tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39410635649455058572024-03-20T08:07:48.473-07:00Godzilla: King of the MonstersKen Hulseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18251290408099991105noreply@blogger.comBlogger303125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-59292272965033189622021-08-03T03:36:00.002-07:002021-08-03T03:36:35.628-07:00GODZILLA MAKES LANDFALL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--0PsaFGMKkc/U11S9FVDG7I/AAAAAAAAhbk/-oa7xGSwBhw/s1600/Godzilla+in+San+Francisco.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--0PsaFGMKkc/U11S9FVDG7I/AAAAAAAAhbk/-oa7xGSwBhw/w400-h256/Godzilla+in+San+Francisco.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>WARNING MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!</b></span><br />
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From Warner Bros<br />
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Like the title character, the story told in the film begins in Japan. “That’s the birthplace of Godzilla, so we thought it would be an appropriate place to begin our story, which takes us half-way around the world, ultimately reaching San Francisco, where the big battle plays out,” Tull says.<br />
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The film was shot on location on the Hawaiian island of Oahu; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Vancouver, B.C., in Canada, with additional shooting in San Diego, California, and Tokyo, Japan. Paterson and his art department—led by supervising art director Grant Van Der Slagt, along with art directors Dan Hermansen, Ross Dempster and Kristen Franson, and set decorator Elizabeth Wilcox—designed and created complex, detailed interior and exterior sets on soundstages and backlot space at the Canadian Motion Picture Park (CMPP), in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.<br />
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One of the first sequences to be shot was at the Vancouver Convention Center, with the cavernous structure transformed into both the Honolulu and Tokyo International Airports.<br />
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A number of key Canadian locales became ground zero for some of the film’s most dramatic scenes of devastation. “A giant creature is never going to come and smash up our cities, but probably every human being on this planet has either lived through events that create that kind of destruction or seen their effects on TV,” Edwards notes.<br />
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The streets of downtown Vancouver were transformed into San Francisco’s besieged financial district for a number of evocative sequences. Elizabeth Olsen was present for one such scene, which placed her among a flood of refugees fleeing in terror from the monster-sized clash tearing up their city. “One of the coolest experiences for me was being a part of these scenes of people trying to find their way to safety,” Olsen remembers. “I was part of this massive group of people all going in the same direction. I had never been involved in a scene with so many extras before, but there’s something about being a part of a body of people that hits you at a primal level. It felt very real in the context of what’s going on in the scene.”<br />
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San Francisco was also pieced together on the backlot at CMPP. On one backlot set, Paterson redesigned an existing cityscape set to portray a small Chinatown street, and also built the entrance to a giant sinkhole beneath Chinatown, which is Ford’s target when he plunges with a HALO [High Altitude - Low Opening] team into the city.<br />
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The chaotic sinkhole set itself, which Edwards called the “Dragon’s Den,” was built inside a soundstage, and dressed to overflow with crashed cars, chunks of buildings and other debris. After shooting was completed on this sequence, the set was repurposed to portray the massive cavern beneath the collapsed Philippine mine where scientists Graham and Serizawa gain their first insight that something massive and unknown has been released into the world. “We discover that this cave isn’t really a natural cave—it’s a giant ribcage, with bones that loom 25 feet in the air,” Paterson describes. “It’s a good place to start the story, in a sense. The genie has been let out of the bottle.”<br />
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“That set was beyond amazing, just extraordinary,” raves Sally Hawkins. “Even though we were working with some green screen, a lot of the time we didn’t have to imagine anything. It was there. We were inside this giant structure, and the detail was phenomenal. It made it very easy for the cast to have these incredible worlds for you to step onto.”<br />
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Edwards observes that shooting both sequences within the same soundstage reflects some of the symmetry woven into the film’s DNA. “What Graham and Serizawa observe within the giant ribcage at the beginning of the film, and what Ford sees in the Dragon’s Den near the end are linked in the story,” he says. “So in a way, it felt like going full circle.”<br />
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Another exterior set Paterson built on the CMPP backlot was a 400-foot stretch of the 8,980-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, where Edwards, aided by veteran second unit director E.J. Foerster, staged some of the film’s exciting climactic moments, with the city’s famous skyline looming in the background.<br />
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To achieve this effect, Rygiel dispatched teams to the tops of some of San Francisco’s skyscrapers to shoot high-end panoramas from multiple angles that took in the entire 360 degrees of the skyline, which, using photogrammetry, they were able to merge into a 3D city. “This technique gives you a real city that is accurate down to every piece of mortar in a brick building,” he says. “So, using that, we were able to composite the live action shots with the keyframe-animated monsters destroying digital buildings into a seamless whole.”<br />
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Another key site for the production was Finn Slough, a century-old unincorporated Finnish fishing settlement along the Fraser River in Richmond, B.C. Now nearly abandoned, Finn Slough’s few residents live in crumbling wooden shacks, both floating and built on stilts, along the marshy river bank. Edwards used the unique site, as well as pockets of New Westminster dressed to appear reclaimed by nature, to portray the Tokyo quarantine zone Ford ventures into with his father to locate his childhood home.<br />
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Two other significant Vancouver locations were chosen to portray the Janjira Nuclear Power Plant: the abandoned and decayed Catalyst paper mill for the exteriors; and the Annacis Island wastewater treatment facility south of Vancouver for its interiors, augmented by an evocative soundstage set of the nuclear chambers.<br />
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Other Vancouver locations included the banks of Lake Alouette in Golden Ears Provincial Park, where Edwards staged a helicopter rescue amidst a landscape of destruction; and the boat docks of Steveston, Vancouver, which became San Francisco’s famed Fisherman’s Wharf.<br />
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Once the Canadian portion of production concluded, the company shipped off to the most populous of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu, to shoot a variety of locations, from Waikiki Beach to a rock quarry that provided the entrance to the collapsed mine.<br />
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To capture shots for the film's main title sequence, production traveled to the Windward (or East) side of Oahu to recreate a Pacific Atoll where hydrogen bomb tests were conducted in the early 1950s and, in fact, resulted in a tragic loss of life the same year the original “Godzilla” was released.<br />
