R. J. Kizer stands in front of a New York City theater showing Godzilla 1985. Photo © Francoise Charlap. R. J. Kizer, born and raised in the New York City area, attended New York University Film School, from which he graduated in 1976. Following graduation, Mr. Kizer moved to Los Angeles in 1978. In May … Continue reading REVISITING THE LEGEND’S REBIRTH! Director R. J. Kizer’s In-Depth History the Americanization of ‘Godzilla 1985’!
Raymond Burr
MONDO ISLAND MEMOIRS! Actor Rhodes Reason on His Starring Role in ‘King Kong Escapes’!
American actor Rhodes Reason (1930-2014) made his mark in the world of Japanese monster movies when he starred as Commander Carl Nelson in King Kong Escapes (1967), a lavish Toho production that still entertains audiences to this day. Mr. Reason had a wonderful sense of humor about his monster movie legacy, which is on full display … Continue reading MONDO ISLAND MEMOIRS! Actor Rhodes Reason on His Starring Role in ‘King Kong Escapes’!
GODZILLA’S LINE PRODUCER! Andrea Stern on Godzilla’s Mid-1980s Comeback!
Andrea Barshov Stern served as associate producer of the American version of Godzilla 1985 (1984). Before working on the Godzilla series' first-ever reboot, she line-produced commercials in New York for several years and worked on The Cars' groundbreaking music video “You Might Think.” After that, she moved to Los Angeles where her career has mostly … Continue reading GODZILLA’S LINE PRODUCER! Andrea Stern on Godzilla’s Mid-1980s Comeback!
GODZILLA GETS AMERICANIZED! Straw Weisman on Rewriting ‘Godzilla 1985’!
Straw Weisman, born in Brooklyn in 1952, is a successful writer/producer/director. Among his credits, he has directed the horror film Dead Mate (1988) and Man of the Year (2002) with John Ritter, which was shot with 20 cameras and 25 actors in one house in one night. He’s also worked on over 2,500 movie advertising campaigns, … Continue reading GODZILLA GETS AMERICANIZED! Straw Weisman on Rewriting ‘Godzilla 1985’!
GODZILLA MAKES THE CUT! Editor Michael Spence on Trimming ‘Godzilla 1985’!
Michael Spence began his career as an editor, working for Sunn Classic Pictures. His first television program was an episode of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. Following that experience, he edited the films Hangar 18 (1980), The Boogens (1981), and One Dark Night (1982). Overall, Mr. Spence has cut about 30 feature films and TV movies. … Continue reading GODZILLA MAKES THE CUT! Editor Michael Spence on Trimming ‘Godzilla 1985’!
ON GODZILLA AND RAYMOND BURR! ‘Godzilla 1985’s’ First Assistant Director Lee Berger Shares His Memories from the Set!
(Note: The following introduction was written in 2006.) Lee Berger earns his living making the impossible possible. As one of Hollywood’s leading visual effects producers at Rhythm & Hues Studios, he’s dazzled movie audiences over the years in some of the biggest blockbusters of recent memory. Having worked on such films as Titanic (1997), The Ring … Continue reading ON GODZILLA AND RAYMOND BURR! ‘Godzilla 1985’s’ First Assistant Director Lee Berger Shares His Memories from the Set!
KEEPING AN EYE ON GODZILLA! Patrick Feren on Working on the Set of ‘Godzilla 1985’!
Patrick Feren was born in Germany as an army brat and was raised in California's Bay Area. He later moved to Los Angeles while also spending eight years in New York City along the way. He has worked in all forms of media, including commercials, film, and television, which involved a stint on the TV … Continue reading KEEPING AN EYE ON GODZILLA! Patrick Feren on Working on the Set of ‘Godzilla 1985’!
URBAN RENEWAL! R. J. Kizer on Directing Godzilla’s 30th Anniversary Reboot for American Audiences!
R. J. Kizer, born and raised in the New York City area, attended New York University Film School, from which he graduated in 1976. Following graduation, Mr. Kizer moved to Los Angeles in 1978. In May 1979, he began working at Roger Corman’s New World Pictures. There he met Tony Randel and pursued a career … Continue reading URBAN RENEWAL! R. J. Kizer on Directing Godzilla’s 30th Anniversary Reboot for American Audiences!
GODZILLA ATTACKS THE NEW WORLD! Producer Tony Randel on Bringing ‘Godzilla 1985’ to American Shores!
Tony Randel is a successful filmmaker, screenwriter, and film editor, whose credits as a director include Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Children of the Night (1991), and Ticks (1993). In the mid-1980s, Mr. Randel produced the American scenes of Godzilla 1985 (1984) for New World Pictures, which were directed by R. J. Kizer. More recently, Mr. Randel directed the … Continue reading GODZILLA ATTACKS THE NEW WORLD! Producer Tony Randel on Bringing ‘Godzilla 1985’ to American Shores!
MEMOIRS OF THE HUMAN VAPOR! James Hong on Dubbing Toho’s Sci-Fi Classics!
James Hong is an accomplished actor who has appeared in a number of critically acclaimed and highly successfully films in the last several decades. Among his better-known credits are: The Sand Pebbles (1966), Chinatown (1974), Blade Runner (1982), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Balls of Fury (2007), and Kung Fu Panda (2008). Mr. Hong made kaiju eiga … Continue reading MEMOIRS OF THE HUMAN VAPOR! James Hong on Dubbing Toho’s Sci-Fi Classics!
Vantage Point Interviews 