Legendary Pictures Godzilla... by Who?

Something which has apparently set the world on fire for kaiju fans was the news of Legendary Pictures going into negotiations with Toho for the rights of a Godzilla film. But what is fact and what is not? This is what I am going to write about. Well, that and a look at possibly directors.


Legendary Pictures is in negotiations with Toho. True. Toho said "no comment", though how they said it proved that they are doing something which is top secret. True. Did Legendary Pictures ask Toho or was it the other way around? It was Legendary Pictures which approached Toho (this is based on the wording of a certain Twitch article). Legendary Pictures would like to make for the film an updated version of the Shodai-Goji suit? I do not know. This is where stuff starts to get tricky. That, and accouple of more rumors (that Legendary Pictures will have Weta do the CGI and that they want a Toho villain to oppose the King of the Monsters) came from an ananymous. When I asked about his source for validity, he said that his source was someone high in the industry. So make of it as you will. Is what Avery Guerra keeping secret the same facts? I do not know and event though I am a friend I do not know either nor do I have the audacity to do so.


But who will be the director? Many famous directors love Godzilla. John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing, Escape From New York) has been in two different documentaries on the Big "G". But due to his age and his current projects, I doubt it. Tim Burton (Batman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) has given Godzilla a cameo in his film "Pee Wee’s Big Adventure" and even mentions him, "Destroy All Monsters", and had a picture of the Big G in his autobiography, "Burton on Burton". Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Apocalypse Now) did what August Ragone said: "In 1956, Scorsese ended up seeing GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS several times as a young teenager. Decades later, when he worked on Akira Kurosawa's DREAMS (in which he played Vincent van Gogh), Scorsese was elated to discover that Honda was working on the film and asked to have a sit down with him. He told Honda about how much he loved GODZILLA and how he used to do chores so he could see the movie as many times as he could when it first came to NYC. Scorsese also, according to an interview with Honda, talked to Toho and managed to get several of Honda's films into the New York Museum of Modern Art's film library." But there is another guy who I want the most to do this project. And I got two words for you: QUENTIN TARANTINO.


Tarantino is already known to be a Godzilla fan. For "Kill Bill Vol. 1", he used one of the Yokohama sets from "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack". For the epic fight between Beatrix Kiddo and Elle Driver in "Kill Bill Vol. 2", he made both Daryl Hannah and Uma Thurman watch his print of "War of the Gargantuas" before filming the scene - which also copies some publicity stills from "War of the Gargantuas". Some even say that Quentin owns a print of "Destroy All Monsters". Well, some news has surfaced that has seemingly not hit most kaiju forums.


Originally around the time "Death Proof" was released, Tarantino mentioned something about wanting to make a Godzilla film but claimed that he was not at liberty to say anything about it. Very recently, Tarantino was interviewed and said this: "I have an idea for a Godzilla movie that I've always wanted to do. The whole idea of Godzilla's role in Tokyo, where he's always battling these other monsters, saving humanity time and again- wouldn't Godzilla become God? It would be called "Living Under the Rule of Godzilla". This is what society is like when a big fucking green lizard rules your world."


Some unique narrative, eh? Godzilla as a religious symbol is an interesting concept. This is something which effects the original, "Gojira" in which somewhat getting influenced from the original "King Kong", Godzilla is a God to the natives of Odo Island. 30 years later, producer Tomoyuki Tanaka would call Godzilla, "…a nightmare created out of the darkness of the human soul. He is the sacred beast of the apocalypse." Then in 2001, Godzilla became the embodiment of the dead souls of the Pacific Conflict theatre of the Second World War which were angry for the Japanese to try to forget about the war. However, "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack" also proves that Japanese mythology is in the GMK universe real, with the description of King Ghidorah’s mature form being eight headed - a call to Yamato No Orochi. Then there is the fact that the international name for Godzilla has the word "God" in it. Tarantino’s take on the religious angle to Godzilla himself sound different from what I have listed above and seems to be a breath of fresh air not smelled since Kaneko’s "GMK".



Overall, Tarantino has revealed something which he has kept secret for two years. We do not know when Legendary Pictures started negotiating for the rights to "Godzilla", with some people (including Chris55) saying that at least it has been going on for the past 2 months, so is it possible at Tarantino may be the new director since right after the revealing of the negotiations he can how talk about his Godzilla concept? Time will tell. I can say one thing, though it may be off topic: Michael Schlesinger is no longer available for interviews for publishing on the internet. Please comment on what you think Tarantino’s Godzilla may be like with this new information and how Legendary Pictures may use this if the negotiations lead to a green lighting which would lead to the hiring of Tarantino in a rare project which does not include the Weinstein Company.

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE IN NO WAY SAYS THAT TARANTINO IS THE DIRECTOR FOR A FILM THAT IS ONLY IN NEGOTIATIONS. THIS IS JUST TO GET OUT SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE LEGENDARY PICTURES GODZILLA AND SOME INFORMATION QUENTIN TARANTINO LET OUT IN AN INTERVIEW ABOUT NINE DAYS AGO. TARANTINO IS OF RIGHT NOW NOT THE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGENDARY PICTURES GODZILLA.

Interview with Keith of "S.V."

Keith runs a site which shall go unnamed, but what he does is basicaly preserve lots of material which is most probrably destroyed by now. For those of you who know who I am talking about, here is my interview with this, one of the more outstanding of fans...

1. How long have you been a Godzilla Fan?

Since I first saw a Godzilla movie in 1977. I was ten at the time.

2. Can you remember your first experience with kaiju, specifically Japanese kaiju?

Well I was born in Germany and we lived in a small farm town. Very few people had cards and there was no theatre in town (or next few over). Only the bigger cities had theatres at the time. So everything I knew came from TV (I think there was maybe two channels) and one would show the Universal horror movies from time to time. The closest to kaiju I got was seeing the "Creature From The Black Lagoon". When we moved to the states I finally was able tog et to a theatre and saw the first "King Kong" remake. I know the movie gets panned now but at the time it was fantastic to me. Shortly after a while looking in the newspaper movie ads I was a strange sight: two monsters fighting each other atop the World Trade Center! This of course was Godzilla vs. Megalon (yes I had the comic and yes like many others I basically destroyed it). When I saw it I can remember thinking how off it was that there was a lot of Japanese people in it and what were they all doing in New York? Of course I finally figured out when the credits rolled that the two monsters were actually not going to right on the WTC, talk about a disappointment! So Kong remained my favorite until I saw "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla", which in the paper was advertised as "Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster"! Man I was confused; I thought they were different movies! To me there was just no way not to be a Godzilla fan after seeing Mechagodzilla, he was just too cool.

3. From what we have conversed of, you have an interesting collection. Could you describe it a little to our readers?

I like to collect the diorama sets. I have the complete Yuji Sakai diorama series now that thankfully (hint-hint) was able to point out to me the last one I needed - the "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" one from the first series. Other than that I have the complete Bandai Polystone diorama set some other various dioramas and lots of books from Japan. My favorite would be the Sakai Concept Works "Ka-Ma-E" Meltdown Godzilla because it was so difficult to obtain. Oh and of course lots of DVDs and VHS tapes.

4. You make products for fans in the DVD format. While some material is from the R2 DVDs, how did you get the more rare material like the TV spots for, "Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monsters" or the double feature trailer for "War of the Gargantuas/Monster Zero"?

All of my rare stuff comes from people I have traded with in the early days of the internet and fanzines. Lots of good traders out there!

5. Thanks to you, the aforementioned rare materials (which may not even exist anymore as original material like film) will be preserved. Would you say that you may have made kaiju history?

