Godzilla (2014)
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The world ends, Godzilla begins. (世界が終わる、ゴジラが目覚める。)
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— Japanese tagline[3] |
Godzilla (GODZILLA ゴジラ Gojira) is a 2014 American giant monster film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Max Borenstein from a story by David Callaham, with visual effects by Jim Rygiel. A Legendary Pictures production co-financed with Warner Bros. and RatPac-Dune Entertainment, the film is the second of the Godzilla franchise to be fully Hollywood-produced and the 30th Godzilla film overall, as well as the first film of the Monsterverse. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston. The film was released to American theaters by Warner Bros. on May 16, 2014, and to Japanese theaters by Toho on July 25, 2014.
The second Hollywood-produced Godzilla film, Godzilla attempts to be a more faithful adaptation of the franchise than TriStar's previous attempt. A mine collapse in the Philippines in 1999 leads to the uncovering of two prehistoric spores within a colossal skeleton, one of which hatches into a MUTO that attacks and feeds on the reactor at the Janjira Nuclear Power Plant. The scientific organization Monarch quarantines the plant and surrounding city, but in 2014 the MUTO emerges from its stasis and destroys the facility surrounding it. Now, Monarch pursues the MUTO with the U.S. military while the MUTO's natural enemy, the giant prehistoric Titan known as Godzilla, emerges to stop it before it can reunite with its female counterpart and reproduce.
Godzilla was a success at the box office and led to the development of the Monsterverse franchise, including three film sequels and a television series. Toho released its own reboot of the Godzilla series, Shin Godzilla, in 2016.
Description
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Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert, has just reunited with his family in San Francisco when he is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe. Soon, both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when Godzilla, King of the Monsters, arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of humanity. The creatures leave colossal destruction in their wake, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco.
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Plot
In 1954, the United States military, in cooperation with the organization Monarch, prepares and detonates a hydrogen bomb at Bikini Atoll, disguised as a test called Castle Bravo. Their target is a massive creature known as Godzilla.
In 1999, Monarch representative Dr. Ishiro Serizawa is called to the site of a mining collapse in the Philippines with his assistant, Dr. Vivienne Graham. With a small team, he finds a colossal fossilized skeleton and two spores in a large underground cave. One of the spores has already hatched, the creature had escaped into the sea; the other is dormant and still unhatched and is taken to the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada. Days later, near Tokyo, Japan, the nuclear power plant at Janjira starts to experience seismic activity. Nuclear physicist and plant supervisor Joe Brody and his wife, Sandra, make their way to the power plant. Sandra assembles a team to perform a damage check, under Joe's supervision. The power plant is soon breached by an explosion and radiation leak, killing Sandra and her team. Joe and Sandra's son, Ford, watches from his classroom as the cooling towers collapse. The Japanese government evacuates and quarantines Janjira, attributing the disaster to an earthquake.
15 years after the incident, Ford is now an explosive disposal officer for the United States Navy, living in San Francisco, California with his wife Elle, a nurse, and son Sam. After returning from a tour of duty, he learns that Joe was arrested for trespassing in Janjira after picking up a frequency identical to one he detected just before the nuclear plant's destruction. After Ford travels to Japan and bails him out, Joe convinces him to come with him to another trip to Janjira in order to learn the truth behind the disaster, for Sandra's sake. They soon discover the city is not radioactive and, after recovering Joe's data in their old house, they notice activity near the former site of the nuclear power plant. Just then, security agents arrest them. Upon being taken in, they discover that the site now houses a large laboratory for studying a strange chrysalis on top of the reactor, containing the creature that emerged in the Philippines. Serizawa and Graham are among the scientists there and review Joe's data with fascination as he demands answers. As the monster begins to hatch and emit electromagnetic pulses with increasing frequency, Serizawa regretfully gives the order to kill him with electric current. Unfazed, the monster emerges from his chrysalis, unleashing another electromagnetic pulse, and wreaks havoc on the site, leaving Joe critically injured. After the monster flies away, the U.S. Navy takes Serizawa to the USS Saratoga. He requests that Joe and Ford accompany him, wanting to know their insights into the situation, but Joe dies of his injuries before they can speak.
