Stephen White

BATMAN FOREVER

After having a lukewarm response to Batman Returns, I wasn’t sure how I felt about a third entry. Rumors floated around about what characters would be featured in the film and what actors would play them. Two that I remember very clearly reading in Wizard Magazine was that Robin Williams was being approached for the Riddler and Marlon Wayans for Robin. Robin Williams felt like a solid choice, even though picturing him in green spandex was not a pretty sight.

Marlon Wayans was someone whose work I enjoyed on In Living Color. I thought he was a laugh riot. But seeing him as an action star was difficult. He was a comedian. That said, I was willing to give it a go. Trust the process, you know. Honestly, I really wish they had committed to casting him in this role, as I feel it would have helped push black representation in comics and possibly films ahead just a little sooner and perhaps it would be much farther than it is now. But I guess the controversy was not something the studio wanted to deal with. Cowards.

Rumors continued and news came in saying Burton was out. Then Keaton was out. So who would direct this film? Who was going to be Batman? Funny enough, back in the 90s, having an actor committed to a role like that wasn’t a big deal like it is today. Solid continuity can really make one yearn for a returning cast. Here, they were like, “Val Kilmer is Batman now,” and we were all like, “Ok.” Simple! If only we knew what fandoms would wrought 30 years later… the bastards.

As soon as I heard Jim Carrey had been cast as the Riddler, my interest in the film increased immensely. I was a massive fan of his work at this time and was committed to seeing all of his movies when they were released. At this point, I was sold on this flick. That said when I first watched it, I was a bit torn. There were things I liked and things that I loathed.

Jim Carrey as the Riddler was at the top of my “love-it” list. I was really only familiar with the Riddler in the form of Frank Gorshin from the 1960s TV series, so a goofy Riddler was on-point. I was aware of the animated series version that leaned more in-line with the comics, but I wasn’t able to watch that show as much back then. I am excited to see the new version in the Batman. I’ve had a desire for that type of Riddler for some time now.

Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face was kind of an, “ok I guess,” thing with me. I was really only familiar with him at this point in time due to the film version of the Fugitive, which is a fantastic movie by the way. However, he doesn’t really feel like he’s into it at all. And this is further compounded by the fact he apparently loathed his co-star, citing the now famous phrase, “I cannot sanction your buffoonery.”

“Get fucked Mr. Jones,” would have been my response. And you’d think that Billy Dee Williams would’ve had a lawsuit on his hands, seeing as how he had a clause in his original contract to play Two-Face in a future Batman film. But when you opt out of a role in the sequel, then you don’t have a leg to stand on. Made up for it in Lego Batman though, right?

Val Kilmer was a great Batman, but not so much Bruce Wayne. He didn’t quite nail the duality of each role in my opinion. But you have to give it to him for cracking jokes in the most Batman way possible. It felt right. It’s a damn shame what’s happened to him. If you’ve not seen the documentary Val, put it on your list of things to watch.

Michael Gough is great as usual. Nicole Kidman is unfortunately nothing more than eye candy, lusting over Batman throughout. She may have had more to do in the overall plot, but the theatrical cut did not do her character justice, more on that later. Chris O’Donnell does a decent enough job as the “not a kid but for some reason needs a guardian” version of Dick Grayson. I had really grown to love the animated series version and was excited to see Robin on screen, treated seriously and not as a joke. While one could roll their eyes about the “holy rusted metal, Batman,” line, they needed to get it out of their system. It was expected of the character after all this time. Just rip that bandaid off.

Taking over for Danny Elfman in the music department was Elliot Goldenthal, who has a decent filmography in the music department but not one score I can tell you I know outside of this one. His work here is very fitting and one of the highlights of the film in my opinion. He transitions from an intense superheroic theme to a dramatic noir piece then on to a silly and quirky tune, all fitting in the scenes in which they belong and all working in tandem. It’s pretty impressive.

Now, it has come to light over the last year or so that a 3-hour director’s cut of the film exists in the world. Obviously, Warner Bros. denies this but seeing how well the “release the Snyder cut” campaign worked, why on Earth would they claim otherwise? This cut of the film apparently digs deeper into the trauma of Bruce Wayne, which would explain his sudden need for therapy and in turn giving Chase Meridian a true purpose in the film. The film is meant to be much darker than the cut we’ve all seen.

However, something about that doesn’t feel right. Joel Schumacher has stated that his approach to Batman was to create a “comic book” movie, meaning he had this old school view of what comic books were. Which makes sense considering he was in his 50s when he directed this. He saw the bright colors and the camp and wanted to translate it onto the big screen. I bet if he could have done the blue and grey Batman outfit, he would have.

At one point in time, I considered Schumacher one of the worst filmmakers because of his work on Batman. Over time I have changed my stance, realizing that was coming from a ludicrous place of anger. His vision of Batman just clashed with mine and that’s ok. There are different takes on the same character allowing for one version to be right for someone. If you can enjoy them all, fantastic! If you only like one specific take, then embrace it and enjoy it. This film is one I can find little pockets of joy in, but it’s not a favorite of mine.

BATMAN RETURNS

Batman Returns has always been the black sheep of the franchise for me personally. Not because I hated it or anything, but because I’ve probably seen it less than the other three. And that’s saying ALOT when you think about it. But the film itself has always had a history of being maligned by the viewing public as well. The way I understand it is you love it or hate it.

Having watched this film again recently, I personally fall somewhere in the middle. This film is a Tim Burton film featuring Batman which is the opposite of the last film. But unlike Guillermo Del Toro and Hellboy II, Burton being off his leash doesn’t really work in Batman’s favor. While Keaton seems to be enjoying himself as the Caped Crusader again, the character is portrayed as somewhat of a lunatic. He straight up murders two of the Penguin’s cronies here. One burned alive and the other in what could be assisted suicide with dynamite.

That said, I am well aware that his body count was much higher in the last film. Most of that felt as though it was in self-defense. It’s HOW he offs these guys here that makes you think he decided to follow through on the threat to “get nuts”. And most of this could be attributed to Burton himself. Some people think the idea of Bruce Wayne and Batman is that of a mentally disturbed individual. To some degree, I can kind of agree with that sentiment, especially when you examine his reasoning to not kill any of his rogues gallery. Sure, we don’t want our hero killing, but Batman feels more in line with someone like the Punisher or Wolverine, both of whom have a body count.

