand in was the jet-fighters attack on Godzilla, which is one of the highlights in the movie for me. All the wide angles and the detail on the house that's demolished by a downed plane really kind of betray his hallmarks.

Having said that, I may be remembering the details wrong and talking out of my ass, haha!

[Goji]

The special effects are a vast improvement over the last two films. There are still iffy moments (and I know Shinji Higuchi is capable of better, e.g. G3), but this is probably due to the film being rushed. Even so, they're pretty impressive.

Higuchi only directed the scene with the jets, actually. Here is what Keith Aiken said somewhere else recently about why Higuchi didn't do all of the FX scenes for GMK.

kpa said: It was a combination of two key factors. First, Higuchi was busy supervising the FX for two other films; PISTOL OPERA and THE PRINCESS BLADE, and prepping MINI MONI THE MOVIE: HE GREAT SWEETS ADVENTURE (a live-action/CGI film he directed starring the girl band Mini Moni). Higuchi was also movie away from FX directing to directing his own films, which is what he does now.

Secondly, Kaneko had wanted to direct both the live action and FX scenes himself. He felt the movie would be more consistent if there was one director rather than two. Kaneko storyboarded the film and chose Higuchi's assistant FX director, Makoto Kamiya, to do the same for GMK. When Kaneko realized the schedule would not permit him to do the FX he had Kamiya promoted to FX director. Kamiya has since handled the FX on films like SINKING OF JAPAN (directed by Higuchi) and GANTZ.

Lastly, Higuchi did work on GMK. He helped out Kaneko and Kamiya by directing the FX for Godzilla's battle with the jet fighters.

Overall, GMK is probably one of the best films in the franchise. It has it's flaws, but so does every other film in the franchise, and in this case I think most flaws are due to the film being rushed, or Kaneko not having the necessary control. I give the film an 8/10.

^ I agree with this. It's a solid G film, and the best since the 80's (IMO).

[DaddlerTheDalek]

GMK is a very Impressive Godzilla Movie. One of The Best.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

Its funny how nobody says anything about Ghidorah being smaller than Godzilla and whining about Heisei Rodan at the same time.