On the Saratoga, Serizawa and Graham reveal to Ford that they work for Monarch, a multinational organization dedicated to studying giant monsters and concealing their existence from the public. According to Graham, Monarch was formed in 1954 after the USS Nautilus inadvertently awakened an ancient alpha predator called Godzilla. His kind lived on the Earth's surface millions of years ago, when it was more radioactive, and eventually moved underwater and underground to feed on radiation from the Earth's core. The American military and Monarch attempted to kill him with nuclear strikes, which were covered up as mere tests. The monster from Janjira is a MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), a parasite from the same time period as Godzilla who also feeds on radiation and radioactive materials. A natural enemy of Godzilla's kind, the MUTO hatched from a parasitic spore implanted in the carcass of another ancient creature like Godzilla. Ford informs Serizawa that Joe mentioned tracking a form of echolocation within Janjira, leading the team to believe the MUTO was communicating with something. Serizawa says he believes that nature has a power to restore balance, and that Godzilla is that very power.
The Saratoga brings Ford to Honolulu, Hawaii, to catch a flight to San Francisco. After a Russian nuclear submarine goes missing, a U.S. Navy Special Forces team finds it in a forest outside Honolulu, where the MUTO is feeding on its weaponry. Fighter jets surround him and prepare to engage, but he sends out another EMP, causing them to drop from the sky. Meanwhile, Ford is boarding a tram at the Honolulu International Airport. Curious about Ford's toy soldier, which he recovered from his house at Janjira, a young boy named Akio follows him inside, being separated from his parents as the doors close. Ford assures them that he will return their son. Shortly thereafter, the MUTO's pulse brings the tram to a standstill. Godzilla, sensing the MUTO's presence, makes landfall in Honolulu, generating a tsunami as he comes ashore. As the power returns, the MUTO attacks the tram, but Godzilla soon gains his attention. After a brief fight, the MUTO flies off with Godzilla in pursuit, heading east. Elle and Sam watch their battle on the news. The next day, Akio reunites with his parents, and Ford heads to the mainland with the military.
Serizawa and Graham realize that the MUTO's echolocation signal was meant for the supposedly dormant spore in Nevada, not Godzilla. U.S. forces storm Yucca Mountain, only to find that the second, larger MUTO has already emerged. It tears through Las Vegas, Nevada, unfazed by helicopter attacks. Serizawa and Graham conclude that the larger MUTO is female, whereas the winged one is a male. Their paths show them converging in San Francisco, where they will undoubtedly mate and build a nest. Admiral William Stenz approves a plan to lure all three monsters out to sea with a nuclear warhead and detonate it to kill them. Serizawa disapproves, believing the beasts will be unharmed and that only Godzilla can stop the MUTOs.
After citing his EOD training, Ford is assigned to the train transporting several nuclear missiles to San Francisco. Their path brings them perilously close to the female MUTO, who attacks them after routing nearby military forces, with Ford and fellow solider Tre Morales caught in the crossfire. Morales is killed, but Ford survives, along with one of the missiles, and a helicopter recovers them both the next morning. At the same time, citizens in San Francisco are being evacuated on school buses. Elle leaves Sam with a friend to evacuate while she stays behind at the hospital. As Sam's bus crosses the Golden Gate Bridge, Godzilla surfaces. The Navy opens fire in an attempt to prevent him from entering the city, and army units on the bridge join them. Godzilla withstands the artillery fire until a blast hits him in the gills, causing him to smash into the bridge and split it in half, with Sam's bus barely escaping in time. Godzilla roars and continues to approach the city. Just as soldiers on a nearby boat set the analog detonation timer on the surviving nuclear missile, the male MUTO unleashes another EMP and snatches it, sinking the ship in the process. He then flies toward downtown San Francisco to present it to the female as a gift. Elle reaches a shelter as the male MUTO resumes his battle with Godzilla, buying time for his mate to build their nest.