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The company next touched down on a part of existing World War II history at Pearl Harbor, which serves as both a working naval base and a somber memorial for those lost in the event that precipitated America’s entry into war. Here, Edwards staged three scenes onboard the USS Missouri, with the historic “floating memorial” standing in for the massive USS Saratoga battleship that tracks Godzilla across the Pacific. Moving to the adjacent Hickam Air Force Base, Edwards shot Aaron Taylor-Johnson within an actual C-17 aircraft to depict the moments just prior to his HALO plunge into San Francisco.<br />
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James D. Dever, the film’s military technical advisor, had participated in HALO jumps, and worked with HALO Jump stunt coordinator JT Holmes to bring the highest degree of authenticity to the dramatic free fall. “The stunt performers were HALO-trained and did an outstanding job,” Dever says. “In this movie, you’ll see the Air Force moving ICBM missiles, the Navy running an aircraft carrier, and a lot of moving parts from Huey helicopters, destroyers and flying F-35s. My job was to make sure it was all accurately represented.”<br />
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In addition to consulting on military arcana, such as chain of command, terminology, gear, weapons, and environments, Dever also liaised with the Department of Defense to help secure the film’s array of military assets, as well as a full complement of U.S. and Canadian servicemen to portray the majority of forces seen in the film. “It turns out that a lot of people in the Department of Defense are massive Godzilla fans too,” Edwards smiles, “and I think they got a kick out of participating in this movie.”<br />
A retired Sergeant Major in the U.S. Marine Corps, Dever also worked with Aaron Taylor-Johnson to ensure his Navy bearing was up to snuff. “I had three days of working in boot camp with him, teaching him how to use his weapon, how to put his gear on, how to move and present himself as an officer in the U.S. Navy,” Dever says. “And Aaron was like a sponge for information because he wanted to get it right, and he did. It was a pleasure working with him.”<br />
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The production also took over a stretch of the popular Waikiki Beachfront for two days to complete sequences tied to the arrival of a tsunami that destroys one of the beach’s most recognizable landmarks, the Hilton Rainbow Tower. The production accomplished the near-impossible by closing Waikiki’s most popular commercial shopping strip, Lewers Street, for fifteen hours to capture footage of hundreds of extras fleeing the giant wave.<br />
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“Our intentions with this environment and all the scenes of devastation in the film was absolute reality,” says Paterson. “Gareth wanted the sets to feel so real that people would walk out of the cinema after seeing the movie and actually not expect to see buildings still standing.”<br />
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“It’s that much more thrilling, intense and ultimately, I think, a more satisfying movie experience if you believe it,” adds Parent. “Godzilla deserves to have his story told within a movie that’s worthy, and Gareth was able to put together a group of people at the top of their game with the skills and artistry to do it in a way that has never been seen before. It’s a good match, and gives you a front row seat for an epic adventure, with the iconic Godzilla at the center of it.”<br />
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Says Rogers, “I am so proud to be a part of the talented team responsible for bringing Godzilla back in time for his 60th anniversary, and re-introducing him to all the faithful fans of the franchise, along with all the new audiences that have not yet experienced meeting the ‘King of the Monsters.’”<br />
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“Observing scenes being shot on set or watching dailies doesn’t really compare to watching considered, cut sequences that absolutely verify that your filmmaker has achieved a certain tone, scale and quality,” Jashni observes. “I remember sitting in the editing room and watching Gareth show us a sampler of four or five sequences early on and realizing he had ‘done it’—he had somehow made this movie his own. I felt excited for him and for us, as he was clearly well on his way to achieving what we'd all aspired to.”<br />
“Those of us that grew up on Godzilla feel so much affection and nostalgia for this character that we can’t wait to see him stomping across cinema screens again,” says Tull. “The first movie came out 60 years ago. That’s a long time for a fan base to continue to grow, and now there’s a whole new generation that hasn’t really had its Godzilla. So, our hope is that we give existing fans and this new generation the movie they’ve been waiting for.”<br />
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With the culmination of his own epic journey to deliver on that promise, Edwards likens the experience to the moment when the film’s central character, Ford, finally locks eyes on the legendary dinosaur.<br />
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“Before I started, there was this ominous and intimidating threat hanging over me,” he reflects. “But then, towards the end of the process of making the movie, I started to realize that Godzilla has become my savior. I had the benefit of a lot of incredibly talented people that worked all hours to deliver this thing and make it look flawless, and they did it. I’m so proud to have directed this film. If I were going to be known for a genre, I’d happily be trapped in the world of monsters, and there’s no better monster in the world than Godzilla.”<br />Ken Hulseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18251290408099991105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-21433224034413133342021-08-02T03:41:00.001-07:002021-08-02T03:42:19.862-07:00GODZILLA - BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A 60-YEAR-OLD LEGEND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GtQuA7m2fyo/U11M_vW1EwI/AAAAAAAAhbU/6xvzcHfvhHw/s1600/10272646_626780057403083_4168665106180842514_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GtQuA7m2fyo/U11M_vW1EwI/AAAAAAAAhbU/6xvzcHfvhHw/w400-h166/10272646_626780057403083_4168665106180842514_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!</b></span><br />
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From Warner Bros<br />
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For the filmmakers overseeing such a complex operation, there was perhaps nothing more challenging or exhilarating than the creation of its main event. “Toho had given us their blessing to re-envision the character, but it was equally important to us as well as Toho that Godzilla look like Godzilla,” Tull says. “We wanted to bring him into contemporary reality while not steering too far from the classic silhouette that so many of us grew up with, and Gareth and the entire team walked that line with passion and inspiration.”<br />
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The effort to make Godzilla live onscreen with as much detail and realism as possible engendered a broad coalition of creative minds, incorporating the talents of lead creature and concept designer Matt Allsopp, and Weta Workshop, Ltd.’s creature designers Andrew Baker, Christian Pearce and Greg Broadmore, as well as storyboard illustrators, keyframe animation and texture artists at Moving Picture Company (MPC), and specialists in sound, movement and performance, all unified through Edwards’ vision for the character.<br />
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“Everybody chipped in,” the director remembers. “What we were trying to find was what Godzilla would look like if you actually saw him in the real world. One of the conversations we’d have quite often was asking, ‘If this was a person, who would it be?’<br />
