(Dedicated to the memory of this film's stupendous creators, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ishiro Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Akira Ifukube)
The moment you've all been waiting for has finally arrived. This is it: the greatest movie of all time, the one and only master of cinema. The greatest ever made, the ruler of the crop. You have never seen a movie like this, you will never see a movie like this, and you will never forget this movie after you've seen it. Are you ready to read on and discover what true cinematic greatness is? Then here we go, once more unto the breach.
The year is 1954. The Cold War had begun, and tensions were high between the United States and the Soviet Union. To make matters worse China had begun to enter the nuclear race, intensifying the power struggle and terrifying the world. It seemed a nuclear strike would become an eventual reality.
Caught in the midst of the turmoil was the small country of Japan, which was in a near panic. It had only been nine years since the end of World War II, and many a Chinese and Russian remembered the brutality Japan had unleashed on their countries. Few people in China would forget the rape of Nanking, and even fewer would be willing to forgive it. With angry neighbors surrounding it, Japan was especially vulnerable and very nervous. If there was to be a nuclear attack, they would be an easy target.
But as it were, a man named Tomoyuki Tanaka would be flying over the Pacific Ocean, reflecting on a tragic event that had just recently occurred. As he peered down in the water, an idea would come to him, one of a monster rising from the depths, and laying waste to mankind. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the greatest film ever made:
Gojira!
The Plot: Ships have been disappearing, a strange light rising from the depths and setting boats aflame. As the mounting death toll rises, an investigation is sent out to a nearby spot of land known as Odo Island, very near to where the ships have sunk. As they investigate, a gigantic creature emerges from the depths and reveals itself to the world. The world watches as this monster, born of nuclear fire, rises from the depths and marches straight for the capital city of Japan: Tokyo. The military throws everything they have at the beast, but it is determined, it is unstoppable, and its fury will not be quenched.
But a troubled scientist, deep in the depths of his own home, has discovered a new form of energy, one that could rival the power of an atomic bomb. A power, that if discovered, could mean the end of mankind...
The Cast: Akira Takarada as Hideto Ogata
Momoko Kochi as Emiko Yamane
Akihiko Hirata as Dr. Diasuke Serazawa
Takashi Shimura as Dr. Kyohei Yamane
Toyoaki Suzuki as Shinkichi
Sachio Sakai as Hagiwara
Fuyuki Murakami as Dr. Tabata
The Production Process: 1954, though unremarkable to many people, involved a tragedy. On March 1st, 1954, a small tuna trawler known as The Lucky Dragon No. 5 strayed dangerously close to the H-bomb test near the Marshall Islands, and ignited international controversy when its crew returned back home, severely ill with radiation poisoning. Though few may ever know the fateful voyage of The Lucky Dragon, it was event that stirred the anger of a monster, and began his rise from the deep.
While the story of the little boat was still unfolding, a movie producer known as Tomoyuki Tanaka (1910-1997) was dealing with his own private crisis. He was a rising star at the Toho Motion Picture Company, but his latest project, a Japanese-Indonesian co-production was in disarray and the producer was under great pressure to come up with an alternative idea. As the story goes, Tanaka was heading back to Tokyo from Jakarta when he looked out the plane's window at the Pacific Ocean, and genius struck.
Inspired by the tragedy of the Lucky Dragon, Tanaka approached Toho's production chief, Iwao Mori, and declared he wanted to create Japan's first ever giant monster film. Tanaka didn't have a story, he didn't even know what it would look like, but he had a premise, and that was what counted: what if a nuclear explosion stirred a monster from its sleep deep beneath the Pacific Ocean and the kaiju vented its wrath on Japan? Back in the 50's, this idea was fairly common, and hardly original. Just the year before, Warner Bros. had struck gold with the fantastic success with "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" which had started a spate of low-budget creature feature films that lasted through much of the 50's. The idea was usually pretty basic: a nuclear weapon or radiation experiment produced a gigantic reptile, sea beast, insect, or even human being. On the surface,
Gojira looked to be just more of the standard Cold War-era monster cinema, but what separated the film from the rest of the common ilk was its haunting mood and imagery, evoking memories of the Tokyo bombings as well as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As Tsuburaya himself put it, "The theme of the film, from the beginning, was the terror of the bomb. Mankind had created the bomb, and now nature was going to take revenge on mankind." But what may have aided the film the most was not its mood or its imagery, but what the film's staff possessed: first-hand experience.
