GODZILLA Related News

[PunkNinja]

Boy With Cancer Granted Wish to Be Godzilla

The star of this movie, however, will be no Hollywood action hero, but a five-year-old boy undergoing treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. His greatest wish? To become the 800-foot-tall lizard he watched on the big screen with his father and grandfather, also huge Godzilla fans.

Maddex, whose family asked that his last name not be used, is now watching the dream he told several months ago to Make-A-Wish “wish granters” come true as his own personal Godzilla movie is filmed around his hometown of Chicago.

On Saturday, Maddex saw the first glimpse of himself as “Madzilla,” the movie’s lead character, in front of a green screen in a Chicago production studio.

Earlier in the day, he shot scenes alongside the likes of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Bulls’ mascot, Benny, just two of the many local stars making cameos in the film.

“His parents have been talking about the joy that they’re seeing in their kid again, like, ‘Oh, there’s my boy again. There’s the joy that I remember in my little guy Maddex,’” Stephanie Springs, the CEO of Make-A-Wish Illinois, told ABC News.

Springs was one of a handful of Make-A-Wish staffers who brainstormed what to do with a five-year-old’s request to become Godzilla. When they struck upon the idea to do just that, to make him “Madzilla,” they reached out to creative forces in the Chicago community and found Jonathan Becker, the owner of Becker Films, who is leading the charge and corralling the largely pro-bono effort.

“The effect of a wish can ripple through the community and have a very positive impact in a very broad way,” said Springs. “This has been a several months-long process that we’ve been dreaming and trying to figure this child’s wish out.”

The “Madzilla” film crew also shot at Maddex’s home on Saturday – his parents, two sisters and cousin all have roles in the film – and took over a historic street in Chicago’s famed “Loop.”

“Maddex and his family were out on LaSalle Street with around 100 volunteers and extras who showed up to pretend like they were running away from an 800-foot lizard that was stomping through downtown Chicago,” said Ryan Blackburn, the marketing director for Make-A-Wish Illinois.

When “Madzilla” makes its debut next month, it will include a three-minute extended trailer of the movie as well as a 15 minute-long documentary chronicling Maddex’s Make-A-Wish experience.

“This experience is shaping this five-year-old boy in so many ways and who knows what we’ll see 10, 15, 20 years down the road when we touch base with Maddex,” Springs said. “Right now we know it’s going to help him pull through the rest of his treatments.”

Maddex just received his diagnosis in April 2013 and while Spring described his health now as “stable,” she added he is “not by any means done” with his treatments.

“He is a very happy, upbeat, energetic young boy and he has been very much just happy to be part of the project” said Blackburn, who has been with Maddex through the film’s five days of shooting so far. “The directors and others have said he is a joy to work with.”

- abcnews.go.com


Celebrate Godzilla with $1.5M solid gold statue

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the classic monster film, one Japanese jeweller has crafted a tribute to Godzilla out of solid 24-karat gold.

When you go to see a film at the cinema, you may fork over a few extra bucks for a commemorative cup with your cola. When you celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of the world's most beloved giant monster movies... well, that raises the stakes surely.

Does it raise them ¥150 million (approx $1.48 million), though? Because that's the asking price for one particular high-end piece of movie memorabilia from Japan. Tokyo jeweller Ginza Tanaka has created a statue celebrating one of the world's most beloved kaiju out of solid, 24-karat gold.

The golden Godzilla comes in at 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) high and weighs 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of solid metal. He's modelled after the version of the monster from the 1989 film "Godzilla vs.Biollante" -- although, according to the official press release, the jeweller has made him a little more muscular.

The statue will be on display at a special Godzilla exhibition in Shibuya Hikarie from 20 July to 10 August, after which it will be on display at the Godzilla expo in Osaka and at various Ginza Tanaka stores across Japan.

- cnet.com

 

[PunkNinja]

Godzilla 2 And Pacific Rim 2 Sequel Is A Crossover Movie; Legendary Pictures May Set Up The Biggest Crossover Movie Since The Avengers!

With the Godzilla 2014 sequel being confirmed and the Godzilla 2014 box office results have been excellent. It seems that Legendary Pictures is reportedly reconsidering their stance on keeping the Pacific Rim and Godzilla 2014 reboot franchise separate and that Pacific Rim 2 could be the set up for the Godzilla 2014 and Pacific Rim crossover!

Previously, Legendary Pictures has admitted that the Godzilla and Pacific Rim franchise would be separate from one another but that isn't the case anymore if the reports are to be believed.

The Movie News Hound has reported that due to success of the Godzilla 2014 movie and the resounding positive fan reactions to the Pacific Rim 2 announcement, Legendary Pictures has been planning on doing a crossover of the two franchises after the Godzilla 2 and Pacific Rim 2 movies end.

The Godzilla 2014 movie garnered a better-than-expected $93 million in U.S. ticket sales in its opening weekend and another $103 million from 64 overseas markets, the best international debut so far this year.

According to Business Week, Godzilla crushed in the U.K. and Russia, while Mexico-normally a tiny movie market-ended up as the movie's third-biggest foreign box office, with $9 million in ticket sales.

The massive debut of the Godzilla 2014 movie easily towered over the last time Godzilla hit theaters, in 1998. Adjusted for inflation, that movie grabbed $81 million during its opening weekend.

Legendary Pictures deployed a savvy strategy for attacking consumers. The film made sure not to miss large-format theaters, where fanboys and fangirls were happy to pay premiums for a supersize experience. Some 15 percent of the weekend's ticket revenue came from IMAX theaters, as each of the 353 giant screens that showed the film took in $40,057 on average.

It also helped that the movie isn't terrible, with raves from some critics and a 73 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which aggregates professional reviews. Because of all of this, Godzilla 2 and 3 was confirmed by Legendary Pictures.

Do you think that after the Godzilla 2014 sequel and Pacific Rim 2, both franchises would collide? Sound off in the comments below!
-- Gunther Barbosa (kdramastars.com)




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Everything Wrong With Godzilla

CinemaSins has released new video, this time listing everything wrong with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla.

