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Happy Halloween.
Of course while nothing’s scarier that the thought of “Senator O’Donnell,” “Senator Angle,” or “Senator Miller” (or, for that matter, “President Palin”) — there, did I make you just throw-up a little bit in the back of your mouth? — I do offer this: an interview I had a few months ago with a mighty scary dude, the one and only Godzilla.
Yep, I managed to get a sit-down with him in Tokyo, an interview, and, I hate to give this away right up front, found him to be not really the “monster” you see on film.
Here (again) is the link to the whole shebang: “The Godzilla Interview”.
And here’s an excerpt:
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You obviously feel very strongly about this. Is it CGI in particular, or something more?Well of course it’s the CGI. First of all it looks fake. I can’t watch one of those pieces of plastic trash without standing up in the theater, you know – like the little boy in the Emperor’s New Clothes story? – and going, “Does anybody else here think this just looks like a cheesy, fake-o video game?!” (laughing) In fact, I actually did that one time, just recently. I think it was at first Transformers thing, a few years ago. I got applauded! Can you believe? Applauded! Then I walked out.
They could’ve just been applauding you, you know. Recognizing a star in the audience and all.
Maybe. But my point is that none of the American studios are making films anymore, at least not decent Sci-Fi ones. Maybe some of the Indie stuff. Just crap that’s done on a souped-up Mac, far as I can tell.
Besides your own, what films and filmmakers do you like from days gone by?
How long have you got?
First of all, I do like my films very much. I’m proud of them. Most of them. And even the clunkers have their moments. But as far as other films go. Eeeee, where do I start? I suppose (Japanese Director Akira) Kurosawa. I loved that man. Greatest regret of my life is that Toho would never let him direct me. Did you know that? They were afraid he’d bust the budget. (laughing) Sort of like Coppola and and Apocalypse Now, I suppose. Great film, by the way, one of my favorites, Apocalypse. Anyway, Kurosawa trained (Ichiro) Honda, who directed most of my films, many, maybe most, seems that way. I loved Honda-san, too. Great guy to work with. But I never got to work with several directors who were going strong back when I was in what I consider my “classic” time, Rosellini, Truffault, Hitchcock, Wells. And John Ford, of course. But it still comes back to Kurosawa for me. Do you think Michael Bay’s ever sat his ass down and watched, I mean really watched, Ikiru, let alone Heaven & Hell (released in the West as High and Low), that he gets, I mean really gets the Seven Samurai. I doubt it. If he has it sure doesn’t show….