Category Archives: Editorials

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ – Why is Godzilla attacking us?

Image January 31, 2021 Manic Exorcism 1 Comment

Is Godzilla the bad guy this time around?

Upon release, the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer is breaking records already and leaving a massive effect on genre fans, but some fans are voicing concern over Godzilla’s seemingly new role as Titanus Badattitudus. In a few key scenes, we see Godzilla wreaking havoc upon humanity, and the question is why.

To be fair this wouldn’t be the first time Godzilla acted as humanity’s destroyer, and, as a virtue of such, does not mean he is evil in doing so.

The original Godzilla film introduced us to the ‘sacred beast of the apocalypse.’ Godzilla rose as the son of the atomic bomb, a reflection of the darkest secrets rooted in man’s soul. A nearly indestructible embodiment of mankind’s capacity for self-annihilation. That first film, Gojira, served as a metaphor for the wrath of God upon the nuclear age. That does not mean Godzilla, acting as man’s destroyer, was in any fact evil. No more than a tornado, a volcano, or a hurricane is evil.

To be honest I was surprised when Godzilla – back in 2014 – acted as our defender! I was expecting the opposite given his cinematic track record. Godzilla acting as hero has way more to do with his recognized role back during the Showa era of the franchise. Even as recently as 2016, in Shin Godzilla, he’s been the antagonist for the most part of his legacy. Well, an antihero is more fitting a title.

It might be upsetting for newer fans of the genre to suddenly see their titanic hero out there causing so much devastation but this wouldn’t be anything new out of Godzilla’s history. Fuck’s sake, in a comic book Godzilla’s the one who sank the Titanic with his dorsal spines. Godzilla has been rather rambunctious in the past.

image via Warner Bros, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

However, I beg to differ. Yes, in the trailer we’re told that ‘Godzilla is out there hurting people.’ We’re shown scenes of Godzilla attacking facilities for seemingly no good reason. We see him tearing through battle cruisers as he propels himself through the ocean on a hell-bent course – assumedly – to attack Kong and nothing can stand in Godzilla’s way.

Something is provoking Godzilla, sending him into a violent frenzy. None of that makes Godzilla the ‘bad guy’ though. It means there’s way more going on than we know. The director even claimed we’ve only seen the very uppermost peak of the iceberg in this trailer. There’s still far more for us to see.

And let’s settle this right now: I do not think this is Mechagodzilla we see throughout the trailer. I ran that theory by as a possibility, but, theory or not, I believe we are seeing the real Godzilla battling it out with Kong in the trailer.

What Could Have Pissed Godzilla Off?

I covered this a little in my last article but it’s worthwhile to cover a bit more. At the end of King of the Monsters, we are left with the foreboding words that Godzilla is on our side ‘for now.’ Leaving a frightening cliffhanger that leads way to Godzilla turning against humanity.

It’s easy to see why Godzilla would though. If he is the natural order’s answer to calamity upon the planet then given our abuse of the planet we would quickly turn into Godzilla’s enemies and need to be dealt with. We wage war against the ecosystem, against nature, and, without a doubt, against the Titans if given the chance (be it if they were real.) Consider how many people hunt down big game hunt, not for food, but for sport. There would be people eagerly waiting for the chance to mount a Titan’s stuffed corpse on their property if they could.

That would easily piss off Godzilla. If we attacked Titans he’d be within his right as king to defend them.

(On a side note I just finished a Gamera marathon with my gf and mentioned an idea for a Godzilla vs Gamera possibility. Imagine Godzilla acting as defender of the planet against humanity’s ongoing destruction of the earth in the name of profits or whatever. Meanwhile, Gamera would rise up as defender of humanity, putting both defenders on a collision course to battle one another to the death. Now that could be interesting.)

Could this be what leads Godzilla to fight Kong? Could be, but I’m not sold on that just yet. It’s later (now) been revealed that Mechagodzilla will have a clandestine role in the movie which leads us to my final idea on the matter.

Why Would Godzilla Attack?

I don’t think his attacks are unprovoked or mindless. Something (or someone) is in the background pulling the strings and orchestrating the events leading to the apocalypse.

*mage via Warner Bros, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong”*

In the trailer, we’re given a very brief glimpse of a map linking a mysterious company known as APEX to the Godzilla attacks. We’re also given a brief glimpse of what can easily be presumed to be Mechagodzilla charging up in the background. Brilliant! These two little clues are connected I think. As in APEX serving as the company that built Godzilla’s mechanical counterpart.

