Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by MechaGoji Bro7503 »

Legion1979 wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:03 pm To be honest, i stand firm that it's all pretty much Ifukube. Watch the sequence with the sound off. Outside of maybe that last CGI shot of Godzilla finally melting down, it just doesn't work. In fact, that random smoke ring floating out of one the shots takes me out of the sequence every single time. But add Ifukube's requiem and, Christ, you get goosebumps.

Ifukube's scores are why anything in the Heisei series works at all.
A fair assessment that I definitely agree with. Ifukube was playing with pianos on fire, while the writers and directors gave a little thought into these movies.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by Legion1979 »

Ifukube was used as a crutch in most of these films. The score of G84 was just fine, I have no real complaints. But (and I'm prepared for the attack) I think the Biollante score was a disaster. It was a rushed mess that didn't fit the tone of the movie and was edited into the film with little skill or grace. Then Ifukube came back. You can really tell just how much the man helped these movies when you get to Space Godzilla and everything falls apart.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

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Legion1979 wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:03 pm Ifukube's scores are why anything in the Heisei series works at all.
The Return of Godzilla had never seen such bullshit before.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by Legion1979 »

Spuro wrote: Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:28 pm
Legion1979 wrote: Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:03 pm Ifukube's scores are why anything in the Heisei series works at all.
The Return of Godzilla had never seen such bullshit before.
My comment right above yours literally says that I think the score for G84 is fine. I dont really lump that movie with the rest of the Heisei series when I criticize them.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by shadowgigan »

Ifukube's scores lended a sense of "credibility" to these films, in some aspects. You can say a lot about Godzilla, but can't really argue Ifubuke's compositions were poorly written or poorly performed.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by edgaguirus »

Ifukube did set the standard for those following him, and his music never fails to impress.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by LegendZilla »

shadowgigan wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:47 am Ifukube's scores lended a sense of "credibility" to these films, in some aspects. You can say a lot about Godzilla, but can't really argue Ifubuke's compositions were poorly written or poorly performed.
Do you think it was due to the fact he scored the Heisei films past his prime? Do you feel he should've retired after the Showa era?

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by shadowgigan »

LegendZilla wrote: Mon Jan 31, 2022 6:31 pm
shadowgigan wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:47 am Ifukube's scores lended a sense of "credibility" to these films, in some aspects. You can say a lot about Godzilla, but can't really argue Ifubuke's compositions were poorly written or poorly performed.
Do you think it was due to the fact he scored the Heisei films past his prime? Do you feel he should've retired after the Showa era?
I think you are misinterpreting my comment, I am praising Ifukube's work in the Heisei series. I think Ifukube's scores are one aspect of Godzilla than everyone can agree rises to a "higher
form of art. even among non-fans, provided they have actually listened to the music.

Sorry, not really sure if we are understanding eachother's positions :lol:

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by GiveBackTheSun22 »

I did a marathon of every one of the Heisei films recently and I've come to the conclusion that this film as a standalone movie is way less impactful than if you watch the full arc of this iteration of Godzilla. I used to think this film was massively overrated but watching it after getting attached to the characters over the course of the whole Heisei series really allowed me to appreciate it fully.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by JAGzilla »

Rewatching this now for the first time in about nine years, and for the first time with 'Blu-ray quality' picture and sound. The Hong Kong attack is an exciting start, I'll say that. Burning Godzilla is something to behold, and Ifukube does more than enough heavy lifting to cover for the shoddy footage of people going about their business like nothing's happening.

EDIT: For all the bad shots, though, there are some nice ones. The JMSDF ship paralleling Godzilla's tail, for one, and Miki's helicopter flying into the sunset.

EDIT: We complain a lot about Bandai toys and Alien ripoffs, and don't complain enough about Yoko Ishino's total inability to emote convincingly, and it really doesn't hold up against similar American sequences, but the special forces vs. Destoroyah Aggregates scene was still pretty cool and unique for the Godzilla series. The Aggregates are decent looking monsters, reasonably intimidating, and there are a lot of shots that make them look good. I love that moment where the car gets sliced in half, too.

And then that clunky-ass Super-X III intro derails everything. Oh well, at least Ifukube gave it a nice theme song.

