Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by edgaguirus »

There was an airline that operated in the early 80s called Pacific Express. They went bankrupt in 1984.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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I always assumed it was just a play on Federal Express.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by LegendZilla »

I know I have brought this up before, but I advocate that one day the Heisei era receives a soft-reboot. What I have in mind is a film that acts as a direct follow-up to this film while ignoring the 90's films. For those of you skeptical, would it be THAT different than Toho in the early 2000's of making film after film acting as a direct sequel to G54?

If anything both 80's entries should serve as a solid enough foundation for any new continuity to spring from. It's one thing to want to go in a new direction, but what's wrong with doing it through an old direction? Plus, the father of Godzilla himself, Tomoyuki Tanaka did consider the Heisei Godzilla his favorite version so doing such would honor him.
Last edited by LegendZilla on Thu May 05, 2022 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by NSZ »

Not only are they never going to soft-reboot back to a concluded series, they are absolutely never going to whatever the fuck it is that you just suggested.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Based on Shin Godzilla, there's no telling what direction they could take. A film in the Heisei style would a nice throwback, but Toho seems interested in more experimentation these days.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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edgaguirus wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 10:34 pm Based on Shin Godzilla, there's no telling what direction they could take. A film in the Heisei style would a nice throwback, but Toho seems interested in more experimentation these days.
Who says what I suggested can’t be experimental? Plus, by NSZ’s logic why can’t every continuity that springs off of G54 be considered going back to the Showa era? It’s not like it would be the same continuity per say, but an alternate variant of a past continuity.
Last edited by LegendZilla on Thu May 05, 2022 11:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by The One and Only »

I found this out today. Toho had looked at doing some of the scenes of Godzilla and Biollante throwing down using stop motion effects. But the producers decided not go that route. Here's the test footage for the fight.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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I can see why they didn't go for it. It's not the worst I've seen, but what we got was better.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Terasawa »

Along those lines, I don't think the practical FX techniques used here are that different than in the subsequent Heisei Godzilla movies, Instead, I think it's generally the FX cinematography that makes those scenes look a lot more impressive than similar scenes in the '90s movies. The final Godzilla vs. Biollante sequence is accomplished here pretty much the same way the Orochi vs. Utsuno Ikusagami sequence was in Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon; but while that's one of the most stagnant and visually unappealing sequences directed by Kawakita (it just looks like a totally barren sound stage), I think most of us would agree that GvB round 2 is fantastic. Also, while the military sequences in later films often look exactly like models unimaginatively firing off pyrotechnics in every direction, the JSDF battle against Godzilla in the rain in this movie is exciting, well-edited, and at least somewhat photorealistic.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Omegamorph »

Biollante round 2 literally peak Godzilla, no cap
Platypus Prime wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 1:21 pm I realized today that thanks to a few animations and manga she's appeared in, Biollante is an anime girl.
miguelnuva wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 5:47 pm With this being an Oscar for best visual effects you can also joke and say Godzilla really did win the oscar.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Jomei »

I'm sorta partial to round 1 myself. The contrast between their natures and then the surprising brutally of Biollante's attack--and then the haunting death by merciless Godzilla's fire--has stuck with me all my life.

IMO, this is what Godzilla needs again now. A rival creature that is more than just a rival for being tough & badass. Mothra has filled that role before and still honestly hasn't been fully capitalized upon since their first encounter. (Ok, maybe Heisei did some with that, but more could be experimented with now.) Biollante had the potential to make audiences rethink what kind of enemy could challenge Godzilla and how/why.

Unfortunately, as many have noted, we are now for the most part locked in a cycle of reiterating already-popular archetypes.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Jomei wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:28 pm I'm sorta partial to round 1 myself. The contrast between their natures and then the surprising brutally of Biollante's attack--and then the haunting death by merciless Godzilla's fire--has stuck with me all my life.
Yeah, there's a real visual poetry to the scene, along with the very visceral elements, and the two complement each other magnificently.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by JAGzilla »

I just love that shot of Godzilla crashing through the trees as he approaches the lake. One of my favorites in any movie.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Jomei wrote: Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:28 pm I'm sorta partial to round 1 myself. The contrast between their natures and then the surprising brutally of Biollante's attack--and then the haunting death by merciless Godzilla's fire--has stuck with me all my life.

