Kaiju Movie Review No. 4

To start off the month of September, we got another one of Kuroneko-Sama’s Kaiju Reference listings!

Reference(s) No. 4:

TV Reference(s):Godzilla vs. Gigan – Nebula Space Hunter M Aliens

Gamera vs. Guiron – Alien women

Show: Red Dwarf

Season: VI

Episode No.: 1

Episode: Psirens

Plot Summary: After being awoken from a 200-year period in stasis, Lister, Rimmer, the Cat, and Kryten are faced with the seemingly impossible task of relocating Red Dwarf and Holly. Flying in Star Bug, Kryten announced that they have located the Dwarf’s vapor trail. Their pursuit, however, takes them into an asteroid belt in which they discover reside cockroach-like extraterrestrials that want to eat their brains!

Reference(s): I have found several references within this episode. Whether they were in their on purpose or merely coincidental, I cannot say. However, owing to the fact that Red Dwarf continuously riffs a vast majority of science fiction icons, such as Star Trek, it is likely that the following were inspired in some way by daikaiju eiga:The first reference that can be found is the nature of the extraterrestrials – called Psirens – in the fact that they are, put simply, overgrown cockroaches. This models the Nebula Space Hunter M aliens in the respect that they, too, are overgrown cockroaches.I call this episode a reference to the Gamera vs. Guiron female aliens in respect to the method in which the Psirens utilize to lure their victims. Such as the Sirens of mythology, Psirens lure their victims by way of hypnotic attraction and making their victims believe they are facing either an awesome object of love and affection or, in the case with Lister at one point, a friend or companion that can be trusted. The female aliens of the Guiron film use this similar method by making the boys believe that they are merely beautiful, benevolent women from another planet. As with the Psirens, their true intentions are sinister and, to say the least, rather distasteful, as in both incidents, these extraterrestrials seek to consume the brains of their victims, though their rationalizations to this practice may differ.

Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

Film Reference(s):Godzilla

Film: Toy Story 2

Year: 1999

Plot synopsis: While rescuing a toy from Mom’s garage sale, Woody is stolen by the man in the chicken suit from Al’s Toy Barn! Buzz and the gang set off to rescue the cowboy, but not just from the Chicken Man, but also from another toy!

Reference(s): As with the first Toy Story film, Hamm pokes at Rex with Godzilla references several times, even calling Rex Godzilla on one occasion in the film.Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

Other reference(s):Rodan

Media type: novel

Title: It

Author: Stephen King

Plot Synopsis: An evil exists in the town of Derry – several years ago, a group of kids thought that they had rid themselves of it. Now, as adults, they must fight it again.

Reference(s): There is a point in the novel in which one of the boys in the main cast is watching the film Rodan with his father.Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

Daikaiju Refrences 3

Reference(s) No. 3:

TV Reference(s):Godzilla/Gamera films
Show: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Season:
Episode No.:
Episode: Pod People
Plot Summary: Joel and the bots riff a film boasting irrelevant footage during the opening credits, bad acting, and a weak plot involving a young boy who finds an egg that belongs to an alien. The alien, meanwhile, is killing off everyone it meets – and it’s getting closer!

Reference(s): Probably one of my most favorite MST3K episodes, Pod People makes references to the Showa Era Godzilla and Gamera films when Crow screams, “Oh, no! It’s Kenny!” Kenny is the nickname among daikaiju fans given to the seemingly omnipresent annoying boy in short pants that can be seen in just about all of these films.

Film Reference(s):GODZILLA (1998)
Film: Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack! (GMK)
Plot Synopsis: In the year 2003, Godzilla is nothing more than a legend in modern society, despite who recall the 1954 incident, and the military that keeps vigilant. However, the skepticism soon turns into fear, as Godzilla reemerges, possessed by the souls of those caught in the crossfire of the Pacific-Gulf War. With this new Godzilla threatening the country, only the Guardian Monsters of Yamato can stop the onslaught, and modern Japan is forced into a mythological battle.

Reference(s): While it seems odd to have listed here a Godzilla film referencing a “Godzilla” film, it is actually perfectly accurate to mention this particular reference as the 1998 film “GODZILLA” is not considered a part of Toho’s franchise:At the beginning of the movie, two Japanese officers whisper to each other about a monster seen in the United States that the Americans claimed to be Godzilla.

Other Reference(s):Godzilla
Media type: animated short
Title: Mrs. Calloway Presents: A Dairy Tale
Extra from: Disney’s Home on the Range
Plot Synopsis: Mrs. Calloway and the rest of the main Home on the Range Cast put a spin on the tale of the Three Little Pigs

Reference(s): Whilst the ever-prim-and-proper Mrs. Calloway attempts to tell the tale of the Three Little Pigs, things get more than chaotic as the rest of the cast references everything from Close Encounters of a Third Kind to rather amusing Godzilla reference in which the horse, Buck, responds to Grace’s Close Encounters reference with:“But she meets her match against the big, bad monster horse Buckzilla!”, looking very much like Toho’s creation. Following this statement, he proceeds to blow from his mouth a stream of “fire”, and, returning to his normal size, he turns to the Big Bad Wolf, and says, “Hey, Wolfie, you wanna piece of me?” Shortly after this, Mrs. Calloway herself appears very large, the same size as “Buckzilla”.

Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

Daikaiju Refrences 2

Reference(s) No. 2:

TV Reference(s):Gappa, the Triphibian Monsters
Show: Red Dwarf
Season: IV
Episode No.: 24
Episode: Meltdown
Link to reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEWhFWMhSZo
Official website: http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/index.cfm
Plot Synopsis: Kryten discovers how to work a teleportation paddle, and he and the rest of the Red Dwarf crew (Lister, the Cat, and Rimmer) manage to wind up on a nearby planet with a breathable atmosphere – only the inhabitants are made of wax! Now the boys from the Dwarf are caught up on the War of Wax World between wax droids that broke their programming, and Rimmer dubs himself commanding officer of the remaining good side!

Reference(s): After an amusing scene involving Rimmer’s light beam, Kryten and Rimmer teleport to a nearby planet. After ascertaining that the atmosphere is suitable, Kryten sends the paddle back to Lister and the Cat. Rimmer then asks what they are to do next, to which Kryten suggests “ambulating as fast as the local gravity will allow.” When Rimmer demands to know why, Kryten responds, and points ahead. The scene changes and we see stock footage from Gappa, the Triphibian Monsters. The scene shifts again, and we see Rimmer running in terror. We see stock footage from this film a second time later on, portraying the Gappa monsters destroying a city. After this, Kryten makes a comment, stating that he had seen other things that were more realistic.Also to note, the intro for this season includes stock footage of one of the Gappa.

Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

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Film Reference(s):King Kong
Film: Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Plot Synopsis: Wallace, a cheese-loving inventor, and his silent canine companion, Gromit, return in their very first feature film. In it, they are in charge of Anti-Pesto, a small business dedicated to the protection of citizen’s crops from ravaging rabbits before the town’s annual giant vegetable competition. But things begin to get more than furry when an enormous rabbit appears by the light of the moon, and Wallace and Gromit get mixed up in their oddest adventure yet!

Reference(s): There are multiple references in this film, particularly in the Universal monster area. There are references in particular of the Wolfman and of Frankenstein. However, towards the climax of the film, King Kong is blatantly referenced, from the abducting of the film’s love interest/female lead, to the infamous Empire State Building scene with an airplane – recreated with the titular were-rabbit atop a tower at Tottington Hall, and Gromit in a “Dogfight” airplane that was intended for a kiddy ride.

Credit for Reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

Daikaiju Refrence No. 1

By Kuroneko-Sama

Konnichiwa! I am Kuroneko-sama. There a few out there who may already be acquainted with me from Kaiju Galaxy, Gojira’s Sanctuary, or even Toho Kingdom.This is my first posting here at Journalism G2K, and I am very excited to be a part of this. This initial post of mine will be the first of many in what I hope will be a fun and concerted effort for and of many daikaiju aficionados.“References” is something I came up with in order to illustrate just how the reach of daikaiju eiga such as Godzilla and Gamera extends, and not just in the manner of TV shows and films. This is to be a weekly article. If you happen to have anything to contribute to “References”, I urge you to please do so. I also emphasize that, while Toho Kingdom has a similar article to their site, those who do submit references and sightings, do so honestly, and do not simply look at and take credit for the discoveries of others. Please also keep submissions appropriate, and keep in mind the consideration of others. Also, feel free to leave comments! Any and all feedback is welcome, provided it is appropriate.Thank you!*~Kuroneko-sama~*

Reference(s) No. 1
TV Reference(s):Godzilla
Show: Red Dwarf
Season: II
Episode No.: 9
Episode: Thanks for the Memory
Air Date: BBC2 on September 20, 1988
Official Website: http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/index.cfm

Plot synopsis: After getting drunk at Rimmer’s “Death Day” party, Lister, Rimmer, the Cat, and Holly wake up the next day, and discover that they are missing four days! Not only that, but somehow Lister and the Cat each has a broken leg, Lister’s puzzle is magically finished, and Holly can’t find the black box that records their every movement! Following the black box’s tracing signal, the crew watch the recording, despite a previously recorded Holly’s warning not to, and discover just what happened and how they came to lose those four days.

Reference(s): While watching the first part of the black box recording, Holly interrupts by saying, “What does all this have to do with broken legs, finished jigsaw puzzles, and Godzilla-sized footprints?”

Credit for reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

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Film Reference(s):Godzilla
Film: Toy Story
Year: 1995
Plot synopsis: Woody has the perfect life with Andy and his toy buddies – until Buzz Lightyear arrives, and ruins everything. Now Woody has to reconcile his differences with Buzz, escape the destructive next-door-neighbor, prove himself to his friends, and get back to Andy before the family moves!

Reference(s): Hamm, the piggy bank, makes Godzilla references when he refers to Rex, Andy’s toy tyrannosaurus, as “Spillzilla” and other names.

Credit for reference(s): Kuroneko-sama

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Other Reference(s):Godzilla
Media type: Radio Advertisement
Advertisement for: Restoration Specialists of Lake City, FL
Summary: A radio advertisement for the services offered by said businessReference(s): The advertisement involves a woman calling in the people from Restoration Specialists, saying that her currently missing pet basically did some damage to her home. At the end of the advertisement, one of the men from Restoration Specialists says, “Uh, ma’am, I think we found your pet.” Following this statement is the sound of the 1954 Godzilla’s “roar” or "groan".

Credit for reference(s): Kuroneko-sama