Godzilla Stands Strong In Face Of Naysayers ..
Godzilla Stands Strong In Face Of Naysayers
LatestBuzz.info isn’t going to spoil the fun in explaining each character and every aspect of the plot in a step by step written account of the new Godzilla movie (otherwise one could understandably argue that there’s not as much point to going and seeing a film after such reviews are written..). As well, we’re not going to waste time in telling you how much Godzilla has grossed at the box office thus far. We’re pretty sure you already understand the recent major release about the 60 year old monster did/ is doing quite well. Godzilla stood strong in the face of a few of those who may of felt that the creature lost it’s attraction before her latest resurfacing. In fact and some what unpredictably, Godzilla was sort of this spring’s success story. What we will tell you in relation to these things is that Godzilla is worth the price of admission and that you will not be disappointed in shelling out $10.00 dollars to go see the film if you still have the chance. Nuff said in those regards. Read on ..
The main intent in this review is to discuss some under exposed (and pretty neat) production tidbits in the making of this big budget Godzilla release after we talk a bit about the actual basis/conception of the monster itself. Godzilla is most certainly an extremely well-known monster. However, the truth of the matter is that there is no major consensus, or general understanding of what the monster actually is or of it’s original conception by many. Let’s get to that ..
Godzilla is technically 60 years old this year. The first appearance of the monster came in the benchmark film titled by director Ishiro Honda in 1954. The film was produced by the Japanese Production and Distribution company *Toho Co. Ltd. If you have followed Godzilla to any degree of seriousness over the years, it is most likely that you heard the term “Toho” or “Toho Group” in some association. The Japan based Movie Production Company made the very first, and several Godzilla films making the character famous world-wide.
Godzilla is mix of life forms in being an amphibian, a reptile and as well part dinosaur, part modern day alligator. The character is largely the supposed result of a an atomic bomb, who by default stays in the sea until she get restless (nobody’s entirely sure of the actual sex of Godzilla, but it would be an interesting twist if Godzilla was actually female so we labeled the beast as “she” for this era). Versions of Godzilla sometimes appeared bearing scars due to the blast of nuclear weapons. The nuclear attack and destruction of Japan in WWII was still plenty strong in the citizens minds throughout their country at the time of Godzilla’s introduction in 1954. Basing a creature as a result of a nuclear weapon was done partly to instill fear or excitement in Japanese viewers (and it worked). Though it’s not incredibly well-known, Godzilla is coined “King of the Monsters” and while certainly slightly kitsch, still an icon none-the-less.
From a Production Aspect .. What Made The Film Redeeming?
Image courtesy of sfxman.com
Cast in charcoal grey for most showings (every here and again the creature is colored green) it’s best known trait is it’s incredible roar. The roar of Godzilla is easily it’s most notable attribute and the sound team spent a total of three years in trying to get the most chillingly terrifying product, while making it as largely perceived as possible. The 2014 film’s sound designer Erik Aadahl went a major step further on the latter, in using an 18-foot-wide gargantuan speaker set which was directly from The Rolling Stones audio touring rig in order to blast Godzilla’s roar at right around 100,000 blaring watts in recreating it’s abrasive, unnerving trademark exclamation through-out city streets. The sound team used the actual “original” roar in the 1954 film as a base for developing the 2014 version. The audio engineers added a more open, widened image of the sound by way of standard post production multitracking, and an audio technique known as “panning”. Panning separates elements in a mix and can be used to widen the sonic image by essentially moving, spatially arranging tracks (sounds) within the listening field.
Godzilla can be portrayed as a good creature in some films, an evil barbarian in others. At times, and in certain Godzilla films the creature is indifferent, as it battles other nuclear born beasts. It is perhaps of the very few creatures that does not always carry the same general intent. The current film’s director is Gareth Edwards. Edwards was inspired by the films Jaws, Aliens, and naturally the 1933 original of King Kong in directing the latest Godzilla film. Gareth Edwards added a few of his own physical image ideas for Godzilla in using some slight traits of a based on a bear and an eagle for his particular monster incarnation. Cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey first used vintage camera lenses from the 1960’s in shooting the giant, and then later various tints were added digitally in trying to bring about a sort of retro, highlighted look to the creature in several scenes.
While the films director, sound team, and set designers purposefully kept Ishiro Honda’s 1954 original most in mind as the aural and visual influence (which is something sort of “kewl” for the hard-core’s) in creating this 2014 updated version, other adaptations of the monster through-out the years were also taken into account. Reviews for the latest Godzilla film are basically all positive and people have taken interest. This film actually had very little, if any media build-up and it seemed to come out of nowhere.. Who would of thought just three or four short years ago that Godzilla would be making a comeback?
Though there are many releases and incarnations of the character over the past 60 years, the beast hasn’t exactly been front page news for quite a while. In the latest bold (yet successful) attempt in using this monster in such a major budget motion picture we should seriously consider paraphrasing LL Cool J for this one .. by stating that it’s not a comeback .. “‘Godzilla’ has been here for years”. The proof’s is in the pudding, here we are in the modern day of 2014 and surprisingly, Godzilla hasn’t lost any of it’s acceptance – enjoy.
If you think this article concerning what type of creature Godzilla actually is was sort of enlightening .. and you appreciated the behind-the-scenes production aspects that make Gareth Edward’s 2014 Godzilla the same or different than those in the past.. Go ahead and share it on your favorite social networking website by simply selecting one of the icons just below…
Posted by Latest Buzz -
on Jun 5 2014. Filed under Ratings/Reviews.
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