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Frank Darabont Talks Godzilla

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In our recent Godzilla 2014 Movie update, we mentioned that Frank Darabont would be finalizing the script. Recently, io9 talked with Darabont, and how his Godzilla will be a “terrifying force of nature”:

What I found very interesting about Godzilla is that he started off definitely as a metaphor for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And some of the atom bomb testing we were doing in the South Pacific in the subsequent years. The giant terrifying force of nature that comes and stomps the shit out of your city, that was Godzilla. Filtered through the very fanciful imaginations of the Japanese perception. And then he became Clifford the Big Red Dog in the subsequent films. He became the mascot of Japan, he became the protector of Japan. Another big ugly monster would show up and he would fight that monster to protect Japan. Which I never really quite understood, the shift.

Darabont does not want to make a campy Godzilla movie:

What we’re trying to do with the new movie is not have it camp, not have it be campy. We’re kind of taking a cool new look at it. But with a lot of tradition in the first film. We want this to be a terrifying force of nature. And what was really cool, for me, is there was a very compelling human drama that I got to weave into it. It’s not that cliched, thinly disguised romance or bromance, or whatever. It’s different, it’s a different set of circumstances than you’re used to seeing. And that’s tremendously exciting as a writer when you’re asked to do something else.

Do you think Darabont’s take on Godzilla is going in the right direction? Discuss!

Discussion / Comments (Jump to this Thread on the Forum)

  1. Shin Densetsu's Avatar Shin Densetsu says

    In our recent Godzilla 2014 Movie update, we mentioned that Frank Darabont would be finalizing the script. Recently, io9 talked with Darabont, and how his Godzilla will be a "terrifying force of nature":

    Quote:
    What I found very interesting about Godzilla is that he started off definitely as a metaphor for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And some of the atom bomb testing we were doing in the South Pacific in the subsequent years. The giant terrifying force of nature that comes and stomps the shit out of your city, that was Godzilla. Filtered through the very fanciful imaginations of the Japanese perception. And then he became Clifford the Big Red Dog in the subsequent films. He became the mascot of Japan, he became the protector of Japan. Another big ugly monster would show up and he would fight that monster to protect Japan. Which I never really quite understood, the shift.
    Darabont does not want to make a campy Godzilla movie:

    Quote:
    What we're trying to do with the new movie is not have it camp, not have it be campy. We're kind of taking a cool new look at it. But with a lot of tradition in the first film. We want this to be a terrifying force of nature. And what was really cool, for me, is there was a very compelling human drama that I got to weave into it. It's not that cliched, thinly disguised romance or bromance, or whatever. It's different, it's a different set of circumstances than you're used to seeing. And that's tremendously exciting as a writer when you're asked to do something else.
    Do you think Darabont's take on Godzilla is going in the right direction? Discuss!

  2. xSkullheartx's Avatar xSkullheartx says

    At least he knows about the original film and what the purpose/thought process of it was.By the way it sounds,it sounds like it's not going to be Godzilla vs whatever,or Godzilla vs the army.It's going to be Godzilla destroys your town and ruins your lives,effecting everyone.Which if he pulls this off right will be a big hit.

    They just better have it be Godzilla and show him and not just his foot for half the movie and then reveal a giant sea urchin or something.lol

  3. WhiteRanger's Avatar WhiteRanger says

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSkullheartx View Post
    At least he knows about the original film and what the purpose/thought process of it was.By the way it sounds,it sounds like it's not going to be Godzilla vs whatever,or Godzilla vs the army.It's going to be Godzilla destroys your town and ruins your lives,effecting everyone.Which if he pulls this off right will be a big hit.

    They just better have it be Godzilla and show him and not just his foot for half the movie and then reveal a giant sea urchin or something.lol
    yea remember cloverfield that was ment to be the USA Godzilla and look how that went

  4. xSkullheartx's Avatar xSkullheartx says

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WhiteRanger View Post
    yea remember cloverfield that was ment to be the USA Godzilla and look how that went
    At least it was better then Zilla.I'd rather have a monster causing mayhem and destruction then a giant monster worried about eating and laying eggs all while being able to be killed by two missles.

  6. ljacone's Avatar ljacone says

    The problem with Cloverfield (besides the naseau inducing cinematography) is that it was Abrams and company trying to do daikaiju "right" when it was done right 50 years prior.

    Darabont is talking the talk right now. I have high hopes for this film and if the script can deliver a Big G who is a true Force of Nature than it should be worth seeing. That kind of approach makes me think of Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985, not a bad film to emulate in addition to '54.

    I like what he said about the Serizawa-Emiko-Ogata triangle and Serizawa's crisis. Hopefully the new film can incorporate strong human elements as well and avoid the "cliched, thinly disguised romance or bromance" that he refers to.

  7. Mageranger Red has no avatar! Mageranger Red says

    Guess I'm the only one here who liked Cloverfield....
    Anyway, sounds like this guy is going in with a pretty good mindset. Though I do worry about him being so adamant about avoiding "camp". If the entire movie is "Grim-dark-everyone dies-you might as well just cut your self now" well... that wouldn't be too entertaining.

  8. ZeoRangerV's Avatar ZeoRangerV says

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSkullheartx View Post
    At least it was better then Zilla.I'd rather have a monster causing mayhem and destruction then a giant monster worried about eating and laying eggs all while being able to be killed by two missles.
    Debatable. Zilla was a lousy Godzilla movie but a decent enough monster film. Cloverfield was just a motion sickness headache.

  9. nikinaga's Avatar nikinaga says

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ljacone View Post
    The problem with Cloverfield (besides the naseau inducing cinematography) is that it was Abrams and company trying to do daikaiju "right" when it was done right 50 years prior.

    Darabont is talking the talk right now. I have high hopes for this film and if the script can deliver a Big G who is a true Force of Nature than it should be worth seeing. That kind of approach makes me think of Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985, not a bad film to emulate in addition to '54.

    I like what he said about the Serizawa-Emiko-Ogata triangle and Serizawa's crisis. Hopefully the new film can incorporate strong human elements as well and avoid the "cliched, thinly disguised romance or bromance" that he refers to.
    True. It also sounds like they are doing what they said that they are doing and paying respect to the character and what he stands for. Don't get me wrong but zilla had a good movie for a monster movie, but it did not show the character the respect it deserved. Hopefully they continue this path. I really want to see a true godzilla movie in theaters and it sounds like it's happening

  10. Gryphman's Avatar Gryphman says

    Why is he talking about the showa movies as if they're recent? Godzilla hasn't been like that since 84. I don't recall Christopher Nolan having to inform everyone that he wasn't making Adam West Batman.

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