So who else enjoys Kaiju movies?

[Strain42]

I love 'em. I really do. Many are awesome, some are just corny and cheesy, but I really do enjoy them all. With Pacific Rim out now (which I loved) and the upcoming Godzilla remake (which I'm incredibly cautious about) I have a feeling that Kaiju movies might be making a real comeback. Even if it's just for a little while.

So whether you became a fan recently, or you've loved 'em all your life, or maybe you're just kinda interested in them and dunno where to start, I wanna hear about it.

What's your favorite? Do you have a favorite monster? Any underrated favorites you maybe wanna throw out there?

Godzilla is a classic, but my personal favorite has always been Gamera. I especially love the 1990's trilogy of films (Attack of the Legion probably being my favorite of the 3)

 

[Bertylicious]

I like Kaiju movies! Can't claim to be an aficionado though...

Wasn't Gamera the giant turtle with jet engines strapped to it? I've always wanted to see that.

Of the small number I've seen I think Godzilla vs King Ghidorah was my favourite.

 

[cojo965]

Big fan over here, though I'm sure the entire Escapist knows that by now.

I like Kaiju movies! Can't claim to be an aficionado though...

Wasn't Gamera the giant turtle with jet engines strapped to it? I've always wanted to see that.

Of the small number I've seen I think Godzilla vs King Ghidorah was my favourite.

Yeah that's Gamera.

 

[Erttheking]

I'm not really a fan of them, but considering they were apparently inspiration for a lot of the bosses in Super Metroid, I can safely say that I do respect them and I'm very glad they exist. Still want to see Pacific Rim though.

 

[Strain42]

I like Kaiju movies! Can't claim to be an aficionado though...

Wasn't Gamera the giant turtle with jet engines strapped to it? I've always wanted to see that.

Of the small number I've seen I think Godzilla vs King Ghidorah was my favourite.

Yeah, that's Gamera. There are basically three different time periods for Gamera. There are 8 films in the first run. These are mostly the older, slightly cornier ones mostly known for bad dubs. 5 of them are actually done in Mystery Science Theater 3000, and that's not a bad way to see them (though be warned, the Gamera vs. Guiron dub will make you want to headbutt kittens. It's not just terrible voices but theycan't...emote properly...with their word noises...you see...theyjustwantto...okay, I'm gonna stop now) MST3k also did two Godzilla movies (Godzilla vs. Megalon and Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster) as well as Gorgo, which is basically England attempting to have their own Godzilla.

Then there's the 90's trilogy that I mentioned.

EDIT FOR CORRECTION: The good news is you can get the entire trilogy on blu-ray for like under 10 bucks. I got it for about 6 at wal-mart. The bad news is if you want it on DVD, that's much harder and more expensive. The cheapest I found is buying it used for $45 on Amazon, or buying each movie individually for about 12, 15, and 22 respectively) so basically if you have the option to watch blu-ray movies, even if you'd prefer the DVD, the blu-ray is the much better deal.

The latest one was Gamera the Brave in like 2006...it was okay. That's about all I can say lol

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is a good. If you get a chance, I recommend checking out Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster. This was not only the character's first appearance, but it also has a pretty epic climax of Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra all teaming up against Ghidorah. Here's a clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM8mohcuBQE

I know it WAS on Netflix, I dunno if it still is.

Big fan over here, though I'm sure the entire Escapist knows that by now.

You and I are friends now. What are some of your favorites?

 

[Saltyk]

While I probably haven't seen half of the Kaiju movies. I do fondly remember Sci-Fi Channel (if memory serves) would occasionally run marathons of Godzilla. Which was awesome. Gotta love watching the King of Monsters beat up other monsters. If your inner child doesn't scream with joy every time Godzilla smacks some upstart monster around, you have no soul.

Also, Pacific Rim was amazing. They beat up a monster using a cargo ship! I didn't even know I wanted to see that in a movie.

 

[Souplex]

I've been watching them for as long as I can remember. Mostly Godzilla.
Makes me feel old.

