Friday, April 30, 2010

What Went Wrong With Godzilla 98? - Inside The Mind Of Dean Devlin

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: SFX Magazine (Oct 1997)

With Godzilla fans around the world nervously awaiting word on who will helm Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros new American G film, it seems fitting that we travel back in time to 1998 to see just what went wrong with Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's movie flop.

Since both film makers are ultimately fed-up with fielding questions about their 1998 Godzilla movie, the only way to get a real definitive view on their thought processes is to go back to before G98 became a black mark in Godzilla movie history.

Luckily enough for us, we won't have to use a time machine or force either of the two film makers to subject themselves to a Vulcan mind scan to get our answers. You see back in 1997 a reporter for the UK sci fi magazine, SFX, was granted an interview with Dean Devlin on the set of G98 in Los Angeles. I would like to credit the interviewer here, but unfortunately their name was not included with the magazine article. Regardless, their piece gives all of us an unadulterated view of just what was going through Devlin's mind during the filming of the first American Godzilla movie, and ultimately provides the long-sought-after answers to why the film failed and why the much treasured G94 script by Ted Elliott/Terry Rossio was rejected.

At first the interviewer simply asks why the two film makers would opt to do an American Godzilla film?

Devlin answers, "Tristar came to us a couple of years ago about doing Godzilla, and we actually turned it down.

"We just thought, 'How do you overcome the cheese factor?'

"What you don't want to do is make fun of Godzilla. We really didn't know how to make it properly, and so we passed on it. Actually, we turned it down a couple of times.

"Later on when Jan De Bont got involved, he developed a really good script and even though we decided to abandon that script and go in a completely different direction, what it told us was that it could be done elegantly and straight. And when I say straight, I mean still with a lot of humor, but respectfully."

I think that those comments really speak volumes about how Devlin and Emmerich didn't really know what they were doing, and ultimately didn't even want to make a Godzilla film in the first place.

But wait, it gets better.....

Here is what Devlin said about reinventing, and redesigning Godzilla, "......Partrick Tatopoulos came over with his drawings of the new Godzilla, what our version could be like. The second we saw the drawings it was like. 'All right! That's it! We've got to do this!

"Because of the limitations of technology, the Godzilla of yesteryear is this lumbering Frankenstein coming down the street. But here we've got this agile , quick, scary and wild creature. Suddenly, all these possibilities opened up. That's when we decided, 'Let's do it!

And how did Toho respond to this new Godzilla design? "Jan De Bont told us that he had had a lot of problems. That every time they'd wanted to make a slight change (in the monsters appearance) it was a big ordeal. So what we did is we went for a completely different look, not slightly different. Totally different. We brought it to Toho, we brought it to the original creators, and said to them, 'Look, this is the way we'd do it.

"They took a long time in deciding and then finally said, 'You know what? We don't even want to comment on it; we'll just say yes or no.' And then they said, 'We love this look, we love your idea and we back it 100%. Go do it.' Because it was so different, it was like a whole rebirth of Godzilla. I think they liked that."

Well, it seems that if you read between the lines there, Toho tried to fight them on the new Godzilla design, but ultimately just gave in. They may have said how much they liked it then, but as you know, they don't much care for it now.

Here is what Devlin had to say about what I think is the worst scene in G98, "The original title was a combination of the Japanese word God and the Japanese word for whale. I don't want to spoil the best gag in the film, but in the picture he's originally called Gojira, but then it gets bastardised in a humorous way."

Umm.....well, little did Devlin realize the joke was on him, Godzilla in Japanese is still pronounced Godzilla......not GOJEERA.....its just spelled G.O.J.I.R.A. Ha....ha.....ha......uh.

That's the best gag you guys could come up with?..........wow.

Throughout the interview Devlin was kinda all over the place when it came to his thoughts about the original, Japanese, Godzilla film series, in one statement he would mention how his film would be a respectful homage to the G films that came prior, then a few statements later he would seem to mock them.

Check out this dis of the Godzilla film series, "Most of the public, used to watching the hokey Japanese versions, will be thinking of men-in-suits and bad models, a kind of dinosaur hybrid who lumbers about in a semi-comical fashion trashing Lego buildings..."

Okay, lets recap, Godzilla films are cheesy movies about a lumbering comical Frankenstein who trashes bad models and Lego buildings.

Geez, did Devlin and Emmerich fly to Japan to dance on the graves of Honda, Tanaka, and Tsuburaya? Sure sounds like it!

Good job Tristar, you sure picked a couple of guys who really understood the Godzilla genre to make your G film!

That is the point though, from Devlin's statements it can be ascertained that Tristar was ultimately sold on both he and Emmerich, based on the success they had with "Stargate" and "ID4", and they really didn't seem to care if they understood how to make a Godzilla film or not, a fact that even they admitted to not knowing how to do properly.

In fact, the duo only accepted the gig, if they could do an 'un-Godzilla' movie, in other words, a movie that was nothing like a typical Godzilla feature.

In that they succeeded.......

It also explains why Ted Elliott/Terry Rossio's G94 script was trashed, it was for a 'real' Godzilla movie, something Devlin and Emmerich didn't want anything to do with.

I wish that I had the time, and space to post the entire interview. To summarise the parts that I left out, Devlin spends a lot of time bragging about how cool their new Godzilla is, and that it can run 500 miles-per-hour, and also that they had developed a canon that could shoot a 1,700 pound car 477 feet.

You get the idea.

So here we are in the early stages of yet, another, American Godzilla film. Though all the parties involved keep saying the right things, like how much they don't want to repeat G98, and how the film needs to be like the original Japanese films, you need to remember, Devlin and Emmerich were saying things like that in 1997.

Here is another of Devlin's statements, "I think what Roland and I did with 'War of the Worlds' (ID4) was a gas and fun, but it wasn't "Mars Attacks!" We took it seriously. And that's what we're trying to do with Godzilla - reinvent him, as though there was no previous one, but yet being respectful to the origins an intent of the original film."

Sound familiar?

