Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

[GojirO]

'Ya know, you can tell this asshole off on Facebook! I'm sending a nasty message!
http://www.facebook.com/mobileprotectio ... ty?fref=ts

I'm looking at you cock sucker

[MaxRebo320]

[MaxRebo320]

Any chance this spam can end sometime soon and people can go back to talking about the movie?

I wouldn't hold your breath.

[GojirO]

On other sides if the world....godzilla vs. biollante is being talked about... Lets the in.

[Llante]

Watching the Making Of featurette for the movie gave me a lot of insight into just how this film was good.

In the Making Of, they described how many of their cast and crew were new to Godzilla movies, including the director, which is strange since this is considered one of the best films in the genre. I think the reason for that is that sometimes when newcomers come to something, they can bring a fresh and different way of looking at something, which worked for this film. Also, you can tell that they were innovative since they basically took relatively unimpressive sets and made them into amazing scenes, shot good shots with never before seen cameras of their own invention, and just used imagination to breathe life in the film. And, they did it while keeping style and art at the same time as form and function.

One of the most amazing things was that to create Godzilla walking out of a volcano (a timeless scene), they actually built a volcano. Well, one that was much smaller than your typical volcano, but nevertheless, it is nice to know that they put so much effort to make such a realistic and classic scene.

As for the movie itself, it was excellent and one of my favorite films of all time.

The special effects were phenomenal and were rarely matched across the Heisei series.Everything from Godzilla emerging from the volcano, to Biollante evaporating, to the storm, to the Super X 2's scenes were just...wow. For example, Biollante was particularly well rendered considering the fact that she took up to 20 people to operate. The coordination of the man in the suit, the people operating vines, and the 20 or so people operating the lattice-work like structure to make Biollante run was amazing considering how complicated the prop was. And Koichi Kawakita and Co. performed their most amazing work here. Not only were they good and creating special effects, but they also used them effectively. Consider Biollante's sap spray which looked like vomit in production and just invoked disgust was used with not too much but just enough added in special effects to change it to a power that was more surprising and awesome than gross.

The editing was also amazing considering there were so many scenes shot, and they managed to use expert analysis to narrow down which shots were the best. I also loved the music and, well, just about everything about the film. In particular, the acting, story, and characters were all pretty great. Miki was an interesting character who would gone on to play such a big role in the Heisei series and the Saradian Agent was one of the more cool and interesting characters in the franchise. Meanwhile, Dr. Shiragami was satisfyingly unsettling. From his emotionless face to his reclusive nature to his creepy stares, he really came off as someone who could make a kaiju willingly.

Last, but not least, the two true stars of the film were at the top of their game. Godzilla was at his one of his most powerful and imposing times. In my opinion, the suit was great and trumped most other suits save Burning Godzilla, Zombiezilla, Keizer Goji, '62, and of course '54. And I would put it among those suits. Also, he really radiated the power and royalty that represents Godzilla. Not just that, but he was also fairly smart and determined. For example, he either was stubborn enough to fire at the reflective mirror until it melted or he was intelligent enough to know that it would eventually melt; either way, it fits Godzilla.

But Godzilla was matched by his costar, the macabre and earthen Biollante. First of all, the idea of a plant monster is unique around all of cinema, especially at the time, except Little Shop of Horrors and Day of the Triffids. And Biollante was different from these other monsters. It ceases to amaze me just how much work was put into the big old plant (FYI: There were over 100 designs submitted for Biollante). The rose form, first of all had a tranquility and uniqueness that really fit the design and surprised me when I first saw it. But an even more unique and excellent design was the final form which was an excellent cross between Godzilla, Erika, and a rose design-wise. Not only that, but in 4 1/2 minutes (how long the final form was present), it managed to achieve some of the most spectacular crowning moments of awesome that the series has had. Biollante running: a harsh and surprising feature that deviates from what we would expect of a plant and was an achievement of special effects. Her emergence: a quaking and ominous scene that presented to us one of the most amazing kaiju yet. Her head getting blown open only for it to heal seconds later: an amazing feat of regeneration. The impalement of Godzilla: a brutal and unforeseen scene of coolness. And the most incredible of all: trying to eat Godzilla! Talk about wow.

Anyways, I loved this film and almost everything about it.

[Arbok]

Great summary Llante, which goes to explain why this is my favorite film of all time, faults and all.

The impalement of Godzilla: a brutal and unforeseen scene of coolness.

This is such a small moment, but I agree it's so great. It's so sudden, and much more brutal than almost anything seen from monsters fighting each other in the Toho films up to that point (or at least on par with some of the stuff in Godzilla vs. Hedorah). As a kid, it certainly made an impression on me, the way Biollante so effortlessly tore Godzilla's hand to shreds, but also the way Godzilla, in true badass fashion, removes the vine from his hand where in you can see the giant hole going through the other side and he just keeps fighting.

