Official Godzilla 2016 discussion thread!

A couple of things:

For me, GMK is a kind of bookend to Gojira. I do not feel that either one is overrated. People vary as to what films they like and where they rank them. This is fine. But, I have consistently found Gojira and GMK to be not only personally satisfying, in that they transport me to somewhere I have not been by allowing me to buy into their narratives, but, they are also examples for fine filmmaking from a technical standpoint. I am still able to find myself at home with these films without having to make too many allowances. A great part of it, for me, is the writing and the story.

Are they perfect? No, they are not. But, to this fan, they are great nonetheless.

@Jamaal,

So, are you hoping that with this new Toho Godzilla film that we can start re-living the golden age of the monster boom?

Only with upgraded techniques with tokasatsu?

The Golden Age isn't coming back. But it certainly feels like there's a minor boom going on with Pacific Rim, Godzilla '14, Skull Island, Godzilla '16, Pacific Rim 2, Godzilla 2 and a possible Gamera film. (That last one seems less and less likely with every passing day.)

@BigBadBen:

I would hope that we are on the cusp of a Renaissance, or revival of a renewed love for and iinterest in tokusatsu style SPFX and films. I think Toho Godzilla 2016 is the linchpin to this happening. If Godzilla comes back in a big way, critically and box office-wise, using traditional effects, integrated with 'the latest in digital technology', who knows where it could lead? But with all of the projects on the horizon, this is a great time for fans of the genres we love. And yes, with "upgraded techniques with tokasatsu" as you mentioned. I would think that the craftsmen of this artform have been honing it over the years. This is one of the many beautiful aspects of tokusatsu: it's human, so it's imperfect, no matter how excellently done. So, it can always be improved and made more perfect.  

I think we could be on the verge of something remarkable. 

^God, I hope you are right.  I pray this film embraces the Tokusatsu tradition, and allows the craftsmen to continue their art and pass it on to a new generation.  I believe a fusion of modern and traditional techniques will create something extraordinary, like it has with the recent Ultraman films and television series. 

In the recent Tokusatsu documentary produced by NHK, Shinji Higuchi is interviewed and talked about how he never feels as though h's working when he does his special effects work, and how he still feels like a child when he watches and works on these films... a feeling he wants to pass on to the viewers he hopes to inspire.

If Toho approaches this film with that same perspective, than we are in for something amazing next year. :') 

Jamaal, and Danzilla,

I'm saying a prayer, a prayer for the whole Godzilla fan base. Neither man nor his machines are able to stop me or this creature.

^Watch out, 'Steve Martin' for those radioactive giant monsters. They tend to sneak up on reporters who, from one building, are able to cover their rampages all over town. ;) 

^

I never really gave it a lot of thought, but Steve really lucked out, location wise, in terms of being able to see Godzilla all over Tokyo. I guess veteran reporters just have that knack. Of course, the location turned out to be a little too good, actually...'This is it , George..."

HAHA! XD Poor Perry Mason... and he didn't even win a Pulitzer for his troubles.

And he should have.

But..how do let a 50 meter giant monster sneak up on you? Especially one you've been covering all night? When I dreampt about this movie, I would be in Tokyo on the night of the attack. I always, always made sure I had a visual on Godzilla. I made sure there was plenty of real estate between us. If he moved, on the compass, toward the southeast, I moved northwest. But I would always make sure I could see him. Because, if you lose sight of him, it's over. Ask the patrolmen in the police car. Well, actually, you can't ask them. Can you?

I like how Jamal singlehandedly brought up the most glaring flaw with the American version that no one has ever thought of without any real effort.

So, if Godzilla is fighting another monster, what kind of fighting style do you all want?

Since we are getting into the Raymond Burr quotes, "George, here in Tokyo time has traveled back 2 million years. This is my report as it happens. He's as tall as a 30 story building."

 ^Which at 50 meters (about 165 feet), he wasn't that tall.