Now, I'm not trying to make all of you Godzilla fans start loosing sleep or anything, but this is the kind of jargon you always here when remakes are announced. Do I think that Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros will select a director who has little to no respect for the Japanese Godzilla films, who wants to make a film that is nothing like any prior G feature? I sure hope not.

Yet, this is Hollywood we are talking about, and anything is possible.

I, however, do believe that the makers of this new American Godzilla film understand all too well the backlash they would receive if they repeated the prior mistakes of Devlin and Emmerich.

This all good food for thought, don't you think?

See Also: New 'Godzlla 94' Art From Todd Tennant - Is There A Graphic Novel On The Way? / Godzilla 2012 In The News 04/12/10

The Land That Time Forgot (1975) / The People That Time Forgot (1977)

When Dinosaurs Ruled The UK!
The Prehistoric Films Of Amicus In The 1970s

Written By: Ken Hulsey

In the early 1970s’ Amicus Pictures (Owned by Milton Subotsky and Max J Rosenberg) decided to pump some life into the declining British fantasy film industry by bringing the works of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs to the big screen. At about the same time the film company’s rival, Hammer, had abandoned its standard horror films for features starring half naked women in an attempt to put more bodies in the seats. Amicus felt that the time seemed right for a series of films based on Burroughs strait forward action tales to fill the cinematic void.

The first of the four Burrough’s stories to be produced by Amicus would be an adaptation of the short story “The Land That Time Forgot” which was first published in Blue Book Magazine in 1918. Milton Subotsky had first penned a screenplay for the film back in the early 1960s’ but his first draft was initially rejected by the late Burrough’s estate. It was under their prodding that the script was rewritten by Jim Cawthorn and Michael Moorcock. Their dialogue heavy, light on the action script however didn’t meet Subotsky’s approval, so it was reworked yet again.

"The Land that Time Forgot" began production at Pinewood Studios in April 1974 with a meager $750,000 budget that had been put up by American International Pictures in exchange for the American distribution rights. This extremely low budget forced the film-makers to settle for cost cutting measures in the effects department. Hand puppets were used for the films dinosaurs in many scenes where costly stop motion animation had intended to be used. The effect looks primitive when compared to modern CGI effects, but for the time period in which it was created, these effects in "The Land That Time Forgot" fared well against most rival productions.

Script problems and hand held dinos were not the only problems the production would face in its early stages. Originally Stuart Whitman was cast as the American engineer Bowen Tyler, but Samuel Arkoff of AIP protested. Their next choice, Doug McClure, finally agreed to take the role after initially passing on it. McClure was billed as the perfect leading man by director Kevin Connor. McClure had earned a reputation as a marketable lead on the TV Western “The Virginian.” On the set however, McClure earned another type of reputation after his tendency to hit the bottle caused him to miss a couple of days shooting and punch a hole in producer Johnny Dark’s office door. Despite this McClure was considered a nice guy by his costars. He even held the hand of a nervous Susan Penhaligon (cast as biologist Lisa Clayton) during the explosions of the films volcano erupting climax. John McEnry, who played the German U-boat Captain von Schoverts, was continually acting up on the set due to his belief that the production was beneath him as an actor. This lead to his voice being dubbed over by Anton Diffrin due to his demeanor and lackluster tone. Aside from this however none of the other off screen troubles manifested themselves in the finished product.

The films plot is a strait forward Burroughs adventure story. The survivors of a torpedoed allied cargo ship turn the tables on their German attackers and seize control of their U-boat. The ever scheming German crew manage to damage the ships compass and instead of steaming to a neutral port, the group finds itself off the coast of the legendary island of Caprona, where time has stood still since prehistoric times. Forced to venture ashore in search of food, supplies and fuel, the crew encounters a bevy of dinosaurs that intend on making sure no one escapes alive. As in all good adventure stories of this type, just about everything and everyone the group encounters is set on doing them mortal harm and danger lies behind every turn. The groups focus is a simple a straight forward one, keep from being eaten and figure out a way to get off the island before it consumed in a river of molten rock. Seems all good dinosaur flicks have to end in some kind of volcanic catastrophe, and this film is no exception, even though Moorcock had originally written it with a different ending.

Two years later, in 1977, Amicus would again visit the prehistoric island of Caprona in a sequel to the surprise hit "The Land That Time Forgot", entitled "The People That Time Forgot."

Again Kevin Connor, would be at the helm of another dinosaur heavy film, based on the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. This time, however, the production team would have a bigger budget to work with, which would lead to the use of higher grade effects, more imaginative sets and more sexy women in the cast.

The film, like it's predecessor featured both a great adventure story and excellent miniature special effect work. However, I couldn't get past the fact that the story was very similar to that of the "Planet of the Apes" sequel "Beneath the Planet of the Apes." Which brings up the question of whether "The People That Time Forgot" was altered to be more like the "Apes" sequel? Or was "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" inspired by the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel? It all may be a coincidence, but there are too many similarities to get into here. Fans who have seen both films should be able to pick them out rather easily.

The film features enough dinosaurs and attractive women to have kept any 70s teen boy on the edge of his seat for the full 90 minutes. Any sci-fi buff would have been satisfied with the cool dinosaur scenes, but the "jiggle factor" didn't hurt the films appeal. Don't get me wrong. The film has a lot more to offer then "eye candy", but if you could keep your eyes off Dana Gillespie (Ajor) for more than a minute you would be a stronger man than me.

The heroines of the film are not just for show. The are both strong and sexy at the same time. In fact probably stronger and smarter than the male characters, attributes many female fans may find very liberating in a 1970s film aimed at a male audience.

The story starts off shortly after the events of "The Land That Time Forgot." The message that Bowen Tyler cast into the sea has been discovered and has made it into the hands of his comrade, Ben McBride, who has assembled a team to search for the fabled island of Caprona.

The team follows Tyler's instructions and Caprona is located. A small group consisting of McBride, Lady Charlotte Cunningham (Who's father fronted the money for the expedition), Dr. Edwin Norfolk (A paleontologist) and Hogan (Pilot) take flight aboard a seaplane in hopes of flying over the islands mountain peaks in an attempt to find Tyler's prehistoric oasis. Their flight however is interrupted by a menacing Pterodactyl who buzzes the plane several times before crashing into the propeller breaking it into several pieces. The team is forced to land on a very rocky hilltop.

