Friday, January 27, 2012

Del Toro Talks DreamWorks Toons, Pacific Rim, The Hobbit and More


Spinoff.comicbookresources.com has a fascinating article on Guillermo Del Toro where he talks more about his upcoming films.

...by far the most interesting part is where he spills more info on "Pacific Rim", the super-secret kaiju-fest film set to be released next year.

While he doesn't reveal anything spoilerish, what I found interesting was his intense love for this project.

Here's a direct quote:

"Think about it, I’m so fully immersed now in Pacific Rim. I’m 47 and I never in my life have had as good an experience making a movie as Pacific Rim has been. It’s been a joy every morning from every point of view and I cannot tell you how much I’m enjoying it because I have nothing to compare it to. Part of it is how involved and invested the guys from ILM have been. It’s been amazing."

To me this is pretty big news because I had always figured "Hellboy" as his favorite movie-making experience. I mean it was enough for him to do a sequel, something he never does.

So if he was enthusiastic making "Hellboy" and "Hellboy II"...and those films came out so great...imagine how fantastic "Pacific Rim" is going to be!

That man knows how to make a good film great, and I can't wait until it comes out.

Giant robots battling giant monsters, all done through the beautiful magic of ILM, what more can anyone ask for!

I can only hope that the upcoming Godzilla movie from Legendary Pictures and Co. lives up to this potential.

In any case here's the original article where he expresses more thoughts on these films:

spinoff.comicbookresources.com: Del Toro talks Dreamworks toons, Pacific Rim, The Hobbit and more

Godzilla Image of the Day


"I just wanted to thank everybody for this great award. ...I couldn't have done it without the great love and support of my fans.  And of course who can forget the dedication from fellow actors Mothra, King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla".

There's just something so funny about this picture.

The pose, the cradling of the award, the photogenic smile as if Godzilla is trying to look his best.

It's literally like somebody told Godzilla "Cheeeeseeee" and he immediately posed for the camera.




Thursday, January 26, 2012

Godzilla Toy of the Day




In celebration of the newly released "Godzilla Criterion Collection" DVD/Blu-Ray, I decided to dedicate this "Toy of the Day" column to the original Godzilla monster design.

Created by famous toymaker Bandai, the Japanese 6" Vinyl Figure Final Wars 1954 Godzilla is a beautiful recreation of the monster design used for the film.

Standing at a proud 6 inches tall, it captures all of the finest details from the movie.

From the reduced spikes on his spine, to the charcoal-texture body, to the tiny teeth protruding from his mouth, everything is here.

Even the way Godzilla's eyes curiously branched outward was replicated by Bandai, which goes to show what level of work was applied by the toy sculpture.

It's like they literally took him out of a film cell and captured him as a toy.

If you're a Godzilla fan then this is definitely a toy for you.

If you know any Godzilla fan out there and are about to get them the newly released Criterion video, this is the perfect add-on too.

****Interesting side-note: it's neat that the color of the body resembles a charcoal gray, with the chest and knees looking lighter in color. With the film (and all publicity photos) shot only in black-and-white, I wonder what the original color from the suit was****

Outside the Box: Fear Itself: Book of Skull motion comic



****Credit goes to YouTube user "Kayjay Comics" for this****

Those who have been following my Godzilla website for a while know how big of a fan I am of motion comics.

(You can see all the past examples of these posts under my Godzilla motion comics tab).

I love them because the added sound effects and music (and in some cases voice work) truly help bring the comic to life!

But at the same time they respect the original source by keeping all of the original artwork in tact, which essentially creates the best of both worlds.

(One of the best examples remains the fantastic "Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic" that was released a few years back).

In any case I'm expanding the videos I post on motion comics to introduce other great pieces of work, such as superhero motion comics from the DC and Marvel universe.

For this inaugural edition I'll introduce a great one that "Kayjay Comics" no doubt spent a lot time on, this one focusing on the "Fear Itself Book Of The Skull (One Shot)" that was released last year.

It's a really great video to watch and I hope everyone enjoys it!

More to come soon!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

What to make of these "Strange Sounds" videos




Above is another "Strange Sounds" video that is garnering the most views yet.

It includes some new videos along with some of the older ones we've already seen.

It was uploaded just a week ago and already has more than 1,600,000+ views, which denotes the feverish interest that people have on this subject.

I still see posts that allude to viral marketing tied in with the newest Godzilla movie, or with the anticipated sequel for "Cloverfield".

(Such articles you can find here and here).

I've even read rumors that this all tied into the new kaiju-centric film "Pacific Rim" currently being made by Guillermo Del Toro.

Thanks to Godzilla fan "Caidema" though, he found some good posts where people claim these sounds are nothing more than Earth made sounds, such as plate tectonics, the wind, etc.

One of these posts even includes a map highlighting where these events are happening, and here one can see a pattern developing.

(You can find these posts here and here).

So what to make of these "Strange Sounds" videos?

Are they viral marketing? Something natural? A hoax? E.T. messing around with us.

