Media Share 9/MEDIASHARE_09.ISO/mag&info/sf018089.zip/SF018089.TXT

Text File | 1993-02-23 | 18KB | 384 lines

SF-LOVERS Digest            Tuesday, 9 Feb 1993        Volume 18 : Issue 89

Today's Topics:

                 Films - Japanese Monster Movies (6 msgs)


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Date: 13 Jan 93 21:15:14 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Sea Wasp)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE review

[e-mail] (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.

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Date: 14 Jan 93 01:55:10 GMT
From: [e-mail] (David Milner)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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:   [e-mail]
usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave
        ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave

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Date: 16 Jan 93 19:28:36 GMT
From: [e-mail] (David Milner)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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:   [e-mail]
usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave
        ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave

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Date: 18 Jan 93 14:26:58 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Jim Mann)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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
[e-mail]

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Date: 18 Jan 93 15:58:41 GMT
From: [e-mail] (David Milner)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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:   [e-mail]
usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave
        ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave

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Date: 18 Jan 93 21:34:13 GMT
From: [e-mail] (David Milner)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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:   [e-mail]
usenet: ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox!dave
        ...rutgers!columbia!blackbox.cc.columbia.edu!dave

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End of SF-LOVERS Digest
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