Ford joins a HALO drop team to deactivate the missile before it can destroy San Francisco. As they make their preparations, Serizawa remarks to Stenz that they have no choice now but to let Godzilla and the MUTOs fight. After the HALO team lands and makes their way toward the missile, the female MUTO joins her mate against Godzilla and begins to turn the tide. The soldiers take that opportunity to seize the missile, planted deep within the MUTOs' nest and surrounded by countless fertilized eggs, only to find the timer has been sealed shut. They plan to bring it out to sea, but Ford stays behind to destroy the nest with gasoline. The resulting explosion distracts the female MUTO, who closes in on Ford. Recovering, Godzilla returns the favor, blasting her with his atomic breath. Before Godzilla can finish her off, the male MUTO attacks him again. This time, he kills the parasite by tail-whipping him into the 44 Montgomery building, impaling him on the shattered structure. The building collapses, pinning Godzilla underneath a pile of rubble and dust. Ford briefly makes eye contact with him as he tries to rejoin his comrades. The female MUTO reaches them first, but not before they load the missile onto a boat. As she dispatches the rest of the soldiers, a limping Ford casts off. She gives chase, shutting the boat down with her EMP. Ford draws his Beretta 92FS pistol and prepares to die, but Godzilla intervenes again. Pulling her jaw open, he fires his atomic breath into the female MUTO's mouth, decapitating her. Exhausted, Godzilla throws her head into the water and collapses. Ford drives the boat out to sea and is rescued by a helicopter before the warhead detonates at a safe distance from the city.
The next day, Ford reunites with Sam and Elle. Serizawa and Graham watch in awe as Godzilla awakens. The Brody family watches him leave on a Jumbotron, with a news station anointing him "King of the Monsters, Savior of Our City?" Godzilla lets out a final roar before plunging into the sea.
Staff
A transcript of Godzilla's opening credits, including the redacted text, can be found on Birth.Movies.Death. The end credits are available on SciFi Japan.
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Gareth Edwards
- Written by Max Borenstein
- Based on a story by David Callaham
- Executive producers Patricia Whitcher, Alex Garcia, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira
- Produced by Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, Brian Rogers
- Co-producer Bob Ducsay
- Associate producers Shannon Triplett, Leeann Stonebreaker, Jim Rowe, Martin Cohen
- Visual effects producer Allen Maris
- Music by Alexandre Desplat
- Music supervisor Dave Jordan
- Sound design by Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn
- Cinematography by Seamus McGarvey
- Edited by Bob Ducsay
- Production design by Owen Paterson
- First assistant director Alex Gayner
- Visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel
- Special effects coordinator Joel Whist
Cast
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Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
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Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
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Japanese dub
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Fuminori Komatsu as Lieutenant Ford Brody
- Yuzu Aoki as Young Ford Brody
- Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
- Yasuyoshi Hara as Joe Brody
- Haru as Elle Brody
- Yuki Sakurai as Sam Brody
- Rieko Takahashi as Dr. Vivienne Graham
- Kaori Yamagata as Sandra Brody
- Katsuhiko Sasaki as Admiral William Stenz
- Kenji Nomura as Captain Russell Hampton
- Toru Sakurai as Sergeant Tre Morales
- Yasuhiko Nemoto as Master Sergeant Marcus Waltz
- Shuhei Sakaguchi as Jump Master Griffin
- Michiko Kaiden as Officer Martinez
- Masamichi Kitada as Takashi
- Naomi Kusumi as Stan Walsh
- Haruo Yamagishi as Hayato
- Tetsuo Kanao as Whalen
- Takeshi Maruyama as Jainway
- Shiro Sano as Military analyst
Appearances
TitansOther monsters
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Weapons, vehicles, races, and organizations
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Production
- Main article: Godzilla (2014 film)/Development.
Godzilla was filmed under the fake working title Nautilus. According to director Gareth Edwards, "It was originally codenamed 'Fatman' after the bomb in Hiroshima, but everyone kept thinking it was a comedy film."[8]
Marketing
- Main article: Godzilla (2014 film)/Development#Marketing.
Gallery
- Main article: Godzilla (2014 film)/Gallery.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Godzilla (2014 film)/Soundtrack.
Godzilla's musical score, released as "Godzilla: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," was composed by Alexandre Desplat. The soundtrack contains 20 tracks.
Theatrical releases
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View all posters for the film here.
