GOJIRA NI-SEN MIRENIAMU (1999)
The Godzilla Prediction Network (GPN) studies and tracks Godzilla as it appears off the coast of Nemuro. It completely destroys the city. Then scientists discover a 60,000,000 year old fossil in the ocean that gets its energy from the sun. The rock heads for an encounter with Godzilla in Tokai Mura. Godzilla uses his atomic breath to break the rock, revealing a UFO. It flies away to the city of Shinjuku, pursued by Godzilla.
The UFO needs a type of DNA to replicate, and it obtains it from Godzilla. With Godzilla's DNA the UFO changes into a physical form called Millennian. However, the DNA is uncontrollable and Millennnian mutates into a hideous monster called Ogra. In Shinjuku Godzilla destroys Ogra with his atomic breath.
Customer 1: "Ah, this damn teriyaki is cold again."
Customer 2: "Huh, but as long as the beer is cold, who cares?"
Shop Owner: "You clobs don't like it, there's plenty of other places to eat around here, so shut up or get out."
(room shakes, Godzilla arrives)
Yuki Ichinose: "Don't you think this is a little too close?"
Yuji Shinoda: "I need to get as close as possible. If you don't like it, go home and watch it on TV."
Io Shinoda: "You really are an imbecile."
(closing scene of US Version)
Shiro Miyasaka: "We scientists produced this monster... Godzilla. And ever since, we tried to destroy him."
(Godzilla continues to trample through Shinjuku)
Yuki Ichinose: "But then, why... Why does he keep protecting us?"
Yuji Shinoda: "Maybe because... Godzilla is inside each one of us."
Godzilla 2000 is one of the best Godzilla movies. It effectively ignores the continuity established by most previous Godzilla films and returns to the original GODZILLA (1954). In other words, Godzilla is a frightening major disaster, not a cute superhero for kids. This film is intended to inaugurate the Godzilla Millennium Series. GODZILLA 2000 runs 107 minutes in the Japanese version, and 99 minutes in the US version. Furthermore, the US version has some new music, sound effects, and the dialogue is somewhat humourous and tongue-in-cheek compared to the more serious Japanese version. This is the highest grossing Godzilla movie, raking in approximately $25 million.
The cast includes: Takehiro Murata (Prof. Yuji Shinoda), Hiroshi Abe (Mitsuo Katagiri), Tsutomu Kitagawa (Gojira), Makoto Ito (Oruga), Naomi Nishida (Yuki Ichinose), Mayu Suzuki (Io Shinoda), Shiro Sano (Prof. Shiro Miyasaka), Shiro Namiki, Sakae Kimura, Kenichi Nagira, Kenichi Ishii, Yoshimasa Kondo, Yoshiyi Omori, Koichi Ueda, Masahiko Nishimura, Satomi Achiwa, Atsuko Kohata, Yutaka Matsushige, Dangaruriyasu, Daisuke Ishizuka, Yoshikazu Ishii, Terumi Yoshida, and many others. The script was written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara, Wataru Mimura, and Michael Schlesinger. Music was composed by Takayki Hattori. Takao Okawara directed.
The first movie, GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (1954) is a b & w classic starring Raymond Burr. I prefer GODZILLA 1985, essentially a remake or sequel to the original, but in colour and also with Burr. Godzilla is a prehistoric creature awakened or created by atomic testing in the ocean, and it destroys much of Tokyo.
Originally named "Gojira" in Japan, Toho Studios cranked out over a dozen Godzilla movies. Sometimes he is the enemy, but in most movies he has degenerated into a mere superhero that saves Tokyo and Earth from other monsters, aliens, and threats.
GODZILLA vs. MECHAGODZILLA (1974) is one of my favorites. GODZILLA vs. MONSTER ZERO (1966) is another. The ones I don't like are the cheapies where you can see the zipper in the front of the rubber costume. Godzilla actually talks in GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND (1972), but doesn't say much.
Other Japanese movie monsters include: Rodan, Mothra, Manda, Megalon, Ghidrah, Hedora, Gigan, Gamera, Anguirus, Meganulon, Moguera, Varan, Yog, Maguma, Baragon, Sanda, Gaira, Ebirah, Gabara, Gezora, Ganimes, Kamoebas, and Biollante. Godzilla sometimes encounters these creatures, which the Japanese call "kaiju".
The very worst movie is the so-called GODZILLA (1998), the American-made travesty indistinguishable from the JURASSIC PARK movies. The digital monsters don't look, behave or sound like Godzilla, who has no interest in New York City.
