The real king of all mosters please stand up

If you are into the giant monster movies that dominated the 70's and early 80's (in Japan at least) they you know that King Kong is the undisputed king of monsters. He fought Godzilla, among other monsters, and won - but the real battle is with the hearts and minds of audiences. That battle has only one winner, and it is Godzilla.

Since 1954, Gozilla has rampaged across Japan so many times that one would be surprised they have any buildings standing. The construction industry should be the number one industry in the country according to the movies and destruction (second would be rocketry, though it never has any effect). Yet in Japan, everyone loves Godzilla. And in America too. He even as a star on the Walk of Fame.

America loved the big scaly atomic beast so much that we tried to do what we do with all great foreign films, we usurped it. Yes there was an American version of Godzilla. It was a plodding, ignorant, weak beast. It was so unappealing that fans were screaming for the real Godzilla to re-appear. And he did.

But America was not done. Though a fan failure and critically panned, the American Godzilla movie made $380 million - which only goes to show how much of a superstar the fictional character is. Legendary Films decided to try and give it another go.

Rumors have been flying, but it is now official. 2012 will be the year that Godzilla comes back once again. This time with the blessing of Toho Company Ltd, we will get a King of Monsters that fans will enjoy.

"Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has." - Thomas Tull, chairman and CEO of Legendary Pictures

Hopefully this means that we will get a Godzilla that is around 300 feet tall, gray possibly with a green tint, probably about 60,000 tons, with atomic heat blasts, massive regeneration, and looks like the oddest dinosaur ever imagined. A repeat of the failure from New York will not be appreciated.

Legendary Pictures should do a great job though. Batman Begins was a great revisioning of the series. Clash of the Titans looks to also be stunning visually.

I hope that they bring back Mechagodzilla too. Now that would be a fight. And at 56 years old, I still would bet on Godzilla.

2012

Way back in 1999, as many began to panic about the legacy codes and what would happen as computers struck 2000, I recall watching a program that detailed the possible ways the world might end. This show, which I don't remember the name of, covered most of the myths surrounding the start of the new millennium and several prophecies.

One of the things that the programs covered was the fact that 2000 was nothing to fear, because 2012 was the real danger. It is on that day that the Mayan Long Count calendar ends. To be exact it will end on either December 21st or 23rd, 2012. Most tend to believe that the 21st is the date, possibly due to they symbolism of the date, 12/21/12.

If you look at the internet you will either find that this date is the day that aliens will take over or save humanity, humanity will ascend to a higher level, or the earth will be destroyed/end.

Of course given the gravity of the situation you know that Hollywood had to make a movie about it. In fact I expect a dozen by that time. But here is the first.



If nothing else it makes it's point pretty clear. Starring Oliver Platt (who I like), Danny Glover (I like), John Cusack (also very good), Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet, and Woody Harelson. With that kind of cast I would expect something memorable.

The director is Roland Emmerich, who made Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla. Sadly he also made Godzilla, Universal Soldier, The Day After Tomorrow, and 10,000 BC. So the odds are only slightly worse than 50/50 on how well it will be made.

Luckily, either way, we will have 3 years to mull the quality of the film before the clock stops running.