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Premium formats
- 3D (post-converted)
- IMAX 3D
- Dolby Atmos
Box office
Godzilla received the biggest opening day box office results of 2014 when it came out, scoring $38,525,000 on Friday, May 16. The was expected to gather $100 million by May 19,[9] and ended up surpassing it slightly with $103 million.[10] By next Friday, on May 24, Godzilla only received $8.8 million.[11] By the end of the four-day weekend that started on May 25, the movie had collected $38.4 million due to strong marketing,[12] and fell down to $3.3 million the rest of the week[13] and to $12 million on the May-June weekend.[14]
Godzilla earned £10,109,175 ($17,003,642) on its opening weekend in the United Kingdom[15] and a total of 149,098,752 Mexican dollars (US $11,559,835) on its opening weekend in Mexico.[16]
When Godzilla opened in China on June, it received $10.9 million for the biggest opening day of 2014.[17]
Godzilla's opening weekend box office total for Japan was ¥1,657,853,474, or $16,283,798.[18]
By August 3, 2014, Godzilla's worldwide earnings had surpassed half a billion dollars ($500,000,000).
By the end of its theatrical run, Godzilla had earned a grand total of $528,676,069 across all countries ($200,676,069 in the U.S. and $328,000,000 abroad).[19]
Reception
Godzilla has received generally positive reviews by critics and fans alike.[20][21] Mose Persico of CTV says it's "a film not to be missed," Scott Carty of ABC TV deems it "epic for all the right reasons," Shawn Edwards of FOX TV calls it "the most incredible movie of the year," and Nancy Jay of Daybreak USA says it's "an instant classic."[22] IGN gave it 9.0 out of 10.[23] Critics have praised Gareth Edwards' direction,[24] the film's visual effects,[25] cinematography,[26] respect for the source material, creature designs,[27] use of slow build-up,[28] Alexandre Desplat's musical score, and Bryan Cranston's performance.[29]
The movie has also received its fair share of criticism, however. Most of the complaints revolve around the fact that Godzilla received relatively little screen time, less screen time than the MUTOs in fact, and that the monster battles don't take up much of the movie's running time. Some critics also found the film's characters to be underdeveloped.[30] In addition, many critics and audience members found Ford Brody to be a bland and generic protagonist, and criticized marketing for leading people to believe that Joe Brody was going to be the main character, though Bryan Cranston's performance has received almost universal praise.
On opening day in Japan, the film received 3.55 out of 5 stars on Yahoo! Eiga.[31][32] Toho themselves reacted positively to the film, with Edwards saying they thought it was "fantastic".[33] Shinji Higuchi, co-director of Shin Godzilla, later praised the film as a "masterpiece" in an interview with the Associated Press in July 2015.[34]
Awards
The first award Godzilla received, or rather Legendary Pictures received for Godzilla, was the Japan Cool Content Contribution award, or J3C, on September 13 at the Consulate General's residence. The award was crated to recognize creatives who popularize Japanese media for worldwide audiences, which the financially successful Godzilla did. Alex Garcia attended and accepted the award on Legendary's behalf.[35]
Godzilla was a contender for an Oscar nomination for Sound Editing.[36] Though it ultimately did not receive a nomination, key grips David McIntosh, Steve Smith, Mike Branham, and Mike Kirilenko won a Technical Achievement Award from the Academy in 2016 for the inflatable green screen they invented for the film's Golden Gate Bridge sequence.[37]
Godzilla was also nominated for Best Science Fiction Film Release and Best Film Music as part of the 41st annual Saturn Awards.[38]
Video releases
Warner Bros. 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD / Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD / DVD + Digital HD (2014)
- Region: Various
- Discs: 3 (Blu-ray 3D) or 2 (Blu-ray and DVD)
- Audio: English (Dolby Atmos for Blu-ray, Surround 5.1 for DVD), Spanish, Canadian French (Surround 5.1) [U.S. release - will vary depending on country]
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish [U.S. release - will vary depending on country]
- Special features: Four behind-the-scenes featurettes on Godzilla (19 minutes), the MUTOs (7 minutes), on-set and digital scenes of destruction (8 minutes), and the filming of the H.A.L.O. jump (5 minutes); three featurettes told from an in-universe perspective ("Operation: Lucky Dragon", 3 minutes; "MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File", 4 minutes; "The Godzilla Revelation", 7 minutes); "Godzilla: Rebirth of an Icon" featurette (exclusive to the Target Blu-ray; 28 minutes)
- Notes: A single-disc DVD without special features was packaged with Pacific Rim. The DVD was also reissued in 2019 with a new slipcover, while the Blu-ray was reissued in 2017 and 2019 with new slipcases, and in 2018 with a new face plate. FYE exclusively sold a Blu-ray SteelBook edition beginning in 2019.
