"Shin Godzilla" Stomping Back Into Theaters

Above, Shin Godzilla. Toho Co., Ltd photo.

If you haven't seen Shin Godzilla on the big screen, you will have a chance to do so this summer. It is going to be re-released and tickets are now going on sale.

MSN reported:

GKIDS has officially announced the theatrical return of Shin Godzilla, the critically acclaimed 2016 entry in the long-running kaiju franchise directed by Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and co-directed by Shinji Higuchi (Shin Ultraman). Tickets are now on sale for the film’s nationwide release onAugust 14, with select screenings available in 4DX and D-BOX, giving fans a fully immersive experience as the monstrous terror resurfaces in Tokyo Bay, along with a new trailer for the epic take on the legendary monster.

Shin Godzilla is decidedly a quirky entry. Many Godzilla fans didn't like it at first, but some (like me) have grown to like it. It is a take on the kaiju that is definitely different than what fans are used to.

To read more, go here.

20th Anniversary of "Gamera 3"

When one gets to a certain age, time seems to accelerate. A lot of us "old-timers" think that "twenty years ago" means the 1970s or 1980s.

Actually, strange as it may seem, twenty years ago was 1999. And, on March 6, 1999, the release of  Daiei's Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris (the title given on IMDb) took place in Japan. The movie was directed Shusuke Kaneko.

The storyline (in case you geezers forgot):

This final installment of the recent Gamera trilogy begins with schoolgirl Ayana discovering a large egg in a cave that, according to legend, houses demons. The egg hatches into a small monster, which Ayana decides to raise and quickly develops as psychic bond with. As Ayana's monster, named Iris, grows to adulthood, the flying turtle Gamera begins to take an interest in this new potential threat. Who will be the victor in the final battle, and how much of Japan will be left standing at the end?

To this day, the movie's special effects are considered by many to be the best ever of all traditional Japanese "suitmation and miniatures" special effects. They were directed by Shinji Higuchi.

Well, happy 20th anniversary!

No "Shin Godzilla" Sequel Until After 2020

Above, the Godzilla mural at Toho Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A sequel to Toho's Shin Godzilla won't be produced until after 2020, according to Comicbook.com.

It is strange that this is being reported only now when co-director Shinji Higuchi stated as such at last summer's G-FEST. G-FEST is held every July in the Chicago area.

Comicbook.com wrote:

Did you enjoy Toho's new take on Godzilla in Shin Godzilla? Too bad it won't get a follow-up for a few years. 

Speaking at a Q&A during G-Fest XXIV, Shin Godzilla co-director Shinji Higuchi detailed the Godzilla rights deal Toho had made with Legendary Pictures. It turns out the multi-year partnership with Legendary allows the Western film company to make Godzilla films like 2014's Godzilla, and the upcoming sequel Godzilla: King of the Monsters but not leaving room for much else. 

With Legendary planning to produce an eventual crossover with Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. King Kong in 2020, Toho actually can't make another Godzilla film until after 2020. Meaning that any hope for a quick turn around on a Shin Godzilla has been dashed.

To read more, go here. 

We Waited 12 Years For This?

Review of Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) by Armand Vaquer.

Above, this shot of Pete Brothers may reflect our
feelings of Shin Godzilla. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

UPDATE (10/15/16): Today, I screened the movie for the second time. My enjoyment of it has changed since I wrote the review below. To read my second review (this is a first for me), go here.

October 12 on my calendar was originally going to be the day that my Small Claims Court case against my ex-fiancee would have been heard, had we not gone on Hot Bench last month instead. After seeing Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) last night, something tells me that an appearance in Small Claims Court would have been much more entertaining.

Above, the Shin Godzilla poster at the theater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the entrance to the auditorium. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Peter H. Brothers and I met up at the Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 theaters to see the movie. Before going inside the auditorium, I perused a collection of Star Wars figures by Sideshow Collectibles in the theater lobby. Surprisingly, we were joined by Brant Elliott, who also happened to attend this screening and bought a ticket for the seat next to Pete. I hadn't seen Brant in years and it was a nice reunion.

Above, Brant Elliott and Peter H. Brothers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I purposely avoided reading any fan reviews of Shin Godzilla so I could make up my own mind about the film and to avoid any spoilers.