 

[GodzillaGuy92]

I was five years old when my grandpa showed me the original, English-dubbed Godzilla movie, and it's been my favorite film series ever since (even after realizing how bad most of them were; at least they're bad in an enjoyable way). Naturally, that love extends to the rest of the genre as well, which is why the action scenes in Pacific Rim were such a treat. (The rest of it, not so much - Ron Perlman's character and the two kaiju researchers excepted, of course. Which is par for the course in kaiju movies, of course, but we already know that del Toro is a skilled storyteller in addition to a visual effects expert, so I don't see why the "love letter" to the genre had to extend to the aspects that don't actually deserve love.) While I'd agree with virtually every other kaiju fan ever by pointing to Gojira as remaining the unequivocally best giant monster film of all time after all these decades, my #2 vote would probably go to Gamera 3. Also, I still have yet to see The Host, and by all accounts I've been missing out. Does anyone who has seen it have any thoughts to share?

 

[Strain42]

my #2 vote would probably go to Gamera 3. Also, I still have yet to see The Host, and by all accounts I've been missing out. Does anyone who has seen it have any thoughts to share?

I've not seen The Host, though I did hear it was alright.

I have to ask though, by Gamera 3 do you mean Revenge of Iris or Gamera vs. Gyaos?

I mean both were good, so that's why I'm a tad confused lol

Oh, has anyone here seen Garuda? It was a Taiwanese Kaiju film (though the creature was really only about 15 feet tall or so. Not exactly the biggest giant monster) It was a bit slow, but fairly interesting, and I won't say who, but it has one of those deaths where you get mad at the guy who died for being such an idiot

 

[GodzillaGuy92]

I've not seen The Host, though I did hear it was alright.

I have to ask though, by Gamera 3 do you mean Revenge of Iris or Gamera vs. Gyaos?

I mean both were good, so that's why I'm a tad confused lol

From what I understand, Gamera vs. Gyaos (which I haven't seen, so I'm going off of hearsay) gets some genuine love because it was made before the original Gamera series devolved into complete childishness, but I have yet to encounter anyone who would seriously claim it rivals Gojira in terms of quality. Revenge of Iris, on the other hand, is simply a masterpiece.

Also...

Then there's the 90's trilogy that I mentioned. The bad news about this set is that they don't seem to exist on DVD. The good news is you can buy the whole trilogy on blu-ray for like under 10 bucks. I found it for 6 at wal-mart. Of course I'd still personally prefer a DVD.

http://www.amazon.com/Gamera-Guardian-Universe-Tsuyoshi-Ihara/dp/B0000844JH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376623687&sr=8-2&keywords=gamera+guardian+of+the+universe

http://www.amazon.com/Gamera-Attack-Legion-Toshiyuki-Nagashima/dp/B00008G8P5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376623731&sr=8-1&keywords=gamera+attack+of+legion

http://www.amazon.com/Gamera-3-Revenge-Shinobu-Nakayama/dp/B00008G8Q8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376623731&sr=8-4&keywords=gamera+attack+of+legion

http://www.amazon.com/Gamera-Limited-Edition-Box-Set/dp/B0002LE8WS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376623838&sr=8-2&keywords=gamera+trilogy

But yes, the Blu-ray version is still definitely the best deal if you already have a Blu-ray player.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Never really watched kaiju movies, though I suspect I have the potential to be a fan.

I watched the MST3K version of Gamera vs. Guiron, and occasionally missed whole patches of riffing because I was getting too absorbed in the fight to pay attention.

 

[cojo965]

Then there's the 90's trilogy that I mentioned. The bad news about this set is that they don't seem to exist on DVD.

I have them on DVD, just throwing that out there. (Don't take the image seriously, I just wanted an excuse to use it and you gave me one.)

You and I are friends now. What are some of your favorites?

Well when presented with that question Gojira '54 is a staple and is pretty much necessary to call yourself one, but most would be from the 90s and millennium series of Godzilla films. More recently would be Pacific Rim.