TOHO Visual Entertainment 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray / Blu-ray / DVD (2015)
- Region: A/1 (Blu-ray) or 2 (DVD)
- Discs: 3 (3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray) or 2 (Blu-ray and DVD)
- Audio: English (Dolby Atmos for Blu-ray; Dolby Digital 5.1 for DVD), Japanese (Dolby TrueHD for Blu-ray; Dolby Digital 5.1 for DVD), Japanese audio description (2.0)
- Subtitles: Japanese (corresponding to the original English dialogue and Japanese dubbing)
- Special features: Four behind-the-scenes featurettes on Godzilla (19 minutes), the MUTOs (7 minutes), on-set and digital scenes of destruction (8 minutes), and the filming of the H.A.L.O. jump (5 minutes); three featurettes told from an in-universe perspective ("Operation: Lucky Dragon", 3 minutes; "MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File", 4 minutes; "The Godzilla Revelation", 7 minutes);
- Notes: The Blu-ray and DVD were reissued in 2016 as part of the Toho Masterpiece Selection.
TOHO Visual Entertainment 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray + DVD (2015)
- Region: A/1 (Blu-ray) or 2 (DVD)
- Discs: 5
- Audio: English (Dolby Atmos for Blu-ray; Dolby Digital 5.1 for DVD), Japanese (Dolby TrueHD for Blu-ray; Dolby Digital 5.1 for DVD), Japanese audio description (2.0)
- Subtitles: Japanese (corresponding to the original English dialogue and Japanese dubbing)
- Special features: Four behind-the-scenes featurettes on Godzilla (19 minutes), the MUTOs (7 minutes), on-set and digital scenes of destruction (8 minutes), and the filming of the H.A.L.O. jump (5 minutes); three featurettes told from an in-universe perspective "Operation: Lucky Dragon", 3 minutes; "MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File", 4 minutes; "The Godzilla Revelation", 7 minutes); American trailer; Japanese trailers and TV spots; documentary on the film's release in Japan; overview of Godzilla's designs; interviews of staff members throughout the Godzilla series; Godzilla 60 Anniversary Discussion featuring Akira Takarada; Yoshimitsu Banno interview; Monster Planet of Godzilla short film; poster gallery; movie program
- Notes: Out of print; limited to 8,000 copies. It came with an exclusive "poster variant" of the S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2014 figure.
Warner Bros. 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD (2021)
- Region: Various (Blu-ray)
- Discs: 2
- Audio: English; others to be announced
- Subtitles: English; others to be announced
- Special features: Four behind-the-scenes featurettes on Godzilla (19 minutes), the MUTOs (7 minutes), on-set and digital scenes of destruction (8 minutes), and the filming of the H.A.L.O. jump (5 minutes); three featurettes told from an in-universe perspective ("Operation: Lucky Dragon", 3 minutes; "MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File", 4 minutes; "The Godzilla Revelation", 7 minutes). HMV's exclusive Cine Edition, limited to 1,500 copies, will include a 32-page booklet, four art cards, and a double-sided A3 poster.
- Notes: To be released on March 23, 2021. HMV's Cine Edition will be released on April 12, 2021.
For variations in packaging, refer to the gallery page.
Sequels
- Main articles: Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong.
