With the new Godzilla movie coming out in theaters and also with Rifftrax set to riff the 1998 remake, how about a WDT about the franchise? Favorite Godzilla movie? Favorites riff(s)? Funny associations with any of the movies?
I’ll tell you one thing Godzilla taught me: Buy MST3K sets as soon as they come out because you never know what will happen. I treasure my 10.1 set with Godzilla vs. Megalon, which was pulled rather quickly over copyright issues. “The Giant Gila Monster,” while entertaining, is no match for the ‘Zilla.
I was going to present some fun facts about Gojira, but these guys did it better.
So have at it!
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the whole giant bird attacking the G-man while he was sitting on the rock in ‘GvtSM’ kills me every time. the riffs are hilarious.
Any time someone mentions ‘Godzilla’, all I can think of is Crow saying “…And Mike paid a quarter to watch it, so it already made more money than “‘G%*zilla'” in the Summer Blockbuster Review. I don’t know which amuses me more–Crow’s declaration that $.25 was more money than “Godzilla” made in theaters or that Mike actually handed over 25 cents to watch “Goshzilla!” (Funnier still; I would think he would feel duped by it, rather than ruefully humoring yet another Crow T. Robot production.)
I loved watching Godzilla marathons back on the old AMC as a teen, and it was MST’s giant monster movies that helped work me into the show. Even now, I love how they got into the classic wrestling ringside announcer mode when the action started, especially during stunts like the Tail Slide Double Drop Kick. I always kind of wished they would have riffed on Son of Godzilla, because that little punk annoyed me.
Three Godzilla moments come to life- Godzilla doing the Ali shuffle (I don’t remember the film, obviously made in the mid-1960’s); Godzilla vs. King Kong (now on Blu-Ray) where King Kong drinks Berry juice, and, of course, Godzilla begging for a magazine in episode 213. Wish I had a decent copy of that episode.
Godzilla was my childhood hero. I remember running home from school as fast as I could so I wouldn’t miss a minute of whatever Godzilla (or other monster movie) they’d be showing on channel 62 (in Kansas City).
Godzilla vs Megalon is my favorite of the old series, even more than Destroy All Monsters. I love Jet Jaguar, and Megalon is pretty awesome (he’s a beetle with drill hands!). It’s also got Gigan, which is one of my favorites (he’s a cyborg monster from space with a saw blade in his chest!).
That’s one of the reasons my favorite MST3k ep is G vs M (actually, it’s tied with Gorgo). The whole episode is fantastic, but the color commentary during the final fight scene kills me every time (he’s got a tree!!).
Some of my favorites of the newer Godzilla movies are Godzilla Mothra & King Ghidora (aka GMK), in which Godzilla is represented as the living embodiment of all the angry souls killed by nuclear weapons, and the other monsters are guardian deities that are awakened to fight him. The newer Mecha Godzilla movies are REALLY good (actually, most all of the Mecha Godzilla movies are good).
My other favorite Big G movie though, is Final Wars. It was the last one made, and it was amazing. Totally over-the-top, just the way it should be. The UFC guy in it was so bad at acting, he was actually awesome. This one also has Gigan, who gets an upgrade near the end with 2 giant chainsaws on each arm!
And I saw the new one last night. IT…WAS… AWESOME!!!! I am truly impressed at how well they pulled it off. I think there was a tich too much human stuff, but that’s true of about 80% of Godzilla movies.
I remember as a kid that Godzilla movies would be on late on the local station. I saw that Godzilla vs Monster Zero was going to be on at 2:00 AM and my parents said I could stay up and watch it since it was on the weekend. I only saw the first 15 minutes then fell asleep! Years later I was so psyched for the 1998 remake I talked my friends into going to the midnight show. I was sooo embarrassed and apologized endlessly to them afterwards. One of my first exposures to MST was Godzilla vs the Sea Monster. My nephews had it on tape and showed it to me, the part where Godzilla is sitting on the rock. I thought it wasn’t too funny, since I don’t like potty humor. Little did I realize how great MST was.
