Talkback Thread #12: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

[eabaker]

If only this movie’s production didn’t face the budget cuts that it did. This film would’ve probably be hailed as one of the best in the franchise.

I think many people hold it in that esteem regardless of the stock footage and music.

Well, I rarely see it cited as one of the best, but it seems to be a favorite for a lot of fans.

[Legion1979]

There were so many posts about this film on my FB feed this past weekend and continuing this week. People LOVE this movie.

[Major sssspielberg!]

The stock music doesn't bother me at all, if Tarantino can use other film scores and pop music ad-nausem I think it's fine to re-use Godzilla music in a Godzilla movie.

[AtomicMorningBreath]

I love this movie. One of the ones I owned as a kid in the early 90's on VHS, so it's definitely one of the G movies I have watched the most. The stock footage is jarring at times, but I think the choice of music is fantastic. Unlike the stock footage, the stock music fits very well. Gigan is an awesome, original design, the final battle is epic...and Godzilla bleeds twice! This movie just blew my mind as a kid.

[shadowgigan]

This film also has some of the most compelling human characters in the series, I think. I somehow reate to all of hem, at least to an extent.

[edgaguirus]

They are interesting characters, and they also make for the most unlikely heroes. Their solution for destroying the tower is a good example of that. It's absurd idea, but clever at the same time.

[eabaker]

I've mentioned this on here before, but I love the way the manga theme is woven into different aspects of the story. There was very little reason, in the midst of this crisis, for Gengo to take the time to do a life sized drawing of the whole gang in action poses, but when that elevator door opens revealing them in all their heroic black and white glory, it's such an rush!

[Spuro]

There was very little reason, in the midst of this crisis, for Gengo to take the time to do a life sized drawing of the whole gang in action poses,

Wasn't the reason to trick the aliens into shooting the explosives and setting them off? Or am I misremembering?

[SpaceG92]

There was very little reason, in the midst of this crisis, for Gengo to take the time to do a life sized drawing of the whole gang in action poses,

Wasn't the reason to trick the aliens into shooting the explosives and setting them off? Or am I misremembering?

It was the point but what I think eabaker is trying to say. Is Godzilla and friends is getting their ass kicked and someone mangaka took the time to do a 1:1 scale which the thought of is comical. Or the art was done before hand which would make more sense instead of an on the fly improv.

[eabaker]

Yeah, I mean, it has a narrative purpose, but my first thought in that scenario certainly wouldn't be "we should use line drawings as decoys!" It's a moment of comic (no pun intended) absurdity, in a pretty gleefully absurd movie.

[shadowgigan]

The Nebulans were so suspicious, I'm shocked they got as far as they did without raising more suspicion from the government.

[edgaguirus]

Hiding something out in the open is a good way to hide sometimes. They are a charity, and I doubt most people would suspect a base of invasion in the middle of a project meant for children and education.

[shadowgigan]

Hiding something out in the open is a good way to hide sometimes. They are a charity, and I doubt most people would suspect a base of invasion in the middle of a project meant for children and education.

Yeah I feel you. Still, they were acting sketchy the entire film! Never seen a woman scrambling to get away from the offices of a charity before!

[LSD Jellyfish]

Considering the film takes place in the early 70's, nothing about the Nrbulans plan really feels that out of place. Around that time in Japan, a lot of whacky and psychedelic designs and amusement parks/things were being made nationwide. Japan was big on the "World Expo", and actually Godzilla Tower and Children's land doesn't seem out of place when you consider Tower of the Sun was a legitimate thing.

[shadowgigan]

Considering the film takes place in the early 70's, nothing about the Nrbulans plan really feels that out of place. Around that time in Japan, a lot of whacky and psychedelic designs and amusement parks/things were being made nationwide. Japan was big on the "World Expo", and actually Godzilla Tower and Children's land doesn't seem out of place when you consider Tower of the Sun was a legitimate thing.

It's not the G Tower or anything that sketches me out about them, that I understand. It's more the fact they seem to operate more like the mob than a charity organization! They don't seem to shy about it either!

[LegendZilla]

Does anyone recall the unmade film Godzilla Vs Redmoon, which was supposed to come out the same year as this one? Well since Tsupro was set to co-produce said film with Toho, a deal of which didn't pass, imagine if they were kind enough to support Toho with this movie instead?

[UltramanGoji]

Does anyone recall the unmade film Godzilla Vs Redmoon, which was supposed to come out the same year as this one? Well since Tsupro was set to co-produce said film with Toho, a deal of which didn't pass, imagine if they were kind enough to support Toho with this movie instead?

We probably wouldn't have had as much stock footage which is a plus. I love this movie but it's one blemish is the rather slapdash use of old footage, specifically the GTTHM fight scenes poorly tinted to look like nighttime shots.

[Spuro]

Does anyone recall the unmade film Godzilla Vs Redmoon, which was supposed to come out the same year as this one? Well since Tsupro was set to co-produce said film with Toho, a deal of which didn't pass, imagine if they were kind enough to support Toho with this movie instead?

We probably wouldn't have had as much stock footage which is a plus. I love this movie but it's one blemish is the rather slapdash use of old footage, specifically the GTTHM fight scenes poorly tinted to look like nighttime shots.

That brief scene that shows Mothra randomly at the scene is probably the worst offender, huh?

[LegendZilla]

Does anyone recall the unmade film Godzilla Vs Redmoon, which was supposed to come out the same year as this one? Well since Tsupro was set to co-produce said film with Toho, a deal of which didn't pass, imagine if they were kind enough to support Toho with this movie instead?

We probably wouldn't have had as much stock footage which is a plus. I love this movie but it's one blemish is the rather slapdash use of old footage, specifically the GTTHM fight scenes poorly tinted to look like nighttime shots.

Realistically, do you think they could’ve had at least half the stock-footage?

[UltramanGoji]

Realistically, do you think they could’ve had at least half the stock-footage?

I don't know? I don't really know or care enough to tally up how much footage was reused vs. newly shot.