Not even close - I will leave that to actual people who help clear up discrepancies and myths in the fandom. People like August Ragone, Keith Aiken, and James Ballard (I am sure there are others out there too) who participate in the forums and provide the blogs (and even write books for us!) they are the fountains of information that make kaiju history. Even you with this site and Dan of the Kaiju Movie Review do way more for the fans than I go. I just get happy when I hear from someone that they saw a movie as a kid, they could not find it anywhere and can’t wait to share watching it with their kids, that’s simply what I want to provide.

6. Personally made products play a big role in the kaiju fandom’s history in the 90’s. Did you play a part of this? Did you buy any fan made products and could you please tell of the quality?

I started making some of my own stuff available around 1999. I got started because I felt I could do a better job than some of the stuff that was out there - I thought a lot of fans were getting ripped off by some of the things I had gotten that were supposed to be "top quality". Of course this did not apply to all sellers there was really good stuff out there too.

7. How is business right now?

Just fine, how I like it: not too busy. This is only a side thing for me and I mostly like doing it as a hobby and keeping it in that perspective. I try to keep a fair price for the fan and give them as good quality as I possibly can.

8. What equipment do you use to make the discs?

Some hardware and software from Canopus (now Grass Valley), software from Adobe - these things I use to edit and create my project. I use only Verbatim discs and they are printed using a "modified to print" Canon printer.

9. Anything else could you add for our readers?

Just to thank everyone who has purchased from me and hopefully they are pleases with what they got. And many thanks to all the great people I have talked to and met through Godzilla.

Kaiju Memoir: Silver Scream Spook Show Presents... GMK

This is an edited version of the report.

Coppola, Kurosawa, Scorsese - these are all names that are recognized by people who take pride into wanting only the best out of the best films to watch. Another name comes to mind which should be on the list: Kaneko. Shusuke Kaneko is a great director, from making great drama films like Cross Fire (Pyrokenesis) and the Death Note duology to creating films which challenge what were the greatest giant monster films of all "Gamera 3: Incomplete Struggle". Another is "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monster All Out Attack". GMK, while not as good as G3 (which is good only because of the film's evolution coming from G1 and G2) is considerably better than G1 and G2 and arguably better than the original "Gojira". Back on January 31, the Plaza Theatre of Atlanta, Georgia, which used to be a grindhouse/porn theatre, showed GMK. In this report, we will look into the history of Godzilla in this theatre and what happened at the premiere and if anything else would happen.

First we have to talk about the history of this film. This film has been the most shown Godzilla film ever (in American art houses and cult film theatres). The film has been shown at least eleven times at an estimated six different art film houses and other specialty theatres. And now it’s showing here. According to two articles on Henshin!Online, the way theatres get prints of these types of films is by contacting Sony Pictures Repertory, and with paying $150 and 33% of the box office income, you can show the film that you want (in this case, GMK). At the current time, you have a choice to rent a dubbed version and a subtitled version. It was not always liked that. A subtitled version was made available only a little bit before September 14th, 2004 (and the first article explaining this film was written a year and accouple of days before). The print which was shown was the dubbed version.

So it turns out that this is not the first time a kaiju film has been shown in Atlanta, let alone the legendary Plaza Theatre. Previously, the theatre has shown the films Mothra (February 24th 2007) and Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster (March 29th 2008). As they say, third times the charm, and their third kaiju film was GMK. Two weeks before the premiere, I estimated that only a little more than $35 will be made at the box office. At the end of the 10:00 pm showing, the box office draw became a total of $2,800 (that is both showings together). Attendance to the 1:00pm showing was around 150 and the attendance for the adults-only 10:00pm showing was 250.
INTERVIEW WITH SHANE MORTON (runner of the Silver Scream Spook Show and affiliate of the Plaza Theatre)

Here now is an interview with Professor Mort, the guy in charge of the Plaza Theatre:
1. How well known is the Plaza Theatre and it's main attraction: The Spook Show?

The Plaza is Atlanta's greatest movie theatre as well as Atlanta's oldest continually operating movie theatre which opened in 1939. The Spook Show is Atlanta's greatest theatre going experience! You will see a line around the building twice a day on the last Saturday of every month!

2. What is the theatre regarding to giant monster films (kaiju films) and what Godzilla films have been shown there?

We were the first theatre in North America to show the newly restored Mothra print. We've shown Godzilla vs. The Sea monster, Infra-Man, and the greatest giant monster movie of all time, 1933's King Kong!

3. Sources say that the theatre has shown two kaiju films: Mothra (1961) and Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster (Godzilla, Mothra, Ebirah: Big Duel in the South Sea). Can you recall how successful this screening was. If not, the Mothra screening?

The Mothra screening was a huge deal and extremely successful. In my opinion, it was the most beautiful and colorful print of a film I have ever watched! All of the Kaiju films are well attended and even none of the children seem to care about the subtitles... Hey , were purists!

4. For monster films shown with the "Spook Show", there is a poster made (like the one seen in this link: http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2009/01/04/giant-asian-monsters-on-the-big-screen-in-january/). Who makes these posters and is there any other information I can get on them?

Kevin Rej is our amazing poster designer and artist. He is a long time Atlanta resident and designs ad campaigns and logos for national companies but still loves drawing Monsters for us! check him out here - http://www.raisestudio.com/

5. What film requests do you get, if you can say some monster-movie oriented?
Everyone has a favorite Monster / Scifi / Horror film and we get requests for all of them. Believe me if it exists on 35mm film and is a classic, you will get a chance to see it at the Silver Scream Spook Show. (or if it is R rated, at Splatter Cinema which The Plaza hosts the second Tuesday of every month.) I have personally fulfilled many of my cinematic viewing dreams at the Plaza Theatre.

6. What monsters films are being planned to be shown in the future?

We have a line on King Kong Vs. Godzilla and many of the newer Godzilla films, but we prefer to show the older ones. GMK is an exception to our rule. Coming up in March we have the 7th Voyage of Sinbad, May we have Creature From the Black Lagoon in 3D, plus more classic Bela Lugosi, Ray Harryhausen, and Vincent Price in the works.

7. What monster films have you seen and liked (if you can, list Japanese Kaiju films)?

Kaiju films, All of them! I am a huge fan and have actually partied with Haruo Nakajima and Kenpachiro Satsuma! (Do not get in a drinking contest with Nakajima, trust me!) I also love any old monster movies. It's too long of a list to put down but I do have an intense and all encompassing love of classic Horror / Monster / Sci-Fi movies!

8. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Attack; Mothra; and Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster are all owned by Sony. Do you have any affiliation with Sony and how do you go by getting a print of the films (please be specific with this)?

We have no official affiliation with Sony. The Plaza Theatre has relationships with most if not all the film studios in order to run their films. Getting the films to show is just part of the day to day operations of running a movie theatre. The theatre requests films to the studios, they see if they have 35mm prints, what kind of shape they are in and if they are available. Sony seems to be the only studio that has 35mm prints of Godzilla films that are made available to theaters.

9. What is your goal when releasing a movie like this (e.g.: box office sales and attendance)?

We want to fill the theater of course, but we also want to turn people onto stuff that they are unaware of. Especially in the case of GMK, we are going to blow people’s minds with this movie - and the show! We have never worked so hard on props, magic tricks, etc, as we are on this show. It's going to be stupendous!

10. Anything to say to the people reading this interview?

Yes! Thank you for the support! The Silver Scream Spook Show is a dream come true for all involved and it makes us very happy every time we hear the laughter and the screams of an appreciative audience! Come see the Spook Show, you won't believe your eyes! We'll scare the Yell out of you!

