LEAPIN' LIZARDS! GODZILLA FESTIVAL STARTS FRIDAY (JUL. 14)

LEAPIN' LIZARDS! GODZILLA FESTIVAL STARTS FRIDAY (JUL. 14)

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Godzilla fans have a reason to shout this weekend (Jul. 14-16): a convention dedicated entirely to Japanese monster movies. The fright festival is called "G-Fest" and organizers expect as many as 5000 Godzilla geeks will converge in Los Angeles to see who can make the best monster scream. Fans will also screen amateur monster movies and dress up like Mothra, Gamera and other Japanese monsters. However, the highlight will be the appearance of "suitmation actor" Haruo Nakajima. The 71-year-old man wore the rubber suits for Godzilla and Rodan in the very first Godzilla flick. G-Fest organizer Bill Ferguson claims Godzilla fans see the films as allegories for nuclear war and think Godzilla symbolizes the human inability to control nature.