IMO, this is what Godzilla needs again now. A rival creature that is more than just a rival for being tough & badass. Mothra has filled that role before and still honestly hasn't been fully capitalized upon since their first encounter. (Ok, maybe Heisei did some with that, but more could be experimented with now.) Biollante had the potential to make audiences rethink what kind of enemy could challenge Godzilla and how/why.

Unfortunately, as many have noted, we are now for the most part locked in a cycle of reiterating already-popular archetypes.
I 100% agree with everything. I also like round 1, it's a great set up for round 2 (Biollante's little jaw peeking through the rose petals is especially haunting)

Biollante, conceptually, is an intensely great foe for Godzilla. She is Godzilla, but she is also a plant and a woman. The deleted anime ending is amazing and very inspirational for me -- I wish the actual ending didn't have that prayer card of Erika rising among the Biollante-dust, would've worked better without
JAGzilla wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:18 pm I just love that shot of Godzilla crashing through the trees as he approaches the lake. One of my favorites in any movie.
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Last edited by Omegamorph on Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Platypus Prime wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 1:21 pm I realized today that thanks to a few animations and manga she's appeared in, Biollante is an anime girl.
miguelnuva wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 5:47 pm With this being an Oscar for best visual effects you can also joke and say Godzilla really did win the oscar.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Minor shower thought, but I’m wondering if this has ever been considered, and it does impact how Biollante is viewed:

The movie, and most interpretations, view that Biollante is calling out to Godzilla, or at least it’s pleas are directly attracting Godzilla. I think that’s well accepted, that Biollante is calling out to her relative, but what if she’s calling out to another relative? Dr. shinigami?

This doesn’t change the story much, and I don’t think there’s a right answer, but there’s something really tragic if you interpret Biollante’s cries on the lake directed at her father. There’s a further weird parallel when you consider Biollante is sort of Godzilla’s clone/offspring, so in a way Biollante is calling out to both her fathers.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by edgaguirus »

It's an interesting idea. Erika feels confused by her new body and nature and calls out to her father. It makes perfect sense.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Shobijin »

I love this movie every time I watch it. Actresses are cool. Godzilla looks great. I feel the SFX and directing (and story) are superior to 1984. Only major issues are the foreign actors, not sure why they have to be so cheesy. Also, this movie is not for newbies, nor can it be watched "first", so it could never rank #1 for me. Soundtrack was awesome. My favorite scene is the kids drawing Godzilla from their dreams. I liked the overall plot and messaging.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Gojira-Fan »

I just watched this with a double feature of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah .

I got to say that, while this is a better movie than it's sequel, it is also not as good as I remember.

I was thinking while watching this was how much I missed the simplicity of the narratives in the Showa era. This movie, while not as narratively incoherent as the next film, still feels like it is doing too much. The film moves at such a break neck speed and doesn't do enough exposition at times that I do feel confused.

The 80's action movie aesthetic it has going on at certain points is not something that has aged well.

Still, there is a lot to like in this one. Biollante is a very cool and unique monster. I do appreciation the tragedy of her origin. The shots of her in the lake during her rose form are quite beautiful.

The effects are some of the most impressive the series has to offer. The redesign of Godzilla is a welcome change. He looks more animalistic than ever before.

There are some moments of poignancy as well. Such as when Dr. Shiragami says that science is just a tool of politicians. Or the closing monologue referencing the garden of Eden.

Overall, not a bad film. Just not as high in my esteem as it used to be.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by LegendZilla »

The Shiragamis are like the Heisei equivalent to the Mafunes from the Showa era.

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