1. Film Studies Assignment 2
financial determinants;fundingbodies;quotas;taxincentives;technologiesofproduction;
distributionandexhibition;trends;genres andcycles; stars; social and political issues;regulatory
issues;synergies between different films;vertical and horizontal integration
I have chosenthe genre of Kaijufilms.The filmselectedare Godzilla(2014),Colossal andThe Host
(2006).
Godzilla
Budget:$160 million
Box Office:$529.1 million
ProducedbyLegendaryPictures –OwnedbyWanda Group
DistributedbyWarnerBros
Filmedin:Vancouver– cheaperlabourcosts,Pearl Harbour.
Funding– 75% Legendary,25% Warner Bros.
Themes – the filmseemstosuggestthatthe youngergenerationasthe courageousandthe more
enlightened ratherthanthe oldergenerationwhoare portrayedasthe more dismissive.The one
exceptiontothisisFord’sfather,Joe.Joe isthe onlymemberof the oldergenerationtoshow the
qualitiesof the younger,andhe asa resultisincarceratedandkilledforit.
Arcs – the maincharacter,Ford, goesthrougha character arc. He at firstexperiencestragedy when
hismotherdies.He thendoesn’tbelievehisdadandthinkshe’smad.He thencomesto the
realisationthatitwasn’tanaccidentand it wasthe resultof the MUTO. He thenjoinsthe fight
againstthe monsters.He thenbecomesthe herobysavingthe cityfrom the warheadand finallyhe
isre-unitedwithhisfamily.
Colossal
Budget:$15 million
Box Office:$4 million
Producedby
- Voltage Pictures
- Route One Entertainment
- UnionInvestmentPartners
- SayakaProducciones
- BrightlightPictures
Distributedby:Neon
Filmedin:
- Vancouver
- NewHampshire
Funding– Seoul FilmCommission

2. Themes – a theme presentinthisfilmislike manyoutside Hollywoodmade films isthe apparent
proverbial middle fingertothe U.S.Thistime it seemstosymbolisethe factthat actionstakenin
the U.S have implicationsasfarawayas SouthKorea.There are alsothemesof recoverybythe
maincharacter.
Arcs – Much like Godzilla,the maincharactergoesthroughacharacter arc. Thistime howeverit
takesthe form of weaknesstostrength. Gloriagoesfroma recentlysingle,helplessand
alcoholicchildtoa self-sufficient,empoweredandindependentwomanwhobattlesanddefeats
herinnerdemons.
The Host (2006)
Budget- $11 million
Box Office - $89.4 million
Producedby:
- ChungerorahmFilm
- SegoEntertainment
Distributedby –Showbox Entertainment
Filmedin:SouthKorea
- Some filmingtookplace inthe real sewersnexttothe Han RiverinSeoul andas a result
neededtobe inoculatedagainsttetanus.The crew alsosufferedbecause of weather
changessuch as freezingof the riverduringcoldertemperaturesandsiltanddustblowing
intothe facesof the crew duringhotand windyweather.
Funding - Boston Investments (in association with)
- CJ Venture Investment (in association with)
- Cowell Investment Capital Co. (in association with)
- Happinet (in association with)
- IMM Venture Capital (in association with)
- Knowledge & Creation Ventures (in association with)
- M-Venture Investment
Themes – There isa strongmessage towardsthe U.S inthisfilm.The director,BongJoon-hosaid
that he took inspirationfromincidentssuchasthe use of AgentOrange to fightthe Vietnamese,
whichisreferencedwhen ‘AgentYellow’isusedtokill the monster.Anotherinspirationtakenwas
froman incidentinvolvingamanin2000 that workedforthe U.S militarythatorderedhisKorean
assistanttopour a large amount of formaldehydeintothe HanRiver.The ideabehindthatisthen
sense thatthe U.S militarystationedinSouthKoreahave nowiderview tothe consequencesof their
actions.
Arcs – the maincharacter goesa character arc, he isat firstportrayedas a slobwho hasno
responsibilitiesandabitof a loser.Hisdaughter’smotherhaslefthimandisadmiredbyonlyhis
daughter.He thenlosesherthroughhisownfaultand so experiencestragedy.He isthentasked
withhavingtogrow up as hisfamilyistornapart whenhisfatherdies.He thenfacesthe monster
and rescueshisdaughterthuscompletingthe cycle.
Similarities
The firstnotable similaritybetweenall 3filmsisineverfilmhe maincharactergoesthrough an arc.
Thisusuallyinvolvesthe maincharacterbeingineptinsome wayornaïve of true events. Theyall

3. start by losingsomething,whetheritbe a familymemberorsecurityora boyfriend.Theyare then
taskedwithdefeatinginnerandouterdemonsandeventuallybecomingthe heroof the story. All
these characterarcs come as a resultof stakes.InGodzillaandColossal,the worldisatstake
whereasinThe Host,it ismore personal asitis hisdaughterthatis the drivingforce behindhis
motivation.
Anothersimilaritybetweenfilmsisthe specifictone thatistakenwhenshowingthe UnitedStates’
involvementineventsandthe consequencesof thatinvolvement.Naturally,beingmade inthe U.S,
Godzilladoesn’tcarrythismessage andconsidersAmericatobe the hero.It is a verydifferentstory
whenitcomesto filmsmade inotherparts of the world.The othertwo filmsforexample,carrya
theme inwhichresponsibilityforthe destructionanddespaircausedinthose filmsisthe resultof
the U.S. thiswas seenmostpotentlyinThe Host,where the creationof the monsterwasseentobe
the resultof a blatantdisregardforthe environmentbyamemberof the U.S militaryworkingin
SouthKorea. In colossal however,nospecificincidentsare referredto,but,itisclearlyapparentthat
actionstakenwithinthe U.Shave sometimesdevastatingconsequencesinSouthKorea.
One more similaritybetweenthe filmsis locations.InbothGodzillaand Colossal,filmingtookplace
inVancouver.Thisisbecause labourcostsare 33% cheaperthan othercitiesmakingitveryattractive
to productioncompanies.Thismeansthatproductioncompanieshave alotmore moneytospend
on special effectsandotherpost-production.
A difference betweenthe filmsistheiruse of starsand the desiredoutcome.If amovie managesto
secure a well-known,householdname andattachthemto the movie,thisissaidtobe guaranteed
income because people will goandsee thatfilmsimplybecause the starisinit.Thisdidn’tworkin
Colossal,Anne HathawayandJasonSerkisare householdnamesandyetthe filmonlymade $4
millionatbox office despite a$15 millionbudget.Incontrast,The Host’smainactor, Song-kangHois
a fairlylarge name inSouthKoreaand as a result,the filmisthe highestevergrossingfilminSouth
Koreawithboththe actor and the movie receivingmanyaccolades.