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Godzilla vs. Ramble On (The Kaiju Thread)


Sue Dounim

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Just a thread to discuss Japanese Giant Monsters. I'll get started. I recently acquired the Japanese version of King Kong vs. Godzilla. Has anyone see this or any other version of the film? If so, would anyone care to weigh in on this or any other monster movies they like?

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Just a thread to discuss Japanese Giant Monsters. I'll get started. I recently acquired the Japanese version of King Kong vs. Godzilla. Has anyone see this or any other version of the film? If so, would anyone care to weigh in on this or any other monster movies they like?

I have seen the Japanese version of King Kong vs. Godzilla. Nowadays it does seem a bit silly, but back in 1962 Toho knew for this film young moviegoers would be compelled to choose sides. It's a product of it's time - the 60s - a main event not meant to be taken too seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-4NXvj1lXU

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The twenty volume Ultraman Ultra Kaiju DVD Collection drew me into entertainment stores every couple weeks for nearly a year:

UltraManDVD1_zpsc2525951.jpg

Released: July 7, 2011

UltraManDVD2_zpsc2b91b9a.jpg

Released: July 25, 2011

UltraManDVD3_zps234ccea4.jpg

Released: August 10, 2011

UltraManDVD4_zps260f1352.jpg

Released: August 25, 2011

UltraManDVD5_zps2e62e850.jpg

Released: September 10, 2011

Edited by SteveAJones
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My favorite from back in the day is Destroy All Monsters. My favorite Godzilla-foe was the Smog Monster. I always felt he was kinda cute and ultimately just misunderstood.

Didn't Godzilla have a son? I remember something like a son of his who got his foot stepped on and emitted a radioactive blast out of his mouth for the first time.

In The Light since 1972.

Trampled Under Foot. My life with Led Zeppelin.

http://petedelorean.tumblr.com/

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My favorite from back in the day is Destroy All Monsters. My favorite Godzilla-foe was the Smog Monster. I always felt he was kinda cute and ultimately just misunderstood.

Didn't Godzilla have a son? I remember something like a son of his who got his foot stepped on and emitted a radioactive blast out of his mouth for the first time.

In The Light since 1972.

Trampled Under Foot. My life with Led Zeppelin.

http://petedelorean.tumblr.com/

Nice collection Steve. Always liked these movies. Always entertaining. Watched a lot of Godzilla movies, Rodan, Gamera and King Kong. Enjoyed other U.S. made movies such as It Came From Beneath The Sea, Them, Deadly Mantis, Empire of the Ants and many others. Mostly ridiculous, but certainly entertaining.

Pete, Godzilla did have a son in the originally titled movie, Son of Godzilla. Destroy All Monsters is one of my favorites. Love the original Godzilla movie. The Japanese version without Raymond Burr. That was only done for the U.S. release I believe. Certainly for outside of Japan. I'm sure SAJ could probably answer this.

Edited by SuperDave
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Pete, Godzilla did have a son in the originally titled movie, Son of Godzilla. Destroy All Monsters is one of my favorites. Love the original Godzilla movie. The Japanese version without Raymond Burr. That was only done for the U.S. release I believe. Certainly for outside of Japan. I'm sure SAJ could probably answer this.

In 1956 GOJIRA was released in the United States as GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, a re-edited version with new footage directed by Terry Morse. Raymond Burr now "starred" in the film as pipe-smoking reporter Steve Martin, a generic name in the fifties that these days brings giggles every time it is mentioned. Burr essentially narrates the film as a series of dictated news reports and editiorials ("I'm saying a prayer, George, a prayer for the whole world,"), and through the magic of doubles and vocal dubbing, he interacts with several of the film's characters. But it is still extremely obvious that he is in one film, and the original GOJIRA actors are in another. GODZILLA: KING OF ALL MONSTERS is a decent movie, thanks mostly to Honda's footage, and it is certainly much beloved by many fans today for whom it will may always be the real Godzilla story. But Honda's original, untouched GOJIRA is a much better film.

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I also enjoyed Godzilla movies growing up. The Smog Monster was a good one, Rodan too. But King Kong vs. Godzilla was like a heavyweight title fight!!

BTW, wasn't there a Godzuki as a child of Godzilla or am I imagining that?

Edited by Walter
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What American kid growing up in the 1970s doesn't remember watching "Godzilla", "Destroy All Monsters!", "King Kong vs. Godzilla", "Rodan", and all the rest of the Japanese monster movies on TV every weekend? Whether it was Creature Features or some other Horror Movie showcase that were popular on television in the 60s and 70s, you could always count on a few of those "Men in Rubber Suits" movies every month.

One of my personal favourites was "War of the Gargantuas"... a real heartbreaker; I never missed a broadcast if I could help it.

I finally managed to see the original "Gojira" in the '90s on the big screen...and have seen it in theatres several times since.

Even better, the American Cinematheque had a nice big 50th anniversary celebration in 2004, where they showed 8 of the first 12 Godzilla movies, along with some other choice Japanese monster movies, like "Ultraman". I went to nearly every screening...here was the lineup schedule:

http://egyptiantheatre.com/archive1999/2004/godzilla50.htm

The festival was such a succss, the American Cinematheque had another one the following year in 2005, including more recent Godzilla films...but thankfully not the horrible American remake.

http://www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2005/japanese_giant_monsters_festival.htm

Edited by Strider
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That brings me back Strider. I remember Creature Feature. We also had a feature here in the NYC area from Monday thru Friday called the 4:30 movie. It was channel 5, before the days of cable TV. Not much to chose from back then. I would get home from grade school around 3 or so, do a bit of homework and watch these. Many times it was one of these monster movies. They'd have themes like Godzilla week etc. Many times, I couldn't wait to get home. I loved those days back in the 70's. It was before I got into Zeppelin!

I agree with you Steve, regarding the U.S. release of the original Godzilla. You can tell it's fake, with the Raymond Burr, sequences, but it didn't matter. Even so, it's probably the best of the Godzilla films. But the Japanese version, blows it away. Even better, is that it's in b&w. Adds a sort of mystique to the film.

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It makes me happy to have gotten such a positive response on this thread. I've been a huge kaiju fan since I was a little girl. I currently own 25 out of 28 Godzilla movies, not counting the American one, and have recently gotten the missing 3 as well as japanese versions of a few others off of the pirate bay. I have all 8 of the original Gamera films and am currently working the '90's trilogy. Btw Strider, I also love 'War of the Gargantuas'. Did you know that it was a sequel to 'Frankenstein Conquers the World', starring Nick Adams?

I also have the complete original Ultraman series on DVD, as well as Rodan and all three versions of King Kong. These movies will always be a part of who I am, cheesiness and all, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I look forward to future posts here.

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"Frankensteins Monster Jagen Godzilla's Sohn": German poster for "Frankenstein's Monster Hunts Godzilla's Son":

I've never understood Germany's fascination with taking kaiju movies and changing their titles to either say something about Frankenstein or King Kong.
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I kind of enjoyed Russ Tamblyn's laconic "I coudn't give a toss" acting style.

Very much the opposite of Nick Adam's attitude in 'Godzilla vs. Monster Zero' and 'Frankenstein Conquers the World'. He thouroughly enjoyed being a part of those films.
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