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And after thinking about it for a while, what we came up with was the idea that he was like the last Samurai—a lone, ancient warrior that would prefer to not be part of the world if he could, but events force him to resurface. We did lots of illustrations and concepts, and it took us over a year to really get it right.”<br />
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Standing 355-feet-tall—the largest of any big screen incarnation—Godzilla was conceived from the start as an entirely digital creation that would maintain the character’s classic form and identity. A bipedal, amphibious, radioactive leviathan with armored dorsal fins spiking menacingly all the way down to his long, sweeping tail, Godzilla belongs to the imagined species Godzillasaurus, which paleontologists have jokingly linked with the Tyrannosaurus Rex or Ceratosaurus families, only much larger.<br />
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The filmmakers’ efforts to capture the essence of Godzilla ultimately took them back to 1954—to the iconic latex suit designed by Toho’s Teizo Toshimitsu, which he built with Eizo Kaimai, Kanju Yagi and Yasue Yagi. Worn to great effect by actor Haruo Nakajima, the inspired costume was transformed through Ishiro Honda’s lens into a nuclear disaster made flesh, breathing a visible atomic blast upon a decimated Tokyo. Though these early effects were groundbreaking for their time, the filmmakers knew that 60 years later they had the tools to make Godzilla truly live.<br />
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“It was incredibly exciting to take inspiration from those early movies, but Gareth’s edict from the beginning was that everything we were creating had to look absolutely real,” confirms visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel. “You want to believe that there’s this 355-foot beast crashing through the streets of San Francisco.”<br />
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Early in production, Rygiel screened for the filmmakers the first complete tests of the creature in motion. “You heard this gasp go through the room,” Tull recalls. “Gareth and the visual effects team did an amazing job giving the character a level of detail and natural movement that wasn’t possible even five years ago. It felt almost like you were seeing Godzilla in the flesh for the first time.”<br />
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But beneath the skin, what has always set Godzilla apart is his unique persona and presence. “He has an amazing effect on people in that you’re both terrified and drawn to him, which is part of the reason the character has endured for so long,” says Mary Parent. “Godzilla is clearly a badass, but there’s also an innocence and an integrity to him. On a primal level, you never quite know what he’s going to do. At the same time, he’s also got very heroic elements, and that dichotomy is what makes him so interesting and compelling.”<br />
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Like his human co-stars, Godzilla’s soul is etched in his face. While the new incarnation hews closely to the dimensions of his short, steep skull, broad snout and carnivore’s mouth, to imbue it with a full range of expression in battle, the filmmakers studied the faces of dogs and bears, while also incorporating the nobility of an eagle.<br />
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To direct the character on the subtleties of performance, Edwards had a powerful assist from Rygiel’s “The Lord of the Rings” collaborator, performance capture pioneer Andy Serkis, who has brought his unique art form to digital characters like Gollum, Caesar and King Kong, and helped shape the title character’s emotional arc.<br />
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“At the start of the process, I felt that in some way we could decide and control who Godzilla was,” Edwards reflects, “but, as we went along, we started to realize that Godzilla was going to tell us who he was, just like actors who have their own take on their characters. We couldn’t totally dictate what it was going to be; it was more about just trying different ideas and permutations. And, slowly, he revealed himself to us."<br />
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The final element in the alchemy of Godzilla is not his look but his sound. Akira Ifukube, who composed the haunting score that accompanied Godzilla’s 1954 introduction to movie screens, had an idea to create the famous roar by taking a resin-covered leather glove and dragging it along the loosened strings of a double bass instrument, with the final effect being achieved by sound and musical effects designer Ichiro Minawa, using playback speed to personalize each utterance.<br />
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“Godzilla’s roar is not something you can fake or shortchange,” says Tull. “There is only one sound, and it is nearly impossible to recreate, no matter what you try.”<br />
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Long before production had even commenced, the filmmakers enlisted Oscar®-winning sound designers Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn (“Transformers”) to experiment with different techniques with the ultimate goal of recreating Godzilla’s chilling, heartrending roar, as well as a whole universe of sounds that would give the action a visceral, theatre-shaking feel. "If you imagined that Godzilla was real, then what we hear in the 1954 film is just what it sounds like on 1950s tapedecks,” Edwards describes. “We wanted to capture that live sound in its full power with all the fidelity we’re capable of today.”<br />
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The sound designers employed a variety of different techniques, even trying out a pine tar-coated leather glove on a double bass, to achieve the seemingly impossible. “That roar is probably the most famous sound effect in film history and we wanted to pay homage to it while creating something new," Aadahl says. “We wound up recording hundreds of different sounds that had the same qualities and timbres as the original and finally stumbled upon the combination that gave us all goose bumps. Ultimately, we wanted for it to convey all of the power and ferocity of Godzilla as a force nature, for people to close their eyes, hear it and instantly know, 'That’s Godzilla!'”<br />
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Breaking the original sound into three parts—a metallic shriek, followed by an earth-shattering wail and a bellowing finish—the sound designers conducted extensive experiments with a wide variety of sounds until they achieved a combination with all the texture and earth-shattering drama of Godzilla's original roar. Tull offers, “What they produced will send chills up your spine. It was the huge, awe-inspiring roar that Godzilla has always deserved.”<br />
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The film's plethora of otherworldly sound effects were recorded at a high resolution 192-kilohertz 192 kHz sample rate—beyond the range of human hearing—which they then slowed down to a range that's audible to the human ear. The "Godzilla" soundscape also encompassed realistic environments in which the story unfolds, and Aadahl and Van der Ryn traveled on location to record within tunnels and on aircraft carriers. "Gareth is a visionary and a perfectionist, and always pushed us to experiment and go farther," Van der Ryn remarks. "Working on ‘Godzilla’ was a truly special adventure that we all took together, and one of the best experiences of our career."<br />
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One of their goals was to bring Godzilla's roar into the real world, so the sound designers set up a 12-foot-high, boulevard-wide sound system on a street on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. Blasting the roar through 100,000-watt speakers lined in an array, they recorded the reverberations from a number of angles, such as inside cars, behind store windows, in alleyways. It not only rattled pipes and rooftops but could be heard up to three miles away.<br />