Some fans said the movie was "different" and "interesting". Yes, I have to agree to both adjectives. "Entertaining" is not an adjective that I would bestow upon it, however. It started with a lot of promise, but was a disaster soon after.

Above, Pete Brothers and Armand at the bar following the movie. Photo by Brant Elliott.

For starters, the movie was about 95% talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk-talk by bureaucrats of various ministries of the Japanese government on dealing with the situation of Godzilla. That is fine to poke fun at the farcical ways the machinery of how government operates, particularly the Japanese way of "governing by committee". But to make that 95% of the movie was overkill at its worst.

Above, Han Solo in carbonite in the theater lobby
 by Sideshow Collectibles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Next, the editing and structure of the movie was horrendous. Scenes were constantly jumping from one bureaucrat to another, with a little Godzilla thrown in on occasion. That was tiring! There was no continuity to the movie and there were no likable characters. There was no real storytelling. It almost makes Godzilla Final Wars (2004) a masterpiece of cinema in comparison (and I liked that movie)! It was a mess! Hideaki Anno, who directed the movie, may be a good anime director, but he completely ruined the Toho Godzilla's return.

The only redeeming feature of the movie are the special effects by Shinji Higuchi. They were inspired and innovative at times (I loved the scenes of boats being shoved aside on a river by a submerged Godzilla, which in his "early form", resembled a plucked Thanksgiving turkey). Those scenes reminded me of the tsunami footage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Still, while the special effects were great, there was not enough Godzilla in the movie.

While it was nice to hear some of Akira Ifukube's Godzilla themes, the film had no coherent score to speak of.

One has to wonder, "What was Toho thinking?" when they greenlighted this movie.

Above, Yoda in the theater lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has to rank as the worst Godzilla movie ever. Even worse than the 1998 American fiasco! At least G.I.N.O. (as we fans call the 1998 Godzilla by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin) had some storytelling to it.

I promised I'd take Jessica, my ex-roommate, to see it on Saturday. I guess I'll have to endure it again.

I very much wanted to enjoy the return of Toho's Godzilla, but this movie completely let me down, I'm sorry to say.

My grade: D-.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Update

Above, the Godzilla mural at Toho Studios will be included in the new edition. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Things are progressing on the new, updated edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

I have selected the publishing program, the publisher and most of it is written. I am waiting, at present, for more information on the new Toho Pictures production of Shin Godzilla (to be called Godzilla Resurgence outside of Japan). Also, I am trying to decide on what photograph to use on the cover. Maybe I'll post a poll or survey of some kind involving Godzilla fans to see what photo they like.

Above, the life-size Godzilla in Shinjuku will be also
included in the new edition. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have contacted director Shinji Higuchi for information on the locations and/or landmarks used in the movie so that they can be included. Fans would then be able to go to those places when they visit Japan.

Stay tuned!

Japan Times: Japan's New Godzilla Will Not Be Cuddly or Kitschy

Above, the Godzilla statue at the main entrance to Toho Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Times has posted an article featuring the director of the new Toho Godzilla movie, Shinji Higuchi.

According to the article:

Radiation-breathing Godzilla destroyed so many cities and fought so many monsters, the original Japanese film series outgrew its budget and audience. 

Shinji Higuchi, the director and special-effects whiz chosen by Toho Co. for the made-in-Japan revival of the series, plans to go back to the basics for the new installment, while still looking to surprise. 

Higuchi is hoping to one-up last year’s Hollywood version, with not only the biggest Godzilla yet, but one that takes up challenges previous ones haven’t attempted.

Above, a sound stage at Toho Studios where the next Godzilla will begin filming next month. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Shooting of Toho's Godzilla movie begins next month, mostly at Toho Studios in the Setagaya section of Tokyo.

To read more, go here. 

New Toho Godzilla To Be Biggest Ever

Above, the Godzilla slide at Kurihama Flower World in Yokosuka, Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The announcement Toho's creative team of Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi for their soon-to-be-produced Godzilla movie set Godzilla fandom abuzz.

The Japan Times now has an article on the team as well. Plus, they have included some interesting tidbits.

