Godzilla, King Of The Monsters (2002 film)

Godzilla, King Of The Monsters is a 2002 American monster film directed by Rob Marshall in his directorial debut, serving as a reimagining of the Godzilla franchise by Toho Co., Ltd. It is the 27th film in the franchise and the second Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood Studio after the 1998 film Godzilla. The film stars Russell Crowe, Natalie Portman, James Cromwell, Morris Chestnut, Koji Yakusho, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Beckinsale, Taylor Momsen, R. Lee Ermey, John Goodman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Robert Patrick, Chris Rock and Nick Nolte. The film is dedicated to Ishiro Honda, director of the original 1954 Godzilla film, who died in February 1993. In the film, a Soldier and other authorities witness Godzilla and his many battles with other monsters.

The film was made as a alternative and redemption to the 1998 film which received a negative response from critics and fans. The final script was written by David Franzoni and Jon Favreau in early 2000, and was much closer to the Japanese films and Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's 1994 screenplay. Principal Photography began in December 2000 and wrapped in September 2001.

Godzilla, King Of The Monsters was theatrically released by Columbia and TriStar Pictures on June 16, 2002 to a much warmer reception from critics and fans who praised the direction, visual and special effects, music, cinematography, respect to the source material and Russell Crowe's performance. The film was a box office success, grossing $530 million worldwide at the box office.

Plot
A fishing vessel is trying to find it's way to shore in a storm, when an unknown figure attacks the ship.

Weeks later, cryptozoologists Aaron Vaught and Marty Kenoshita are given permission by the Japanese government to interview the survivors of attack. One man shows them pictures he drew of a dinosaur-like beast locked in battle with a monster with wings. Later on, government scientist Keith Richards and American Paleontologist Jessica Stevens are recruited by the U.S. State Department to investigate and study a trail of wreckage and dinosaur-like footprints in the Japanese Kurila Islands. The team finds a shipwreck with claw marks on it as well. Suddenly, a citizen and storyteller named Ishiro appears, and tells the team about the legend of "Gojira," a giant dragon-like god from ancient Japanese Legends, who defends the world from other monsters and "demons."

The team then heads to the icy waters off the coast of Alaska where a paleontological party has been exploring caverns, where they uncovered hieroglyphics depicting a creature resembling "Gojira" as well as several other monsters. The team also finds ancient cave paintings depicting "Gojira" and the same monsters. Several Inuit villages have also claimed to have seen a giant monster. After further investigation, the team accidentally awakens a slumbering dinosaur-like monster strikingly resembling "Gojira." Keith thankfully records the creature, showing the U.S. Government full video proof of the existence of monsters.

The Government arranges a military operation led by Caption Roland Garner, giving the creature the codename "Godzilla." The team later heads to Boston to the manor-like home of James D. Hartwell, an old friend of Jessica's grandfather. He knew of the existence of Monsters since 1954. Godzilla is reported swimming to Washington State. The Navy is dispatched to attack Godzilla; however, conventional weaponry only annoys Godzilla. The monster arrives in Seattle, leaving a path of destruction in his wake.

In Massachusetts, the U.S. Military has established the St. George Project, a top-secret project to find Godzilla. Jill Llewellyn, who lost his husband to Godzilla, is the project's director. Keith's team is brought on board to help find Godzilla, but Keith is concerned since the project antagonizes Godzilla. He believes that Godzilla is a very territorial animal and not an evil monster. A few days pass, and Godzilla is reported heading towards Maine. Godzilla arrives and travels across the forests and mountains, while pursued by the Military. The Military quickly address attacks from insectoid monsters "Kumonga," "Kamacuras" and "Megalon's" attack on a township, Godzilla appears and annihilates the creatures with his "Atomic Breath."

Afterwards, Japan has reported many missing people across the country, and several mercenaries investigate. The cause of them going missing shows itself, a crab-like monster, which attacks them. In Paupa New Guinea, the Pterosaur Monster "Rodan" rises from a volcano, in Mongolia, the reptilian "Varan" emerges, in Siberia, the armoured "Anguirus" awakens and rises from the ice. Keith and the team arrive in Japan. Hartwell appears, revealing he and his colleagues have been closely watching the events unfolding. The Crab-Like monster that attacked many people is codenamed "Destoroyah," and according Jessica's grandfather, they were mutated "living fossils" from the Cambrian Period.

Jessica is horrified when the team encounters more Destoroyahs, who attack them. Meanwhile, Rodan battles several jets in an air battle at the Kiso Mountains. The team take refuge in a village, where they acknowledge that the world will never be the same. They are eventually rescued and the team alerts the JSDF.

Godzilla arrives in Kamakura, where he fights Anguirus, Rodan and Varan. Both the St. George Project and JSDF focus on Godzilla and the other three monsters. They attack, causing all four monsters to flee near Mount Fuji, while many Destoroyahs terrorize the countryside.

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Cast
· Russell Crowe as Keith Richards, a government scientist

· Natalie Portman as Jessica Stevens, an American Paleontologist and graduate from Columbia University

· James Cromwell as James Donald Hartwell, a millionaire who had known of the existence of monsters since 1954.