And perhaps that was the reasoning here. Why ISN’T he killing people?? He’s a goddamn giant bat! And let’s not stop there! Let’s turn the Penguin into a horrible freakshow that can somehow communicate and rally and army of penguins, loaded with rocket launchers and machine guns. Let’s forego the clever cat burglar trope with Catwoman and instead have Selina Kyle murdered then subsequently consumed by a clowder of magical pussies that somehow brings her back to life as a cat…woman… Seriously, why do cats eat corpses? Did our time together mean nothing, Mr. Fluffers??

And while we’re on the subject of bizarre happenings, what about infanticide by the Cobblepots? Sure, it would be considered “attempted” in a court of law, but still. It’s a really messed up scene in a film series that’s demographic is usually kids. Not surprising that McDonald’s quickly squashed plans for a Happy Meal campaign. It was neat though to see Paul Ruebens as Tucker Cobblepot since all I ever knew him as was Pee-Wee Herman. It wasn’t until many years later that I learned he was the spaceship Max in Flight of the Navigator, even though he sounded like him! Bastard used a stage name for that one. Fun fact, the woman that played his wife, Diane Salinger, was the waitress from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. It’s like a full-on reunion flick!

Danny DeVito was a great choice for the Penguin. Kind of a no-brainer like Nicholson. Just an odd portrayal of the character in my opinion, as is Michelle Pfieffer’s Catwoman. I don’t blame them for the material. Just makes you wonder how committed they both were to the strange shit they had to do. The cat bath scene is incredibly hot and disturbing all at once. You know if you ever met a woman like her, the sex would be phenomenal. But you also know that you’re forever trapped with a crazy bitch who will pull a knife on you at the drop of a hat. Hats, cats, and bats. This is a fun review.

I guess if we must, we need to talk about Christopher Walken as Max Schreck. While he plays a completely original character in this film, they ruined the opportunity for him to play a true Batman villain. Forget Jim Carrey as the Riddler. Think about this, “Riddle me this. Riddle me that. Who’s afraid of a big fucking bat?” Missed opportunities, I’m telling you. Fun fact: Walken was actually asked to reprise the role on Batman: The Animated Series because they loved his performance so much. No denying he’s top notch.

Another fun fact: David Bowie was almost cast in the role and was Tim Burton’s top choice but he opted to star in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks movie. It seems Burton was scared of Walken for some reason. Maybe he found him intimidating. But he relented and the rest is history.

All in all, Batman Returns is a film that I return (hehe) to from time to time, just to be reminded that the film is not all that memorable to me. We should have been talking about Batman: The Movie from 1966. Now there’s something you can never forget…

BATMAN (1989)

My hiatus on Podcaster Disassembled was cut short the moment it was announced we would be talking about Batman. While Batman isn’t my superhero numero uno, Tim Burton’s Batman does hold a very special place in my heart. While I know it was not the first movie I ever saw in a theater, it’s the first one I can remember vividly. It’s one of the first films I remember getting swept up in the marketing for. It’s the first film I remember getting on VHS almost immediately after it was released, which was rare at the time because movies didn’t release to home video in the same way it does now.

You see, back in them days, VHS tapes could run you upwards of $50 to $100. Studios weren’t in the business of consumer marketing. They mainly focused on selling retail to rental shops, which is another relic of the past we’ve mentioned here before. But I digress.

I remember seeing advertisements for Batman and getting pretty excited. Prior to this film, Batman, to me, was this campy character with an annoying sidekick. Not only was I exposed to Adam West and Burt Ward’s version of the characters, but also the animated Super Friends versions that were equally campy. And because of that perception, no one wanted to make the dark Batman movie that executive producer Michael Uslan was pitching around Hollywood. Richard Donner’s Superman showed viability in superhero films, but the film also contained campiness in its own way, further driving the point that Batman couldn’t be dark.

But those opinions changed in the 80s starting with the release of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, which took the character back to a dark and gritty tone not seen in decades. Then came Alan Moore’s the Killing Joke which explored the relationship of Batman and the Joker, all while paralyzing the original Batgirl Barbara Gordon, and torturing her father Jim Gordon. If you thought Miller went dark, Moore can and usually does go even darker. Between these two titles, the perspective shifted and Warner Bros. decided to give a darker take a chance.

While I’ve heard there were detractors against the casting of Michael Keaton, I was not among them, mainly because his body of work was not well-known to me at this point. Sure, I knew him as Beetlejuice… which come to think of it I saw in theaters as well, and there was another film or two of his I’d probably seen. But if the movie said, “he’s Batman,” then I accepted it. Kind of like other films telling me that Dolph Lundgren was the Punisher or He-Man. It was accepted.

I think Keaton is great as Bruce Wayne and Batman. He developed the vocal pitch difference between the two which makes absolute sense in trying to hide your identity. Even if I had not grown-up with him as one of my first Batmen, I still believe I would regard him as one of the better actors to portray the character.

Jack Nicholson was definitely someone I knew at that point in time and him as the Joker was a no-brainer. That said, I want to peek into the alternate Earth where Tim Curry was cast instead just to see what that looked like. Nicholson portrays the Joker in the way that I usually prefer, unhinged and unpredictable. His characterization feels in line with that of the animated series, where he cracks wise one minute and can kill you the next. I will say that I’m not a huge fan of the facial prosthetics. With a man having such a devilish smile already, what need was there to “enhance” his look. It’s not something that nags at me. Just a curiosity to me.

Michael Gough was a wonderful Alfred and was always a welcome sight in subsequent sequels, despite a dip in quality. One might argue that him letting Vicki Vale into the Batcave was a WTF moment for the character. But I think it was spot-on considering he told Bruce to be honest with her earlier and was attempting to push them together, until Bruce forced his hand. Then again, if Bruce wasn’t into it then that’s his business. But seriously who wouldn’t be into Kim Basinger? I had the biggest crush on her. Then I stumbled upon that Playboy centerfold with her a few years later… my god… BUT I digress. In all seriousness, Basinger was great as Vicki Vale. My only gripe is that screech of a scream she has.

I also want to acknowledge Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox. He may be a forgettable character for some, but I like him. The one guy in the city that believes in a “bat man”. It was great seeing him again in Crisis on Infinite Earths, even if it was a minor cameo. Here’s hoping we might see him pop up in The Flash. It’d be a great way to tie it all back around if you ask me.

Tim Burton was not a name I knew at the time, even though I had seen and was a huge fan of his two other feature films. It’s funny going back and watching the film now and seeing all the little Burton-esque choices made for the film. I’m not sure the film would have been as successful without him. Any director could attempt to be dark, but his sensibilities made it feel like a comic book come to life. Things are just a little bit off, you know. Not too realistic, yet not too far outside the realm of possible.

