# "Cloverfield": Could this be the film Hollywood's "Godzilla" wasn't? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296 "2007-11-30T13:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/1 "2007-11-30T13:03:07Z")
There are whispers & hints on the Web of a new giant monster movie, to appear 1/18/08, entitled _Cloverfield_. > **[Cloverfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloverfield)** > > Cloverfield is a 2008 American horror film directed by Matt Reeves and written by Drew Goddard. It stars Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller (in his film debut), Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, and Odette Yustman. In the film, six friends attempt to flee from a monster that attacks New York City. > Development began when producer J. J. Abrams started conceptualizing a monster movie and enlisted Neville Page to design the eventual creature, called Clover. In February 2007, the project was ... > [@](#): > > “Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives.” There are strong hints of Lovecraftian horror in the rumors. I’m strongly interested. Anybody else? **CandidGamera** _et al_–what’s the buzz on this flick? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/2 "2007-11-30T13:41:39Z")
It’s by the people reesponsible for **Lost**? Maybe I can miss it. I prefer resolution in my movies. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/3 "2007-11-30T17:25:58Z")
I love the viral marketing they have done, and I’m excited… just hope it can live up to the hype. Here are a couple of prior threads on cloverfield… [The most recent, with links to the latest trailer.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444901&highlight=cloverfield) [A really interesting thread, with rampant speculation on slusho and kaitei no mitsu (deep sea nectar).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=439783&highlight=cloverfield) ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/4 "2007-11-30T18:14:03Z")
Alls I know is that I’ve seen the trailer twice on the big screen, and it makes me very, very dizzy. The whole faux “We’re shaking the cam so it looks amateur!” thing is so goddamned annoying. Especially when they add in fake… I dunno what to call them, “blips,” like something you’d see in a garbled transmission or on a VHS tape. Really, really, really annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Dirx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/5 "2007-11-30T23:11:27Z")
[QUOTE=aliquot] Alls I know is that I’ve seen the trailer twice on the big screen, and it makes me very, very dizzy. The whole faux “We’re shaking the cam so it looks amateur!” thing is so goddamned annoying. Especially when they add in fake… I dunno what to call them, “blips,” like something you’d see in a garbled transmission or on a VHS tape. Really, really, really annoying. [/QUOTE] As Bosda’s quoted blurb states, the whole thing is filmed via camcorder from one of the characters themselves. So, yeah, surviving a giant moster attack is going to make it shaky, and unless it’s a digital camcorder, it’s recorded on a VHS tape. Think of it kindof like a Blair Witch treatment of a giant monster movie, although that might put you off of it even more. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/6 "2007-12-01T03:11:13Z")
**Bosda** , I think that Cloverfield is everything that Hollywood’s Godzilla wasn’t, already. It’s a simple concept that most modern movies have forgotten- intrigue, realism, and subtlety, and a real story with believable characters and some complexity. CGI has been used blatantly, but finally it might be used subtlely and with a real story. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/7 "2007-12-01T05:10:55Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] **Bosda** , I think that Cloverfield is everything that Hollywood’s Godzilla wasn’t, already. [/QUOTE] Wow, that viral marketing thing really is working. 'Cause you’ve seen the finished film, right? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/8 "2007-12-01T05:19:22Z")
[QUOTE=Darth Nader] Wow, that viral marketing thing really is working. 'Cause you’ve seen the finished film, right? [/QUOTE] I think he’s saying that from what he’s seen already, it’s already put 1998’s [Godzilla](http://imdb.com/title/tt0120685/) to shame. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/9 "2007-12-01T05:25:31Z")