EDIT: Whatever you want to say about fat rolls and sparks, Kawakita's effects people were damn good at making the military superweapon props. SXIII and the CryoLaser tanks look cool as hell.

EDIT: And it's over. The Heisei movies aren't as artistically produced or charming as their Showa predecessors, but I do see why they get the love that they do from the fandom at large. They're good at being cool. Godzilla and Destoroyah squaring off in the final battle, screaming their heads off at each other, blasting and lasering and clawing and body checking, blood spraying everywhere, chunks of flesh being blown away... it's a spectacle. It's badass. It's not paced very well and Destoroyah is ultimately pointless, but as a big scary bastard that's just there to cause problems, he does his job. And I never appreciated him on low definition TV broadcasts with shitty sound, but Burning Godzilla is impressive. I understand why the fantasy match crowd holds him in high regard. He looks and feels powerful, and the suit is fantastic from the waist up.

Junior is beloved, but I would say he's a good example of bad Heisei execution. He's as ugly and awkward and derpy looking as Minya, but has almost none of Minya's charm to make up for it.

There's very little to say about the human element. They mostly just narrate the monster action. It occurs to me that KoTM's massive emphasis on telling over showing was probably inspired to a large extent by this movie. The overall writing and acting can be summed up that stupid expression of vaguely concerned disgust Yoko Ishino had on her face the whole time.
Last edited by JAGzilla on Fri Jun 24, 2022 10:54 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by LegendZilla »

^Imagine if they made special editions of Heisei films with enhanced effects.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by JAGzilla »

LegendZilla wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:27 pm ^Imagine if they made special editions of Heisei films with enhanced effects.
No, thank you, I'm fine. These movies are what they are, and that's all they should be. No George Lucas stupidity, please.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by Voyager »

LegendZilla wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:27 pm ^Imagine if they made special editions of Heisei films with enhanced effects.
Please god no. I do not need a singing CGI cringefest.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by LegendZilla »

Voyager wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:52 pm
LegendZilla wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:27 pm ^Imagine if they made special editions of Heisei films with enhanced effects.
Please god no. I do not need a singing CGI cringefest.
I figured it would have an opposite effect on this fandom that updating the OT did with the SW fandom.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by Voyager »

LegendZilla wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 2:18 am
Voyager wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:52 pm
LegendZilla wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:27 pm ^Imagine if they made special editions of Heisei films with enhanced effects.
Please god no. I do not need a singing CGI cringefest.
I figured it would have an opposite effect on this fandom that updating the OT did with the SW fandom.
Based on what, might I ask?
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by LegendZilla »

Voyager wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:05 am
LegendZilla wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 2:18 am
Voyager wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:52 pm

Please god no. I do not need a singing CGI cringefest.
I figured it would have an opposite effect on this fandom that updating the OT did with the SW fandom.
Based on what, might I ask?
The original Star Wars trilogy is revered and its special effects were groundbreaking for its time, which is why people would understandably get upset over people trying to change it. The Heisei Godzilla series has a more polarized reception over here, especially In regards to its effects, so I’m guessing many would consider it an improvement.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by UltramanGoji »

LegendZilla wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 1:26 pm The original Star Wars trilogy is revered and its special effects were groundbreaking for its time, which is why people would understandably get upset over people trying to change it. The Heisei Godzilla series has a more polarized reception over here, especially In regards to its effects, so I’m guessing many would consider it an improvement.
No, it would still be tampering with a pre-existing work for utterly no reason. I don't think the Heisei films are all that stunning visually but a Special Edition of them would just be worthless.
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by LegendZilla »

^Better to tamper with a pre-existing work with a mostly negative-mixed reception as opposed to loved by virtually everyone.

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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by UltramanGoji »

LegendZilla wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:47 pm ^Better to tamper with a pre-existing work with a mostly negative-mixed reception as opposed to loved by virtually everyone.
Or...or...stay with me on this...don't tamper with pre-existing work at all?
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Re: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Post by Ivo-goji »

LegendZilla wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:47 pm ^Better to tamper with a pre-existing work with a mostly negative-mixed reception as opposed to loved by virtually everyone.
The Heisei series' reception is relatively positive in Japan.

I imagine the Japanese fandom would react to the Heisei Godzilla films being digitally defiled about the same way they'd react to the Showa series getting the same treatment.
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