SF-LOVERS Digest Tuesday, 9 Feb 1993 Volume 18 : Issue 89 Today's Topics: Films - Japanese Monster Movies (6 msgs) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 Jan 93 21:15:14 GMT From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE review dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu (David Milner) writes: >The original Japanese version of GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE, released in >December, 1989, could have been one of the best of the Godzilla films. [...] >Unfortunately, the film's many shortcomings, including a score which is >almost comical in spots, I'm not quite clear which spots. I found Biollante itself to be kind of silly originally, but once I got over that, I didn't find anything else very silly. There were some running gags which were funny but that was intentional. >uneven pacing, a few bad acting performances, some abrupt editing, and the >inexplicable inclusion in the cast of characters of a psychic girl who can >somehow sense when Godzilla is going to appear, prevent it from living up >to its potential. The psychic girl ("NewType") is an example of an archetype which has been making more and more frequent appearances of late in Japanese entertainment, most notably of course in the GUNDAM series. I found nothing particularly jarring about her appearance - there's an entire psychic research INSTITUTE in the movie, after all. Psi powers have appeared in other similar films many times. Acting has never been one of the strong points of these movies, and I found that overally "Biollante" was superior to the other Godzilla movies. In the original Japanese, of course, the film suffered from the usual bad portrayal of foreign people (not necessarily that they were portrayed as being bad, but they were badly portrayed - you'd think it would be fairly cheap to get some real live Americans in there, or at least someone who could ACT like one)... but then, I don't expect much more. >title looks cheaply done, and the pronunciation chosen for Biollante, >'buy-oh-lan-tea,' is grating. The original pronunciation, 'be-oh-lon-tay,' >would have been a much better Here, I agree. The Japanese pronounciation flows much better. It has the poetic sort of soft feel that the creature, however fearsome, should carry, considering its origin. (Did anyone else get the impression that the first time Biollante and Godzilla face each other, Biollante isn't ATTACKING 'Zilly, but trying to HUG him - at least, until Gojira bites off and fries the tendrils...) >would have been a good idea, the HBO Video release could actually have >been significantly better than the original. Replacing some of the music >also would have helped. Most of the music, I found, was pretty good. I loved some of the running gags - the one terrorist trying to get out of the city/country/etc., and constantly being impeded by Godzilla, who's only out partly BECAUSE of the terrorist... And the tough old sergeant marine type wising off to Godzilla as he shoots at him (I never saw/heard a translation, but I'm virtually certain that after firing the second shell the soldier says something like "That'll teach you to open your mouth... Gojira-sama [Lord Godzilla]". >frankly, did itself a great disservice. The home video edition of GODZILLA >1985, a film which, granted, is better than GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE, sold >over one million copies in the United States at a I don't know about that. My impression of 1985 is considerably lower than _Biollante_. I prefer Biollante by a wide margin in part, I suppose, because of the superior effects. ------------------------------ Date: 14 Jan 93 01:55:10 GMT From: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu (David Milner) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS SYNOPSIS I recently received a private request for this... Quoted from the DESTROY ALL MONSTERS pressbook: By the end of the 20th century an exploratory base has been built on the moon, while on Earth all the monsters of the planet have been herded together on an island called Ogasawara, where scientists study their habits. One day a strange gas envelopes Ogasawara, the invisible electronic walls containing the monsters are destroyed, and the terrible creatures invade civilization. Rodan attacks Moscow, Mothra smashes Peking, Manda crushes London, Godzilla devastates New York. Authorities deem Ogasawara has fallen to an alien power who released the monsters to gain control of Earth. When Captain Yanabe, of Moon Rocket SY-3, investigates, however, he finds the scientific team in apparent good health...in particular Dr. Otani, the chief scientist, who introduces Yanabe to a beautiful girl from the planet Kilaak. Thus, as suspected, Ogasawara is under the control of the Kilaaks, who are manipulating both the scientific team and the monsters by radio waves directed toward minute receivers imbedded in the victims' necks. Their goal of course is domination of the planet Earth. While the monsters continue to wreak devastation, it is discovered the action is merely to divert attention from the Kilaak purpose of constructing a subterranean base in Japan. Their position secured, the Kilaaks deliver their ultimatum to the inhabitants of Earth. Meanwhile, though, it is found that the transmitter used to control the monsters and the Earthmen already enslaved is located on the moon. The SY-3 is sent to destroy it. In a horrifying encounter, the SY-3 smashes the invisible enclosure surrounding the Kilaaks and the transmitter housed within. And to the amazement of all, the Kilaaks turn to stone! Earth scientists, using a transmitter of their own, call upon the monsters to attack the Kilaak subterranean base. In a final attempt to win, the