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In the animal kingdom, a roar can express a spectrum of emotions, but is perhaps most effectively used as an assertion of dominance when the Alpha Predator is threatened, “which definitely happens in our film,” Edwards hints. “In our story, Godzilla isn’t the one trying to destroy the world. He is completely unaware of our presence; we’re just like ants to him. But we do share a home, and our actions play a role in manifesting this enormous threat to the planet and to Godzilla himself. We wanted to build the ultimate nemesis for Godzilla, and hopefully in the process, we’ve created something brand new for the audience.”Ken Hulseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18251290408099991105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-8475760901142839232021-07-31T05:16:00.001-07:002021-07-31T05:16:27.447-07:00Godzilla Kingdom Of Monsters #6 Variant Cover B August 2011 IDW Publications Grade NM<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgE53v7MIdI/YQU3PweW9cI/AAAAAAAA464/b79eujVfaRgzLPOoAX-0HbauiSAFwd5igCLcBGAsYHQ/s1777/il_1140xN.2236862325_svol.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1777" data-original-width="1140" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgE53v7MIdI/YQU3PweW9cI/AAAAAAAA464/b79eujVfaRgzLPOoAX-0HbauiSAFwd5igCLcBGAsYHQ/w410-h640/il_1140xN.2236862325_svol.jpg" width="410" /></a></div>Limited 1 for 5 Cover B by Jeff Zornow. Eric Powell & Tracy Marsh (w) o Victor Dos Santos (a) o Eric Powell, Jeff Zornow (c)<p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/778631977/godzilla-kingdom-of-monsters-6-variant" target="_blank">$6.99 - On Sale!</a></span></b><br /><br />Monsters continue their relentless rampage around the world, demolishing cities and shrugging off military resistance. When drastic defense measures backfire, humanity's struggle to survive takes an ugly turn. Can anything be done to stop the monster mayhem? And seriously-how many of these things can there possibly be?! Sorry, mankind... in Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #6, the hits keep coming.<br /><br />1st printing.<br />This comic book is in new condition. Comic is complete with cover and all pages attached. This comic has very few flaws that warrant a NM grade.<br />Comic Book will be shipped bagged and boarded!<br /> </p>Ken Hulseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18251290408099991105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-38650471040691779812014-09-16T13:47:00.001-07:002014-09-16T13:47:33.720-07:00Promise Broken: "Godzilla" Blu-ray Is Sans Akira Takarada<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlHDRAU_hvE/VBib8Qcj94I/AAAAAAAAg64/eK7d5bqKsA4/s1600/Godzilla%2BBD%2BCombo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlHDRAU_hvE/VBib8Qcj94I/AAAAAAAAg64/eK7d5bqKsA4/s1600/Godzilla%2BBD%2BCombo.jpg" height="640" width="506" /></a></div>
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<i>Godzilla</i> is now out in home video. But, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. reneged on their promise to include Akira Takarada's cut scene from the Blu-ray edition of <i>Godzilla</i>.<br />
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Frankly, I don't find this surprising, but fans were told when word came out about Takarada's scene being cut that the scene would be included in the Blu-ray edition. Well, it's not there! (I have not purchased it yet, so I am relying on reliable sources.)
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wwIwEhNdjM8/VBibEhEz-WI/AAAAAAAAg6w/KXpNh30pANs/s1600/Akira%2BTakarada%2Bcut%2Bscene.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wwIwEhNdjM8/VBibEhEz-WI/AAAAAAAAg6w/KXpNh30pANs/s1600/Akira%2BTakarada%2Bcut%2Bscene.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, the cut scene featuring Akira Takarada. Photo: Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.</i></td></tr>
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One fan wrote in Facebook:
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Nearly Everyone involved promised Takarada-san's scene would be on the Blu-Ray. I have seen it in writing and I have it in writing myself. So I am waiting. Picture quality is not the issue for me. No Takarada scene is a deal breaker for me. I hope for a directors/extended cut later. Who knows. It will not be the first time the studio was somewhat less than respectful to the fans.</blockquote>
The Blu-ray and DVD discs of <i>Godzilla</i> has been met with mixed reviews. Some say the movie plays too dark and has noise, while others say it plays just fine. I suppose it depends upon the player and television monitor one is using.<br />
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It is my understanding that there's a special edition of the Blu-ray at Target department stores featuring a 30-minute featurette titled, "Rebirth of an Icon." In order to get it, one must buy the disc with the view of Godzilla's backside (or spines) on the box art (I've read).<br />
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Still, is it disappointing that Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. broke their word pertaining to Akira Takarada's scene.</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-1646917427485961362014-05-14T12:19:00.000-07:002014-05-14T18:17:14.463-07:00Godzilla's Legal Defenders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btaSp0O3LSc/U3O3Pr8zD5I/AAAAAAAAdko/6eox_N4Syh8/s1600/Japan+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btaSp0O3LSc/U3O3Pr8zD5I/AAAAAAAAdko/6eox_N4Syh8/s1600/Japan+021.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, former Toho-L.A. General Manager Masaharu Ina and Armand at the Godzilla statue in Hibiya in February.
The good working relationship between fan groups and Toho began under Ina's tenure as general manager.</i> </td></tr>
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Here's a story that fans of Godzilla are familiar with. Or should be.<br />
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The article from the <i>Japan Times</i> is on the team of lawyers that Toho Co., Ltd. enlists to protect the Godzilla (and related creatures) trademark against bootleggers and companies who try to use Godzilla's image in advertising and other unauthorized ventures.<br />
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The article begins with:<br />
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<span class="dateline">LOS ANGELES – </span>He spews radioactive fire, razes cities and pummels creatures from Earth and beyond, but even Godzilla needs a good lawyer sometimes. After all, you don’t survive 60 years in the movie business without taking some fights to court. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For decades, attorneys acting on behalf of Godzilla’s owners, Tokyo-based Toho Co., have amassed a string of victories, fighting counterfeiters and business titans such as Comcast and Honda along the way. The opponents have come from all corners of pop culture: TV commercials, video games, rap music and even the liquor industry. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The litigation has kept Godzilla’s brand thriving and helped pave the way for commercial and merchandising tie-ins that will accompany the monster’s return to the big screen on Friday after a 10-year hiatus. Godzilla’s image is for sale, but permission is needed.</blockquote>
Back in the days when I was associated with <i>G-FAN</i> magazine, I made it a point to consult with Toho's Los Angeles office to make sure that what we did on different things didn't infringe on their trademarks. This was started while Masaharu Ina was Toho's Los Angeles General Manager. In this way, no toes were stepped on and Toho appreciated the the gesture. If they a problem with a certain aspect, they would suggest changes. We had an excellent working relationship, even though, officially, Toho has a policy of not sanctioning fan activities. But they were helpful whenever they could. Prior to this, there existed some friction between Toho and various fan leaders (some of whom seemed to want to pick fights with Toho). Cooperating with Toho had paid off many times.<br />
