G. H. (Gman)
AdminGodzillaDec-11-2014 6:41 PMBriefly, August Ragone, who reported on Toho's decision to go forth with a new Godzilla film, recently spoke on Kaijucast. I recommend listening in, but there he predicts that director Takashi Yamazaki might get the job for the upcoming Godzilla film. Two of the finer points is that his schedule would allow it and that his shooting philosophy might (theoretically) give Godzilla 10 months of post-production/visual effects work.
The first film I ever saw of Yamazaki's was the insane actioner, Returner. It was released in North America by Sony not long before Godzilla: Final Wars was released in Japanese theaters. The film was well-recieved for taking the best parts of American action-sci-fi films and mashing them together. It won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Yamazaki is best known for his Always Trilogy. Godzilla fans are familiar with his work on Always: Sunny on Third Street 2, where a giant CG Godzilla is in a scene at the film's opening.
He's done some work in the tokusatsu(ish) genre with a live action adaptation of Space Battleship Yamato. His latest film is Parasyte Part 2 will be released next year. It's a CG heavy sci-fi/horror/black comedy.
Having seen Returner and Always: Sunny on Third Street, and just going off the rest of his resume, I'm going to be blunt: Yamakazi is a director that the Godzilla series hasn't seen the likes of since 1975. He's got a far more versatile and seasoned eye than Tezuka, Okawara, Omori and Edwards. And he's arguably more accomplished than Shusuke Kaneko and Ryuhei Kitamura-- The man won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Director and Best Screenwriter in 2006.
It's not official by any means, but it's enough to speculate on. How would you feel about Yamazaki directing the next Godzilla movie?
Danzilla93
MemberBaragonDec-11-2014 7:57 PMI heard the episode yesterday, and that was the first time I had heard of Yamazaki. But after hearing his resume, I have to say, I think he's the guy! Not only does it make logistical sense, but it would be a serious bonus if this film were directed an Academy Award winning director. Just think about a Godzilla film being directed BY AN ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR!!!! Plus, he's a fan who has directed a Godzilla sequence before! Toho seems to trust this guy, and he could bolster the Godzilla franchise just as much as directing a Godzilla film will bolster his.
I'm with Ragone on this one... I trust that guy a lot. :)
"Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science Fiction is the improbable made possible." -Rod Serling
G. H. (Gman)
AdminGodzillaDec-11-2014 9:03 PMPlus... He's new talent. He hasn't touched the actual Godzilla series. A new producer is already on board, Yamazaki seems to make sense and fit with the idea that Toho wants to create a new, fresh and strong Japanese Godzilla film.
The one thing that worries me is that Yamazaki primarily seems to use CG over traditional toku effects in his movie. It's a stylistic type of CG, but even still I think it subtely misses the mark. I may pick up Space Battleship Yamato to see if there's more traditional stuff in there. I'm open to a lot more CG being mixed with the traditional effects. But a complete elmination of toku techniques doesn't sit well with me, personally. And I still think suitmation would be a great way to set it apart from Legendary's series. Nothing is confirmed however. We'll see...
Huge-Ben
MemberBaragonDec-12-2014 2:44 PMI would be amazed if this guy got that position for the upcoming godzilla film!
http://hugeben.deviantart.com/ check out my gallery of Godzilla artwork! Follow me on Twitter@thebigbadben90.
G. H. (Gman)
AdminGodzillaMar-19-2015 5:06 PMI'm late on this, but this guy just won another Japanese Academy Award for Best Director. His movie won 7 other awards including Best Picture:
‘The Eternal Zero’ Takes Eight Japan Academy Awards
More and more I'm rooting for him.
Jamaal
MemberMothra LarvaeMar-21-2015 12:05 AMBased on what been posted here so far, I would love see Takashi Yamazaki helm the Toho 2016 Godzilla film. He's accomplished, he's fresh and a new face to the Series.
