Godzilla is retiring!

You're right Larry, there really is no defending the Japanese Godzilla films...and no reason to, either. You either love 'em or you don't...and I do!
"The willful suspension of disbelief."
Something I'm very good at!

Oh, Gojira will be back. That guy has retired more than Michael Jordan. I hope when he comes back he's less anime.

American Godzilla was a pretty mediocre movie. Devlin and Emmerich learned well the old proverb, No One Ever Went Poor Underestimating the American Public. I found many of the telegraphed gags to be insulting. But at least it moved. It had decent pacing.

Come on, guys, admit it. As much as I adore Godzilla and the Japanese flicks, they are absolutely terrible. They are only tolerated here because of the nostalgia of many of us for Godzilla. They are brain-numbingly dull and so stupid they really tempt you to blow your brains out. Only GMK, by far the best G movie made in over twenty years, is roughly on par with the American Godzilla.

Yes, I did really dislike the fact that they veered so far from the Japanese creature design. And it didn't help that he had no one to fight.

Too bad Jan de Bont wasn't given the budget he wanted to make it. That would have been a kick-hiney movie.

Ok, Larry Ebert signing off.

G2K made it to the theaters? That's good to hear!

Hi Brian!
Godzilla 2000 was in theaters, but other than the US movie (it was OK, not as "campy" as the originials), and Godzilla 1985 was in theaters. But that's all I know about in the last 20 years.

Glad I'm not the only one!

Hey folks, here's a Q for ya: Which was the last Godzilla film to show in general release (i.e., in theaters) in the US? (or elsewhere outside of Japan)?
Has anything since "Godzilla 1985" hit the theaters over there?

Im with you j hulk I liked the US G although Im a diehard fan of the originals and I did like the G 2000 alot cause its been so long since weve had a G movie I was getting the shakes.

Yup, he'll be back!

As far as the big build up to the US G goes, living here in Japan, I missed it all. Movies in general here get minimal advertising, so before I saw it, I really didn't know much about it.
I heard about the incredible media hype it had back in the States, and it's no wonder it couldn't live up to it. Too bad, as I think it's a decent flick on it's own. It suffers most when fans take a "Heck no, that ain't Godzilla!" attitude.

Anyway, we'll see what kind of "ideas" Toho can come up with for the 50th anniversary film. Opens here in Japan December 11th.
Lotsa monsters, for sure!

QUOTE: Originally posted by J-Hulk I guess I'm one of the very few individuals who actually really enjoyed the US Godzilla (or at least will admit it). Not really as "Godzilla," the legend we know and love and don't want changed, but as a cool giant monster flick, well done, with good production values and excellent special effects. I really liked the US Godzilla design, too. A complete deviation from the Toho design and personality (running from tanks? Hah!), but still a cool design and charactor in its own right.

This might have worked better for me if Dean Devlin hadn't set himself and his movie up for a big fall beforehand, by proclaiming things like "Godzilla is a great character who has never been in a great movie" or something like that (implying that the American G98 was going to be that one "great" movie that would give Godzilla his "big break" in the movie business). If they had called the movie "Igauansaurus" or something like that and tried to just play it as a homage/update of 50's radioactive monster movies, it *might* have worked, like ID4 had (or at least it worked for me as "entertainment" and not some deep cinematic or sf experience.)

Anyways, regarding Godzilla's latest "retirement".... I'm not shedding any tears. I remember his "first" retirement, when they killed him off because "there weren't any ideas left". When Toho thinks the time is right to make some more yen, he'll be back. In the meantime, I don't think there will be any lack of garage kits. There seems to be a new generation of garage kit sculptors and Toho is granting licenses for a wider variety of kits (for example, the veritable army of SMOG MONSTER related kits that Atelier cranked out last year). So I think things are looking good at last for kit-building Godzilla fans.