No worse for ware the group decides to press on with the search for Tyler while Hogan remained behind to fix the plane. Their trek through jungles of Caprona produce several hair raising dinosaur encounters and one English speaking cave women, Ajor, who befriended Tyler before he was captured by an advanced race known as "The Skulls".

The Skulls, who are clad in Samurai armor, capture the group and take the women to be used as a sacrifice for the Volcano God. Through some trickery and handy sword fighting the men manage to find Tyler, rescue the women and escape the monster filled catacombs.

The Volcano God becomes angry that it did not receive it's sacrifice and begins to destroy the island with explosions and fountains of molten rock.

In the ensuing chase Tyler is killed by the Skulls who intern fall victim to the river of lava. The rest of the group, however, manages to get to the already repaired plane just in time to escape the destruction and return safely to the ship.

Amicus would also produce another film based on the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs, helmed by Kevin Connor and starring Doug McClure in 1976 called "At The Earth's Core". The duo of Connor and McClure would again come together for "Warlords of Atlantis" in 1978, but this time not for Amicus, but rival EMI instead.

Today, both "The Land That Time Forgot" and "The People That Time Forgot" are fan favorites and hold a special 'cult' status among film buffs. I just goes to show that sometimes great films don't need huge budgets to succeed, just dinosaurs and sexy cave women.

The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
Amicus Pictures

Directed By: Kevin Connor
Written By: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jim Cawthorn, Michael Moorcock, Milton Subotsky

Cast:
Doug McClure as Bowen Tyler
John McEnery as Captain Von Schoenvorts
Susan Penhaligon as Lisa Clayton
Keith Barron as Bradley
Anthony Ainley as Dietz
Godfrey James as Borg
Bobby Parr as Ahm
Declan Mulholland as Olson
Colin Farrell as Whiteley
Ben Howard as Benson
Roy Holder as Plesser
Andrew McCulloch as Sinclair
Ron Pember as Jones
Grahame Mallard as Deusett
Andrew Lodge as Reuther

Runtime: 90 Minutes
Color: Color
Sound: Mono
Released: August 13, 1975

The People That Time Forgot (1977)
American International Pictures

Directed By: Kevin Connor
Written By: Edgar Rice Burroughs & Patrick Tilley

Cast:
Patrick Wayne as Ben McBride
Doug McClure as Bowen Tyler
Sarah Douglas as Charlotte Cunningham
Dana Gillespie as Ajor
Thorley Walters as Dr. Edwin Norfolk
Shane Rimmer as Hogan
Tony Britton as Capt. Lawton
John Hallam as Chung-Sha
David Prowse as Executioner
Milton Reid as Sabbala
Kiran Shah as Bolum
Richard LeParmentier as Lt. Whitby
Jimmy Ray as Lt. Graham
Tony McHale as Telegraphist

Runtime: 90 Minutes
Country: UK
Language: English
Color: Color
Sound: Mono

More Photos From "The Land That Time Forgot" and "The People That Time Forgot":








Brookfield - Did A Giant Monster Attack Milwaukee?

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Jonathan Richter / Avery Guerra

Little did J.J. Abrams realise what his 2008 "Blair Witch" style monster movie, "Cloverfield" would do to the independent film industry. Ever since the movie first made it into theaters two years ago, film makers have once again felt inspired to make their own giant monster films.

A quick look at either Youtube, or the movie listings on the SyFy channel, will provide all the evidence you need to see that once again, like the late 1950s, when it comes to monster movies in the year 2010, the bigger the monster, the better.

"Cloverfield" has not only inspired the movie making community, but the fan community as well. Over the past few years, ever since the first viral video, concocted by Abrams to promote his monster movie, first hit the Net, fans have been making their own. In fact, over the past year some of these have gotten so good that media types, like myself, have thought that they may be new viral marketing on the part of Abrams to promote the rumored "Cloverfield" sequel.

Now entering into the "Cloverfield" inspired movie business comes Jon Richter of Supermassive Studios with his own spoof of Abrams film entitled "Brookfield". A series of film shorts about a giant creature that rises up from Lake Michigan, attacks the City of Milwaukee and the government cover-up that proceeds it.

Richter explains, "Brookfield was created for a film event that happens every other month here in Milwaukee. For each event there is a theme. Last January the theme was a parody of monster attack movies like Cloverfield. Since I own a small VFX and production company (Supermassive Studios), I was asked to create the original version so that people had an idea of what to contribute. My short also became the trailer for the event. The footprint image was the shadow matte used in 3D to make the footprint hole seen in the film.

One more interesting tidbit — the orange sculpture seen flying down the street in the beginning is a notorious piece of street art here in Milwaukee called 'The Sunburst'. Many people dislike it and have petitioned for it to be removed several times. We thought it was funny to have our monster throw it down the street."

So, did a giant monster rise up out of Lake Michigan and attack Milwaukee? Probably not, but after watching the footage that Richter supplied for us, you may wish it had.

No, I'm kidding, the "Brookfield" videos are a great spoof of "Cloverfield".

Maybe, just if the monster would have eaten that basketball guy......never mind.

Here are two more pics, and the three videos from "Brookfield":







Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Godzilla And Friends Stomp Their Way To Topeka

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: KTKA ABC Channel 49 Topeka / Avery Guerra

"Giant Monsters Invade Topeka", sounds like a great name for a low-budget monster movie, but that's not what we are talking about here.

No, indeed we are talking about the "Godzilla and Friends Film Festival V" which will be held in Topeka starting this weekend.

Here is the skinny:

Godzilla and Friends Film Festival V
When Friday, May 7, 7 p.m.
Where Henderson Learning Resources Center , Topeka

Giant monsters will once again be attacking Topeka during the Godzilla and Friends Festival V scheduled May 7 and 8 at Washburn University. No admission is charged and the public is invited.

Events are planned 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 7, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 8, with film and trailer screenings, various commentaries, contests and giveaways in room 112 of Henderson Learning Resources Center.