[eabaker]

Great summary Llante, which goes to explain why this is my favorite film of all time, faults and all.

The impalement of Godzilla: a brutal and unforeseen scene of coolness.

This is such a small moment, but I agree it's so great. It's so sudden, and much more brutal than almost anything seen from monsters fighting each other in the Toho films up to that point (or at least on par with some of the stuff in Godzilla vs. Hedorah). As a kid, it certainly made an impression on me, the way Biollante so effortlessly tore Godzilla's hand to shreds, but also the way Godzilla, in true badass fashion, removes the vine from his hand where in you can see the giant hole going through the other side and he just keeps fighting.

Just showed the movie to the fiancee this weekend, and her half-wincing/half-enthusiastic cry of, "Godzilla stigmata!" at that moment took me back 20-odd years to the first time I ever saw it.

The fights in GvsB are so brief, but not a frame of film is wasted. They're beautifully shot and tightly edited.

[devingodzilla]

godzilla vs. biollante is my favorite of the entire 28 movie series. Biollante is a unique kaiju like hedorah.

[Fighing On Fuji]

I think Biollante might be my favorite Heisei film when it comes to everything involving Godzilla's presence. And given that Godzilla enjoys more screen time in this film than in any other film, it gets a huge boost. As for my favorite Heisei plot, I'd say that title goes to either 1984 or Destroyah.

One thing that really takes me out of the movie, though, is the sea-goji suit that they used for the water sequences. His head has such a distractingly huge dome, the shoulders look unnaturally boxy, and his mouth opens like a crude lever-action hinge that makes his tongue wobble like a strip of stiff rubber, which is especially noticeable in the final scene where he surfaces roaring from the water. It doesn't even look like the same individual creature, especially when we switch to the beautifully-articulated mechanical head in the same sequences.

That being said, this film nonetheless has the best visual effects of the entire series, and the coolest original kaiju since Ghidorah himself.

[eabaker]

Yeah, the awkwardness of the jaw motion in the water sequences definitely feels well below the standard of Godzilla's realization in the rest of the flick.

[heiseisaegusa]

I never really understood the ending, does biollante die? and I agree on the animatronic head, it looks so good although its a shame it contrasts with the suits used. I really liked how biollante looks more physically imposing than Godzilla although not as powerful she puts up a good fight. Also try to get the blu ray in japanese with eng subs it's way better.

[Goji]

I never really understood the ending, does biollante die?

Nope. She reverts to her spore form before taking off.

Also try to get the blu ray in japanese with eng subs it's way better.

Come again? I don't see how it's "way better" It's the exact same transfer, just a little more compressed. Besides, you'd have to make a copy of the Toho BD, then add English subs, which isn't even worth all the effort with such an affordable alternate available here in the U.S.

[heiseisaegusa]

Come again? I don't see how it's "way better" It's the exact same transfer, just a little more compressed. Besides, you'd have to make a copy of the Toho BD, then add English subs, which isn't even worth all the effort with such an affordable alternate available here in the U.S.[/quote]

Well I torrented a blu ray rip which looked better than my dvd copy and then I simply downloaded the subtitle file. When I said way better I was referring to the subs over the dub.

[Arbok]

Well yes, Blu-Ray has better quality than DVD... no real surprise there. Considering how cheap the Blu-Ray is, anyone with a player should pick up the Echo Bridge release, no questions asked at that stage.

As for the subs over dub, I actually prefer the dub track... in part because of nostalgia and in part because it masks the awful English actors.

[Goji]

I don't see how the "dubs over the subs" issue comes into play when you consider the R1 release has the option for both, and with accurate subtitles.

[eabaker]

As for the subs over dub, I actually prefer the dub track... in part because of nostalgia and in part because it masks the awful English actors.

Yeah, when I showed it to the fiancee, I opted for the direct translation subs, but during the rather key scene early on between Shiragami and his Saradian boss, I switched us over to the dubtitle track just because the scene is pretty much incomprehensible to anyone who doesn't already know what they're talking about.

[heiseisaegusa]

As for the subs over dub, I actually prefer the dub track... in part because of nostalgia and in part because it masks the awful English actors.[/quote]

Man those english actors and the assassin fellow were just terrible, I find dubbed versions hard to take seriously especailly in GvsKG, the futurians sound ridiculous.

[Goji]

Man those english actors and the assassin fellow were just terrible, I find dubbed versions hard to take seriously especailly in GvsKG, the futurians sound ridiculous.

Not really. "Ridiculous" is definitely not the word I'd use.

[eabaker]

Toho has never bothered with seeking out especially good actors for occidental roles. Heck, at times they didn't even bother with the correct nationality.

[heiseisaegusa]

Not really. "Ridiculous" is definitely not the word I'd use.[/quote]

How would you describe them then? They literally make me laugh out loud.