Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Godzilla To Invade Washburn University This Weekend!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Washburn University

I just got tipped off to a great Godzilla movie festival at Washburn University (Kansas) this weekend. It's actually a Godzilla film festival with a touch of Frankenstein thrown in for good measure. Now I don't expect all of you to start packing for Topeka immediately after reading this, but if you are close by you should check it out.

Here is the press release:

The big green guy is stomping back to Washburn University for the sixth annual Godzilla and Friends Festival on May 6 and 7. No admission is charged and the public is invited to this event that celebrates the cultural history behind the giant creature in all of its bizarre diversity.

Events are planned 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 6, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 7, with film and trailer screenings, various commentaries, contests and giveaways in room 112 of the Henderson Learning Resources Center.

A contest to see who can put forth the best imitation of the monster Japanese film star will be Saturday afternoon. All films will be shown in English.
The new edition of the festival includes the theme of “Monster Mash,” in which numerous giant monsters compete for screen time and challenge one another.

The schedule is:

May 6 (Friday)

7 p.m.: “Destroy All Monsters,” (1969), features monsters from the earlier series plus creatures who warranted their own feature films, such as “Varan, the Unbelieveable.” Previews of other monster films will be shown.


May 7 (Saturday)

“Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster,” (1964). Created by Toho Studios, this giant creature is an unusual adversary who was resurrected many times to Battle Godzilla. Here he meets Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra in what would be the fifth entry in the initial Godzilla (Gojira) series.

“Monster Mash” entry I: “House of Frankenstein,” (1944), starring Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. and includes the Wolf Man, Count Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, the mad doctor and the hunchback.

“Monster Mash” entry II: “How to Make a Monster,” (1958). Teenage Frankenstein and Werewolf are at the mercy of a studio make-up artist gone mad. A cheapie black and white movie that ends in a firey color climax.

Bill Tsutsui, author and University of Kansas professor, will share his experiences during the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

A surprise feature film will conclude event.

The Godzilla and Friends Film Festival VI 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.

In conjunction with the festival, KTWU will show their own giant monster movie, “The Giant Gila Monster,” at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7. This oddball offering from 1959 is a “Godzilla” knock-off in which a giant gila monster roams the desert and attacks trains and people before finally being stopped by a band of industrious teenagers. The special effects are of the low-tech variety with miniature trains being burned with match-size flames.

For information, call Bill Shaffer at 785-670-1111.

Godzilla, Frankenstein and The Giant Gila Monster? Kansas is the hip place to be this weekend monster maniacs!

"Godzilla, Frankenstein and Gila Monsters! Oh, My! Now I... I know we're not in Kansas!"
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"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.