A contest to see who can put forth the best imitation of the monster Japanese film star will be at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Returning as special guests are Godzilla experts Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski, who will offer special introductions to the movies being shown. They are currently co-writing a biography of Ishiro Honda, who directed the majority of Japan’s early science fiction and Godzilla films, and have participated in the commentary tracks for recent Godzilla Special Edition DVDs. Ryfle is the author of “Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star” and Godziszewski edits the fanzine, “Japanese Giants.
The schedule is:

May 7 (Friday)
7 p.m.: “Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla II” (1993). A nemesis of Godzilla, Mecha-G was created as a counter attack weapon, but becomes berserk when he malfunctions.

May 8 (Saturday)
10 a.m.: Overview of the Weird World of Japanese Super Heroes, by Steve Ryfle.

10:15 a.m. (approx.): “Godzilla vs. The Thing” (1964). Considered by many fans as the best Godzilla film made, featuring The Thing, which turns out to be another famous Japanese monster.

1 p.m.: “The H-Man” (1959). A creature of the Hydrogen Age conceals himself in an oozing slime and hides in the Tokyo sewers to catch and liquidate humans. The most bizarre Japanese monster of the 1950s.

3 p.m. (approx.) – Godzilla roar contest and drawing/coloring competition.

3:15 p.m. (approx.) – “Grade-A Visual Effects on a Grade-A Budget,” by Glenn Erickson, DVD savant. Erickson was a special-effects technician for the production of the Spielberg film “1941.”

4 p.m. (approx.) – “King Kong Escapes” (1968). Unites the production efforts of Toho Studios and the Rankin/Bass puppet animation organization. Introduced in this feature was the prototype for Mecha-Godzilla. One of the goofiest Japanese giant monster films ever.

7:30 p.m. - Special presentation on Japanese giant monster films, with behind-the-scenes photos, film footage and a surprise feature presentation by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski.

The Godzilla and Friends Film Festival V is hosted by KTWU TV and is made possible with support from the Washburn University office of international programs, office of multicultural affairs and Center for Diversity Studies, the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Kansas and donations from audience members.

See Also: San Francisco Braces For A 'Kaiju Shakedown: Godzillathon!'

Interview On Godzilla Locations

Above, the Wako Department store in Ginza in 2001.

by Armand Vaquer

I just completed an email interview with Craig Norris of the University of Tasmania (Australia) on the subject of Godzilla locations.

As you may recall, Mr. Norris and a colleague ordered copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan to assist them on their Godzilla research while in Japan this month.

Here is one of the questions, and answer, from the interview:

1. Is there a hierarchy of Godzilla locations? Eg: if you only had two or three locations you could visit what would they be and why?

I don't know if there's a "hierarchy" of Godzilla locations, but there are some that could be considered "iconic" locations. The first I would say would be The Wako Department store in Ginza, Tokyo. That's the building with the clock tower that gets demolished when it gonged the hour in Godzilla's presence. The second one I'd consider "iconic" would be the Kachidoki Bridge on the Sumida River that gets toppled over. Both were from the 1954 movie. The third one would be a toss-up between Osaka Castle in "Godzilla Raids Again" (1955) or the Atami Castle in "King Kong vs. Godzilla" (1962). Those four would be the top of my "must-see" list. I've visited each and think those are most important as they are a mixture of modern Japan and traditional Japan.


Above, the Kachidoki Bridge at the Sumida River in 2005.

I could have also added the National Diet Building, but I thought the Wako Dept. Store building and Kachidoki Bridge left a bigger impression, at least with me.

It will be interesting to see the finished results of their research.

Killer Kaiju Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film (Ivan Vartanian)(HarperCollins)(2010)

Source: HarperCollins



Killer Kaiju Monsters is the ultimate ode to the legendary monsters of the Japanese golden era of special effects movies and television shows, beginning with the granddaddy of them all—Godzilla. Featuring graphic full-color illustrations of the most notable kaiju along with descriptions of their strengths, weaknesses, and special powers, as well as information on the heroes and heroines who prevented kaiju attacks, and the creators who designed these magnificent monsters, Killer Kaiju Monsters is the definitive guide to these strange beasts of Japanese cinema.

Graphic full-color illustrations of the most notable Kaiju are featured in this beautifully designed book, along with descriptions of their strengths, weaknesses and special powers. Also featured are the heroes and heroines who prevented Kaiju attacks, the creators who designed these breathtaking beasts, and a breakdown of the central, defining plot and story structures of Kaiju dramas and battle sequences. A Kaiju research section that assembles data, charts, and figures—valuable scientific findings that will aid in the battle to save humankind is also included, and artist Mark Nagata will render cross-sections of a Kaiju to show the skeletal and muscular construction of these monsters.

Ivan Vartanian is an author, editor and the founder of Goliga Books, Inc., a book-packaging company specializing in art, photography, and design. His publications on art include: Full Vinyl: The Subversive Art of Designer Toys, an overview of hundreds of the world's most popular miniature collectible figures and the inspired creators behind them, Andy Warhol: Drawings and Illustrations of the 1950s, which traces the artist's ten years of work as a commercial illustrator before his re-invention as a pop artist and impresario, Egon Schiele: Drawings and Watercolors, a comprehensive chronology of the artist's rapid development as a master of human expression before his death at the age of 28, and Drop Dead Cute: The New Generation of Women Artists in Japan, a survey of contemporary drawing in Japan. His design books include: Now Loading . . . : The Aesthetics of Web Graphics, a survey of cutting-edge web design, Graphiscape: New York City and Graphiscape: Tokyo, a series of books about “found graphics“ that define the graphic sense of major cities, and TypoGraphics, a look at the overlap between graphics and type. His photography books include the monographs Studio Portrait: A Documentary of Yoshitomo Nara, Kamaitachi: Photographs by Eikoh Hosoe, and the anthology Setting Sun: Writings by Japanese Photographers. Ivan Vartanian lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Outside Review: We Review Killer Kaiju Monsters
Mania.com
By Tim Janson

Killer Kaiju Monsters takes a look at Japan’s greatest export to the world (Toyotas notwithstanding), giant monster movies. Editor Ivan Vartanian treats fans to a fun and informative look at the monsters and films made famous by studios like Toho and Toei. The Kaiju craze was kicked off with 1954’s Godzilla, the first of 28 Godzilla films made through 2004. Vartanian doesn’t go into a lot of depth about the films themselves other than some brief notes and a filmography but he rather concentrates on the monsters themselves.

