Godzilla: A Case For Optimism

The year is 1998, cinema-goers flock to the multiplex, popcorn and fizzy pop in hand. There is an air of anticipation as they take their seats. They’ve been waiting for this moment – a moment that’s been half a century in the making. Fast forward two hours later, and the same crowd shuffles out, scowls etched across their faces. The neutrals had a pleasant enough time, sure, but the real fans – fans invested heavily in the mythos of the character – were left feeling bitter and disappointed. They’d gone in looking for Hollywood’s version of Godzilla and came out wondering when they were going to see it. Sixteen years later, they might have finally found one. Now, if taken as a stand-alone monster movie, Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla isn’t that bad – it’s fast-paced, funny and utilizes some very impressive CGI work (for the time anyway). The problem is that this isn’t just a stand-alone film, and - as an American reincarnation of the King of the Monsters – the 1998 Godzilla abandons the wildly successful canon and lore that surrounds the most popular ‘kaiju’ of them all. So, why are we getting so excited again? Well, there are two reasons really - the seal of approval the legendary Toho Company have given the 2014 revamp, and the talent attached to the picture. Oh yes, if you weren't quite ready for the latest Godzilla outing, then this might just put you in the mood. Last month, it was announced that the Toho Film Company have already seen the movie and given it a big thumbs up. In the past, they've been a tough team to please when it comes to the crowning jewel in their expansive body of work. In fact, they hated the 1998 film so much that they re-acquired the rights to the character and had the ‘real’ Godzilla blow up Emmerich’s poor excuse in the 2004 film, Godzilla: Final Wars. Humorous as this seems, Toho have a pretty strong track record when it comes to protecting their prized asset. For example, in April 2008, Toho sued Subway for copyright infringement after Subway used an advertisement depicting a monster similar to Godzilla. That's not all though, as they've also tackled car company Honda and even the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for using the image or Gojira name for their own products. The fact that they have this history regarding the beast is an attractive prospect for the upcoming release, especially seeing as though they have given the finished product their blessing - the same, sadly, cannot be said about the unfortunate 1998 'Zilla'. But why are Toho so protective of Godzilla’s legacy? And what should we expect from this latest instalment that has them grinning from ear to ear? Well, considering the film leans towards the more ‘fantastical’ area of filmmaking and cinema, it is somewhat surprising to discover the origins of the character lie in the harrowing history of the Japanese nation. The idea stems from the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – the two places obliterated by the American nuclear bomb during the Second World War; and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Daigo Fukuryū Maru – a fishing boat caught up in the nuclear fallout following the United States' Castle Bravo thermonuclear device test on Bikini Atoll. Godzilla – being radioactive – is the biological reincarnation of such power, and has been since his first outing way back in 1954. From there, we’ve seen 28 films, spanning half a century, all of which showcased disaster to an unprecedented magnitude. If this makes anything clear it is this – Godzilla has not only been a staple of Japanese culture, but the country’s scarred heritage as well. Speaking of scars, some of the more observant viewers will notice keloid scarring traced across Godzilla's scales, evident in the few shots we have actually seen - even this was a conscious decision it seems. The attribute could be a throwback to the original creature design, who also wore the wounds of past conflicts. This was a move on Toho's part to pay tribute and homage to the survivors of the nuclear blasts - innocent people left badly deformed as a result of atomic warfare. It seems the more you look into the Godzilla character, the more and more similarities you see with the awesome power the nuclear bomb. Rest assured, this was not a coincidence on Legendary Pictures' part. And what better way it seemed to show off his almighty ability than to pit Godzilla in a vast array of city-leveling grudge matches against a host of foes of similar size and stature. He was the focal point of Toho’s original ‘Big Five’ – a collection of monsters that regularly make an appearance in their productions, and together, they have terrorized Tokyo’s finest to the point that you’d expect these poor people to pack up and move somewhere else. However, it remains to be said that, alongside creatures such as Mothra, King Ghidorah and Rodan, Godzilla has been an ever-present figure within Japanese cinema – as a hero and a villain – something which the trailers for the latest film seem to encapsulate. As a sole antagonist, he is at his most destructive and detrimental to humankind, but placing him in the heat of battle with similarly devastating creatures … he is as strong an ally as any to have. What we already know is that Godzilla will be taking on a new foe, an adversary we’ve yet to see on the big-screen. The monster – or monsters it would seem – are referred to as ‘M.U.T.O’ (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms) and take on two forms; terrestrial and airborne. From what little details we’ve been given about the creatures, they have been said to resemble two mainstays in kaiju canon, as well as borrowing somewhat from the monster designs in Alien and Starship Troopers. With a prominent triangular jaw, the M.U.T.O’s head and facial structure is similar to that of Gyaos; the recurring enemy of Gamera. On the other hand, the land-dwelling M.U.T.Os have drawn comparison to Orga, a relatively recent creation in the Godzilla Universe, first appearing in the 1999 film, Godzilla 2000: Millennium. Why should this excite you? Well, while it’s always fun to see stalwarts such as Gamera and Rodan grace the stage, a completely new creation spells a new chapter in the Godzilla legacy. While we would still welcome the fan-favorites with open arms into the new franchise, this move suggests Legendary Pictures have confidence in their abilities to stay true to what makes Godzilla as popular as it is, as well as to breathe new life – sweet, monstrous life - into his bones. It’s a move that shows they’re not afraid to take a leap of faith into the unknown, and proves the creative team possess a pair of cajones as big as Godzilla himself. And it is the talent of these filmmakers, in fact, that really boosts this film’s chances of being the American Godzilla we thought we’d never see. Leading the project is sophomore director, Gareth Edwards, a far-cry from personalities such as Guillermo Del Toro who had been considered for the job. Edwards may not have as much experience as other filmmakers, but a retrospective look at his debut film, Monsters, is proof enough of the man’s endurable talent and determination to the cause. Despite the title suggesting a typical monster movie, Monsters is unique in the sense it diverts away from the chaos and destruction of a fictional D-Day scenario and places the central characters in a world where these creatures have calmed their rampant initialization, and are now ingrained in the lives of the humans with whom they share the world. The scenario allows Edwards to really get under the skin of the situation and present a film that stands on the strong emotional performances from its two leads, rather than special effects. Mind you, the visual effects work is another beast entirely when you take the budget into account – Edwards labored away on his own computer to create the finished product, using nothing more than store-bought editing software. With a production crew amounting to a mere five people, Edwards had to really squeeze the project hard to produce the results the film would eventually yield. From filming in locations without prior permission; to throwing everything and everyone into the same van for transportation, Monsters was a movie that not only put Edwards across as a quality filmmaker, but a true work-horse of the business, willing to go to any lengths to get the best out of his film. If he could stretch such a tiny budget this far, just imagine what he could do with the sizeable $160 million invested in Godzilla. That being said, you should still expect the passion and human element that co-existed with the beasts in Monsters. With heavy-hitters like Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston (who proved he can harness anger alongside calm as chemistry-turned-meth cook Walter White) and Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins involved, Godzilla will undoubtedly be a film anchored with strong dramatic performances. Take into consideration the addition of Kick Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing Cranston’s on-screen son, and we should expect a tense family dynamic running throughout and, hopefully, executed with conviction by the two stars. Needless to say, the director and cast give us much cause for optimism, as have the various quotes that have come out of the Godzilla camp. Gareth Edwards was quoted as saying: "Godzilla is definitely a representation of the wrath of nature. The theme is man versus nature and Godzilla is certainly the nature side of it. You can't win that fight. Nature's always going to win and that's what the subtext of our movie is about. He's the punishment we deserve." Couple that with the trailer’s suggestion that this would be a global catastrophe as opposed to a contained issue, and you start to get a sense of what the film is striving towards. It is little things like a well thought-out and developed subtext that really separate the great monster movies from the good ones. Pacific Rim, for example, was an absolute blast of an experience in cinemas - robots fighting monsters, right? But compare it to something like Frankenstein, which alludes to themes like the dangers of advanced science and what it means to be human, and the former starts to feel rather shallow. Fun, yes, but shallow all the same. Much like his first film, it does actually appear that Gareth Edwards is keen to embed a social critique in his version of the King of the Monsters. It’s a bold move, sure, but it seems very reminiscent of the initial thinking behind Toho’s rampaging lizard way back in 1954. Edwards seems to have something he wants to say, and he looks just about ready to let it loose in one gigantic, bellowing reptilian roar later this month. Be afraid of Godzilla. Be in awe of Godzilla. But, perhaps more importantly, be optimistic about Godzilla!