Kalat article on Sekizawa

[lhb412]

Our old pal David Kalat wrote a neat piece on writer Shinichi Sekizawa, who was as much an architect of of Toho's science fiction series as anybody.

http://moviemorlocks.com/2014/03/29/shi ... -the-suit/

Great stuff, or what? Several things I'd never heard before about Sekizawa working with the effects and design folks on the films.

I mostly agree Kalat's opinions, but I think he might be a bit off on the new film...

[Hybrid Gojira]

It's a cool write up, though I'd say I prefer a more straight-laced approach to Godzilla. I like the tone of the new film (based soley on what's been said in interviews by the director as the cast). I'd rather see that approach than the more lighthearted one....but that's just me.

[kiryugoji04]

I think out of all of Toho's tokusatsu godfathers, Shinichi Sekizawa may be my favorite. For all the amazing contributions of Honda, Tsuburaya, Tanaka, Ifukube, Arikawa, Nakano, Fukuda, Sato, etc., it was (as far as I know) Sekizawa who said, "GUYS. LET'S TAKE ROMAN HOLIDAY AND PUT GIANT MONSTERS IN IT AND IT WILL BE THE BEST MOVIE EVER."

That's a really big deal for me. XD

[Gojilove]

Kalat really gives him a lot of credit for this series survival. If you have ever listened to his "Ghidrah" commentary on the classic media dvd, he really makes great points. I've always enjoyed his passion for Godzilla, really sells all of his points well. And while I agree, I've always wanted Godzilla to be more serious - the way that Sekizawa wrote the monster and people relationships in those 60s films was just brilliant, really set them apart from the competition at the time.

[lhb412]

I like both approaches. If I write down my ten favorite Japanese monsters movies they're evenly split between more serious and more whimsical films.

[Hybrid Gojira]

[Gojilove]

[MekaGojira3k]

I love the variety Sekizawa was able to deliver, and I loved the finished products.
And while the Roman Holiday/Kaiju thing is neat, I just love the fairy tale nature of Ghidrah.
Save the princess from the bad guys, and there's a dragon to be dealt with...but its a SPACE DRAGON!

[lhb412]

I've watched more classic Hollywood romantic comedies in the past few years, and now I really feel their influence on Sekizawa's writing. His characters tend towards the eccentric, and many border on 'screwball.'

You can take a '60s Godzilla film and, without that much imagination, imagine Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart substituting for the lead actor.

[Gman2887]

In the article, Kalat claims that Sekizawa directed Attack of the Flying Saucers (1956) and then was called to develop Agon. After it was shut down Toho put him to work on Varan (1958). But all the sources I find point to Agon being filmed in 1964 and then Toho allowing the series to be broadcast in 1968.
Anyone?