They wrote:

Toho have confirmed [nice bit of "Engrish" here] the newest version of its 61-year-old radioactive monster will outsize all previous versions — including the 108-meter-tall version featured in the recent Hollywood production of the series directed by Gareth Edwards.

The new Godzilla flick begins production this autumn and its release is scheduled for 2016.

To read more, go here. 

Evangelion and Attack on Titan Directors Team Up On New Toho Godzilla

Above, the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This may have been a poor choice of a day to make an announcement like this (being this is April Fool's Day), but here goes.

Rocket News 24 reported:

Do you like Evangelion? Do you like Attack on Titan?

Well then good news! It’s just been announced that the directors of both those movies, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, are working on the upcoming 2016 Japanese Godzilla reboot film. With both of them having plenty of experience creating huge mechs and huge Titans, we can only expect that this Godzilla movie is going to be… well, huge!

To read more, go here.

Bye-Bye Shibuya Station (As We Know It)

Above, a nighttime shot of Shibuya Station in 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was announced last year that Shibuya Station will be undergoing a multi-year redevelopment. The project is expected to be completed in 2027. Go here to get an idea what changes will be made.

Shibuya Station is familiar to kaiju fans for being a battleground for Gamera and Gyaos in Gamera 3:Revenge of Irys (1999). Once completed, the station will not look as it did in the movie. Now is the time for fans to visit Shibuya Station if they want to see it before most of the present structures are demolished. Shibuya is featured on page 27 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

As I mentioned above, Shibuya Station was featured in Gamera 3. The sequence begins with a burning Gyaos falling from the sky onto the section of the station housing the JR Yamanote Line. This sequence, by special effects director Shinji Higuchi, features some of the most effective usages of actual locations and landmarks in a kaiju movie since Godzilla (1954). 

Gamera 3 was released 15 years ago, but no other kaiju movie using "suitmation" and miniatures has yet topped its special effects. It is difficult to tell when the actual buildings end and the miniatures begin, they're that good.

Here is part one of a documentary on the making of Gamera 3:

Here's some photos of the Shibuya Station sequence:

Above, a burning Gyaos falls onto Shibuya Station.

Above, a JR Yamanote Line train is about to be demolished by the crashing Gyaos.

Above, after landing, Gamera heads over to Shibuya Station to finish off the badly wounded Gyaos.

Above, in finishing off the Gyaos, Gamera also blasts apart Shibuya Station.

Vacation In Japan and Become A Movie Extra In "Attack On Titan"

A familiar name, who raised the bar in Japanese special effects in the 1990s, is helming a new live-action movie, Attack On Titan. It is scheduled to be released in 2015.

But that's not the story. The story came from Rocket News 24 and it states that extras will be needed and a travel agency has a deal for those who are interested in traveling to Japan and become an extra.

Here's part of what they wrote:

Japan loves package tours. For many of them, you meet up with your tour guide and fellow travelers, hop on a bus for the countryside, then spend a few days relaxing in a hotel with some occasional shopping or sampling of local delicacies. It’s more or less the definition of safe and convenient, if not exactly exciting, travel. 

If you’re looking for a trip with a little more adrenaline, though, there’s a tour next month that includes an activity set to get any anime fan’s pulse racing: helping to create the Attack on Titan live-action movie. 

Not content with their domination of the manga and anime worlds, the Titans are next advancing into live-action film, with director Shinji Higuchi helming the project, which is set to premiere in 2015. It’s also cast the lead role of Eren Jaeger, who’ll be played by popular actor Haruma Miura, and the producers have decided on a handful of filming locations, as well. 

What the movie still needs, though, are extras, which is where Japan’s largest travel provider, JTB, comes in. If you’re looking to take a trip from June 7-10, JTB will take you, plus the 49 other Attack on Titan fans it hopes to recruit, to the movie’s filming site in Ibaraki Prefecture to help bring the immensely popular animated series to life.

So, if you have nothing to do June 7-10 and would like to visit Japan and be in a movie, this is your chance!

To find out the details on this offer, go here.

Bleeding Cool Looks At The Gamera Trilogy of the 1990s

Above, Sendai Station is featured (and blown up by a Legion flower pod) in Gamera 2. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ten more days from now, the new Godzilla epic will be unleashed on theaters across the United States (some lucky countries will have it in theaters a day earlier).

