A Godzilla or Toho Movie without Human Characters: Needed or Not?

[Chainsaw Gigan202]

This is a good idea that many possibly want:

Well if you want a Godzilla or honestly any Kaiju for that matter to be in a Movie or Series without Human Characters, then maybe "Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal" could be a key example that I want to use. Let's focus the Cinematography, Music, Atmosphere & Story which are done without dialogue in the series. That's what made Primal popular, other than the Violence & Gore. You can make a story without Dialogue with Animals that can have or focus on the Monsters Point of View, just like the Prequel Comics did for the Monsterverse Godzilla or the Monsterverse Kong. So I am totally open to it, it's just how will it be written & executed in my opinion!

[Cryptid_Liker]

It wouldn't work. All it'd be is just kaiju walking around and destroying stuff/fighting kaiju. That could be done well for like a 5-10 minute YouTube fanfilm but stretching those two actions to feature-length? Nah. Nope.

[Voyager]

I agree with Cryptid. Humans are needed for a kaiju movie.

[edgaguirus]

It could be possible to do a film that focuses on kaiju, but you need scenes where the kaiju are interacting with people in some way. It might be humans running in fear, fighting them, or even worshipping them. It would add some depth as we see how the kaiju feel and react to humans, or how kaiju that like humans and those who don't relate to each other.

[JAGzilla]

I'm sure it can be done, but it's not a good idea. It would most likely not work out and end up being terribly boring, and in all likelihood the critics and GA wouldn't respond well. Worse, it would instantly become the fandom's permanent favorite film, which would be very sad.

[TheLastGezora]

When I was a kid, I wanted a movie like this. Just monsters smashing stuff with none of the "boring human talking parts."

Of course, now I realize that those "talking parts" are often essential for the plot to make sense or have any relevancy to the audience. Dare I say, in some instances, I enjoy them more than I enjoy the monster scenes. Likewise, I think they make the monster scenes better by giving them context, making them feel like they have weight in a wider story. I don't think a movie would work if it was just monsters with no scenes focusing on the people.

To quote Gareth Edwards, who was actually talking about Godzilla 2014, "It makes the big things look bigger when you've just had a quiet moment. If everything is whizz-bang constantly throughout the whole movie it just becomes nothing. So you have to carefully go to quiet and restrain things so that the other things hit you hard."

[eabaker]

Needed? Certainly not.

Personally, as someone whose interest in these movies is strongly rooted in human reactions to the monsters, and the relationships that exist between humanity and monsters, this idea has never terribly appealed to me.

That said, I'm surprised at how closed minded people are being about this concept. You all seem to be jumping to a default assumption that eliminating the human characters would leave us awash in nothing but monotonous fight scenes and destruction. But there's far more that can be accomplished with kaiju characters.

Ultimately, kaiju can be presented with emotions, moods, motivations - with enough care and attention to detail, with all of the things that a human character can except dialogue; but film is a visual medium, and if those feelings can be conveyed without the use of dialogue, many would argue that ultimately makes for an even stronger viewing experience.

Kaiju can have quiet moments. Kaiju can have contemplative moments. An all-kaiju movie need not be monotonous wall-to-wall action.

Would it be easy to make a compelling kaiju with no human characters?

Well, it's not easy to make a story compelling under any circumstances. And stripping away dialogue and human physical reactions takes away a couple of the most valuable tools in a filmmaker's kit, which adds a whole new set of challenges.

But a challenge is not an impossibility, and the best and most interesting work comes from artists challenging themselves. Put the right team on it, and there's definitely the potential to tell a genuinely engaging story.

[Rando Yaguchi]

^Yep yep and yep.

I think this genre has a lot of untapped potential. So much of the mediocrity of the past is due to the assumption that the genre is inherently cheap or simplistic. We should all expect more.

[szmigiel]

Here you go, plenty to watch
https://youtu.be/WJliQcqitAw

All joking aside, is it possible? Yes but it would take a very talented director with unmatched visual and cinematic skills. For example if it was announced the Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli had made an agreement with Toho to do a Godzilla film that would feature no human characters, I would be all onboard. I don't think that Toho would risk such a venture without a true talent behind the project.

Another route they could go is to make special shorts featuring Godzilla and other Toho Kaiju, similar to "Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo". They could be shown in front of other Toho films during the big tentpole releases, shown at festivals, and shipped out to foreign film festivals. The shorts can be all linked, and later when completed, they can be released on homemedia and streaming services. This could help keep Godzilla in the public eye and help drive merchandise sales in Japan and around the world. Tsuburaya is doing something similar with their Ultraman Ultra Galaxy Fight: New Generation Heroes and Absolute Conspiracy web series. Of course since Ultramen and many of the villains can talk they have it a bit easier.