Now why they would do that is anyone’s guess. We do know the military was eager to be more involved with controlling these giant monsters, so much so that they fired an untested superweapon – the oxygen destroyer – into the ocean with a hope and a prayer to destroy the Titans. Would they be willing to build a weapon to match Godzilla’s strength? Oh fuck yeah they would!

I think APEX is a counter organization to Monarch who are entirely dedicated to discovering, studying, and defending the Titans. Again, it’s not like there weren’t secret organizations in the older movies, organizations hell-bent on crushing or controlling Godzilla.

Now, given this is true, it could explain why Godzilla is destroying APEX facilities. He’d see them as a threat against his kingdom and the world entire. It could be APEX has some way of manipulating Godzilla, something like the orca used in KOTM, and could be setting Godzilla up.

Could they be gaslighting Godzilla? Are they provoking his attacks and turning him into the (convenient) threat they need? A convenient threat only they, with their Mechagodzilla weapon, could come in and stop? It would make them look like saviors and could give them the global support they need to then police the rest of the Titans?

Something the government and military have been pushing for?

Fuck I hope I’m right. I hope they’ve put some thought into this movie.

image via Toho, ‘Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla’

One thing we know about mankind: it hates to share. APEX could be acting as a radical group out to rid the world of monsters humanity now suddenly must learn to coexist with.

Why Would Mechagodzilla Be Such a Threat?

In my last piece, I mentioned a few ways Mechagodzilla could be built, chiefly being a bio-mech by blending Titan DNA into the construct of the machine. Something like we saw in Toho’s Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. Then I gave it more thought and it fucking dawned on me!

What if they are doing the exact same thing! In GAM Kiryu, aka Mechagodzilla, is built from the bones of Gojira. In Godzilla (2014) Monarch discovers the bones of a Godzilla species. Godzilla bones! Those bones are out there and ripe for the picking. What if we’re getting a Kiryu type Mechagodzilla?! Now that possibility has me excited.

Wouldn’t that be reason enough to agitate Godzilla? The profane use of Titan bones – bones of his ancestors nonetheless – used as a manmade machine to destroy Titans?

That would be a good enough reason for him to seek and destroy every operational APEX facility around the globe.

We have to keep in mind that in the trailer Maddison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown) says “There’s something provoking them that we’re not seeing here.” I think that’s key to the whole riddle. I really hope they use those bones to build an abomination of science and nature, something Godzilla would sense, be enraged by, and seek to purge.

Like so many other instances the Godzilla franchise offers up a few examples of Godzilla’s DNA being used to create new monsters that Godzilla must stop. The whole plot in Godzilla vs. Biollante can be summed up like this. “Lol! Let’s blend Godzilla’s DNA with a flower and see what happens.” Boom! Godzilla Flower! And it’s one helluva cool looking monsters.

image via Toho, ‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’

Spacegodzilla was created from Godzilla cells carried into space by Mothra. Well, at least one side of the story claims that. And we already mentioned how Kiryu was built around the bones of Godzilla. If we’re lucky we could be getting a Legendary version of Kiryu.

It’s all speculation at this point, but I love it. I can talk about these monsters and movies all day long. I keep my gf up till 3 in the morning going over theories for the upcoming film. So let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Manic out and Long Live the King!!!

Editorials

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Monster Theories

Image January 24, 2021 Manic Exorcism Leave a comment

We all know the movie is focusing on the epic (and I mean EPIC!) battle between two of the most prominent kaiju in all cinematic history, but the whole story is yet to be told. We’ve only seen the tip of this colossal iceberg and there’s plenty left to speculation. So as we wait (finally!) for it’s long-awaited release in March let’s run down a few of our theories.

courtesy of Warner Bros, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

MECHAGODZILLA!

Let’s get the most obvious out of the way. Given just a brief glimpse at the beginning of the trailer we see what could be none other than Mechagodzilla.

Watching this scene over and over again it really does leave little else to be argued. It has the shape of Godzilla but appears mechanic and we’re given the briefest glimpse of an orange-glowing energy pulse in the thing’s neck.

Unless Godzilla levels up his atomic flame from blue to reddish-orange, similar to what happened during the Heisei era, we might be seeing none other than Godzilla’s mechanical nemesis.

Reasons for this theory.