Each chapter highlights one of the great Kaiju monsters including Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Rodan, Gamera, and others. The chapters provide a list of the films that each monster has appeared in as well as creative notes about the monster’s creation.

Vartanian includes cross-section drawings of various Kaiju made by Shoji Ohtomo, a noted writer, editor, and Kaiju expert. These drawings show fans the inner-workings of the monsters so now you can see where Gamera’s various flame-spewing abilities are stored inside of his body.
For fans and collectors of Kaiju memorabilia, among the most popular items are the myriad of soft-vinyl toys that have been produced over the decades and Vartanian dedicates one chapter to these as well. Made by companies like Marusan and Bullmark, these figures have now become highly sought after by collectors.

Killer Kaiju Monsters doesn’t have enough detail to be considered an academic look at the genre but it’s a lot of fun and filled with dozens of gorgeous black & white and full color photography. Grade B

Read More

See Also: "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" In Tokyo / Mushroom Clouds And Mushroom Men - The Fantastic Cinema Of Ishiro Honda (2010)(Peter H. Brothers)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

New Images And Video From "Daimajin Kanon"

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Giant Monsters Attack / Kadokawa Pictures / Avery Guerra

Giant monster fans on this side of the Pacific, and well, the other side as well, have been chomping at the bit to find out more about Kadokawa Pictures' upcoming late-night television series entitled, "Daimajin Kanon".

For the most part, Kadokawa has been keeping info about the show pretty close to their vest, but as time for the shows debut grows closer, more and more is coming to light.

Thanks to the author of the "Giant Monsters Attack!" blog, Internet handle "Mysterious Pants", we have the first clear look at the shows giant star, Daimajin, via the pages of Space Magazine Uchusen.

In case you didn't know, "Daimajin Kanon", is based on the classic series of "Daimajin" films (Dai Majin, Dai Majin ikaru, Dai Majin gyakushu) produced by Daiei in the late 1960s.

The story has just been updated to fit the tastes of a modern audience.

Besides these new photos, Kadokawa has just released another promotional video, this time featuring a behind-the-scenes expose on the shows smaller star, actress Rikuna Yuka, a 21-year-old college student, that was selected for the role of Kanon out of about a thousand prospective applicants.

This is how Yuka describes her character, and the shows plot, "In the dorama (a late-night TV drama aimed at an adult audience) Kanon is able to experience personal growth despite the cold-hearted and painful life in the city. Just like her I was able to learn a lot during the filming and think that I grew up a bit myself."

"This time the heroine will be a college student called Kanon who keeps on singing prayers that awake the giant god of war. Once again Daimajin will have to deal with a lot of bad guys."

Check out this video of Rikuna Yuka, oh and and rather scary looking, and angry, Daimajin puppet (Another Photo After The Clip):





See Also: In The Absence Of Godzilla, Japan Has Had A Real Giant Monster Boom!

Godzilla Toy Tuesday! Four Godzilla Figures In One Box And The Destroyah That Roared

Godzilla Yuji Sakae Concept Works 4 Figure Set By Bandai



I imagine that all of you Godzilla figure collectors out there are all too familiar with buying boxed G items from Japan.

What's the most annoying thing about these figures? Well, unless you can read Japanese, you can't tell exactly which figure from the set is in the box.

No need to worry here, because all four of these Godzilla figures come in one package.

Yes, four figures......one box.

Takes all the guess work out, doesn't it?

This Yuji Sakae Concept Works 4 Figure Set from Bandai includes the original Godzilla from 1954's "Gojira", 1962's "King Kong vs Godzilla", 1964's "Mothra vs Godzilla", and the melt-down version from 1995's "Godzilla vs Destroyah."

Four of the greatest Godzilla designs in one package!

This one is an import, so there is only one to be had, first come, first serve. Everyone else will just have to be in awe of the one who gets it.

Destroyah Complete Figure With Sound




Over the past decade and a half, Bandai has manufactured some really great deluxe figures of Destroyah, and today I have a real gem for you.

It's fine to have a bunch of figures on a shelf that just sit there, and don't do anything, but this Destroyah comes with authentic movie sounds.

That's right! This bad-boy roars!

Imagine the look on the cat's face when this baby goes off!

Again, this is a Japanese import that very hard to find here in The States, so act fast before they are all gone for good.

See Also: Godzilla T-Shirt Tuesday! Entertainment Earth Special Edition! / Godzilla Toy Tuesday! A Really Red Anguirus, A Godzilla Figure From 1993 And Another That Is Big And Expensive / Godzilla Toy Tuesday! Godzilla 1964, Walking MechaGodzilla And The Tiny Monster With A Huge Head / Godzilla Toy Tuesday! Godzilla Final Wars & Godzilla Raids Again Figures

Limited Edition Godzilla vs Mothra Art Prints Go On Sale Today!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Horror-Movies.ca

I may not know a lot about art, but I know something cool when I see it.

Just ask yourself this question, "Would I rather have some painting of a rainy day in Paris, done by some impressionist artist, whose name I can't pronounce, on my wall, or Godzilla and Mothra?"

Of course it's the two titans of terror from Japan, rainy days in Paris are a dime a dozen, but giant monsters, now that's something unique.

The image above is of two brand new prints, not one, Godzilla and Mothra are separate, buy Joshua Budich and Chris Speakman of Sports Propaganda. Each set is a limited edition (only 100 produced) pair of 18″ x 24″ screen prints that will retail for $60.

Rumor is, these babies will be going on sale today, at an undisclosed time via the Joshua Budich website.

San Francisco Braces For A 'Kaiju Shakedown: Godzillathon!'

