Has anyone seen the American Godzilla movie? I tried to watch the Japanese movies as a kid, but I couldn't buy a guy in a rubber suit as a city building-sized monster. The American movie depicting Godzilla as a lizard mutated into some giant dinosaur-like creature is far more satisfying, and the CG monster looked quite real. I love the false ending where the characters celebrate as the music makes you feel the movie is over, then you hear a raor, and... he's baaaa-aaaack! :o
Is that the one with Mathew Broderick that sells for like $5.00 now in the close out bins? If so then yea it was OK. I enjoyed the film for what it was. In fact now that I think about it I think I liked it more than Peter Jackson's lame King Kong!
Kevin
Quote from: Ktrek on June 28, 2007, 09:21:33 PM
Is that the one with Mathew Broderick that sells for like $5.00 now in the close out bins?
Yep!
QuoteIf so then yea it was OK. I enjoyed the film for what it was. In fact now that I think about it I think I liked it more than Peter Jackson's lame King Kong!
I love Peter Jackson's
King Kong, but Godzilla is the better movie.
King Kong is slow and epic where as
Godzilla is modern with energetic and likable characters.
I personally was disappointed by the American version of Godzilla. . .the Monster didn't like the Japanese Monster. Back when I was a kid, I found the few Japanese movies I saw to be entertaining despite the not-so-great (sometimes laughable) special effects. I was actually quite excited when I'd heard that Hollywood was making a Godzilla movie; that is until I saw Godzilla himself. He didn't look like the classic Japanese Godzilla. On top of that, he didn't have special powers! The human characters also didn't do it for me.
Other than those points, the movie was OK. It was fun to watch once or twice. I like the song a lot more and I like playing it.
Oh, and I thought King Kong was great.
I'm with you Pepperdude... I grew up watching the original "monster" movies. Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, etc... they were very entertaining back then. The "newer" version of Godzilla was okay but it's not a movie I can watch over and over again.
Put me down as a fellow old school Godzilla and Japanese monster movie fan. Saturday afternoon TV in the '70's at it's best. I adored them all, made the models and built cities I would destroy with them, and even pretend to be Godzilla outside and attack my toy tanks and army men!
Back in those days, the effects didn't seem that bad, some were actually very innovative for the time and the budget Toyo (sp?) nade these films. I'm not suprised a younger generation would find them lacking, but to me they were magic. The Godzilla remake of 1997 was good, but it was on cable recently and I barely gave it a second look. Show me a guy in a rubber Godzilla suit squaring off against Ghidora and I am in!
This is definitely a generational thing. I also grew up on the old monster movies too. Watched those over and over again. The original Godzilla is definitely a classic. The newer version was ok, but it just didn't feel like Godzilla to me.
Godzilla is such a classic show.
My favorite part was the overdubs into English, how awesome.
My friends and I would do the same thing you did, we would take turns playing Godzilla. We would build whole towns in the sawdust or dirt pile on the farm complete with lakes and roads and then destroy them! It was so fun!
I liked the newer movie, but it didn't have the charm of the old ones, and as a father, I noticed a huge amount of cussing in the newer one. We bought the DVD, but found we didn't play it a lot.
Great pic! My favorite Godzilla iteration was the late '60's and early '70's version. I even saw Godzilla VS. Megallon in the theater!
You all didn't like the new movie, because it wasn't like the Japanese movies? :confused You do realise this is not ment to be in the style of the Japanese movies, right? It's a complete reimagining of the character and premise. It is intentionally different. Ya'll should judge the movie for it's own merits. :thumbsup For example, PepperDude says the characters were lacking, and moyer777 didn't like it too much due to the excessive cursing. I've never seen any of the Japanese movies from beginning to end, and I don't care to. Even as a little kid who hadn't seen very many monster movies, I just couldn't take those movies seriously. Anyway, this thread is about the American movie, not the Japenese movies, so let's stay on topic. :biggrin
Did you find the CG monster to be realistic looking, or did it look fake? Also, what did you think of the offspring subplot? I saw this at the theater with my sister. When the blonde reporter backed up to an egg and the arm punched through the shell, I screamed real loud! :laugh: A big, black man stood up, turned around, and asked loudly, "Hey, are you OK?!" :o I said I was OK, then I slid down in my seat, trying to shrink myself as my sister burst out laughing for a good minute or two. :blink
No, we didn't like the movie as much as you clearly do ;). We have a completely different perspective on Godzilla than you do and that will color our opinions on the new movie vs. our nostalgia for the original one's.
I thought the effects were terrific for the time and do wear well, except for that helicopter chase looks very fake and unrealistic to me. I used to work in NYC and it doesn't look like that at all. I thought some of the dialogue was bad, all the military people were terrible comical stereotypes but I did love the whole Siskel and Ebert as Mayor and right hand man. That was very cleaver. I also liked the French dudes.
All in all, a decent movie, very predictable but a great showcase of what at the time were some pretty impressive effects.
Quote from: Captain Jean-Luc Picard on June 28, 2007, 08:58:21 PM
HI tried to watch the Japanese movies as a kid, but I couldn't buy a guy in a rubber suit as a city building-sized monster. The American movie depicting Godzilla as a lizard mutated into some giant dinosaur-like creature is far more satisfying, and the CG monster looked quite real.
