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A.\u00a0 I am happy that there is a new Godzilla movie, although I am a bit peeved about the ongoing use of his image in so many crass television and print advertisement.\u00a0 Of course, Hollywood would never put out money for this campaign if they knew they could not reap some massive financial benefit.\u00a0 There is still the movie to consider, of course, but I always believe that the high bar for films of this nature is on par with \u201cThe Flintstones\u201d.<\/p>\n
Godzilla\u2019s historic significance to Japan is important, but this is also a monster that has been retread, recreated and reimagined far too many times.\u00a0 Aside from his appearance as a gigantic dinosaur with severe back deformation and radiation breath, Godzilla has either been a good guy with very large, cute eyeballs or a gigantic Mike Tyson with scales and a very bad attitude.\u00a0 He has been controlled by telepathy or made concessions for small children, although not quite on the scale as Gamera.\u00a0 He has fought pollution and saved mankind, but has also destroyed the giant ferris wheel in Yokohama and stepped on far too many people.<\/p>\n
When the first Godzilla was released in the late 90’s, I went to its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. I collected a faux newspaper that reported Godzilla\u2019s sighting off the Croisette, then spent most of the film wondering why the incredibly sexy Jean Reno would appear in such a clunker.\u00a0 After the film was done, I was approached by so many Swiss and Dutch friends who wanted to know my impressions of the movie.\u00a0 My answer was simple: that was not Godzilla.\u00a0 Of course, the producers had intended their Godzilla to look different.<\/p>\n
Toho seemed to share my opinion, especially when the American Godzilla was flattened in a matter of seconds when he made a brief appearance in \u201cGodzilla: Final Wars\u201d.<\/p>\n
This new Godzilla is also different.\u00a0 So far, I know that he likes Snickers bars and won\u2019t eat a Fiat, which is a switch from his usual dietary preference for radiation.\u00a0\u00a0 I want to see this movie because it looks fun, and I really hope I do not spend the whole time in the theater wondering why the incredibly sexy Juliette Binoche is in this movie.<\/p>\n
While there have been many great monsters in movie history, Godzilla stands out for a reason.\u00a0 Like the beautiful game of baseball, Godzilla is a tradition handed down to me from my father.\u00a0 We had few chances in life to bond, but he gave me an inherent love of Godzilla.\u00a0 He told me that the monster was Japanese, like me, and the people who ran away from him were also Japanese, like me.\u00a0 He would laugh in intervals, then randomly shoot his top denture out to make me giggle.\u00a0 The love of Godzilla was thus born, as it was for so many others.\u00a0 My husband watched Godzilla as a small child, while others received the same introduction.\u00a0 Godzilla was the afternoon babysitter, the trustworthy childhood attention getter that would keep us transfixed for a few hours.<\/p>\n
It was also safe to watch, even for our immaturely developed sensibilities. Despite the crashing buildings, the burst of radiation and the bellowing stomp, we all realized that some adult was controlling that rattling tank that was wiggling across the phony terrain.\u00a0 We knew that someone had drawn in the animated effects shooting out of those inept lightning guns.\u00a0 Most of all, we understood that there was a man in a rubber suit stepping on cardboard and cheap wooden buildings.\u00a0 It was endearing, and a far safer reality than watching Michael Myers when you are only five or seven years old.<\/p>\n
I hope this Godzilla has some charm.\u00a0 He deserves much more than to be treated as a figure appearing on a 7-11 slurpee cup\u00a0\u00a0 I am sure that there will be a flood of toys, as Godzilla figurines have disappeared from Japanese stores.<\/p>\n
On another, more important note, what are great French actors doing in Godzilla movies anyway?<\/p>\n
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(c) 2014 All rights reserved<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A.\u00a0 I am happy that there is a new Godzilla movie, although I am a bit peeved about the ongoing use of his image in<\/p>\n