Jan de Bont's GODZILLA

[dragon53]

GODZILLA---director Jan de Bont (SPEED) commented on his GODZILLA remake movie that would have "stayed true" to the original Japanese version, but it was rejected in favor of the Dean Devlin/Roland Emmerich version, "I went to Japan, I met with the people at the studio, and they loved my version. It was basically that the visual effects at the time, and also special effects — like the way they did in the [original] GODZILLA movies, which, I had copies of all of them — it became a battle about the budget. So the person who ended up doing the movie said that he could do it for like $40-50 million less than my budget. Mine was, I think, around $100 million or so. Of course, that never happens — and his film ended up costing almost twice as much as my budget. Unfortunately, they believed him." De Bont's movie had Godzilla battling another monster, Gryphon.

[Justin_]

I just realized that picture does look like it could be a person in a suit. I wonder if it was an intention of the design. It reminds me of what annoys me about the Papo Allosaurus' arms.

[triceratops83]

I remember reading the script for this years ago. If you can find it, it's worth a look.

The Gryphon was an alien that absorbed animals and took on their attributes.

And Godzilla if I remember correctly was actually a dinosaur that was mutated by aliens into a guardian of the planet.

[CityRaptor]

I just realized that picture does look like it could be a person in a suit. I wonder if it was an intention of the design. It reminds me of what annoys me about the Papo Allosaurus' arms.

It was a person in a suit in some scenes. Same with the babies.

Sadly they went with Emmerich and the movie became less Godzilla and more "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms"

[Syndicate Bias]

It redeemed itself in Godzilla Final Wars when the real one killed it. A shame really, the cartoon was actually decent.

[Loon]

I have to say, I kinda dig the 98 design. It's interesting, I'll give it that. Also, a controversial opinion, maybe, I don't know, I would sooner watch the Matthew Broderick movie over the last American Godzilla movie. I almost didn't make it out of that one...

[Newt]

The franchise peaked with "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster" as far as I'm concerned. Or the one with the size-changing robot and the twins, I don't remember that one's name.


Why aren't movies fun anymore? 


Sorry, my birthday's coming up and I'm feeling weirdly nostalgic for the nonsense of my childhood, and, conversely, curmudgeonly concerning current culture.

[Syndicate Bias]

The franchise peaked with "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster" as far as I'm concerned. Or the one with the size-changing robot and the twins, I don't remember that one's name.


Why aren't movies fun anymore? 


Sorry, my birthday's coming up and I'm feeling weirdly nostalgic for the nonsense of my childhood, and, conversely, curmudgeonly concerning current culture.

Jet Jaguar?

And the Mothra twins?

[Newt]

Jet Jaguar! Yes! Oh right, the twins were with Mothra. I haven't seen any of those movies in 30 years, they all sort of blend in my memory into one awesome superfilm. I do remember wishing one of those giant mantises would finish off Son of Godzilla. That twerp was annoying.


If I had my druthers, the next Godzilla film would be a crossover with Voltron. Who's with me?

[Patrx]

Somewhere, back when the Internet was relatively young, I read a copy of the Jan DeBont screenplay. It was pretty wacky, but I definitely would have enjoyed a film that followed it. I bet the screenplay is available out there to read.

As it turned out, I actually did like the '98 film, and I still like the creature's design pretty well!

[laticauda]

I probably wouldn't have liked the Jan de Bont's Godzilla.  I think it would have been a little too silly.  Then again I didn't like the 98 version at all so who knows maybe the Jan ded Bons would have been better.  In the 98 version I did like the Marine iguana angle, but its look felt too Jurassic Parkish in its creation. Especially the babies.   I didn't like any of the Godzilla movies after the showa era until the current monsterverse version.  Of course that is my subjective thought.  Everyone has their own style and era of Godzilla that they like.

[Takama]

Funny Coincidence, I recently Rewatched Roland Emrichs Godzilla for the hell of it.

Unpopular Opinon, I think The Real Godzilla Should of had Bigger Fight against this incarnation in Final Wars.

[CityRaptor]

He actually does in the second issue of the Godzilla: Rulers of Earth comics. It's a lot more balanced.

Spoiler

Zilla does survive.

[close]

[laticauda]

So does that mean Zilla is alive in the comics but dead on film?

Then again, they are monsters, they never seem to truly die.

[Dynomikegojira]

So does that mean Zilla is alive in the comics but dead on film?

Then again, they are monsters, they never seem to truly die.

Separate continunities the Godzilla franchise is a multiverse

[laticauda]

So does that mean Zilla is alive in the comics but dead on film?

Then again, they are monsters, they never seem to truly die.

Separate continunities the Godzilla franchise is a multiverse

Oh I know, I just like continuity with story telling.  Just wondering which ones are tied to what?  Are the comics paired up the millennium era, or is the millennium era over a done with?  Yet the 98 wasn't really a part of any of the other era's.  It was basically became a one shot for Tri Star.  Oh just ignore my ramblings.  Honestly I don't think Zilla  is really going to show up in the monsterverse but I suppose it can live on the comics.

[WarrenJB]

The Gryphon was an alien that absorbed animals and took on their attributes.

Sounds like they used that bit of the plot for Godzilla 2000?

I have to say, I kinda dig the 98 design. It's interesting, I'll give it that.

Ditto.

Also, a controversial opinion, maybe, I don't know, I would sooner watch the Matthew Broderick movie over the last American Godzilla movie. I almost didn't make it out of that one...

Ditto!

[BlueKrono]

I'll third that. I thoroughly enjoyed the '98 film. Director Roland Emmerich has said that of all the films he's directed, this is the one that parents tell him their children love the most.

[Justin_]

I finally watched the '98 film properly on Netflix last night. I wanted to see a fun, noisy, giant monster movie and that's exactly what it was. I'd previously "seen" it on Polish TV 12 years ago, where they use a narrator rather than subtitles or overdubbing, so I only got half of the English dialogue.
I also liked the giant mutant marine iguana angle, especially in the underwater scenes. As I said in my earlier post, there was something too human-looking about the creatures arms and legs. Also the feet looked as if they'd been swapped over, with a reduced toe on the outside rather than the inside. (Do any reptiles actually have feet like this?)

[Giganotosaurus]

Yeah, I really enjoy Godzilla 98. I'm glad it was made.
The potential sequel with a Queen Bee sounds horrendous though.