By the trailer we’re told that Godzilla is out there hurting people. Now that’s a big turn of events given how Godzilla has been the earth’s defender and a hero to humanity. Although, the somber ending of Godzilla: King of the Monsters does reflect that Godzilla is on our side ‘for now‘ leaving room for a frightening possibility of Godzilla becoming our destroyer.

What could turn him against us? Now that’s the question.

Perhaps it’s our meddling with the Titans – genetic engineering or bio-experimenting – that pisses Godzilla off. After all he is their king and would only be protecting his subjects from us if that were the case. And you know it’s entirely within reason that people like Alan Jonah (Charles Dance) would be using Titans as his own personal weapons.

That could be enough to send Godzilla into a shit storm of fury. I don’t think that’s entirely the case though. If we are indeed getting Mechagodzilla in this movie then it’s possible Godzilla is not, in fact, to blame for these sudden attacks at all.

You see, back in 1974, when Mechagodzilla was first introduced he appeared as Godzilla at first, albeit a counterfeit. Just like the Terminator has a fleshy exterior to hide the monstrous T-800 underneath, Mechagodzilla wore a Godzilla skin suit to conceal his true identity while leaving a trail of destruction in his wake and the blame being pinned on Godzilla.

So what if what we’re seeing is not the real Godzilla but an imposter? Someone whose sole purpose is to create chaos and drive humanity to the brink of despair? In desperation, humanity would turn to the King of Skull Island to battle the King of the Monsters and hopefully end the sudden reign of terror.

While Kong and Godzilla are busy beating the shit out of each other the world would be left defenseless against whatever the true threat operating behind the scenes is.

I can see this as being a likely case. We know Alan Jonah is still very much active out there. We also know that he had some sort of plans for that (SPOILERS!) discarded Ghidorah head in that post credit scene. Hmmmm. (We’ll visit this plotline a little later on. )

Could Jonah be orchestrating events so earth’s two mightiest Titans fight to the death while leaving the planet open to advance his master plan? This does strongly echo the original intentions of Mechagodzilla.

Given that Legendary has been faithfully adapting classic motifs from Toho’s Godzilla mythos it makes sense to see Mechagodzilla finally given their extraordinary treatment. Mechagodzilla is renowned as one of Godzilla’s chief villains and became an instant fan favorite upon his introduction back in 1974. Also he is one of the few Godzilla kaiju to make an appearance in all three of Toho’s Godzilla eras, just like Mothra and King Ghidorah.

Kevin’s Head

Kevin’s head is still a mystery. Why did Jonah want to purchase it so badly? This could be another connection to the Mechagodzilla theory. In the 2002 film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, a film rebooting the original concept, Mechagodzilla is made from the bones of the original Gojira. Let that sink in a little.

via Toho, ‘Godzilla Against *Mechagodzilla*‘

So in that film there are two different Godzillas: the original Gojira – who died by oxygen destroyer – and another who was the current Toho Godzilla.

Humanity builds Mechagodzilla around the bones of Gojira to fight Godzilla. That’s just all kinds of Hell yeah!

In that film Mechagodzilla was biomechanical and at one point the DNA of Gojia’s bones activates, takes over, and goes insane.

Could it be the decapitated Ghidorah head (lovingly known as Kevin) serves as a kaiju DNA structure for Mechagodzilla? Or…is there someone else we could be seeing?

Mecha-King Ghidorah

Anyone familiar with 1991’s Godzilla vs King Ghidorah will know exactly what I’m talking about. In that colossal movie Godzilla promptly takes down Ghidorah but the battle is far from over. From the discarded body humanity builds the Mecha-King Ghidorah!

This mechanical beast is mankind’s only hope against the devastation of Godzilla.

Given that, at the end of GKOTM, there’s still that remaining piece of Monster Zero, and the fact that they purposely show it to us, it’s a good bet someone has some wicked plans for it.

It’s entirely possible that Jonah’s team builds Mecha-Ghidorah out of that head.

So would fans rather see Godzilla battle Mechagodzilla or Mecha Ghidorah? Fuck I’d hate to choose between the two. I’d be thrilled to see him and Kong fight both! Bring it on!!!

image via Toho, ‘Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah’

And Legendary could make that shit look great!

So either Mecha is a possibility at this point.

Could this severed head be the missing piece to the puzzle? The unseen force working in the shadows by a skilled puppet master to bring an end to the known planet?

Destoroyah!

