How is this not in the top 250? - Gojira (2004) Discussion

[–] fooseball 13 years ago

I knew King Kong (1933) was high on the list at one time and even its gone now!

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[–] Bernnard_Black 13 years ago

I would speculate that comparitively few people have actually seen the original; most saw the Americanized Burr version, and it's nowhere as good.

Here's to the health of Cardinal Puff.

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[–] JGARzilla 13 years ago

Godzilla inspired many things.

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[–] Raysand 12 years ago

When you say top 250, I presume that you're talking about the top 250 movies of all time? If this is what you're talking about, I would definitely include Godzilla in that group. Sadly, Godzilla is underrated. The original monumental and epic score, alone, is worthy of an Academy Award. The score coupled with the dark, brooding mood of the film and the pacing is what makes it such a classic in my opinion. Yes, it should definitely be included in the top 250 movies of all time.

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[–] Messi167 12 years ago

whole-heartedly agree, this is a movie that has stood the test of time and whose message is still relevant today. it's much more than just a monster movie and it's a real shame people sometimes think otherwise

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[–] Yoda-can-boogie 12 years ago

Yeah, their Top 250 has a lot of movies in it, that in my opinion were way too high or shouldn't be on the list. I think a movie like Fight Club was in the Top 10. Top 10 movies should be masterpieces. I didn't exactly think Fight Club was a masterpiece. Good but not Top 10.
" When The Legend Becomes Fact, Print The Legend "

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[–] WeAintFoundShin 12 years ago

People more collectively go nuts for Fight Club, many rating it a 10, with not as many people rating Gojira a 10.

They are both good films. I'm not sure which I would save for future generations.

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[–] Frequency270 12 years ago

This post within the thread makes it a more interesting question for me. My opinion is this: Fight Club is much better than Gojira. I believe that if Gojira had not been the first of its kind, and therefore a trendsetter, it's score would be a lot lower. Much as we don't want to, we tend to bias our opinions on the reactions of the people around us.

That said, if I was to 'save' one 'for future generations', I would clearly have to go with Gojira. Gojira is the first of its kind. It is a great-post WWII, post nuclear strike metaphor of Japan, and while not as well scripted, acted or plotted as loving fans would have you believe, it does have some great atmospheric moments.

Fight Club, as weird as this may sound, is 'just' a much better movie.

Damion Crowley
All complaints about my post go to Helen Waite.

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[–] Yoda-can-boogie 12 years ago

Actually, interestingly enough. This was not the first movie of a prehistoric creature attacking a city after being woken up or created by nuclear energy. The Beast From 20'000 Fathoms was before Gojira ( Godzilla). Also an excellent film and even better taking place in Brooklyn instead of Tokyo. Supposed to be Coney Island being attacked. Although they filmed it in California. Early Ray Harryhausen f/x film. Still the best f/x artist ever.

" When The Legend Becomes Fact, Print The Legend "

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[–] TheMichael 12 years ago

I'd only call The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms great in the use of describing Harryhausen's effects. Other than that, the movie itself is all pretty bad. Godzilla is a masterpiece for not only its effects, but for its human drama and the social reflection of the war and occupation. And when you look at Godzilla's ending; a message of anti mass-destructive weapons and duty of humanity, compared to 20,000 Fathom's ending; Kill it with a new weapon, you can see which one is the more sophisticated of the two. Godzilla is not just a monster movie. It reflects an era and urges a change in that era. That's why it most definitely deserves a spot in the Top 250.

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[–] Yoda-can-boogie 12 years ago

I agree with everything you said, except that all Beast from 20000 Fathoms has to offer is special f/x. It's a fun and fairly intelligent movie with pretty good acting. I've watched it a few times, and it always seems to keep me interested. Although I do agree that the original Godzilla ( Gojira ) is a little better as far as a concept. Not really though in acting and definitely not in special f/x.
" When The Legend Becomes Fact, Print The Legend "

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[–] TheMichael 12 years ago

.......... It was FAR BETTER in concept. And the rest of the story.

And what's all this about "Not really though in acting or f/x"? COME ON! Godzilla had TERRIFIC acting in it. And although it's hard to argue the comparison of special effects next to Harryhausen, STILL, no stop motion aside, Eiji Tsuburaya, (the effects director for Godzilla,) what he did was far more impressive than American special effects at the time, and it came from a studio that didn't even have a special effects department before Godzilla was made. The flawless matte effects ESPECIALLY, also the great details of the miniatures, and the Godzilla suit. Don't go judging the effects in Godzilla. THEY ARE impressive.

