Wednesday, July 8, 1998

The Monster is coming!

We are in again for more entertainment of gigantic proportions. Yes, it is titanic but not in every bit like the love story of Jack and Rose. It is a different kind of love story, if I may say so. The great duo (director Ronald Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin) that created ID 4 have fallen in love with a monster named Godzilla (it’s a she, by the way). The two are back again, this time with more technological wizardry in the movie Godzilla, a remake of the Japanese film that was a hit in the 60’s.

Time magazine had Godzilla graced the cover of its July 6 issue and devoted a lengthy article on the history of the monster and its creator, original and otherwise.

As can be expected, there are varied reactions to the monster movie. Some say it is a big bore, nothing but a series of actions with no story to tell, and yet others, especially those avid fans of Godzilla who seem not to get enough of the 200 foot lizard, praise the movie to high heavens. Well, according to critics and its creators, the film has indeed improved a lot compared to the previous ones in terms of special effects and computer imaging. Time reports that “about 95% of Godzilla’s special effects are computer-generated.”

As in any special effects movie, viewers of Godzilla will come home from theaters remembering only the monster. They probably would not bother about Matthew Broderick or Maria Pitillo, especially if they only play second fiddle o Godzilla.

Is there anything noteworthy about this film aside from its technological wizardry? According to Time magazine, “Godzilla is a movie with a message. It is a towering warning against nuclear war (the creature was spawned by nuclear power, by the way). This new Godzilla stepping in New York City, comes on the scene just as the world is dealing with another nuclear threat.”

So, better watch out. The monster is coming!