The Godzilla 1985 Comedy Rumor

[@venom7558]

I remember seeing a video about this and Raymond Burr told them that if they tried to make it a comedy then he wanted nothing to do with it. So...good on Mr. Burr!

[@Gerickmb]

Raymond also wanted the rights to do his own Godzilla film and said he was a long time fan

[@CBright7831]

"Godzilla? What is it?" "It's a very giant lizard with thermonuclear breath, but that's not important right now."

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

lul

[@ikaiju-eu9wn]

He isn't a lizard he is a reptile

[@CBright7831]

@@ikaiju-eu9wn - Lizards are reptiles.

[@ikaiju-eu9wn]

@@CBright7831 ok, i will explain it in a form that you will understand, godzilla is a reptile but not alizard it's like cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes, they are both tomatoes but cherry tomatoes are not grape tomatoes and grape tomatoes are not cherry tomatoes

[@gekozilla7339]

@@CBright7831 all lizards are reptiles but not all reptiles a lizard you wouldn't call a crocodile or an iguana a lizard

[@Death_To_Kong]

The first Godzilla I ever saw in the theaters. I was 10 years old and loved every second. I was already a fan of Godzilla, but 1985 blew my mind.

[@Pat19-w2s]

Team kong

[@katogojira7223]

I saw Godzilla vs threeheaded monster I think I was 7 or 8

[@Pokezilla101]

I remember hearing a different interpretation of this rumor somewhere else saying Raymond Burr heard about the movie potentially being a comedy and got angered by the idea and asked the producers to change it.

[@Gerickmb]

It's true Raymond Burr is passionate about Godzilla he even wanted to do his own film

[@c.f.pedraza4057]

"I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you."

[@danielj.nickolas]

I remember being a kid and renting Godzilla 1985 on a whim, because nothing else seemed interesting that day, from my local Blockbuster (it was late 1990s). Godzilla 1985 might have been my first experience with an “instant favorite”, a movie that ends up being so much more than you were expecting it to be, and in all the best ways, that you just know you’re always going to be a fan. The next trip to Blockbuster, I re-rented Godzilla 1985 along with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (thankfully the cover box for 1985 informed me it was a sequel to King of the Monsters), a film I also ended up loving.

[@ConstantineFurman]

It wasn't that New World Pictures was the only company that wanted to distribute the movie. All the big studios wanted the film. They just refused to pay what Toho was charging for the film. Toho wanted 5 million for the rights. Universal offered them 2 million and Toho turned them down. They didn't get any better offers and Toho refused to go back with their tail between their legs and they get an offer from New World... for $550,000. Because of their stubbornness, Toho was forced to accept. The parody thing was not just a rumor because... I have an interview where Tony Randall talks about it. Yeah, I have two interviews with Randall about G1985. In the first, he says "Yeah, we were gonna do the parody thing" and in the other, that's the interview you sighted. So he literally took both positions on the subject. Here's the thing though; Raymond Burr and Warren Kemmerling were both asked to be in the project when it was going to be silly. Both of them refused to appear in it unless the movie was taken seriously. R.J. Kizer has talked about being summoned to Raymond Burr's hotel room where, after reading the script, Burr read him the riot act about how Godzilla is a serious allegory about the use of atomic weapons and he would have nothing to do with something mocking that. And Kizer also has talked about having lunch with Kemmerling, who took the same position. Kizer, meanwhile, did not share Burr and Kemmerling's reverence for Godzilla. The thing with a lot of the crew members not knowing about the parody script is because they were all hired after the parody idea had been abandoned.

[@c.f.pedraza4057]

I remember getting my parents to rent me 1985, and being sad when Godzilla fell into the volcano. I was already pre exposed because of TNT's: "Monstervision" Godzilla New years marathon, and Joe Bob Briggs. Thanks dad.

[@ridewithhephaistos6283]

1985 was always my favorite movie, the music and how badass he was always got me. I think he has the best roaring in this one as well.

[@fletchkeilman2205]

I still drink Dr pepper to this day because of that commercial

[@ShinGoji1987Official]

Good video man. Godzilla 1985 was probably the 5th Godzilla film that I ever saw (Age 5) It scared me due to his new monstrous roars and dark tone. The tragic ending made me cry my eyes out and I avoided seeing it for a number of years because of that lol. I honestly thought Godzilla had died at the end but was so excited at about age 10 when I bought Gvsbiollante on VHS to find out that this was its sequel.