· Morris Chestnut as Aaron Vaught, a cryptozoologist

· Koji Yakusho as Marty Kenoshita, Aaron Vaught's assistant and fellow cryptozoologist

· Sigourney Weaver as Jill Llewellyn, the director of the St. George Project

· Kate Beckinsale

· Taylor Momsen as Tina Llewellyn, Jill's Granddaughter

· R. Lee Ermey as Roland Garner, a U.S. military caption and sargent

· John Goodman as Governor Bud Dan, who commands the Military to attack Godzilla and the other monsters throughout the film

· Hiroyuki Sanada as Ishiro Ifukube, a Japanese storyteller who knew of Godzilla

· Robert Patrick as General Smitty

· Chris Rock

· Nick Nolte

· Akira Takarada as Japanese Prime Minister

Monsters
· Godzilla

· Destoroyah

· Anguirus

· Varan

· Rodan

· Kumonga

· Kamacuras

· Megalon

Weapons, vehicles and races
· McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet

· M270 MLRS

· AH-64 Apache

· Type 90 Tank

· M26 Pershing

Seawolf-class submarine

· M1 Abrams

· UH-1 Iroquois

· HMMWV

· AH-1 Cobra

· Typhoon-class submarine

· USS John Paul Jones

· Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit

Development
In 1998, Roland Emmerich's Godzilla released and was met to much controversy. Sony executives asked Toho if they could have one last chance at remaking Godzilla. Toho said yes, but Toho would make and release 3 Godzilla films first, but they could develop a new Godzilla film as the 3 films are released.

Creature Design
Godzilla was designed by Richardo Delgado and Tom Woodruff Jr, taking elements from Stan Winston's Godzilla, The 1998 Version, the heisei Godzilla, the 1999 Godzilla and the Jurassic Park T.Rex. Anguirus took elements of his classic designs as well as the Dinosaur Edmontonia. Varan had elements of Asian depictions of Dragons, Komodo Dragons and the Original Varan. Rodan was based off of Azhdarchid Pterosaurs. Megalon resembles his classic design, but more muscular. Kumonga was based on Tarantulas and Wolf Spiders. Kamacuras' Design was inspired from Orchid Mantises. Destoroyah, especially his perfect form, resembles a combination between Destoroyah and the Balrog from the first Lord Of The Rings film. Destoroyah was designed by H. R. Giger.

Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) provided the monsters through computer-generated imagery (CGI), while special effects company Amalgamated Dynamics Incorporated (ADI) worked on suits and animatronics (as well as many miniatures). The large Godzilla animatronic, bigger than Stan Winston's Animatronic T.Rex used in the Jurassic Park films, required 12 puppeteers to operate. The suit version of Godzilla was performed by Tom Woodruff Jr.

Pre-production
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Filming
Cinematography was done by Frederick Elmes and edited by Tim Squyres and Pietro Scalia. Principal Photography began in December 2000 in Juneau, Alaska. The film's working title was simply "Godzilla." In early January 2001, more filming took place at Pinewood Studios and moved to Los Angeles in late January.

Filming scenes in Seattle took 10 days in February. Filming in Massachusetts and Maine took place in March. Filming briefly took place in the Hawaiian Islands and Mongolia in April. Filming in Japan took place from May to June. More filming took place between July to September 2001. As with the 1998 film, the United States Marine Corps participated in the filming.

Music
The score of the film was done by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with the London Voices. Williams opted to adapt Akira Ifukube's previous work in the Godzilla franchise. The song "After Me" by Saliva is featured, being used in the end credits.

The film also features "Rainbow in the dark" by Dio and "Godzilla" by Blue Öyster Cult.

Track listing

 * 1) Godzilla's Theme (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 2) Attack From The Water
 * 3) Secrets
 * 4) Keith
 * 5) Assembling The Team
 * 6) Wreckage On The Land Of The Rising Sun
 * 7) The Legend Of Gojira (Written By Akira Ifukube)
 * 8) Ice and Caverns
 * 9) Shocking Discovery
 * 10) Legends Could Be Real
 * 11) Godzilla Rises (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 12) War March (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 13) Heading To The Manor
 * 14) The Existence Of Monsters and Gods
 * 15) Reports/Attacking Godzilla (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 16) Attack On Seattle (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 17) The St. George Project (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 18) Godzilla Lands In Maine
 * 19) Godzilla's Battle (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 20) Cases
 * 21) Hunting
 * 22) A New Monster (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 23) Awakening
 * 24) Arrival To Japan
 * 25) Codename: Destoroyah (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 26) Destoroyah Attack (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 27) Get Rodan! (Written by Akira Ifukube)
 * 28) The World Will Never Be The Same
 * 29) Rescue

Marketing
In June 2001, a poster was published for the film. It features the cave paintings of Godzilla and other monsters as seen in the film. A teaser trailer was attached to screenings of America's Sweethearts (2001). It received overwhelmingly positive responses from fans. A new trailer premiered with the U.S. release of The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Another trailer also released during screenings of Resident Evil. McDonald's contributed to the marketing of the film with $20 million in media support. One commercial featured Godzilla stomping through, looking for food. He sees a McDonald's and tears the roof off. Ronald McDonald and a cashier both say "Where gonna need a bigger restaurant." Trendmasters manufactured toys for the film. They previously manufactured toys for the 1998 film. A video game based on the film was also made, being released a month before the film, published and developed by Toho and Ubisoft Montreal. Other marketing partners included Dr. Pepper, The National Basketball Association, Hershey's, Glad, General Mills, Kodak, Lego, United States Postal Service, Dark Horse Comics, Barnes & Noble, Nestle, The Campbell Soup Company, Baskin-Robbins, 7-Eleven and Embassy Suites Hotels.

Home Media
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Box Office
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Critical Response
The film received positive reviews from critics and fans. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes given the film an approval rating of 89% based on 75 reviews with an average rating of 8.9/10.

Response from Toho
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Accolades
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