The video criticizes the film for having a lack of Godzilla, a lack of Bryan Cranston, a lack of actual monster fighting action on screen, and an overabundance of boring human characters.

The do reduce the sin count a few times. Once for the skydiving scene, twice for Godzilla’s epic roar, and five times for Godzilla being badass during his small amount of screen time.

See it below:



In the end, the sin tally ends up at 116, and is sentenced to “whatever happens in the MUTO love nest.”
-- Jamie Lovett (comicbook.com)




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WIN 1 OF 10 'GODZILLA' PRIZE PACKS

To celebrate the release of Godzilla on Blu-ray and DVD we are giving 10 readers the chance to win a Godzilla prize pack including Godzilla on Blu-ray PLUS 10 lucky runners-up will win Google Play codes to download their own copy direct to their chosen device!

In Godzilla, nature controls man, not the other way around! In this gritty, realistic sci-fi action epic, Godzilla returns to its roots as one of the world's most recognized monsters. Directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring an all-star international cast, this spectacular adventure pits Godzilla against malevolent creatures that, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

STARRING Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Inception), Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Cosmopolis), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck., The Bourne Legacy) and Bryan Cranston (Argo, Breaking Bad).

For your chance to WIN 1 OF 10 GODZILLA Prize Packs OR 1 of 10 Google Play Codes to download the movie, simply fill out your details in the form below and while you're there sign-up to the PerthNow eNewsletter.

Good Luck!

ENTER -> HERE

-- perthnow.com.au

 

[PunkNinja]

First impression: ‘Godzilla Never Dies’

“Godzilla Never Dies” is playing at the Rose Theatre Company. Courtesy photo.

The crew at the Rose Theatre Company tackles sci-fi in their latest pop culture spoof. “Godzilla Never Dies,” written and directed by Chris Manley, it’s a deeply silly show in which scientists and military officials try to come up with a plan to halt a rampaging Godzilla (the very funny Jon Smith). The most entertaining plan is scored to “Cat’s in the Cradle.”

“Godzilla Never Dies” plays through Oct. 25 at the Rose Theatre Company. Call 210-360-0004 for reservations.
-- Deborah Martin (blog.mysanantonio.com)




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Yonggary (대괴수 용가리); the Korean Godzilla from 1967!

Since the late 1940s, the government of South Korea had implemented a ban of all Japanese media, since Japan attacked South Korea during World War II. For this reason, famous Japanese kaiju films such as Godzilla had never appeared in the South Korean market at the time.

In 1967, however, a kaiju film directed by little-known filmmaker Kim Ki-duk known as Yonggary had appeared in South Korean cinemas, gaining Ki-duk and this movie a cult status outside of South Korea in the process. The film could also be referred to by some as the "Korean Godzilla", and is also similar to Robot Taekwon V, a cult classic that was the Korean counterpart to the Japanese Super Robot anime Mazinger Z.

The two main actors in this movie are Oh Yeong-il and Nam Jeong-im, and they might've also got a cult status because of this movie.

The film begins with a massive bomb that is explodes in the Middle East, generating earthquakes as the result of its impact. A young South Korean couple is planning to get married until Yonggary, a giant monster from Korean folklore, emerges from out of the sea, causing another massive earthquake that comes to the Korean peninsula. Apparently, the only fluid that Yonggary can survive on is oil, so he attacks Seoul's oil refineries. However, the oil refineries were shut off in order to prevent Yonggary from attacking the city once more. The monster eventually gets killed, and I believe that the couple gets married at the end (I haven't seen the movie or parts of it in general).

In the United States, Yonggary gained an immense cult following amongst fans of both monster movies and kaiju films, or otherwise certain nerds in general. It is widely available on DVD in the United States, too, but the only format of this movie that is currently available is the AIP-TV English dub (the original Korean negative was lost, unfortunately), like how many of the Godzilla movies were dubbed into English, too.

South Korean comedian and filmmaker Shim Hyung-rae (possibly) wanted to cash-in on the 1998 Godzilla movie by producing, directing and releasing a remake of Yonggary in 1999. The movie was released in the United States, given the title Reptilian. The film did get negative reviews upon release, but, just like the original Yonggary from 1967, it did become a cult classic.
-- Tré Roland-Martin (moviepilot.com)




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A superior version of Godzilla … from 1954

A few years before ‘Godzilla, King Of The Monsters’ hit the United States in 1956, the little-seen and vastly superior Japanese ‘Gojira’ stomped its way onto the silver screen. If you remember Godzilla fondly from your youth, you’ll relish its predecessor.


As a kid growing up in Southern California, Godzilla, King Of The Monsters wasn’t about the deeper meaning and not-so-subtle references to World War II’s turning point or the horrors of war.

I didn’t care anything about that. (More accurately, I didn’t know any better.) None of my friends did.

We were just thrilled with the giant monster aspect. And Godzilla was the pinnacle of those thrills, the epitome of giant monster flicks.

Godzilla, King Of The Monsters was … the epitome of giant monster flicks.
So imagine my further thrill years later when I discovered there was so much more to Godzilla than simply fond childhood memories of the rampant destruction of Tokyo by sheer kaiju brute force and devastating atomic breath; Godzilla, King Of The Monsters wasn’t the original film at all but a hastily put together, Americanized version utilizing just over an hour’s worth of the Japanese Gojira, the superior, deeper and thought-provoking forerunner to the classic Godzilla more commonly known to the masses.

I was riveted to the screen when reporter Steve Martin (Raymond Burr) detailed Tokyo’s ruination from the rampaging Godzilla each time it graced the family television set, times that were too few and frustratingly far between as a kid. I was equally riveted at finally getting a copy of Gojira to see what was cut out of and changed in the film, how it differed from what I affectionately recalled from those youthful years. Was it a completely different film as I’d heard?

