Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by SoggyNoodles2016 »

Watching this for its 50th.

What an absolutely fantastic movie. It's weird and it doesn't always gel but it's a great story that sticks with you though it's wonky visuals
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

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https://sidelongglancesofapigeonkicker. ... -with.html
For those who are wondering who were the mysterious old folks watching the party on mt. fuji later in the film
here is an explation.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by edgaguirus »

If Hedorah hadn't been stopped, it would have brought a new age to the Earth. While man would be decimated by the vile sludge kaiju, cats would be left to rule what was left livable of the Earth.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by LegendZilla »

I just watched the movie in honor of its belated 50th anniversary. I must say that this movie could've done perfectly if you cut out the flying scene and just end after Godzilla initially uses the electrodes on Hedorah turning him into a pile of dried up sludge.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by edgaguirus »

That flying scene is one of the most entertaining parts of the movie.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by Major sssspielberg! »

I agree wholeheartedly!
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by Dinoskell »

The flying scene was arguably some good levity after all the horror.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by eabaker »

Ending things that easily would also undercut part of the point of the movie, both because it would diminish the threat presented by Hedorah, and because it would call less attention to the relative futility of the military's efforts.
Last edited by eabaker on Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by MechaGoji Bro7503 »

Godzilla flying is kickass, I can't help but smile at it. Hedorah knew they were f*cked once Godzilla had to use the Essence of the Wright Brothers.

After a few years of being an Ultra fan, I now greatly appreciate Godzilla doing the Specium Ray pose.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by darthzilla99 »

eabaker wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:58 am Ending things that easily would also undercut part of the point of the movie, both because it would diminish the threat presented by Hedorah, and because it would call less attention to the relative futility of the military's efforts.
It's interesting how you mention the futility of the military. The movie does do the tell, "don't show" trope with the newscaster mentioning that bullets just go through Hedorah with no effect. To follow the rule of "show, don't tell", do you think they should have filmed a scene where you have tanks and military men shot at Hedorah while he's flying, and Hedorah doesn't even notice he's being shot at while having tanks melting and soldiers suffocating?
GVK: TNE is a modern day 70s Showa Godzilla movie. Being a massive budget modern blockbuster CGI film instead of traditional 70s tokusatsu techniques doesn't change that. Fight me.

Anguirus and Godzilla being friends in the Showa series is cannon. Deal with it.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

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gfan84 wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:24 pm https://sidelongglancesofapigeonkicker. ... -with.html
For those who are wondering who were the mysterious old folks watching the party on mt. fuji later in the film
here is an explation.
OMG, thank you for linking this! I was still totally baffled by them when I watched this movie again a week ago. It's great to finally have an answer. :Hedorah:
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by eabaker »

darthzilla99 wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:31 pm
eabaker wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:58 am Ending things that easily would also undercut part of the point of the movie, both because it would diminish the threat presented by Hedorah, and because it would call less attention to the relative futility of the military's efforts.
It's interesting how you mention the futility of the military. The movie does do the tell, "don't show" trope with the newscaster mentioning that bullets just go through Hedorah with no effect. To follow the rule of "show, don't tell", do you think they should have filmed a scene where you have tanks and military men shot at Hedorah while he's flying, and Hedorah doesn't even notice he's being shot at while having tanks melting and soldiers suffocating?
I think that would have been ideal, yeah, but at the same time it is okay to use a bit of economical exposition here and there when a point isn't important enough to the story to want to spend time on it. I don't think an additional military vs. monster sequence would have added much to the movie overall.
Last edited by eabaker on Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by edgaguirus »

The film already shows how terrible Hedorah is in other ways. After his encounter, the scientist has his head wrapped in a bandage for most of the film. The flying Hedorah causes steel to soften and bend, and sends children fleeing only to be knocked down and choked by acid mist. The difficulty Godzilla has with Hedorah demonstrates how near invincible Hedorah is.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by Mechagigan »

I kind of love the unnecessarily funny parts. They add to the psychedelic mood, y'know? The movie can't decide if it's terrifying or hilarious, and that just makes it all the more unique. Good balance between taking itself seriously, and knowing that it's a silly action flick.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by eabaker »

Mechagigan wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:31 pm I kind of love the unnecessarily funny parts. They add to the psychedelic mood, y'know? The movie can't decide if it's terrifying or hilarious, and that just makes it all the more unique. Good balance between taking itself seriously, and knowing that it's a silly action flick.
I don't really find the humor unnecessary. The comedic and horrific elements are both part of the larger satire.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

I'm currently taking a class in my MA program on the intersection of environmentalism and media. The final project is to take a film or some media and analyze it. I'm going to choose this film, and maybe another monster fick. The actual assignment is much more complex, but I'll post it here when I'm finished.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by eabaker »

LSD Jellyfish wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:48 pm I'm currently taking a class in my MA program on the intersection of environmentalism and media. The final project is to take a film or some media and analyze it. I'm going to choose this film, and maybe another monster fick. The actual assignment is much more complex, but I'll post it here when I'm finished.
In prepping for a podcast about this movie recently, I found looking at some excerpts and history on Rachel Carson's Silent Spring really informative.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

eabaker wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:53 pm
LSD Jellyfish wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:48 pm I'm currently taking a class in my MA program on the intersection of environmentalism and media. The final project is to take a film or some media and analyze it. I'm going to choose this film, and maybe another monster fick. The actual assignment is much more complex, but I'll post it here when I'm finished.
In prepping for a podcast about this movie recently, I found looking at some excerpts and history on Rachel Carson's Silent Spring really informative.
Hmmm, I've never actually read that cover to cover, so that might be a useful contemporary source to interlink.

I'm considering also discussing Rodan and maybe, briefly, the Rebirth of Mothra series. A lot of it isn't just "one topic" ( a little complex to explain here), but how the environmental issues are solved, and what the role of humanity is in the narrative. I'm going to be honest in a lot of this, irregardless on my own personal feelings on the movie, if whether these films are good portrayals of environmental issues and the role of humanity.
Spirit Ghidorah 2010 wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:54 pm Anno-san pleasures me more than Yamasaki-san.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by edgaguirus »

G vs Gigan also has some environmental context. It's understated, but still there.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Post by Voyager »

Hedorah is a threatening baddie and the psychedelics of this movie stops me from being bored.
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