I would like to re-mention from the article that King Kong vs. Godzilla, 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and some Harryhausen films are going to be shown, including Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D and some classic Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price.

Something about the Plaza Theatre is that it is one of the ultimate fan hot spots in America. As Shane Morton said, if you got a request, he will try to fill it. And also since it is an old theatre, people want to keep it fun. But what do the people think? Here is an interview with Avery Guerra, who is actually a friend of mine. Here is the interview that gives everything from a fan's point of view. I did this interview in way that not everyone has been to this theatre which is located in the south.

AVERY GUERRA INTERVIEW
Q. State your name and history as a kaiju fan concerning writing papers, being staff of official sites like SciFiJapan, MonsterZero, and Henshin!Online, ect.

A. Hi my name is Avery Battles but I'm more commonly known online as Avery Guerra. From as far back as I can remember I have been a fan of daikaiju [giant monster] films. [I should note on your interview questions that I've never worked for any of those sites before. I regularly work for the ones that I mentioned and I am pretty good friends with Kieth Akin of 'Sci-Fi Japan' and stay in regular contact with him. ] You know I was in your shoes just a few years back. I never thought that I would be where I'm at now and with all the connections I've made. I wouldn't ever claim to be anyone special or better than anyone else as I'm just a Regular Joe, but apparently I've got quite a talent at finding news on giant monster [kaiju] films and making the right friends, as I've been told regularly. I think that had a big hand in landing me the jobs as I've become basically a 'news hound' for several sites including; Kenneth Hulsey's 'Robo Japan/Monster Island News' and famous Australian author and film critic Robert Hood's 'UnDead BackBrain' among many others including several mainstream horror movie news sites that I regularly help out. I'm actually not much of an author and only write the articles on occasion. Although I'm told my writing skills are not too bad. Usually, I'm just the one going out there and finding the news and taking it to the right people. I don't receive any pay for what I do, it's more of just a hobby, but I enjoy it immensely. I do however make a lot of connections with movie directors, special effects artists, actors, etc. that will surely benefit me a lot in the future.

Q. How many times have you gone to the Plaza Theatre and what films do you usually see there?

A. I have only been to the Plaza Theater a handful of times to catch some of the Silver Scream Spook Show's monthly screenings of classic horror/sci-fi films. I have been lucky enough to catch 'King Kong [1933], 'The Creature From The Black Lagoon [in 3-D], 'Mothra' [the original Japanese language print] and a few others.

Q. Are you associated with the staff of the Plaza Theatre?

A. I'm actually not in any way associated with the staff at the theater nor with the staff of any of the special events that it hosts such as; 'Silver Scream Spook Show', 'Splatter Cinema' or 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'. I have been in contact with the host [Professor Morte] of the 'Spook Show' via e-mail through their 'MySpace' page. A very pleasant experience. They are a very professional and friendly crew and put on a fantastic show that's not to be missed.

Q. You mentioned to me before that you recommended a lot of films. Was GMK one of these films and what other kaiju related films did you recommend?

A. I have recommended many films to them for consideration for future shows and "Godzilla: GMK" was actually second on my list of films I most wanted to see as a part of their show. Among the countless others I suggested such recent releases as; "Godzilla: Final Wars" and "Gamera; The Brave", as well as classics such as "Reptilicus", "The Giant Claw", "Gammera; The Invincible", "The X-From Outer Space", "Majin; Monster Of Terror", "Gorgo", "Mighty Peking Man", "Pulgasari" and many others.

Q. How have your experiences at this theatre been to you and have effected you?

A. Each of the shows that I had the pleasure of catching at this theater were exactly that; a pleasure. The staff of the cinema and crew members of the special events were all very professional and courteous and you can easily tell that they have a love for what they're doing. That really helps makes it all a much more enjoyable experience and one that I would highly recommend to others.

Like what Morte said, if you got a request, he will try to fulfill it. May a Gamera film or a Guilala film be not too far off in the horizon?

THE PREMIRE

First, as a Georgian and a South Easterner in general, not a lot of Kaiju related event happen here, excluding Florida. But the one place that we Southerners can always rely on is the Plaza Theatre to show films as a good alternative to other events. Here is how everything went:
I left two hours early. I live in Warner Robins so it is not that long to Atlanta. We got there 45 minutes early, and thank god we did. I was the first to get out of the car (I am only 15, so my mom drove me and my brother to the event) and I got my camera and started snapping photos till I was met my a short woman who was a radio talk show host who was doubling for security. Next, after covering the front of the theatre, I decided to ask a teen aged woman, an employee, if the posters could be bought once the show was over. I was answered with a , "no". I tried getting in, but there was another no. Of course anyone who knows me knows that no one is going to get in my way of kaiju stuff. And then the true magic took it's toll on me.

I had never been to a G-FEST or any type of kaiju-related event. So when I went to the theater and saw GMK and Kill Bill posters and a dealer's table and another table full of free promotional items and a table of display only items (unless you are a member of the Silver Scream Spook Show fan club). In case you were wondering, the items on that table were a bunch of issues of G-FAN, a bunch of Japanese VHS tapes (some from Video Daikaiju), and last but not least a slew of Dark Horse Godzilla comic books.

The dealer's table was actually a guy selling his copies, which he had a lot of copies and stuff. All 6 inch figures were $15, Bandai Creation figures were $5, Bandai Creation 12" figures were $20, and all exclusives were $30. So here is what I got:

-Bandai AFFE Exclusive crystal Gamera 1999 $30

-Bandai Theater Exclusive Gamera 1999 $30

-Bandai History of Godzilla set (from 1999/2000) $20

-Bandai Godzilla vs. Destroyer Diorama $10-Bandai Iris 6" $15

-Bandai Toho Kaiju 6" King Ghidorah $15

-Bandai Godzilla Island 6" Mecha King Ghidorah $15

-Bandai Toho Kaiju 6" Spacegodzilla $15

-Bandai Theater Exclusive 6" Mire-Goji $15

-Bandai Theater Exclusive 6" Gira-Goji $15

-Bandai Toho Kaiju 6" Burning Godzilla $15

Me, the dealer, and a friend of the dealer then chatted. It was nice that I got to chat with other Godzilla fans. We covered topics like our Clubtokyo memberships, Gamera 3 or Gojira, and other Godzilla collectibles. Then some eyes widened when people found out that I got such rarities like the Bandai Large Scale 1991 Godzilla or the Chogokin Kiryu 2002. Then we talked about the CM discs. Total nerd fun. Sadly, the dealer, who I forgot to get his name, had to leave half way through the film to go on a trip to Florida.

After that, I just started taking more and more photos. The theatre, I found out, is like the Godzilla capitol of the South East: the theatre itself keeps Godzilla toys at it's box office stand (a bottle cap with a HG figure of 1974 Mechagodzilla and a Bandai SD Gira-Goji in the corner of a window. The stand, which held the G-Fans and the R2 VHS tapes and the Dark Horse comics, is a monthly thing filled with Goji merchandise; but on occasion other merchandise to other cult films, depends on what they are showing).