<br />
To read the full story, go <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/05/14/national/defends-godzilla-lawyers-course/">here</a>.</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-27851504518557443712014-05-11T19:14:00.000-07:002014-05-11T19:14:32.730-07:00"Godzilla" and The Critics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fROsl6h_wjE/U3AloGyeHVI/AAAAAAAAde8/DV7cm9CmCaU/s1600/Japan+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fROsl6h_wjE/U3AloGyeHVI/AAAAAAAAde8/DV7cm9CmCaU/s1600/Japan+014.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, "the King's" statue in Hibiya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/nailbiter111/news/?a=99830">Comic Book Movie.com</a> has snips of the "first wave" of reviews of the Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla</i>.<br />
<br />
For the most part, the critic reviews are generally favorable to the movie with the biggest kudos going to the cinematography, the monsters and the movie's ending. Most are saying that <i>Godzilla</i> put back the "awe" in "awesome" and that the film will satisfy the monster fans.<br />
<br />
In a nutshell: "It delivers!"<br />
<br />
On the negative side, the consensus among critics are that the characters aren't "fleshed out" as well as they could be or that they are superficial. Well, who goes to monster movies for fully fleshed-out characters? The Godzilla movie with the best-developed characters of all has to be the 1954 original.<br />
<br />
Still, this <i>Godzilla</i> is a "marked improvement" over the 1998 Sony/TriStar <i>Godzilla</i>.<br />
<br />
What hurt some of Toho's "Millennium" series of movies was that the characters they came up with had "personal issues" that were more annoying than moving forward the plot. The two that stand out as suffering the most from this were the Mechagodzilla movies, <i>Godzilla x Mechagodzilla</i> (2002) and <i>Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. </i>(2003)<i> </i>(the second one being the worst).<br />
<br />
I will quote one critic whose comments are in the article (chosen at random):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/godzilla/30439/godzilla-review" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>DEN OF GEEK: "Most Creative & Striking Summer Blockbuster We’ve Seen In Years"</strong></a><br />
<blockquote>
"This new Godzilla lacks the sense of despair present in Ishiro Honda’s 1954 original. But in its place is something relatively fresh in films such as this: an absence of cynicism. There’s an underlying theme in here about parents protecting children, and of people simply trying to do the right thing in the face of disaster. In Edwards’ reading of Godzilla, there isn’t necessarily any such thing as good or evil. There’s merely humanity and nature, with the former standing awe-struck in the destructive presence of the latter. Most importantly, Godzilla himself emerges just as he should: a bellowing, powerful force; a true king of the monsters." - <strong><a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/godzilla/30439/godzilla-review" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ryan Lambie</a></strong></blockquote>
If you are interested in seeing what the other critics are saying, go to the link at the beginning of this blog post.
</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-14892318937885199302014-04-29T11:49:00.002-07:002014-04-29T11:49:45.230-07:002nd "Godzilla" International Trailer Released<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. have released the second international trailer to <i>Godzilla</i>. It is action-packed with some flying footage of Godzilla's foe, MUTO.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/As5Ye3DrIvU" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-20397100746472941052014-04-26T00:58:00.000-07:002014-04-26T00:58:48.143-07:00Huffington Post: "Godzilla's Secret History"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-__Uek31o8XE/U1tgqpFo12I/AAAAAAAAdFw/DeFZkh_S4ZE/s1600/GODZILLA_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-__Uek31o8XE/U1tgqpFo12I/AAAAAAAAdFw/DeFZkh_S4ZE/s1600/GODZILLA_poster.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Poster: Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back in 1998, the TriStar <i>Godzilla</i> (commonly referred to by fans as G.I.N.O. (Godzilla In Name Only)) was released to much-deserved bad reviews by critics and fans. At that time, before the movie was released in May of that year, very little, if anything, was mentioned about the backstory of the Godzilla character in Japan.<br />
<br />
This year, with Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla </i>will hit theaters on May 16 and the media is paying more attention as that release date nears. The media is also taking a look at what led to Godzilla as a stand-in for the atomic bomb. This is very gratifying to see. I don't remember any articles even discussing this aspect 16 years ago.<br />
<br />
<i>The Huffington Post</i> has a good article on "Godzilla's Secret History" which fans should take a look at and steer non-fans over to read it. They acknowledge that the Gareth Edwards-directed film will be getting Godzilla back to his roots. That couldn't be said of the Matthew Broderick debacle of 1998.<br />
<br />
Here's the first paragraph for a taste on what the article says:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Godzilla is a multicultural icon. If there was a Coca-Cola commercial featuring monsters that sung the national anthem, he'd be singing his part in a mixture of English and Japanese. He's been terrorizing Tokyo for longer than Disneyland has been around. Over the span of 60 years, he's battled Earthlings, space monsters and robots, spawned offspring and chased Matthew Broderick, all while belting out the most iconic roar in film history. He's appeared in 28 Japanese films, a 1998 American film and an upcoming 2014 reboot, countless comic books, novels, video games and TV. That's an astounding feat of sustainability. The <em>daikaiju</em> has nestled in our hearts (and nightmares) carving out a permanent place in the annals of entertainment lore. But even more astounding is Godzilla's secret past. Where did Godzilla come from, and why? In anticipation of <em>Godzilla</em> 2014 hitting theaters May 16 (directed by Gareth Edwards, and starring Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen and Ken Watanabe), here's a brief guide to the monster's origin story. The truth may actually blow your mind. </blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7qnkoQ_CbU/U1thAoUX95I/AAAAAAAAdF4/qbbCKOYJZTw/s1600/IMG_0033+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7qnkoQ_CbU/U1thAoUX95I/AAAAAAAAdF4/qbbCKOYJZTw/s1600/IMG_0033+(2).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, the bow of the </i>Lucky Dragon No. 5<i>. Photo by Armand Vaquer.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The article won't blow fans' minds, but it does give a good history of Godzilla that fans can pass on to friends who haven't a clue on what the Godzilla character was really all about. The <i>Lucky Dragon No. 5</i> story is a major part of the article.<br />
<br />
To read "Godzilla's Secret History," go <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-lankes/godzillas-secret-history_b_5192284.html">here</a>.</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-86368233478663824562014-04-25T01:28:00.002-07:002014-04-25T01:28:44.189-07:00"Godzilla" Roars In Early Tracking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDrma6bF4NM/U1mzRWGcggI/AAAAAAAAdD4/u34P8XwZthY/s1600/Godzilla-Imax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDrma6bF4NM/U1mzRWGcggI/AAAAAAAAdD4/u34P8XwZthY/s1600/Godzilla-Imax.jpg" height="640" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, the new</i> Godzilla <i>IMAX poster.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="tr_bq">
</div>
<div class="tr_bq">
