All right. Class is dismissed. But for your homework, you may or may
not read the following:
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Godzilla!
by Ed Godziszewski
I just recently got this one and looked at it for myself at the recommendation
of
Sean Linkenback and Curtis Hammock. I have to tell you, this publication
is so well thought
out and so complete that it totally boggled my mind.
This one contains brief monster movie synopses, and comments about these
movies. It lists the stars and the parts that they played. It gives brief
backgrounds on the casts and the crews of the G films. Generally this has
TONS of info that even this old WebMaster never knew till she got her
hands on this book.
Ed, you did a wonderful job on this book!
This is a MUST for any serious Godzilla fan! For more information, you can
contact Sean Linkenback at Showcase Collectibles.
Godzilla, King of the Movie Monsters!
By Robert Marrero
Don't ever tell anyone on alt.movies.monster that I even included this book
in
my list. They would revoke my membership in the G is Cool Club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would have to give the book a D- on a scale from 1 to 10. =) The thing
is just written so poorly it's pathetic! The author quotes word for word
from the movies, and I shudder to think that I was too a movie quoter till
my husband broke
me of this disgusting habit. =)
However, I still feel that this book is not a *total* loss, 'cuz 1) it was
one of the
things my husband did for me that was actually nice, and 2) it had a lot
of the pictures from Ian Thornes' Godzilla.
Godzilla
by Ian Thorne
I haven't had a good look at this book in a little over ten years. But I
once got into a fight with a kid at the school library over this one. =)
(I won, but I tell you I walked away feeling a little guilty.)
I read this before I had a chance to see any of G's movies for real. If
you're lucky, you can find a mega-old copy floating around an elementary
school library. The writing is aimed at little kids, but since this book
made my crappy childhood so much easier to deal with, I like to mention
it.
Mr. Thorne, if you are reading this, I salute you for a job well done. But
you HAVE to see these new movies!
We Love Godzilla EveryTime
by ???????????? <------name of some Japanese feller here
This book is in Japanese so it has little literary appeal for me at the
moment
(I'm still learning written Japanese.) But the PICTURES are OUT OF THIS
WORLD!
It has really, REALLY cruel pictures of Godzilla undergoing meltdown. IF
you can get your hands on this one, DO SO. Ken-chan, hon wo arigato gozaimashita!
Godzilla Vs. Destroyer
by ?????????????<------name of another Japanese feller here!
This is also in Nihongo. My friend Toshi sent me this one. It has a
picture of Godzilla frozen solid as a block of ice. A Godzilla-cicle?
More great pics!
Godzilla Returns!
Godzilla Returns, by Mark Cerasini
While it will never be rated a classic up there with Shakespeare’s plays, Cerasini’s novel nevertheless offers a good look at what might transpire if Godzilla were an actual reality.
Cerasini goes out of his way to paint a terrifying picture for his readers. We are treated to the scenario
of a 100 meter tall lizard running amok in today’s world and savoring the shocked (and sometimes vindictive) reactions of various nations.
However, Cerasini’s weak point is his human character development. It is a vexing problem that plagues all man vs. monster stories, that indeed seems an insurmountable obstacle, seeing that in a storyline of this type, one would be too busy worrying about the monster crisis to ponder the sexual dynamic between a male character and a female character. Especially when I see his characters and think about their prototypes.
Such as May McGovern… long auburn hair… gee, wonder who he could have based her on!? =) (HEY NICK! Give the lady a break…she’s Irish.)
I give this one 4 stars, two thumbs up!
Godzilla, King of the Monsters By Scott Ciencin
This has GOT to be classified as one of the strangest novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
I also find it kind of problematic.
In the aforementioned selection, Godzilla is portrayed to be more beast, more animal than sympathetic.
In this, he is written to have thoughts, feelings, memories. It also deals with Godzilla’s very first appearance.
Ciencin took an awful lot of liberty both with Godzilla history and with his human characters, completely re-working the story to be witnessed from the vantage point of three Japanese youngsters. While it might have been nice to have some continuity, as Cerasini’s "Godzilla Returns", there is nevertheless a story to be told, although to this Westerner parts of it are confusing. For example, the legend of Gojira is based on that of Yamata no Orochi, a legend that might fit better with King Ghidora.
But if Ciencin took great liberties with the story line, he took the most liberty with the conclusion: Godzilla is not done in by an Oxygen Destroyer, but is…invited to a festival. I find it hard to explain
why Godzilla went away happy, except in my own terms: he’s a party animal?
Perhaps I just need time to grow to love this book. I give this one eight out of ten!
Children's books!
Also available from Random House: Godzilla Saves America! Mark Cerasini
This selection is a children’s book so it is of little literary value, but Cerasini succeeds in abandoning his
dark view of Godzilla and portraying him as a hero to little children.
This is also a 3-D book complete with glasses. Cerasini takes the kids through King Ghidora’s attack on the United States and Godzilla rebuffing him with Rodan and Mothra.
Godzilla Vs. Gigan and the Smog Monster, by Alice Alfonsi
Alfonsi tells her story in another children’s book in a manner that is enjoyable by both child and parent.
She is neither too ridiculous or too dark and ominous in her storytelling.
She seems to have succeeded in finding the balance between the lighthearted and the serious
that all too often, the original Godzilla writers missed entirely. I gave this one four stars, two thumbs up!
Godzilla on Monster Island, by Jacqueline Dwyer
This is yet another fine Godzilla selection appropriate for young children. It is not too violent, not too
severe, and the children might well enjoy the part where Angorus jumps up and down on Godzilla’s stomach.
This is an excellent choice for very young children who might be frightened of the "bad" Godzilla.
This one gets four stars!