And you can’t talk about this score without mentioning Danny Elfman’s now iconic theme, which may not be the theme he intended after learning that, according to Elfman himself, audio engineers botched the final mix of his score. Makes me wonder what a proper mix would have been. It may not be all that different but Elfman himself said he’s not a fan of what they did to it.

The film does a modest job looking at the idea of Batman and what would have led someone down that path. Trying to ground what genuinely is a ludicrous idea can be tricky but it’s been done to resounding success in other films than this one. Furthermore, the idea that Jack Napier killed Bruce Wayne’s parents is not a farfetched idea, but the odds that they would once again cross paths as Joker and Batman are slim. I don’t hate the idea but I’m not a fan of it either. I feel that even if the Joker had survived the film, it completely changes the dynamic between the characters.

Tim Burton’s Batman, along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the following year, proved that comic book films could still be viable in a market flooded with utter shite. For the next decade, Hollywood produced such comic book hits as the Crow, the Mask, the Shadow, the Phantom, Barb Wire, Spawn, Steel, Judge Dredd, Tank Girl, Mystery Men… ok ok so once again the market saw diminishing returns because Hollywood suits didn’t learn a damn thing. And boy does this original run of films drive that point home.

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

As a moderate fan of Ghostbusters, I have always been open to the idea of seeing the original cast reunite for a third entry. But after many years of the classic “will they or won’t they” routine plus the passing of Harold Ramis, I had accepted the fact that it would never happen and I was okay with that. Then the announcement for this Ghostbusters: Afterlife came along, boasting the return of the original team directed by the son of the original director. I was skeptical but was willing to wait and see.

When the teaser trailer dropped, I was intrigued by the premise they were presenting. After the full trailer, I was intrigued even more. My excitement for the film grew the closer it got, so much so that I decided to forego other plans just to see it. I had heard all the praise and the negative reviews. When I walked out of the theater, I began to understand both sides. This film does a lot of things right, but dropped the ball when it came to something original.

There is a solid foundation that this film is built upon. A family inherits a house and its belongings from a recently deceased family member and soon discovers that said family member was a Ghostbuster. Seems air tight to me. When the plot follows THAT idea, it shines in my opinion. When the film chooses to deliver a heaping scoop of fan service, it doesn’t always land for me.

The story of Phoebe was the strongest element this film has. I’ve seen Mckenna Grace in several different projects and am always impressed with her. She has a long and bright future ahead of her. Here she plays Phoebe as an extremely intelligent outsider who’s trying to discover where she belongs in a family that’s nothing like her. Her journey should have been the main focal point of this film, and for the most part it is. However, the narrative begins to shift its focus as the movie goes along, especially at the end, and she doesn’t feel as important anymore.

Finn Wolfhard is a very capable actor and also has a promising career ahead of him, but his whole purpose in this film is to act in contrast to Phoebe. Sure, he DOES fix Ecto-1 and becomes the wheelman, but what else does he do? The character of Podcast is nothing more than comic relief and Lucky is nothing more than a love interest for Trevor. These are shallow characterizations at best. They add nothing to the story except numbers.

The same could almost be said for Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd. Fortunately, they do have a greater purpose. Rudd, who is always a delight, plays Mr. Grooberson and acts as the tether to the new kids and the events of the original films. He also charms his way into being a love interest for Callie which does feel earned. Callie is a woman who clearly has had her fair share of garbage men, but to see Grooberson take a shine to Phoebe makes an impact on her. Plus they have good chemistry together which is nice.

Now, I wanna talk about the film’s music because I feel it personifies some of the film’s problems for me. Rob Simonsen’s score is a nice blend of original music and cues from Elmer Bernstein’s original score. Using some familiar cues here and there to enhance a scene can make it or break it, depending on how it’s used. In my opinion, subtlety is best because you don’t initially realize how the music is affecting you. One of my favorite uses of such trickery (if you wanna call it that) is in Halloween: 20 Years Later. In one particular scene, John Ottman gently inserts a few bars from the Psycho theme when Janet Leigh is on-screen. It’s not necessarily obvious unless you know the theme quite well, and it’s a nice little nod.

Here the music bounces from an original score to hinging on Bernstein’s. And this wouldn’t be a bad thing if it was merely accenting more of the Gozer material. That’s something we’re familiar with and it has music cues already. Yet the need for nostalgic elements was so overpowering, that it dampened what could have been something even better. Hence, my issue with the movie.

When I heard critics say it was heavy on nostalgia, I was skeptical on how bad it was. But after seeing the film essentially remake half of the first film, I quickly understood. The Gozer plot could have been so much better had it not just rehashed the original plot. Everything leading up to Gozer’s return was intriguing, from Ivor Shandor being responsible for the town down to Egon’s trap to keep Gozer at bay. But once Gozer reappears, nothing is new. Same stakes with recycled jokes. Speaking of Ivor Shandor, he actually shows up physically, played by J.K. Simmons, but feels absolutely wasted. Why even bother putting him in the film to begin with? There had to be more to his role.

I will admit not everything felt shoe-horned in. Subtle nods and references were more welcome to me like the headgear put on Louis Tulley after being possessed by Vince Clortho, the toaster in the kitchen being the dancing toaster from GB2, the Crunch bar Peter gave to Egon, and even Egon’s collection of spores, mold and fungus. But then you have the book stacking in Egon’s home, the entire Keymaster/Gatekeeper storyline rehash, Podcast being covered in marshmallow creme, all the way down to recycled dialogue that doesn’t always fit. When the sheriff said, “who you gonna call?” it felt forced.

While it was nice seeing the original team back together again, their entrance could have been better. To hell with this back and forth with Gozer and having to rehash the “are you a god?” line, which doesn’t work well at all. Just have them come in, proton packs a blazing. We can get to all the chit-chat later. And when I said the original team, I did mean Egon as well. While I don’t believe it was necessary for him to have stuck around as long as he did in a visible ethereal form, the scene where he was assisting Phoebe was a nice touch.

I feel like I’ve done nothing but tear this movie down and I don’t want to sound like I hated it. I didn’t. I honestly wanted a second viewing before this pod to ensure my feelings were valid. There were several solid moments in this flick that worked for me. I just wish there had been more. The chase around Summerville was probably the biggest highlight for me, all because it was attempting something new with things we’ve already seen. Never once had we seen ghostbusting from Ecto-1, nor had we seen a trap on wheels.

This movie worked best for me when it was acting like a continuation and not a remake. Phoebe’s self-discovery was the lynchpin of the story. When she called Ray and he said, “Egon Spengler can rot in hell,” that was a huge shocker. When you learn the truth of what’s happened over the past 30 years, it adds to the mythos in the right way. I truly wish they hadn’t reused Gozer. You can’t tell me it wouldn’t have been much more interesting to have an unknown variable that no one would believe Egon about for a plethora of reasons, thinking he’d gone mad, only to learn it was due to the spirit itself and the torment it put him through? Sounds solid to me.