[@AHalevonEric]

Cutouts and promo material for Godzilla '85 were everywhere when I was a kid, even years after its theatrical run. Comic stores and video outlets had them on display year-round. There were not as many big events for geeks back then; they took what they could get and showed it off. Looking around the aisles was the first time I saw the box art for Godzilla vs. Biollante too. "Bio-lant," I called it.

[@garfieldsmith332]

Godzilla is Godzilla. Whether he is goofy or a terror. Tokyo and other parts of Japan always get scrunched. Just get a big bowl of popcorn, sit down, relax and enjoy the show. The suits turned James Bond into comic relief in the "Roger Moore Years". Batman on TV was camp. Lost In Space was atrocious. The only Godzilla movie I did not like was the U.S. made abomination of 1998. Thanks for the update on this subject.

[@ZaneWeiss]

The cartoon was really good though.

[@mlgodzilla4206]

People still dislike 1998?

[@garfieldsmith332]

@@mlgodzilla4206 It is an abomination.

[@mlgodzilla4206]

@@garfieldsmith332 bro it’s not that bad,grow up,it’s been decades since the film came out.

[@MrBump2]

I love the videos coming out of your channel. I haven't partaken in any online Godzilla discussion in several years, and your channel feels like it is taking me back to my childhood on early KZbin trying to find any news on a potential new Godzilla movie. Thanks for putting in the effort for a franchise that almost everyone I know can do without, great video as always :)

[@aaronorenstein5963]

Anyone else think the 1984 Godzilla is sort of like the franchise's "Dark Knight Returns"?

[@loganmurray8810]

Please do, Godzilla versus the sea monster differences

[@ghidorahzetto283]

I always wanted this topic to be discussed

[@Scaash]

I believe it. They even snuck in a bad joke in the movie. Dude says as he watching Godzilla wreak the place and I quote: "That's quite a urban renewal program they got going over there."

[@Kaiju-bm4ts]

I love the design for 84 goji but the only nitpick I have with the design are the eyes..

[@TeeKoon]

That was a bad choice and it should have been at least full dark black! Imagine 1979 Alien movie if the monster had eyes!

[@GodzillaFan-ok7ek]

I found out about this movie when my friend showed me it in 2016.

[@Phantanos]

Godzilla 1985 could have been better with 5 minutes removed from the American and Japanese scenes. To replace the missing 5 minutes a flashback digested form of the original's finale would merge with the modern title sequence. I did this with the help of the two versions on laser disc and a editing VCR. My version ran the same length of time; but at a brisker pace.

[@mgrimm5500]

This is one of my Favorite Godzilla movies!

[@mrtuber8207]

I was being intruduced to godzilla both heisei and showa Once we where going to a vacation and me and my brother Got to buy some dvds i bought a godzilla collection from sweden and the rest is history

[@mikedaikaijufan3976]

Hi there, I recently discovered your channel and just wanted to say that I've been really enjoying the content you've put out. This stuff is top notch. Keep it up!

[@jroc3080]

great channel man. love the content!

[@md.saunders6625]

I remember as a kid I was very confused when Godzilla 85 came out. I was a super Godzilla fan but only the showa cheesy one's because I was only between 3 and 4 years old but I did love Godzilla 85 even though I didn't understand it

[@teletronz]

Me too, I was baffled.

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

Same here. He was somewhat lovable in the Showa Series. In this movie. It was the complete opposite.

[@tylerlamb9930]

It's not unreasonable why any little kid would have been confused why Godzilla was destructive at the time. The only Godzilla movies up till this point where he was clearly a bad guy were Godzilla king of the monsters, Godzilla raids again, king Kong vs. Godzilla, and Godzilla vs. the thing. The rest he was at least somewhat of a good guy. There were no Godzilla VHS movies by then so you would have had to see the movies on tv or reruns of the Hanna-Barbara cartoon. Maybe if you read the marvel comics Godzilla you might have seen a more villain Godzilla at that time.

[@conradojavier7547]

Leslie Nielsen's Godzilla would have been the Snydercut of the mid 80's.

[@spikezilla54]

So we're gonna see a whole bunch of footage of Raymond Burr but never mention how serious he took the movie and if it went down a route that made it parody he wouldn't be in it?

[@Chimpbot]

Nitpick Time: It's SUPPOSEDLY, not supposably. That is all.

[@ChrisPeteG]

I wish a bigger studio had gotten the rights, handled it in a way that made it more of an event and made it a bit more legitimate....and just given it a better title like "Godzilla Returns"

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

That's The international title of the movie. The Return of Godzilla.

