Lost Project Discussion: Godzilla vs Kamacuras (2001)

[SonOfGorgo]

So long as you remain on-topic, an older bump is fine Shame we don't have much info for this lost movie outside of Kaneko wanting to use CGI for Kamacuras's sickle hand.

Ah well, at least it's fun talking about what we think it may would've been about.

[Godzillian]

I wonder how they would have made Kamacuras a real threat in this film

[GodzillaFan1990's]

I wonder how they would have made Kamacuras a real threat in this film

A bunch of them similar to Gyaos and the Skull Crawlers would work.

[B!GF3RG]

I know this thread is almost 10 years old but I want to put my 2 cents on this as well, since I like researching unmade films. It's honestly hard to think about what kind of story that Kaneko had in mind for Godzilla vs. Kamacuras besides that the two monsters were going to fight. We have to think about each possible concept this film could have:

1. A swarm of Kamacuras. Well, like as many said, it's too similar to the previous film Godzilla x Megaguirus. How would it be different from that? For one thing, Kamacuras could've been from Earth instead of another dimension like with Megaguirus and the Meganulon/Meganlua. How big would the swarm be? Since CGI was considered, maybe they could've done something similar to War of the Insects from 1968 or The Swarm from 1978 where they had hundreds or thousands of insects on screen. Though they used actual insects in those films where this could've been CGI. This film could've had an apocalyptic/biblical angle with the infestation of Kamacuras. Maybe a slightly "bigger" swarm like Them! from 1954 but the "smaller" swarm would be "different" enough.

2. One big Kamacuras. Basically, Godzilla vs. The Deadly Mantis. Instead of a swarm or anything like that, it's just One Kamacuras, Not three like in Son of Godzilla, just one. Of course, this is just what happened in Godzilla: Final Wars. Though in this film, Kaneko and his team would have to find a way to make this film last about an hour or so with this idea. In order for this Kamacuras to be somewhat threatening, it has to be bigger or at the same size as Godzilla. If it was smaller like in the Showa era and Final Wars, than it would be 5 minutes or even below a minute. Another way to make Kamacuras more threatening is by giving it tougher armour/exoskeleton (look up Armoured Katydid for example), like the atomic breath isn't enough to kill it.

3. Highly intelligent "Kamacuras" species or Godzilla vs. Starship Troopers. Look, we have to get creative here to give Kamacuras a chance you know? Plus, this give us the opportunity to imagine Kamacuras with some kind of "Range" attack to give it some sort of advantage (since the book and movie had bugs that can shoot plasma). So now we have something very different to the previous Godzilla film. But there's still one more question to ask...

4. Good Guy Kamacuras? What if, just like what Kaneko did with King Ghidorah, Kamacuras is actually the good guy and Godzilla is still the bad guy? Of course, we still have to make Kamacuras strong enough to survive against Godzilla long enough, at least until the humans can come up with something to destroy Godzilla. If that was the case however, if we are going to have an insect/insectoid kaiju defend Japan against Godzilla, why not just have Mothra then?

This is one of those unmade Godzilla films that was honestly best left unmade unless they did something "very out there" and unique.

(I realized part way through typing this, this sounds like a fucking a.i. typed this.)

[edgaguirus]

Number 1 and 2 would be the best options. I know Megaguirus had a swarm, but most of them were small compared to Godzilla. Have a swarm of Kamacuras that are all, or most, the same size as Godzilla, and you have a bigger threat. Number 2 sounds like the plot of an anniversary film for SOG.

[LSD Jellyfish]

No swarm, no gimmicks; why not just a trio of three big bugs?

But in reality, there’s good reason why this film was never made. Sure, they could’ve brought back Kamakura and souped it up, but Kamacuras was really designed to be more a threat towards Minya and the scientists on Letchi Island. Megagurius worked fine enough as a “super bug”.

And keep in mind while the Kamacuras (singular or plural) would be the main antagonist, for all we know the film could’ve had almost identical story beats to GMK, replacing the spirituality with a more biological horror. Basically Japan/military versus Godzilla with other bug threat thrown in. We’ve seen what kinds of movies Kaneko makes and that seems the most likely route he would’ve taken.

[The One and Only]

I know this thread is almost 10 years old but I want to put my 2 cents on this as well, since I like researching unmade films. It's honestly hard to think about what kind of story that Kaneko had in mind for Godzilla vs. Kamacuras besides that the two monsters were going to fight. We have to think about each possible concept this film could have:

1. A swarm of Kamacuras. Well, like as many said, it's too similar to the previous film Godzilla x Megaguirus. How would it be different from that? For one thing, Kamacuras could've been from Earth instead of another dimension like with Megaguirus and the Meganulon/Meganlua. How big would the swarm be? Since CGI was considered, maybe they could've done something similar to War of the Insects from 1968 or The Swarm from 1978 where they had hundreds or thousands of insects on screen. Though they used actual insects in those films where this could've been CGI. This film could've had an apocalyptic/biblical angle with the infestation of Kamacuras. Maybe a slightly "bigger" swarm like Them! from 1954 but the "smaller" swarm would be "different" enough.