Kilaaks summon King Ghidorah and a flaming flying saucer from outer space to crush the Earth monsters. The most frightening battle of monsters ever before witnessed ensues. Nevertheless, led by Godzilla, the Earth monsters win and peace once again prevails. David Milner Columbia University inet: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave ------------------------------ Date: 16 Jan 93 19:28:36 GMT From: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu (David Milner) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: GODZILLA STORY This was written a while ago, and I just thought that some of you might be interested in seeing it... It is 1994, and an international conference on the effects of the depletion of the ozone layer is being held at the United Nations building in New York. Dr. Nakamura, a well-respected Japanese environmental expert, delivers a speech in which he suggests that with the increased radiation now hitting the Earth, it gradually will return to what it was like millions of years ago, before the ozone layer was fully formed. He predicts that many areas will have a more tropical climate, and that volcanic and tectonic activity will increase. Mr. Tsuchiya and his wife, residents of Tokyo's Ginza district, are watching the speech on television. Mr. Tsuchiya remarks to his wife that he doesn't believe that there is anything to worry about, and points to their small garden, which he explains is doing just fine despite the fact that it is made up of very delicate flowers, as evidence of this. It is decided that several atmospheric monitoring stations will be set up around the globe to try to precisely measure the effects of ozone depletion. One of these is to be located in the South Pacific, on Warasu Island. A group of researchers, led by Dr. Nakamura, arrives on Warasu. After getting settled in and conducting a few preliminary experiments, the researchers marvel at how much the island is like the Earth during the reign of the dinosaurs, suggesting that Dr. Nakamura's theory is already proving to be correct. Several forms of primitive plant life, and insects that are a few feet in length, are found. During a quiet evening, strange noises are heard in the distance. A few of the researchers go to investigate, and are shocked when they find Angilas looking up into the sky. Why he is doing this becomes clear to them after a few moments when Rodan swoops down, knocking Angilas over. The two monsters do battle. Rodan soon learns that he can taunt Angilas simply by landing near him and then taking off whenever he attacks. Neither monster can seriously harm the other, however, and Rodan eventually just flies away. The United Nations Security Council contemplates using nuclear weapons to kill both Rodan and Angilas since they are on such a remote island. This is decided against, however, because radiation is what allowed them, and Godzilla, to come into being in the first place, and releasing more of it could lead to the creation of even more giant monsters. Further damage to an already fragile environment is also a factor in the decision. Godzilla arrives on Warasu. He had recently been detected making his way to his home, nearby Lagos Island, but he was attracted by the noise heard during the battle of Angilas and Rodan. Godzilla and Rodan meet, and they attack each other. At first, Rodan taunts Godzilla the way he had taunted Angilas, but a few blasts of Godzilla's breath convince Rodan that that tactic will not work with this new foe. This knowledge comes too late, however, as Rodan's wings are no longer able to sustain flight. Godzilla grabs Rodan, and with one massive, final exhalation, he kills him. Angilas appears in Tokyo, having been drawn to Japan, like Godzilla, by a need for contact with radioactive material. The military, under the command of Gen. Tajima, calls in tanks and jet aircraft, but they prove as ineffective against Angilas as they are against Godzilla. Soon afterward, Godzilla also appears in Tokyo, and the city now must try to defend itself from two monsters at the same time. Godzilla and Angilas meet and do battle. The Ginza district is leveled, and both monsters are wounded, but not seriously. The battle drags on, and just as it appears that there will be no clear winner, and that Japan will be faced with two monsters to contend with from now on, a major earthquake hits. Whole sections of the city are destroyed. However, Angilas is killed by the earthquake. Godzilla escapes into Tokyo Bay, and eventually the earthquake subsides. Mr. Tsuchiya and his wife, two of the few survivors of the battle in the Ginza district, look out over the destruction, and then begin sifting through the rubble that was their home. In time, they go to check on their garden. They find it ruined, except for one strange new plant, which is exactly like one of the primitive forms of vegetation on Warasu Island. David Milner Columbia University inet: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave ------------------------------ Date: 18 Jan 93 14:26:58 GMT From: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Review: Godzilla vs. Biollante I've been a Godzilla fan since somewhere in the early sixties, when my father took us to the drive in to see King Kong vs. Godzilla. Many of my early theatre experiences where Saturday matinee showings of Godzilla films: Godzilla vs. the Thing (now known as Godzilla vs. Mothra), Gidra, The Three Headed Monster, Destroy All Monsters. I still from time to time watch some of the films in the series. The original, Godzilla, is actually quite a good film (and is as much about nuclear weapons as it is about a giant monster: it was the only film in the series to truly focus on the human devastation