[@ChrisPeteG]

@@ktapreswreckd921v9 Oh yeah I know, I've got the Blu Ray. I just mean, in hindsight, the company releasing it over here as "Godzilla 1985"...that's such an odd title. If they had simplified it as "Godzilla Returns" I think it might have helped it a bit in terms of publicity.

[@ConstantineFurman]

New World was using "The Return of Godzilla" up until late in the game. They then thought about titling it "Godzilla is Alive" (which they copyrighted), but then Tony Randall told them to change it to "Godzilla 1985" because he remembered a movie that had frightened him as a child, "Frankenstein 1970" (1958).

[@ChrisPeteG]

@@ConstantineFurman Fascinating. Jeesh, keeping it simple with "The Return of Godzilla" or "Godzilla Returns" would have been much better. Godzilla 1985 feels like it would have a goofy reasoning behind it...and it seems it did.

[@normalbert7313]

I was in college at the time at SUNY Binghamton and saw this movie in a run down theater on Robinson street that was in such bad shape it was like Godzilla had visited in person and stepped on the place. The Student Association ran it on campus the following semester and we only had 6 people show up!

[@nathanblevins158]

Godzilla can be a hero.. He can be force to be wrecking with.. But he will always be the king of the monsters.

[@PizzamonkeyFGC]

You know what would be more disrespectful than turning a very serious movie into a comedy? Bastardizing the beloved star of the series and then using him to promote some fast food chain. Good thing that never happened haha

[@loanaoftheshellpeople5627]

I hate to say this, but Product Placement helps to pay a lot of Bills when It comes to releasing a lot of Big Budget Movies. It's just a necessary evil that's a part of the business.

[@diorraices8077]

seriously am I the only one who thinks paper finz sounds similar to 1fishmob

[@teletronz]

Like many others 1985 was the first Godzilla movie I saw in the theaters. I was the biggest fan and almost shit myself when I saw a commercial for it. And I enjoyed it but it was a serious WTF moment. What happened to Godzilla's past? Did they really forget all the battles he fought for mankind? I didn't have nightmares but I was heart broken after they killed him off in the most brutal way. Some of my friends did however have nightmares because of this movie lol Also G Fan interviewed somebody who was involved with the movie and they spoke about it being a comedy. Said basically the same thing, Raymond Burr stopped it. Don't know what issue or who it was.

[@Morgil27]

I have a bluray of the Japanese version, but I wish it had the American version on the disc, too. I just wanna be able to see it once.

[@wljj56]

I missed the early nineties we can go to the VHS store and rent VHS

[@jerryfichna9339]

I own a copy of Godzilla 1985 0n VHS and should get the player working again.

[@damainmane4765]

The 1st movie to ever make me break down in tears as a kid (you know the scene)😭at the time I didn't know Godzilla vs Biollante existed until I was 7 and that movie wasn't included with the 5 or 6 VHS Godzilla movie box of the 90's either,so in my 4yr old mind he was DEAD.No movie sense has yet to achieve this goal and yes I know there are tons of sadder movie moments than the Americanized Godzilla 1984 film😂😂😂

[@wljj56]

I was introduced to it by TV I saw it on a dr. Paul Bearer episode it was really awesome and then my mom got it for me on VHS is it when my VHS was put up in storage I would rent the VHS from a video store

[@princessmaly]