Knowing Gojira — which preceded Godzilla, King Of The Monsters by a couple years — was filmed in its original Japanese wasn’t daunting in the least to me. (I know a lot of people have problems with viewing a foreign film. Many folks are thrown by the incomprehensibility of a different tongue just as much as they are by subtitles flashing at the bottom of their screens, things that can and do contribute to the lack of enjoyment of non-English speaking films.) But I’m not one of them. And in fact Gojira, in its nascent form, is truly different than its bastard son … and not just in its language. It’s a more jarring and empathetic film, it’s a longer running film (clocking in at almost 100 minutes versus the 80 or so minutes of the Americanized version) not to mention it’s a captivating and intriguing piece of film making.

The idea Gojira was (and still is) firmly enmeshed with glaring comparisons and references to the World War II bombings of Japan less than a decade prior to its original 1954 release. A majority of those haunting images and scenarios were effectively slashed from the English version with only bare bones snippets left intact. This is one of the most obvious differences found when you compare the films side by side. They aren’t the most telling, however. There are a few scenes that had to have chilled the blood of some movie-goers of the time Gojira was released with the war still fresh in memory:

In one scene a physician runs a Geiger counter over a child in the aftermath of one of Godzilla’s rampages; the counter ticks wildly indicating horrifically the child’s exposure to radiation. In another, a mother comforts her daughter as the sound of Godzilla’s wrath plays out all around her. (“We’ll see daddy in heaven” the mother says in an effort to placate the girl.) There’s also a scene with a commuter train filled with Japanese verbalizing their fears about the creature. (“I hope I didn’t survive Nagasaki for nothing” one woman hrmphs.) Not so blood chilling — but equally as poignant — is a council meeting debating whether the monster’s affiliation with H-bomb testing should be revealed, sparking possible public hysteria. There are plenty more examples such as these removed from the Raymond Burr interpretation. Observers of the original realize each instance of excisement hugely alters one Godzilla rendition from the other.

The flush of excitement of the original Godzilla will forever remain. Just as arousing though is Gojira and all its ominous undertones.
One really interesting notice in Gojira was the presence of gratuitous (for the time) nudity. There are scenes of topless women when a fishing boat survivor washes ashore early on in the film which really surprised me. This is something that couldn’t possibly be present in Godzilla, King Of The Monsters … could it? But, on review, there it was. The exact same scenes, never cut from the original. I reasoned my fascination with the film was the monster aspect and had nothing to do with underlying morals or otherwise. Of course, this was all part of the intrigue of getting my first glimpse of Gojira and the fun of comparing one film to the other.

The flush of excitement of the version I saw as a kid will forever remain. Come on! Giant, destructive monsters! The stuff of popcorn Saturday afternoons and thrills and chills! And that’s why the recent reboot held (and, for me, delivered) such promise. Just as arousing though is Gojira and all its ominous undertones.

This Halloween? I suggest you go “old school” and kindle a different sort of scare instead of the glut of current slasher flicks or shallow horror schlock. Expand your mind. Get retro, go kaiju … and go Gojira instead.
-- Michael Noble (cliqueclack.com)




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Godzilla Has Way More Huge Problems Than You Remember

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla was a monster hit. It crossed $200 million at the domestic box office, and sailed past the $520 million mark worldwide. That’s beyond impressive. We’ll even get a sequel, but not until 2018. But that doesn’t mean Edwards’ film was flawless. Far from it. And a lot of the movie’s glaring errors can be seen in this educational video below:



Cinema Sins often takes movies to tasks in its video series, from The Matrix to Spider-Man 3. In their takedown of Godzilla, the guys like to rattle off vicious movie clichés that Edwards’ film relies on – also poking fun at the fact that Godzilla lack scenes with, you know, Godzilla. Ironically, this exhaustive dissection of everything wrong with Godzilla runs nearly 17 minutes in length – meaning it’s longer than the combined amount of minutes that Godzilla is actually in Godzilla.

The video also isn’t as original as it would like to believe.



That’s the Honest Trailer for Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, which also points out major problems with the summer blockbuster. You know, the big problem with Bryan Cranston (no spoilers); the big problem with Elizabeth Olsen (no spoilers); and that big problem with Aaron Taylor Johnson (also, no spoilers). So yeah, Godzilla had a ton of issues.

So why are we getting another Godzilla movie? And why was the first movie such a success? Well, clearly people liked this movie. (Our very own Kristy gave the film a perfect 5-star review, saying Godzilla is "everything you want out of a summer movie," and is "the best disaster movie since Independence Day.") It has a 73% Fresh grade on Rotten Tomatoes, so in general, people were OK with it.

But treating Godzilla like a punching bag has become a national pastime in movie geekdom since Gareth Edwards released the film, with a few of the usual suspects rehashing the same complaints. Which is fine. Edwards knows what he needs to correct when he gets back behind the camera for Godzilla 2. But that’s years from now, and before Edwards gets there, he’ll detour into the Star Wars universe for an as-yet-determined standalone movie (that might involve Boba Fett). Here’s hoping when Godzilla 2 rolls around, I hope we get more Godzilla… and less clips released after the movie pointing out all of the places that the movie went wrong.
-- Sean O'Connell (cinemablend.com)

 

[PunkNinja]

Godzilla 2 And Pacific Rim 2 Crossover Film? Jaegers Vs Godzilla Movie Rumors Follow Box Office Explosions

Godzilla might be stepping all over the Pacific Rim in a new crossover film.

Legendary Pictures confirmed that there will be a sequel to Godzilla 2014 sequel after the huge box office. The production company might also reboot Pacific Rim in a Godzilla 2014 crossover.

Legendary Pictures has been saying that they will keep the Godzilla franchise and the Pacific Rim franchise separate, but new reports say there is crossover in the waves.

Movie News Hound reported that the huge fan response to both the Godzilla 2014 movie and the Pacific Rim 2 picture prompted Legendary Pictures to change plans and do a crossover when the Godzilla 2 and Pacific Rim 2 movies end.