Gareth Edwards stated that he wanted Godzilla to work as a standalone film with a definitive ending, and opposed suggestions that the ending should leave the film open for a sequel.[39] While Edwards wasn't against the possibility of future sequels, his main concern was delivering a satisfying experience with the current film; "I want a story that begins and ends, and you leave on a high. That's all we cared about when we were making this; just this film. If this film is good, the others can come, but let’s just pay attention to this and not get sidetracked by other things."[40]
On May 18, 2014, after its successful opening weekend, a sequel was officially given the green light from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. The sequel was known by the working title Godzilla 2 before receiving the official title Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Edwards was initially confirmed to be directing the sequel, but it was unknown if any of the previous cast would be returning. In a previous interview with Gareth Edwards, he said that if the film were to have a sequel that he would like to do a Destroy All Monsters-like film.[41]
On July 26, 2014, the official Legendary Twitter announced that Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah would be appearing in the sequel.[42] A piece of "Classified Monarch Footage," a teaser for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, was shown at San Diego Comic-Con on the same day. According to eye-witnesses, it looked like it was put together in the 1960s, with audio of John F. Kennedy talking about threats and dangers. Text comes on the screen saying that there was one more secret: "There were others." A pterodactyl-like shadow and "CODENAME: RODAN." An extreme close-up of a giant moth creature and "CODENAME: MOTHRA." Then a silhouette and quick cuts around a dragon-like shape figure and "CODENAME: GHIDORAH." Finally, "THREAT ASSESSMENT: CONFLICT INEVITABLE," followed by "LET THEM FIGHT."[43]
On October 14, 2015, Legendary Pictures confirmed the production of a remake of King Kong vs. Godzilla titled Godzilla vs. Kong for a 2020 release. Legendary revealed its plans to create a shared cinematic universe, dubbed the Monsterverse, featuring Godzilla and King Kong, with the already-announced Kong: Skull Island serving as the next entry. Kong: Skull Island was released in 2017, followed by Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019, with Godzilla vs. Kong to follow in 2021.[44] Gareth Edwards has since dropped out of Godzilla: King of the Monsters to work on other projects, and was replaced by Michael Dougherty, director of Trick 'r Treat and Krampus.
Videos
- Main article: Godzilla (2014 film)/Videos.
Trivia
- This film would have been actor Akira Takarada's first appearance in a non-Japanese Godzilla film, as he filmed a cameo as a customs officer who would greet Ford Brody in Tokyo. However, his scene was ultimately cut from the film. Screenwriter Max Borenstein also made an unused cameo as a refugee at the end of the film.[45]
- Actor Al Sapienza, who previously appeared as a taxi cab driver in 1998's GODZILLA, portrays the character Huddleston in this film.
- Garry Chalk, a British-Canadian voice actor and live action character actor known for voicing Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime in many entries of the Transformers franchise as well as for recurring roles on various live action television shows, makes a cameo in this film as the character Stan Walsh.
- When Ford and Joe are searching through the ruins of their former home in the quarantine zone, the words "Ford's Mothra" can be seen printed below a glass case. The "ra" is in a different font, apparently the font of the "Janjira" logo, suggesting two stickers or pieces of tape laid over each other. Mothra would go on to appear in the film's sequel.
- This is the first Godzilla film released in 3D, with the exception of the short film Monster Planet of Godzilla, created for a ride at Sanrio Purioland. Godzilla was not filmed in 3D, but post-converted.
- In a moment that was filmed but didn't make the final cut, Ford fell asleep at Joe's apartment while watching Toho movies.[46] However, the novelization retains it, describing "giant prehistoric creatures [battling] each other amidst balsa-wood sets", though the film itself is unspecified.[47]
- Dr. Ishiro Serizawa's costume from his first scene in Godzilla is a reference to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya's typical work outfit.[48]
- The Brody family name comes from Chief Martin Brody, the main character of Jaws.[48] Ford's first name references Harrison Ford, the actor who director Gareth Edwards and screenwriter Max Borenstein most wanted him to evoke.[8]
- The design of the timer on the Minuteman missile was inspired by the timer on the Chinese nuclear weapon in Goldfinger.[49]
- A mosquito landed on Ken Watanabe's nose during filming of his "let them fight" line, prompting him to quip "let them bite" afterwards.[50]
- Jolyon Yates, who was responsible for the drawing of the anatomy of several Gamera kaiju for the Shout! Factory DVD releases of the Showa Gamera films and who designed the Godzilla crew's t-shirts, makes a cameo as one of the workers escaping the Janjira power plant.[51][52]
- At 355 feet tall, the Godzilla in this film was the largest yet in the film series, though the Godzillas in all subsequent films bar Godzilla Minus One have been taller still.