I would love to see all the new characters again in a sequel, especially Phoebe. I want to see her grow into her grandfather’s role and continue his work. But if this franchise wants to continue, it has to let go of the past and start embracing new ideas. That’s at least some credit I can give the 2016 remake over this one. At least it had an original villain.

GHOSTBUSTERS: THE VIDEO GAME

When this game first released, I was pretty excited because this looked to be the Ghostbusters game I always dreamed of. Furthermore, it was promising the return of the original cast which sold me on the concept even more. And while I was mostly satisfied with my initial playthrough, I will say I was disappointed that I had to settle for a downgraded, cartoonish looking version of the game to play on my Wii. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions look amazing by comparison.

A remastered version of the game was released on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch about two years ago. I was somewhat excited by this prospect to have the chance to play the version I never did. After buying it on sale a few months back, I played through it once again, even before I knew we were talking about it here. And to break down how I feel about the game as a whole and the remastered version, I will need to separate a few elements.

Calling a re-release of older games a remaster feels like something that’s becoming more commonplace, even though I don’t feel the term is used as accurately as they’d like you to think. Ok so the developers increased the image resolution and framerate for the gameplay. But cut scenes look dated as hell as do the character models. It feels like a rush job to make a buck. I’ve seen hobbyists create more detailed versions of older games in their spare time. But that’s a gripe that isn’t about the game itself so let’s move on.

First and foremost, the fact they were able to secure most of the original cast is impressive. That alone helps elevate the game to another level. If only Sigourney Weaver would have initially signed on, we could have had a proper sequel. Regarding that, the story featured in the game was apparently an unused draft for a third movie. Although I would say with some adjustments to adapt to gameplay and to include throwbacks to original films, like getting to battle the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Since we haven’t yet gotten that third flick, this is as close as we’ve gotten until Afterlife. And with most fans of the series embracing this game’s story as a true sequel, the question now becomes will Afterlife make reference to this game as canon or ignore it? It only takes one little reference to confirm it. That said, I imagine it won’t, considering the plot of this game leans heavily on the legacy of Ivo Shandor which Afterlife seems to be referencing as well. Even if it will no longer be viewed as canon, it’s still a solid story in my opinion.

The gameplay itself is pretty fun, if not a little dated. Even today, the game feels older despite how it may look. But you get to play as a Ghostbuster and capture ghosts! And I was actually ok with the character we play being a nameless avatar for us. It would have been even cooler had they let us design said avatar so we could see ourselves as a Ghostbuster, but I digress. I do enjoy the different gadgets you get to test out. It helps the gameplay from getting too monotonous which does happen from time to time.

Most, if not all, of the music in the game is pulled from Elmer Bernstein’s original score which makes the experience feel much more genuine. There are some great Easter eggs in the game as well, from blatant ones like Vigo’s painting to less obvious one like the misspelled message from the end of the original NES game that can be found on Egon’s PC. Even deeper and much more time consuming is finding a message on the answering machine that sounds alot like a completely unrelated character from another franchise stating that the Vigo painting, “belongs in a museum.” Overall, it’s definitely a fun time if you love the franchise. Casual fans could have fun but certain story elements could leave them a bit lost.

GHOSTBUSTERS (2016)

I was eager to watch this film again for this podcast because it had been some time since I’d watched it last. This remake of Ghostbusters was immediately maligned by the denizens of social media all because the leads of this version were all women. This is obviously an absolutely absurd reason to dismiss any film, let alone shower it with so much hate without giving it a watch first. Because of this, I went to see this film on opening weekend, not only to support it during its time of need but also to assess the movie for myself. While it didn’t blow me away, I was thoroughly entertained. Now, having watched it again through a fresher lens, I have to say this film did things I previously criticized the first two films of not doing, making it feel like I was getting the remake I was hoping for.

I mentioned in my entry to Ghostbusters II that there felt like a lack of actual Ghostbusters action. You had the courtroom scene and the fight with Vigo and that’s about it. Here, we get setpieces with ghosts sans a montage and one of the best Ghostbusters fight sequences at the end of the film. These ladies were actually fighting ghosts and it was pretty damn spectacular.

I mentioned in my entry to the first film that there seemed to be a missing piece to the story that could explain WHY ghost activity was suddenly on the rise. Even if you say, “because of Gozer,” what triggered that event at that precise moment in time? In part II, Vigo’s appearance in New York via the painting is explanation enough. Here, we see that the character of Rowan is actively working to release specters from another plane of existence because he feels slighted by humanity. You can say this sounds like a ridiculous plot but there are people in the world just like Rowan who would do this very thing were it possible.

This film does its best to pay homage to the original film by hitting similar beats while also dancing to its own tune which I greatly appreciate. I like how all of the characters have their own personalities that aren’t carbon copies of the original cast. Not one of the actresses can be seen as a reflection of the original Ghostbusters. Paul Feig expertly cast Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones because of their comedic talents and sharp wit. And instead of trying to reign them in, he allows them to play to their strengths, letting them ad-lib their dialogue with their own flavor which helps the film be as funny as it can be.

Speaking of funny, Chris Hemsworth is downright hilarious in this flick. I’ve heard he was intimidated by his co-stars since comedy is their forte, but he holds his own with the amount of insanity that comes out of Kevin’s mouth. The man has proven he can be funny time and again. The film is also littered with numerous appearances and cameos from other amazing actors and comedians. It was nice to see cameos from the original cast, although I could have done without them since most of the scenes were inconsequential making their appearances nothing more than fan service.

I’d actually forgotten Michael K. Williams was in this flick and seeing him was heartbreaking considering recent events. I really dug Ed Begley Jr.’s appearance and the subsequent joke that accompanied him. Ed Mulgrave is dead but they meant Ed Sr. not Ed Jr. Simple but effective little joke.

The story here is pretty good, in my opinion, allowing the characters to have motivation to be paranormal investigators beyond just wanting to. Abby and Erin had an encounter early in their lives and it led them down this path. Furthermore, Erin’s rejection of this encounter then sudden return to believing is what sets off the chain of events to getting things started for them. It leans towards credible because no one believes that ghosts are real and everyone assumes they’re frauds. Even Patty joining the team feels more natural than Winston looking for a job because she SAW a ghost. Again, I like the idea of Rowan, a normal person fed up with the world of the living looking to take it down and not conquer it. I even liked the final form he took on actually personifying the ghost logo. The design of that was on point, looking like he was pulled straight from the opening of the animated series.