Godzilla 2014 was the best international film debut so far this year. The Godzilla 2014 film pulled in over $93 million at the U.S. box office during the opening weekend. Godzilla scared up another $103 million from overseas markets.

Business Week reported that Godzilla was a huge hit in England and Russia and had the third best film opening in Mexico, where it pulled in $9 million in ticket sales.

Godzilla 2014 clobbered the 1998 Godzilla, which pulled in an inflation-adjusted $81 million in its opening weekend.

Legendary Pictures said about 15 percent of Godzilla's opening weekend tickets came from IMAX theaters.

Rotten Tomatoes gave Godzilla 2014 a 73 percent approval rating.
--Stony Kool (kpopstarz.com)




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Celebrate 60 years of 'Godzilla' with a roar

The first Godzilla film was released 60 years old today. Celebrate by watching the guys who worked on the 2014 "Godzilla" movie re-create his iconic roar.

Ishirō Honda's classic "Godzilla," which introduced the world to the legendary gorilla-whale, was released on November 3, 1954, in theaters in Japan. At the time, nearly 10 million people went to see "Godzilla" with its revolutionary-at-the-time special effects.

ow, 60 years and some 30 feature films later, Godzilla counts himself among the most popular movie monsters of all time, in large part due to the beast's characteristic roar. Reproducing and modernizing that roar, which was originally made using leather gloves and a double bass string instrument, was one of the main challenges for the sound crew behind the 2014 "Godzilla" remake. And as anyone who's seen the 2014 film knows, they certainly rose to the challenge.
Back in May, Dolby and Legendary Pictures gave "Godzilla" fans an in-depth look at how the sound team overcame the challenge with sound designer Erik Aadahl, director Gareth Edwards and producer Thomas Tull. We can think of no better way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of "Godzilla" than by sharing the clip with you again today. You can watch it at the top of this post.

And remember, if you ever hear this sound in real life, just turn away from the noise and START RUNNING.

Hear the ROAR -> http://www.cnet.com/news/celebrate-60-years-of-godzilla-with-a-roar/

-- Anthony Domanico (cnet.com)




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Godzilla Was Very Different 60 Years Ago

Directors, Designers, Actors and Producers All Had Ideas on How Godzilla Should Look

TOKYO—Godzilla has come a long way in 60 years.

When the original film opened in Japan on Nov. 3, 1954, Godzilla was made from bamboo, cloth, paper, wire and whatever was available, says Eizo Kaimai, the 85-year-old chairman of Kaimai Productions.

This was long before digital wizards came along to create a T-Rex or Transformer, before Star Wars, Jurassic Park or Avatar.

“Back then, when we first created monster movies, we didn’t even have plastic or urethane material available,” says Mr. Kaimai, one of the few surviving members from the team that created the first Godzilla film. “It was hard work.”

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Toho
This isn’t to say that the special-effects team for the new Gareth Edwards-directed “Godzilla,” which opened world-wide this year, had it easy. According to London-based Moving Picture Company, which rebooted the monster, creating the living creature from concept artwork took seven months, working up his body—from the underlying bones, fat and muscle structure to the thickness and texture of his scales. The new movie has brought in $525 million world-wide, according to Box Office Mojo.

Mr. Kaimai gives the Hollywood remake high praise, saying he is glad to have lived long enough to witness the digital revolution breathing new life into his monster. “They’re good. They really did something extraordinary,” he says. “They are so good, we will end up losing our jobs.”

But the octogenarian takes pride in the fact none of it would have existed if it wasn’t for his team’s efforts in the summer of 1954.

Before signing with Toho Studios, Mr. Kaimai made a living creating life-size dolls, including those used in haunted houses in theme parks. Godzilla was his first job collaborating with a film actor. On his first day, he says, he was presented with a miniature clay model of what the beast might look like and told to get to work.

‘They really did something extraordinary. They are so good, we will end up losing our jobs.’

—Eizo Kaimai
The exterior of Godzilla’s body was manufactured with rubber material. For its feet, the team came up with the idea of remodeling rubber boots. World War II had ended just nine years earlier and the only place such gear was available at the time was the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Mr. Kaimai says.

Directors, designers, actors and producers all came up with requests and their ideas on what the beast should look like. Mr. Kaimai would add or reduce bumps on Godzilla’s skin.

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The original Godzilla. Toho
“It wasn’t a fun process, to be honest. Everything was done on a trial-and-error basis,” Mr. Kaimai says. The finished prototype was a failure as well. “I knew the moment we were done, the first Godzilla suit had failed. The joints were too stiff and no one could move in it,” he says. “Plus, it weighed 100 kilograms [220 pounds].”

The original Godzilla film was shot between August and October in the scorching summer of 1954. Actor Haruo Nakajima remembers what it was like inside Mr. Kaimai’s remodeled suit, which still weighed about 60 kilograms.

“The temperatures inside reached 140 degrees,” says Mr. Nakajima, 85 years old. He would pop out of the rubber monster after each take, with sweat dripping from his shirt. In Mr. Nakajima’s view, Ken Watanabe, the actor who plays scientist Ishiro Serizawa in the latest Godzilla film, is “still inexperienced.”

‘No one knew at first how Godzilla would move.’

—Haruo Nakajima
“Ken Watanabe is still young. On the other hand, Shimura-san was the real deal,” Mr. Nakajima says, referring to Takashi Shimura, who played the role of an archaeologist researching Godzilla in the original 1954 film.

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Haruo Nakajima, pictured on April 28, wore the Godzilla suit in the original and many sequels. “The temperatures inside reached 140 degrees,” he says of the suit during filming in the summer of 1954. Associated Press
As for Mr. Nakajima, his challenge was to animate Mr. Kaimai’s suit with the gestures of a fearsome monster. The actor says director Ishiro Honda and Godzilla creator Eiji Tsuburaya pretty much left it to him to come up with the movements. He says he visited the zoo and studied bears, elephants and other animals for reference.