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[–] Yoda-can-boogie 12 years ago

I'm not saying they weren't impressive. Just that they were clearly not as sophisticated as Harryhausen's. Both great 1950's sci-fi films. I just think you're selling Beast a little short.

" When The Legend Becomes Fact, Print The Legend "

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[–] Godzillaswrath 12 years ago

Gojira is leagues better then 20000 fathoms. No argument.

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[–] Brooklyn51 12 years ago

A Gojira to Fight Club comparison is pretty apples to oranges. I think the quality of acting in newer movies is better than older ones in general, so I wouldn't use that as a basis for comparison. And they're just so different, I wouldn't know where to begin. It terms of influence, memorability and cultural impact, Gojira definitely takes the cake over Fight Club. When it comes to story and characters, yeah I'd say Fight Club is better.

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[–] Yoda-can-boogie 12 years ago

I don't know what movies you've been watching that makes you say that newer acting is better than older. I must have missed those films.

" When The Legend Becomes Fact, Print The Legend "

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[–] robfather_87 12 years ago

I agree so much, this movie should absoltely be on the 250 list.
I have all the godzilla movies (not the 1998 one) and i must say i love the series. But the original should be on the list. The sound, music effects at it time is amazing. I thought i would not like the other movies as i got further in the line of godzilla movies. But actually i am suprised how much i liked them.
Even the newer ones has their cool effects. Like the Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla from 2002, Godzilla: Final Wars and Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. they remind me of the effects from Ultraman and other newer monster movies from japan.
The effects are not wow standards compared for today but it is more fun effects then it is now. Cool sparks flying around axplosions it is something about it i like.

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[–] Hyperboievr 12 years ago

Yes this movie does need to be in the top 250. Who cares if the effects may not really up to par with other movies at the time. They were impressive and did the job of serving towards the compelling story. The story and characters of this movie are what makes it deserve to be in the top 250. It's a sci-fi classic.

"Beneath this Mask, there is an Idea"
-V for Vendetta-

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[–] macedoniall 12 years ago

We live in a world where the Dark Knight is rated a 9/10..... really!? The movie is a 8 at best and no where near one of the best movies of all time. It Citizen Kane or Seven Samurai even on the top 10??

I will not fear, fear is the mind killer

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[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] easytopo 11 years ago

Actually that's a fair point. Today's movie-goers are so quick to hail the newest hot movie as a masterpiece when you have to wait some time to really make that statement. Personally I think The Dark Knight is severely overrated but that's just me. I think a movie like Gojira (or even Fight Club since it's been mentioned) has a lot more to say about society and the human condition then any of the recent Batman movies (Dark Knight Rises is abysmal btw).

The message of Gojira is still very much relevant today but most Americans aren't interested in watching foreign films which is a shame since some of the best movies ever are non-American. That is why a movie like Gojira probably doesn't get the same admiration as a more current and hip American movie.

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[–] deepcovergecko 10 years ago

Actually that's a fair point. Today's movie-goers are so quick to hail the newest hot movie as a masterpiece when you have to wait some time to really make that statement. Personally I think The Dark Knight is severely overrated but that's just me. I think a movie like Gojira (or even Fight Club since it's been mentioned) has a lot more to say about society and the human condition then any of the recent Batman movies (Dark Knight Rises is abysmal btw).

The dark knight is garbage. Godzilla is #1

Snootchie Bootchie

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[–] twofacetoo 11 years ago

It's probably for that exact reason
People look at the word GODZILLA, and think of three things
1. Japan
2. Bad rubber suit effects (from later movies)
3. Matthew Broderick
ALL of which don't bode well for the general movie-going public. People often dislike foreign films because it means a lot of reading subtitles or a lot of bad dubbing, neither of which is very appealing in general.
Like I said, in later movies the effects got kinda bad, and the suit became so obviously fake it was laughable, like in 'Godzilla Vs Gigan' or 'Son Of Godzilla'.
And finally, the American remake cemented the fact that most popcorn chomping movie goers wouldn't care much about Godzilla. They saw a mediocre monster movie, and the result waas that nobody cared anymore.
Thankfully they're doing a remake, which I'm praying will revitalise interest in the franchise, because Godzilla is truly a remarkable movie, a remarkable monster, and a remarkable franchise for running for so long, especially on such a small budget.

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