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Godzilla Plaque in Los Angeles

ArmandV

Eight Times To Japan
Contributor
18 Oct 2004
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Over the past year, I've been working on a project to erect a plaque at the location in Los Angeles where Raymond Burr filmed his insert shots for the Americanized Godzilla, King of the Monsters! in 1956. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Americanization of Japan's favorite mon-star.

The Godzilla Society of North America and Platrix Chapter No. 2, E Clampus Vitus have banded together for this project. We are targeting March 25 for the plaque dedication, which will be open to the public. For more details, go to my homepage (http://www.hometown.aol.com/amvaquer/myhomepageindex.html ). The plaque's text:

GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS!

On November 3, 1954, Toho Studios in Japan released a monster movie that was an allegory of the atomic bombings and fire raids visited upon the Japanese during the closing months of the Second World War. Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, directed by Ishiro Honda, with special effects supervised by Eiji Tsuburaya and scored by Akira Ifukube, this grim, powerful and moving film -- known as "Gojira" -- was seen by over nine million moviegoers and was one of the top-ten money grossing films of that year. Now considered a classic, the film also ushered-in Toho's Golden Age of Fantasy Films.

The following year, "Gojira" screened at the Toho Theater in Little Tokyo, where it attracted the attention of American film distributor Edmund Goldman, who later paid $25,000 for the theatrical and television rights to the film. To increase its appeal for American audiences, Terry Morse was hired to direct new footage to be inserted into the original Japanese film. The footage starred actor Raymond Burr and was filmed over a 24-hour period at the studios of Visual Drama, Inc., located at 129 North Vermont Avenue. The completed film, now called "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!," was released on April 4, 1956, by Trans World Pictures and introduced Japanese science-fiction films into popular Western culture.

As the Americanization of Godzilla took place at this location in 1956, this plaque commemorates the 50th anniversary of a milestone in motion picture history.---PHB

Dedicated, March **, 2006, by

Eugene Hernandez, Principal, Belmont Elementary School
The Godzilla Society of North America
Platrix Chapter No. 2, E Clampus Vitus
 
Was Toho Studies really behind the old Godzilla movies? God damn they have made many classics then. The godzillas and Toshiro Mifune's: 7 Samurai... Did they also produce The Samurai Trilogy with Mifune? (Legend of musashi, Duel at ichioji temple and duel at ganruy Island?) Cause this is the best and my absolute favourite movies/trilogy... They are just so cool
 
From the press release:

The Godzilla Society of North America and Platrix Chapter No. 2, E Clampus Vitus have joined forces to place a plaque at the former location of Visual Drama, Inc. commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the American version of "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" Saturday, March 25 at 11:00 am at Belmont Elementary School, Vermont Avenue and First Street, Los Angeles. The public is invited.

It was 50 years ago that director Terry Morse directed actor Raymond Burr for his scenes in the 1956 science-fiction classic that were edited into the 1954 Japanese film by Toho Co., Ltd. The scenes were filmed in a small studio at 129 N. Vermont Avenue. The site of the studio is now a new elementary school that is nearing completion. Terry Morse, Jr., the director's son, will be attending the plaque dedication.

The funding for the plaque was provided by small donations from Godzilla's North American fans.
 
Plaque Dedication This Saturday: final reminder!

The plaque dedication commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Americanized "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" will be held this Saturday, March 25 at 11:00 am at Belmont School, 100 N. New Hampshire Ave. (Vermont Ave. at First Street) in Los Angeles, California in the auditorium (rain or shine!).
 
It went well.
Here's a link to some photos of the plaque dedication. It will be mounted in front of the school when it is completed.
http://www.vinylmaddness.com/Plaque.html
Here's a photo of the plaque now mounted. If you're in Los Angeles, you can see it at 100 N. New Hampshire Ave. It is now named Frank Del Olmo Elementary School.
GodzillaPlaqueDelOlmo-1.jpg
 
Rock on! How cool is that? Nice to see you guys take the initiative like that to set the wheels in motion and the eventual outcome. Gratz! :cool:
 
Rock on! How cool is that? Nice to see you guys take the initiative like that to set the wheels in motion and the eventual outcome. Gratz! :cool:

Thanks. Just imagine yourself as a kid attending a school where the studio where Raymond Burr filmed his scenes once stood. How cool is that? :D
 
If you look at the close-up of the plaque at the Vinylmaddness website, you'll notice a misspelled word. Don't worry, it was intentional (a Clamper tradition).
 
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