Around 45 minutes after I came to the theatre, that is when the crowds came. This is a major learning point for me, a Godzilla fan who is also studying the fandom. G-Fest is the Mecca for American/Canadian fans and those who go are well educated G-FANS who know a lot about Godzilla and other kaiju related facts. This premier was not. So there were more casual fans than die-hards like me. First, the crowd was mostly adult - no doubt either nostalgic people or people wanting to look at a movie that they thought would have a snowball's chance in hell of being shown (a Goji film so to speak). There was no one in my age group there. But there were kids. It was mostly boys, but there was one little Mothra fan who bought a VHS of Rebirth of Mothra (1996). But the main thing was that most people in attendance were casual fans. Some boy's father thought that the film they were showing was Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster (1964), which I overheard this comment and politely corrected him. Another said that the film was made in the Heisei series, but I corrected that also. As I said, casual fans. The kids were cool though, two younger fans were holding their Imperial Godzillas (did not know there were even collectors in Georgia) and a HG Heisei 1995 Gamera. But I do not blame them, I made my mother hold my Bandai 8" GMK Ghidorah, my brother hold a w/ tag Bandai 8" GMK Baragon and I held my Bandai 8" GMK Goji figure (all figures I bought were but into a box which went into the back of my mom's SUV). Then came the time to enter the theatre, with by the doors two big home-made Godzilla banners. Then the magic happened:

The Silver Scream Spook Show is something which lots of people come to on a regular basis in Atlanta, that I can assure after overhearing the multitude of comments. Audience participation is a given. The Spook Show cast tries to do a 30 minute show based on the movie. First, we had the character Retch give out treats to all the kids who had birthdays, which ranged from the aforementioned HG Gamera and Godzilla shirts to official Silver Screen Spook Show merchandise (stickers and trading cards). Then the show started. First, a semi-burlesque Japanese school girl was dancing around a teacher. Then they went off and Professor Morte (played by Shane Morton) and his henchmen Retch finds an Xilian that tells a prophecy of monsters coming on the 31 of January to do battle in and around the Plaza Theatre. The crew go and give the sea monster (with music from Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water, and the sea monster is not Ebirah) and a giant big foot (they used Toho Kong roars) sleeping pills in which if taken on an empty stomach, makes the monsters enraged. So they have to get Mothra by making her come out of her cocoon to the Shobijin's song with burlesque dancing. Mothra wakes up and is to fetch Godzilla to do battle with big foot and the Sea Monster. Mothra fights Big Foot and Godzilla fights the Sea Monster. After wards the movie began.

Audience reaction to my second favorite Godzilla film was nice. Nothing Rocky Horror like, but it was fun. There was clapping for the Toho logo, the main credits, Godzilla's appearance, Ghidorah's coming to the final battle, Ghidorah getting his wings, and last but not least the end of the film. But there is always expected to be laughter. But sometimes laughter can be a sign of a difference between two different societies. First, I do not understand the laughter at the quote, "It is a bit far fetched" when a guy suggests they name the monsters. Second, the dubbing is ok, I do not see anything wrong with it. Not to forget the laughter when Yuri Tachibana said, "They're dead. The men in the helicopter. They're dead." There was laughter accompanied with a random "You think so?" Honestly, we Americans are so bad at mental stuff. We Americans are always going fast. We text fast, we multi task fast, we like stuff fast. So we think fast and do not ponder/meditate on subjects. This is a bad thing. For instead on thinking, "Why did Yuri Tachibana say that?" and coming to the common conclusion that she is trying to recon with the incredible events which she is witnessing. But we Americans, unless used to the Godzilla films and are a little intelligent, take it that: "She said that? Yo duh their dead! Why say something as obvious as that?" Either A.)This film is comedic and I am an idiot not to realize that, B.)I take these films too seriously, or C.)America needs to wake up. I am glad though that the American people liked the film and that the film's reputation has grown as a good film that even made American critics like it.

On a side note, I bet that the woman who greeted me is a critic who is hopefully going to or already has reviewed the film positively on local Atlanta, Georgia radio. Another thing I wish is that Roger Ebert would be here. While he did not like Gojira much, he did like Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) and therefore hope to get a review of the film from him. When the film was over, my family went and got a photo with Proff. Morte (and I thanked him for the interview) then got a photo with the Godzilla suit (the Godzilla suit was not the GMK suit, it was very well made home made suit with the head looking like the 12" Banpresto figure's head). Everyone seemed to be pumped and I could not go to sleep for another 16 hours after that, since it was my first Godzilla theatrical experience.

In conclusion, it was a well worth event. Sure, I was the only forumer to go but it was a cool experience which a lot of people wished could have been here. And I wished that Packmule and Avery Guerra could have been there. And if you are reading this, you should have been there. It was like a mini G-Fest like none other.

Silver Screen Spook Show presents... RODAN

The Silver Screen Spook Show has shown many classic films - sci-fi, horror, and grindhouse genres. They have shown MOTHRA, GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER, and GMK (which I went to). Now they are going to show RODAN in September! All in the Souther East needs to come to this showing of a classic Showa film where THE MASTERS and the fathers of Kaiju eiga show off on their first colored kaiju piece of art!

http://plazaatlanta.com/COMING_SOON.html

Hope to see you there!

Youtube/Fan Fiction Update

While a lot of things seems to be going on film-wise with the announcement of Legendary Picture’s negotiation for the rights to make an American Godzilla film and Comcast is being sued for using Godzilla in one of their commercials, the fandom seems to be having some news going on. But what? First, another video for Donny Winter’s highly anticipated new fan fiction, "Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny" is now out on youtube. It is a really emotional video. Remember to click the "HD" button.



Next is something which really evolves the youtube side of the fandom. The youtube fandom’s most talented members are getting together under one banner as "TokusatsuReviewV3". News, Coverage of fan events, toy reviews, and news reports are all present. Right now the members of the channel is Deadzilla, EatIt41, NickJownz, and Ultraman Cronos. Below are the three videos done for the channel. The first one is by EatIt41, the second is UltramanCronos, and the third by Deadzilla.

Cultural References in "Gojira" (1954)

Cultural References in the film Gojira
By Kuroneko-sama

There is no limit to the wonders of diversity. Each culture is different, possessing individual beliefs and practices, each one more intriguing than the next. Nevertheless, many cultural beliefs and practices are virtually similar, such as the various beliefs on the creation of the earth.

Centuries ago, and perhaps even in today’s modern world, polytheism and heavy religious beliefs were central figures in everyday life. Certain rituals were performed in order to placate the various deities of ancient religions, and many basic practices were performed based upon the precepts and guidelines of a civilization’s religious tendencies.

There are also cultural similarities regarding the subject of "courting". Many include the practice of marriage, marital arrangements, et cetera. Courting behavior is also dictated by society, as well as religious influence.

In the film Gojira, there are at least two interesting cultural references that shapes the tale of the lifestyle of 1954 Japan. One is in regards to ancient mythology and religious belief, and the other refers to the practice of arranged marriage. Keeping in mind that while these practices no longer ordinarily occur, they are no less important to the culture of a country than they were so many years ago.

Mythology, Legends, and Folklore
In the original 1954 film, Gojira, mythology is one of the first examples of Japanese culture that we come across, as we are introduced the terrible incidents of death and destruction at sea, and the idea that Odo Island’s deity, Gojira, is to blame for the tragedy. According to one old man, Odo Island would send young women out on rafts once a year in order to placate the terrible god, so that fishing would be good and Gojira would not seek to destroy the island and its inhabitants. During the initial course of events at Odo Island, a ritualistic ceremony of dance is performed, what is described in the 1956 American cut of the original film, entitled Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, as the remains of a ritual that was "all but forgotten".

