Everything about Muppets, Monsters, and Disney that you could possibly imagine.
Showing posts with label iguana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iguana. Show all posts
Monday, May 19, 2014
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Happy Birthday Ishiro Honda!
Ishiro Honda
Born May 7th, 1911 - Died February 28th, 1993
Ishiro Honda would have been 103 and if he were alive today would have seen the rebirth of the movie character he made famous the world over. Honda directed and co-wrote the screenplay for the most famous of all monster movies, Godzilla, and would later direct many more including the Mysterians, Mothra, and the first appearance of King Ghidorah. These monster movies would make him famous overseas and make him the father of all kaiju and monster movies from 1954 on.
To see a complete listing of his life work please visit the link below:
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Like no roar before!
Anywhere I here this roar, I get excited. Godzilla has the most recognizable sound of any movie character in the world (besides Kermits "Hi-ho everyone" and Mickey's infectious laugh). However, Godzilla's roar does not come from a mix of other animal sounds or anything living.
Godzilla's roar was created by Akira Ifukube (the composer of 22 Godzilla films and creator of Godzilla's theme which will NOT be featured in the new 2014 movie). Ifukube wanted the sound to be natural and organic but not just the recreation of any living animal. The roar was created by rubbing a leather glove across a contrabass and applying an echo to that recording. When the roar was created there was only one contrabass in all of Japan and Ifukube had no prior experience with the instrument.
They all have their own unique style and sound to match the era in which that Godzilla exists. Gareth Edwards says they stayed true to the original roar. Watch the video below to find out more:
Godzilla's roar was created by Akira Ifukube (the composer of 22 Godzilla films and creator of Godzilla's theme which will NOT be featured in the new 2014 movie). Ifukube wanted the sound to be natural and organic but not just the recreation of any living animal. The roar was created by rubbing a leather glove across a contrabass and applying an echo to that recording. When the roar was created there was only one contrabass in all of Japan and Ifukube had no prior experience with the instrument.
Below is the original Godzilla's roar:
Now here is the Heisei Godzilla roar:
Finally, Godzilla 2014's roar:
They all have their own unique style and sound to match the era in which that Godzilla exists. Gareth Edwards says they stayed true to the original roar. Watch the video below to find out more:
Sunday, May 4, 2014
What does Godzilla Eat?
It has been long debated what Godzilla actually eats. Based on his anatomy and double set of teeth, forward facing eyes, and large mass, Godzilla would be an apex predator. However, we've never actually seen Godzilla eat anything in any of the 29 movies. Baby Godzilla in Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II does eat vegetables and is said to be a herbivore, but I would disagree when you're born with a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Light has been shed on the debate and there is no argument that Godzilla's diet mainly consists of Snickers and Fiats. Enjoy!
Light has been shed on the debate and there is no argument that Godzilla's diet mainly consists of Snickers and Fiats. Enjoy!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Godzilla is...
All of the Above
1. A giant radioactive iguana.
A member of the Iguanidae family (Tatopoulos said the design is based off of his pet Selfin Dragon), Godzilla of 1998 (hereby referred to as Zilla) would be born from the blast of radiation from nuclear testing. This would be the only similarity Zilla would share with the origins of Classic Godzilla.
2. An allegory for the bomb.
The original Godzilla emerged as a representation of the horrors that the Japanese people experienced at the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Godzilla would become a symbol of the bomb, seeing as how the Japanese never tested nuclear weapons, but were only the victims of an unstoppable force. Godzilla became that unstoppable force, destroying Tokyo overnight, and leveling the city like the bomb had done to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The fear of the invisible killer, radiation, was real to the Japanese audience and Godzilla presented the opportunity to make that fear visible. He was given a radioactive beam, a character trait that would become iconic with Godzilla.
3. A Godzillasaurus
In order to revive the series and give Godzilla a new look, the writers would go back and change Godzilla's origin. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) would have Time-travelers from the future come back and move the 1944 Godzillasaurus on Lagos Island to the Bearing Sea, therefore avoiding creating the original Godzilla at all. However, the Godzillasaurus was exposed to radiation from a nuclear submarine and is reborn bigger, stronger, and meaner than ever. Godzillasaurus resembles a typical theropod but with a double set of teeth, which is later reflected in Godzilla from the Heisei series.
4. A Force of Nature.
Godzilla has been and always will be a force of nature. Looking at any of Godzilla's origin stories, he is still an animal. Transformed into a towering force, imbued with radioactive properties, and being the last of his kind, Godzilla faces a world that he can never be a part of. Acting like any animal would, Godzilla is merely defending his territory. He is neither good, nor bad, but a neutral force (this topic will be discussed in later days).
 |
| Selfin Dragon |
1. A giant radioactive iguana.
A member of the Iguanidae family (Tatopoulos said the design is based off of his pet Selfin Dragon), Godzilla of 1998 (hereby referred to as Zilla) would be born from the blast of radiation from nuclear testing. This would be the only similarity Zilla would share with the origins of Classic Godzilla.
 |
| Nuclear blast from Hiroshima |
2. An allegory for the bomb.
The original Godzilla emerged as a representation of the horrors that the Japanese people experienced at the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Godzilla would become a symbol of the bomb, seeing as how the Japanese never tested nuclear weapons, but were only the victims of an unstoppable force. Godzilla became that unstoppable force, destroying Tokyo overnight, and leveling the city like the bomb had done to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The fear of the invisible killer, radiation, was real to the Japanese audience and Godzilla presented the opportunity to make that fear visible. He was given a radioactive beam, a character trait that would become iconic with Godzilla.
 |
| Godzillasaurus |
In order to revive the series and give Godzilla a new look, the writers would go back and change Godzilla's origin. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) would have Time-travelers from the future come back and move the 1944 Godzillasaurus on Lagos Island to the Bearing Sea, therefore avoiding creating the original Godzilla at all. However, the Godzillasaurus was exposed to radiation from a nuclear submarine and is reborn bigger, stronger, and meaner than ever. Godzillasaurus resembles a typical theropod but with a double set of teeth, which is later reflected in Godzilla from the Heisei series.
Godzilla has been and always will be a force of nature. Looking at any of Godzilla's origin stories, he is still an animal. Transformed into a towering force, imbued with radioactive properties, and being the last of his kind, Godzilla faces a world that he can never be a part of. Acting like any animal would, Godzilla is merely defending his territory. He is neither good, nor bad, but a neutral force (this topic will be discussed in later days).
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