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

[Giga Kaiju]

some good gmk goji pics if anyone is interested http://godzillatw.web.fc2.com/godzillam ... efault.htm

Heh heh, Big G gettin the ladies there.

Godzilla is the man. I like all of the Behind the scenes photos there
hopefully when LP GODZILLA comes arounds we will get them in future re-releases of DVD or
Blu-Ray.

[Mincecraft]

Ya, I know. That is my favorite suit, it is BAD-F**KIN'-ASS.

This is also my fav movie after the original. Great music, great effects (Godzilla obliterating the military is the best ever), just great overall.

If I could own that suit, I would.

Probably with Baragon too (that suit reminds me of my friend's bulldog).

[Rody]

some good gmk goji pics if anyone is interested http://godzillatw.web.fc2.com/godzillam ... efault.htm

Many of these pictures still refuse to show, even after multiple page refreshings.

[TheregoesTokyo]

I know everyone has a different image of what makes a "good" Godzilla movie. Here's my take on GMK:

- I liked somethings they did with his suit; namely they made him more terrifying, especially the eyes. I could not get passed the fact that they made him look grossly overweight, and shrunk his spines.
- The movie flowed very well, and was quite suspenseful. He was scary again!
- I did not care for the new back story and how they rewrote the history of almost all the monsters.
- Worst special effects of the Shinsei Series.
- The fights were not particularly good until the end.

oh and..

Best Godzilla Breath Weapon EVER!

Over all I thought is was pretty good, but I think they took a step back in too many other places.

-TGT

[Tohosaurus]

- Worst special effects of the Shinsei Series.

Megaguirus takes that cake.

[Rody]

Over all I thought is was pretty good, but I think they took a step back in too many other places.

A step back from what?? It's better than any other G films from the 90's & 00's.

[Showa Gyaos]

My favorite photo from this bunch:

[Reaper Man]

I thought it was quite good. Interesting and original take on Godzilla. I'd type up a review, but I am lazy.

[Rody]

My favorite photo from this bunch:

I can't see it!
(...And yes, I tried refreshing.)

[Jubei]

This movie, next to the original '54 film, contains the most haunting scene of the series: The classroom getting ready for drills, the blast of light, and the grade school teacher seeing the mushroom cloud and quietly muttering "An atom bomb?" Brings the series back to it's original intent, and it's a risky move on director Kaneko's part to take the series back to it's roots in such a visceral way and use the visual of the atom bomb directly, but I think it gives the film extra weight and takes us to some uncomfortable places that none of the other films have dared touch since Honda's original masterpiece.

[Mincecraft]

^ It's certainly one of those memorable "oomph" moments

[Gojira1963]

This as requested by a member and it is one of my favorite Godzilla movies.


I think my favorite Godzilla movie is the 1954 original. It has a somber and serious tone. Artistically and creatively it is the best. Right behind that movie is Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (GMK) released in 2001. In someways it is a more enjoyable movie than the original because there are some lighthearted moments too, along with great action sequences, making it more fun to watch. Like the others in the millennium series this movie ignores all the others that went before it and acts like a direct sequel to the 1954 original movie. Like the original Godzilla this Godzilla is at his most malevolent and destructive behavior. This movie also features one of the most coolest and slickest designed Godzilla suits. Godzilla's eyes in this suit have no pupils and are totally white giving Godzilla an evil menacing look. The dorsal fins on his spine begin lower and appear to be heavier and actually cumbersome to Godzilla as he walks. I have read some com plaints about the suit that it makes Godzilla look fat. Well, he does have a bit of a gut on him and I as I look at other suits from the past, having a Godzilla that is bottom heavy is not without precedence.

The movie also takes what I think is a very creative path in developing Godzilla's origins. Since this is a direct sequel to the original Toho could ignore the other continuities and they were free to explain his origins anew. In this movie Godzilla's origins are shrouded in Japanese mysticism. Godzilla is now the embodiment of the angry souls of those vanquished during World War II. The route they took in using a mystical approach may seem silly and implausible to an American audience steeped in the Western Civilization's tradition of relying on the scientific method in explaining phenomenon, However, I find it refreshingly creative and it exemplifies the different mindset of the Japanese culture. Although Godzilla is no longer a force of nature the anger and the rage driving the creature makes him just as unpredictable and destructive.