I first saw Godzilla, King of the Monsters on a local t.v. station in Los Angeles in the 1960's. It was Channel 9 (now KCAL, then KHJ-TV). They had this show called Million Dollar Movie (I love that title). The way Million Dollar Movie worked was that for one week, they showed the same movie every night. What a great idea! Well, one week, the feature was GKOTM. I watched it every night. I was transfixed. It was scary, especially that spooky ritual dance with those masks on Odo Island (it still gives me the creeps). But, I couldn't turn away either. This was before DVDs and VHS. So, you had to see what you could when you could. So here was a whole week of this giant monster with a roar I'd never heard before, destroying Tokyo while 'Steve Martin' described it with a narration that was riveting. However, after a few showings, I began to notice things. One of them was Steve Martin not moving around the city. He could somehow see everything from the building he was in. But, I got beyond it, helped in great part by the scenes of destruction of this once great city. And, unlike other movie monsters, Godzilla was apparently unstoppable. Other things, though, did bother me. Like the reporters on the television tower. I think they probably got enough footage early enough to have allowed them to get down and escape. Reporters who are alive can provide better coverage than reporters who are dead. Was it a sense of duty? A kind of kamikaze spirit? But, their plunging to their deaths provided a great visual, especially from their POV. This, is simply great movie making. And it was stunning the first time I saw it.  

I would like to be stunned in this manner by the new Godzilla from Toho. So, Toho, please don't play it safe. Shock us and impress us with the power of Godzilla, the King of the Monsters.

@BigBadBen:

As far as fighting styles, I want to see Godzilla engage in battles that are fairly lengthy, not the brief encounters we saw in Final Wars. He should dominate and overcome. But the other kaiju should be formidible and scary, with frightening powers. I don't know if I want see him go down, and then wage a comeback, like Gamera. Of course, if he comes off as Gamera-like, he's going to be the hero, or at least the lesser of two evils. Because of this, the enemy kaiju has to be something horrible; in other words, The Bad Guy. But I don't want Godzilla to be too Gamera-like. Not that I don't like Gamera. Love him actually. But Godzilla should be different, not the total superhero who saves Japan. I would like to see a deliberateness in his actions and mannersims that indicate that he is a sentient being, without being too human-like. Since he's a character, the star actually, and not just a plot devise (like GINO), Godzilla cannot be reduced to being merely an animal acting on instinct.

Speaking of Godzilla and Gamera, my dream kaiju eiga would have them team up against a gigantic alien kaiju. That enemy monster should be able to communicate to the people of the earth and have well-defined objectives and, heretofore, unheard of powers.

The Godzilla design would be based on (or look exactly like) the Yuji Sakai maquette for Godzilla 2000 Millennium. The Gamera design would be the one from Gamera 3: Revenge of Irys. Since Godzilla and Gamera are saving the earth in this scenario, they should have, to offset their defacto hero status, an edgier, more angular look, IMO.

Jamaal,

I can appreciate any company making monster movies acceptable for children, but I like for my Godzilla to be vicious, scary, and evil as hell. Gamera on the other hand, convienced Toho to make Godzilla for children. The same thing can be said for a lot of us, I myself watched Godzilla king of the monsters before the original. It wasn't my first film, Godzilla vs. Megalon was the first I ever watched. From there it just took off. I will always enjoy these movies, each hold a place dear to my heart. Since I am older though, I can't rank them anymore. My all time favorite will always be the original 1954 Gojira film. Godzilla is a monster for all season's and for everyone to enjoy.

@Gman2887, 

Your request is almost completed. I just need to know if you want it colored. :)

The thing though Jamaal is, I, personally was so inspired by these Godzilla films, I figured I would do novels based off of my personal favorites. Within my own style of writing and doing what many of you all call, amazing, phenominal artwork. Yes, they look like movie stills, but it is all based off of memory. I will continue until my time comes to end it. 

Go, go Godzilla!! 

As for the fighting, yes, Godzilla should have lenghtly fights. I would love to see more biting, clawing, and forceful pushes along with an occasional atomic Ray attacks. A fight style similar to showa, but powerful atomic breath like heisei.

That they look like movie stills makes them that much more impressive.

It's surreal.

So, in conclusion, what we are asking for is pretty much, the perfect Godzilla film. All Godzilla films have flaws, but with everything we have discussed, we want it all with Tohos Godzilla 2016 film.