Cool Merchandise Woes for this Godzilla Fan?

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

If IMAX’s FanFix program does not offer a poster for this coming Godzilla film, I just may have to be highly disappointed. It’s not like a release is to be expected since last year and this has been very selective. Not every high profile film is getting this special poster program treatment. I had hoped for a continuation of The Hobbit 12:01 posters but that did not happen. Even a cool embossed Captain America shield on paper for Winter Soldier would have been awesome, but not every idea will happen. But for Godzilla, just what can be done? Can any studio working with IMAX outdo Star Trek’s glow-in-the-dark print?

For a certain radioactive monster, to repeat that formula would certainly  elevate the cool factor by several levels. The blue flames of the behemoth rising from the waters of Tokyo Bay is enough to get me salivating. In this film’s case, could that be San Francisco Bay? I’ve purposely stayed away from learning any story points, so I’m merely guessing at where the action will take place here.

When considering that fans are hopeful for some cool swag before, during or after this film’s release, any items offered up will no doubt be interesting to grab. Yes, that includes frisbees that fellow co-writer James Shaw, courteously gave me. Thank you James.

I entered a draw for the t-shirt that I so adored at Emerald City Comicon, and when I showed my over enthusiasm, I was fortunate to receive a lovely set of buttons. I have to thank Ira Hunter of Absolute Underground Magazine for his willingness to part with his king-size San Diego Comic Con 2013 merchandise bag (which features the Godzilla logo) so I can add that to my collection.

When I saw that a few of the crew of the Gracepoint production were wearing an excellent Godzilla hoodie bearing the “film crew” designation when they worked on that set, I did not behave like a ravenous fanboy who wanted to tear the shirt off from his favourite rock n’ roll star. That would be bad.

The products that the Warner Bros shop offers are good, but not a lot of them strike me as must own. The one exception I’d make is with the One Sheet All Over Print T-shirt. At $45 for this item, the manufacture and durability of the image better be top-notch!

But for the classic Toho enthusiast, collecting the posters is a must. I wish I had the wall space so I can buy and display all of the Toho Studios posters, but alas that would mean me moving into a museum or a mansion. At least I have the Criterion release of the original film. I do have the one collectible that defines my rather unusual enthusiasm for the beast — I have a pint-sized super deformed Gojira that I picked up in Japan. I do not need to own every single iteration of the Gojira toy to show off how much I adore him. But I will be keeping my eye in what’s to come for the movie, classic or new. Yes, I do want a decent Mecha Godzilla toy to sit in my living room and sneer back at me!

Should Edwards version of the movie prove to be a mega-success, sequels will no doubt come. And to have a robot face off against the monster can make for some interesting Frankenstein experiments, should this director want to explore that direction in a Cronenberg-style fashion.