The tale of Odo Island’s wrathful god is by no means uncommon. Such a sub-plot was utilized in the 1933 film King Kong. Many tales of ancient cultures are littered with instances of gods and deities imposing some form of authority over small villages and even large cities. There is the Aztec legend of the Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent god of great power and importance to which the Aztecs would offer animal sacrifices, as it was said the Quetzalcoatl opposed human sacrifices, which was highly common in Aztec culture. There are also tales of European dragons laying waste to different villages, and pillaging the lands, eating livestock and occasionally humans. Tales of dragons in Japan are just as commonplace, although in Asian culture dragons are seen as more benevolent beings, save for those such as Mizuchi, a water dragon known for its malevolent tendencies and for it desire for human sacrifices to be made to it. The most famous Japanese deity tale, perhaps, is that of Yamata no Orochi and Susanoo.

The tale of Gojira also shows similarities to a perhaps little-known tale of folklore, which takes place around 1320 AD:

Hojo Takatoki, the last shikken (regent) of the Kamakura Shogunate, banishes a samurai by the name of Oribe Shima. Shima had insulted or displeased Hojo Takatoki in some manner, and was banished to a prison on the Oki Islands. Oribe Shima had a daughter named Tokoyo, who was noted for her strong character and love of her father. Overcome by grief, she sold everything in her possession in order to search for her father so that she would be reunited with him. Towards the end of her long and difficult journey at the Oki Islands, she comes across a grim priest and a fearful young woman of perhaps fifteen years of age, both dressed in white. Tokoyo stops the priest from pushing the girl off a cliff, and he explains to her that each year a girl of fifteen years or younger must be sacrificed in order placate the deity that held dominance over the islands. Seeing the grief in the priest’s eyes and the angst in the girl’s, Tokoyo asks that she don the white attire of the sacrificially intended, as she felt she had no reason to live without her father. It is agreed, and Tokoyo, who is noted for being an excellent swimmer, dives from the cliff, a sharp knife clenched in her teeth. Whilst down below, she finds a wood carving of the Emperor, and intends to bring it up to the surface, initially believing that the wood carving was the so-called deity. Her supposition is shattered, however, with the arrival with what many have speculated to be a water dragon. She slays the beast, and brings the wood carving to the surface. She is then treated as a hero, and there is a great celebration. With the death of the Oki Island deity, the Emperor finds himself released from a terrible illness, which had been inflicted upon him by the water beast. Upon the discovery of this, the Emperor orders the release of Oribe Shima, and the samurai and his daughter are happily reunited. There is also a hint that the city of Edo (ancient Tokyo) was later re-named in honor of Tokoyo, whose bravery had caused her name to be "known worldwide".

Culture
A little subject matter is occasionally argued upon, but is never truly delved on, is the subject of the "love triangle" in the film Gojira. By today’s standards, it would appear that there are virtually no romantic angles in the film at all. At least one person I have noted has stated that he/she would not have known there was a love triangle at all, had it not been blatantly stated. Keeping in mind the romantic standards of modern society, there is a legitimate reason as to why there is a debate at all.

Japan has always been a country that has kept its traditional values. While today Japan is a very modern society, and, sadly, many of those values have begun to fade, in the 1950s they were still very highly honored. One could compare the relationship between Emiko Yamane and Hideto Ogata as a sort of "courting romance". What we perceive as romance today (i.e. – kissing publicly, et cetera) would have been seen as lewd and, frankly, inappropriate behavior. There were (and still are) subtle indications that a couple is in love. The most common, perhaps, is simply holding hands. With Ogata and Emiko, it is Ogata’s constant attempts at doing little things for Emiko, such as holding her umbrella for her, et cetera. In addition, their behavior suggests only slightly the air of romance. While it is undetected by the modern youth of today, those who look closely and those who perhaps even grown up in strict societies will notice the slight hints of romance.

The type of romance conveyed in Gojira appears very odd to those of today’s society. Many perhaps do not grasp the concept of arranged marriages, which have all but faded away. Arranged marriage is another romantic element of Gojira that has a tendency to confuse modern society, as it is no longer a common practice. For those unfamiliar with arranged marriages, it is the practice of the parents of a young girl meeting with the parent of a young boy, and having it arranged so that the children would one day marry. It was a very common practice at one point, and it was ordinarily between families that had very close relations. With Dr. Serizawa, it was perhaps that he had been great friends with Daisuke Serizawa’s father, as Emiko and he had been betrothed since they were children.

If the concept of arranged marriages sounds startling, imagine what it must have been like to have to have been chaperoned! It was once a highly common practice that a girl and a young man could never be alone together. The girl was always to be in the company of her chaperone, and there were never any exceptions.

-----------------------------------
Thanks!
*~Kuroneko-sama~*

2nd Line of Toho Blu-Rays!

Visit Links for Pictures!
http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/godzilla1984.html
http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/vskingghidorah.html
http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/daikaizyuu.html
http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/rengoukantai.html
http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/japan.html

New Line Up:
Godzilla 1984
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
GMK
Japan Sinks (1973 version)
and more!

FULL LIST OF SPECIAL FEATURES (Roughly Translated)

GMK
(1) notice Theater (HD quality)
(2) dispatch (HD Quality Blow-Up)
(3) TV Spot (SD quality)
(4) project the GMK Godzilla fought day and Shusuke Kaneko (SD quality)
(5) Mount the new assistant director Akira Hide Tiharu Murakami ODIO・EKOMENTARI Shusuke Kaneko

Godzilla 1984
(1) notice Theater (HD quality)
(2) dispatch (HD Quality Blow-Up)
(3) "Godzilla 1983" (HD-quality blow-up)
(4) Making of Godzilla 1984 (SD quality)
(5) Audio Commetnary

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
(1) notice Theater (HD quality)
(2) dispatch (HD Quality Blow-Up)
(3) Location Guide Godzilla series (tentatively titled HD quality) (NEW!!!!!)
(4) public dispatch (SD quality) (5) after dispatch dated (SD quality)
(6) Cut and unused special effects (SD quality)
(7) The special effects seen in the multi-angle scenes (SD quality)
(8) Audio Commentary with Shogo Tomiyama and Director Kazuki Omori

Sinking of Japan
(1) notice Theater (HD Quality Blow-Up)
(2) dispatch (HD Quality Blow-Up)
(3) Special Interview: Sakyo Komatsu Takeuti Hitoshi × (SD quality)
(4) Director Kei Nakano Akira Hashimoto Yukiharu specialty Sakyo Komatsu Audio Commentary

Tales From Toho's Back Editing Room: FINAL CUT

Back when the original blog was hacked, I did not have intentions of bringing this feature back. But it turns out that while submitting material to Tohokingdom, Anthony did not take all of it thus I felt that I might as well resurrect this feature with the rejected material. So here are pictures of the cut scenes with what would have been their descriptions. Enjoy!

Just a deleted scene from King Kong vs. Godzilla. No description here :P...

The most famous of the deleted scenes from the 1964 film, the original version of the scene ended with an accident. Evidently the building was too strong or Nakajima did not strike in the right place and the castle did not crumble the way it was supposed to. Though when the suit hit up against the castle, the resin piece that the skin of the top lip was broken. Tsuburaya actually kept this for couple of scenes before it was repaired. Nakajima did try to save the scene though, looking at the camera trying to maker Godzilla seem frustrated. While some of the original shot was kept, the scene had to be redone at great expense.

This shows something more intricate when it came to Tsuburaya's SFX, the animation. The then magnificent 1200 Optical Printer was in no doubt the machine which made this beautiful scene. The only real difference between what is in the final film and this, which is basically an unfinished version. The scene is not as light as the final version and lacks the beginning explosions. But with this the scene is actually more detailed, seeing the flames on Ghidorah's body and a couple of orbs that seem to be in the middle of the fire before we finally see the Ghidorah suit 100% exposed. It was cut because the scene would have been more excited, which once some things were added, it was.

