by Jorzilla » Tue Jun 10, 2014 2:37 pm
This debate is irrelevant. Functionally it makes no difference if Godzilla is real in Godzilla's Revenge, because within the context of the story all of the monster footage, stock footage and all is clearly the product of Ichiro's imagination. That is most important of all. So it comes down to the more plausible answer, and given they way the subject matter is handled, the film very much works as a "real world" film. It has nothing to do with being an apologist or not. Moreover, despite your insistence that other Godzilla films are selectively referential or self standing (which I agree), you can't deny that Godzilla's Revenge is completely distinct in the context of the Showa films. It literally is a clip-show before clip shows were a thing.
The simple fact is, you cannot prove that this film takes place in the Godzilla universe, and I cannot prove that it does either. So it comes down to makes sense in the narrative structure in the movie.