Favourite Godzilla Movie/Kaiju [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

2009-12-23, 11:50 AM

50 years! 28 movies! 3 series! 1 monster!

Ol' Gojira has seen a lot over his looong film career. He's been a villain, a hero, a force of nature, a father, an enviromentalist and a zombie. But which Godzilla movie stands out above all the rest to you? For me, I'd have to say:
Anyone who says Godzilla (1998) should be prepared for a beating
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)
Ignoring the disproportionate amount of times the villain in this movie wins Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla is pure, focused Kaiju action! The fight scenes are satisfying and explosion filled and the human scenes... aren't too bad.

But the highlight of this movie is King Caesar, in my opinion Godzilla's best sidekick!

Starscream

2009-12-23, 11:55 AM

I'd have to say either Destroy All Monsters or Final Wars, both because they just contain so many Kaiju.

Yeah, my idea of a perfect Toho movie would pretty much be 90 minutes of monsters fighting, with no plot, context, or human characters (except for the purpose of running away and being eaten). I'm here for the monsters, people.

Kris Strife

2009-12-23, 12:13 PM

2009-12-23, 12:19 PM

Depends what I'm watching it for. Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla is a good one, but I also have a soft spot for Godzilla Vs. Gigan (though thats mostly cause I'm also an Angirus fan). But I also think Godzilla Vs. Destroyah is probably one of the best movies Toho made.

You like Godzilla vs Gigan for Anguirus despite the fact that his brain is distributed all over the screen during one bit?

I like it for Gigan. He's like something a kid would make up on the spot

"So uh... he has... a chicken head! And he... uh... has hooks for hands and a... erm... a... buzzsaw on his stomach. Yyyeahh"

Gigan > Ghidorah

thompur

2009-12-23, 12:20 PM

My favorite is the Original one from the 50's - dubbed in English, with the Raymond Burr scenes added. This was Godzilla at his most primal and elemental.

"Honorable mention":
Godzilla v. The Thing - Who can resist those adorable little singing pixies!
King Kong v. Godzilla:American ending - When I was a kid, WOR-TV would show this, along with King Kong and Mighty Joe Young, on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Destroy All Monsters - Just for the battle royal feel. Pure Fun!

Kris Strife

2009-12-23, 12:31 PM

You like Godzilla vs Gigan for Anguirus despite the fact that his brain is distributed all over the screen during one bit?

Its better than most of his other appearances: Getting killed by Godzilla or having his jaw broken by Mechagodzilla.

Xallace

2009-12-23, 12:39 PM

GMK: Giant Monsters All Out Attack! has always been one of my favorites, and Godzilla: Final Wars just for the fun. Godzilla vs Megalon will always have a special place in my heart, no matter how absolutely awful it is, and I always play Megalon in the video games.

I do love the original, though, even the American-ized version was really good.

Isak

2009-12-23, 12:50 PM

Well, after seeing Godzilla Vs. Space-Godzilla (And feeling slightly let down :smallfrown:... Space Godzilla was always my favorite...)

I'd have to say Godzilla Vs. Destroyah wins for me. I cried. I cried hard. My absolute favorite creature as a Child went up in a huge bang and I cried. But... It... Was... So... Amazing.

Final Wars was also good...

And, Don't kill me for this one... but I actually liked "Godzilla", the American one :smallredface:.

Toastkart

2009-12-23, 12:50 PM

I would also have to agree that Godzilla vs. Destroyah was about the best.

I would add that Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (Kiryu) was pretty good too, but its sequel was kind of a letdown.

Final Wars was something of a letdown for me. Some of the monster fights were too cheesy even for a monster movie and there was entirely too much human screen time.

edit-
Space Godzilla was a pretty awesome looking monster, but Moguera was goofy looking.

Kris Strife

2009-12-23, 01:11 PM

I'd have to say Godzilla Vs. Destroyah wins for me. I cried. I cried hard. My absolute favorite creature as a Child went up in a huge bang and I cried. But... It... Was... So... Amazing.:.

If it makes you feel better, the younger Godzilla got healed and turned into a full adult by the massive amount of radiation the old one gave off.

doliest

2009-12-23, 01:15 PM

Final Wars for being made of awesome; It actually had human characters I CARED about....mainly Sergeant Slaughter.

TheEmerged

2009-12-23, 01:31 PM

My favorite is the Original one from the 50's - dubbed in English, with the Raymond Burr scenes added. This was Godzilla at his most primal and elemental.