The director that would be chosen for
Gojira was Ishiro Honda (1911-1993), who began his career in the early 30's as a cameraman ad ascended through the studio system, learning the craft as he worked alongside his lifelong friend, Akira Kurosawa, considered one of the greatest directors who ever lived. Honda had a personal stake in the subject matter, and he was convinced that the monster should represent the horror of nuclear war and the lingering anxieties of post-Hiroshima Japan. In 1936, Honda had been drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army, putting his film career on hold. Over the next eight years, his military life consisted of being a foot soldier in Japanese-occupied China. After Japan's surrender, Honda traveled through the decimated city of Hiroshima on his way home, an experience that haunted him forever and may have convinced him into the belief of pacifism. To Honda, Godzilla was not a metaphor for the bomb but a physical manifestation of the powerful weapon. As he would say years later, "After the war, all of Japan, as well as Tokyo, was left in ashes. The atomic bomb had emerged and completely destroyed Hiroshima. If Godzilla had been a dinosaur or some other animal, he would have been killed by just one cannonball. But if he were equal to an atomic bomb, we wouldn't know what to do. So, I took the characteristics of an atomic bomb, and applied them to Godzilla."
By the mid-50's, special effects were a major part of Hollywood film making, from big-budget studio productions to low-budget indies. The state of the art in big-scale motion pictures was Cecil DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"(1956), which involved constructions of massive sets and intricate matte photography. Producer George Pal won an Oscar for the brilliant destruction depicted in "War of the Worlds"(1953) and spent more than $1 million on the effects alone, twice as much as on the drama scenes. Ray Harryhausen took stop-motion technology to the next level in :The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" and his other films. Special Effects artist Eiji Tsuburaya (1901-1970), however, was not quite as lucky. The man put in charge of designing, creating, and filming
Gojira's special effects had only a fraction of the time, money and equipment that his American counterparts possessed. But what Tsuburaya lacked in these areas, he more than made up for in vivid imagination, a willingness to experiment, and an opportunity to fulfill a dream.
The challenge for creating Godzilla could not have gone to a better man than Tsuburaya, who began his career as a cinematographer in the early 1920's and had longed to make a monster film of his own ever since he first saw "King Kong". But questions abounded. For one thing, no one even knew what Godzilla looked like. Several concepts were discussed during the planning. At one point, Godzilla was described as "a cross between a gorilla and a whale," an idea that still lived on in the creature's name ("gorira" for gorilla, and "kujira" for whale). Early sketches showed a bizarre creature with mammalian features and a stubby head. Tsuburaya suggested an old idea, that of a giant octopus attacking Japanese vessels. Producer Tanaka passed on all the idea, eventually taking yet another cue from 20,000 Fathoms and deciding Godzilla would be a dinosaur-like monster.
Tsuburaya would have much preferred to film Godzilla with animated models, but a tight production schedule allowed only a few months for the entire project, and he soon decided the only way to accomplish this task was to film an actor in a monster costume. Even though the man-in-suit method was technically inferior to stop-motion animation, it was, oddly enough, a sort of innovation. No one had done anything like it before; there had been few American-made dinosaur movies with actors wearing T-rex suits, but
Gojira, as it turned out, would be a prototype for a new genre. The Godzilla suit, in concert with all the other effects that Tsuburaya's team of craftsmen had mastered during and since their days making war films, was a feasible, effective, and simple way to portray the monster's size and power. And who would be chosen to play the role of the monster? His name was Haruo Nakajima.
Nakajima is quoted as saying, "Mr. Tsuburaya said it would take seven years to make Godzilla by using the same stop-motion method as King Kong, and I'm hiring you because I need to finish the movie in three months."
