Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

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latinothor
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by latinothor »

Why not? It's one of the best and most beloved movies in the genre, and the broad comedy helps demonstrate how much variety exists in said genre when it's shown alongside almost any other entry.
I tried showing King Kong vs Godzilla to a couple of 'uninitiated' , and they couldn't stop ridiculing the movie (or got extremely bored). I suppose one has to be a fan to like KKvsG .

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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by eabaker »

latinothor wrote:
Why not? It's one of the best and most beloved movies in the genre, and the broad comedy helps demonstrate how much variety exists in said genre when it's shown alongside almost any other entry.
I tried showing King Kong vs Godzilla to a couple of 'uninitiated' , and they couldn't stop ridiculing the movie (or got extremely bored). I suppose one has to be a fan to like KKvsG .
KKvsG is one of the movies that made me a fan. If anything I find that the comedy elements give it an appeal to non-fans that a lot of other movies in the series lack.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Mr_Goji_and_Watch »

The Kong suit and puppets are so bad I wouldn't show the film to anyone unless they're forgiving enough to let it slide or they have some context for the production. Its a good movie, but its a lot harder to appreciate as opposed to say Mothra vs Godzilla or Monster Zero.
Last edited by Mr_Goji_and_Watch on Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by eabaker »

Mr_Goji_and_Watch wrote:The Kong suit is so bad I wouldn't show the film to anyone unless they're forgiving enough to let it slide or they have some context for the production.
I've never totally understood people's complaints with the Kong suit. Of course it's silly looking, but I can't really imagine a "better" Kong suit suiting the tone of the movie very well.

Anyway, I guess pretty much anybody I respect enough to watch/talk movies with wouldn't dismiss a flick over the quality of the special effects regardless.

And why would you show anybody any movie without giving them some context for the production first?

ETA: Man, I probably come off as a real jerk in the middle sentence of this post.

ETA again: And I actually see Mothra vs. Godzilla as one that requires more investment as a fan, because you have to take these monsters somewhat seriously going into it.
Last edited by eabaker on Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Mr_Goji_and_Watch »

eabaker wrote: I've never totally understood people's complaints with the Kong suit. Of course it's silly looking, but I can't really imagine a "better" Kong suit suiting the tone of the movie very well.
Yeah, KKvG doesn't take itself seriously, but anybody who isn't a fan is going to laugh at the film, not with it. The Kong suit and monster puppets are a clear weakspot of the production considering how the actual Godzilla suit looks far better as does most of the other effects.
Anyway, I guess pretty much anybody I respect enough to watch/talk movies with wouldn't dismiss a flick over the quality of the special effects regardless.
Most people I know wouldn't care about effects too much either, but KKvG solidifies the (negative) notion of obviously cheap monster effects. Not the first movie I'd show someone when Mothra vs Godzilla is around.
And why would you show anybody any movie without giving them some context for the production first?
Of course I'm going to tell people to temper their expectations on the effects as it's an old movie and all, but I can't blame them for criticising some of the effects as even for the time they were mediocre.
ETA again: And I actually see Mothra vs. Godzilla as one that requires more investment as a fan, because you have to take these monsters somewhat seriously going into it.
The movie plays itself straight enough to set the tone and the audiences expectations. The monster designs don't have anything glaringly artificial about them in comparison to Kong's intentional silliness. There's some comedic bits but the film is set to deliver some light drama and spectacle rather than satirize and can be taken more seriously.
Last edited by Mr_Goji_and_Watch on Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Moogabunga wrote:Ive said it before and I'll gladly say it again, this is going to be the best Godzilla film ever and more importantly, its going to be the film that truly makes Godzilla mainstream (and cool)
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by New Kirk Citizen »

It would depend on the person. My nephew became a big Godzilla fan after watching G14, and I wanted to introduce him to the Toho movies. He's only 11 and probably wouldn't appreciate the older films, I thought. So, I showed him Godzilla x Mechagodzilla, and he enjoyed it. We also watched GMK, but he didn't understand why Godzilla was so different in that one. Surprisingly, I had GTTHM on one afternoon, and he sat down and watched for a little while. He likes anything with Godzilla now, but seems to favor the newer stuff. The rest are more of a curiosity.

If someone is older, I would probably go with either Mothra vs Godzilla or the '54 film. Even though my first G film was KKvG, I likely wouldn't present that as their first experience with Godzilla.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by cmdmstudios »

For the most general audience, I'd say GMK, G2K, and Shin Godzilla are probably the best ones to start out with. The effects are updated enough on them for them to give a chance, and each are very well made.

If the person you're showing it to is an anime fan, then definitely Godzilla X Mechagodzilla or Godzilla vs Biollante, as those two seem to have the most anime-like plots.

If the person doesn't mind older FX work, or just enjoy classic cinema, then Mothra vs Godzilla and the original Gojira would be great fits.

Old-school sci-fi fans would probably most appreciate Monster Zero.

With the younger kids, just about any of them would work, though the Showa films would probably be the best route.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

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Living Corpse wrote:My family, unless it has an actor they recognise, they just aren't interested.
Maybe someone like Raymond Burr, or Nick Adams, or Brian Cranston?
Movies too old, they don't know who Nick is, surprisingly they did see 2014 but I feel it's a combo of they know Brian, the movie was new and it was a Hollywood flick instead of a foreign one.