Of the Showa era, I really liked Mothra vs. Godzilla. But nothing compares to the original Gojira. It actually has a message, and it’s a strong one that resonates even today! I also recommend Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack for pure visual fun. Shusuke Kaneko is a fantastic director. He’s also done the really good ’90s Gamera Trilogy, the first of which I hear the new Godzilla is kind of a remake of sorts.
My family had several of the Godzilla movies (on Betamax videotape!) when I was a kid. As Trace once said about the Gamera movies, the Godzilla movies were the ones that we would play in the background while we were playing with Legos on a rainy afternoon: we didn’t pay very close attention to them, so we sometimes remember them as being “better” than they really were, but they were important childhood staples nonetheless.
“Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster” is the one that I remember seeing the most. We must have taped it off of “Super Scary Saturday” on TBS, because our copy included bumpers hosted by Al Lewis (“Grandpa Munster”). Another one was “Terror of Mechagodzilla”, and I remember that one because Mechagodzilla’s appearances were usually accompanied by a short, repetitive musical theme that my younger brother would play on the piano over and over again to annoy us (the only thing that would motivate him to learn the piano). I also remember “Son of Godzilla” (apparently the sequel to “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster”), and also “All Monsters Attack”, the one in which Godzilla’s son Minilla was inexplicably given a goofy cartoony voice that sounded just like ALF. I also remember seeing the original “Godzilla” (with the Raymond Burr inserts) and its sequel, “Godzilla 1985”, but those weren’t in our regular rotation.
Researching the Godzilla franchise, it’s impressive to realize how many of those movies were made. “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster” is probably still my favorite of the ones I’ve seen, which is why it was such a treat to later discover that it had been featured on MST3K.
The Godzilla movies were always fun–of one sort or another.
I recall seeing one–can`t remember which- wherein Godzilla is taking on another monster, and warily circles his opponent, his ‘hands’ in perfect Karate Shuto (Sword Hand) position….
Wonder what Dojo Godzilla attended to learn his technique? :rotfl:
aaahhh…Fun!
I usually try not to think about riffs when I’ve paid to see a movie on the big screen, but I’m calling it now–when Rifftrax does their commentary for the 2014 film, there’s definitely going to be some Birdemic call-backs since there are shots of flocks of birds flying over San Francisco. (The movie’s great, mind you, but still quite riffable if they want to do it.)
As far as MST3K’s forays into the franchise go, Vs. Megalon has to contain the most annoying kid ever dubbed in a Godzilla film. And, of course, the tail slide… I’d like to see the new one do that! No, seriously, I really want to see the new one do that in the next film, along with the atomic breath flight, tree-wielding and some of the other weird stuff.
My personal favorite kaiju growing up was Mechagodzilla, primarily because I grew up watching Power Rangers and MechaG is pretty much the Dragonzord’s dad. I don’t remember much of the films themselves as I would often change the channel when they got to the boring talky parts without any monsters on screen. Trendmasters also had a killer toy line back then, with power-up parts for the monsters and micro-playsets, which I’m always a sucker for.
Growing up in the late 70’s we only could watch what the antenna brought in and fortunately one station had a “creature feature” triple billing on Saturday evenings, often times featuring a Godzilla movie. My aunt I lived with back then saved everything and many years later gave me a box of various papers and there were several rudimentary drawings of Godzilla. Always with lasers or fire coming out of his mouth, so it definitely rang a bell with me. When I first saw the MST3K episodes they were familiar and the thing with these movies; they are just a whole bunch of fun. Can’t wait too see the new one.