It is starting to look like Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla</i> is a blockbuster in the making in early tracking.<br />
<br /></div>
<i>The Hollywood Reporter</i> reported today:
<br />
<blockquote>
May tentpole <em>Godzilla</em> came on tracking Thursday with impressive strength and should stomp past $60 million in its North American debut. More bullish box-office observers believe it could clear $70 million. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The movie, hoping to finally launch a Hollywood studio franchise headlined by the giant lizard, could be a defining moment for Legendary Pictures, which spearheaded the $160 million reboot. Legendary co-financed 75 percent of <em>Godzilla</em>, with Warner Bros. putting up the rest of the money. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<em>Godzilla</em> opens in North American theaters on May 16. It makes its international assault at the same time. Box-office observers believe <em>Godzilla</em> will have even more strength overseas.</blockquote>
To read more, go <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-godzilla-roars-early-698787">here</a>. </div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-28611983842926119182014-04-24T00:44:00.000-07:002014-04-24T02:53:17.711-07:00"Godzilla" Now At A Bus Shelter Near You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer<br />
<br />
As we get closer to May 16, which is opening day for Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla</i>, the advertising machine is either in high gear or getting very close to it.<br />
<br />
I have seen television advertisements, billboards and, now, bus shelter ads.<br />
<br />
Tonight, while on my way to work in Burbank, California (which is also home to Warner Bros. Studios), I spotted this bus bench shelter with a <i>Godzilla</i> poster and took a couple shots of it with my cell phone.<br />
<br />
Here they are:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ptMOOZytco/U1i60R9VmOI/AAAAAAAAdCQ/miOYsf0K_3E/s1600/Godzilla-bus-shelter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ptMOOZytco/U1i60R9VmOI/AAAAAAAAdCQ/miOYsf0K_3E/s1600/Godzilla-bus-shelter.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrJqzCRJZBY/U1i7BjJSWkI/AAAAAAAAdCY/A1DqBjsXdBs/s1600/Godzilla-bus-shelter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrJqzCRJZBY/U1i7BjJSWkI/AAAAAAAAdCY/A1DqBjsXdBs/s1600/Godzilla-bus-shelter2.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This brought to mind how disappointing the ad campaign, or lack thereof, of <i>Godzilla 2000</i> back in the summer of 2000. There were no bus shelter or any other kinds of advertising that I saw at the time. Small wonder why the movie only earned $10 million at the box office.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>And, in Chicago...</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vNRpIsffQHE/U1je0sMTavI/AAAAAAAAdDQ/o3-Tw7AQ-Vk/s1600/Godzilla-Lenell+bus+shelter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vNRpIsffQHE/U1je0sMTavI/AAAAAAAAdDQ/o3-Tw7AQ-Vk/s1600/Godzilla-Lenell+bus+shelter.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, Lenell Bridges poses with a Godzilla poster at a Chicago bus shelter. Photo courtesy of Lenell Bridges.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-18572277435298505982014-04-17T01:27:00.000-07:002014-04-17T01:27:48.611-07:00"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" Pre-Vacation Season Sale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykg7ovv-tJ0/U07twpDse0I/AAAAAAAAc6Y/DnW5Y9TSeVY/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykg7ovv-tJ0/U07twpDse0I/AAAAAAAAc6Y/DnW5Y9TSeVY/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a><br />
<br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, Yuu Asakura with</i> The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. <i>Photo by Armand Vaquer.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's that time again! The following news release has hit this morning:
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
With vacation season only a few months away and the opening of Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. "Godzilla" coming May 16, Armand Vaquer, author of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan," announced a pre-vacation season discount of 20% off the guide's cover price, making the cost of the book $12.00, plus $2.00 shipping and handling, for a total of $14.00 each. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myKypKuq-lk/U07uJlsyZrI/AAAAAAAAc6g/0HFTM-tGJNw/s1600/Japan+Travel+Guide+For+Monster+Fans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myKypKuq-lk/U07uJlsyZrI/AAAAAAAAc6g/0HFTM-tGJNw/s1600/Japan+Travel+Guide+For+Monster+Fans.JPG" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
"As vacation season is fast approaching and with the high awaress of the new "Godzilla" movie, it is time to launch the pre-vacation season sale of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan,"" stated Vaquer. "From Friday, April 25 to Monday, June 16, the travel guide will be available at a 20% discount directly from me." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" is the world's only Japan travel guide tailored to fans of Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films who want to see locations and landmarks from the movies. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Orders postmarked Friday, April 25 through Monday, June 16 are entitled to the discount. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To order, <span style="color: magenta;">send your check or money order payable to Armand Vaquer at 18618 Collins Street, #105, Tarzana, California 91356</span>.</blockquote>
<div>
Depending upon how many copies sell, this may be the last sale (it may be considered a clearance sale) of this edition as I am working on an updated/revised edition that will likely be ready later this year. Once the stock I have on hand on this edition is gone, it is gone!</div>
</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-23788867082074830202014-04-15T17:54:00.000-07:002014-04-15T18:20:34.229-07:00New Poster Celebrates Godzilla's Japanese Origins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A new poster from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. celebrates Godzilla's Japanese origins:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSYb9EeU7jk/U03TRGnlpmI/AAAAAAAAc5o/hKFxC9yhhJE/s1600/godzilla-japanese-origins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSYb9EeU7jk/U03TRGnlpmI/AAAAAAAAc5o/hKFxC9yhhJE/s1600/godzilla-japanese-origins.jpg" /></a></div>
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-20262139148946148912014-04-11T17:30:00.000-07:002014-04-11T17:30:27.858-07:00"Godzilla" Soundtrack Pre-Order [Spoiler Warning]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZoqcsTddCc/U0iFjO8n4GI/AAAAAAAAczg/SR_owGDpLe4/s1600/Godzilla+soundtrack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZoqcsTddCc/U0iFjO8n4GI/AAAAAAAAczg/SR_owGDpLe4/s1600/Godzilla+soundtrack.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <i>Godzilla</i> soundtrack is now being offered as a pre-order at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JHH2140/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JHH2140&linkCode=as2&tag=cosboonew-20">Amazon</a> and it lists the track titles, which appears to give away how the movie will play out [possible spoilers below]:<br />
<br />
1. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">Godzilla</span>!<br />
2. Inside The Mines<br />
3. The Power Plant<br />
4. To Q Zone<br />
5. Back to Janjira<br />
6. Muto Hatch<br />
7. In The Jungle<br />
8. The Wave<br />
9. Airport Attack<br />
10. Missing Spore<br />
11. Vegas Aftermath<br />
12. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">Ford</span> Rescued<br />
13. Following Godzilla<br />
14. Golden <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">Gate</span> Chaos<br />
15. Let Them Fight<br />
16. Entering The Nest<br />
17. Two Against One<br />
18. Last Shot<br />
19. Godzilla's Victory<br />
