Re: The King of Monsters still rules.

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Posted by john dem on May 10, 2001 at 21:58:51

In Reply to: Re: The King of Monsters still rules. posted by Rob Doorack on May 10, 2001 at 10:06:20:

Hello Rob,

Yes, you are right, in the beginning the monster could be related to the subconsciouus reaction of the Japanese people to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki devastation. Later, Godzilla became their friend, as did nuclear power/ the nuclear umbrella etc.

One of my favorites, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS has no environmental message, except "keep pesky monster controlling aliens away from earth". Most of the G films have no message, except "don't fuck with Godzilla."

Take for example Godzilla vs King Kong. King Kong heads for Tokyo, scientists decide the best way to keep him out is put up a big electric fence. Bad idea! Nothing Godzilla likes better than electricity, except maybe nuclear power plants. So, Godzilla heads for Tokyo as well, and you then have the perfect setting for wholesale destruction of a Japanese city- which is the whole point, it's fun to watch.

You could postulate that the destruction of cities reflects a subconscious and conscious fear of earthquakes and tsunami, but sometimes a film is just a film. You can read into them whatever you wish, but in the end it's just a guy in a rubber suit that people pay their money for, not some imagined cryptic environmental message.

My objection to the Hollywood version is that Godzilla could be understood like any animal, that SHE was just looking for a nest, and that Godzilla could be destroyed. What was with the eggs and that lame ending just in case you need to do a sequel ? You don't need baby Godzilla's to do sequels. You just need a new set to be stomped on. I was hoping that Godzilla was just going to stomp on LA, but why did she head for NYC ? Anyway, after some special effects and bad dialogue, I was hoping Godzilla would just go away as inexplicably as his/her arrival.

Godzilla remains topical by using current issues such as genetic engineering: in Godzilla vs Biolanthe ( a scientists accidently clones his dead daughter with a Godzilla cell and a rose bush to produce a 30,000 ton angry monster flower with the soul of a girl) and Godzilla 2000 (aliens try and get Godzilla cells for evil cloning purposes) but the message in both is the same- "don't fuck with Godzilla".

john "yes, I've seen every one, and I like Gamera as well" dem

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Follow Ups Full Thread

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Re: Brilliant remark on Mummy sequel - Doug Schneider 14:34:23 05/05/01 (15)

Re: Matrix effects - Bruce from DC 19:44:05 05/07/01 (14)

Re: Matrix effects - CH Chang 21:13:48 05/07/01 (13)

The King of Monsters still rules. - john dem 16:20:14 05/08/01 (10)

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - Rob Doorack 10:06:20 05/10/01 (8)

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - john dem 21:58:51 05/10/01 (6)

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - Rob Doorack 22:58:14 05/10/01 (5)

H-Man vs Santo- Now that's a B movie! - john dem 23:24:02 05/10/01 (4)

Santo: we need him now more than ever. - Rob Doorack 12:53:58 05/11/01 (0)

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - Jack G 17:24:57 05/10/01 (0)

Quite right.. - Jack G 16:45:21 05/08/01 (0)

Re: digital eraser - Bruce from DC 09:23:22 05/08/01 (1)

Re: digital eraser - CH Chang 16:16:49 05/08/01 (0)

Sour grapes, Clark... - Victor Khomenko 12:56:34 05/05/01 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - john dem 21:58:51 05/10/01 (6)

Re: The King of Monsters still rules. - Rob Doorack 22:58:14 05/10/01 (5)

H-Man vs Santo- Now that's a B movie! - john dem 23:24:02 05/10/01 (4)

Santo: we need him now more than ever. - Rob Doorack 12:53:58 05/11/01 (0)

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