Favorite movie: vs the Sea Monster
Favorite riff: Ka-Bob and Ka-Steve
“Godzilla vs. Megalon” happens to be the only episode where I saw the film in a theater before it was Misted. I saw GVM in the early 70’s in a movie theater. GVM also has one of my favorite host segments: The “Popcorn Sketch” where the Bots parody the Orville Redenbacher commercials. “Grandpa, when are you going to die you twisted old ferret?” :rotfl: In fact, I recently stayed at a friend’s house and I brought 10.1 over so they could watch some of the episodes. They hadn’t seen MST3K in years so we watched GVM and “The Giant Spider Invasion”. We watched GVM first and before we played the disc they made some popcorn from a bottle of Orville Redenbacher popcorn kernels. Yes, I planned it that way and, no, I did not tell them about the “Popcorn Sketch” until they saw it :-P
I’m not too sure what Toho’s problem is with MST3K riffing two of their Godzilla movies. Is it because they think it reduces Godzilla’s image or something? If so, why are they allowing Godzilla to be used in commercials (to promote the new film), that make Godzilla look even sillier than in the actual films (the Snickers commercial being an example).
That said, I really hope that one day “Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster” can get an official release. To me it’s a funnier episode than the “Magalon” one (it’s mainly the “Godzilla taking a crap” jokes that make it the superior episode, IMO).
@13
I was under the impression that the objection on GvMegalon was part of Toho’s larger campaign of squashing retail sales of that old PD copy via trademark.
Found my Vol 10 set at a mall FYE store long after it was hopeless, and $135 on amazon but moving upwards. I walked in the store, saw it on the shelf and felt I was seeing things! But there it was.
I like the Brodrick film better than most, it seems. I don’t understand all the hate. it’s a fun action/monster movie. What else do you need..? A plot like King Kong?
I grew up on Japanese monster shows, Ultraman, Space Giants… such a warm feeling. Godzilla brings that too. Add to that the wonderful stuff from MST3K, Gamera, etc…
I had a bought LP recorded copy of the splended, and as yet (I think) unmst’ed, King Kong Vs. Godzilla. My nephew just about destroyed the box and the tape was getting warn out…. I think there were food stains inside it too, cheese, chocolate… damn that kid was regular!!
Well, if you all can’t tell by my name on this site, I’m a HUGE GIGANTIC MASSIVE Godzilla fan! I own all the movies in both their English dubbed versions and in the original (and superior) Japanese versions with (mostly accurate) English subtitles, upwards of 200 collectables/toys, too many posters to count, and attend the annual G-FEST convention in Chicago every year… so yeah, I’m obsessed. Godzilla has always been my hero and a best buddy, even if he can’t help being pretty destructive. :) My obsession began when I was super young and I watched “Godzilla 2000” at a friend’s house. I was instantly hooked, and although it took the better part of a decade, I located and watched all the films, while watching my few interested friends and family grow up and leave Godzilla behind.
You have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy Kaiju films like the Godzilla and Gamera franchises for what they truly are, and my journey has largely been one I’ve gone on alone. I have endured a lot of ridicule and even insults for simply enjoying something I love. Its been tough, but I find the films inspiring for me as an artist, and films that, aside from the sillier entries, often carry metaphorical meaning and deeper symbolism. The original Gojira was created to express the terror and paranoia that Japan was experiencing after the war, and director Ishiro Honda admitted years later that he hoped the film would be remembered as a great anti-war, anti-nuke film that could affect a change, mainly in the realm of nuclear proliferation, across the world. On his deathbed, he admitted that he failed.
But Godzilla endures. 60 years, 28 Japanese films, now two American films, four TV series, tree different comic book runs, numerous cameos and references in TV and movies, and of course our own beloved MST3K episodes 212 and 213, Godzilla continues to entertain and provoke thought in the more sophisticated viewer. If metaphor and allegory aren’t your thing, than simply watch Godzilla and his various kaiju brethren destroy cities an duke it out in epic clashes to the death. Because at the end of the day, Godzilla is all about one thing… fun!
If anyone out there hasn’t seen Ishiro Honda’s original 1954 Gojira in its original version, I recommend you watch it. Its truly a classic film, and if you are in the right mindset, it WILL make you cry. Its a powerful story.