Source: MediaLab

GIANT MONSTERS INVADE SAN FRANCICSO

THE BIGGEST CELEBRITY FROM JAPAN – GODZILLA – CRASHES VIZ CINEMA FOR SPECIAL FILM AND DISCUSSION EVENTS IN MAY

VIZ Cinema Hosts Kaiju Shakedown! Godzillathon! And TokyoScope Talk Vol. 3 Features War Of The Giant Monsters Discussion And Prize Raffle Of New Gamera DVD

NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema welcome the 3rd and latest installment of TokyoScope Talk – War of the Giant Monsters – on Friday, May 7th at 7:00pm. Join Otaku USA Editor-in-Chief Patrick Macias, Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters author August Ragone, and Japanese film critic Tomohiro Machiyama at the Bay Area’s hottest film venue for a fun and lively discussion on the “kaiju” (monster) movies featuring rare images and clips of Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and other iconic creatures from classic Japanese sci-fi cinema. General admission tickets are $10.00.

VIZ Cinema invites Bay Area monster fans to a 5-day Kaiju Shakedown: Godzillathon!, running Saturday, May 8th thru Thursday, May 13th. Featured will be rare screenings of the Big G’s 4 most-loved films including Godzilla vs. Hedora (1971), Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). Details and screening times at: www.vizcinema.com.

Don’t miss a rare chance to see the beauty and enormity of Godzilla in stunning 35mm prints with English subtitles and a premium THX®-certified sound system! These events may sell-out. Ticket prices: General Admission: $10.00; Senior & Child: $8.00. Advance tickets on sale at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films/films-5-2010/#godzillathon

TokyoScope Talk – War of the Giant Monsters will feature a special raffle giveaway of premium monster collectables including the brand new DVD release from Shout! Factory of Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965). The revered classic features the original Japanese version of the film presented with fresh English subtitles and anamorphic widescreen produced from an all-new HD master created from original vault elements.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

Friday, April 23, 2010

All Monsters Attack (aka Godzilla's Revenge)(1969)(Toho)

Written By: Ken Hulsey

You would be hard pressed to find a more misunderstood monster movie than Toho's 1969 entry into the long line of Godzilla films, "All Monsters Attack" (Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monsters on Parade or Godzilla's Revenge - US Title). Ask any Godzilla movie fan what he (or she) thinks of the film, and you are likely to get a scorn remark and a sour face in return.

The reasons for this often very vocal backlash towards the film come in many different forms for many different reasons. Mostly though, fans dislike the movie, because it is a kids movie, a fact sometimes lost on those who strongly criticize it.

Indeed, for the 10th film in the Godzilla line, Toho opted to do something different. They decided to make a Godzilla movie aimed for a juvenile audience exclusively.

The reasons for this move are many. One, by the late 1960s Godzilla had evolved from a city smashing villain to a hero, and therefore had become beloved by younger audiences around the globe. Two, a film that revolved around a small child, that was filmed on 'real life' locations (mostly) instead of expensive fantasy sets, meant that the studio could keep it's costs down. Also, Toho knew that they would be without the services of special effects whiz, Eiji Tsuburaya, due to illness, so a smaller scale film with limited effects (utilizing a lot of stock footage actually) would be in order.


All of these elements didn't sit too well with Godzilla's older fans, who were looking for more from the film that would directly follow the hugely successful, "Destroy All Monsters."

It also wouldn't help that the film's two main stars were the 8-year old Ichirô Miki, played by Tomonori Yazaki, and Godzill's son, Minilla (Minira) played by 'Little Man' Machan in the costume and voiced by Midori Uchiyama.

Godzilla, the mighty 'King of the Monsters', was nothing more than a supporting character, only called upon when Minilla couldn't hold his own versus the much larger monster, Gabara, the monster island counterpart to a bully by the same name, in Ichiro's life.

Otherwise, all the other scenes that include Godzilla would come in the form of stock footage from "Godzilla vs The Sea Monster" and "Son of Godzilla."

Again, not what the fans were expecting.

Here is the plot:

Ichiro is a highly imaginative but lonely latchkey kid growing up in urban Tokyo. Every day he comes home to his family's empty apartment. His only friends are a toymaker named Shinpei Inami and a young girl named Sachiko. Every day after school, Ichiro is terrorized by a gang of bullies led by a child named Gabara. After seeing Godzilla attack the docks of Tokyo, to escape his loneliness, Ichiro goes to sleep and dreams about Monster Island, where he befriends Minilla, the son of Godzilla. During through parts of the adventure, they both watch Godzilla battle monsters such as Ebirah, Kamacuras, Kumonga, and the Giant Condor (also known as Condra).

Through these adventures, Ichiro watches as Minilla deals with his own bully, a monster also named Gabara. Godzilla sees this happen to Minilla. To train Minilla, Godzilla makes him fight. Then Ichiro helps Minilla fight back at Gabara and wins through some help of Godzilla. It is through these trips that he learns how to face his fears and fight back. These lessons also grant him the courage to outwit two bumbling bank robbers, as well as have the guts to stand up to Gabara and his gang in a final confrontation.

I also want to take a moment to mention that the late Eisei Amamoto, who plays the toymaker, Shinpei Inami, in "All Monsters Attack", also played the evil Dr. Who in "King Kong Escapes".

Now, I know that I am in the minority on this one, but I really enjoy "All Monsters Attack." I think because I understand that it is a kids movie, plain and simple. That being said, I feel that I can also say that it is a really good kids movie, especially for the time period in which it was made.

Granted, the Godzilla action in the film, is week at best, and the monster Gabera, isn't one of Toho's better monsters.

Maybe my thoughts about the film are somewhat clouded by my fond memories of watching it on summer afternoons as part of the yearly, "Giant Monster Week", on "Dialing for Dollars" in Albuquerque during the early 1980s?

Every year they would show, "Rodan", "War of the Gargantuas", "Godzilla vs The Cosmic Monster", "The Giant Claw" and "G's Revenge."

This, of course, was back before the Godzilla films were available on DVD, or even VHS for that matter. Back then, you felt lucky when your local station aired any kind of sci fi or monster movie.

Well, enough of my reminiscing.

"All Monsters Attack" a misunderstood film? I think so.

As true childrens cinema, the movie really works well. As a monster movie, it is lacking. The trick to enjoying it is to watch with a younger person. They generally get a big kick out of it and in return you get a chance to look at it through their eyes, which puts a different perspective on it.