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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Mr. Xeno »

Ignoring the fact that the Heisei Gamera Trilogy is obviously the best introduction to the world of Japanese giant monsters, I would probably go with Biollante. Not only is it simply one of the best Godzilla films, but it's in a tonal sweet spot where it's serious enough to be appreciated by a general audience member, while not being SO serious as to be potentially boring (like Shin or '54). Godzilla X MechaGodzilla also fits this bill very well.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by eabaker »

Mr_Goji_and_Watch wrote:
eabaker wrote: I've never totally understood people's complaints with the Kong suit. Of course it's silly looking, but I can't really imagine a "better" Kong suit suiting the tone of the movie very well.
Yeah, KKvG doesn't take itself seriously, but anybody who isn't a fan is going to laugh at the film, not with it.
That's an awfully broad assumption, and it hasn't been true in my experience at all. Everybody I can remember showing KKvsG to has been able to grasp the tone and respond appropriately.

Again, I want to stress that these kinds of choices have to be tailored to the individual viewer.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by latinothor »

I really do love GFW.
So do I! Please make sure you show your appreciation for the film in my poll:

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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Billzilla1974 »

Godzilla vs Hedorah, it was weird enough to perk the interest of my friend three years ago (fresh off seeing 2014), the contrasting light and dark moments in the film allowed my friend to both respect the fights, but also riff with me on the sillier moments. I've shown him most of the series, preferred the Showa movies, and enjoyed Kong: Skull Island.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Gigantis »

I like to show people each different ways Godzilla can be interpreted in film. Start with 1954, then go to the campy Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. Then head off to either Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah to show the darker, yet action themed Heisei. G2000 for the Millennium feel, and Shin Godzilla to show what new, wacky ways he's being portrayed now. Which films i show them after depends on which film they like the most!
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Major sssspielberg! »

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla and Final Wars are primo normie bait.
Vs Hedorah and Gigan too.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by GojiDog »

For kids, I'd start off with Son of Godzilla. I feel like its a perfect introduction for kids. Its got a light hearted tone, fun comedy moments, a surprisingly heartfelt ending, and it still manages to deliver the goods on the monster end, which us fans love.

For everyone else, I'd start off by asking "What are you in the mood for?"

You want something more serious? Go for 1954 original, G84, or Shin.

You want something goofy? Go for Revenge, Hedorah, or Megalon

You want something that's a bit more balanced: Most of the Heisei films find a decent balance between serious and off the wall crazy.

You want straight up wall to wall monster action? Destroy All Monsters, Final Wars, Ghidorah TTHM and Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla 93 fit that bill.

Is there a specific monster you want to see? For example, my brother in law saw KOTM and really liked Rodan and Mothra, so I recommended some films featuring them.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Voyager »

First of all there’s the big 3.

Gojira
Shin Gojira
G14

After that I show them.

Final Wars and MG74 for some normie crap.
Mothra vs Godzilla and Ghidorah for some early Showa greatness.
G84, Biollante and GvKG for a good introduction to the Heisei Era.
G2K for that millennium feel.

Other films would be Megalon, DAM, GxMG, KKvG and KOTM.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by HedorahIsBestGirl »

In general, I think it's really hard to introduce adults to the Godzilla franchise because it seems that most who didn't grow up watching these movies aren't willing to accept the dated special effects work. Suitimation, in particular, is something that people who didn't grow up watching see as something inherently mockable. It doesn't help that a lot of people don't want to watch the movies with subtitles because "I dOn'T lIkE rEaDiNg My MoViEs!!!" but if shown the dubbed versions will once again respond by mocking the often-shoddy voice acting and the lack of synchronicity between words and lip movements.

When I was younger, I showed most of my friends some Godzilla movies. Some took to them, some didn't. The Toho films my friends enjoyed the most were Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Terror of Mechagodzilla, Godzilla 2000, GMK and GFW. To be honest, I think Godzilla '14 is probably the best film to introduce Western fans to the franchise if they're going in having never seen a kaiju movie. If they can appreciate an "Americanized" Godzilla film then show them some of the classics. Of course, there are certainly some who can appreciate the effects work and stylistic choices in the older Godzilla films that won't like the MonsterVerse movies, but for Millennials/Gen Zers I've found the highest success rate with Godzilla 2014.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Destoroyah of Worlds »

Godzilla 1954 and Shin seem like a great place to start.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by Tyrant_Lizard_King »

The MonsterVerse films are a bit tricky. They're are very distinctly American in a lot of ways so older viewers and general moviegoers might gravitate towards only them for that simple fact alone. I find the Heisei era is probably a better introduction as they're modern enough to not feel too old but retain enough of the genre staples to not feel too distant from the classic films.
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Re: Which Godzilla films would you introduce your friends and family to the series with?

Post by eabaker »

Huh. In my experience, being old is part of what makes the Showa movies so appealing to new viewers. They seem to take a sense of history from them that they don't get from any of the subsequent eras. The Heisei movies also tend to be a little too stylistically bland to get new viewers really excited, in my experience.
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