Like some scenes, they are taken out for no apparent reason. This is one of them. Or at least this version. It is a beautiful shot, mixing dust effects with houses that are blown away which would have been a big plus on Tsuburaya's already impressive body of work. The only real reason why the scene would be cut out is how Rodan looked when they showed his wings moving. Other than that, nothing.

The scene is rather well know scene. But the problem with it is the overuse of the 1/3 Godzilla foot model. While a couple of clips of the foot made it to the final cut, most of them were thankfully cut - including some which showed the inside of the foot prop! About five shots were cut with a side view of the bottom half of the suit stomping through some models. Another imperfection is that some of the buildings were a little too sturdy and through that showed their hollowness.

The main difference with this shot from the finished film was that we see the train go across the bridge before Rodan wrecks it, giving the audience a "whew" moment, adding some suspense to the film. Though it would have been a cool scene, it would have been detrimental to the pacing of the film. Still a nice shot though.

Just an extended version of Godzilla's landing, with some footage being of Rodan's POV while flying.

Interview: Stephanie Hughes

1. So, how were you introduced to kaiju eiga?


When I was really young (not sure what age, but I believe I was a toddler at the time), I used to watch movies, some being Godzilla, some being other monster movies. I seemed to have forgotten all about them until I reached Grade 4 and I was given a Godzilla video game. Excited out of my mind, I beaten the game and done internet searches and watched the movies up until now.


2. Could you explain some of your history in the fandom?


Not much, but I remember my first, and favorite, site to go to was always "Toho Kingdom". I used to go just for Godzilla, but now I guess I just go because of the people. I was a bit surprised seeing as there weren't a lot of female fans around. From where I live, there were more girls into Godzilla than there were guys


3. Other than KMR/KQ, what other major activities have you done in and out of the fandom?


I had submitted some work to Anthony at Toho Kingdom. I had also done some writing, submitting pictures, and graphic art for Kaiju HQ. I had also created my own site called "Toho Island" which I guess I would call abandoned at this point as I can't seem to keep up with it. I also have a Deviant Art page that I am more than happy to update every now and then.


4. How did you get acquainted with Dan and KMR?


At Toho Kingdom's forums, I had set up a thread opening something called GGG (Goji_girl's Graphics) in hopes to keep an edge to my graphic work. As that small business didn't go so well, I found something a lot better as Dan sent me an e-mail asking me to do some graphics (Logo, Title card etc.). From there, I made myself more useful by submitting reviews.


5. You are one of the few shining females who represent kaiju. Could you say you are proud of what ground you could break with a title like that?


I am, I really am. Kaiju Films are a really great and entertaining genre of films and to actually have a title at all is really amazing. Especially being different from other fans. I hope in the future, there can be more female fans around. We really give a different view on these kind of movies.


6. Let’s talk about Kaiju Quickie. Who came up with the idea?


As much as I'd love to take credit for this idea, it was Dan's idea. I was planning on doing written reviews only when I came to the conclusion that people would much rather hear me talk than read huge bodies of text expressing my thoughts on a movie. I didn't want to make thorough reviews like Dan always does, so he gave me the idea of doing reviews under ten minutes and even gave it the title "Kaiju Quickie". From that, we got to work.


7. Was "Kaiju Quickie" the originally proposed name for your review program?


It was the only title that was to be considered. I had not the slightest clue as to what I wanted to call it, but Dan quickly came up with an idea. We were both satisfied with the title, it was simple, fun, and made absolute sense.


8. So far, you have reviewed three films, none of them Japanese kaiju. Is that going to be Dan’s
territory or are you going to do some Japanese kaiju films sometime in the future?


It was actually quite a coincidence that I hadn't done a Japanese film yet. Japanese and Korean films were always my favorite kind of films (That, and Canadian filming of course!). When I did the three movies that I did thus far, I was going after the movies that not a lot of people have heard of just to show that I could convince people why they should or shouldn't watch a movie. I was thinking of doing a couple of Gamera and Godzilla films. Dan and I don't have territories. Since our reviews are so different and we both have two different opinions on them, it wouldn't be bad for us to do the same movie. We just basically let each other know what film we're doing. But we've been discussing and we're thinking of being a bit more organized than that.


9. What reviews can we look foreword to?


Looking back at the reviews I've done, I found that my opinions on films were either "Bad" or "Okay". I wanted to pursue the movies that I had seen before and that I considered to be cinematic gold! Titles like "An American Werewolf In London", "Gamera: Guardian Of The Universe" (Which, judging by Dan's latest review, "Super Monster Gamera", I believe he'll be reviewing the Heisei Gamera films soon, so I'll wait), "The Fly", "King Kong"(1933) and other movies I can happen to come across. I can't say I guarantee these titles, but I can say that I will get more known films in my mix.


10. What are some things you have wanted to do with KQ which you cannot, or at least cannot do right now?


I've always wanted to be able to edit film scenes or better effects in my videos. As of now, what I usually do is just give the video to Dan where he edits it using Windows Movie Maker. As he said, "Not the best, but it gets the job done!". I always wanted to make mine a bit more funnier. I find that I'm getting better (being more comfortable with the camera, being able to come up with funnier jokes about the movie, maybe do skits if I have the time). I know I can't add too much as these are supposed to be under ten minutes, which is great because I don't think I can keep the audience entertained for a long time.


11. You joined KMR wanting to provide Dan with art. And as you have shown in your review for "Reptilicus", you can draw pretty good. Could you delve into your artistic background some?


My father has been an artist. Naturally, I was born with eye for art. Growing up, I've always been striving to get better and better at it. As I do better in graphic art than I do with actual sketches, I have been known to combine the two often. The experimentally hard work of a led pencil and paper with the added "oomph" of digital coloring, shading, and effects. More of my work can be seen at my Deviant Art page at: http://gojigirl.deviantart.com/

12. On an anonymous forum, a member said, "But at least she's much better at it than Dan." What is your opinion of this comment?

I really like Dan's work, he's honest, he's funny, he's great. He's given me a great opportunity with the Kaiju Quickie. I really appreciate the comment, but I don't think I'm anywhere near as great as Dan. Dan is a mentor and we both have our styles. Apples and oranges comparisons just aren't cool.

13. Any projects not related to KMR/KQ we can be expecting?

I had kept this secret from pretty much everyone in case I wouldn't be able to stick to it, but I was working on a thriller/horror novel. I can't say much more than that, I wouldn't want to give it away. I was also working on a comic of a fan made monster. I might go back to doing it. But people might not see it for a while.

14. Mothra or Godzilla? Which do you prefer?

This is a very difficult question, I've always enjoyed how Mothra had so much of a story to it, a catchy song, colorful movies, a mixture of peace and love and vengeance and hate. As an actual kaiju, I find that Mothra, unlike Godzilla, is a more amicable type of character. It's an icon, not one as popular as Godzilla, but still represents a different part of what kaiju films can be, and even represents the female fans of kaiju films (and I'm not referring to the cheesy mini-twins). Godzilla on the other hand, is a dark, black and white, monster who is an unstoppable force of nature. There's more fear and destruction with Godzilla (except of course in those films which Godzilla actually saves earth from aliens and monsters). What I like to see in Godzilla is not just the hateful monster or the kid friendly, tail-kicking hero, but as both of them. Godzilla's resentment for mankind, but at the same time, realizes that the world belongs to him as much as it belongs to mankind and feels that it's his responsibility to protect it (besides who else is gonna rebuild Tokyo for the next ass kickin'). All in all, I suppose I would say Godzilla. Not in a matter of films or character, just because I find Godzilla to be more of an archetype character. Many films like "Mothra" (1961), "Varan" (1958) and "Rodan" (1956) are just mere attempts by Toho to achieve the same popularity as they had when "Godzilla" (1954) came out. And this is when this particular archetype was conceived.