The ghosts in this movie are another element I really enjoyed. Most of them had distinct personalities (or should I say “had”) and in some cases looked pretty ghastly. The film leans back into the comedy/horror vibe at times which I appreciated. That said, the dragon demon ghost felt like it belonged in another flick. It was a cool design and worked for the venue it was placed in but didn’t feel very ethereal, despite its glowing aura. Also towards the end when all of the ghosts were running free, it seems like the art designer could have added some extra colors to the blues and greens floating about. Could have made for some wonderful eye candy. Speaking of green, it was nice to see Slimer again even if he was kind of a dick. But I guess he was in the first one as well.

Another thing I really dug in this flick was getting to see the development of their equipment. Holtzmann is constantly whipping out new toys based around whatever pseudo-science playbook they had and actually seeing test runs works in opposition to the original film where they admitted to doing none. And each device she concocted was pretty badass. No more just catching ghosts but actually obliterating them. If you can do that, why not just DO THAT? It’s a really wise addition to the mythos.

And while we’re talking about mythos, let’s talk about one minor gripe I have with the film. Now, this is not something that would have made it a better film in any way. BUT, I honestly feel that the script could have easily worked in the original Ghostbusters having existed and operated in New York over 30 years ago. If you pay attention to certain details in the story, you could have easily slid in references to Spengler and Stanz’s research into the paranormal. There was even a bit in the scene with the mayor that could have explained what happened to the original team. Putting the cat back in the bag as they said. Again, this isn’t a make or break thing for me, but the pieces were there and it could have been easy enough to do. Strengthen the already existing mythos without hitting the reset button.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call is a fun movie that delivers on the laughs and some great action. If the idea of female Ghostbusters bothers you, then one: you’re an ass and two: I don’t remember hearing gripes about Kylie Griffin who predates these ladies by 20 years. But the internet is much louder nowadays. To be honest, I’d love to see the next wave of Ghostbusters not be all men or all women, but a very diverse crowd. I’m sure that will ruffle feathers as well but too bad. It’s time! If the line “Ain’t no bitches gonna hunt no ghost,” speaks to who you are, then you’re an outdated relic that needs to get with the times.

GHOSTBUSTERS II

When Ghostbusters II was released, I was a prime target audience member. A kid at the age of 9 who loved the first movie, would occasionally watch the animated series and could be sold anything with the right marketing. These tactics weren’t necessarily used the first time around, but studio heads know how to exploit a franchise and milk it for everything it’s worth. Because of that we got a new round of toys, Ecto-Cooler Hi-C and Hardee’s (or Carl’s Jr. depending on your region) promotional gadgets and food items just to name a few. And I bought into it because I was a kid. As I got older, my love for the film diminished a little as I began to see its flaws. That said, it does have its strengths and shouldn’t be completely dismissed.

These things in the middle were nothing more than noise makers.

This film toes a line being written as legitimate follow-up to the original film and as a live-action version of the animated series. Most likely due to the cartoon’s popularity. And because of that, much of the humor felt tempered. Janine had a makeover to reflect her animated counterpart. Even Slimer pops up in a few scenes just to be there. Honestly, it surprises me he wasn’t in the film more. I can hear that studio exec saying, “Hey, kids are all about this Slimer guy. He’s the hip new character everyone loves! So what can we do to make him a focal point of the movie? Could he possibly go with the Ghostbusters and help them hunt other ghosts? Maybe we let him go off on his own adventure in the movie. How fun would that be?” I’m convinced this conversation happened.

Despite what they’re working with, everyone is great. Bill Murray as Venkman is always a dependable laugh (when he wants to be). Dan Aykroyd as Ray seems to lean into his more childlike mannerisms. Harold Ramis as Egon seems like he’s loosened up a little bit over the years. Ernie Hudson has much more to do here as Winston although he could have had much more overall had they worked in some of his original material from the first. Signourney Weaver is always on point as is Annie Potts, even though her character seems feistier than before. And finally, Rick Moranis may be playing a goofier version of Louis Tulley but he does it in the best way. The man is a treasure and I wish he would return to acting.

But for my money, the absolute standout in this film is Peter MacNicol. He committed to the role of Janosz and made the character his own, so much so that he took the basic outline that was written and turned this character into a one-note villain into something much more. He is the one who developed the backstory for Janosz, positing that he was from Carpathia and his knowledge of Vigo could be common to him, which is some backstory we never get IN the movie. He also worked tirelessly to develop and enhance Janosz’s accent which makes that character so much funnier, in my opinion. Because of his commitment as an actor, he made the characters memorable, at least to this viewer.

In regards to the villain, Vigo seems like he could have been a much larger threat than he was, but he also seemed very confined by what he was able to accomplish. Say if someone were to shoot Janosz in the head (it was New York after all), his plan would have been (ahem) well shot. At least for some time. Interesting premise, just not enough zing. Fun fact (or not depending on who you are): Vigo actor Wilhelm von Homburg actually had his dialogue dubbed over by Max von Sydow, something he wasn’t aware was going to happen. He was apparently pretty pissed when he left the film’s premiere.

One of the biggest (no pun intended) moments in the movie that felt forced to me was the inclusion of the living Lady Liberty. This felt like a deliberate attempt to replicate the Stay Puft Marshmallow scene and I feel it’s WAY too outlandish. So a toaster has to move within the confines of its construct, but the Statue of Liberty is no longer made of copper and can move fluidly. I know it’s fantasy but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

If I could point out one standout in the movie for me, it would be the courtroom scenes. The Scolari Brothers felt like genuine threats albeit smaller ones and the scene gave us some solid Ghostbuster action. Something that would be nice to have more of instead of another montage of scenes over a hip-hop track. In the first movie, it seemed like a good idea to establish business was starting to pick up. In this film, it was like the moment they were back in business, ghosts were everywhere. It’s weird.

Despite how I may sound griping about it, I do enjoy this movie and always follow-up the original with it. It just feels like there was a much better movie that could have existed had studios just stayed the hell out of it.

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

Ghostbusters is one of those films that has always been there in my life, even though it was officially released when I was only four years old. I do recall when it was released in theaters that my parents had gone to see it without me and my brother. And when they returned, my mother made it sound like a movie that we just absolutely could not watch. I couldn’t understand what could be so bad, so my imagination created a few things. In hindsight, I obviously know what scene got her all riled up. And to be fair, it is one of the oddest scenes in the flick. It feels like something that should have been left on the cutting room floor.