[Jetty_Jags]

You most certainly could make a Wall-E, Primal type story with kaiju, but this isn't what people usually are asking for when they want a kaiju exclusive movie.

[Voyager]

You most certainly could make a Wall-E, Primal type story with kaiju, but this isn't what people usually are asking for when they want a kaiju exclusive movie.

But you must understand, Wall-E and Eve are very human in nature. It would be harder for kaiju to be given the same treatment.

[edgaguirus]

It might be hard, but it can be done. The Godzilla series has scenes and moments when kaiju, through expression, body language, and other cues, display emotion and human qualities. A good suit actor could put on such a performance.

[Voyager]

It might be hard, but it can be done. The Godzilla series has scenes and moments when kaiju, through expression, body language, and other cues, display emotion and human qualities. A good suit actor could put on such a performance.

But can it hold up an entire theatrical release?

[eabaker]

It might be hard, but it can be done. The Godzilla series has scenes and moments when kaiju, through expression, body language, and other cues, display emotion and human qualities. A good suit actor could put on such a performance.

But can it hold up an entire theatrical release?

With the right story to tell, and sufficient care and attention to detail, it could; but the very concept might alienate too many viewers to be worth the financial investment.

[Chainsaw Gigan202]

It wouldn't work. All it'd be is just kaiju walking around and destroying stuff/fighting kaiju. That could be done well for like a 5-10 minute YouTube fanfilm but stretching those two actions to feature-length? Nah. Nope.

It doesn't have to be that, I mean like making these Kaijus like... Smarter in a Tribal-like way with each of them having personalities. For example, more Godzillasaurus' that were worshipped as Gods & Benevolent unless provoked. Act in a Herd like Elephants where they care for each other. Or the Hollow Earth, it can show how animals evolved. Like Primal!

[Chainsaw Gigan202]

It might be hard, but it can be done. The Godzilla series has scenes and moments when kaiju, through expression, body language, and other cues, display emotion and human qualities. A good suit actor could put on such a performance.

But can it hold up an entire theatrical release?

With the right story to tell, and sufficient care and attention to detail, it could; but the very concept might alienate too many viewers to be worth the financial investment.

Well, let's say if a Movie that had a similar approach to "Walking with Dinosaurs" or "Primal" was written out but made emotional where in a Savage world for creatures to survive but use Body Expression & Language with Music & a good Environment to set the mood... I think it could be a shot worth to take.

[Dv-218]

Is it needed? Not necessarily, but honestly I wouldn't mind seeing something like this done as an experimental short film or series. I could especially see it working well in animation, perhaps akin to Tratakovsky's primal- it can bring a lot to the table with visual language and style. I like the idea of seeing something like that done for individual kaiju as "anthology" briefs. I still believe that emitting Humans out completely in a full fledged piece of media is a bad idea because it inherently undermines how special the monsters are, but as something like this? Go for it.

[eabaker]

And I think to me the idea is really only especially appealing if it's done via practical effects. To me, a lot of the charm in it is pushing the limits of the technology to create the most effective "puppets" possible.

[edgaguirus]

Maybe it could be a series that shows kaiju through the various ages of the world, and in different areas. You'd start out with their development from small creatures to giants, to them being the masters of the planet, and then their reactions to a new species-man- and how man changes their world.

[Lesko]

Needed? No not really. Wanted? Certainly! At least by me. The MV has been fairly formulaic like most big blockbusters hits and this will certainly help break it up and change the pace. Even if it is only for one entry. The potential is endless here. For just Godzilla and Kong for starters, are both iconic kaiju that are very expressive and intelligent. Now some might think putting subtitles to translate kaiju roars is just weird, and I am one of those, but that may happen. Although I think it would be better to not do that and just let the facial expressions and body language of the kaiju be the "dialogue without dialogue" so to speak.

Not only those reasons but I think it is high time we paid the other Titans some respect and gave them some actual screen time! Don't get me wrong, I do love Godzilla and Kong, but there are others! I especially would like to see Rodan and another Mothra but even the so called lesser Titans I want to see to. Such an entry in the MV could really help develop their personalities and even their abilities and other characteristics that so far have been very limited and in novel/comic form rather than film. One thing that may work is have a bunch of mini stories focusing on each regular Titan that builds upon them each for a little bit.