20. Back To The Ocean</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-21160057586627709932014-04-05T17:16:00.000-07:002014-04-05T17:16:16.378-07:00"Godzilla" Extended Look Trailer Released<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJqXm_fIDpk/U0CbMSprKfI/AAAAAAAAcsU/9wjylx25ds0/s1600/godzilla-textless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJqXm_fIDpk/U0CbMSprKfI/AAAAAAAAcsU/9wjylx25ds0/s1600/godzilla-textless.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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A new "extended look" trailer for Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures Godzilla was released today:<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tXOqJ7jW0j4" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-67976732639109015332014-04-05T01:02:00.004-07:002014-04-05T01:02:50.339-07:00Godzilla "Courage" Teaser Trailer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures have released a new <i>Godzilla</i> teaser trailer that shows the Big G wreaking havoc.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1P-oy6AFR6U" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-61578241371606555052014-04-01T16:31:00.001-07:002014-04-01T16:31:26.083-07:00Godzilla - It Can't Be Stopped<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's the latest trailer from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. for <i>Godzilla</i>:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/M-dhm2Zy0so" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-52743996721846362592014-03-31T19:44:00.002-07:002014-03-31T19:44:13.773-07:00Godzilla "Demand To Know" Promo Poster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A new promotional image poster for Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla</i> "demand to know" the truth.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y39C4OI0MqQ/Uzol4r9lhyI/AAAAAAAAcnM/yBDUzuCtWvE/s1600/godzilla-image-promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y39C4OI0MqQ/Uzol4r9lhyI/AAAAAAAAcnM/yBDUzuCtWvE/s1600/godzilla-image-promo.jpg" height="640" width="432" /></a></div>
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-55875312275354199622014-03-24T20:08:00.003-07:002014-03-24T20:08:39.621-07:00Front View Godzilla Poster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures have released a new "full frontal" version of Godzilla poster. The movie is set to be released May 16.<br />
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Here's a textless version of the poster:
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1yontJ9TJB8/UzDwFNjZ55I/AAAAAAAAcbg/wrzG1rbKjz4/s1600/godzilla-textless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1yontJ9TJB8/UzDwFNjZ55I/AAAAAAAAcbg/wrzG1rbKjz4/s1600/godzilla-textless.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-49056603778999356072014-03-22T01:50:00.003-07:002014-03-22T01:50:48.179-07:00New "Godzilla" Posters and Banner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer
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Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures have released two new posters and a banner for the upcoming <i>Godzilla</i>.
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8DdYQs5ATs/Uy1MKudjZ_I/AAAAAAAAcXk/pFL2KngnZrM/s1600/GODZILLA_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8DdYQs5ATs/Uy1MKudjZ_I/AAAAAAAAcXk/pFL2KngnZrM/s1600/GODZILLA_poster.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></div>
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Looking at these reminded me that I detested the green color scheme of the TriStar Godzilla of 1998 with the silly tag line, "Size Does Matter."
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o05_4e0g2fQ/Uy1MZLvYupI/AAAAAAAAcXs/ZKDNpJ2hg0c/s1600/godzilla_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o05_4e0g2fQ/Uy1MZLvYupI/AAAAAAAAcXs/ZKDNpJ2hg0c/s1600/godzilla_banner.jpg" height="292" width="640" /></a></div>
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The new art conveys, at least to me anyway, the serious tone of the new movie. I like these.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SLhgzEet32c/Uy1MnyicAlI/AAAAAAAAcX0/Zf4X-f9Cd9A/s1600/GODZILLA_poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SLhgzEet32c/Uy1MnyicAlI/AAAAAAAAcX0/Zf4X-f9Cd9A/s1600/GODZILLA_poster2.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></div>
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This is definitely Godzilla, not some oversized iguana.</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-14052259469634854532014-03-18T18:23:00.002-07:002014-03-18T18:33:32.053-07:00"Godzilla" International Trailer Released<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Warner Bros. released their international trailer for <i>Godzilla</i> today and it appears to contain some additional footage that we haven't seen before.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tOelEIQHR_U" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-62415229097923490042014-02-28T20:59:00.003-08:002014-03-18T18:26:05.821-07:00Godzilla Snickers Ad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The advertising of products featuring Godzilla have started. Snickers has Godzilla playing ping pong and water skiing in this ad:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BkNeGDNhYZo?list=UUDviI62w0VbD_9oRNkV1Uig" width="560"></iframe></div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-67288471240595729092014-01-30T16:18:00.000-08:002014-01-30T16:18:02.972-08:00Warner Bros. Consumer Products Shakes Up Toy Fair Season With Humongous Licensing Programs, Including This Summer's Much-Anticipated Film Godzilla From Legendary Pictures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPSMTpIizOk/UurqgVyr0YI/AAAAAAAAbfI/k1GfhkZ87WY/s1600/Godzilla-header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPSMTpIizOk/UurqgVyr0YI/AAAAAAAAbfI/k1GfhkZ87WY/s1600/Godzilla-header.jpg" /></a><br />
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Source: Warner Bros. Press Release<span class="xn-location" itemprop="contentLocation" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Place"></span><br />
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<span class="xn-location" itemprop="contentLocation" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Place">BURBANK, Calif.</span>, <span class="xn-chron">Jan. 30, 2014</span> /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) is storming into the 2014 Toy Fair season with an impressive line-up of global licensees in support of the Studio's beloved entertainment properties, milestone anniversaries and upcoming theatrical debuts. Leading the way this year is the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, <i>Godzilla</i>, which hits theaters on <span class="xn-chron">May 16</span>, and will be supported with an epic toy line-up from master toy partner Bandai America Incorporated, and many more partners around the world. WBCP will also highlight Middle-earth with the long-awaited finale of <i>The Hobbit </i>Trilogy, <i>The Hobbit: There And Back Again</i>, supported by its strong roster of worldwide licensees. Additionally, <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> will lead WBCP's milestone celebrations in 2014, which will all see exciting licensing support from a number of cross-category partners this year. WBCP and its licensing partners from around the globe will also spotlight product inspired by fan favorites such as its DC Comics portfolio, including evergreen Super Heroes <i>Batman</i> and <i>Superman</i>, and <i>Looney Tunes</i>, <i>The Big Bang Theory</i>,<i> <span class="xn-person" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Harry Potter</span></span> </i>and more to round out the Studio's unrivaled portfolio.<span class="xn-location" itemprop="contentLocation" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Place"></span><br />
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(Logo: <a href="http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140130/NY56185LOGO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140130/NY56185LOGO</a> )<br />