I honestly don't know. In fact I'm siding more towards these things being a hoax...or if anything viral...at least with that "Pacific Rim" movie.  (I do hope that the new "Godzilla" movie has something to do with this).

But what I do know is that such a topic is infinitely interesting to wonder and post about.

I love love love these kind of things, and I look forward to seeing more of these videos as they come along.

You better believe I'll keep posting more news about this as it occurs.

Top 10 Real life monsters


As part of the their review for the newly released "Godzilla Criterion" DVD/Blu-Ray (seen here), Time.com has added a column dedicated to the top 10 Godzilla-like monsters here on Earth.

How they considered these animals included their sheer size (such as the pictured crocodile), their ferocity, their deadliness, their monstrous nature, etc.

Basically they're the type of animals/monsters one would find cohabiting with Godzilla on Monster Island!

Take a look everybody if you have the guts.

Trust me, some of the pictures will seriously freak you out. It'll make you wonder how on Earth some of these animals exist.

time.com: Top 10 Real Life Monsters

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Godzilla Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray now available!


The wait is finally over!

The all new "Godzilla (The Criterion Collection)" DVD and Blu-Ray editions are finally available in stores and online retail markets!

Jam packed with hours of extras and an all new restored print, this is definitely something every Godzilla fan should pick up.

(Or if you know any Godzilla fan out there, what a perfect gift to provide to them).

I know I have my copy ordered and I can't wait to receive it!

I've already posted an advanced review before, found here, but for even more rave reviews of this new release you can find them here, here, and here .

Also I'm reprinting the amazing list of features available with this release:

New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• Audio commentary by David Kalat (A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series)
• New high-definition digital restoration of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, Terry Morse’s 1956 reworking of the original, starring Raymond Burr
• Audio commentary for Godzilla, King of the Monsters by Kalat
• New interviews with actor Akira Takarada (Hideto Ogata), Godzilla performer Haruo Nakajima, and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
• Interview with legendary Godzilla score composer Akira Ifukube
• Featurette detailing Godzilla’s photographic effects
• New interview with Japanese-film critic Tadao Sato
• The Unluckiest Dragon, an illustrated audio essay featuring historian Greg Pflugfelder describing the tragic fate of the fishing vessel Daigo fukuryu maru, a real-life event that inspired Godzilla
• Theatrical trailers
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• A booklet featuring an essay by critic J. Hoberman


Fantastic movie, fantastic release, hours of great features from a company (Criterion) known for their painstaking love of movies, this is certainly something that any Godzilla fan would enjoy!



Want to walk and feel like Godzilla?




Well if you're in Singapore through February 11th then you're in luck, as the new art exhibit "The Floor" allows you simulate what it feels like to walk on tiny people.

Comprised of around 180,000 tiny plastic figurines, each one is holding up a glass partition with their tiny little hands.

Such detail was placed into each figurine that one can make out fingers, eyes, articles of clothing, etc.

With each figurine's "strength" it allows a viewer to virtually walk on top on them, much like Godzilla would on a really lousy day, without having the glass break.

I have to admit that this art display is pretty cool looking. Insane concept...but original nonetheless.

Who knows how long it took artist Do Ho Sun to create this, but no doubt it wasn't a short time period.

For more info about this piece, along with more pictures, follow this link:

gizmodo.com: 180,000 tiny people are holding up this floor

Outside the Box: Eisner award winning team to head the new "Mars Attacks" comics


In the past I've posted news that IDW comics had obtained the licensing for the "Mars Attacks!" franchise (found here).

This was incredible news to me because I've always been a huge fan of the series.

 From the kooky 1996 film to the reissued cards to the 90's line of comics, it's a uber-crazy franchise that just keeps on giving.

(Giant robotic ants with surgically attached heads, three-boobed women, Martians playing baseball with people's heads as the bases...what more could anyone ask for?)

Now comes word that IDW has the creative team assigned for this new series, and who they've picked has me doubly excited now.

None other than writer John Layman and artist John McCrea will spearhead this thing!

John Layman of course was the recent author for the fantastic "Godzilla: Gangsters and Goliaths" series, while John McCrea famously handled the pencils for the much renowned DC "Hitman" series.

Trust me everybody, after learning who will comprise this team this new series is in capable hands.  If you haven't read "Mars Attacks!" comics before, now's your chance to get started.  You won't regret it.

For further info about this great announcement check out this link below:

comicbookresources.com: Eisner-Winners Layman & McCrea tapped for "Mars Attacks!"

Monday, January 23, 2012

"Bambi meets Godzilla" creator wins Lifetime Achievement Award


Marv Newland, famed creator of the ridiculous short animated film "Bambi Meets Godzilla", just won a Lifetime Achievement Award in Vancouver, Canada.

Ever since working on that 1969 short, Marv had contributed much work into the field of Film and Television, particularly though his production company "International Rocketship Limited".

This company developed a multitude of commercials, cartoons, animated-shorts, and other projects, and worked with various big-time TV channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Lifetime, and so on.

This was all enough to earn him this award during the "Vancouver Film Critics Circle" award show held earlier this year.