Um... ok! Well, so I had this uncle that was a big time stoner and he hrecorded movies and tv shows that aired on television almost religiously. I don't know if the guy ever bought a non-blank tape in his life. And I mean he had HUNDREDS of these things, so there was like, a whole bunch of Godzilla, Gamera, the Universal movies, it was basically a perfect monster kid starting kit. He had this one tape that I would just watch all the way through over and over and over and over again, and it had the two showa Mechagodzillas, Monster Zero, some trailers that appear to be the ones from the paramount VHS tapes of the 80's, the Dr. Pepper commercials, Bambi vs. Godzilla, Godzilla 1985, and then MTV, because all of his tapes had him recording MTV at the end to pad out whatever blank space was left on them. The thing that impacted me most about this movie was that it was NEW. Granted I didn't experience 1-15 contemporaneously, but like, the movie had the year in the title and everything I knew about it was like, "after 30 years he's back" and everything was just so... different, the whole atmosphere of the movie and like everything about it screamed that it was this contemporary, fresh, revival. In my head, there were the 2 black and white ones, everything else, and then 1985, a clear delineation between old and new. It was... my first experience with "darker and edgier" xD The scene with the dead body and the Shokilas scared the hell out of me, the politics were baffling, and everything was just so grim and intense. It was srs bzns. My dad told me a lot in the 90's that he thought the cold war would never end, and... y'know, tbh it really hasn't. But because I was a 90's kid home media was in this huge boom, but all the tapes and things were from the 80's, so, I grew up with this sense of there being this never-ending nightmare after the nightmare had "passed." Like a weird pseudo-nostalgic angst? When I was little I would always PICK the fun 70's or 60's ones first just cuz they were like, a fun time? But I got it imprinted onto me that Godzilla was nothing to fuck with, and that, whatever the hell was going on in those boring talky parts, it was clear to me even then that none of those idiots knew what they were doing. It felt like watching the end of the world while some fucking blundering asshole on a boat fails to accomplish anything of value. Honestly... it scared me. Not just the initial shock of the dead body where I always had to close my eyes, but just the whole thing gave me this feeling of utter dread. And... because it was made abundantly clear to me that this was the NEW Godzilla, it made all of that good will optimism from the Showa 30's look like... y'know... they were just wrong? Of course I was still pretty naive then, I was like literally 4? So it less made me a cynical weirdo and just made me afraid of the movie, like... what it was doing/saying. I LOVED the Godzilla stuff, fighting lazors and the Super-X and all that, but like it made me uncomfortable and sad. And FUCK THAT GOD DAMNED SCREAM at the end, I HATE that scream, you CAN'T make Godzilla wail like that that it fucking hurts for real. Nowadays I'm NOT naive and am extremely cynical and so I fucking love all the boring talky parts and I just *vibe* with it so much I always get so engrossed in it. Lots of things happened between the very early 90's and now, so... y'know, Godzilla's right, the world's ending. ...but when I say I love it so much now I'm specifically referring of course to the original movie. Godzilla 1985 specifically? FUCK. THAT. Literal garbage. I HATE it. The fucking pentagon assholes just make me livid every time they shove Dr. Pepper in my face with their insipid jokes, and I really like Dr. Pepper, to hell with this "Russia can't not be evil" horseshit, and like I just mentioned, Godzilla doesn't scream, nothing should ever hurt him like that, anyone who ever tries to do that to my beautiful perfect monster I'm going to beat up after school. Fuck that. Seriously, it's my least favorite sound in the world and I never want to hear it again so long as I live.

[@teletronz]

Yeah but that scream... hits you in the feels

[@mau_victorino]

There are 4 “supposably” and 1 “nucular” in this vídeo. 😊 Jones aside, great content, as usual. Keep it up!

[@PaperFinz]

Thanks for liking and the feedback. i apologize for the bad grammar mistakes. Lol. hope to improve over time.

[@mau_victorino]

@@PaperFinz Don't worry, man! I was just being a wiseass. Great content, I enjoy your work!

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

What about that rumor in regards to the great Raymond Burr refusing to participate in if 1985 was turned into a tounge in cheek comedy?

[@edwingalea1058]

I remember be watching the American version of Godzilla I still like the dubs but I sometimes watch Japanese versions

[@faceless2483]

Yea

[@nicholascgear2002]

bro, u should do a king kong escapes differences video and a mothra 1961 differences video just saying

[@PaperFinz]

Defiantly gonna do one for both films. Glad you enjoy the videos.

[@nicholascgear2002]

@@PaperFinz always I just recently found your account but it has helped me in see the different of Godzilla and other monster movies which I hope to own on DVD which is hard to find but with ur vids I know which movies to look out for when I go to buy them so thanks

[@KasumiKenshirou]

If they were going to make it a comedy, they should have got the comedian who is also named Steve Martin instead of Leslie Neilson.

[@conradojavier7547]

They should have had Steve Martin, play Steve Martin.

[@ProfessorHurt]

So I love the 1985 film. I make no excuses on my reasons on why, but there is something I'd love to know more about: who has the freaking rights to this film? I remember one time (I don't remember where) but it was in the early 2000s and Turner Classic Movies did this poll that they gave a list of films that you'd want to see on DVD (of course it would have been bare-bones but come on. So many would buy the hell out of this film even bare-bones). Anyway, it was on the poll and I believe it lost out (I'd doubt it would today if it would be listed). It was the only time Turner offered the movie up, and I'd love to know the story more on that. Like, why did it stop? Did it lose the rights to the 1985 film? If so? Then why does someone own a good copy of the film? Why can't we pass this around more? Supposedly the movie I downloaded years ago was part of a copy that had better resolution. Where is this copy? Like I'm almost tempted to search and see if I still even have this damn film somewhere saved ANYWHERE other than the disc I have it on. Literally, another video could be made of the craziness of how this film is basically the holy grail of Godzilla films. Since it's the only one still that hasn't been given an official release (Godzilla vs. Biollante at least had one. HAD. Dear Godzilla it needs another even if I was able to get a copy and then get another to a friend before the price got insane).