Going further into Japanese mysticism is the appearance of the old man who is similar to a Wizard like mentor in western cultures that prophesies and warns people of the future. Another aspect of mysticism the old man delivers is the ancient concept of the guardian monsters. These ancient creatures are foretold in legend. Baragon, Mothra, and King Ghidorah, who must be awoken to protect Japan should Godzilla return to destroy the country. This idea is also new and creative. GMK was the 25th Godzilla movie and how many different plots and story lines can you create around the theme of a monster attacking a city or battling other monsters? Toho continually tired to create new scenarios on a theme that can easily become clichéd and formulaic. GMK, with its mystical approach and concept of the guardian monsters, offers something new, exciting and different from previous films.

For this movie all three of the guardian monsters (who have been in Godzilla movies before) were made slightly smaller and weaker in power so Godzilla would appear that much stronger. They each battle Godzilla in a solo exchange. First up is Baragon. I do like this creature yet I am not crazy about monsters on all four legs there is something about that which just doesn't work for me. His roar and flapping ears are a bit silly. The special effects during these battle scenes are spectacular as the monsters are made to blend in with real world settings, as well as the usage of miniatures, in a seamless and realistic fashion. In my opinion this movie has some of the best special effects of any Godzilla movie. His atomic breath has never been better depicted as it is in this film. He creates a very symbolic and destructive mushroom cloud on his first appearance. His plasma breath is powerfully depicted destroying buildings, monsters and military equipment.

Although Godzilla makes short work of the scrappy Baragon and easily takes care of Mothra it is his battles with King Ghidorah. I have read that many fans complain to what was done to King Ghidorah in this movie. He had always been the villain and in this movie he is smaller than usual and he is one of the good guys. I can understand an empathize with those that are upset. Yet, I also can see that using him as one of the good guys makes perfect sense. In this movie there is no ambiguity about Godzilla being a bad guy. In fact he is depicted as pure malevolence and evil incarnate. So who else could face this unmovable object but the one monster that has been his most formidable foe through the entire franchise? No other monster really had the presence and the history with Godzilla such as his number one rival, King Ghidorah.

The other aspect I enjoy is the human story between Admiral Taizo Tachibana of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and his daughter Yuri, who works for a low budget science fiction movie company. Yuri is not happy in her work and wants to do more serious work. She is also not happy how women are treated in her line of work. In GMK we get to see how both a civilian and a person inside the military face the attack from Godzilla. We also see the father-daughter relationship grow and change throughout the movie. These are two characters that I did care about and was able to see the attack from Godzilla through their eyes. Great monster action needs to be tempered with a good human story and in GMK we get both of those criteria met. Also, Yuri is pretty easy on the eyes and that sure helped!

I enjoyed the serious tone of the movie and I liked the design of Godzilla and the fact that he was at his most destructive and monstrous best since both the 1954 original and the 1984 reboot. As I mentioned it is a new and unique story with good modern special effects. This is one of the best Godzilla movies Toho has to offer.

[Mincecraft]

Very good! Only thing, GMK was not an essay I expected as it is considered the best of the Millenium series (Debatable).

[Gojira1963]

Very good! Only thing, GMK was not an essay I expected as it is considered the best of the Millenium series (Debatable).

Someone asked if I would do this in the GFW thread and I said sure because it is one of my favorites. I really don't know if GMK is a controversial movie or not. I loved it.

[Kaiju-King42]

I wouldn't have considered GMK to need a defence essay, really. I thought this was this most well received film of the millennium series.

[Tohosaurus]

Yeah what KK42 said: it didn't really need a defense since it was the most successful of the Millennium movies at the box office and at least around here is the most popular on TK.

[Gojira1963]

Yeah what KK42 said: it didn't really need a defense since it was the most successful of the Millennium movies at the box office and at least around here is the most popular on TK.

As I said...someone asked for it and I was happy to oblige.

[Giga Kaiju]

When i first watched it GMK it wasnt "good" so to say but after multiple viewing of it, Its one of the
best Millenium (And of the entire series) movies ever. The relationships of the characters and how they react to all
the madness in the movie is great.

[Gawdziller]

When i first watched it GMK it wasnt "good" so to say but after multiple viewing of it, Its one of the
best Millenium (And of the entire series) movies ever. The relationships of the characters and how they react to all
the madness in the movie is great.

I find the exact opposite. I loved it when it came out, but every viewing afterward forced the film into a falling of grace. Now I can't even bear to watch it anymore, because I'm still trying to keep that positive note in my head that it's a good movie and am afraid it's going to fall into the mediocre/awful category.

[Gojira1963]

I find the exact opposite. I loved it when it came out, but every viewing afterward forced the film into a falling of grace. Now I can't even bear to watch it anymore, because I'm still trying to keep that positive note in my head that it's a good movie and am afraid it's going to fall into the mediocre/awful category.

What do you think is wrong with the film?