When I finally did get to see it, it was on ABCs Sunday Night Movie so edited for television and cropped all to hell. For the longest time, it was the only version of the film I knew and I watched it often. It wasn’t until I watched a snippet on VHS at a friend’s house that I realized what I was missing. The scene with the bookcase falling at the library was only presented to me as a close-up of Bill Murray. On VHS, it utilized pan and scan and showed Dan Aykroyd reacting to his questions, which obviously makes more sense! Despite that as a kid, I was there for the spectacle. As I got older, I began to truly appreciate the blend of comedy and horror. It shifts between terror and laughs without feeling jarring.

Before deep diving into what this film is, I thought it would be fun to talk about what it COULD have been. The idea for the film has always been Dan Aykroyd’s. While the base premise was always about three guys exterminating ghosts, the initial script Aykroyd had written took place in the future and in space. Furthermore, he had written the roles for himself, Eddie Murphy and John Belushi. Just those changes alone would have created an entirely different film, and that not even mentioning the script’s overtly serious tone. Doesn’t seem ideal for comedic actors in the lead but what do I know.

Obviously, this film never happened and by all accounts probably due to Belushi’s death. While I wouldn’t say it was directly responsible, Belushi was a beast all his own. You don’t recast a role meant for him. You have to change it. That was immediately obvious once Bill Murray came on board. Luckily, director Ivan Reitman suggested changes to make the concept a bit more grounded and even introduced Aykroyd to Harold Ramis who helped rewrite the film into what we all know and love.

And love it I do! This is one of those films that got better as I got older, truly appreciating the humor, the horror, acting… everything. Bill Murray is obviously the stand-out with some of the best lines in the film. When Ray asks, “Where do these stairs go?” Venkman responds, “They go up,” in the most serious tone. Classic. Harold Ramis playing Egon as seriously as he did also adds to the humor of that character. Fun fact: he never smiles once in this film. It does strike me odd that there was this undercut romance between Jeanine and Egon, especially considering how emotionless he feels. Probably why scenes were cut.

Ray is the lynchpin of the group, somewhere between knowledgeable nerd and loveable goof with a dash of paranormal pervert since he dreams of getting blown by a phantom. I know I was skirting the line earlier but it seemed like the time to bring it up. Winston is a character that feels very secondary in this film and it’s a shame considering he had a well-developed backstory. Unfortunately, that character development hinged on the casting of Eddie Murphy who decided to make Beverly Hills Cop instead. Murphy made the right choice. The filmmakers did not. Ernie Hudson was perfectly cast as Winston and should have been allowed to sink his teeth into the role he signed on for.

Sigourney Weaver adds a level of balance to the film that helps keep it grounded. She isn’t a caricature and feels the most realistic. Rick Moranis as Louis Tulley feels like a no-brainer. Everything he does as the character is so spot-on. Hard to imagine that they ever wanted John Candy for this role. William Atherton plays Walter Peck to perfection. If you can make me hate your face when you’re just acting, you’ve done your job. And while John Belushi may not be in the movie, he’s there in spirit, literally and figuratively, in the guise of Slimer. It’s not apparent but when you see it, it’s obvious. Go watch Animal House and it will get you there.

The story itself is pretty solid as well, despite a few questions I may have. The how and the why have always felt solid. But the appearance of the ghosts never felt fully explained. And look, it may not be important. But just one line could possibly explain why there was an uptick in supernatural activity all of a sudden. Sure, there’s the random occurrence here and there and certainly when the containment grid is shut down, but what was the sudden happening that triggered their busy days other than “end of days” or whatever. What triggered Gozer at that moment in time? We do get some decent exposition in the jail scene about Ivo Shandor and how Dana’s apartment building acts as a beacon of sorts. I don’t know. I feel like there’s one little piece missing.

And you can’t talk about this movie without mentioning the iconic single that was a huge single and probably the biggest one-hit wonders ever. And that’s not meant to be a slight to Ray Parker Jr. He crafted one hell of a song. One that surpassed the supposed 60 drafts that came across the desks of the bosses at Columbia. The song was #1 on the Billboard charts for three weeks straight and remained on the top 100 for 21 weeks. That’s unheard of today. And with every hit comes someone looking to collect. The song was so popular that fellow artist sued Ray Parker Jr. over the track, citing it was similar to Lewis’s own song “I Want a New Drug.” I personally don’t hear it and think he was sore for turning down the gig to write the song. But the lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Speaking of lawsuits, how about those first Ghost Busters? You know the classic characters Spencer, Tracy and their loveable ape Kong that were part of a live-action TV show produced in 1975 by Filmation? Memba?? You would think there would have been a lawsuit when you learn about this show’s existence. And if you dig in deep enough, it sounds like there should have been. Go check out the Movies That Made Us for a deeper dive into this. At the end of the day, Universal Studios sold the name to Columbia Pictures for $500,000 and 1% of the film’s profits, which somehow it made none. Simultaneously, no doubt to screw with us all, Filmation whips out an animated version of this original show right about the same time as the animated version we all know as “The Real Ghostbusters”. Which is ironic if you think about it.

Ghostbusters is one of those 80s classics that boggles the mind when you look back on it. Everything that works are things that weren’t planned from the start. What would the film have been if Harold Ramis didn’t play Egon? Or if the film had been an intergalactic horror flick? OR if the film had been called Ghoststoppers or Ghostsmashers? The film opened the same day as Gremlins if you can believe it! You never know what will become a classic of its day. But this film is a great example of all the right pieces coming together for the perfect picture.

MORTAL KOMBAT: THE GAMES

Mortal Kombat is a video game series that I’ve loved since I discovered it and the reasons have changed quite a bit over the years. My first exposure to the game was an arcade machine at a local Wal-Mart. It sat right there in the lobby on the way in, and I’m almost positive it was sitting there for a while before I actually paid attention to it. I’m not sure why I wasn’t initially curious about it. Perhaps I believed it to be a particular type of game that I had no interest in.

Eventually my best friend at the time came up to me in school and asked if I had played this game called Mortal Kombat. When I said “no,” he proceeded to describe a game that I was suddenly intrigued by. Blood in a video game? It was a concept that felt foreign to me.

A little history for those of you who might not know, there was a time where certain imagery and language was unacceptable in video games. In fact, if you were looking to see some form of depravity, you had to live in the dark realms of the PC space. A place that was much rarer back then since having a personal computer wasn’t commonplace. And even there it wasn’t as bad as I made it sound.