[@59rlmccormack]

85 was still serious, we were in the time of the 1st Cold War.

[@restionSerpentine]

I wonder if it has anything to do with what Critic Leonard Maltin said "It was too Straight to be funny"...

[@scaper8]

Didn't Burr himself say that they originally came to him with something far sillier? Not to the level of camp nor comedy, but not as straight as what we got (which you even said has some stuff off as it is), and he refused to do the scenes unless ut was toned down?

[@ConstantineFurman]

I do have a copy of the "Godzilla 1985" script (no, not the comedic one, but one they shot the movie from-- it also still has the title "The Return of Godzilla") and it does have a bunch of sillier lines in it from the Major McDonough character. There was some stupid line about McDonough being impressed by how much luggage they could make out of Godzilla. The script does have one cool exchange that should've made it into the film: McDonough: Why didn't you tell us the electrical storm would revive him?! Steve Martin: I didn't know it would. I only knew he wasn't dead.

[@Emmanuel-ms8pr]

I litterly loved the concept when godzilla was an engine of destruction I feel for Tanaka I litterly don’t like when Godzilla was a cheesy hero

[@schizoidboy]

Well it had to be better than Godzilla from 1998, which was only a Godzilla movie in name but not substance.

[@rishushah4199]

Say which version of The return of Godzilla do you prefer the Japanese version or the American version?

[@lewishorton4389]

There's a fan edit called: Godzilla: Resurrection that mixes both versions together and it's really good but I still prefer the Japanese version. If you look carefully when he's stomping through Tokyo; you'll see a Ghostbusters sign after he shoots down the helicopter.

[@Kaiju-bm4ts]

Japanese versions of these movies will always be superior to their American edit versions

[@rishushah4199]

@@Kaiju-bm4ts that is true but I think the American version of rodan is better then the Japanese version of rodan.

[@rishushah4199]

@@lewishorton4389 that’s sounds pretty cool I might have to check that out and yeah there is a ghost busters sign in the movie never noticed it before.

[@loanaoftheshellpeople5627]

I like the American version because it has Raymond Burr, Which ties it back to the Original 1954 Godzilla.

[@finkemon9]

There's no such word as "supposably"

[@captaingaming9090]

Godzilla 1984 is a 5 star movie

[@bobbyrice]

Godzilla 1985 was the first Godzilla film that I saw in a theater. I was 19, my girlfriend was 16 and it was the Huntington Shore quad on Long Island. (Now defunct) Another friend met us there and we got into a verbal fight that disturbed my poor little girlfriend. I believe we had pizza beforehand. Let's see, did I leave any important details out? Is this enough of my Godzilla 1985 story to share with you?

[@GhostGodzillaEditz]

W👑👑👑👑

[@BrutallyHannes]

2:10 Ive never seen that shot of the pilot before, neither in the Japanese nor American versions. Where is that from?

[@PaperFinz]

That was exclusive footage only for the trailer.

[@SolFilms]

It looks like it might be lifted from Submersion of Japan, which features a scene with JSDF helicopters dropping flame retardant on Tokyo during a firestorm. The trailer definitely pulls footage from Submersion elsewhere (3:12 in this video).

[@alfredlahue1141]

I have the VHS copy of godzilla 1985 but I always believed there was a japanese version until I bought the japanese version 3 years ago my opinion the japanese version is the best godzilla movie ever made of which got butchered to make the american version however I would still buy the american version

[@badkittynomilktonight3334]

I hated the way they ended it, birds? volcano? Dumb. Otherwise not bad, just bad ending.

[@cinematicsunproductions7748]

Makes Sense. Dinosaurs are Related to Birds.

[@YourLocalGummiBearsFan]

@@cinematicsunproductions7748 Even Though Dinosaurs are NOT Birds.

[@WhatDillionYT]

Isn't it explained how it wroked tho?

[@jewsownthemedia3811]

Oi...vey

[@ShinKamaitachi]

I love Leslie Nielsen, he would have been like the best.

[@loanaoftheshellpeople5627]

That Dr. Pepper Commercial you showed at the end was Awesome.

[@jaceskunky]

I was 13 and this was the first Godzilla Film I saw on the big screen. I took my friend Jennifer. During the human scenes we giggles and laughed and held hands but every time Godzilla showed up she would squeeze my had and lean on my shoulder. was the best innocent date movie ever