The End of the King Lizard.... (Merged "Godzilla Retired")

[demiurge1138]

You're not telling me anything I don't know; other than that Godzilla is supposed to be something other than just a big monster that stomps on cities. Certainly, my viewings of several Godzilla movies as a kid didn't impress me with the concept that the "character" was any deeper than that. Yet you clearly seem to be saying that Godzilla has something special and cool that I'm unaware of.

Godzilla was, originally, a manifestation of Japan's shame of being the country that felt the A-bomb and a physical embodiment of that weapon's incredible destructive power. The original film is a very powerful allegory for the horrors of war and the follies of science. The rest of the movies are just fluff. But, IMO, more entertaining fluff than the Devlin/Emmerich Godzilla. I definitely respect your opinion for liking the American Godzilla, but the Japanese one wasn't always just escapism.

Demiurge out.

 

[demiurge1138]

Oh, and about the "bastardization" of Godzilla for the American version. I can see why a lot of fans might think this is true. Here are the "Godzilla rules" that Toho gave to Tristar when they got the rights to an American Godzilla film, in order of importance:

Godzilla has four toes on each foot.
Godzilla has four fingers on each hand.
Godzilla has spines on his back.
Godzilla was created by the atomic bomb.
Godzilla has atomic breath.
Godzilla does not eat people.
Godzilla does not die.

As you can see, the Deviln/Emmerich movie violates all of the most important rules, ie the breath, the eating, and the dying. In addition, the American Godzilla design owes more to Jurassic Park and the Jungle Book (it's the chin- it was stolen from Shere Kahn) than it does to the classic suit.

I'm not as bitter as some people, but I can see their reasons.

Demiurge out.

 

[Desdichado]

Oh, and about the "bastardization" of Godzilla for the American version. I can see why a lot of fans might think this is true. Here are the "Godzilla rules" that Toho gave to Tristar when they got the rights to an American Godzilla film, in order of importance:

Godzilla has four toes on each foot.
Godzilla has four fingers on each hand.
Godzilla has spines on his back.
Godzilla was created by the atomic bomb.
Godzilla has atomic breath.
Godzilla does not eat people.
Godzilla does not die.

As you can see, the Deviln/Emmerich movie violates all of the most important rules, ie the breath, the eating, and the dying. In addition, the American Godzilla design owes more to Jurassic Park and the Jungle Book (it's the chin- it was stolen from Shere Kahn) than it does to the classic suit.

I'm not as bitter as some people, but I can see their reasons.

Demiurge out.

I don't see how any except the last two are possibly important in the least. If that's the order of importance, then those are some very strange priorities.

 

[Mog Elffoe]

I don't see how any except the last two are possibly important in the least. If that's the order of importance, then those are some very strange priorities.

More than likely, this list is probably a very literal translation from the Japanese, meaning that the order ought to be flip-flopped. Remember, Japanese is read right to left rather than left to right.

As far as the importance of any of them goes, well to go back to my Superman analogy, how important is it that Superman have an 'S' on his chest? How important is it that he come from the planet Krypton, and have the secret I. D. of Clark Kent? How important is it that he be 'more powerful than a locomotive' or 'faster than a speeding bullet?' These things may not matter to you, but they do matter to the property and the proper representation of said property.

 

[demiurge1138]

Damn, I'm sorry. It was in reverse order of importance. As in, the ones on bottom are the most important.

It made sense when I was typing it.

Demiurge out.