Official Godzilla 2016 discussion thread!

And he should have.

But..how do let a 50 meter giant monster sneak up on you? Especially one you've been covering all night? When I dreampt about this movie, I would be in Tokyo on the night of the attack. I always, always made sure I had a visual on Godzilla. I made sure there was plenty of real estate between us. If he moved, on the compass, toward the southeast, I moved northwest. But I would always make sure I could see him. Because, if you lose sight of him, it's over. Ask the patrolmen in the police car. Well, actually, you can't ask them. Can you?

I like how Jamal singlehandedly brought up the most glaring flaw with the American version that no one has ever thought of without any real effort.

So, if Godzilla is fighting another monster, what kind of fighting style do you all want?

Since we are getting into the Raymond Burr quotes, "George, here in Tokyo time has traveled back 2 million years. This is my report as it happens. He's as tall as a 30 story building."

 ^Which at 50 meters (about 165 feet), he wasn't that tall.

I first saw Godzilla, King of the Monsters on a local t.v. station in Los Angeles in the 1960's. It was Channel 9 (now KCAL, then KHJ-TV). They had this show called Million Dollar Movie (I love that title). The way Million Dollar Movie worked was that for one week, they showed the same movie every night. What a great idea! Well, one week, the feature was GKOTM. I watched it every night. I was transfixed. It was scary, especially that spooky ritual dance with those masks on Odo Island (it still gives me the creeps). But, I couldn't turn away either. This was before DVDs and VHS. So, you had to see what you could when you could. So here was a whole week of this giant monster with a roar I'd never heard before, destroying Tokyo while 'Steve Martin' described it with a narration that was riveting. However, after a few showings, I began to notice things. One of them was Steve Martin not moving around the city. He could somehow see everything from the building he was in. But, I got beyond it, helped in great part by the scenes of destruction of this once great city. And, unlike other movie monsters, Godzilla was apparently unstoppable. Other things, though, did bother me. Like the reporters on the television tower. I think they probably got enough footage early enough to have allowed them to get down and escape. Reporters who are alive can provide better coverage than reporters who are dead. Was it a sense of duty? A kind of kamikaze spirit? But, their plunging to their deaths provided a great visual, especially from their POV. This, is simply great movie making. And it was stunning the first time I saw it.  

I would like to be stunned in this manner by the new Godzilla from Toho. So, Toho, please don't play it safe. Shock us and impress us with the power of Godzilla, the King of the Monsters.

@BigBadBen:

As far as fighting styles, I want to see Godzilla engage in battles that are fairly lengthy, not the brief encounters we saw in Final Wars. He should dominate and overcome. But the other kaiju should be formidible and scary, with frightening powers. I don't know if I want see him go down, and then wage a comeback, like Gamera. Of course, if he comes off as Gamera-like, he's going to be the hero, or at least the lesser of two evils. Because of this, the enemy kaiju has to be something horrible; in other words, The Bad Guy. But I don't want Godzilla to be too Gamera-like. Not that I don't like Gamera. Love him actually. But Godzilla should be different, not the total superhero who saves Japan. I would like to see a deliberateness in his actions and mannersims that indicate that he is a sentient being, without being too human-like. Since he's a character, the star actually, and not just a plot devise (like GINO), Godzilla cannot be reduced to being merely an animal acting on instinct.

Speaking of Godzilla and Gamera, my dream kaiju eiga would have them team up against a gigantic alien kaiju. That enemy monster should be able to communicate to the people of the earth and have well-defined objectives and, heretofore, unheard of powers.

The Godzilla design would be based on (or look exactly like) the Yuji Sakai maquette for Godzilla 2000 Millennium. The Gamera design would be the one from Gamera 3: Revenge of Irys. Since Godzilla and Gamera are saving the earth in this scenario, they should have, to offset their defacto hero status, an edgier, more angular look, IMO.

Jamaal,

I can appreciate any company making monster movies acceptable for children, but I like for my Godzilla to be vicious, scary, and evil as hell. Gamera on the other hand, convienced Toho to make Godzilla for children. The same thing can be said for a lot of us, I myself watched Godzilla king of the monsters before the original. It wasn't my first film, Godzilla vs. Megalon was the first I ever watched. From there it just took off. I will always enjoy these movies, each hold a place dear to my heart. Since I am older though, I can't rank them anymore. My all time favorite will always be the original 1954 Gojira film. Godzilla is a monster for all season's and for everyone to enjoy.

@Gman2887, 

Your request is almost completed. I just need to know if you want it colored. :)

The thing though Jamaal is, I, personally was so inspired by these Godzilla films, I figured I would do novels based off of my personal favorites. Within my own style of writing and doing what many of you all call, amazing, phenominal artwork. Yes, they look like movie stills, but it is all based off of memory. I will continue until my time comes to end it. 

Go, go Godzilla!! 

As for the fighting, yes, Godzilla should have lenghtly fights. I would love to see more biting, clawing, and forceful pushes along with an occasional atomic Ray attacks. A fight style similar to showa, but powerful atomic breath like heisei.