Actually, I prefer it before the dubbing myself. One of my favorite DvD's, it's on the list with Princess Bridge & Monty Python's Holy Grail as a film I watch only once a year to keep from burning out on them.

Isak

2009-12-23, 01:56 PM

If it makes you feel better, the younger Godzilla got healed and turned into a full adult by the massive amount of radiation the old one gave off.

I know that... But it's still quite sad to see Godzilla die :smallfrown:

Dienekes

2009-12-23, 02:18 PM

Godzilla 1954, the first one I saw and I believe it was the best of the Godzilla movies. The monster was terrifying, there were actually interesting human characters (with the random American or without both worked) you could sense the people's terror at this beast.

Godzilla 1985, an attempt to go back to basics and recreate the feel of the original. It didn't succeed but it was still very good.

Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster, it's ridiculous in every possible way. Everything that was campily good and bad about the Godzilla series is in this movie, without becoming that terrible movie, Godzilla's Revenge.

Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster, Godzilla and Rodan (and Mothra, I suppose) fighting the newly introduced Ghidorah. Awesome.

Godzilla vs Destroyah, it was pretty good. The scene of Godzilla dying made it great, without that one scene it would have been ehh.

All those movies where numerous monsters fight for random interchangeable plot reasons (Final Wars, Destroy all Monsters, ect.). A bunch of giant monsters fighting what could go wrong with this?

chiasaur11

2009-12-23, 03:22 PM

I kinda dug Godzilla 2000, if only because I got to see it in theaters.

Better yet, it was only me and the family. No irritating crowds, no crying babies, no talking from people without at least moderately witty remarks, free trailer reels from the manager afterwards...

Bliss.

And the last line in the film?

Comedy gold.

Starscream

2009-12-23, 04:35 PM

And, Don't kill me for this one... but I actually liked "Godzilla", the American one :smallredface:.

::Passes out the torches and pitchforks::

Just kidding. I actually didn't mind it when it first came out, but it's not the sort of thing that stands up to multiple viewings.

Kris Strife

2009-12-23, 07:26 PM

Blas_de_Lezo

2009-12-23, 07:46 PM

They are all sooo lame! Talking about giant monsters hitting stuff, I only liked that old videogame called Rampage or something like that...

chiasaur11

2009-12-23, 07:47 PM

They are all sooo lame!

Mothra, do not smite the unbeliever in his ignorance. He knows not what he says.

Dienekes

2009-12-23, 07:49 PM

They are all sooo lame! Talking about giant monsters hitting stuff, I only liked that old videogame called Rampage or something like that...

*takes one of Starscream's pitchforks and heads off to face this new threat*

doliest

2009-12-23, 07:59 PM

They are all sooo lame! Talking about giant monsters hitting stuff, I only liked that old videogame called Rampage or something like that...

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD GIANT LIZARDS!

kopout

2009-12-23, 08:53 PM

I love the American one it is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Isak

2009-12-23, 09:01 PM

::Passes out the torches and pitchforks::

Just kidding. I actually didn't mind it when it first came out, but it's not the sort of thing that stands up to multiple viewings.

Hey now... When you're 9 years old, and have been watching Godzilla movies since you were 5; Seeing a huge fancy looking Godzilla beating up a bunch of AH-64's is just awesome.

:smalltongue:

chiasaur11

2009-12-23, 09:12 PM

I love the American one it is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Either you are positing an opinion you do not agree with for comic effect, in which case good show sir, or you are serious.

In the later case:

I kinda liked it when I was an anklebiter and saw it at a drive in. So, I can see why someone would dig it.

Raistlin1040

2009-12-23, 09:16 PM

I did not enjoy the American one, mostly because The Wallflowers destroyed one of my favorite songs for it. And also because I thought it was stupid.

I haven't ever seen any of the others >.>

I was also informed there is a giant spider monster. This would be enough to scare the hell out of me, I imagine.

chiasaur11

2009-12-23, 09:19 PM

Vic_Sage

2009-12-23, 09:21 PM

Eh, the American Godzilla would probably have been better accepted if not for the Godzilla name on it (not unlike the Mario Brothers Movie.)

And Godzilla 1985 always gave me the exact same kind of night mares as a kid...
The Cartoon was pretty good but the less said about the movie the better *Though I prefer Zilla's look to Godzilla's*.

