European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 31. 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 15champagne s bubbly decades running out a Saleswoman at Paris Fauchon luxury food store displays some of the various sizes or Champagne bottles at the store. The recession has Hurt Frances Champagne Region and even the holidays Arentt helping ease the slump. By Sydney Rubin the associated press p1erry, France a the Bubble has burst in Frances Champagne Region after some effervescent decades. Even the approach of new years eve did no to revive the sparkle. Sales have plump tried unemployment looms and pessimism Clouds the rolling Vine blanketed Hills where people fear the Boom of the 1980s is Over for Good. A november was a catastrophe. Normally it is our biggest month with people buying for the holidays Quot said Martine Robillard who with her husband and son run the Small Champagne House of Paul Robillard. A this year was bad and 1992 will be harder. A fall our customers Are feeling the financial crunch and everyone is spending less a she said. Between 1970 and 1988, Champagne production i Rose from i in to 240 million bottles annually. The popular joke was that the poor Champagne producer was a Man who had to Wash his own Mercedes Benz. Then a world recession hit. Sales in the last two years have fallen about 12 percent with the biggest drop Felt in exports. Domestic sales which account for about 65 percent of All bubbly produced have fizzled Only slightly however exports to the United states a the third largest Market after Britain and Switzerland a fell nearly 25 percent Between 1989 and the end of this year. A pm convinced that Champagne has turned a Page of history and those foolish years of the 1980s when sales Rose quickly wont be reproduced again Quot said Philippe be tix Crant spokesman for the inter professional committee for the wine of Champagne the Industry association. About 6,000 Champenois labor in the elegant Chateaux and deep Cool caves where Champagne is made stored and sold. Another 4,500 people work in supporting industries. They have been sheltered from the 10.6 unemployment rate that troubles most of France. But people grow nervous. A when sales Fachal Louiese Small industries Are affected. For the first me there is talk of some layoffs next year a said Martine Robillard who employs five workers at the chateau de Pierry where five generations of the Robillard family have made Champagne. Robillard is one of the smaller of the Region s 110 firms producing 150,000 bottle annually. Nearly two thirds of the Market is controlled by a dozen big houses including Moet Chandon or Laurent Perrier. All Champagne outlets were forced to raise prices by about 10 percent in 1990 after a 30-year Price fixing arrangement Between grape growers and dealers collapsed and grape prices Rose As a result. Average Quality grapes Rose 25 percent to about $3 a Pound. One bottle of Champagne requires 3.3 pounds of grapes. The go billiards raised their prices but they wont do so again. To compete they will simply tighten their Bells a a in la bring All my strength to see to it that we continue to exist Quot said Paul Henri Robillard whose roughened hands Tell of years spent in every aspect of production from the Harvest to the final corking. A we have survived wars disease storms and economic depressions. We be experienced adversity anti i am confident Well  americans japanese alike feel Godzilla s Wrath in latest flick Tokyo apr Godzilla the worlds favorite mutant reptile is Back on the Silver screen for a 17th sequel a and this time he a squishing americans. Is this a science fiction response to Japan bashing the movie after All. Is drawing crowds throughout Japan on the eve of president Bush a visit to Deal with contentious Trade issues. Hardly Godzilla a creators say. Although the reptile flattens some world War ii american soldiers the main target in the movie is Japan itself. In the new Godzilla is. King Phidora people from the 23rd Century Many of whom appear to be american return in a time machine to 1992. Their Mission to change the course of history and prevent Japan from becoming a ruthless superpower in the 21st and 22nd centuries. The future folks unleash a flying three headed dragon like King Phidora on the japanese who turn to Godzilla for salvation. Hidekichi Yamane a spokesman for Toho co. Studios that has made All Godzilla movies since the first 1954 classic says the movie focuses on Japan a soul searching about its economic prowess and global role and not on anti american sentiments. But he acknowledged some americans might he offended when in one scene a merciless Godzilla smashes a group of . Soldiers on a Pacific Island. Japanese soldiers then solemnly Salute the wounded monster for saving them from the enemy. A of course i realize it May be unpleasant for americans to watch that Quot Yamane said. A but 1 think it s not As bad As those Hollywood War movies that portray japanese soldiers with  creators and fans alike say that Godzilla a Appeal lies in the creature s undeniable Talent for stomping squashing and just Plain annihilating famous landmarks. In the latest movie the reptile s Wrath is directed Tow Ard Tokyo s new futuristic City Hall. Neither totally Good nor evil Godzilla is motivated by instinct pathetically unable to overcome its habit of crashing through whatever gets in its Way. A a it a a great Way to let off steam a says Godzilla a pc Cial effects director Koichi Kawakita in an interview to like to see Godzilla destroy Disneyland  a 3-foot-tall Model of the greyish Green reptile stands with paws outstretched by Kawakita a door thrashing his jagged Teeth and Tongue toward visitors. His eyes Kawakita says were Basca on an eagles for an Quot Anima Listic  much of the painstaking labor behind the films is spent on building miniatures of cities for crumbling by Godzilla a feet. The actor in the Godzilla suit is 6 / feet tall but is supposed to he 330 feet tall. Kawakita says this emphasis on miniatures a even when obviously fake a is the outstanding feature of Godzilla films in contrast to the slickness of Steven Spielberg style films. The reptile himself was created into a fire blowing Freak by nuclear experimentation a a pop culture warning against inc threat of nuclear War claims Tomoyuki Tanaka the. 81-year-old Toho executive producer known As the father of Godzilla. It was a potent Symbol coming from Japan the Only nation to suffer atomic attacks. Over time however Godzilla appeared in lesser Quality works boosted by the popularity of Maiju or monster films and to programs in the 1960s. In 1984, Toho decided to revive the quintessential Godzilla in All its vicious glory after a decade of silence. It was a big hit grossing $14 million. Every Godzilla film Ever released has played in the United states. The most recent instalment will hit . Heaters in the new year. He May quite possibly be Japan s most famous contribution to the movies next to masterpieces by director Akira Kurosawa. The fire breathing Godzilla seen squishing people and things in Godzilla 1985, is Back for a i7lh sequel