GODZILLA: Tristar Godzilla Film (1998)

[godjacob]

And having a fight would also help make it seem more like Godzilla.

yeah ain't godzilla if there's no monster WWE

1954, 1984, Shin never existed

I think his point was more having THIS version of Godzilla fight another monster would've made it feel more like Godzilla, since its solo film didn't.

[edgaguirus]

Exactly. When most people or non-fans think of kaiju, they picture cities under attack or giant beasts in battle.

[Ryu]

Exactly. When most people or non-fans think of kaiju, they picture cities under attack or giant beasts in battle.

No, actually many non-fans find these movies stupid, not only because of the special effects, but because the movie wants the viewer to side with the monster. Nor am I going to criticize if human character matters vs people are here for the monsters. But I'll give you 3 examples: In the episode of Godzilla the Series, Talkin' Trash, Godzilla (If you want to call Gino/zilla junior) pushes the Nanotech Creature against warehouses. Character Randy starts to celebrate, but Monique says- Were you celebrating if there were people in that warehouse? It is a factor that is little explored in these films. The self I mean that Ultraman and Evangelion explore this theme better. Example Ultraman beat a kaiju, but people instead of celebrating look at him with fear, even someone from the army starts screaming, because the city is destroyed and people are dead and injured. Because ultraman doesn't measure the consequences or responsibility of his actions. And at the end of the ep Ultraman feels guilty. That's the difference with Godzilla. Yes, he's a force of nature, mixed with an atomic bomb, but he won't stop thinking about his actions. Give little that little public has no sympathy with the monster.

[The One and Only]

Brandon Tenold's review of GODZILLA. Which also happens to the man's 300th review.

[Amp87]

I love this film its great entertainment its been over 20+ years and i have gotten over it why because it lead to one of the greatest incarnations of all time and that is of course Zilla Jr. This film reminds me of my childhood being a G-Fan growing up in the 90s when i started and it was near the peak of my fandom as well. I love this film there are so many things to uncover to this day after many years since its release.

[Gojira18]

My thoughts on it remain the same. It's a bad movie on its own and an utterly pathetic excuse of a Godzilla movie. As bad as AMA and the G Earth trilogy are, G98 still reigns "supreme" as the worst Godzilla movie and the more I rewatch it and learn about the behind the scenes drama, the angrier I get at it.

[edgaguirus]

On a plus, the film could be worse. It could be on the same level as the Yongary remake Reptilian.

[Follinollante]

I'm reading some of the trivia for this film on the main site.

Good heavens, the cringe. The fellows in charge had some kaiju-sized egos.

[Dv-218]

I'm reading some of the trivia for this film on the main site.

Good heavens, the cringe. The fellows in charge had some kaiju-sized egos.

While the saying “nobody is set out to make a bad film” is true, I feel like G98 is a major almost exception to this statement. The more I read about the production history and the more I look at how the final work actually ended up being, it feels like a softcore “spite” project for all intents and purposes stemming from Emmerich’s combined frustration of not getting to do Armageddon and the idea that the sole reason he should do Godzilla is to show its original creators “how it should be done”. Peppered with studio pressure from Sony and their complete mishandling of the property on the top of course.

This absolutely doesn’t apply to the crew who worked on the set, design and effects- they did what they could and with what they had, and did it relatively well. But the intent just reeks of masturbatory egocentrism, one that bit Emmerich and Devlin in the ass well enough.

[JAGzilla]

This absolutely doesn’t apply to the crew who worked on the set, design and effects- they did what they could and with what they had, and did it relatively well.

This is an important point that rarely gets brought up in the rush to condemn this movie. The problems were with the higher-ups, the grunts on the ground were just following orders and doing the best job they could. And they did a pretty solid job at times. Fans like to bash the CGI from a modern viewpoint, but it wasn't bad for the time. CGI of any kind was still new and impressive in 1998. I remember my dad pointing out little things like Godzilla's tail knocking individual bricks out of the building facades and talking about how you couldn't be that subtle with the traditional effects.

[Dv-218]

This absolutely doesn’t apply to the crew who worked on the set, design and effects- they did what they could and with what they had, and did it relatively well.

This is an important point that rarely gets brought up in the rush to condemn this movie. The problems were with the higher-ups, the grunts on the ground were just following orders and doing the best job they could. And they did a pretty solid job at times. Fans like to bash the CGI from a modern viewpoint, but it wasn't bad for the time. CGI of any kind was still new and impressive in 1998. I remember my dad pointing out little things like Godzilla's tail knocking individual bricks out of the building facades and talking about how you couldn't be that subtle with the traditional effects.

Absolutely. In the end of the day the crew still has genuine passion for what they do direction aside, and they spend considerable time working on it as well. Wasn’t really Patrick’s fault that the only directions Emmerich gave him were “make le lizard fast and sexy”, nor the CGI animators for the quality at the time and the way the creature was utilized in its shots.
The handywork was there, they were just given godawful building material.

[Legion1979]

I can never and will never like this film. Main reason? Because I know Emmerich thought hardcore Godzilla fans were idiots and he thought he could do that movie better than what was done before. So fuck him and fuck his movie.

[Follinollante]

I can never and will never like this film. Main reason? Because I know Emmerich thought hardcore Godzilla fans were idiots and he thought he could do that movie better than what was done before. So fuck him and fuck his movie.

I feel you. I can't bring myself to appreciate the products of a total dick, no matter how good said products may be.
Although, to be fair, I don't know anything about this guy other than what's in the TK trivia section of this movie.

[Shobijin]

Hated it in 1998. With each viewing (4 in my life) I slowly warmed up to it. I went from abhorring it to being indifferent to actually being entertained by it for at least the first half. Will always be GINO, and a product of 1990s overbudgeted overhyped Hollywood. I feel it deconstructed Godzilla in a bad way by being too "realistic" and disrespected the source material. But did a decent job to appeal to casual movie goers in America, more so than 1985, but less than 2014. Entertaining popcorn blockbuster, easier to watch than Shin IMHO.

[MogeGoji1994]

In other news, this movie appears to be getting a 4K release. As much as a kaiju media collector I am, I am passing on this for the foreseeable future.

[wireframemonsters]

I only buy this movie used.

[UltramanGoji]

In other news, this movie appears to be getting a 4K release. As much as a kaiju media collector I am, I am passing on this for the foreseeable future.

It’s had a 4K release for a couple years now. The new thing coming out is just an anniversary steelbook.

[JAGzilla]

Ninja'd, but there's already a 4K. This new release is a steelbook. The same disk in new packaging, I assume? I'll pick it up. I don't own this movie, and that does need to be rectified at some point. As, um, imperfect as it was, it's still a fun watch that I have a lot of nostalgia for, and I've come to appreciate the things it does well.