My favorite movie has to be a tie between Godzilla vs Biollante *Though it was a bit of letdown seeing how the cover made you think Biollante was going to be this big sinister Plant Monster* and Giant Monsters All Out Attack.

kopout

2009-12-23, 09:49 PM

Either you are positing an opinion you do not agree with for comic effect, in which case good show sir, or you are serious.

In the later case:

I kinda liked it when I was an anklebiter and saw it at a drive in. So, I can see why someone would dig it.

Totally serious. I only ever saw one other and I didn't like it at all I found it over the top and sappy. I might like to see the original though, it sounds good.

The Cartoon was pretty good but the less said about the movie the better *Though I prefer Zilla's look to Godzilla's*.

the cartoon was awesome. Happy childhood memories.

Giant Monsters All Out Attack.
I think thats the one I saw.

2009-12-23, 10:30 PM

They are all sooo lame! Talking about giant monsters hitting stuff, I only liked that old videogame called Rampage or something like that...

Please do not feed the troll...

Zaydos

2009-12-24, 12:33 AM

Okay this thread makes me laugh for delight. I went through a Godzilla phase, but can't remember half the movies now. I know I liked the American one once and then no. But I have to say the original or Godzilla vs Mothra is probably my favorite.

PS: What's wrong with the Super Mario Bros movie?

Starscream

2009-12-24, 01:18 AM

PS: What's wrong with the Super Mario Bros movie?

The fact that it's about Dennis Hopper living in a parallel universe that looks like shopping mall and shrinking peoples' heads as part of a plan to cross into our dimension so that he can turn us into chimpanzees with ray guns?

I'm pretty sure you could take any random movie, change the names of two characters to Mario and Luigi, and it would be closer to the game than the movie actually based on the game.

Seraph

2009-12-24, 01:39 AM

Mystic Muse

2009-12-24, 02:19 AM

I hated that one where Godzilla was pretty much just a T-rex without any Radioactive beam or anything.:smallannoyed:

Liked the other ones I've seen so far.

Starscream

2009-12-24, 02:51 AM

Jet Jaguar, anybody?

He jock it made of steel
Eats sushi from a pail
Jet Jaguar?! Jet Jaguar!
He mother never really love him
He crimefighting covers up a basic insecurity
He dickey covers up an Adams apple the size of a Toyota
He basically good-hearted but he'd like to smash that kid against a rock
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Who's there?
His head looks like Jack Nicholson
Don't smile like that, it will stay that way
YAHMMMAAHOAAHOAAAUGH!
Don't touch my bags if you please, Mr. Customs Man.

Tell me you wouldn't like to sing along (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cxV8Bf8ND4)!

Dienekes

2009-12-24, 04:30 AM

I never quite understood all the hate for the American Godzilla movie. as bad as it may be, there is no possible way you can say it was worse than some of the main-line godzilla films produced by japan. Jet Jaguar, anybody?

The one's your discussing are beloved (or hated, or not cared about) because they're campy and ridiculous. Jet Jaguar, King Caesar, the Smog Monster, the space monkeys, they're so terrible they come out the other side and are hilarious. One of my personal favorite Godzilla moments comes from Godzilla vs The Smog Monster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kv-k8WvQOE) which indicated just how ridiculous those movies truly were.

The American Godzilla movie wasn't funny, wasn't scary, wasn't exciting, was just bland. And blandness is one of the biggest sin of films.

Bhu

2009-12-24, 06:04 AM

I liekd em all. I even have the newer Gamera films, and lots of non Godzilla/Gamera Kaiju films from Toho.

mikej

2009-12-24, 06:46 AM

1998 Godzilla movie of course....just joking

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla

Still tough choice, Can I choose all?

Edit: Only good thing about the 98 Godzilla was the NC review here (http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/2685-godzilla-1998)

Athaniar

2009-12-24, 11:00 AM

I haven't seen many Godzilla movies, but Vs. Destoroyah is a good one. Vs. King Ghidorah isn't to bad, either.

TheEmerged

2009-12-24, 11:41 AM

Edit: Only good thing about the 98 Godzilla was the NC review here (http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/2685-godzilla-1998)

Well, I have my own personal "good thing" from it. I managed to get tickets to a sneak premiere the night before it actually came out, but to get to it I had to rush through my work (at the time, I was working at a job where you left when the work was done regardless of how much work there was) and drive faster than I'd ever driven.

I walked out of the theatre trying to figure out why I'd done that to myself. Then it hit me -- "Some moron got PAID to write that <expletive> script." I made the decision right then to start taking my writing more seriously.