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Godless Godzilla and Godzilla at 50

pjones writes " Monster Zero reports that Toho has taken the God out of Godzilla leaving us with the affectionate if diminished name of 'Zilla.' But only the American Godzilla will become godless. 'Godzilla' is reserved for our suitmation favorite, while his rival, now called 'Zilla,' is the name for the computer generated star (?) of Godzilla 98. And yes we will see the two in mortal combat with 10 other monsters in Godzilla: Final Wars. In the meantime, Godzilla at 50 events are beginning world-wide. Leave it to Kansas to hold an academic conference, 'In the Footsteps of Godzilla'. In San Francisco, the plans are more gala where more films and more Godzilla involved personalities are part of the plans for GodzillaFest which will feature 20 films (not all feature Godzilla). Any other Gojira/Godzilla/Zilla events?"

32 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmmm... by Black+Parrot · · Score: 3, Interesting


    Wasn't there a story last year saying they were putting G into semi-retirement, due to long term overexposure?

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    1. Re:Hmmmm... by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 2, Funny

      God's being put into semi-retirement due to long term exposure? :)

      --
      Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    2. Re:Hmmmm... by Bloomy · · Score: 2, Informative

      This is the final movie before that semi-retirement. The retirement is reported to last at least 10 years.

  2. Hmm, something's screwy here, by Tibor+the+Hun · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried to run the OP through Babelfish, but it still made no sense...
    Wtf is the writer trying to say?

    --
    If you don't know what AltaVista is (was), get off my lawn.
    1. Re:Hmm, something's screwy here, by pjones · · Score: 3, Funny
      How to write a successful /. article
      http://ibiblio.org/pjones/wordpress/index.php?p=84
      1. Start with a provocative title.
      2. Better if it's really two topics or more mashed together.
      3. Begin with incendiary and possibly inaccuate sentence.
      4. Use slightly complex syntax.
      5. Then mangle the sentences further.
      6. Link to sites with low bandwidth so they will complain of /. effect.
      7. Link to sites that are non-English or are poor translations from non-English.
      8. Attack some company, country, state or university with an indirect slap.
      9. Perform the slap in a way that posters must explain to each other.
      10. Perform the slap in such a way that the university's defenders and rivals feel that they must explain it at length.
      11. Include typos. If you leave them out, /. editors will introduce them for you.
      12. End by asking for posters input.
      13. Including puns will do no good with posters or editors as /.ers rarely notice them. You should try a few any way for your own amusement.
      --
      Certified Black Helicopter Pilot *** Unwitting Dupe of One World Gov'ment
  3. go Zilla by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    As an athiest, I support Zilla !

    1. Re:go Zilla by Tree131 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I tried being an atheist, but I gave up.... They don't have any holidays....

    2. Re:go Zilla by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
      Please take some English classes, I feel embarrassed to even read your post

      That should be 2 sentences.

  4. I wonder... by germaniumdiode · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is mozilla the illigitimate child of godzilla and opera?!???!!!???

  5. Walk of Fame star by momokatte · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm surprised the OP didn't mention that Godzilla is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the U.S. premiere of Godzilla: Final Wars on November 29.

  6. several reads by fembots · · Score: 5, Informative

    After reading the article a couple of times, I believe they are trying to separate Suit-Up Godzilla from the Computer-Generated Godzilla.

    If you think of it as the opposite of USB 2.0, it all makes sense.

  7. Am I the only one... by belgar · · Score: 5, Funny

    ....who didn't understand one IOTA of what this post is about? Apologies to Gary Larson:

    What we hear is: blah blah blah GODZILLA blah blah blah GODZILLA blah blah GODZILLA blah blah....

    --
    What does it mean to wake out of a dream
    and be wearing someone else's shorts?
    BNL, Born on a Pirate Ship (1998)
    1. Re:Am I the only one... by ajs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The Japanese name, "go-ji-ra", is being re-translated into english for future films as "Zilla" instead of "Godzilla" since, for some reason the target audience has been pegged as being the sort to be offended by this type of thing. Personally I can't see how those two groups would ever cross paths, but whatever.

      I'm also at a bit of a loss for why we can't simply call it "Gojila"

    2. Re:Am I the only one... by It's+all+Krista's+Fa · · Score: 3, Informative

      Here's the basics:

      2004 is the 50th anniversary of Godzilla's first film. Toho says Tokyo:SOS is the last planned film in the series for the foreseeable future.

      Connected with the silver anniversary is a series of events in the US, similar to the roadshow the uncut sub-titled print of the first film had earlier this year.

      Tokyo:SOS, as the last G-film, is something of a gala, similar in nature to Destroy All Monsters. In this one, G is traveling the world and fights somewhere around 10 monsters, one of whom is the American Godzilla from G'1998. G'98 will be done in CGI, whereas Godzilla and the other monsters will be suitmation.