That they look like movie stills makes them that much more impressive.

It's surreal.

So, in conclusion, what we are asking for is pretty much, the perfect Godzilla film. All Godzilla films have flaws, but with everything we have discussed, we want it all with Tohos Godzilla 2016 film.

Well, thanks for the kind words there Jamaal. Just hoping I hear something from someone soon. Gman2887 was right, my hellish fight has only begun. Tough business to get into I must say.

Early on during the pre-production of Godzilla 2000 Millennium, one of the rumored plots had Godzilla fighting some kind of 'energy creature.' It sounded intriguing at the time.

We are 15 years down the road digital effects-wise. I hope some imagination is going into Toho Godzilla 2016, especially in the area of enemy kaiju, if there are any.

"So, in conclusion, what we are asking for is pretty much, the perfect Godzilla film. All Godzilla films have flaws, but with everything we have discussed, we want it all with Tohos Godzilla 2016 film."

BigBadBen: the well is primed, so to speak. Now is the time for Toho to put it all together, take the time needed and produce a great film. The next film doesn't have to be perfect, and it won't. But it can be meaningful, visually spectacular and exciting. The talent and the potential for this is in Japan. I believe this.

Do we want it all?

Yes. And why not? This is Godzilla.

"I'm afraid that Toho and Godzilla are beyond our scientific understanding."

Jamaal, that never stopped them before. This time though..."Nothing can save the city now." Raymond Burr.

I, like you, want it all. Do a cross between the qualities of the original Godzilla, with what Gamera 3 delivered.

"I, like you, want it all. Do a cross between the qualities of the original Godzilla, with what Gamera 3 delivered."

@BigBadBen:

Something approaching the quality and production values of these two films would be remarkable. I believe, ultimately, it comes down to not only the execution of the technical aspects of the special and visual effects, but also the writing and the strength of the film's narrative. These are two things Gojira and Gamera 3 have in common. If the film can make the audience feel that they're on a journey, visually and emotionally, by connecting us to the characters and endowing those characters with purpose, we will wind up invested in the story as it unfolds. I believe the key is balancing spectacle and entertainment value on one hand, with a meaningful, consequential story on the other.

Gojira and Gamera 3 are great to look at; they're spectacular, actually. But they also have layers of narrative and meaning at the same time.

^Which is what this godzilla film needs. Narrative, meaning, and the quality that could come close, or even be matched with those two films.

This new film should be Suitmation, CGI just wouldn't work that is Legendarys territory.

I believe that traditional tokusatsu effects, augmented by a judicious use of CGI, is the way to go.

One of the areas in which I think digital effects would be used, would be the enemy kaiju, depending upon its physical appearance, attributes and capabilities. Of course, some digital effects would be used for Godzilla as well, in addition to, but not in place of, suitmation.

I would hope that the film has an edginess to it, with scenes that are shocking and jaw-dropping. It should not be a visual version of a bedtime story that would be read to children. And while I prefer dark and layered, I also want instances of humor to counterbalance the destruction and horror that must necessarily result from giant monsters with indescribible powers figthing in heavily populated areas.

Special attention must be paid to the special and visual effects. Even with suits and miniatures, it must look real. I'm not advocating the abandoning of the stylistic quailties that distinguish tokusatsu films and give them that special look we all love. But, it's got to be believable. I believe this is possible; that it look like a Japanese Godzilla film, and have production values that make the audience buy into it.

The story has to be meaningful, well-written and exciting. It should be suspenseful. The human characters must do things that we can identify with and relate to. Like the Shinoda's in Godzilla 2000 Millennium, the human characters in the Heisei Gamera films, or the Tachibanas in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, they must be seen acting like regular people. This way, it seems real, like the events we're witnessing are actually happining. If the human characters are unintentionally made android-like, by not doing the things that people do, like, for instance, sharing a meal, it diminishes the greatness of the things that are doing during the struggle to help save their country.That they display fragility, makes their courageous actions all the more remarkable.

I guess it all comes down to the artists involved, the resources allocated and the time given to make this film.

I was watching this, and thinking about the new Godzilla 2016 and what it'd' look like if it were to be CGI...

Link incase the video isn't showing up

I just watched it, and...it's not that bad. I'm thinking that I could live with this...I guess.

But, I'm biased. I like the way these kind of effects look: good enough to enable the audience to buy into it, but, stylistic enough to not look entirely reality-based. But, I think this is what you want given the subject matter. But will it look real enough to appeal to non-fans, and thus be commercially successful?

Thank you for posting this.

I rewatched it, and it was pretty good. I love the look of the visuals.

If Godzilla 2016 looks something like this, as a fan, for whatever it's worth, I'll be happy. But I think that Toho is probably going to aim for something higher in terms of overall VFX.

For me, however, something that big, moving like that, is always mesmerizing.

@Jamaal

I agree, whilst not quite as realistic as Godzilla 2014, it's style and movement is always very appealing.