Also, I urge all of you to see Gareth Edward’s new Godzilla in theaters as soon as you can! I went to an advanced screening Thursday night, and it was a beautiful and powerful experience! 10 years after his last film, and 60 years after first rising to put humanity back in its place, Godzilla has truly returned to create a new generation of fans! LONG LIVE THE KING OF THE MONSTERS!!!!!!!! :D
Craig Ferguson is currently trying to puzzle out on his show whether Godzilla is male or female. Apparently, the topic came up, so to speak, when Geoff the robot skeleton (You heard me) commented the weather was “hotter than Godzilla’s scrotum.”
I’ve no idea if Godzilla is male or female, nor can I imagine how anyone would find out.
Sue,
About volume 10.1…
You did watch the replacement instructions, right…?
You did responsibly dispose of your copy of Ghrmnnmnmnm vs Mrhmnnmhmm, RIGHT…?
C’mon, we’re on the honor system here, people!
:-D
@16 – The “Godzilla”, quote-fingers, that laid eggs in Madison Square Garden was female. And since that NEVER HAPPENED (la-la), we can assume the Japanese one that likes to fight is male.
Mothra, OTOH, is quite distinctly referred to as female, also for reproducing.
As for favorite riffs, G’s personality was probably never better summed up than when Megalon tunneled up behind him, G turned around, and:
Servo: “Oh, I am going to kick your lil’…C’MERE!”
(I’m also rather fond of G spreading his little T-rex arms and turning his victory roar into “I…am…KIROK!!”)
James Rolfe (AVGN) is a big fan of the Godzilla franchise and he did some fun video reviews of the 29 Godzilla films made between 1954 and 2004 if anyone is curious. http://cinemassacre.com/category/moviereviews/monstermadness/monster-madness-2008/
He also did a quick video about the new one here: http://cinemassacre.com/2014/05/17/godzilla-2014-thoughts/
@15 – I like the Brodrick film better than most, it seems. I don’t understand all the hate. it’s a fun action/monster movie. What else do you need..? A plot like King Kong?
So, Harry Shearer doesn’t see Godzilla–who’s stomping hard enough to make car alarms go off six blocks away–because he…get this!…isn’t looking out the window at the right time?
I remember sitting in the audience thinking “What is this, children’s theater? Are we all supposed to shout out, ‘It’s behind you!’?”
(And considering the poundage the real Roger Ebert lost from cancer, “Mayor Ebert likes candy” might not be considered the most tasteful director in-joke today.)
oh there’s stuff wrong with it.. . i didn’t say that. But if you name any film ever made I can make a list of what’s wrong with it. It’s an enjoyable monster movie with a fun story (except for the awful TV reporter plot and occasional inept military silliness) and often spectacular special effects and action scenes. There’s enough there for me… Although I don’t remember the not seeing Godzilla part… I don’t think it bothered me enough to remember or I was purposely not paying attention since Shearer was one of the film’s biggest cons along with that blond chick.
yeah, that joke wouldn’t make the cut today. A real shame about Ebert. His were the only reviews I bothered with most of the time. But his weren’t law with me. I think he hated this film and Independence Day too (not to mention Speilberg’s War of the Worlds). I love em all warts and all! It takes little effort to have fun.
The real problem with Godzilla ’98 is that with a bigger budget and everything you’d expect a better movie, but almost* everything directed by Ishiro Honda is so much more fun and if you’ve seen them you know that. As such that movie was a disappointment.
*We’re not going to talk about All Monsters Attack. Just don’t go there.
I find that most Godzilla fans hate the 1998 American version because . . . it’s not Godzilla. It’s like promising your audience a Batman movie only to find that the hero wears a shrew costume the entire time. So I’m happy that Rifftrax is planning to go after it.
Of the two MST3k Godzillas, I prefer vs. Megalon simply because there’s more goofy stuff to work with. Rex Dart and Jet Jaguar together are worth the price of admission, so to speak, plus of course Kenny and all the Megalon-as-a-showman/Godzilla-as-a-wrestler jokes. I remember being pretty well bored by vs. Ebirah, despite that being the better-made film (vs. Megalon uses the most stock footage of any Godzilla movie).
@23 – *We’re not going to talk about All Monsters Attack. Just don’t go there.
