Box Office Discussion

[angilas]

[Jorzilla]

Yes. Dr. Serizawa remarks on the backstory of Godzilla is completely equivalent to the strong imagery they used for the MUTOs. Steve Ryfle does know anything about what he's talking about, and this is one of the most profound and original Godzilla movies of all time.

Considering this discussion has me acknowledging your points (not claiming that you are blind or are "not getting it") but explaining why it's not sufficient to overcome my other pieces of criticism, we have reached an impasse. It's not worth re-iterating my points on this matter again. I've said them so much my criticism is plain.

[Benjamin Haines]

[Jorzilla]

[Gojiraknight]

To bring this topic somewhat back to the Box Office...

Thomas Tull has stated the intent was always to make Godzilla the hero (or at least the protagonist).

However, I think we can all agree the marketing portrayed him as anything but. Or at least it implied as much (which in advertising is the same thing).

So, given the boffo opening day and weekend, is a villainous, nuclear monster run amok Godzilla more in line with what mainstream audiences wanted to see? And when do you think the decision was made to sell the movie as such?

[Benjamin Haines]

[Gojiraknight]

[Benjamin Haines]

[Kailem]

[QBASS]

[angilas]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[HannibalBarca]

Ryfle's politics may be a bit too extreme for my taste, but he makes a good point that this is the American Godzilla movie that seems most eager to forego asking any difficult questions about what Godzilla is or means. Even the 1998 movie was more overt about Godzilla being a menace caused by mankind's arrogance and mistakes. Sure, the instigator in 1998 was France instead of the US, which certainly does a lot to divest Godzilla of his original meaning, but, hell, at least they tried.

[The Shadow]

I don't really understand the criticism about the level of nuclear symbolism in Legendary's Godzilla movie. It just doesn't make sense to criticize this movie as we need only to look at all the previous movies to see that Toho themselves didn't think that nuclear symbolism necessary for every Godzilla movie.

Obviously, the nuclear symbolism is a key component of Gojira/Godzilla: King of the Monsters but that same symbolism is severely reduced if not outright eliminated with Godzilla Raids Again. The nuclear symbolism is pretty much dropped entirely with every movie from King Kong vs. Godzilla to Terror of MechaGodzilla. While nuclear testing is a plot point of Mothra vs Godzilla, the greater theme in the film is that humanity can work together for a better world.

I suppose one could argue that Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985 sees a return of nuclear symbolism, but the approach to Godzilla here seems much more in line with GRA than G/G:KOTM where Godzilla is a force we hope to divert & minimize the damage caused and just maybe contain for a short time rather than the living embodiment of our own destruction.

If RoG/G1985 saw a return of nuclear symbolism, then Godzilla vs. Biollante saw it stored away just as quickly and no hint of nuclear symbolism for the rest of the Heisei movies. With the Millennium movies Toho didn't even make a Godzilla movie that has arguable nuclear symbolism.

Out of 30 Godzilla movies we have the first film with certain and clear nuclear symbolism, RoG/G1985 with arguable nuclear symbolism, and Godzilla (1998) with some level of symbolism. Although I don't think I would say G1998 had strong nuclear symbolism, sure nuclear weapons were key to GINO's creation but the creature did not embody the horrors nuclear weaponry in any way close to how Godzilla is presented in the original movie.

That's just 3 movies out of 30 and only one with truly clear nuclear symbolism, rather thin evidence to try and build a case for criticizing Legendary's Godzilla movie for not having strong (or any) nuclear symbolism.

[Hybrid Gojira]

[angilas]

[jellydonut25]

Nukes are old-hat.

[HannibalBarca]

[DannyBeane]

[jellydonut25]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[Cookie]

Its not gonna hit 500 before Japan. Still think 505-510 is possible for total

[angilas]

Good news. Now if only for a brief time, as of tuesdays numbers, box office mojo has us listed in the top 150 highest grossing films of all time (domestically, their main ranking). Problem is when Wednesdays or thursdays numbers come in trans4mers will overtake us before we can overtake the next film on the list (or get into the top 50 IMAX films of all time by earning an additional 339k over monsters and Aliens http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=imax.htm

[Cookie]

I THINK its hitting dollar theaters this weekend.. So it'll have a nice little jump. 200m here in the states will be very very close. I'd just hate for the film to have that awesome 93m opening, but not cross 200. It would be the highest opener to not cross 200.

[daikaijusaurus]