15. Any words/tip you can give our readers?

A few come to mind: For those out there who want to make a film review show, go for it. Find ways to be different from other reviewers and be interesting. Don't mind people who criticize your work in unfair ways, there will be people who disagree with you, but don't forget that it's your own opinion. You don't need the best editing software or be famous or anything, if you can convince people what you think is good and what isn't, AND manage to have fun while doing it, you've done your job.

But what I'd really rather see is you people make your own Kaiju films. I might even try to do one myself. It doesn't have to be a studio production because none of us have that kind of green. But even Lucas and Spielberg started with 8mm making their own low-budget films. Make a difference in your world. Make your mark. Bigger, better, bolder - just go for it!

Interview with Donny Winter

Such is that of the world of fan fiction. Such is also fan fiction writer Donny Winter. Creator of Kaiju Galaxy forums and a kaiju fan who's specialty is the world of fan fiction from every corner of the English-speaking internet. He is now finishing up his latest manifesto, "Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny", part of a trilogy of stories. "Future Destiny" is approximately 220 pages long and is already getting positive feedback. I got a change to interview with acclaimed author. This is what I found out...

Glad to have you on the blog Donny!

Thank you for having me!

So, let's talk about Kaiju Galaxy as of late. How has the forum been?

Oh the forum has been as delightful as it's always been. We have many activities going on, so people are satisfied!

Could you explain your passion for fan creations?

Well some may have heard me mention something to this regard before, but I sincerely feel that the creations wrought by kaiju fans are the heart and soul of the fandom right now since no movies are being produced. Not to mention, it really puts perspective on people's talents and allows them to improve themselves.

What is your new fan fic, Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny, about?

Well it would take me forever to describe what it is about, since it is a continuation of the other stories in my series. Technically "Future Destiny" is an alternate reality story that takes place about 4 years in the future from my current time line (around 2012). Most of the plot revolves around a group of humans with special Psychic gifts that allow them to protect the world along side of various Kaiju like Mothra, Godzilla, etc. This story; however, takes those characters to a whole new level---and really develops them. Which a lot of kaiju fan fiction and movies do not have...actual developed characters that people can identify with.

What were some influences on your writing?

Well a lot of things influence my writing. My friends really inspire me a lot...which is one of the main reasons why both them and myself are the characters. Plus a lot of music also influences my writing...many Kaiju Movie Soundtracks, Star Trek soundtracks....Lord of the Rings...so many things! I also get a lot of inspiration from other stories whether it be in TV series' like Charmed or the actual Godzilla/Mothra movies. But probably the main influence is my passion for writing, it has really allowed me to get this far.

What are some "dropped concepts" for the story?

Well...let me think. I can't really remember any specific concepts that I dropped....the only significant change I've made is that I've spread this story out over the course of a Trilogy. Originally it was supposed to be only two books; however, if I would have stuck with that plan the first book would be around 500+ pages in length...which would take me forever to finish.

How long has it taken you to write this 220+ page story?

So far...almost 2 years...in fact it will be 2 years this November.

Is there a sequel/prequel planned for this story?

Like stated before, this story was split into a Trilogy, so yes, there will be 2 sequels. And any story that came before this one are technically the prequels. Hence the concept of a "series".

How much hype is there for this story on other message boards?

Mainly just Kaijuphile and Kaiju Galaxy, I don't really post my fan fiction on any other kaiju message board---granted I probably should. So far there's been a lot of hype here on Kaiju Galaxy regarding this new epic.

You actually have close relations to other fans, like wolfprincess2007 AKA Mrs. Sahra. If they have, how have friends like this and other friends influenced your writing?

Well like I said before, my friends always inspire my work. I just love taking their personalities
and putting them into writing...into their own actual characters. People like Cyndi and Sahra are two main examples of this.

What is your next project?

My next project will be to start working on Book II!

Youtube fans Deadzilla and NickJownz have made films which actually while not looking as good, can be just as good as an actual kaiju film. With the help of creative film making and use of
Bandai figures, how good are the chances of fans getting a film adaptation?

Well the likeliness is pretty low since I don't have the materials to create an actual film adaptation. The best I can do is just film the characters! After the characters are main focal point of this epic.

You filmed a trailer for the film using your youtube account xMysticMothx. Could you give us some behind the scenes information about this trailer?

Actually, we (Sahra, Cyndi, and I) have filmed 3 movies up to date. There really isn't any impressive behind the scenes knowledge, aside from the fact that we all contributed to them.
How has the response to the fan fic been?

Initially I thought it would get poor response due to the gigantic amount of character development; however, the response has been increasingly positive!

Can you give any tips, information, or last words to our readers and to aspiring writers?

Probably the most important tip I can give to our readers and aspiring writers is to never give up on your talent. It doesn't matter if it is writing, art, etc, it is all important. Keep up the wonderful work!

Thanks for the Interview!

Interview with Dan of Kaiju Movie Review

http://www.youtube.com/user/Roehm21

How long have you been a fan of kaiju?

I believe it was since I was 5 years old. You can blame my father and uncle for this actually. They both got me into all sort of sci-fi movies back then. I used to borrow movies from my uncle all the time. I'm pretty sure I ruined his copy of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, in fact I actually have that exactcopy in a box some where.
The thing is once they got me started on kaiju I never stopped. Been watching these movies ever since. The biggest reason I think was because of how impressionable I was and how big I was into dinosaurs and such.

What inspired you to do KMR (Kaiju Movie Review)?

James Rolfe was the big inspiration behind me doing videos, particularly his movie reviews. Also because I had a hard time finding a really good monster movie review series. So after a bit of consideration and the purchase of Yongary from a local store I decided to go for it. While my reviews in general might not be the most original. I have yet to find a review series like mine on the net so far.

Have you ever critiqued films via text?

No, though I have considered it at a few times. The big reason I haven't done it is because the English language and me are not the best of friends.

Have you ever wanted to do something with the videos which you couldn't, and could you list them?

There are a few things that I have wanted to do. I would like to have more freedom with the way to videos are put together. Like better transitions and possible effects. A dedicated area to film which can be tough with the size of our current home. Better filming and lighting equipment would be nice but with the way money is I don't think I will be getting anything like that for a while.

You have reviewed a mix of American, Korean, and Japanese Gamera kaiju films instead of going to Godzilla. I personally think this is a good decision. What influenced this decision?

Well at first the idea was to get some experience with the videos under my belt before I jumped onto Goji films. Then I decided to wait a year before reviewing any because that is what most people would expect from a kaiju review show, just to jump right into Godzilla. In hindsight it was kind of a double edged sword. Since I didn't do Goji first, I started with lesser known movies that really needed reviews but less people know about so fewer people watched my series to begin with. Where if I did start with Goji I would have gotten more viewers right off but I'm confident the quality would have suffered.

What is the history of your blogspot site?

Not really much of a history there. Just wanted a dedicated website for updates and since you can't do that so well on youtube, I started looking around. I remembered that there were a few blogs at blogger.com that I have read so it seemed as good a place as any. That’s pretty much all there is too it.

How did you meet Gojigirl and how long have you two been working together?