What if Legendary is planning something even bigger? Something less obvious? Something that embodies destruction itself? I mean would it be that far of a stretch for Legendary to bring in the Devil of Godzilla’s mythos to challenge the two Kings?

Think about it. Once again we point to Ghidorah’s rotting head (I swear there’s more to that thing). Let’s recall how Ghidorah lost that head: it was during the ocean battle with Godzilla, and Godzilla bit the head clean off. Then immediately afterwards the oxygen destroyer struck the both of them and left its carnage upon the waters.

In Gojira, this was the very weapon the slew our beloved monster. Then, during the Heisei era, the oxygen destroyer was brought back to fans’ memories, for out of the debris and mutations left behind from the OD a new and terrible force came into being: Godzilla’s most terrifying enemy, Destoroyah!

So…why would Legendary bring in the oxygen destroyer? And that thing not only hit Godzilla but also Ghidorah and the severed head. The same head seen at the end of the credits, letting us know it’s still of importance.

What if the cells of the head are crawling with radiation that could lead to Destoroyah’s emergence into the Monsterverse?

Destoroyah could be a new monstrosity grown from Ghidorah’s own cells, have prescient memory, and, along with that, an inherent hatred for Godzilla. Yes, I’m suggesting Keven could become Destoroyah.

During the movie Godzilla vs Destoroyah, Destoroyah was unique for the fact that it went through various evolutionary stages until reaching its final form.

What if whatever Jonah’s monster eventually evolves into this thing? That would be one helluva final form and final battle. It would be something beyond Kong or Godzilla’s ability to face alone. I can see them having to join together to defeat the power of Destoroyah.

After all, they’ve already hinted at Godzilla vs Destoroyah by introducing burning Godzilla at the end of GKOTM. Could it have been a hint of more things to come?

So those are my theories, at least for now. As more is revealed I’ll be sure to make a follow-up post. Maybe none of these are right. Maybe Gigan will be the big reveal! Or, better yet, Gamera shows up and beats them both into submission. I’d be down for that!

There’s still room for the Super X to make an appearance as well as other beloved kaiju. We’ll have to wait until March to know what all is in store for us.

It’s an exciting time to be a fan and I hope you share your thoughts and theories with us in the comments below. Thank you and long live the King!

Editorials

IN A YEAR THAT TOOK EVERYTHING, ADAM GREEN NEVER STOPPED GIVING

Image December 28, 2020 Landon Evanson Leave a comment

It has been a year of loss and pain. Our lives have been turned upside down, put on hold, or altered forever. One way or another, not a single one of us has been spared from the scars. Our nation has experienced a lifetime of trauma in less than a single calendar year, to say nothing of the upheaval of the social battles that have been fought day after day not only this year but for the past four and beyond.

We are hurting mentally and physically, emotionally and financially. We have experienced holidays where we have been unable to see our family and friends. The easy fixes of the past–going to the movies or a ballgame, swinging by the pub for a few beers with loved ones, or just popping by for a visit–have been ripped away from us. Each day blurs into the next, with nothing to look forward to that would offer the slightest variation between Tuesday and Saturday, and it has left us feeling very alone.

Experts have informed us time and again to stay in touch with those closest to us because it’s important to combat the isolation as much as social distancing will allow. That calling or texting or Zooming with those we love, however briefly, will help to alleviate the loneliness that has characterized 2020.

But despite not a single paycheck coming in for the entirety of this horrific year—a stark and terrifying reality that far too many can relate to—Adam Green never stopped giving. Never stopped reaching out. Never stopped providing us with something to look forward to. Hours upon hours of preparation fueled by nothing but a desire to keep people connected or giving them a reason to forget for a few hours.

The first image of the CORONAPOCAPLYSE appeared on March 23 with Green seated at a table rocking glasses and a Holliston tee shirt, a steaming cup of coffee to his right, about to embark on a fireside chat of sorts. Whether you call it fatherly or grandfatherly, for the next three days the filmmaker became a calming comforter as he read I, Survivor, the fictitious novel he co-wrote with Joe Knetter outlining the life story and harrowing events of the Honey Island Swamp massacre experienced by Hatchet III‘s (2013) Andrew Yong (Parry Shen). The worries and fears of the world raging outside the walls of our homes slipped away and for a few hours everything was alright. We could breathe. We could smile. Because we were together.