In 1992, Mortal Kombat along with two other controversial games, Night Trap and Lethal Enforcers, had decided to push the boundaries of what could be done in video games. And when those titles became known for their excessive violence, various parent and religious groups came after them calling for them to be banned which then led to government interference. Video game companies didn’t want the government messing in their business so they united and formed the ESRB, which like the MPAA, works to regulate and rate their products to clearly indicate what age group it’s suitable for.

Obviously, what twelve-year-old boy wouldn’t be intrigued by a video game with blood? But what makes it more intriguing than parents not wanting you to have it? I became obsessed with the first game even though I only owned the bloodless SNES version. Eventually, MKII came out and the SNES version had all the blood and guts. So it became my new favorite thing. So much so that I had every finishing move for every character committed to memory. I did have a game magazine that had them all listed, so it was just a matter of remembering what I read. If only I had been that focused in high school…

The obsession continued to MK3 and the introduction of Animalities just made it so much cooler for some reason. One of my first and favorite games on the N64 was Mortal Kombat Trilogy that featured every character from all 3 games into one package. It was a bit much and things were getting super ridiculous at this point. Friendships, babalities, “Toasty” but I was still enamored with it.

Now, I know many people hate on Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero but I kinda like it. Like I owned a copy of the N64 version and played through it several times, despite getting frustrated by the piss poor control scheme on numerous occasions. I think what intrigued me the most was the story. In fact, I actually went out and rented a PS1 version of the game so I could watch the live-action cut scenes. It was new for me at the time. Video games didn’t often have these back then. Yeah the acting is B-movie grade but I love it all the same.

https://youtu.be/rK7YkzpyqpY

When Mortal Kombat 4 came out, it seemed like something I’d never get to play since the magazine I was reading about it made it seem like the tech it used was beyond anything in the home market. Eventually it did release on N64 and of course I played the hell out of it. First time the series had voice acted cutscenes and it was as bad as you can imagine. This was typical of the time anyway. Just look at the original Resident Evil. While I could point to numerous moments in the game that are ludicrous. In fact, if you’ve ever heard some of the raw voice recordings for this game, you’ll hear some wild shit. However, there is only one that stands above it all: the Jarek scream.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance felt like it was trying to right the ship a little bit. Gone were all the ridiculous bits and the series was trying to shift to a more serious tone. And damn if it didn’t kick the game off showing it wasn’t messing around by not only having Shang Tsung and Quan Chi team up to kill Shao Kahn but also Liu Kang. This game also introduced the Krypt which added a bit of replay value. That is until you’ve found all the cool videos and stuff and all that remains are concept art. Plus, I also remember liking the song that was attached to this game called Immortal by Aedema or some shit. A very alternative metal band of the 2000s. The song is alright I guess.

There was a stretch of games here and after this that I barely remember or never played. Special Forces was a game I never played and heard sucked so I’m glad. I hate that I missed Shaolin Monks because I’ve heard great things about that. The next entries of the main series, Deception and Armageddon, must have fairly forgettable plots because I don’t remember what happens. Mortal Kombat vs. the DC Universe was a cool concept but it was never going to fly being neutered the way it was. The plot was… interesting to a point and I’ll leave it at that. The voice acting was way off though. Many of the characters were completely miscast.

The last three games released in the main series have been my absolute favorites: Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11. The writers for the reboot found a way to maintain the canon of the games while successfully rebooting the series in a new direction. Essentially the story in the game retells the events of the first three games, however certain events happen differently which changes everything for the long haul. You think that since we’re rebooting the series that Liu Kang would be back in form. But he’s dead by the end of this game. Furthermore, he’s killed by Raiden! Mind blown.

The cinematic nature of X and 11 makes them even better. In X, Raiden becomes corrupted by the power of Shinnok’s amulet then beheads Shinnok to keep him from being a threat since you can’t kill an elder god I guess. Plus, we get to see our characters evolve and even have kids. Then in 11, we’re introduced to the titan Kronika who is looking to reset the timeline completely and time travel allows us to see older versions of classic characters again. The banter between old Cage and new Cage was great. Then the Aftermath DLC added more story and gave Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa time to shine again as Shang Tsung and be a formidable villain. Plus, the ending gives way for a fresh start for the next entry in the series.

While on the subject of those games, the last two have really upped the ante in regards to fatalities. While some games in the series were limited to their capabilities, some games down the line just got straight lazy. The reboot attempted to step it up. The last two crushed it in every way imaginable with some fatalities that are straight up nasty. Trying to think of a favorite is difficult.

I also loved the inclusion of DLC characters that didn’t belong in the franchise. The reboot dabbled with the idea by adding Kratos from God of War and Freddy Krueger. X stepped it up by adding a bevy of amazing fighters like Leatherface, Alien, Predator and my all-time favorite Jason Voorhees. I got pretty good with him. 11 seemed to lean into 80s nostalgia with Rambo, Robocop and the Terminator. Cool additions but the horror icons feel more appropriate. That said, the fact they got Stallone and Peter Weller to voice Rambo and Robocop respectively was amazing. However, I still don’t know how the hell they got Schwarzenegger’s face but not his voice. What kind of shit is that?

While I’ve praised the series for the most part, I will say something I dislike comes from those behind the games. Netherrealm Studios has pulled some shady practices with the last game’s release. Now, follow me here: Mortal Kombat 11 released at the price of $59.99. The first Kombat pack costs $29.99 which gives you several DLC characters and skins.. Then the Aftermath DLC was an additional $39.99 which gives you an additional story mode and three new characters, one being Robocop. Finally a second Kombat pack for $14.99 that nets you three more characters, one being Rambo. All of this rounding out to close to $150 for one game. However, if you’re just now buying the game and get the Ultimate edition, you can have ALL of the aforementioned stuff for just $59.99. Tell me that’s not shady.

Additionally Netherrealm has been under fire for overworking their employees. Would you wanna work 80 hours a week? Plus, there have been reports of employees having various forms of PTSD after having to study graphic images of the human anatomy to accurately portray the fatalities. Doesn’t sound like fun to me. Something like this gives the series a black eye and makes it difficult to support. The programmers and writers (you know the creators) are the ones that make the game fantastic. The corporate heads are the ones that make it shit.

I’ve been trying to keep my thoughts condensed because I could go on about numerous little details I love about the series. But overall, I’ve been a fan from the beginning and if the series ended at 11, I would be equally disappointed and satisfied.

VHS: MEMORIES OF THE VIDEO STORE

This particular essay wasn’t part of Podcasters Assembled, but another podcast called Record All Monsters hosted by Robert Kelly who participated in the fourth season. Taking note that I clearly had an affinity for the characters as he did, he asked me to participate in a special episode of his podcast talking about our introduction to the King of Monsters. If you’re a fan of all things kaiju, give it a listen some time.