What, would you rather have your kids watching "Barney" or that awful "Iron Man" cartoon?

I thought not.....

Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki (1969)
Aka: All Monsters on Parade, All kaijû daishingeki, Attack All Monsters, Godzilla's Leverage, Godzilla's Revenge, Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monster's Attack, Great Charge of All Monsters, Il ritorno di Gorgo, Minya: The Son of Godzilla

Director: Ishirô Honda
Writer: Shinichi Sekizawa

Cast:

Tomonori Yazaki as Ichirô Miki
Eisei Amamoto as Shinpei Inami
Sachio Sakai as Bank Robber Senbayashi
Kazuo Suzuki as Bank Robber Okuda
Kenji Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
Machiko Naka as Ichirô no okâsan
Shigeki Ishida as The Landlord
Midori Uchiyama as Minira (voice: Japanese-language version)
Yoshifumi Tajima as Detective
Chôtarô Tôgin as Assistant Detective
Yutaka Sada as Train engineer
Yutaka Nakayama as Guy Painting Billboard
Ikio Sawamura as Bartender
Haruo Nakajima as Gojira
'Little Man' Machan as Minira

Here are some more photos from "All Monsters Attack":






See Also: Mothra (Mosura)(1961)(Toho) / King Kong vs Godzilla (Kingukongu tai Gojira)(1962)(Toho) / Rodan (Sora no daikaiju Radon)(1956) / Gigantis The Fire Monster (Godzilla Raids Again) / Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Info On Shout Factory's 'Gamera The Giant Monster' And 'Gamera vs Barugon' DVD Releases

Sources: Shout Factory / Cinematical / Amazon.com



From Japan – the country that brought us such mythical movie monsters as Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah – storms Gamera, the titanic terrapin feared by adults and loved by children. On May 18, 2010, Shout! Factory will unleash Gamera, The Giant Monster – Special Edition on DVD for the first time in its unedited original version, with English subtitles — in anamorphic widescreen from an all-new HD master. The DVD includes a 12-page booklet with an essay by director Noriaki Yuasa, a photo gallery, trailers and more. The collectible Gamera, The Giant Monster Special Edition DVD is priced to own at $19.93.

Like all classic monster movies, it is the folly of man that unleashes a ginormous beast upon the world. This time it is literal fallout from the Cold War — a Soviet bomber is shot down over U.S. airspace in the Arctic Ocean, with the massive radiation from the resultant atomic explosion awakening the ancient, gargantuan Gamera. A long-forgotten legend of the lost continent of Atlantis, the 200-foot-long, fire-eating turtle isn't in a good mood, and proving impervious to all man made weapons, the colossal chelonian smashes a cataclysmic swath across the globe. But when he arrives in Tokyo, a small boy forms an odd connection with him, allowing authorities to unleash “Plan Z.”

The classic Gamera was directed Noriaki Yuasa, who helmed all seven of the original Gamera entries in the Showa era series between 1965 and 1971, and stars Eiji Funakoshi (Fires On The Plain), Harumi Kiritachi, Junichiro Yamashiko and Jutaro Hojo (Wrath of Daimajin). The subsequent franchise was more kid-friendly (yet ironically bloodier) than Godzilla, who became less menacing and more cuddly himself during the Sixties. The Gamera series was creative in the monstrous nemeses that it pitted against the towering turtle, the most famous being the flying, pointy-headed Gyaos, who was resurrected for the successful trio of movies in the Heisei-era series between 1995 and 1999.

Created by the same company who brought Zatoichi to the screen, Daiei Studios’ titanic terrapin is the only true rival to Toho’s King Of The Monsters, able to hold his own at the box office and secure a place in the hearts of kaiju eiga (Japanese monster movie) fans around the world. The original films have woefully been underrepresented on DVD, a especially release featuring the authentic Japanese versions






Likewise, Shout Factory will be releasing "Gamera Vs. Barugon" on July 6th. Though the distributor has not made a formal announcement about this release, Amazon lists it as a single disc, in widescreen format, in Japanese with English Subtitles.

One can only assume that it will be of the same quality as the "Gamera, The Giant Monster – Special Edition" release.

Fans can click on the link box provided to preorder "Gamera Vs. Barugon" before it's July release date.

A Classic Godzilla Comic Strip - The Monsters That Devoured Canarsie

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Ah, it was a great time to be a Godzilla, and monster movie fan in general, during the 1970s. There were several great monster movie magazines and fan publications produced during the decade, including Forrest Ackerman's "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and Dean Latimer's "The Monster Times."

Well, today I want to flash-back to the groovy 70s, and Latimer's "Monster Times" for a great Godzilla related comic strip called "The Monsters That Devoured Canarsie."

The strip was written/illustrated by Latimer from an idea that was presented to him by his close friend Johnny Kapelusz and appeared in the September 1973 issue (Vol 1 No. 26) of the magazine..

In the cartoon, three young, and very bored monster fans imaginations bring forth destruction to their neighborhood in Brooklyn. From the youngster's minds pop Godzilla, Rodan, Ghidorah, Gamera, Gorgo, Mothra, King Kong and the Allosaurus from "Valley of Gwangi" to add a little spice to a lazy Wednesday afternoon.

Kids will do anything to avoid working on a book report....

In typical Toho fashion, the monsters lay waste to everything they can get their hands on, stomp on the military and fleeing pedestrians, than disappear just as mysteriously as they appeared.

It should be noted that besides publishing "The Monster Times", Dean Latimer produced comic strips for numerous underground comic books and "National Lampoon Magazine." Later in his career Latimer became a contributor to "High Times Magazine" and published several books on the use of opium.

Whether influenced by a Lewis Carroll esque episode or not, "The Monsters That Devoured Canarsie" is a great classic monster comic strip from the decade when Godzilla and his pals were at the height of popularity amongst America's youth.

