'Godzilla' from 1998

[Christopher]

I happen to think Patrick Tatopolous's Godzilla design is superb. No, it doesn't look like Toei's Gojira, but so what? As I said, difference from the source is not in and of itself a fault. The Batmobile from the 1966 sitcom and the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series look nothing like any prior Batmobiles from the comics, but they're both gorgeous designs. Grace Park looks nothing like Herbert Jefferson, Jr., but she made a pretty effective Boomer.

Although I actually think Tatopolous's creature worked better in cel-styled 2D animation on the TV series, where you could make out its lines better, than it did in "live action"-styled CGI in the movie.

 

[FordSVT]

That's great Christopher, I never said it was bad because it was different, I said it was bad because I didn't really like it and I think most people wanted something a bit more traditional than a bipedal iguana. Things can be different and bad but not bad because they are different, and that's not what I said.

 

[Christopher]

I was more addressing the generalized reactions I've heard to the film and the creature, not your comments specifically.

 

[Gojira]

I happen to think Patrick Tatopolous's Godzilla design is superb. No, it doesn't look like Toei's Gojira, but so what? As I said, difference from the source is not in and of itself a fault. The Batmobile from the 1966 sitcom and the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series look nothing like any prior Batmobiles from the comics, but they're both gorgeous designs. Grace Park looks nothing like Herbert Jefferson, Jr., but she made a pretty effective Boomer.

Although I actually think Tatopolous's creature worked better in cel-styled 2D animation on the TV series, where you could make out its lines better, than it did in "live action"-styled CGI in the movie.

I do happen to love the design of Tatopolous's Godzilla. Whether or not a person considers it to be "Godzilla" or not it is a great design for a giant monster. I loved it so much I bought a giant version of it!

Although I am excited about the new Legacy adaptation of Godzilla I do wish the 98 version had had a sequel because it was such an excellently designed creature.

 

[Gojira]

Sure it has its flaws, some characters just make me roll my eyes, and the scenes in Madison Square Garden drag the movie to a crawl, all in all it is a fun movie to watch.

Yeah, Jurassic Park did the "dinosaurs chasing people around a building" thing a lot better just a few years previously. They were going for the kitchen scene and failed.

The 98 movie wasn't a total loss, it was relatively nice to look at and I didn't think the plot was terrible, but it's a decidedly 2/4 star, C- grade feature. I wouldn't be sorry if I didn't see it again.

I think the major problem most people had with the movie is simply the design and execution of Godzilla himself. I think part of the problem was that Godzilla, as seen in the original movies, is so big and powerful and unstoppable that the only thing he's really good for is 75 minutes of fighting other monsters and stomping around crushing buildings and Jeeps. Complain about the shallow plot of Godzilla all you want, but I don't remember any of the plots of the Japanese Godzilla movies I've seen to be any better. "Oh shit, some monster showed up and wrecked a power plant that caused an earthquake and released Godzilla. Now watch them fight for an hour before the military puts a secret plan into action that will drive Godzilla back into the ocean". Not Shakespeare.

And no, I'm not saying mindless action movies are a bad thing, but I am saying it's a bit strange to demand great acting and a deep plot while simultaneously wishing the movie was more like the originals. I think what people really mean is that they want this guy on the screen, not an overgrown iguana.

I have a whole collection of the Japanese Godzilla movies and I think the vast majority of them are cheesier and sillier than the American version, yet I still love them all.

I thought the plot was pretty good and the action scenes, especially Godzilla chasing the cab through the city, were exceptionally good.

The character I found most annoying and implausible was Mayor Ebert. His noncooperation with the military was annoying and I really can't believe that he would object to the military evacuating the city when there is a giant monster wrecking havoc within the city!

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Am I right in thinking that this intended-to-be-annoying character was named after a certain critic who slated Devlin & Emmerich's previous movies?

 

[Gojira]

^ Am I right in thinking that this intended-to-be-annoying character was named after a certain critic who slated Devlin & Emmerich's previous movies?

Yes, you are correct! Mayor Ebert and his sidekick were modeled after movie critics Siskel and Ebert.

I do think that is why they made him annoying. But still, objecting to evacuating the city? Come on!

 

[Cutter John]

The fact that the monster spent most of the time running away from the Keystone Cops in military uniforms who couldn't hit the side of a barn made it pretty hard to enjoy too.

Wanna make a kick-ass Godzilla revival? Start with something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHxzAXaJOtU

 

[Gojira]

The fact that the monster spent most of the time running away from the Keystone Cops in military uniforms who couldn't hit the side of a barn made it pretty hard to enjoy too.

Wanna make a kick-ass Godzilla revival? Start with something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHxzAXaJOtU

I have seen that before and it is very good and proves they can do a good CGI Godzilla that really looks like Godzilla!

 

[Christopher]

I do happen to love the design of Tatopolous's Godzilla. Whether or not a person considers it to be "Godzilla" or not it is a great design for a giant monster. I loved it so much I bought a giant version of it!

Although I am excited about the new Legacy adaptation of Godzilla I do wish the 98 version had had a sequel because it was such an excellently designed creature.

Oh no! Gojira and Zilla are attacking the Enterprise! Shields to maximum!

 

[The Wormhole]

You don't want to hear what my sick mind thinks that looks like...

 

[Mike Farley]

Godzilla taking his chubby son out for a walk?

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, yes, the word chubby could be applied, but not in the context you're thinking...

 

[Greylock Crescent]

You don't want to hear what my sick mind thinks that looks like...

I guess that's better than if little 'Zilla had been turned around 180 degrees.

 

[Mike Farley]

Well, yes, the word chubby could be applied, but not in the context you're thinking...

Isn't nuZilla a girl monster?

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, yes, the word chubby could be applied, but not in the context you're thinking...

Isn't nuZilla a girl monster?

Is it? Damn, I really need to refresh my memory on that movie. But that would involve watching it. Maybe not...

 

[Christopher]

As I recall, the US Godzilla was a hermaphrodite, capable of self-fertilization. After all, it was the only one of its kind, yet was able to procreate.

 

[FordSVT]

^One more idea they "borrowed" from Jurassic Park?

 

[lennier1]

I do happen to love the design of Tatopolous's Godzilla. Whether or not a person considers it to be "Godzilla" or not it is a great design for a giant monster. I loved it so much I bought a giant version of it!

Although I am excited about the new Legacy adaptation of Godzilla I do wish the 98 version had had a sequel because it was such an excellently designed creature.

Oh no! Gojira and Zilla are attacking the Enterprise! Shields to maximum!

Don't worry. Even if you stack them they'll still be dwarfed by Shatner's ego.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

...it just didn't feel like it captured the true heart of transformers. some of the scenes were just out of place, like bumblebee takin' a leak on the guy, which is something the original would have never done.

That kind of thing is, you know, discouraged on kiddie TV - somewhat surprisingly, as the target audience would probably appreciate it more than most.

Nonetheless, that doesn't mean it's a bad idea in a movie.