Like most of us, my love for kaiju movies stems back to my childhood. And while I am always looking for the most pure, pristine version of these films for my collection today, as a child, I was lucky to discover a new one I had never seen before. At the age I learned about Godzilla, the character had been featured in sixteen films. While Kong had been featured in some way in at least five, I probably only knew of two initially. Meanwhile, this doesn’t even get into films like Rodan, Mothra, Varan, Space Amoeba, and so many more that featured characters that I would be eager to learn about over the years.

I often struggle to remember what Godzilla film I saw first. Considering the timing of it all, I’m mostly confident it was Godzilla 1985. I have a deep fondness for the film and I have to believe it stems from being the first. Godzilla vs. Megalon has to be a close second. I know that I had a copy of it on VHS which was the first and only one I had for a long time. One of my cousins also had a copy but his was in a different slipcase which made it different enough to fascinate me for some reason.

Pretty sure that the “Video Classics” slipcase is the one I had as a kid. The other two were the ones I remember seeing at my cousin’s house.

That same cousin was how I first saw Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. I really dug the VHS cases of these films. If I’m not mistaken, these were reissued by New World Video with amazing cover art, both touting the message “All new! Never before seen on video!” There was one oddity though. For some reason, Nami, the Azumi Royal Family Princess who awakened King Caesar in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, was featured on the cover art of Godzilla vs. Gigan… twice. As in they took two different stills of her in different outfits and placed them side by side like they were the Shobijin from Mothra. It’s much stranger to me today than it was back then. In fact, I could have sworn there was at least one picture of her on the Mechagodzilla cover.

King Kong vs. Godzilla was probably the next one I stumbled upon while thumbing through tapes at a Kmart. I had to have been aware of King Kong because seeing the two of them together blew my mind. I know I had seen the original King Kong from 1933 first, followed by King Kong Lives not long after. I saw the 1976 version of King Kong after those two on TV, thoroughly confused why Kong’s roar was different than it was in Lives. Anyway, I had a copy of King Kong Lives on VHS, however it had been recorded by a family member off of a cable network like HBO. And the audio was quiet so you had to turn the TV up a bit to hear it properly. I kind of miss my old bootleg VHS collection…

While I was fairly loyal to my local video store, they didn’t really carry any old Godzilla films. Because of that, I was unaware how many existed. One day, we went to another video store one town over. A little bit bigger with a more expanded collection of films. Lo and behold in the sci-fi section sat Godzilla vs. Monster Zero. I was familiar with Ghidorah since he was in Godzilla vs. Gigan, but I had only seen a glimpse of Rodan in Godzilla vs. Megalon. So this was not only a new Godzilla movie but one with a monster I really haven’t seen before.

One weekend I went to a different video store in the same town with a friend of mine. We were looking for sleepover videos and I stumbled upon a title unknown to me: Son of Godzilla. I was immediately intrigued. HE HAD A SON?! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! This was probably one of the first films to make me question the series a bit. As a youngster, I didn’t quite have an appreciation for it like I do today. I didn’t despise it. Just confused by it all. Especially the donkey cries of Manilla. Imagine how confused I became once I saw Godzilla’s Revenge, also seen thanks to the aforementioned cousin.

Same goes for this one. Pretty sure this was the VHS my cousin owned.

I’m almost positive that the VHS case I first remember seeing was the third from the left, but I couldn’t find a picture of that case on its own so here we are…

Equally confusing to me was Godzilla Raids Again since the print I watched labeled the film Gigantis the Fire Monster. I had no idea how distribution rights worked at the time, so I wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be a Godzilla film or not. I mean, it LOOKED like Godzilla but most of the film he sounded like Anguirus which confused me more. But the Video Treasures cover art showed both Godzilla and Anguirus so it HAD to be right? US Distributors added more confusion into the mix with the additional titles, making me think I had discovered a new Godzilla film only to learn its one I had seen before. Titles like Godzilla on Monster Island, Godzilla vs. the Thing, and Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster were just a few to mislead me.

That case for Godzilla vs the Thing is wrong on so many levels…

The only other film I’m pretty sure I saw around this time was Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, also released by Video Treasures. It’s cover art wasn’t as cool and it was the first time I noticed reused scenes since I first saw Godzilla fight Ebriah and the Giant Condor in Godzilla’s Revenge. Years later, when the TNT network began airing their Monstervision marathons, I saw a few familiar films being aired but it was my first opportunity to watch the original Godzilla. I didn’t appreciate it like I do today. Mainly because it was the original Japanese version and it was in black & white and whatever other excuse a teen like me could make.

Growing up in a time that was pre-internet, I had no idea how many films existed. Let alone that more were being made. The first time that I had some indication that other films existed was the NES game, Godzilla: Monster of Monsters. That game included a bevy of Toho kaiju I had never seen or heard of and would never discover their movies until I was grown. The SNES game Super Godzilla featured Battra and Mecha-King Ghidorah and the instruction booklet featured actual pictures from the movies, confirming these films existed which excited me. I would scour the video stores for them, not knowing the reasons I couldn’t find them.

My cousin and I did luck out eventually and found Godzilla vs. Biollante which had been released on home video in 1992. I think the only reason we even found it was because it was a Blockbuster Video. But it was so cool to see a new Godzilla film.

In 1998, with the release of Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla imminent, distributors decided to capitalize on it and fans like me were rewarded. While I did have one or two Godzilla films on VHS at the time, it was at this point that my collection grew significantly. Anchor Bay released a set of six with Godzilla vs. Megalon, Gigan, Mechagodzilla, Son of Godzilla, Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster which I had never seen and my absolute favorite Godzilla 1985. Now I had a copy to call my own that I still have to this day. Mainly because you can’t find it anywhere. That set BTW was really cool because when you displayed the cases together, it created the cover art to Godzilla 1985. Obviously, I bought a shelf for this.

Sony also jumped in and released never before seen Godzilla films from the 90s, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Mothra, Space Godzilla and Destoroyah. If my memory serves me correctly, it was a full year later before we got the release of Godzilla vs. Mechgodzilla II. Not sure why that was. I knew something was missing when I first saw Little Godzilla. My VHS collection quickly grew as I nabbed every Godzilla film that was being reissued. That was until DVD took hold, then the transition began.

I’ll always have fond memories of my VHS days. I believe my generation will be the last to truly discover films blindly. You looked at the case and if the cover art was cool, you hoped the movie was too. I love that I was able to discover Godzilla in this way. I was never overloaded with it. There was a thrill to discovering an all-new adventure and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.