I guess I'm one of the very few individuals who actually really enjoyed the US Godzilla (or at least will admit it).
Not really as "Godzilla," the legend we know and love and don't want changed, but as a cool giant monster flick, well done, with good production values and excellent special effects. I really liked the US Godzilla design, too. A complete deviation from the Toho design and personality (running from tanks? Hah!), but still a cool design and charactor in its own right.

I think what most folks were disappointed about is that the state of the art SFX technology wasn't applied to the good ol' Toho design, which, admittedly, disappointed me, too. Sure would have liked to have seen the '91 G design get the big budget FX treatment!

Well, Toho has one more shot at it before G retires, so let's see what they can do!
I can't wait to see what they do with the designs of the ten other monsters that will be featured!

The American version was goofey. But I still thought it was okay. A lot of "hidden" jokes and all. I still like TOHO better. snif* snif*

QUOTE: Originally posted by MadModelFactory You mistunderstood me there. he came back from retirement AFTER American Godzilla to show how it is done properly.

My mistake. Sorry! But I'm glad that I am not the only one who did not appreciate how Godzilla was portrayed.

Looks like it might be a cool final flick. In addition to the Big G, ten other Toho creatures are going to be featured (couldn't find any names yet).

Here's a piece of the page from the Toho Godzilla website:



It says:
A Work Commemorating Godzilla' s 50th Anniversary
The End of a Fifty-Year History


I think I'm gonna cry...

As bad as some of the Toho movies were, the U.S Godzilla was an unfunny joke. I'll miss the big Green One, it's kinda sad.....then i really got drpressed when i realized Godzilla is 4 years younger than me!

I didn't even bother watching the American version after watching the previews. It just isn't the same being "digitized".

Oh no, they say He's gotta go...

No more Godzilla? I think I'll cry. I love that big green guy! :-(

QUOTE: Originally posted by ragnarokk1977 Pardon me but IMOP, the american godzilla sucked. I hated it when they portrayed Godzilla as some sort of destructive machine.

You mistunderstood me there. he came back from retirement AFTER American Godzilla to show how it is done properly.

American Godzilla, IMHO, should have been called Jurassic Park III fits in better on that movie series.

BTW, I also thaught it sucked but than so do 90% of the movies coming out of Hollywood.

Well-he is getting long in the tooth. Maybe he'll retire as often as the Stones.

Godzilla Vs. King Kong.....a non stop riot, it always brings back fond memories.

I'd hate to see Godzilla retire. One of the first model kits I started out with was the old Godzilla kit with glow in the dark parts, and a wrecked city base.

DJ

QUOTE: OTOH, Godzilla came out of retirement a few times previously, last time was in order to the american godzilla how to do it properly.

Pardon me but IMHO, the american godzilla sucked. I hated it when they portrayed Godzilla as some sort of destructive machine.

He'll stay retired just long enough to make a big revival comeback not seem silly.
Or until Toho realizes they ain't making enough yen with Hamtaro alone!!

His last "retirement" only lasted four years: 1996-2000.

I hope this years' flick is better than the last coupla outings!

And if Mecha-Godzilla OR Mothra are in it again...well...sure, I'll go see it, but GEEZ!

sad yet it might be a cool thing thats happening ????

Here is the news flash about it:

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20040303p2a00m0dm004000c.html

Doesn't sound like anything 100% final and set in stone, but it looks like a new generation might take over.

oh by the way got the Appleseed DVD today , WOW brought back fond times in high school .

Maybe Godzuki ( is that spelled right ) will take over his pops role and become the new king of the monsters ?

QUOTE: Originally posted by paulnchamp What will this do to the Japanese economy?!

Not much. I guess Sony is also ok with it, as they own the rights to Godzilla.

What will this do to the Japanese economy?!

I loved Spaceship Yamato...!

Dan

QUOTE: Originally posted by kaleu Oh the humanity, he can't leave!! A childhood icon for me.....

Real problem is that some of the staff that produce those movies are getting quiet old, some been working on the first Film.

It is not uncommon for a Series to be cancelled in japan when the main-actor, director or even the voice actor dies or retires.

Heck, even colour changes in Anime can doom a show (Spaceship Yamato).