Think the poster meant Godzilla’s Revenge (oh, yeah, had that after a couple cases of bad sushi ;) ), and think what we can say about it is that it does more positively show the Big Guy as a caring dad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP8ijCqQc4c
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Japanese Atheist do not believe in GODZILLA.
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster:
Kabob and Kasteve is still hands down one of my all time favorite Riffs.
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster:
” Oh the sign says GO GO, that must be the bathrooms.”
My other favorite Riff from that movie.
Please Shout put the Godzilla movies on DVD, like the Gamera movies.
Makes me feel old when the youngsters say they watched Godzilla movies for the first time on AMC or TBS. I had hope they would be on local TV on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. I love the old movies so much that I get annoyed when people make fun of them, even though they deserve it. :-D
My favorite is vs. the Smog Monster(Hedorah).
The new movie is very good, I LIKED IT VERY MUCH. Hope it does well so we get a bunch more.
I grew up being pretty near obsessed with Godzilla. I believe I first discovered the Big G on TNT’s “Monster Vision” programming block (ah, the good old days). I had a great fondness for a lot of classic monster characters as a kid, but the only ones I ever actually watched were Godzilla films, and Godzilla was by far my favorite. As a kid, my favorite films were definitely those during the kid-friendly “goofy Godzilla” phase of the ’60s and ’70s. The original film, as well as the first sequel “Godzilla Raids Again,” kind of bored me, though as an adult I can appreciate just what a great film the original was. Still, a lot of the nostalgia for me is in the crazy silliness of the ’60s and ’70s movies. I loved “Vs the Sea Monster,” “Vs Mothra,” and “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster.” The latter film always appealed to me because it humanized the monsters a great deal. Something about Mothra being this gentle, yet protective force, and also being the voice of reason amongst these two giant lunkheads, Godzilla and Rodan, struck a chord with me. Of course it couldn’t get much farther away from the original spirit of Godzilla as a pure force of nature, but it’s so much darned fun that I can’t complain. Personally I like the fact that Godzilla got rebooted in 1985, with only the original 1954 film considered “canon,” as I prefer to view the Showa series as its own thing versus the original film.
Aside from the aforementioned “Mothra as the voice of reason” scene from “GtTHM,” my favorite moments watching Godzilla during my childhood would have to include the infamous “happy dance.” I also love the ridiculous “tail slide” so lovingly mocked on MST3K.
As far as MST3K connections go, seeing Godzilla mocked on MST3K was very fascinating to me as a child. They were two of my favorite things to watch as a kid, so seeing them together was kind of surreal. Aside from TNT’s “Monster Vision,” I collected Godzilla movies on VHS tapes and they were often hard to find. So it was a special kind of thrill any time they came on TV, and that includes the MST3K airings. It’s also interesting to me in retrospect because I have virtually no memory of any particular movies from MST3K as a kid, or even any sketches. The stuff I know now is a result of re-discovering the series on VHS as a teenager and obsessively collecting it on DVD since then. I recall a few random riffs, but aside from that I just remember enjoying the show in general and being glued to the TV whenever it was on. I guess the show’s rapid fire pace, the amount of references I didn’t get (including in sketches) just went over my head and didn’t get very well-recorded in my memory banks. Godzilla is the sole exception, because it was the one time they made fun of a movie I was already familiar with and had seen tons of times before. I have a very distinct memory of watching “Godzilla VS The Sea Monster” in my parents’ bedroom one summer afternoon. I remember flipping out that for once they were riffing a movie I’d actually seen before. But I wasn’t offended by their jokes despite my fanboyish love of the series, and I think it helped me realize that you can love something despite, or even because of, its faults, and that one’s tastes didn’t have to rest on black and white ideas of what made something good or bad. I also distinctly remember the “Godzilla Genealogy Bop,” though for years I mis-remembered the name as “Godzilla Aerobics” or “Godzilla Work-Out.”
So I guess in a way, MST3K was important for further cementing my love of Godzilla while learning the importance of being able to take a joke, while Godzilla was important for giving me my few really concrete childhood memories of MST3K.
