Eight Years Since Hollywood

Above, Godzilla "sanitizing" his Hollywood Walk of Fame star with his atomic breath.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Jay Grymyr, who posts his "Today In G-History" goodies here and there, noted today's highlight:

2004: Godzilla receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and "Godzilla: Final Wars" has its world premiere at Mann's Chinese Theater.

Actually, the name of the theater was reverted back to Grauman's Chinese Theater some time before.  But that's just a minor quibble.

It is hard to believe how fast eight years has passed since the events of that weekend in Hollywood.  They were set up to celebrate Godzilla's 50th anniversary and to promote Godzilla Final Wars.

The night before, the Hollywood Christmas Parade was held and Toho Co., Ltd. entered the Godzilla Final Wars float.  They asked me to write up the announcer's commentary as it passed by the reviewing stand.  The announcer: D.J. Rick Dees and it was broadcast worldwide.

Above, the late Johnny Grant officiates the Walk of Fame ceremony.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Toho had also asked me to pen the History of Godzilla for the Walk of Fame ceremony for the late Johnny Grant.  I threw in several names of various kaiju that Godzilla fought over his then-fifty-year history.  Grant botched the pronunciation of most of them, much to the amusement of the crowd of Godzilla fans in attendance (the numbers of fans there appeared to have been matched by the number of the Japanese media present).

Fan esteem of Godzilla Final Wars is still mixed.  Either they like the movie or detest it.  There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground and the debate over the movie persists to this day.  (I happen to enjoy the movie.  It is flawed and a bit wacky, but I still was entertained by it.)

Above, Godzilla blasts the press at the Walk of Fame ceremony.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The premiere of Godzilla Final Wars was capped by an after-party hosted by Toho at the Hollywood Blvd. & Highland Ave. complex that housed the Kodak Theater.

At that time, I must point out, Toho announced that Godzilla would be put on a ten-year hiatus as box office receipts plummeted.  We're nearing ten years and the only Godzilla project in progress is the Legendary Pictures/Warner Brothers Godzilla, due to be released in 2014, Godzilla's 60th anniversary.

Thus far, Toho has not announced any plans to produce a Godzilla project of their own.