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"With a host of renowned licensees signed on to support a broad spectrum of entertainment properties, Warner Bros. Consumer Products enters the 2014 Toy Fair season ready to delight," said Brad Globe, president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "And with fan excitement for Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' <i>Godzilla</i> running high, we're eager to bring the buzz to Toy Fair with a toy line-up that is fit for the 'King of the Monsters.'"<br />
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<b><i><u>Godzilla</u></i></b><b><u>: A Blockbuster <i>Block-Buster</i></u></b>With a nearly 60-year heritage, <i>Godzilla</i> and his trademark <i>ROAR</i> are recognized throughout the world by fans of all ages. Master toy partner Bandai America Incorporated will capture the thrills of the motion picture with an innovative line-up of toys inspired by the film. The highly anticipated film will also see support from JAKKS Pacific, Inc. as it brings this iconic and legendary figure to life with a line of large-scale figures and other toy products inspired by the "King of the Monsters"; Rubie's will design <i>Godzilla</i> costumes that are sure to delight children and adult fans; NECA will also be supporting<i> Godzilla</i> with a comprehensive line of novelty and collector toys across a variety of price points; and Sideshow Collectibles will offer authentic statues; among many other partners around the world.<br />
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For more, go <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/warner-bros-consumer-products-shakes-up-toy-fair-season-with-humongous-licensing-programs-including-this-summers-much-anticipated-film-godzilla-from-legendary-pictures-242816501.html">here</a>.<br />
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-49444675122190392302014-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:002014-01-23T17:35:27.690-08:00Rebuttal To Forbes' "Godzilla" Flop Prediction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by Armand Vaquer<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G0AuIdKtsn0/UuGlPooYDdI/AAAAAAAAbYw/yf-t4giIug8/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G0AuIdKtsn0/UuGlPooYDdI/AAAAAAAAbYw/yf-t4giIug8/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above, the Hibiya Godzilla statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.</i></td></tr>
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It may happen, and it may not.<br />
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John Furrier, a contributor to Forbes.com, predicts that the upcoming Legenday Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla </i>will be a box office flop. He named it as number one of three big Hollywood productions that will be flops in 2014.<br />
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On <i>Godzilla</i>, he wrote:
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Following are our predictions and analysis for the Top Three biggest flops of 2014, in order of magnitude (net loss): </blockquote>
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1)<i>Godzilla</i>. Hands down, “Godzilla” will be the biggest box office bomb of 2014. Godzilla as a character is box office poison. The fact is the last 3 Godzilla movies released domestically have flopped: “Godzilla 1985” made $4M; “Godzilla 2000” made a whopping $10M and the last attempt at a Hollywood-style big budget remake, also called “Godzilla” bombed so bad that its lead toy licensee went bankrupt. Had the movie made a profit the studio wouldn’t have just let the rights expire in 2003 without even attempting a reboot or sequel. They had 5 years to make a new film based on this property yet they passed. Think about it—Sony, the studio that greenlights sequels to most anything—”Resident Evil 6″ is on the horizon and don’t forget about “Underworld 5″—walked away from investing another cent in Godzilla.</blockquote>
Furrier neglects to factor the 1985 dollars and adjust them to inflation when it comes to <i>Godzilla 1985</i>. Plus, the studio who produced and distributed it paid relatively a paltry sum. So, $4 million in 1985 dollars was not that bad a return.<br />
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On <i>Godzilla 2000</i>, the movie was poorly marketed and many people thought it was a sequel to the 1998 Matthew Broderick disaster, which, by the way, deserved to flop. It didn't look like Godzilla or act like Godzilla. Additionally, he fails to mention that both <i>Godzilla</i> (1998) and <i>Godzilla 2000</i> made money in the home video (VHS, DVD) market. (<i>Godzilla 1985</i> is currently in limbo as far as home video rights are concerned.)<br />
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So far, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. seem to be doing everything right this time. Whether this translates to "more butts in seats" remains to be seen. The fan buzz on the movie has been very positive. That's another thing Furrier neglected to consider. Godzilla has a fan base (although not as big as the Star Wars or Star Trek fan bases) that will drum up more positive buzz should the movie meet their expectations. Good word-of-mouth is something that cannot be ignored.<br />
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To read the full article (Furrier does have more to say on <i>Godzilla</i>), go <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/siliconangle/2014/01/23/hollywood-is-godzilla-the-john-carter-of-2014/">here</a>.
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-56630928363459405872014-01-22T19:14:00.002-08:002014-01-22T19:14:43.392-08:00"Godzilla: Awakening" Announced<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TVAhDLDbeW8/UuCHuHDqPhI/AAAAAAAAbX0/gRy4khu8waM/s1600/Godzilla+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TVAhDLDbeW8/UuCHuHDqPhI/AAAAAAAAbX0/gRy4khu8waM/s1600/Godzilla+poster.jpg" height="640" width="432" /></a></div>
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Legendary Pictures has announced a graphic novel movie tie-in, <i>Godzilla: Awakening.</i><br />
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</i> According to <a href="http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2014/01/legendary-releasing-godzilla-new-graphic-novel-godzilla-awakening-may-7th/">We Are Movie Geeks.com</a> :
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You can experience Legendary’s GODZILLA before it hits theaters in the all-new graphic novel ‘Godzilla: Awakening’, on sale May 7th Get all the info here: </blockquote>
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<span style="color: red;"><strong><a href="http://www.legendary.com/news/godzilla-awakening" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/GZAwakening</a></strong></span> </blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.legendary.com/news/godzilla-awakening" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><strong></strong></span></a>Co-written by Greg Borenstein and Max Borenstein (screenwriter of the forthcoming movie), this epic adventure, set decades before the film, is the perfect way for fans to experience the new Godzilla before seeing it in theaters.</blockquote>
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Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941063564945505857.post-41441888453808406422013-12-23T16:32:00.000-08:002013-12-23T16:32:11.280-08:00Japanese "Godzilla" Site Game<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have you ever imagined yourself as Godzilla and set about destroying cities and killing other monsters?<br />
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The Japanese website for the Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. <i>Godzilla</i> has an arcade game where you can do just that, along with sound effects!<br />
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To give it a try, go <a href="http://godzilla.jp/">here</a>.</div>
Armand Vaquerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13111693826245895173noreply@blogger.com0