Posted on 06/25/2004 3:11:11 PM PDT by Long Cut
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!
Trivia: The ladies playing the twin fairies (or whatever they were) really are twin sisters, Yumi and Emi Ito. And although they look very young, they were 20 years old when they starred in "Mothra", and 23 when "Godzilla vs the Thing" was made.
And then there was that line in "Godzilla 1985"...
"Demolished a whole Russian nuclear sub, huh? I say we sign him up, put a uniform on him!"
Japanese women always seem to look younger than their years, to me.
The original twins from "Mothra" (1961) were an actual singing duo...they worked under the name "The Peanuts" in Japan.
It's kind of funny...in a recent G-film, GMK, Mothra shows up, but the singing twins do not, as it was a far more serious and violent movie. However, at one point, Mothra flies low over a street, and two teenaged twin girls are shown looking up at her and smiling to each other knowingly.
I'm SOOO glad they left the '70s style of having the little boy in the MEGA-tight shorts always hanging around.
Of course, we all prefer the ladies. MUCH easier on the eyes.
Part of the reason those lines were so bad was that they were translated from Japanese in the dubbing, and some lines do not translate as dramatic as in that language.
Westerners appearing in those films were not chosen for their acting ability, anyway...they were chosen for two reasons: They were available, and they could speak Japanese.
You're in the Navy now? Where are ya stationed?
LOL! Amongst Sci-Fi fans, that sort of character now has a slang name...any child or young person in a movie who has some sort of "special" relationship with the monster, or seems to have acess to all high-level military planning meetings and is taken seriously by those present is called a "Kenny", after the first one who appeared in a "Gamera" movie back in the day.
I served on the USS PELELIU (The ship that held "Taliban John" in her brig) from '93-'97.
HAAA! I REMEMBER THAT! (because it happens to be my name)
Oooo .. I'll check it out! Thanks again! I'm ready to drop some serious coin on the art I've found!
I also watch the military gear used in the films. In GMK, for example, the fighters used were Sukhoi SU-35's, which are made in Russia. Japan doesn't use them, they use F-15's.
Nice to meet ya, Shipmate! I'm a First Class, with VP-10, the "Red Lancers".
Rodan leaving contrails in the air put him in a monster-class by himself.
Get ready for your jaw to drop. Seriously, it's that good. Some of the sexiest pinups I've seen yet. I'd post some of the more "modest" ones here, but I can't seem to get them to work.
Heh! My color-blindness prevented me from being anything but a deck ape or an engineer. I went deck ape.
Nothing like driving a flat top around the world, then catching a few ZZZs in the engine compartment of a Harrier before morning muster.
In the 90's, he got his own fire-breath, too. They've hinted that he and Godzilla are somehow related.
I just went there. I think I need a tranquilizer.
Yeah, they tend to get the 'ol pulse a-goin, don't they? I especially like "Black Widow" and "Casting Couch".
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