Once Tsuburaya and his artists had finalized Godzilla's design (based on a cocktail of various dinosaur species), they built a costume. An inner frame was built of bamboo and wire mesh and cushioning, and topped with several coats of molten rubber. When it was finished, Tsuburaya and his crew gave the suit a kaiju a screen test, and the results were not promising. The costume weigh about 200 pounds and felt like a straight jacket. Breathing was next to impossible. The huge tail dragging behind felt like a dozen sandbags. Godzilla stunt actor Haruo Nakajima (born in 1929) remembers, "I and Katzuma Tezuka (the other Godzilla actor) tried on the suit in front of Mr. Honda, Mr. Tsuburaya, Mr. Tanaka and members of the staff," he said. "But the suit was so heavy, so stiff. I thought, "This is going to be impossible." A more flexible costume was made, enabling Godzilla to successfully complete his film debut. Not that everything was perfect; Nakajima suffered blisters and fainting spells, dropping twenty pounds under the blazing studio lights. Ironically, Nakajima relished the role so much he continued to play Godzilla and other monsters in dozens of films before retiring in 1972.
Nakajima's midnight rampage through the pitch-dark streets of Tokyo is Oscar-worthy, a 13-minute warpath of destruction. The ominous, psychologically striking music of Composer Akira Ifukube (1914-2006) underscores the dread as Godzilla advances like a slow-moving nuclear explosion, the force of the blast slowly incinerating the city. Stragglers are trampled underfoot. Tanks hurl artillery shells only to be destroyed mere moments later. Famous landmarks crumbled, including the Nichigeki Theatre, Japan's answer to Radio City. The clock tower atop the Wako building is destroyed, as well as the Diet Building, Japan's house of parliament. Ad the destruction builds to a crescendo, a ring of fire encircles the metropolis from the shoreline to the outskirts. Tokyo is gone, and it is still not over...
Despite what others may try to say,
Gojira is not an angry film it is not a simplistic indictment of the United States for the events of August 1945. It is so much more than that...
The Review:
The opening is great. No music, no film, just the sound of the creature's footsteps and its roars. Not long after, the iconic theme enters, adding to the dreaded sounds.
Akira Ifukube's score for this film is masterful. Easily one of the greatest, and in this reviewer's opinion, the greatest composer who ever lived.
The first attack is wonderfully intense, and amazingly fast. A quick, bright flash of light and the ship is instantly aflame. Japanese viewers would know instantly this was a reference to The Lucky Dragon.
Our two main characters are introduced quickly, but not too fast as to feel rushed. Already, we know a fair amount about our lead role, and his relationship with Emiko.
After the second attack, the tension mounts as to what is causing the devastation.
In a matter of minutes, a third fishing vessel adds itself to the list of incidents. Panic now flares in the hearts of the family members left behind. A floating mine? And undersea volcano? No one is certain.
The cast of characters is well done and easily relatable. Each one feels developed, isn't corny or cheesy, and feels right at home. You could easily believe them to be real people.
For the people of Odo Island, things are not well. Ever since the ships began to disappear, the fish have gone all but extinct. Though the young may scoff, the older generation of the islanders know exactly what is the cause: Godzilla.
At a beautiful island ritual, the origins of Godzilla are revealed: an ancient sea creature that lived off the coast of Odo. If fishing was poor, the islanders would sacrifice a young maiden to appease him. For long days, the fishing has been poor.
Godzilla's attack of Odo Island is brief, but frightening. Brilliantly haunting music by Ifukube excels at making the scene terrifying, and the fierce but short-lived destruction terrifies the island's natives. Homes are crushed, and people are killed...
Back at the mainland, a committee to report the damage is created, with several key witnesses reporting that more than just a storm occurred on Odo Island. No rushed military organization, this seems much more real.
At the farewell for the Odo Island Research Team, a new character is revealed: Dr. Diasuke Serizawa. He has no lines at this particular moment, but his eye patch and forbidding appearance set him apart from the rest of the cast.
As radiation is found in one of the island's wells, the islanders fear for their lives. The small effects of no water back in that day were huge, something the filmmakers did not underestimate.
Subtle clues to the monster's true origins are shown: radiation, a trilobite found in a footprint, but no conclusions just yet. This film prefers to take its time...
As the alarm bell is rung, the dreaded footsteps of the monster are heard, and the audience is electrified with nerves. Something huge is coming...
The mighty kaiju's reveal! One of the most iconic scenes in any monster film, the mere sight and sound of the beast is enough to terrify the helpless villagers of Odo Island, as well as the research team. Back in Japan, Professor Yamane's discussion on Godzilla is not silly or ludicrous. He presents his theory as reasonably as any professor would, with more than enough evidence to sustain his theory.