“No one knew at first how Godzilla would move. I had to start from scratch,” Mr. Nakajima says. But he still believes the result surpassed what computer programmers now devise. “They can create any monster…by using computers,” he says. “But inevitably, it lacks the human touch, it lacks the emotion. It is different from having someone act as Godzilla. The computer-generated Godzilla looks like an animation to me.”

Back then, directors didn’t have an iPad to check raw footage on the spot. The mood was tense on the set because everyone knew there was no time or money for a retake. There would be three cameras and about 80 people watching Mr. Nakajima in the Godzilla suit, walking and crushing miniature cities barbarously and carefully at the same time.

In the same studio, Akira Kurosawa was shooting “Seven Samurai.” “Mr. Kurosawa didn’t say much about what we were doing, but he used to peek in and check out what was going on in our side,” says Mr. Nakajima. “He was very curious.”

With Toho Studios having already announced the theatrical release date for Godzilla, shooting of the film continued around the clock in its final days. It wasn’t until the middle of the monthlong schedule, though, that lead actor Akira Takarada truly understood what he had gotten into.

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Godzilla wreaks havoc in 1954. Courtesy Everett Collection
The role of Hideto Ogata, a salvage engineer who helps slay Godzilla in the movie, was the first lead character for Mr. Takarada, who was just 20. He didn’t even understand the title Godzilla at first—which is a combination of “gorilla” and “kujira,” Japanese for “whale.”

“I remember being a bit nervous on the first day. We had gathered as a group and it was time to introduce myself. So I said, hi, my name is Akira Takarada and I will be playing the lead role,” he says. “Almost immediately after that, someone yelled and said I wasn’t the lead in the film. The lead in the film is Godzilla.”

Mr. Takarada was told Godzilla would weigh 400,000 pounds (or 180,000 kilograms) and be 50 meters tall, but the numbers didn’t quite click.

The directors advised him to stare into a cloud and picture a monster approaching. An assistant would hold up a long stick and instruct him to follow the tip with his eyes as if it were Godzilla’s head. He was told to imagine Godzilla’s chest as being the same height as a nine-story building.

‘Someone yelled and said I wasn’t the lead in the film. The lead in the film is Godzilla.’

—Akira Takarada
As dysfunctional as the shooting of the movie was at times, Mr. Takarada says the team eventually came to an agreement about the theme of the film: Godzilla was Japan’s response to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the U.S. hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll in March 1954.

The crew and actors had all experienced the war in one form or another, and reached the conclusion that Godzilla was a “sacred beast” sent from god to warn humankind about war and weapons, Mr. Takarada says. He and others in the production say they regret that the first version shown in the U.S., in 1956, cut much of the antinuclear angle.

About 9.6 million Japanese watched the movie in theaters when “Godzilla” opened in November 1954. Japan had a population of 88 million then. Mr. Takarada believes the antinuclear and antiwar message, as well as the revolutionary visual effects, are what attracted the moviegoers.

He remembers being paid ¥350,000 for the job, which was about $1,000 at the time. It was enough to pay off some debts at bars and buy a secondhand car.

Following the completion of “Godzilla,” Mr. Takarada became a star. He still acts in movies, theater and television.

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he 1954 Godzilla was made from bamboo, cloth, paper, wire and other available materials. Courtesy Everett Collection
The Godzilla suit actor, Mr. Nakajima, continued to play the role of the monster in more than 10 sequels and appeared on screen as other lesser-known creatures including Baragon, Matango, Mothra, Varan, Moguera and Rodan. He retired from acting in the 1970s but still travels around the world to meet Godzilla fans.

Mr. Kaimai, who helped create the suit, says he received a ¥500 bonus from the studio after Godzilla became a blockbuster. That was about $1.40 at the time. “I went out for a drink once and it was all gone,” he says.

On the final day of shooting, Mr. Kaimai swept the studio floor with others and put the Godzilla suit inside a warehouse at Toho Studios. By the next day, he was on location working for a different movie.

Little did he know then that the monster he locked inside the warehouse, the beast that he helped create, would cross the Pacific and be ravaging American cities 60 years later.

Watch the vid -> http://online.wsj.com/articles/godzilla-was-a-very-different-beast-60-years-ago-1414666269

-- Jun Hongo (online.wsj.com)




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“60th anniversary Godzilla Music Festival” will feature film screening and live music

It’s hard to believe that Godzilla is celebrating his 60th birthday this week. The original black-and-white film was released on November 3, 1954, and has since then spawned a whole franchise of subsequent movies and become a recognizable pop culture icon across the world.

To commemorate everybody’s favorite havoc-wreaking monster, a full screening of the original 1954 film accompanied by a live orchestral performance of the musical score will be held on Sunday, January 18 next year at Tokyo’s NHK Hall. What better way to ring in the new year than with a blast from cinematic history past?


The program for the 60th anniversary Godzilla Music Festival (生誕60周年記念 ゴジラ音楽祭) will be split into two parts. The first part will feature a live performance of “Symphonic Fantasia No. 1″ (SF交響ファンタジー第1番; otherwise known as the main Godzilla theme), which was composed by the prolific Akira Ifukube. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform thispiece, led by composer/conductor Kaoru Wada, who happens to be an apprentice of the late Ifukube. There will also be a “talk show” segment featuring Akira Takarada, an actor who starred in the original 1954 and several subsequent Godzilla films, along with Shiro Sano, who starred in some of the more recent films. The second part of the program will consist of a full screening of the original 1954 Godzilla film accompanied once again by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and female chorus Chor June. In addition, all event-goers will receive a special commemorative film bookmark upon entry.

According to event sponsor Toho Music, a similar Godzilla screening event to honor Ifukube held this past July at the Tokyo Opera City Tower was sold out, so you should order your tickets as soon as possible. Seats are priced according to three different groups, at 6,500 yen (US$57.23), 7,500 yen ($66.06), or 8,500 yen ($74.83) per seat. Promax Inc. supplies links on its website to three different vendors in Japan where you can buy your tickets (Japanese only, sorry).