- This film appears to borrow some plot elements from the script of the unmade 1994 TriStar Godzilla film:
- In both, Godzilla is believed to be destined to save the Earth from monsters that are more of a threat to it than him (the Gryphon and the MUTOs, respectively).
- Both have Godzilla beheading the enemy monster.
- The biggest difference is that while the Godzilla in this film does not deliberately cause destruction in any location and avoids conflict with the military, the Godzilla from the cancelled TriStar script actually does seem to deliberately attack human settlements, specifically the Japanese Kurila islands, and decimates the military's forces willingly when attacked.
- The film also shares a great deal of plot similarities with Gamera the Guardian of the Universe from 1995.
- Like Gamera who reemerges in the modern day to defeat his ancient enemy Gyaos, Godzilla reawakens to battle the MUTOs.
- Like Gyaos who is reawakened and empowered due to humanity's destruction of the environment, the MUTOs are reawakened by human activity and feed on manmade nuclear materials.
- Both films have an antagonist monster which has its inciting incident on a distant island, menaces a train or monorail track, and threatens the protagonists on a forested bridge.
- The JSDF mistakenly believes Gamera to be the greater threat compared to Gyaos before finally deciding to "let them fight" in a major urban center in the film's climactic battle. In both cases, the heroic, reptilian monster tries to stop his enemy from reproducing from its nest in the heart of the city.
- Gamera beheads Gyaos before returning back to the ocean triumphantly, exactly as Godzilla does to the female MUTO.
- In an interview with Kinema Junpo, Shusuke Kaneko, director of Gamera the Guardian of the Universe, himself acknowledged these similarities and commented: "Gareth... of course he must have watched Gamera. It's alright though."[53]
- This is the first film since Terror of Mechagodzilla where Godzilla does not intentionally cause destruction. A possible reason for this is that the director of the film, Gareth Edwards, was more familiar with the more lighthearted and heroic incarnations of the character, specifically the one from Hanna-Barbera's Godzilla animated series, when he was a boy growing up in Warwickshire in the center of England.[54]
- One of the lines quickly "classified" in the opening credits reads: "Are these animals real? Can we prove they exist? Or are they merely men in rubber suits with costumes designed by tricksters?"
- In one of the original drafts of the 2014 film, it was mentioned Godzilla was going to be 600 feet tall.[55]
- Two shots of Godzilla in the film's teaser and main trailers respectively became shots of him battling the male MUTO in the finished film: one from Ford's perspective during the HALO jump, and another from Elle's perspective as the shelter doors close. This was likely done to conceal the new monster's design.
- This was the first film featuring Godzilla to be filmed in anamorphic widescreen since Terror of Mechagodzilla. Director of Photography Seamus McGarvey shot the film with customized Panavision C-series anamorphic lenses and Panavision anamorphic zooms on Arri Alexa Studio 4:3 digital cameras.[56]
- Along with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, this film is one of the only Monsterverse films to not feature a human antagonist.
- This is the only Monsterverse film in which King Kong and Leafwings do not appear in any capacity. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, several Leafwings fly around Godzilla moments after he kills King Ghidorah in Boston,[57] while Kong appears in the film via stock footage from Kong: Skull Island and a cave painting in the end credits sequence.
External links
- Official site in English
- Official site in Japanese
- Official international site
- Site for the Godzilla Encounter exhibit at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con
- MUTOResearch.net - viral marketing site
- GodzillaAlert.com - viral marketing site
- Licensed Product Guide from SciFi Japan
- Official Facebook page
- Official Twitter account
- List of firearms used in the film
- U.S. Department of Defense Production Assistance Agreement
- Toho Kingdom interview with Godzilla Encounter creator Barnaby Legg
- Time-lapse of Alexandre Desplat conducting the film's orchestra and choir
References
This is a list of references for Godzilla (2014 film). These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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