--- In sonsofkong@yahoogroups.com, "Dean Webb <sonofvulcan@a...>"
<sonofvulcan@a...> wrote:
> The original can't be beat for my tastes. I've only seen the
English
> version, but even with all its creaky scenes it is the only one
which
> is remotely scary. The B&W and the more animalistic Godzilla design
> make the movie better. Less is more.
>
> After that, I have to say I really like the recent American re-do
of
> the classic character. I think the movie is a hoot, and despite the
> poo-pooing by Big G purists, it's a rollicking monster flick with a
> right smart amount of wanton destruction. The little Gozillas are
> okay, but the Big Girl/Boy is outstanding.
>
> What do you all think?
>
> Dean

The original IS the best pure G-flick. Japanese film critics rank it
in the top 3 Japanese films of all time, right behind "Seven
Samurai." Pretty high praise for a monster movie. This applies only
to the unedited version, sans Ray Burr. If you ever get the chance,
watch the original, subtitled version. It is a truly powerful film.
Much more so than the heavily-edited American release. 20 minutes
got left on the cutting room floor. Much mixing around of remaining
scenes, plus Burr's inserts greatly shifted the impact.

There's a lot of character development that was dropped. Dr.
Serizawa's self-scarifice at the film's conclusion has ever greater
impact when we see what was going on 'behind the scenes' in the
original version. (It is hinted at, for instance, that he began
developing the Oxygen Destroyer for the German war effort, and
continued on his own after the fall of the Third Reich.) Many
other 'fill-ins' are shown, but even without them, the movie is still
a great one.

The American "Godzilla" was a travesty. Had the film's producers
simply called it "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" which it far more
closely resembles, it would have more enjoyable. It actually WAS a
decent monster movie, but it was NOT a Godzilla movie. People
expecting to see Godzilla got nothing remotely resembling the
character we've all come to know and love/hate. The damn thing
hunched, and loped about. It was waaaay too skinny. It didn't have
atomic breath! And... it RAN AWAY from the military!?! That really
disgusted me. Godzilla NEVER runs from the army. He attacks it head
on, and wipes it out! Ugh. Another thing, those baby 'Zillas were
way too similar to the J.P. Raptors. That said, some of the other
bits of the film were kind of fun. It did have cool visuals, but it
wasn't what hard-core (or even casual) fans were hoping for.


The best G-film? Hard to really say. Many folks like the first
Godzilla film they ever saw best. I sort of fall into that
category. I saw "Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster" on the Channel 7
afternoon movie, back when I was six or seven. It's still just about
my all-time favorite. It's no classic, but it's a lot of fun.

Has anyone seen the later G-flicks? They show up on AMC every once
in a while. Sci-Fi Channel shows the 60's & 70's flicks on occasion
(sometimes in widescreen, too!).

I just ordered the latest G film on video, "Godzilla - Mothra - King
Ghidorah: All-Out Monster Attack." (phew! Say that five times
fast!) This film was directed by Shusuke Kaneko, the fellow who did
the awesome 90's Gamera trilogy. I've only read discriptions and
seen photos, so I am very excited.

Hope everyone's Christmas & New Year were great ones!

PEACE
-J