Doors at the NHK Hall will open at 4:15pm and the program will begin at 5pm on January 18. This will be an event that both longtime Godzilla fans and newcomers alike can appreciate, so dig out your nostalgic, rubber reptilian suit and get pumped!

-- Krista Rogers (en.rocketnews24.com)




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Japan is getting a Godzilla Blu-Ray complete with a Red Godzilla figure

I am very jealous of this. Amazon Japan is selling a special edition of Godzilla on Blu-Ray that not only comes in some lovely steelbook packaging, but with this spectacular red Godzilla figure. That's one hot Kaiju right there.

The figure is a repaint of Tamashii Nations' gloriously articulated 2014 Godzilla from their S.H Monsterarts collection, painted to match the fire-y red background included in the special edition - similar to the posters for the movie, but even redder. Honestly, Godzilla just looks kind of awesome when he's burning hot red.

The collectors edition also includes 2D and 3D copies of the film on Blu-Ray, as well as a 2D version on DVD, as well as a Steelbook case and a special Blu-Ray featuring extras looking back at 60 years of Godzilla goodness.

The set will be out February 25th in Japan, and will set you back ￥ 16,200, or around $142. Hopefully this version of everyone's favourite Kaiju doesn't stay exclusive for long, and I can find away to get my grubby mitts on him.
-- James Whitbrook (toybox.io9.com)

 

[DADDYCOOL187]

Just for you @bloodsnake007 @PunkNinja

 

[bloodsnake007]

Just for you @bloodsnake007 @PunkNinja

Thanks NINJA Bro!

 

[tridon]

I'm SO happy that this received a North American release! I was so close to importing it from Japan. Now I can buy one that I understand instead!

 

[PunkNinja]

Just for you @bloodsnake007 @PunkNinja

G - reat f@#king news!!!
Thx @DADDYCOOL187

 

[PunkNinja]

Godzilla, and the hotel that ate Tokyo

A Godzilla paw and posters of related movies are seen at the 'Gozilla Room'

A life-size Godzilla head is seen through a window of the 'Gozilla View Room'

A hotel clerk introduces a Godzilla statue at 'Godzilla Room'

A life-size Godzilla head on a balcony of the eighth floor of Hotel Gracery Shinjuku expels smoke from its mouth during the official unveiling ceremony at Kabukicho shopping district in Tokyo on April 9, 2015. The Godzilla is a main feature of the new commercial complex comprising a 970-room hotel, movie theathres and restaurants which will be open this month.

‘Godzilla View Rooms’ are booked for months
At long sweet last, Tokyo now has a Godzilla-themed luxury hotel.

The new Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, in the wild heart of the city’s Kabukicho nightlife district, opened Friday. And although this isn’t the biggest piece of news in Asia this day — perhaps the real news was that there wasn’t already a Godzilla-themed hotel — it’s certainly worthy of a little armchair travel, courtesy of these photos from the hotel’s owner Fujita Kanko Inc.

Godzilla, of course, is the radioactive fire-breathing dinosaur, awakened by nuclear testing to claim his own franchise of Japanese sci-fi films from the 1950s onward.

In fact, amid all the Godzilla-themed buzz, shares of Fujita Kanko 9722, +1.03% managed to finish the morning stock session up 1.9%, not exactly a monster rally but still well above the Nikkei Average NIK, -0.18% which was down 0.8%.

In this first photograph, we see the exterior of the new attraction, and fortunately for the people of Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, Godzilla appeared to have been confined to the hotel courtyard.
--- By Michael Kitchen (marketwatch.com)

 

[PunkNinja]

Godzilla Officially Made Tokyo Tourism Ambassador

TOKYO (AP) — Fire-breathing, building-stomping Godzilla was welcomed in part of Tokyo on Thursday as a sign of prosperity, not destruction.

The irradiated monster was appointed special resident and tourism ambassador for Shinjuku ward, known for its down-home bars and noodle restaurants.

A Godzilla-size head towering 52 meters (171 feet) above ground level was unveiled at an office of Toho, the Japanese studio behind the 1954 original. Toho is shooting a comeback film this year after a decade-long hiatus.

Godzilla's standing as an icon has had its ups and downs, but its stature has been reinstated after the Hollywood "Godzilla," directed by Gareth Edwards, became a global hit last year.

Japan is hoping the biggest star in this nation's movie history will help lure tourists during a market-opening strategy launched by the prime minister.

At an awards ceremony next to the giant Godzilla head, an actor in a rubber suit waddled to Shinjuku Mayor Kenichi Yoshizumi. However, Toho executive Minami Ichikawa had to accept the residency certificate in Godzilla's place, since the suit's claws aren't designed to grab anything.

The longtime belief is that any place Godzilla destructs in the movies is sure to prosper in real life, Yoshizumi said.

"Godzilla is a character that is the pride of Japan," he said.

Hiroshi Ohnishi, chief executive of the Isetan-Mitsukoshi department store chain, who heads the area's tourism promotion, kept referring to Godzilla with the very polite honorific "sama" — used at the end of a name — underlining respect for the creature as a business-drawing landmark for the region.

The fire-breathing "gojira" — as it is pronounced in Japanese, combining "gorilla" and "kujira," or "whale" — was born a genetic aberration, caused by nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean.

The reptilian mutation also symbolized a national trauma over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

The first "Godzilla," directed by Ishiro Honda, with both an unforgettable score and bestial screech, is revered as a classic.

But in 2004, Toho announced it had made its last "Godzilla," the 28th in the series.

Toho's reboot is set for release next year, ahead of Edwards' sequel for Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers, planned for 2018.

Over the years, Godzilla has demolished Tokyo Tower, Rainbow Bridge, the Parliament building and several castles in Japan, as well as Golden Gate Bridge and other chunks of San Francisco in the Hollywood version.