Quote from: Captain Jean-Luc Picard on June 29, 2007, 09:33:13 AM
I've never seen any of the Japanese movies from beginning to end, and I don't care to. Even as a little kid who hadn't seen very many monster movies, I just couldn't take those movies seriously. Anyway, this thread is about the American movie, not the Japenese movies, so let's stay on topic. :biggrin
OK, over on the Jumanji thread you made a point of telling me it wasn't about the special effects, that it was only story and acting that mattered to you. Obviously, by the above comments, you are contradicting yourself. Please, clarify.
This thread is about Godzilla 1998, but comparing it to the other Godzilla's is on topic.
I never saw this film. By all accounts, it sounds like the worst Godzilla film ever. In the latest Godzilla from ToHo, they brought in this CGI character and the original Godzilla blew him away in seconds. I guess we know how Japan feels about it.
Quote from: Bryancd on June 29, 2007, 09:58:20 AM
No, we didn't like the movie as much as you clearly do ;). We have a completely different perspective on Godzilla than you do and that will color our opinions on the new movie vs. our nostalgia for the original one's.
That's fine, and I respect that nostalgia. However, constantly referencing movies I have not seen makes it a bit difficult for me to participate in the discussion. That is why I requested we stick to discussing the American movie. This is a reasonable request, no?
QuoteI thought the effects were terrific for the time and do wear well, except for that helicopter chase looks very fake and unrealistic to me. I used to work in NYC and it doesn't look like that at all. I thought some of the dialogue was bad, all the military people were terrible comical stereotypes but I did love the whole Siskel and Ebert as Mayor and right hand man. That was very cleaver. I also liked the French dudes.
I agree on all points, the movie does have it's flaws. I've never been to New York, so I can't comment on it's accuracy. I suspect this is because not all of the movie is filmed in New York City? Many movies are set in one city while filmed in another. The military personal are absolutely comical, but then... who isn't in this movie? :laugh: My favorite character is Jean Reno as the mysterious "Philippe Roaché."
Quote from: Locutus on June 29, 2007, 10:17:48 AM
OK, over on the Jumanji thread you made a point of telling me it wasn't about the special effects, that it was only story and acting that mattered to you. Obviously, by the above comments, you are contradicting yourself. Please, clarify.
I did not contradict myself, you're trying to make my comment an absolute. My opinion on the importance of special effects is going to vary from movie to movie. In
Jumanji, I didn't care if the animals looked fake, because they are not the central focus of the movie, the game players are. There are also plenty of practical effects in the movie, so not all of the effects are fake looking. In
Godzilla, the central focus of the movie is the Godzilla monster, so it
has to look realistic, otherwise the movie falls apart. That's why I like the American movie and not the Japanese movies. Incase there's question, this is my opinion. I'm not trying to force it onto you.
QuoteThis thread is about Godzilla 1998, but comparing it to the other Godzilla's is on topic.
On topic, but thread hijacking when everyone is discussing the Japanese movies with the only American movie talk being, "I don't like it." ::) Maybe someone could start a thread for the Japanese movies? ;D
QuoteI never saw this film. By all accounts, it sounds like the worst Godzilla film ever.
How can you say that when you've never seen the movie? Is it the worst
Godzilla film ever? That's a matter of opinion. However, it should be judged on it's own merits since it is
not a part of the Japanese series.
Quote from: Captain Jean-Luc Picard on June 29, 2007, 10:54:08 AM
However, constantly referencing movies I have not seen makes it a bit difficult for me to participate in the discussion.
Look at it as a learning experience.
Quote
I did not contradict myself, you're trying to make my comment an absolute. My opinion on the importance of special effects is going to vary from movie to movie.
QuoteFrom Jumanji Board:
I don't care if the special effects are lame so long as it's the best they could do. The story and acting is what counts.
Sounds pretty absolute to me.
Quote
In Godzilla, the central focus of the movie is the Godzilla monster, so it has to look realistic, otherwise the movie falls apart. That's why I like the American movie and not the Japanese movies. Incase there's question, this is my opinion. I'm not trying to force it onto you.
In Godzilla, the focus is on the concept of nuclear destruction and out of control science, and the monster is an allegory for this. The movie does not fall apart because it isn't realistic. The Godzilla movies are some of the most beloved films ever, and if you watch the original Japanese versions, are very topical and emotional. And the suit acting is a Japanese tradition. It may not appeal to you, but maybe you should look into it a bit more before dismissing it out of hand.
Quote
On topic, but thread hijacking when everyone is discussing the Japanese movies with the only American movie talk being, "I don't like it." ::) Maybe someone could start a thread for the Japanese movies? ;D
If you actually read the posts and relax your attack dog stance for just a moment, you will realize that almost every comment is positive about it without being as gushing as you. This does not equate to "I don't like it." In fact, you are the only one with something negative to say, and you say it constantly about each post.
Quote
QuoteI never saw this film. By all accounts, it sounds like the worst Godzilla film ever.
How can you say that when you've never seen the movie? Is it the worst Godzilla film ever? That's a matter of opinion. However, it should be judged on it's own merits since it is not a part of the Japanese series.
I admitted I did not see it. I said it SOUNDED like the worst ... not having seen it I only made my opinion on what it sounded like. I would watch it. I just haven't had the opportunity. And it is Godzilla, and had to be licensed by ToHo to Columbia TriStar, so it IS a part of the Japanese series, regardless of your viewpoint. Especially as they included the monster, who they own the rights to, into the final film, and the Man-In-Suit Godzilla defeated it.
Nice one Locutus, it seems some people won't take note of other peoples views without seeing it as a personal attack on them. Lets keep this forum nice and friendly eh?