Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

Yeah, there are several Goji flicks that are great or entertaining in their own way in which Godzilla doesn't play much more of a role than that of a plot device.

Monster Zero
Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla

Letting Godzilla play more of a character role is nice too, but it's not necessary if the films are done right and Godzilla is handled properly.

Regarding Godzilla 2000, I would hardly call Godzilla just a plot device with no character in that movie. His rivalry with the UFO/Orga is built up very well, so that when he wades his way into Tokyo for the final showdown, his sense of disdain for his foe is palpable, harking back to Godzilla vs. Hedorah. Who didn't feel a little tinge of glee and admiration for the Big G when he did his little endzone dance over Orga's lifeless corpse there at the end?

Even though GMK may not be one of my all-time favorites of the Godzilla series, I have still admired it more so than any other "Millennium" movie because, in truth, it is the superior film in nearly every aspect. The characterizations are allowed to live and breath within the story, as opposed to the one-dimensional, card-board cut-outs of Godzilla X Megaguirus, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and Godzilla, Tokyo SOS, who are hopelessly trapped within the confines of bad screenwriting. Also, alot of it has to do with the performances. With the exception of the veterans, I don't feel that there are any good actors in most of the "Millennium" movies. Actually, I shouldn't say that. What I mean is, it's one thing to give a competent performance. It's another thing to actually carry the human drama in a kaiju flick, because a lot of people, fans and casual viewers alike, watch these movies for the monsters anyway. And finally, I think GMK is the superior film because Shusuke Kaneko is no amatuer, like Masaaki Tezuka. He has the skill to attract a good script, and put a good movie on the screen, which is more than you could say for anyone, save Ishiro Honda, Jun Fukuda and maybe Takao Okawara, who has directed a Godzilla movie. Ultimately, my argument doesn't hold alot of weight though, because I am basically talking about the difference in skill between Kaneko and Tezuka. I have grown rather fond of Godzilla 2000 as of late, and Godzilla Final Wars...well, I've always said it would have probably made one helluva video game. However, I think I am justified in saying that GMK is the best of the "Millennium" series because, simply, it was made by the better filmmakers.

Now, as far as the "darkness" in the Godzilla series is concerned, I think that is a very generalized term to use. The way I see it, a Godzilla movie can never be truly dark, unless Godzilla himself is the personification of evil, and with the exception of GMK, Godzilla has never been just that. Even in [i[Godzilla King of the Monsters![/i], he was an enraged animal in strange surroundings. I think a better way to put it is, some fans want a Godzilla movie that you can take seriously, with interesting characters, a well thought-out story and exceptional special effects. What they don't seem to realize is that there are plenty of films in the series that have some of, if not all of those things. Some Godzilla movies hold up pretty well on their own as good science fiction. Of course, everybody has their own ideas on which films those are, but it really seems like some fans just aren't happy with what they've got. Personally, I don't care, either way. I love Godzilla '54 just as much as I do Godzilla vs. Gigan, while, at the same time, acknowledging the better movie. Godzilla 1985 has been a sentimental favorite of mine ever since I was born, but having watched it recently, for the first time in forever, I've come to realize other than Teruyoshi Nakano's special effects, the movie itself is actually pretty horrible. I think that when fans talk about the "darkness" in a Godzilla movie, they look to this film in particular, because it has a "tone" to it that none of the other movies have. The Cold War paranoia, and the sense of urgency with which the threat of Godzilla's return is treated are what compell some to say that Godzilla 1985 is one of the best in the series. That may or may not be true, depending on how you perceive the rest of the films, but the truth of the matter is, it's a pretty terrible movie. The direction is clumsy, the performances of the three main actors are underwhelming and overall, the story is just uninteresting. Sure, it looks more "mature" and "serious" than most of the Godzilla movies, but really, it is no less chock-full of cheesiness than Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster (incidentally, another of my favorite G-films). The silly giant sea-louse (Nakano's biggest misfire in the movie) and the fact that the Prime Minister inexplicably cries when Godzilla is finally defeated, are proof of this. Honestly, I just don't care. I love Godzilla, and I love Godzilla movies, good or bad, expertly-crafted or dreadfully unwatchable. Even Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla, and even Godzilla Tokyo SOS. It's all fine with me.

Sorry if my post seems to go off in ten different directions. It has truly been a long time since I've been here, and in that time, my views on Godzilla fandom, the films and all, have changed a little bit, as they will often do with anybody, I suspect. The fact that I have been out of the fandom for quite some time now (meaning, I don't collect the toys anymore, and don't watch the films as much as I used to) has lot towith it as well. So if it seems like I am trying to make too many points at once, or if I failed to make any point foir that matter, I apologize. I just had alot to say, I guess.

I wouldn't call GMK's Godzilla the personification of evil at all. He's the personification of the Pacific War dead and I would hardly call them evil... just really pissed off.

Agreed.

I agree very much with you about G85. It's really not a very good movie, but it's always been one of my absolute favorite movies (godzilla or not). I can see why some fans call it a "dark" godzilla movie, but that's really a misnomer imo. It's not really "dark" so much as it is atmospheric, moody, & somber. like you said, it has a very distinct tone that no other G film has, but it's still not something i would call "dark".

There's plenty of ethical topics that Godzilla could be reinterpeted to stand for - war, pollution, the negative effects of climate change (hurricanes for instance) genetic manipulation of food/animals, science gone wrong, etc.

How about a movie where all the rich people are evacuated from the city in time, leaving the poor people to die? That would stike home for some of us. Or where at the begining he tramples a city and his radioactivity poisions the water supply, even mutates someone/thing else into another monster. There's plenty of possibility out there for new Godzilla films that could actually mean someting (in addition to being just fun monster films.)

[quote="hawanja"]â€


2019 Edit: I think this post was a casualty of the board's server change from years back.