"Hello, boys! I'm BAAAAAACK!" (Name that movie for a No-Prize). :P
I've procrastinated on leaving you much-needed listener feedback for too long. There've been many episodes that I had thoughts on, and this one prompted me to share some interesting things I learned while researching Godzilla films on Kaijuvision Radio (you know, that spiritual spin-off podcast from yours).
It's interesting that you mentioned Japanese storytelling structures a few times. According to the book The Kaiju Film, much of that nation's story structures are derived from Kabuki and Noh theatre. Both follow a structure called Jo-Ha-Kyu, which mean "beginning," "break," and "rapid," respectively. This is a 3-5 act structure. The first is expository while acts 2-4 build tension, and the final act is a quick and explosive climax. THis is why many Americans complain that the ends of kaiju films are the best parts because it takes until then for the monsters to appear and/or fight. This is best seen in the Daimagin trilogy. Each of these films is 70-75 minutes long, but the titular monster--a giant samurai statue--doesn't come to life until exactly one hour into the story. It's also why I find it ironic that many complained about Godzilla's lack of screen time in the 2014 American reboot. Director Gareth Edwards was actually using more of a Japanese style of storytelling, and American fans often complain about any Godzilla films that aren't Japanese!
Anyway, keep up the great work! I look forward to becoming the unofficial unseen co-host again. :P
"Hello, boys! I'm BAAAAAACK!" (Name that movie for a No-Prize). :P
ReplyDeleteI've procrastinated on leaving you much-needed listener feedback for too long. There've been many episodes that I had thoughts on, and this one prompted me to share some interesting things I learned while researching Godzilla films on Kaijuvision Radio (you know, that spiritual spin-off podcast from yours).
It's interesting that you mentioned Japanese storytelling structures a few times. According to the book The Kaiju Film, much of that nation's story structures are derived from Kabuki and Noh theatre. Both follow a structure called Jo-Ha-Kyu, which mean "beginning," "break," and "rapid," respectively. This is a 3-5 act structure. The first is expository while acts 2-4 build tension, and the final act is a quick and explosive climax. THis is why many Americans complain that the ends of kaiju films are the best parts because it takes until then for the monsters to appear and/or fight. This is best seen in the Daimagin trilogy. Each of these films is 70-75 minutes long, but the titular monster--a giant samurai statue--doesn't come to life until exactly one hour into the story. It's also why I find it ironic that many complained about Godzilla's lack of screen time in the 2014 American reboot. Director Gareth Edwards was actually using more of a Japanese style of storytelling, and American fans often complain about any Godzilla films that aren't Japanese!
Anyway, keep up the great work! I look forward to becoming the unofficial unseen co-host again. :P
-Nate