      That's pretty much what the blurb was saying.

      --
      It's all Krista's Fault.
  8. Sandy Frank! Sandy Frank! by burgburgburg · · Score: 2, Funny

    He's the source of all our pain!

  9. According to... by BJH · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...the "Godzilla: Final Wars" page, the (possibly incomplete) list of other monsters appearing is:

    - Gigan
    - Rodan
    - Minilla
    - Mothra
    - Kamacuras
    - Kumonga
    - Manda
    - Ebirah
    - Anguirus
    - King Caesar
    - Hedorah
    - Monster X

    1. Re:According to... by randomaxe · · Score: 2, Funny

      - Minilla

      Oh, like Godzilla is going to have any sort of difficulty fighting an envelope.

      - Monster X

      Ooh. Okay. If the name is any indication, this one is a mutated Xbox, which means it certainly has the size advantage. Godzilla is screwed.

  10. What about Rent-a-Zilla? by j1m+5n0w · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I summon... Rent-a-Zilla

    -jim

  11. Its Gojira by (SM)+Spacemonkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No one, can retire Gojira. No one!
    Anyway: Godzilla is believed to have originally been intended by Toho (productions company) to represent the United States of America (being superior in its destructive capability)The name "Gojira" is a combination of "gorilla" and kujira, which means "whale" in Japanese." -wikipedia

    The article is slashdotted already, but perhaps Toho has gotten over its fear of destruction of America? Or conversly, perhaps they are more scared of America and removed the "Gorilla" as not to offend a certain American who looks somewhat like a.... oh nevermind.

  12. a better link by RealAlaskan · · Score: 2, Informative
    Monsterzero seems to be refusing to display the page if you come to it by cliking a slashdot link. So, clik this google search, then take the top link.

    A couple of interesting links showed up while I was lloking for this, too. It seems that the holders of the *zilla copyright are about as uncouth as Godzilla itself: square-zilla and davezilla.

  13. He's a jealous Godzilla by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 3, Funny

    "You will have no Godzillas before me!"

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  14. Don't worry! by BayBlade · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm an expert on what they say about Gozilla in Japan--they usually say something to the effect of:

    Eeeek! Go-jirra!! Ack!

    If you're in doubt, or unclear just assume they are lamenting their untimly death.

    --

    The key difference between a Programmer and a Senior Programmer is that one of them is Mexican.

  15. Mozilla reference? by minus_273 · · Score: 2, Informative

    We all know about the tension between the owners of the godzilla name and mozilla. Given the latter is a knockoff of the formers name and also uses a giant (at one time green) lizard as its symbol, it is unsurprising that the following comment is in the article:
    "In America there are imitation products on the market that have the name"Zilla."

    --
    The war with islam is a war on the beast
    The war on terror is a war for peace
  16. Put God back into Godzilla! by spellraiser · · Score: 2, Funny
    No longer can we, "One Nation Under Godzilla" ignore our creator and allow the death of so many children in this country. Our nation has become the strongest county in the world, why? Because of the Godzilla we are founded under. Our Godzilla is the Real Godzilla, not King King, Nor Mothra. Our Godzilla has blessed this nation with wealth and you show me a country that worships any other Godzilla and I will show you a third world mindset, confused, mislead, and motivated with hate.

    PUT GOD BACK

    --
    I hear there's rumors on the Slashdots
  17. Why they've taken "God" out.... by DesScorp · · Score: 2, Funny

    As noted, only the American version is being called Zilla....because the Japanese regard him as being a weak-dick knockoff of the real thing. What they don't realize is that we pretty much think the same thing. Japanese fans call the American version GINO, an acronym for Godzilla In Name Only.

    Anyway, they put this fight in here to stick it to the American filmakers that created the overgrown iguana; I'd personally like to see Godzilla tear him to pieces, then turn around and take a big nuclear shit on his carcass, while the other monsters stand around and laugh at him.

    --
    Life is hard, and the world is cruel
  18. Godzilla Does Cameo Work in Semi-Retirement by Spencerian · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Next time you see the great popcorn adventure "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" (I highly recommend it), watch the newspapers that flow on-screen early in the movie after the first attack in New York.

    One Japanese paper shows a very familar outline of our favorite destroyer, ostensibly taking on the robots.

    Next to Sir Laurence Olivier finding work in the movie (despite being dead), it was one of the many funny in-jokes of the movie. The link above details more.

    --
    Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
  19. Minilla and GINO by GuyMannDude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yes, that's the list. Funny thing about it, though...

