Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Breakdown »

Having watched this again recently, I've come to appreciate it even more than before. Biollante in particular is easily in my top 5 kaiju, largely due to how tragic of a character she is. She's a human trapped in a monster's body all because her father couldn't accept her death and allow her to rest in peace. She's essentially alone in the world as an abomination of science, and the only other being like her (Godzilla) ended up as her enemy. A lot of recent portrayals of Biollante depict her simply as a mindless monster, which really goes against how she was established in GvsB. Also her theme is by far one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. It really captures the beauty of Biollante, both as Erica and the rose-form. Later on it takes sort of a darker tone, indicative of the monster she's slowly becoming as Godzilla's cells take over. Finally it goes back to a wonderous, almost melancholy tone (that plays as she's dissolving away into spores after Godzilla collapses) as if to show that despite the hideous appearance of her final form, there's still beauty and a soul within.

/end simping for Biollante
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Xenagoji7802 »

Breakdown wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:44 am Having watched this again recently, I've come to appreciate it even more than before. Biollante in particular is easily in my top 5 kaiju, largely due to how tragic of a character she is. She's a human trapped in a monster's body all because her father couldn't accept her death and allow her to rest in peace. She's essentially alone in the world as an abomination of science, and the only other being like her (Godzilla) ended up as her enemy. A lot of recent portrayals of Biollante depict her simply as a mindless monster, which really goes against how she was established in GvsB. Also her theme is by far one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. It really captures the beauty of Biollante, both as Erica and the rose-form. Later on it takes sort of a darker tone, indicative of the monster she's slowly becoming as Godzilla's cells take over. Finally it goes back to a wonderous, almost melancholy tone (that plays as she's dissolving away into spores after Godzilla collapses) as if to show that despite the hideous appearance of her final form, there's still beauty and a soul within.

/end simping for Biollante
Whoa man, you've literally just described many of the reasons why she's my favorite kaiju other than Godzilla and Gamera. Her origin is so sad, and then the monster she then becomes is uttetly breathtaking to me. I remember as a kid seeing a trailer for GvsB on the 1991 GvsGhidorah VHS in Japan, and when they showed Biollante I felt this big shiver down my spine, and was in complete awe. Been in love ever since ✌😊

That glowing red orb within her, I've always thought to be her heart, but in the form of a giant mutated rose (or roses fused together). That even in terrifying monster form, her fragile heart was exposed.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by LegendZilla »

I think it's safe to say that this movie is the shining achievement of the Heisei series of films. It's one of my top films in the franchise.
Last edited by LegendZilla on Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:50 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Finally revisited the film after I made the mistake of watching it in a spot where I couldn't focus first time around. It made the plot a lot clearer, but sadly I still don't love this movie as much as I was hoping to given how much y'all hype it up. It has some really great, shining moments, and is overall a good time, but some stuff really drags me out of it. The English acting (Both from the Bio-One guys and the Saradian Agent) is REALLY bad. Like, brings me right out of the movie bad. Plus, Dr. Shirigami just seems emotionless, which is insane when you consider what his character is going through. Erika's face floating into the sky was not as bad as I remembered, it actually worked for me this time. Biollante is a really cool monster, and the effects in the movie are fantastic. Maybe the "grossest" Kaiju fight, which was cool. But overall, I wish I liked the movie more than I do.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Huh. I find Shiragami very dry/restrained, but I still see a lot of emotion below the surface.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Shoopwoop17 wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 7:14 am The English acting (Both from the Bio-One guys and the Saradian Agent) is REALLY bad. Like, brings me right out of the movie bad.
This right here is what prevents me from calling Godzilla vs Biollante the best Heisei movie (that award in my mind goes to The Return of Godzilla).

And I'm on the spectrum. I don't notice most film acting, good or bad. So the fact that I notice *this* really says something. I can't even understand the important dialogue in Saradia at the start of the movie without swapping over to the dubbed version of the movie.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Imagine actually hating on the Saradian agent
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Shameful display, y'all jelly for his style!
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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ROMG4 wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:00 pm Imagine actually hating on the Saradian agent
Image

Shameful display, y'all jelly for his style!
The Chad Saradian Agent vs the Virgin Gondo

Seriously though, I always thought he had a sweet looking car. Still can't find anything about a make or model.
Last edited by Breakdown on Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Shoopwoop17 »

ROMG4 wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:00 pm Imagine actually hating on the Saradian agent

Shameful display, y'all jelly for his style!
Hey now, never said I hated him, most of the time he wasn't saying anything so I didn't mind :lol:
KK42 wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 8:58 am
Shoopwoop17 wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 7:14 am The English acting (Both from the Bio-One guys and the Saradian Agent) is REALLY bad. Like, brings me right out of the movie bad.
This right here is what prevents me from calling Godzilla vs Biollante the best Heisei movie (that award in my mind goes to The Return of Godzilla).

And I'm on the spectrum. I don't notice most film acting, good or bad. So the fact that I notice *this* really says something. I can't even understand the important dialogue in Saradia at the start of the movie without swapping over to the dubbed version of the movie.
Thank you for sharing! That's really interesting to hear, glad I wasn't being overly sensitive!
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Breakdown wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:41 pm Image

Seriously though, I always thought he had a sweet looking car. Still can't find anything about a make or model.
Mystery solved! The Saradian agent was so badass, he had killed Inspector Gadget before GvB and made the Gadgetmobile his own car...

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Anyone know who that weird talk show host is that appears before Godzilla attacks Osaka?

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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shadowgigan wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 2:32 pm Anyone know who that weird talk show host is that appears before Godzilla attacks Osaka?
Demon Kogure.

And he also appeared in and narrated one of the TV spots.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Only '90s kids will remember.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Terasawa wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:51 am Only '90s kids will remember.
Misty, watercolored memories...
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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Terasawa wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:51 am Only '90s kids will remember.

Oh God I remember that
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by LSD Jellyfish »

Terasawa wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:51 am Only '90s kids will remember.

This was on the VHS to the Miramax release right? What other trailers were on that? I feel like "included trailers" are a goldmine that aren't talked about anymore.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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LSD Jellyfish wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 6:16 am This was on the VHS to the Miramax release right? What other trailers were on that? I feel like "included trailers" are a goldmine that aren't talked about anymore.
This was the only one on that release; unfortunately, no Biollante trailer on the Opposite Sex release (instead it has a trailer for a Matthew Broderick movie, go figure), which would have been the only redeeming thing about that tape.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by Rando Yaguchi »

I saw that trailer so many times as a kid. Looks like an awful movie in retrospect.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Post by tbeasley »

In a funny way that always made Biollante feel way more like an adult movie to me as a kid. I'd seen the Raymond Burr movies but the vibe and presentation here was just different.

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Re: Talkback: Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

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tbeasley wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 1:54 pm In a funny way that always made Biollante feel way more like an adult movie to me as a kid. I'd seen the Raymond Burr movies but the vibe and presentation here was just different.
Honestly, it still kinda feels weird starting this movie on Blu-ray and not having it open with Kevin Pollak breaking the fourth wall.
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