GO GO, GODZILLA!!!!!!!!!

After banging around on some threads lately, it has become obvious that a decent number of FReepers are fans of Japan’s most famous monster, GODZILLA.

This is certainly understandable; that worthy creature has appeared in 28 movies over 50 years, has had two animated TV series, as well as a series of novels devoted to his exploits. Most of the movies we enjoyed as kids, whiling away Saturday afternoons in the days before cable with those great old ‘60s and ‘70s films with the Big G and his buddies Rodan, Mothra, Angilas, and a host of others. Lots of fun memories there, right? (C’mon...how many of you almost drove Mom crazy by trying incessantly to imitate the famous roar of Godzilla...at the top of your lungs? ‘Fess up.)

Myself, I have over 20 of Godzilla’s best (and worst) films on tape and DVD, as well as Daikaiju Eiga (giant monster movies) with other famous creatures of yore...Gamera the fiery turtle, Gorgo, and King Kong.

What is it that draws us to these creatures? Why do we take such pleasure in watching men in suits trash fake cities? WHO CARES?!?! They’re FUN!

Not only that, but they are perfectly suitable for our own children, being free of the sex and profanity so common today. Heck, I still own several Godzilla toys from years ago, and some NEW ones I “impulse bought”, to my wife’s chagrin, a few years ago when the American “GINO” (Godzilla In Name Only) came out.

Godzilla is actually a great fit for conservatives, is he not? Let’s see...he is steadfast in a fight, never running from confrontation and always standing up for himself.

He favors personal weapons, bringing his famous Atomic Breath (“Assault Breath”?) everywhere, carrying it concealed until needed. He has also taught his children the safe use of this weapon, as a good father should.

He is a good family man, taking care of both of his children single-clawedly, and homeschooling them besides. In fact, when one was taken by government agents (possibly from HHS), he retrieved the lad by leveling a city. As mentioned, he taught both the proper use of FIREarms.

He disdains illegal aliens, especially those from the planet Kilaak, whom he turned to cinders himself instead of bothering to wait for the INS. Repeat atmosphere-crossers, like Ghidorah, get similar treatment. In fact, no illegal aliens have ever faced anything but trouble from the Big Guy. He even destroys their ships, to prevent recidivism.

He hates government intrusion in his private life, such as when the government sends battalions of tanks to stop him from peaceably going for a walk. Not even David Koresh, however, reduced tanks to molten slag in defense of his Liberty.

He’s a team player as well as a good leader, having rallied other monsters to a cause and leading them on to victory, that being the obligatory stomping of (illegal) space alien ass, and of course the severe beating of Ghidorah.

He has no patience with the Endangered Species Act, which he proves by mauling and torching endangered giant mantises, spiders, and moths who pester him.

Yes, there’s a lot to like about the old geezer, and I figure that this is as good a place as any to discuss his and his bunch’s finer points.

So what’s your favorite movie? Favorite monster? How about the best battle, or what fight would you like to see? Let’s chew on that for a while...it’s the weekend!

Motion pictures have treated us all to MANY monsters over the decades...some horrifying, some terrifying, and some just plain gross. From the Frankenstein Monster as portrayed by Boris Karloff, to Godzilla as portrayed by Haruo Nakajima and others, to H.R. Geiger's ALIEN as portrayed by Boladje Badjeo, movie monsters have terrified and tantalized us.

I resist declaring any one or other as "the greatest", strictly because the criteria for such a declaration will change with the viewer. However, Geiger's ALIEN certainly deserves a high place in the pantheon of movie creatures. Besides being a work of art for its much-copied design, it was a deeply, viscerally frightening monster, bringing all manner of psychological fears with it out of the shadows due to its well-thought out life cycle and story. Bottom line, few movie monsters "git 'er dun" (that is, scare the beejabbers out of the audience) like the Alien.

Godzilla is a "Git 'er Dun" monster as well, but his intention is NOT to frighten people right down to their innermost core. His role in his films is more to evoke a sense of awe and admiration (and, of course, catharsis...who among his fans has never fantasized, even once, of what it would be like to wield his overwhelming power? To run as wild with it as he does?). He does what he does by his nature, as sureley as the Alien does, but his is the more lighter, kid-friendly path. Godzilla might attack our cities, but he does not haunt our nightmares.

Thus, comparing him to Geiger's ALIEN is somewhat unfair. The ALIEN was masterfully designed to lurk in our dark places, around deserted corners and in murky rooms, filling us with fear before its presence is even known. It lives in the dark, in our worst childhood fears of the boogeyman, and in our most dire adult fears of rape and penetration.

Godzilla, even when he is most perfectly presented and filmed, even if someday he is realized with perfect realism onscreen, is NOT a lurking, creeping terror in the shadows, nor was he ever intended to be. Originally, he was a cautionary metaphor for nuclear weapons; inspired by the worst nuclear accident in US history (Google the words CASTLE BRAVO to read about this). Later, he morphed into a defender of the Earth, and finally into a simple animal; a creature beyond all control and motivation save territoriality and defense of his young - a natural force like a hurricane, showing humans how truly small we were next to nature's wrath.

Two monsters here; both completely different to the point of being incomparable to each other, but both so startlingly effective in their presentation as to become icons.

You've good taste in monsters, Sir!

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