2. One big Kamacuras. Basically, Godzilla vs. The Deadly Mantis. Instead of a swarm or anything like that, it's just One Kamacuras, Not three like in Son of Godzilla, just one. Of course, this is just what happened in Godzilla: Final Wars. Though in this film, Kaneko and his team would have to find a way to make this film last about an hour or so with this idea. In order for this Kamacuras to be somewhat threatening, it has to be bigger or at the same size as Godzilla. If it was smaller like in the Showa era and Final Wars, than it would be 5 minutes or even below a minute. Another way to make Kamacuras more threatening is by giving it tougher armour/exoskeleton (look up Armoured Katydid for example), like the atomic breath isn't enough to kill it.

3. Highly intelligent "Kamacuras" species or Godzilla vs. Starship Troopers. Look, we have to get creative here to give Kamacuras a chance you know? Plus, this give us the opportunity to imagine Kamacuras with some kind of "Range" attack to give it some sort of advantage (since the book and movie had bugs that can shoot plasma). So now we have something very different to the previous Godzilla film. But there's still one more question to ask...

4. Good Guy Kamacuras? What if, just like what Kaneko did with King Ghidorah, Kamacuras is actually the good guy and Godzilla is still the bad guy? Of course, we still have to make Kamacuras strong enough to survive against Godzilla long enough, at least until the humans can come up with something to destroy Godzilla. If that was the case however, if we are going to have an insect/insectoid kaiju defend Japan against Godzilla, why not just have Mothra then?

This is one of those unmade Godzilla films that was honestly best left unmade unless they did something "very out there" and unique.

(I realized part way through typing this, this sounds like a fucking a.i. typed this.)

On the swarm of Kamacuras I can't help but think of Marc Ceracini's second Godzilla Random House novel, GODZILLA 2000. Which early on, the Midwest of the United States was being ravaged by Kamacuras numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. Created by an extraterrestrial parasite that was contained in meteorite that ended being feed on ,and passed around by preying mantises in a wheat field where the meteor hit. Maybe Kaneko had read the book ,and had a similar idea for the genesis of the Kamacuras in his script. But swap the Japanese countryside for the American Midwest.

[CrimsonBloodX]

It makes sense that Kaneko abandoned the idea since Godzilla vs. Megaguirus came out the previous year, but I do think a Godzilla vs Kamacuras movie would be interesting, especially it he decided to make Godzilla battle just one giant Kamacuras who is much stronger and tougher than what we saw in Son of Godzilla and later Final Wars, which would give Godzilla a longer and more challenging fight. I'm personally more interested in this than Godzilla vs. M.

[edgaguirus]

It would have been interesting to see G vs M. The mutated/possessed astronaut is a fun sci fi idea.

On topic, Kamacura has an image problem IMO. Because of SOG and FW, the giant mantis is seen as a weak foe. However, the kaiju can always be updated to be a tougher enemy without going too far from the insect it's based on. I'm not sure how, but it could.

[HistoricalBrazilian]

Okay I'm sorry but this movie would be so boring. WHO WOULD WIN? THE GOD OF DESTRUCTION THAT CAN SHOOT A LAZER BEAM HOTTER THAN THE SUN OUT OF ITS MOUTH OR AN OVERSIZED INSECT??? I WONDER WHO!!!!

[Kagutaba]

Okay I'm sorry but this movie would be so boring. WHO WOULD WIN? THE GOD OF DESTRUCTION THAT CAN SHOOT A LAZER BEAM HOTTER THAN THE SUN OUT OF ITS MOUTH OR AN OVERSIZED INSECT??? I WONDER WHO!!!!

Yeah tell that to Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

[HistoricalBrazilian]

Okay I'm sorry but this movie would be so boring. WHO WOULD WIN? THE GOD OF DESTRUCTION THAT CAN SHOOT A LAZER BEAM HOTTER THAN THE SUN OUT OF ITS MOUTH OR AN OVERSIZED INSECT??? I WONDER WHO!!!!

Yeah tell that to Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

At least Mothra is a Mythical Insect, Kamacuras is just a big one with no abilities.

[edgaguirus]

Mothra, in that film, had only natural abilities as well. Her only real weapon was poison powder, which is plausible given that some moths and butterflies have poisonous scales on their wings.

In SOG, we never see the three Kamacura attack Godzilla together. They did it one at a time. I suppose three mantis attacking at one time could give a challenge to Godzilla.