I was browsing around the Tohokingdom forum and clicked on a random topic by chance that just started. It was her topic and she was offering to do avatars, signature pics and what not. So I figured I would trouble her for a new title card to make the reviews look a little nicer. After we talked a bit I got the title card I needed, a new background for my youtube page, a logo and a partner. We haven't been working together too long only a matter of weeks at this point. But she is the first person outside my wife to join KMR and I must say its nice to have someone else around, that’s for sure.

Let's talk about your collection, how big is it?

At this time not too large. A decent amount of kaiju DVD's probably around 40+ and growing quickly. Probably about 20+ figures mostly small things but I got a ton of 6" and larger figures coming to my house. Other than that there are about 6 poster floating around the house. Again it doesn't seem like much but the collection is growing in all areas at this point.

I see you found S.V. Can you tell our readers how good they are?

They are absolutely fantastic. There prices are amazing along with the shipping fees. Not to mention the owner Keith is a really nice guy. The quality of their products are top notch. If you need to see for yourself check out my review of Gamera vs. Zigra. The video quality floored me when compared to what is available for those movies in the US market. Everyone reading this should do themselves a favor and look up Showa Video.

Any last words or tips you can give?

I would personally like to thank my wife first of all. She's been a great support and a big help with everything. I would also like to thank all the fans of my show. You guys and your comments keep me going and without you this show would not nothing. So thanks again, I hope ya'll will stick around and I will keep making videos. Also if anyone is thinking of starting your own video series. I don't think I could give much advice other than just to go for it. That’s what I did, just took a shot and I'm pretty satisfied with were I am at. Not to mention KMR is slowly growing larger. With the addition of Kaiju Quickie you never know what the future might hold. Maybe another show in the distant future, only time will tell.

Godzilla 2000 Trailers

Some trailers have surfaced concerning tv spots for Godzilla 2000. I have already downloaded them and copied them down to disc, but I thought it would be interesting to share. This is the first one...




Second is at this link...

http://www.starz.com/titles/Godzilla2000

Enjoy!

Godzilla 2000's Alternate Ending Card

I was not originaly going to ressurect these pictures, but I thought that since all on the internet which showed this was a video and no pictures, I felt the need. These images can be used by anyone and everyone without paying tribute to the site, though all text is of this blog and needs to be used with permission only. Enjoy!

And yes I got some more stuff to submit to Tohokingdom. Be watching!

Review: G2K JP Version

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I was wrong. I finally saw the Japanese version of my favorite Godzilla film, Godzilla 2000. All I can say is wow for the matter. I had seen the first 18 minutes and part of the final fight scene from the Japanese version before and I am happy that I got to try it out, otherwise what I saw would have kept me in shock. So here is my review of the Japanese version.

The film screams rough cut. I am not going to lie, there are many points in the film that the sound for realism is just lacking and is just dull, unlike the US version. Many things which seemed epic in the US version are not in this version. It is rather weird. Though I do like some of the scenes which were cut out from the US version. All of the deleted kaiju action should have been kept in the US version. I also think that the two scenes with the UFO projecting words onto computer screens should have been kept.

There are some things which I am on the edge about. The first thing is the dialogue. I really think that this film needs to be recut a third time, combining into one package the best of both the JP and US versions. And it would have to be dubbed. Really, I do not know what to think of the JP dialogue. There is so much detail in it which actually helps flesh out the human characters. I am right now actually making of own subtitle script for the film. If only I had a DVD copy of the JP version, no doubt I will be making a home made cut on my computer. Really, the human element can be improved on. Both the US and JP dialogue together would make for some great scenes.

The soundtrack is something I am also on the fence about. I can diffidently see where some think that the soundtrack gets repetitive. Owning the soundtrack, I thought it was kick butt. Though now seeing how it was used, especially since the track Godzilla: Dreaded God is in different places through out the film is just awkward. Plus some of the music is just not as epic as the J. P Robinson pieces. Though I would not be surprised. Hattori also did Spacegodzilla. Though I do love this soundtrack. I am also now more appreciative about the added Ifukube tracks in the US version.

Overall, with the cuts and changes Michael Schlesinger did with the film, I do not agree with 45% of the changes he and his crew made. Though I still love the US version and the changes did enough to actualy let G2K be the only Godzilla film without added scenes with Americans to actualy feel like it is it's own entity. The JP version is just as good, maybe a little deeper but not as fun as the US version.

Godzilla From Deutschland

Something known is that the German distributors changed the plot of the Showa Godzilla films through the German dub. Something not really well known is "how". Well, talking with a German Godzilla fan on youtube (EvilVillager1989) I got to know with a couple of films how messed up they became when the German distributors dubbed them. Here you go!


Godzilla 1954
"Godzilla - Der sensationellste Film der Gegenwart" - video title
"Godzilla - The Sensational Film of the Present" - translation
Released August 10, 1956
84 minutes
No Raymond Burr

The German Dub for GKOTM actually predated the whole "Godzillasaurus" idea from "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah". As far as plot holes go, they claim that Godzilla isn't too fond of electricity though we do not know how they know that and just makes it funny when he takes down the tension wires. Though for the Oxygen Destroyer, it's creation is never explained how it was created. To a surprising extend, the Godzilla shown before the depth charge sequence and the Godzilla afterwards are counted as two different Godzillas in the German dub (figure that one out!)


Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
"Frankenstein und die Ungeheuer aus dem Meer"/"Frankenstein and the Monster from the sea"
"Godzilla - Das Monster aus der Tiefe"/"Godzilla - The Monster From the Deep"
"Godzilla - Das Ungeheuer aus dem Meer"/"Godzilla - The monster from the sea" (TV TITLE)
May 16, 1969

Taking use of the Frankenstein name, the Red Bamboo organization is actualy working for Dr. Frankenstein who are bent at finding the energy source which created some monsters. What monsters am I talking about? Well Mothra, The Giant Condor, and Ebirah are off shoot experiments from Frankenstein, except that Mothra failed for not being evil, Giant Condor is a clone of Rodan (no shit!) and Ebirah is the organization's "body guard" and Frankenstein’s "master" creation.


Son of Godzilla
"Frankensteins Monster jagen Godzillas Sohn"/"Frankenstein's Monster Hunt: Godzilla's Son"
July 15, 1971

As if Frankenstein had enough children, Kumonga and Kamakuras are both creations of Frankenstein. The researchers on the island are the same like in the US/JP versions of the film. And Riko, the island girl, is Frankenstein's daughter. WTF. In Minya's case, he is just a Godzilla mutant that Godzilla cares for.


Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
King Kong Geegen Godzilla
Godzilla gegen mechagodzilla
Dec. 20, 1974

Mechagodzilla is another creation of Frankenstein! And Anguirus is also in the Okinawan prophecy with King Caesar. Though somehow, they claim that the Okinawans and the "Frankenstein" Simeons have been working togeather the whole time! Godzilla is good ole Godzilla.

NEWS!

Kaiju forumer Der Amiganer, who is best known for his fan site dedicated to Megumi Odaka (Miki S. from Gvs.Biollante - Gvs.Destroyer;http://www.megumiodaka.net.ms/), has just released some information about the Germanization of "Monster Zero", otherwise known as "Command From The Dark". "the German distributor of "Monster Zero" actually claimed that the movie was loosely based on themes by Hans Dominik, a German science-fiction author, in both the German trailer and on the German poster."

Here is the German trailer for, "Monster Zero."

Amiganer later said, "You probably won't understand much, but at one point it shows some covers of Hans Dominik's books. The narrator claims that "his [Hans Dominik's] inspirations inspired the creation of this movie" (or something like that)." I want to thank Der Amiganer for the information. Again, if anyone else has any information, please share!