Noblemen06 said:
Agreed on Godzilla Minus One; I don't think an American Godzilla can match the cultural essence of the Japanese iterations - especially the good ones that are allegories for certain "pains" the Japanese people endured. Seems like American studios see them for "big monster destroys city" spectacle and not much more. There's space for that kind of movie but the better Japanese versions hit harder for telling more than a monster movie story.
Oh, I agree.
Think back to 1998 when we got that first American Godzilla. Which turned out to be a freaking iguana that bore a resemblance to Jay Leno and ended up like a cheap Aliens ripoff (the eggs in MSG). There was so much promise around that movie, and then it went belly up faster than one could say boo.
I had so much fun with the first two monsterverse Godzilla movies, especially the second one, that I am always going to rate them highly. But they are different than what you're calling the best of the Japanese versions of these movies. You are correct - they are largely just big monster tear down building destruction movies. For me, G: KOTM was like being a kid again, getting to see Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra on screen put a big smile on my face. Fun movie.
Godzilla Minus One didn't have that kind of fun. It was a serious story, but nevertheless, I watched that one too with a big grin. I'll put this in spoilers since it's still new.
Tying that movie to the closing days of WWII and the immediate aftermath paid huge dividends. It literally is the only Godzilla movie that I can recall giving more than a moment's care about any of the human characters. Prior to that, the people in Godzilla movies exist simply to be stepped on or fried in nuclear fire breath. As a WWII nut, I was able to empathize with the former kamikaze, and with the people of Japan who had seen their homes reduced to rubble via American firebombing raids. So with that foundation of interesting characters, their plight was magnified with the introduction of a pissed off mutated dinosaur intent on adding to their rubble and destruction. I mean, who among us ever had serious thoughts regarding a Godzilla movie? They managed to do that with this movie.
