Talkback Thread #12: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

[Guardian7]

It is probably my least favorite film of Godzilla.
The Characters in it, Though others might find them lovable or whatever. I find them incredibly annoying. I get the comedic element they were shooting for. I just wish it had been possible to write a little bit better of a script. Maybe had more military personnel and lose one of the losers.
Saying it is so bad it's good still isn't saying it is a good movie.

The special effects and use of stock footage only really annoy me during the Anguirus portion.

The cast of characters utterly ruins this film for me.
I have both versions... they are exactly the same (Jap/Eng).

I also have some of the premiere footage and commercials for this film that are almost better than the entire movie itself.

Could have been way better than what we got.

[edgaguirus]

It's a favorite of mine. As an Anguirus fan, I like seeing him in action. Some of the lighting, like when Gigan is shown against the firelight, and the music are good. The acting needs work, but it's an entertaining entry.

[Legionmaster]

Indeed. It's like Akira Ifukube's greatest hits or something It's fantastic, and a lot of the themes actually fit the scenes they accompany quite well.

It's probably one of my favorite Godzilla soundtracks ever. It's simply perfect. And, frankly, it helps the movie out a lot.

[Kubo]

@ Legionmaster: Can you imagine Godzilla Vs. Gigan with the soundtrack from Godzilla Vs. Megalon? Oh my Godzilla, the movie would have been just baaad! But then again, some scenes are cool, like when Gigan is standing in the fire. That scene, to this day, is my favorite in the entire Godzilla series

[JVM]

This is the first thread in months I've seen where people knocked GvG lol

Anyway, it's a fine film. I wouldn't call it one of Godzilla's best, but it's better than any of the 90s or 00s films (aside GMK of course)

[DrKaiju1954]

It was one of the first godzilla movies I ever saw so I have a soft spot for it,its not as bad as people make it out to be but it can be bad

[Kubo]

This WAS my first Godzilla movie and I didn't know what to expect so I freaking hated it with a passion, but I got this movie recently and after seeing many of the other movies, this one does have something about it that I love.

[GodzillaXGomoraFight]

I finally saw a portion of it after not watching it for at leat 5 years. Being one of my first Showa films, this movie has some value to me. I would say it is a decent film, and I liked this one better than Megalon by far. This one had 4 of my favorite monsters in the Showa Series. I also loved seeing Anguirus in the folm as well. Though it is somewhat irrelevant to the discussion, I noticed that the ending theme in the Japanese version (Do not remember the English soundtrack very well) is used in the rap song Dump the Clip by Jedi Mind Tricks. It sounds cheezy in the film, but when used in a rap, it sounds a lot better.

[Kubo]

@ GodzillaXGomoraFight: Huh...I never would have noticed that...I feel like this movie should suck because of all the flaws in the movie presentation, but its just like Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) in the way that it's so much fun to watch.

[Kubo]

This movie is my favorite. The look of the film is what's always interested me. It's just so out of place you you know?

Yeah the way it just plays out is just so captivating and I always find myself glued to the screen from beginning to end. The only part I don't like is the talking between Godzilla an Anguiras, even though I have concluded that that is from the audio tapes messing up their brains or something i don't know I'm just guessing.

[Showa Gyaos]

There's people who hate this movie?

Yep. Myself included. It's too boring, and stock footage is ever present.

[Kubo]

That comic book intro is freaking A though. You can't deny that one!

[Tohosaurus]

The film itself is fail, but Gigan is cool.

[DaiKamonohashi]

Godzilla Vs. Gigan is my favorite film of all time.

Fukuda a bad director? Hardly! He's very stylish, actually, and he does just as good a job at directing the characters as Honda did. As an aspiring amateur filmmaker I would actually say that Fukuda has had a far greater influence on my own style than Honda (though I have crazy amounts of respect for Honda). The worst directors in the series were Omori and Okawara. Oh, and the guy who directed Space Godzilla. Sea Monster, Son of Godzilla, vsGigan, vsMegalon, and vsMechagodzilla are all leagues better than the five excuses for films that came out of the 90s.

[Kubo]

GvGi has some moments that really make it unique and just fun in general. Okay that stock footage thing sucks and i can agree with that, but take away that part and you find yourself with a sugar coated turd. It may be bad in reality, but to some of us it is a sweet treat.

[DaiKamonohashi]

I don't really see it as bad for what it is. The script is silly but it's still effective - actually, it probably even has fewer plot holes than, say, Monster Zero! By the standards of 1970s tokusatsu, the plot is exactly what it ought to be - if you don't believe me, go watch the same year's Ultraman Ace and you'll find that Gigan's plot isn't even half as ridiculous as the stuff they cook up there. The absurdity is entirely intentional, so I hesitate to call it bad for that reason.

As for the stock footage, it kind of couldn't be helped. The film industry was literally dying at that point in time and Godzilla movies were still being produced merely for Toho's children's festivals. Given those restrictions, copious stock footage was about all that they were able to get away with until Toho decided to raise the budget for the 20th anniversary and Mechagodzilla. I would have preferred entirely new footage but I find the stock footage incredibly entertaining. It becomes a game, almost - what movie did this scene come from? Spot Mothra! Etc. The stock footage is about the only thing I'd call "bad" but it's forgivable to me, given the state of the industry. Everything else is merely par for the course for 70s tokusatsu.

[Kubo]

Okay Legion, they were on a tight budget from the Oil Crisis in the 70's (it has some affiliation with Toho and its business...) and Toho didn't want to end with the crap stain All Monsters Attack. The making of the stock footage infested films wasn't for the biggest wow's from critics and it wasn't intended for adults. Godzilla needed to change to continue advancing the series. Was this bad? I say no...Godzilla made some of the classicest (that is a word i just now made) movies in Toho history in the 70s and i argue that Toho didn't continue to whore out Godzilla, but to keep him going, since they knew they were onto something big...literally i suppose...

[DaiKamonohashi]

...the crap stain All Monsters Attack.

...is a thousand times more entertaining that the 90s films or Final Wars. <3

[Ethan]

I've watched Godzilla vs. Gigan recently and noticed that the shot at the end in which Godzilla turns to farewell the main characters is the same one in the opening credits when he fires his breath, something I hadn't figured out all these years. Regardless it's a fun film, very campy and colorful.

[DaiKamonohashi]

...the crap stain All Monsters Attack.

...is a thousand times more entertaining that the 90s films or Final Wars. <3

*high fives his new best friend, DaiKamonohashi*

*high fives*