Kudos to Marv for winning this award, as all of this creativity first stemmed from his still popular (although I still consider it to be very ridiculous) student short-film "Bambi meets Godzilla".

Here's the article stating this info along with the other winners at that award show:

theglobeandmail.com: Vancouver critics name The Artist top film of 2011

And once again here's the full "Bambi Meets Godzilla" animated-short for your viewing pleasure:



"Godzilla" director to spearhead a new ABC pilot


Guess you can't keep a branching director down.

Fresh from his much-maligned film "Anonymous", where Roland Emmerich first branched out into the field of drama...and faced severe criticism because of it...Emmerich is now ready to change the face of television.

He is currently developing a new ABC pilot that will premier sometime in 2012, presumably during the fall season when sweeps and TV awards are in full swing.

News of this ABC pilot is  rather vague, but it looks like it will continue the new "drama" phase that Emmerich seems to be focusing on.

Here's a very brief synopsis on it:

"The potential series uses the backdrop of the 2012 presidential race to tell the story of a young astrophysics student who 'learns his destiny lies not in science but somewhere between heaven and hell.'"

Wow that goes in all different directions all at once huh.

 Is it a contemporary drama? A science fiction adventure? A horror/religious show ala "Constantine"?

Still it sounds rather interesting, and coming from the director of "Godzilla" no doubt it will involve giant special effects here and there.

All maligned news aside from his work on "Anonymous", I'm proud of anyone who tries to do something new and different.

It remains so easy to stick to a scheduled pattern...it's much harder to break that mold and try something new.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Movie Man: Back in his younger days, 'Godzilla' was a lot more serious


Metrowestdailynews.com has a great article describing the far different tone that the original "Gojira" film took.

The article rightfully notes that its dark nature is a stark contrast to the campy environment from the 1960/1970's films, and all the other films that involved a "nonstop collection of colossal creatures" to fight.

It's to the point that newer Godzilla fans may be surprised after watching the film, which is something I definitely agree with.

The original "Gojira" film is a deadpan, serious (almost tragic) film about the side effects of utilizing nuclear weapons.

It uses Godzilla as both a giant monster, a force of nature, and as a metaphor towards the destruction humans bring to themselves if they continue their warlike nature.

Gone are the days of Godzilla ninja-kicking a giant lobster, or teaming alongside a giant moth in order to battle a three-headed dragon from outer space.

While those films still remain fun and campy to see, they're nothing like what the original intended to be.

The closest film that I feel mimics this serious tone remains the "Godzilla 1985" movie, which is why it continues to be my favorite of the bunch, and one I hope the newest Godzilla movie utilizes as a reference point.

In any case here's the original article for further info:

metrowestdailynews.com: Movie Man: Back in his younger days, Godzilla was a lot more serious

Chinese Zodiac - 2012, Year of the Dragon


Interesting note about 2012, one that goes to show how perfect it would have been for Legendary Pictures and Co. to have released the newest "Godzilla" movie this year:

This year the Chinese Zodiac Calendar will reflect the year of the Dragon!

Dragons of course were giant mythical creatures that tales described as stalking the Earth...and pouring fire out of their mouths.

Does that not sound like Godzilla in almost every sense?

While he doesn't utilize fire, he still has his radioactive/atomic breath that does the same trick. Plus at least in the original "Gojira" he was considered a mythical sea God.

What perfect timing this newest Godzilla would have had if it had debuted this year!

For further info about this year's Chinese Zodiac follow this link:

mary-margaret-peralta.suite101.com: Chinese Zodiac - 2012, Year of the Dragon

Godzilla writer Eric Powell at Murfreesboro Comic Con


Apparently at Murfreesboro, (there's a town named like that?) Tennessee there was a Comic Con that just happened this past weekend.

What makes this news worthy is that Eric Powell of "Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters" and "The Goon" was there to spearhead the event, as this was the first ever Comic Con to have happened around that area.

It makes sense as again...who has ever heard of Murfreesboro, Tennessee before?

But I'm glad that the citizens there were able to enjoy the experience, as Eric was joined with other media guests such as various WWE Divas, and Madison Lintz of "The Walking Dead" fame.

It's been noted on this website that I've never been to happy of Eric's Godzilla work. His writing remained far too campy, branched out into too many storylines that never paid off, and seemed to condescend to various political parties and state citizens.

But still...spearheading a risky event like this (first time comic cons are always iffy) is something that I can admire, which is why I'm reporting it here.

I tried to see if anyone had recorded his Q&A (if there was any) at the event, as undoubtedly he would have been asked about his work on Godzilla, but unfortunately nothing is up yet.

By the way here's a link to my past YouTube video noting my own thoughts on Comic Cons. Again I'm a big fan of these events, and if you've never been to one before I provide a good tutorial on what to look forward to. (You'll find the link here).

For further info on this past Murfreesboro Comic Con, along with additional pics, here's the link:

comicbook.com: Murfreesboro Comic Con kicks off with Zombies, Batman and fans