Regarding Godzilla’s gender, there’s a short story that ran in Japan’s Starlog that alleges Godzilla is a female of her species of aliens. It starts with Godzilla’s body washing up on-shore dead from diabetes complications, then it gets really weird. It’s called “A Space Godzilla” and predates the Toho monster Space Godzilla by some years. Also known for having some early professional work by Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame.
iirc Toho’s party line is no gender but the suit actor say it’s male, but I may be wrong on that last bit.
Hmm… not ringing any bells. Sounds like a Gamera rip-off, anyway.
I harbor some love for every Godzilla movie, except that weird one where Matthew Broderick got in a car chase with a giant iguana that everyone kept calling “Godzilla” for some reason. I love the original masterpiece, I love “Smog Monster,” I love “Destroy All Monsters,” I love “Space Godzilla,” I love GMK so much I would marry it if it said yes, I even love “Godzilla’s Revenge.”
Okay, maybe I’m a little cold on “Godzilla vs Gigan,” but seriously, it’s no fun. And wow, I cross the street when I see the English-dubbed version of “Space Godzilla” walking towards me.
But you know what? I’d love to see riffers go after some of the non-Godzilla Japanese sci-fi/monster stuff sometime, as MST hit Gamera and CT took on “War of the Insects.” “Space Amoeba” alone would be a hoot; God only knows what they’d make of “Matango” or “Dogora” or “Latitude Zero.”
It was never dubbed into English, but I tell you this: “Golden Bat (Ogon Batto),” starring Sonny Chiba and directed by the same fella who did “Bodysnatcher From Hell” and “Terror Beneath the Sea,” is the most psychotic thing ever captured on film. Could Rifftrax cope with subtitles?
@#18 — Um, I know not of these “replacement instructions” of which you speak. I have a medical condition that prevents me from parting with any of my MST3K discs.
I’m loving reading everyone’s Godzilla stories!
Sue
One of my early G memories is Godzilla Vs. Megalon airing on NBC in 1977(?), hosted by John Belushi in a Godzilla costume! Somebody somewhere must have a copy of that…
@GornCaptain (#36)
Check the SNL video sets for Belushi as Godzilla being interviewed by Baba Wawa, then, in the fifth season, the trailer for “Kramer vs. Godzilla”.
A few thoughts:
-The first Godzilla movie I saw in a theater was “Godzilla 2000”. I really enjoyed it, and I saw it when it had the now-removed “THE END?” closing title card.
-A few years later, I saw the original Japanese “Gojira” at a revival showing in NYC. I liked the movie, but I was ticked about some of the press articles the theater posted in the lobby. They praised “Gojira”, but were dismissive of the equally-good “Them!”
-I first watched Godzilla movies when they were shown on WPIX-TV, Channel 11 from NYC. This was back in the good old days when 11 had Abbott & Costello movies on Sunday morning, “Chiller Theater” on Saturday afternoons, Jack McCarthy hosting the Popeye cartoons, and Officer Joe Bolton hosting the “Little Rascals” shorts. By comparison, the Gamera movies were shown in cut-down form on “The 4:30 Movie” over on WABC-TV, Channel 7, and we had to tune in WPHL-TV, Channel 17, out of Philadelphia for “Ultraman” and “Jonny Socko & His Giant Robot”.
-Years ago, my Dad taped the original “Godzilla”, but later discovered that he’d inadvertently taped over it. He called me, since I was the member of the family most plugged into the home video business, and asked if I could get him a new DVD copy. I offered to get a deluxe set with both the original Japanese version along with the Raymond Burr cut, but he just wanted the Burr version. So, I got him that. Some time later, after he passed on, my Mom said I could have it. I already had the aforementioned deluxe set, so I donated it to the library I work for. And I made sure that the catalog record includes the note, “Donated by the Morgan family in memory of William C. Morgan”.
A correction to my earlier post at #8: “Godzilla’s Revenge” was the movie title I was thinking of, not “All Monsters Attack”. Aside for the goofy ALF voice and donkey-like noises that the dubbing staff gave to Godzilla’s son, something that amused me about that movie was that the main kid, Ichiro, vaguely resembled another kid that I knew in school.