Shinjuku ward has not been spared, flattened in three Toho movies. If Godzilla chooses to return, it can now stomp on its own giant head. But Ichikawa told reporters where it will show up was still undecided.
--- By YURI KAGEYAMA (huffingtonpost.com)

 

[luke98]

Any news on the extended edition for Godzilla 2014 Thomas Tull confirmed it in a interview with Toho Kingdom Last year

 

[PunkNinja]

“Godzilla 2016”
Japanese vs American version battle heats up

(Credit: Toho Studios) Godzilla's footprint promises to squash Hollywood's version of it.

Toho Studios, the original home of the classical monstrous lizard named Godzilla has recently announced that after the Edward Gareth's movie success with Warner Bros., the studio will be making its own reboot of the film set to be released in summer of 2016. The name Godzilla was derived from the Japanese monster character Gojira. There had been different versions of it but Toho Studios pioneered and dominated the creation of movies about the giant lizard.


"Ever since Hollywood announced that Godzilla was to be resurrected, the expectation for another Japanese Godzilla grew." Toho Studios said in a statement. "And if we were to newly produce, we looked into Japanese creators who were the most knowledgeable and who has the most passion for Godzilla...Their [Higuchi and Anno] drive to take on such new challenges was exactly what we all had been inspired by."

"Godzilla 2016" directors intimidated by Hollywood's "Godzilla"?

But according to reports, both "Godzilla 2016" directors Hideaki Anno, mostly known for "Evangelion" and "Attack on Titan" special effects director Shinji Higuchi almost did not sign up for the job due to the monumental pressure of beating Hollywood's Godzilla. Considering that Anno and Higuchi have been friends for over 30 years, the two took in the challenge eventually. "Being able to work with my friend is the only thing keeping me from running away from all the pressure." Higuchi said.

With Edward Gareth's "Godzilla 2" set to be released in 2018, the battle for the ultimate "Godzilla" movie is starting to heat up. But for those who have been doubting Toho Studio's capacity to beat the Hollywood, here's what Higuchi has to say : "We'll have an amazing, horrific nightmare of a movie for you next year."

Who do you think will make the legendary monster's comeback unforgettable, the Japanese or the American version? Tell us your thoughts below!

"Godzilla 2016" will hit the theaters in summer of 2016.
--- vcpost.com

 

[PunkNinja]

Any news on the extended edition for Godzilla 2014 Thomas Tull confirmed it in a interview with Toho Kingdom Last year

Date: 07/07/2014
Interviewer: Chris Mirjahangir

THOMAS TULL

CEO of Legendary Pictures, Thomas Tull oversaw the company's many high profile projects, including The Dark Knight and Inception. Tull's upcoming films that he is producing include Jurassic World and Pacific Rim 2.


Chris Mirjahangir: I'm talking with Thomas Tull, producer of Godzilla (2014) and of the largest driving forces in bringing Godzilla back to the big screen. This interview was conducted May 4th, 2014 at the J.W. Essex Marriot Hotel, New York, New York.

VERY special thanks to Gemma Cacho at Warner Bros. Entertainment!

Photo of Thomas Tull taken by Chris Mirjahangir on the red carpet at the Godzilla premiere in Hollywood, California on May 8th, 2014. The premiere was held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California.

Now for my first question: Would you (Legendary) ever expand into remaking other Toho properties like Rodan (1956) or The War of the Gargantuas (1966)?

Thomas Tull: We're huge fans obviously of Toho so we have literally made a rule from the beginning like if we don't get Godzilla right, and show people that like, this is the tone, this is the movie, at least it's the movie I've wanted to see my whole life as a Godzilla fan, then we won't have earned the right to do anything else. We love the Toho universe and if we get this (Godzilla) right and the world deems we got it right, then you can never have enough giant monster movies at Legendary.

Mirjahangir: At the Godzilla Encounter from Comic Con (2013), when I went there, I was told by Barnaby (Legg), he said "We used Toho Kingdom to make this experience". Was the site used as a reference during pre-production/ production?

Tull: Yeah! There was sort of an omnipresent thing. Barnaby and Emily and their whole team did a pretty amazing job putting that together and as it relates to the Experience at Comic Con, we wanted..of course we showed things at Hall H but we also wanted fans to be able to walk it and be immersed in it. So that experience was important to us.

Mirjahangir: Do you have a Godzilla collection? Movies, toys and what have you?

Tull: Yes. I probably have 8 or 9 different maquettes or versions of Godzilla INCLUDING my favorite one Guillermo Del Toro bought me. I forget where he was but he saw it and he bought it for me and it's about 14-16 inches tall and it's like really detailed so that was very kind of him. I have all the movies and –when they convert to Blu-Ray-and my favorite is still the '54 version, the original Japanese version. It's tough to beat that. Yeah, I'm a lifelong Godzilla fan.

Mirjahangir: Godzilla's appearance has always changed from film to film so do you think that (for future films) the backplates will be going back into the white, and the feet going back into the more traditional flat foot (design) as opposed to what's there now?

Tull: You know, we spent and enormous amount of time on both the design and the roar and we wanted to make sure it was Godzilla. It wasn't like, you know, "that's a giant monster or maybe a giant dinosaur but it's not Godzilla". And we wanted it to have all the attributes that as fans that we expect… but at the same time, if you're gonna attract a film maker like Gareth and if you're gonna get folks like ourselves we have to put our own slant on it so that it connects and it tips it's cap to the past but it's also, we think connects in a way that makes sense for today's audiences.

Mirjahangir: It's accessible I've noticed

Tull: Yeah because you have to have, at least in our process, we have to have some kind of guidepost to always go back to. Like, what are we trying to accomplish here? And what we used to say all the time, is that if you saw Godzilla in real life and you heard the roar, our version you would be like "that's terrifying, oh my God" and then you'd look at the Toho movies and you'd say "I get why they made the movie of Godzilla that looks like that." And I said to our sound guy who's AMAZING-Erik Aadahl, that…if you've ever, I'm on the board at the San Diego Zoo and one time I got close to a male lion when it let out a full roar. I promise you it is NOTHING like what you've seen in a movie or the beginning to an MGM movie. It is a primal, visceral, terrifying thing and so we were literally like "we wanna capture that feeling" so it feels like its real.