    There are advertisements available on the Internet which show clips of each of the monsters. Minilla, the much-hated "Son of Godzilla" in the awful G-films of the 60s, is not shown. A monster that is shown, however, is GINO -- the nickname given to the Hollywood Godzilla (Godzilla In Name Only). So this leads to an interesting idea: is Toho going to refer to the Hollywood Godzilla as Minilla in "Godzilla Final Wars?" That would be an incredible "fuck you" to the bastards at Tri-Star who took Japan's most pervasive contribution to world culture and turned it into a brainless, typical Hollywood summer blockbuster.

    Perhaps it is too much to hope for. But consider these facts. First, Toho has already said this is going to be the last film for a long time. No need to worry about retribution from offended TriStar studio executives. Second, Toho seems to be making this film as a legitimate thank you to all their fans. The budget for this film is several times larger than in a typical film. What better way to tickle their fans then to mock GINO?

    GMD

  20. Translation... by standsolid · · Score: 2, Funny
    In case any of you are having problems reading the story, I went ove to Google's Language tools then stranslated the text to spanish, then took that spanish text and translated it to English. I think it's a little more clear as to what this article meant.
    pjones writes? Information zero of the monster that Toho has taken God from Godzilla that left us with the affectionate one if it names diminished de?Zilla.? But only the Godzilla American will make atheist. he is reserved for our favorite of suitmation, whereas his rival, now llamado?Zilla? computer () of Godzilla 98 is the name for the generated star. And we will see yes both in mortal combat with 10 other monsters in Godzilla: Final Wars. In the half time, Godzilla in 50 events is beginning everywhere. Déjelo to Kansas to carry out a conference académica?In the passages of Godzilla. In San Francisco, the plans are more Gallic where more films and more implied Godzilla are part the personalities of the plans for GodzillaFest that offers 20 films (not all the Godzilla characteristic). Other events of Gojira/Godzilla/Zilla?

    hopefully that clears things up
    --
    WTPOUAWYHTTOTWPA
    What's the point of using acronyms when you have to type out the whole phrase anyways?
  21. There never was "god" in Godzilla by Daimaou · · Score: 2, Informative

    In Japanese, the name is gojira, which is half gorira (Gorilla) and half kujira (Whale), so if anything, they have taken the Gorilla out of Godzilla, which leaves us with a quirky movie about a whale that fights other mutants over Tokyo and millions of screaming Japanese people.

  22. Re:KU's Academic COnference by Alan+Livingston · · Score: 2, Funny

    In conclusion, be it KU or K-State, the whole flat rectangle sucks.

    See: Proof Is In: Kansas Is Flatter Than A Pancake.

  23. TRUE! by rhesuspieces00 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I recognize all those words, but have no idea what they mean collectively.

  24. Re:Godless America? No thanks by Sein · · Score: 2, Interesting


    Crusades. Witch Burnings. The Spanish Inquisition.

    The Albigensian crusade, where the 'wonderful' quote "Kill them all - God will recognize his own" comes from.

    Slavery justified in the name of God.

    You misunderstand the problem, which is that any totalitarian regime cannot tolerate any independent thinking as this is a threath to the power structure of said society. Thus independent or "different" thinkers get Gulag'ed, jailed, burned, tortured to confess, what have you.

    Or they get Guantamoed.

    Yeah, you were on the right track when you invaded Afghanistan, I was cheering your guys from the sideline and crossing my fingers that you'd get the bastards - I was damn happy when my government sent the special forces contigents US Command asked for. I was a bit concerned when your government started dragging people halfway around the world for the express purpose of violating the Geneva Convention on the treatment of captives.

    The US Army deserves better. They're the good guys, for crying out loud!

    And what's with letting the CIA near people in Abu Ghraib? The Army ought to have smacked the civilian spooks into next week and let their own intelligence people handle it - you know, the real military professionals.

    I think a lot of your problem stems from having civilans at the top who think Chain of Command is an inconvenience and somehting they can safely ignore, instead of doing it the right way which is to tell the Pentagon the desired result and let them work out how to do it without stupid-ass interference from civilians on battefield tactics and strategy.

    Damn, I'm rambling today - and off topic to boot. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

    You're not at the point of Guantamoing internal dissidents, and (most of) the people currently held there probably aren't lily-white innocents. I'm just a tad concerned that the USA seems to be violating their own values in the face of an attack on those very values. The more you become like your despotic and tyrannical enemies, the more you let them win. I really hope you guys step back from the brink on this one - I'd hate to see you waste the greatness of the USA in response to the terrible things done to you that day. If you do, the terrorists will have won - and I really hope you'll see their attack and stop reorganizing along the lines they want you to.

    Because I think the Guantanamo prison is perhaps the most insidious attack on your culture and nation since the internment camps of WWII - if I had my tinfoil hat with me I'd star wondering just who it was who suggested that it was a good idea in the first place. Because no matter who wins the battle, you lose the war if people start thinking that it's okay to "deal with" the enemies of the State outside of the legal framework.

    And man, I will be weeping for you all if that gets to become an acceptable way to deal with people under the War on Terror.