Every day through April 19, Green aired a live stream on YouTube to provide an outlet for those alienated from their lives. From features including DIGGING UP THE MARROW (2014) and the HATCHET series to every episode of HOLLISTON (2012) and ArieScope’s Halloween shorts, Green shared his library of creativity free of charge and it touched countless lives.

When the original CORONAPOCALYPSE came to a close, Green looked into the camera and offered a simple but touching message: “We’ll get through this,” continuing, “stay safe. Stay healthy. Keep being nice to each other. And keep talking to each other because talking helps.”

The shot faded from Green to a scene from HOLLISTON where his character felt as though he’d reached the end of his rope, that he couldn’t go on. And Oderus Urungus (the late Dave Brockie) delivered as motivational a speech as Adam’s imaginary friend was capable, asking “what it would have been like if (he’d) hung in there for just one more day,” echoing the words of Green’s close friend Dee Snider who encouraged him to chase his dream before HATCHET (2006) came to fruition with the words, “don’t you ever give up.”

With the gorgeous “Flying Theme” from E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) swelling underneath, images of Green’s work began cycling through to the beats of the John Williams before a message appeared:

“This was Adam Green’s CORONAPOCALYPSE.” but as the music continued powering us through tears, “Adam Green’s” faded into “OUR,” and if it hadn’t already been clear before, it was beyond dispute in the moment: this was not about anything more than giving the fans something to hang on to. Hope that the sun would shine again, and that the pandemic would one day fade into memory.

To the right of the screen was a chat, and as the final images played out, it was clear how much the CORONAPOCALYPSE had meant to so many:

“Got out of work just in time to cry.”

“It’s been a great 28 days!”

“THIS WAS EPIC.”

“Beautiful.”

“JUST ONE MORE DAY!”

“Thank you Adam and the whole @ArieScope family. I love you all and I will always remember and be grateful for this.”

Just before the final note rang out, in a nod to Snider and HOLLISTON and SCARY SLEEPOVER, one fan wrote “METAL!” Clearly, the Movie Crypt Fam is just that–family.

It didn’t end there, however. In September, CORONAPOCALYPSE II streamed the entire HATCHET and HOLLISTON series on back-to-back nights and again provided something to look forward to–an event filled with laughs and togetherness.

All the while, not a single week of the Movie Crypt podcast (hosted by Green and fellow director and HOLLISTON co-star Joe Lynch) was missed because of the pandemic.

To say nothing of the resurrection of the SCARY SLEEPOVER (2015) series in July with comedian Doug Benson, where Green once more demonstrated his deep understanding of what the people needed–an oasis.

The final two episodes of SCARY SLEEPOVER strategically aired on Thanksgiving and Christmas nights featuring fan favorites Corri English (HOLLISTON) and Parry Shen (HATCHET series), respectively. For many, holidays normally spent in the company of loved ones were instead endured alone, until 6 o’clock Pacific when Green and his guests delivered conversation and smiles and laughs and memories that left all who watched them feeling a bit less isolated.

Then came Yorkiethon 5, the Movie Crypt’s annual fundraiser for the Save a Yorkie Rescue for abandoned and abused Yorkshire Terriers. For years Green and Lynch welcomed guests into the ArieScope Studio for a 48-hour marathon where their motto is “we stay awake so they don’t get put to sleep.” But with the Coronavirus, having guests was not an option, so Green and company simply Zoomed with the likes of Anthony Mackie and Barbara Crampton and Joe Bob Briggs and raised nearly $30,000 in a year when money has been (for nearly everyone) harder to part with than ever before.

And all that, the streams and podcasts and series, without a single paycheck coming in for Green himself.

In a year where it seems everything has been taken away from us, Adam Green has never stopped giving. From laughs to love, Adam Green selflessly devoted innumerable hours of his time to give us what we needed more than anything–hope.

Those who follow Green know that he’s an empath with an enormous heart, but never has his love for the fans been more evident than in the most difficult year of our lives. Before signing off on the first CORONAPOCALYPSE (which this writer still can’t watch without tearing up), Green said “I hope that you get everything that you want in life. I love you,” and it’s time we make it clear that the feeling is very mutual.

“Keep being nice to each other. And keep talking to each other because talking helps.” Green wasn’t merely pontificating, he was simply informing us of what he planned to do. And he kept his word.

May you get everything you want in life, Adam Green, because no one deserves it more. We can never thank him enough for what he’s given us these past ten months, but what we can do is make two things abundantly clear: we are grateful, and we love him back.