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THE FIRST PEEK AT GODZILLA
By ALLEN SALKIN
He ain't so big. The new Godzilla -- seen here in the first public look at the topsecret movie monster -- is only 8 inches tall in toy form.
Sony Pictures, the movie studio making this summer's big-budget monster flick, has spent millions of dollars promoting the carnivorous critter, but has refused to let anyone see him until the film hits theaters May 20.
The long wait is over.
"Combat Claw Godzilla" makes a tinny "Tornado Blast Roar" when his arm is pushed.
The Godzilla in the $100 million movie has feet as big as a city bus and is as tall as the Manhattan Bridge -- according to advertisements all over town.
The new Godzilla has bigger spiny plates on his back, more teeth, a flatter head and a longer tail than its earlier incarnation ill Japanese movies.
Sony's super-secret marketing plans were supposed to keep the looks of the man-munching monster under wraps to boost the value of the company's more than 3,000 separate licensing tie-ins.
Ad campaigns will feature Godzilla battling big bottles of Japanese beer, promoting Mexican food and gracing fishing rods, mousepads, blouses, trading cards, beach towels, Halloween costumes, doughnuts, watches, lollipops, backpacks, ice cream and electronic games.
Sony spokesmen did not return phone calls from The Post yesterday.
"The philosophy behind not showing Godzilla [products] is that we want people to first see Godzilla on-screen, within the context of the movie, and not before," Peter Dang, a Sony official, told Daily Variety.
Those well-laid plans were undone by Gary Tabar Jr., an avid monster-model fan who said he snapped up a Godzilla toy when it was briefly -- and mistakenly -for sale at a Toys 'R' Us in Lakeland, Fla.
Tabar, 40, was shopping Thursday when he noticed three open cases of Godzillas.
He bought the Combat Claw model for $14.99 after a store manager expressed surprise it was available.
"He didn't say anything about me buying it, but he ran to the back of the store to make sure no others got out there," said Tabar, who works at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Adam Shapiro, a Toys 'R' Us manager, said his store does its best to honor the wishes of manufacturers and movie companies, but "if we put something out mistakenly or otherwise, if it's on the sales floor, it's available to the customer."
Picture of toy used by permission of Gary Tabar Jr.
