Screenings continue in Japan on the new "GODZILLA" feature, produced by original creators Toho Co. Ltd.
A durable monster movie franchise enduring almost 50 years, the nuke-spawned dinosaur is stomping his way back to the big screen for the 26th time to destroy a Terminator-like version of himself, the "MECHAGODZILLA".
Godzilla previously challenged Mechagodzilla in 3 features produced in the 1970's and in 1993.
Executive producer Shogo Tomiyama says his final battle scene is reminiscent of the 1960's "GODZILLA" with Godzilla the only creature on Earth capable of saving the human race.
Known in Japan as "Gojira," (the gorilla/whale) Godzilla first appeared in director Ishiro Honda's 1954 original, featuring an actor in a zip-up rubber suit. This time around, Toho Studios budgeted the new film, set in 'the near-future' at $8.3 million and although Godzilla appears almost 200 feet tall, he is again being played by an agile actor in a 110-pound rubber outfit breathing through an air-tube.
"Godzilla offers a looking glass on society. That theme runs throughout all the movies," director Masaaki Tezuka says.
MECHAGODZILLA
"MECHAGODZILLA"
aka: 'The Cosmic Monster', 'The Bionic Monster'
Height: 164 feet
Mass: 44,000 tons
Godzilla fight record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 1 tie
Powers/weapons: Laser eyebeams; close attack laser beam from chest; forcefield created by a spinning head; missles in fingers, neck, knees, and toes; flame-thrower in mouth; flight via rockets in feet; space titanium armor
Year of first appearance: 1974, in "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"
Origin: Created by aliens to conquer the world.
Mechagodzilla is a monster robot created by a race of "Simeon" ape-faced creatures from the 'Third Planet of the Black Hole'.
Mechagodzilla was originally 'disguised' to appear as the real Godzilla, with a rubber skin fitted over its robot frame. But the skin was torn away by Godzilla, and the remainder melted away by the Simeons, revealing its true appearance.