Enjoy these scans from "The Monster Times":


Japanese Giant Monsters And Robots In The News 04/23/10

"Assault Girls" Coming To Blu-Ray In Japan On June 23rd/New Behind-The-Scenes Pics - A New "Gundam" Themed Cafe Opens - An Outside Review Of Nintendo's "Kaiju Busters"

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Undead Backbrain / Kotaku /Japan Times / Nintendo Life / Avery Guerra

Director Mamoru Oshii's "Assault Girls" is one of the slickest looking sci fi/monster films to be produced in Japan in recent memory.

The film follows the exploits of three virtual big-game hunters, played by the three stunning actresses Meisa Kuroki, Rinko Kikuchi and Hinako, as they stalk giant monsters in an imaginary world run wild.

The film, which was released in theaters last December, is packed with over-the-top effects and great monster action. Two facts that have lead to there being great interest in the film on this side of the Pacific.

Actually, 'interest' is an understatement, an unnamed Hollywood studio has already gobbled up the rights to do an American remake.

Here is the synopsis:

The story takes place in an in-game virtual space called "Avalon (f)", a barren desert-like battlefield, resembling a devastated world after a nuclear war. "Avalon (f)" is a world full of gigantic monsters. It is a fictional world where an endless "hunt", known as "play", repeatedly takes place. The drama centers around a sniper who pilots a camouflage fighter plane; a sorcerer who can freely transform herself; a woman fighter equipped with an assault rifle on a horseback; and a large-framed man equipped with an anti-tank rifle. There is also the "Game Master" who watches the players from the air.

In a world where giant Sunakujira (Sand Whales) monsters crawl the earth, storming battleships fly high up in the sky, and assault rifle muzzle flashes go off everywhere, can anyone shoot down the mutant monster, Madara Sunakujira (Spotted Sand Whale)? If so, who?!

"Assault Girls" will be released on Blu-Ray in Japan on June 23rd.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos (next story after the break):




Everyone knows that the giant robot Anime, "Gundam", is simply huge in Japan, and that 'themed' restaurants and theme parks are as equally as huge.

So, should it come to any ones surprise that Bandai would open an official "Gundam Cafe" in Tokyo's Akihabara district?

Of course not.

The sixty seat cafe, which is filled with "Gundam" memorabilia, themed food and drink items, and videos on giant screens, opens tomorrow.

At a press event in Tokyo this week Bandai paraded out, what they think will be the "Gundam Cafe's" most popular attraction, pretty young female hostesses dressed in uniforms from the show.

That's mini-boots, knee-high stockings and mini-skirts gentlemen.

The young ladies will serve as hostesses, waitresses and the official 'face' of "Gundam" posing for photographs with visitors.

Though the new cafe is designed for a Japanese crowd, Bandai president Kazunori Ueno hopes that it will attract new foreign tourists as well, ‘‘The restaurant has the capability to entertain core and lighter Gundam fans, children, and female customers as well as customers from overseas.’‘

Here are some photos of the new official "Gundam Cafe" (next story after the break):




Kaiju Busters (DS)
Nintendo Life - Lewis Cave

Kaiju Busters (or "Monster Busters" as its effective English translation goes) is just one in a long line of monster-based video games that we don’t often get to see in the West. This handheld effort from Bandai Namco inevitably draws comparisons with Capcom’s massively popular Monster Hunter games, and in that respect already has a lot going for it: an RPG set in a fantasy universe, with a plot-lite storyline and plenty of fantasy monsters to slay along the way.

With Japanese popular culture seemingly intrinsically drawn to the colossal and bizarre, it might go some way to explaining the appeal of these games in the East. Now that Nintendo has seen fit to grant the release of Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii for the US and Europe, perhaps now is as good a time as any to take a further look into this curious sub-genre. Intriguingly, Kaiju Busters is tentatively linked to the long-standing Ultraman serials in Japan, and although the man himself doesn't make an appearance here per se, this is in fact a spin-off storyline of the recent TV series, which focuses on the exploits of the Science Patrol team. A cheap way of shoehorning in a popular licence to an otherwise simple premise perhaps, but to the unaware it shouldn't make that much difference either way.

So, with all that out of the way, what's the game actually about? The Science Patrol explores distant planets, collecting data on the inhabitants and, most crucially of all, kills a lot of strange monsters in the process. Even in the name of science, there’s some questionable motives going on here, but we’ll ignore that for now. The game opens by designing and naming your own character – a space marine whose job it will be to descend onto the unknown planets and deal out all of the disconcerting slaying. Over time you can acquire all kinds of impressive and strange suits, helmets and weapons. Most of the creatures encountered are familiar enough already, but the ultimate aim of many of the missions is to seek out and down the over-sized varieties that essentially act as the bosses of each level. As you encounter these strange beasts, they are paraded across both DS screens, just to give them an even more impressive sense of scale.

Read More

See Also: In The Absence Of Godzilla, Japan Has Had A Real Giant Monster Boom!
"LEGENDARY PICTURES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BASED ON TOHO COMPANY’S ICONIC MONSTER, GODZILLA

Burbank, CA – March 29, 2010 – Legendary Pictures announced today that they will develop and produce a new film based on Toho Company’s famed GODZILLA character. Through the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a movie inspired by Toho’s Godzilla, a franchise the Japanese company created and has nurtured for over fifty years.

Toho’s GODZILLA franchise boasts one of the most widely recognized film creatures worldwide, resulting in a series of books, television programs, video games and more than 25 films worldwide. Legendary intends to approach the film and its characters in the most authentic manner possible. The company will, in the near future, announce a filmmaker to helm the film for an intended 2012 release. The film will fall under the company’s co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Toho will distribute the film in Japan."

"Godzilla" is coming back -- this time, with Legendary Pictures taking the lead, co-producing and co-financing with Warner Bros. for release in 2012.

Legendary announced Monday it had obtained rights to the iconic monster character from Japan's Toho Co., which has overseen more than 25 "Godzilla" films. Toho will release the pic in Japan.

Legendary said it's planning to announce a director shortly.

In addition to Legendary, producers on the new film will be Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers. Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will exec produce.

"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Legendary noted the film will fall under its co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Legendary's productions with Warners have included "The Dark Knight," "300" and "The Hangover."

Speculation about a new "Godzilla" has been active since last summer. The Bloody Disgusting web site reported in August that the project was in development.