Mirjahangir: Will there be an extended cut of this (the film)?

Tull: Yes.

Mirjahangir: But like Peter Jackson style where it's all blended in together?

Tull: Well, that's really Gareth's choice. There's certainly some scenes and things you're gonna see and it's up to him how he wants to present that to fans.

Mirjahangir: You've said you're a lifelong Godzilla fan but how long have you WANTED to make a Godzilla film?

Tull: You know, the possibility..until Jon Jashini came in and said..it didn't even occur to me that that was possible.

Mirjahangir: Yeah

Tull: You know what I mean? I'm such a huge fan and it just…I don't know. It literally just didn't occur to me until he walked in and said "hey guess what?" And I freaked out about it.

Mirjahangir: The very first viewing of a Godzilla film you ever saw when you were a kid, what was it about it (the film) that drew you to it (Godzilla)?

Tull: I was probably eight-ish years old and it was the 54 black and white original and because I didn't have any context it almost, in a weird way, feels like found footage right? Like, to my eight year old mind, I was like "is this real?" like "Is this in Japan? Is this what..?" . But there was something awe inspiring about it. And, you know, the Oxygen Destroyer. I kept thinking "how would that really work?" . And I just became hooked. My first experience with Godzilla was actually terrifying and then obviously you gain perspective with age and then it's taken all type of twists and turns in terms of tone.

Mirjahangir: As a fan do you keep up with the current news? Do you go on sites like Toho Kingdom to check things out?

Tull: Yeah! And for years there's a big Godzilla gathering-I think last year's was in Chicago.

Mirjahangir: They're always in Chicago.

Tull: So there's like a vibrant fanbase of people and I also love like last year after we did our piece at Hall H and we went to our booth, a couple of fans came up and were just like-not only passionate but almost emotional and were just like "you guys are bringing the king of the monsters back" and that hit me. I was like "oh man, this is AWESOME!"

Mirjahangir: Have you heard about the orchestra that's playing all of Ifukube's music at G-Fest? They did a Kickstarter, and they got it. It's going to be an hour long and it's being organized right now and they're getting it together but it got funded.

Tull: When is G-Fest this year?

Mirjahangir: I think like, late July [my bad everyone. I did send over the correct dates after this interview!]. I can get info and send it over.

Tull: I think that's great and frankly it's something we want to be supportive of in any way. There's just something about Godzilla fans-that not only the passion they have for it, and the history of it and being able to name off all the different things, and creatures, and it's definitely worthy of its own fest.

Mirjahangir: So it becomes obvious (in the film) early on that Godzilla's a good guy. Was that something that was from the get-go (script wise) or did it just morph into that?

Tull: No, One hundred percent from the beginning it was he has to fight other monsters and I wanna root for him. So that was a very conscious choice that- we all love Godzilla. Especially when they throw down I want people to be able to cheer for that.

Mirjahangir: Yeah that finishing move, that was SO Mortal Kombat, it was so cool

(Tull laughs)

Mirjahangir: But getting the flame right-it's a little more centered as opposed to the full wide mouth. Was this something you played with?

Tull: Oh my God, yes. Everything that you would imagine as a fan that you would obsess over, we obsessed over. It's both the fun of it and at the same time-because no matter what you do, you're gonna have people with different opinions so all you can do is say "look, this is our version of Godzilla and we're rolling it out there to the world."

Mirjahangir: With Mr. Akira Takarada's part being cut, should there be a sequel, would you put him in in another capacity?

Tull: He-being involved in the movie, was a very important thing to us. It was really cool when I got to meet him and talk to him. Fans will get to see that certainly on the Blu-Ray and digital versions. But, making sure we show proper respect to the past is important to us.

Mirjahangir: Outside of Godzilla, is there another Toho monster you're a fan of?

Tull: Oh yeah! I mean, I'm a huge fan of Rodan, I love King Ghidorah-probably my favorite. You know…even Gamera. But probably King Ghidorah's my favorite.
--- tohokingdom.com

 

[PunkNinja]

@luke98 sadly no news since.

 

[luke98]

@luke98 sadly no news since.

Wow sad need to release it!!

 

[PunkNinja]

Most probably they will release the extended edition before the next Godzilla movie opens.
For marketing purposes.

 

[PunkNinja]

How an inflatable green screen from B.C. spawned Godzilla — and an Oscar

Four key grips from British Columbia, whose creation has been featured in big-budget action flicks, have been honoured with the Technical Achievement Award.

The inflatable green-screen wall on the set of the film "Avengers: Age of Ultron" in London, England. Four key grips from B.C .— David McIntosh, Steve Smith, Mike Branham and Mike Kirilenko — have been named Oscar winners for engineering and developing the cutting-edge green screen, called the Aircover Inflatables Airwall.

The green-screen airwall was stretched more than 200 metres to depict a CGI Godzilla in the 2014 film.

--- http://www.thestar.com/entertainmen...en-from-bc-spawned-godzilla-and-an-oscar.html

 

[PunkNinja]

Ken Watanabe, star of Inception and Godzilla, battling stomach cancer

Ken Watanabe has undergone endoscopic surgery and is recuperating at a hospital in Japan.

--- http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainmen...nception-and-Godzilla-battling-stomach-cancer

 

[PunkNinja]

Godzilla vs. King Kong: The Human Ethics of Intra-Monster Violencelence

Cinema's top-billed bout is a battle between metaphors for slavery and annihilation. Choose a side!

--- https://www.inverse.com/article/102...ng-the-human-ethics-of-intra-monster-violence

@bloodsnake007

 

[C.C. 95]

@PunkNinja
@bloodsnake007

Not All Heroes wear capes....