In the meantime, Bleeding Cool takes a look back at Japan's other big-name kaiju, Gamera. They focus in on the "Heisei Trilogy" of movies produced in the 1990s by Daiei and directed by Shusuke Kaneko.

They begin with:

For the fans and pop culture watchers who like to watch these things, the new Godzilla movie is eagerly-awaited, and the studios are taking advantage of this interest by releasing the older movies on remastered Blu-Ray, including the darker, more series movies from the 1990′s. 

There is, however, another Dai Kaiju series that deserves attention, and that is the Gamera Trilogy from the 1990′s. These movies are considered by fans of the genre to be the ones the new Godzilla movie has to beat.

The article has one interesting line:

 What Alan Moore did for Swamp Thing, this trilogy of movies did for a giant flying turtle.

Of the three Shusuke-directed Gamera movies, my favorite is Gamera 2: Advent of Legion. It has plenty of monster action with great special effects by Shinji Higuchi and topped off with an interesting and compelling story.

Above, the tickets to the April 29, 2006 Gamera The Brave premiere in Tokyo.

The article leaves out 2006's Gamera The Brave (also known as Gamera, The Little Braves). It is not part of the Heisei Trilogy and is (at least so far) a stand-alone film. It is a lot better (as a film) than most of the Showa Gamera movies. I attended the 2006 premiere of Gamera The Brave in Tokyo.

To read the full article, go here.

NY Times: "Rubber-suit Monsters Fade. Tiny Tokyos Relax"

Above, the statue of Godzilla at Toho Studios.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The New York Times, of all places, has an interesting article, "Rubber-suit Monsters Fade. Tiny Tokyos Relax."

The article discusses the dying art of rubber-suited monsters and miniatures and replacement by computer-generated monsters.

The article reads in part:

For decades, Japanese studios dazzled, terrified and tickled global audiences with monster movies and television shows featuring actors in rubber suits laying waste to scaled-down Tokyos, or dueling atop miniaturized Mt. Fujis. The genre, known here as “tokusatsu,” or “special filming,” helped take the Japanese film industry global by creating such fabled creatures as Godzilla and Mothra, pioneering the way for other fantasy genres like animé. 

But now, in an era when lifelike digital effects have made the use of small models and suited actors look quaint and kitschy, tokusatsu is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. The last Godzilla movie shot in this style, the aptly named “Godzilla Final Wars,” was released almost a decade ago, after a half-century span during which the creature appeared in 28 films, sometimes every year. 

The article includes quotes from special-effects wizard Shinji Higuchi and our favorite Godzilla suit-actor, Haruo Nakajima.

To read the article, go here.

"Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris" Saturday On UTB

The Los Angeles-area UTB television Japanese network will be showing Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris this coming Saturday afternoon.

From the station's website:

June 27th（SAT） 3pm - 5pm

GAMERA 3 Revenge of Iris

I’ll never forgive Gamera. The end of the century. The supermutant Gyaos appear all over the world and finally emerge in Shibuya. Gamera chases Gyaos to Tokyo. Shibuya is destroyed by the battle of the two monsters. Meanwhile, a young girl named Ayana, whose parents were killed in the monsters’ battle four years ago, begins to raise a mysterious creature she calls Iris in hopes that it will kill Gamera.

Daiei's (now Kadokawa Pictures) Gamera 3 is considered by many Japanese science-fiction/kaiju fans as the high point in Japanese special effects. It was shown at G-FEST '99 in Hollywood to a packed house at the Egyptian Theater. It was directed by Shusuke Kaneko, with special effects directed by Shinji Higuchi.

Long-Haired Giant Monster: Gehara

A new made-for-television daikaiju parody mini-movie 「長髪大怪獣ゲハラ」 (Chohatsu Daikaiju Gehara) or Long-Haired Giant Monster: Gehara is set for broadcast on February 24 as part of a 50-minute special. The mini-movie has a 15-minute running time.

Cult writer/Artist/Painter Master Jun Miura teamed up with spfx master Shinji Higuchi (the 1990s Gamera trilogy) to create this feature.

August Ragone's blog, The Good, The Bad and Godzilla has the full story on this feature. To read it, go here.