New: Showdown of the Godz

Yes, Virginia, there is a Godzilla.

As we (meaning those likely to visit the Backbrain on a regular basis) know, fans can be obsessive. Kaiju fans aren’t much different from the rest of fandom, except in the fact that their houses become museums of kaiju art — models of Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, King Ghidorah, Ultraman … all those strange gigantic critters that Japanese filmmakers like to put on the screen and toymakers like to turn into sculptures and figurines.

Combine that with the combative nature of daikaiju eiga plotlines (Godzilla vs Mothra, Godzilla vs the Smog Monster, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla etc.), and perhaps, then, it’s not surprising that someone would want to translate the “versus” that exists between monsters into a face-off between obsessive fans.

The result is a short (17 minute) film called Showdown of the Godz.

Showdown of the Godz (US-2008; dir. Julien Calderbank)

Jesse (David Gasman) is the world’s biggest Japanese monster movie fan. Trapped in a stultifying insurance job and a deteriorating marriage, the only bright spot in his life is his obsession with a certain Japanese monster, which he shares with his adorable 7-year-old daughter Cassie (Ayla Guttman.) Jesse’s power attorney wife Mary (Alixx Schottland) drags them into counseling, where Jesse reluctantly promises he will forgo all things monstrous for one week to focus on the family.

But when Jesse sees a rare monster toy on display at NYC’s Monster Sushi, he challenges proprietor Ono (George Takei) to a Japanese monster trivia contest. If Jesse wins, he gets the coveted toy. If he loses, he owes Ono $1,000. Ono accepts on one condition: Jesse must face “a representative from Monster Sushi”—legendary Japanese monster movie archivist Matsuhisa Jin. Jesse goes into geek overdrive preparing for the showdown. But on the eve of the event, Mary leaves him. Devastated, Jesse is a no-show. But wise Ono has one last surprise up his sleeve that may just pull the family back together…

Starring George Takei of Star Trek fame, David Gasman and Alixx Schottland, the film sounds like a real hoot.

Note: When asked by George Takei “What’s so interesting about Godzilla?”, executive producer and kaiju fanboy Robert Troch apparently answered:

“My love of Japanese monster epics started as childish escapism and empowerment — something bigger than life, fun and powerful that I could identify with. Later, I grew to appreciate the other side of it — the craftsmanship, the behind the scenes stuff and yes, the art involved in creating rampaging giant beasts.”

It is, of course, a good question and one I have attempted to answer for myself in different ways many times over. So what’s your excuse?

For more on the film, its makers and where you can see it, check out the SciFi Japan website.

• Official website