Other commenters mentioned “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”, and I suddenly remembered that this was another one of the Godzilla films we had. I hadn’t though of it in years, but now I’d like to find a copy.
As for Godzilla’s gender: If Godzilla is male, then where’s Minilla’s mom? I guess she could just be camera-shy…unless the American Godzilla was her one actual appearance in 1998, and female Zillas are just smaller and more iguana-like. That almost makes too much sense.
Of course, I still haven’t seen Broderick-zilla to be sure, so I can’t judge it just yet. I do have fond memories from that summer of the Taco Bell chihuahua sitting next to his box-trap:
“Here, leeeezard, leeeezard, leeeezard…”
I’ve seen about 3/4 of all Godzilla movies, but since I didn’t see 212 until I was lucky enough to get Volume 10 upon its release (Beginning of the End’s discontinuation taught me the lesson about waiting too long, well before any box sets fell casualty; and I still haven’t seen 213), my first truly MST-related Big-G memory also hails from a ’90s commercial:
BARKLEY vs. GODZILLA!
In addition to inspiring a beautiful SNL sketch where Sir Charles beat the stuffing out of Barney for an encore, Nike’s finest hour was also immortalized in a one-shot comic adaptation. Yes, I’m shocked too; It could’ve supported whole series. When I finally acquired a copy, whose name should I see credited as writer but one Alan Smithee. And since I first learned what that means from a riff in Jack Frost, I will always consider that my most personal Gojira/MST3K connection.
The US 1998 Godzilla movie isn’t terrible. But, my issue with it is I think felt it borrowed too heavily from “Jurassic Park”.
For me, it’s the all monster battle in “Godzilla: Final Wars”. The Big G did quick work of the 1998 Godzilla wannabe. I saw it on the big screen in my hometown of Rochester, NY and people from Buffalo and Syracuse showed up. Great night of fun and action. :laugh:
I remember seeing Godzilla 2000 in the theater (way back when you could still see a first run new release for less than 10 woolongs) and thinking “this is more like it,” at least until that flying CG bedpan showed up.
Yes, forgot to mention that about Final Wars! The 1998 American “Godzilla” is in it, but in the Toho Kaiju Role Call, It’s now “Zilla”. And yes, it lasts barely 10 seconds against the true King of Monsters.
As Brandon said, the 98 US Godzilla felt more like Jurassic Park III (before there was such a thing) than a Godzilla movie.
Re: @32 asdf says:
Am I childish for pretty much liking any story that can be summarized, “then it gets really weird”?
Like most, been viewing Godzilla movies since the 60s. There were many instances of fun while viewing; wired model jets, strange dubbing etc. While watching Godzilla vs King Kong there was a scene where the scientists were discussing the differences between the two monsters and they concluded that 240 foot plus ape’s brain was as big as a coconut and the lizards was the same size of a walnut. Brought the house down, everyone laughed for minutes.
The term ‘thunder bucket’ became a permanent part of my vocabulary after first hearing it attributed to Godzilla on MST3K. :-)
#30 I sympathize, I first saw Godzilla on what’s now the last independant UHF station in Dallas, KTXA 21, and even up to a few years ago they’d still show the newer ones, like Final Wars.
I was 10 when I saw my first GODZILLA movie in a theater. KING KONG VS GODZILLA in 1963. My favorite is GODZILLA VS MONSTER ZERO. I have little use for those things from the 90s/00s tho GODZILLA 2000 was pretty good.
Exactly, Godzilla (1998) was Jurassic Park 3 before Jurassic Park 3 existed. I saw Godzilla (1998) at the drive-in, and I couldn’t make out hardly anything.
I don’t know, that Gila Monster was pretty cool. He might be able to take on Zilla. ;)
saw Godzilla today. the only thing i would grip they got some of the military things wrong (like wouldn’t they just need the warhead instead of the whole missile). also as i was leaving the theater, i said to my sister and dad, Godzilla will return in Godzilla vs the Sea Monster.