I hope so. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/10 "2007-12-01T12:48:04Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] I think he’s saying that from what he’s seen already, it’s already put 1998’s [Godzilla](http://imdb.com/title/tt0120685/) to shame. [/QUOTE] I hope that G-98 is put to the flames of a bonfire, _quick!_ There’s not a moment to spare. :rolleyes: G-98 = G.I.N.O. **G** odzilla **I** n **N** ame **O** nly. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/11 "2007-12-01T14:58:59Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] I think he’s saying that from what he’s seen already, it’s already put 1998’s [Godzilla](http://imdb.com/title/tt0120685/) to shame. [/QUOTE] The advanced publicity for the 1998 Godzilla ALSO put the 1998 Godzilla to shame. I still remember one of the early advertisements. There is a lecture going on in a natural history museum, by a skeleton of a T. Rex. The lecturer is going on about how the T. Rex was the largest, meanest land predator ever. There is a “Boom. Boom.” going on in the background and the surface of a glass of water shakes. Then a foot comes down through the skylight and crushes the skeleton–any CLAW on the foot is larger than the whole T. Rex. I don’t remember anything from the movie itself. Now I don’t let a clever advertising campaign get my hopes up too high. I am also already sick of the Blair Witch Shakycam style of filmmaking. Bring Back Steadycam! ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/12 "2007-12-01T15:46:20Z")
_Ten years from now:_ “Did you see that new movie last Saturday?” “Yes, I sure did, and it was AWESOME!” “Yeah, and the picture was SO solid and steady! How did they DO that?!” ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/13 "2007-12-01T16:07:03Z")
[QUOTE=Reno Nevada] The advanced publicity for the 1998 Godzilla ALSO put the 1998 Godzilla to shame. I still remember one of the early advertisements. There is a lecture going on in a natural history museum, by a skeleton of a T. Rex. The lecturer is going on about how the T. Rex was the largest, meanest land predator ever. There is a “Boom. Boom.” going on in the background and the surface of a glass of water shakes. Then a foot comes down through the skylight and crushes the skeleton–any CLAW on the foot is larger than the whole T. Rex. I don’t remember anything from the movie itself. Now I don’t let a clever advertising campaign get my hopes up too high. I am also already sick of the Blair Witch Shakycam style of filmmaking. Bring Back Steadycam! [/QUOTE] That Godzilla teaser was legendary! I was so excited to see that movie, if only for that scene (which never ended up in the movie, but would have been the best scene). When we went to see _The Pursuit of Happyness_ in theaters, my girlfriend started getting queasy from all of the handheld camera work. I honestly didn’t notice it. But I can’t watch The Shield, not because the handheld makes me sick, I just find it horribly distracting. I did a lot of volunteer video camera work in middle school and I was more steady than that. I know it is deliberate, but it is a horrible directing choice. The same goes for close-ups during fight scenes. Frank Darabont, during his commentary in _The Shawshank Redemption_, mentioned his disgust with directors who do that. I couldn’t agree with him more, and I trust him more as a director knowing that. I will eventually see _The Mist_ based on my trust in him not to zoom in on fights, othewise known as Michael-Baying the shot. The Cloverfield teaser was brilliant because I could tolerate the handheld camera for the duration of a preview and for the purpose of realism. But if the whole movie is done that way, it’s a waste of film and a waste of the hype. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/14 "2007-12-01T16:31:40Z")
I never hated the Godzilla movie as much as seems to be socially acecptable…yes, the human element was…ick…but I had a fine, popcorn filled afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cloverfield-could-this-be-the-film-hollywoods-godzilla-wasnt/428296/15 "2007-12-01T17:34:03Z")
[QUOTE=Charger] The same goes for close-ups during fight scenes. Frank Darabont, during his commentary in _The Shawshank Redemption_, mentioned his disgust with directors who do that. I couldn’t agree with him more, and I trust him more as a director knowing that. I will eventually see _The Mist_ based on my trust in him not to zoom in on fights, othewise known as Michael-Baying the shot. [/QUOTE] Sorry. The Mist is largely done by handheld (though a tad steadier than in Cloverfield, it’s not first person footage). Apparently Darabont either changed his mind between then and now, or else was talking about something more specific, because he used shakey cam to good effect to increase the sense of immediacy and claustrophobia in that film.