caused by the destruction of a city). Godzilla vs. Mothra has some good moments and is a reasonable film. Destroy All Monsters is nonsense, but fun, inspired nonsense. Somewhere along the way, though, Godzilla changed. The series became just out and out stupid. Godzilla 1985 was billed as a return of the old Godzilla. It, however, was a major disappointment. While it had a few nice moments, it was overall rather dumb. And not the inspired dumb of Destroy All Monsters (alien invaders use mind control devices to control Earth's monters as part of their invasion) but just dumb dumb (birds are dinosaurs, so therefore Godzilla can be lured by bird calls). Godzilla vs. Biollante was also a disappointment, though not quite as big a one as Godzilla 1985. At the very least, it doesn't have moments that are quite as dumb as the bird calls in Godzilla 1985. First, a brief plot synopsis: after Godzilla's destruction of Tokyo, various groups try to get some Godzilla cells to use in biotech research. One Japanese scientist working for a middle-eastern country gets some, but they are destroyed in a bomb blast which also kills his daughter. Later, when he goes to work for the Japanese government and gets more Godzilla cells (to be used to make an anti-Godzilla weapon), he instead uses them to make a giant mutant rose of sorts (to honor his daughter, who loved roses). This giant mutant plant thing is Biollante. Along the way, Godzilla fights Biollante twice, fights the Super-X II (a new super weapon), destroys a city, gets zapped with artificial lightening, etc. Now, while this whole thing sounds rather silly, it COULD have worked. Similarly silly things did work in movies like the original Godzilla vs. Mothra. The movie, however, suffers from several problems beyond the plot. It plods along. There seems to be no life in it. The older Godzilla films usually weren't boring; this film had long boring moments. Even the monster battles are dull and plodding. Another problem was Biollante. The first time it appears, it is perhaps the dumbest looking monster ever: its head looks like a giant rose. On the plus side, there are a few nice moments. The destruction of a city (Okinawa, I think) was very nicely done: probably the best effects of its type done since a few of the early Godzilla movies. Godzilla himself looked good: he was much more realistic than he has been before. The eyes, especially, looked real this time. I hope that the next movie in the series, Godzilla vs. King Gidorah, is better, though I'm not getting my hopes up after this film. One final note about the video tape: in these days when all sorts of serious films are still not released in letterbox format, Godzilla vs. Biollante IS letterboxed. Jim Mann Stratus Computer jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com ------------------------------ Date: 18 Jan 93 15:58:41 GMT From: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu (David Milner) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: Review: Godzilla vs. Biollante I enjoyed your review of the film, and wish that more people would post their thoughts on it. Anyway, I just wanted to post a clarification: Godzilla destroys Osaka in the film, and not Okinawa. David Milner Columbia University inet: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave ------------------------------ Date: 18 Jan 93 21:34:13 GMT From: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu (David Milner) Reply-to: sf-lovers-movies@Rutgers.Edu Subject: UNMADE GODZILLA FILMS A sequel to GOJIRA TAI HEDORA (GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER) in which Godzilla and a new Hedora were to do battle in Africa was planned but never produced. Africa was chosen because that was where special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano was vacationing at the time. GOJIRA FUTSUKATSU (RESURRECTION OF GODZILLA), written by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, was planned as a co-production with Henry G. Saperstein's UPA (United Productions of America) to capitalize on the success of the Dino De Laurentis remake of KING KONG. GOJIRA TAI DEBERU (GODZILLA VS. THE DEVIL) was planned as a co-production with UPA to capitalize on the success of THE EXORCIST and THE OMEN. FURANKENSHUTAIN TAI GOJIRA (GODZILLA VS. FRANKENSTEIN) was planned as a co-production with UPA, and was going to be written by Reuben Bercovitch, who wrote both FURANKENSHUTAIN TAI CHITEI KAIJU BARAGON (FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD) and FURANKENSHUTAIN NO KAIJU SANDA TAI GAIRA (WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS). UCHU GOJIRA (SPACE GODZILLA), written by Nobuhiko Obayashi, was planned to capitalize on the success of STAR WARS. It appeared as a two-part short story in the Japanese edition of STARLOG magazine. GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS IN 3D was planned by Steve Miner. UPA planned an animated Godzilla film to capitalize on the success of Japanese anime. MOSURA TAI BAGAN (MOTHRA VS. BAGAN) was written by Kazuki Omori but never produced because of the risk of doing a film without Godzilla in it and also because few liked the script. FURANKENSHUTAIN TAI GASU NINGEN DAIICHIGO (FRANKENSTEIN VS. THE HUMAN VAPOR) was written by Takeshi Kimura, who took the pseudonym Kaoru Mabuchi after 1965, but it was never produced. GOJIRA TAI GIGAMOSU (GODZILLA VS. THE GIGANTIC MOTH), featuring a monster very similar to Battra, was planned before GOJIRA VS MOSURA (GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA) was instead decided upon. David Milner Columbia University inet: dave@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave ------------------------------ End of SF-LOVERS Digest ***********************