Edit: I may have just derailed the thread.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

Oh man, I love 'em, and I LOVED Pacific Rim and I'm so psyched for the new Godzilla.
I remember going on something of a Godzilla binge when I was younger, watched everything my local Blockbuster had on him (which was about six, seven, eight maybe?), it was great. I don't remember a thing about them, but I can say I've seen Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla AND Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla, really swoons the ladies, that line.
I freaking jumped at the King Kong remake and Cloverfield simply because GIANT MONSTERS. You have a giant monster in your movie, I'm so there.
The last giant monster movie I saw besides Pacific Rim I think was Troll Hunter, and man what a movie that was.

Spoiler: Giant monsters are coming back, baby!

 

[Doclector]

I love Kaiju films.

But I get to see so few of the damn things.

Let me think right now about the amount of giant monster movies that I know of readily available in the UK.

Spoiler: My list

Once pacific rim comes out on DVD, that'll count.

Godzilla AKA Broderickzilla. Nah thanks, and yet I still have it on DVD because THAT IS JUST HOW FUCKING DESPERATE FOR THESE KINDS OF MOVIES I AM.

The host. Does that count? I mean, it's a damn good monster movie, but compared to the likes of godzilla, the monster is pretty goddamn tiny.

Super 8? Nah, that doesn't really count very much...It's a good speilsbergian coming of age sci fi movie, but I wouldn't really call it a monster movie pretty much because the focus isn't on the monster.

Cloverfield.

Troll hunter.

King kong.

Erm...shit. What is there besides asylum's stuff and the occasional syfy original that manages to get a budget bigger than 50 quid?

Er...Evolution? Monster fuckin' house?

Yeah. Honestly, it'd be truer to say that I WOULD be a big fan of Kaiju films if I could my bloody hands on any of them.

 

[Strain42]

I love Kaiju films.

But I get to see so few of the damn things.

Let me think right now about the amount of giant monster movies that I know of readily available in the UK.

Spoiler: My list

Once pacific rim comes out on DVD, that'll count.

Godzilla AKA Broderickzilla. Nah thanks, and yet I still have it on DVD because THAT IS JUST HOW FUCKING DESPERATE FOR THESE KINDS OF MOVIES I AM.

The host. Does that count? I mean, it's a damn good monster movie, but compared to the likes of godzilla, the monster is pretty goddamn tiny.

Super 8? Nah, that doesn't really count very much...It's a good speilsbergian coming of age sci fi movie, but I wouldn't really call it a monster movie pretty much because the focus isn't on the monster.

Cloverfield.

Troll hunter.

King kong.

Erm...shit. What is there besides asylum's stuff and the occasional syfy original that manages to get a budget bigger than 50 quid?

Er...Evolution? Monster fuckin' house?

Yeah. Honestly, it'd be truer to say that I WOULD be a big fan of Kaiju films if I could my bloody hands on any of them.

Hmm...well if you're from the UK, I would assume you'd be able to find Gorgo. That is a British movie, but I'm not positive.

I dunno if these help either but Reptilicus is from Denmark. I believe there are basically two versions, the original Danish one and the kinda sorta remade English one. One of those might be available to you.

Yeti: The Giant of the 20th Century is from Italy. Again, I'd have no idea if those would be available to you on DVD. I'm just trying to think of Kaiju films that are actually from around Europe.

Then there's the 90's trilogy that I mentioned. The bad news about this set is that they don't seem to exist on DVD.

I have them on DVD, just throwing that out there. (Don't take the image seriously, I just wanted an excuse to use it and you gave me one.)

Yeah, someone posted links to them earlier in the thread.

So yeah, I'm gonna go back and correct that post.

 

[stormeris]

Oh, i love kaiju movies.
I remember watching them through the night, when i was a kid. Mostly old Godzilla movies, though i always liked the "antagonist" kaiju more than Godzilla himself (even though he isn't really a good guy, when he's wrecking shit up, but whatever).
My favorite kaiju, was probably Biollante. A giant plant/dinosaur hybrid thing with tentacles

I was a very weird kid that grew up into a very weird person.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I do... unfortunately, there'e not easy to come by around here...

 

[LauriJ]

I just saw Pacific Rim and it was really cool. Did you enjoy it?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Don't like them. I liked Pacific Rim a lot but I'm not a big fan of the big monster movies.