One particular piece of evidence found is strontium-90, an element found in the H-bomb. Godzilla is not a mere monster, but a creation born of mankind. This alone would be a powerful blow against mankind...
The split reaction to Godzilla's origins are completely and utterly believable. One side opposes the revelation of the truth, while others believe it must be told to the public. The anger and rage between the two factions... each knows what the truth would do to their country, their economy, political relations...
As the truth is brought to light, the people of Japan lose hope. Adding to their list of past atomic horrors, Godzilla would be a nightmare for any Japanese citizen during the time.
The reality of Godzilla devastates Japan: ships stop bringing in supplies, and the economy suffers. As the military is brought in to deal with the problem, the idea of such an act and situation actually happening if such a thing occurred is believable.
Yamane's desire to see Godzilla survive and be studied is a reaction I would expect from any scientist if such a creature existed. His despair that mankind would want to kill such a creature is convincing, and quite so.
Godzilla rises in Tokyo Bay, Despite the heavy attack by the military, he still survives. Such a creature not even being scarred by mankind's weaponry would devastate morale.
As Hagiwara is sent to interview Serizawa, we learn more about our mysterious scientist: he's the future son in-law of Professor Yamane. This throws quite a wrench in Ogata's and Emiko's relationship. As if to add to the awkwardness, both Emiko and Ogata are discussing how to tell her father they want to be married. An arranged marriage back in 50's Japan would not be out of the norm, but getting out of one? Whole different story.
Serizawa's denial of working with a German scientist is not coincidence. The filmmakers were noting Japan's denial of cooperating with the other Axis powers during the war.
This may not mean much to others, but the acting in this film is simply superb. Beautifully done, these actors transcended the cultural and racial barriers of the day.
When most Americans think of monster movie, they think B-movie stars or washed up actors. In Godzilla films, they were A-list masters of acting, some even crossing the Pacific to work in American productions, such as the Bond series.
We don't see what Serizawa's great experiment is yet. All we are shown is a horrified Emiko, and her promise to never reveal what she saw. Serizawa still doesn't know about Ogata.
Emiko's experience is not something she easily shrugs off, something that is quite accurate, seeing what she experienced was so horrific.
The alarm sirens sound. The dreaded steps of Godzilla are heard, and the unthinkable is occurring. Godzilla is coming straight into Tokyo... As dread fills the audience, panic ensues in the streets...
The camerawork for this film is absolutely brilliant, the blueprint for any monster film. No shots above, many shots of Godzilla are from street level looking up, to exaggerate his size. Great job.
Godzilla attacking the train is another iconic scene, with plenty of death and hysteria as those caught in the attack are petrified. It's not just terrifying for the people in the film, it's downright creepy for the audience.
Finally, I am speaking on the design of the monster. In short, best monster ever, and one of his best designs over his long career.
As the crisis worsens, everyone believes Godzilla will attack more than just the harbor area. He will be back.
Help from around the world arrives, and supports the ideas of the era, as well as the beliefs of the filmmakers. They desired to see mankind unite together in peace.
As citizens are evacuated, it fits right into a real-world scenario. The innocent are not left to die, but are brought away to safety if possible. Everything feels right at place in the world, with no room for disbelief. If it were not for knowing this is a film, it could easily be mistake as a documentary or newscast, something the film's creators were aiming for.
Ogata's argument with Yamane is realistic and saddening. Originally wanting to ask for his daughter's hand, he is instead brought into a personal discussion on whether Godzilla should be kept alive or not. This arouses Yamane's barely concealed rage, and it ends in the professor's storming out. But despite Ogata's politeness, he is man enough to take responsibility for what happened.
The radio cries out: Godzilla is coming again. For the Japanese individual, it would be like hearing updates on the war. It was uncomfortably familiar, for whoever was watching...
Godzilla's landfall is a creepy scene, mostly because of Ifukube's haunting score.
Got to love Godzilla's roar. So deep and powerful, his cries do nothing but speak of violence...
As Godzilla reveals his powerful weapon, his atomic beam, all hope is lost. For anyone watching, it would be like witnessing a nuclear bomb come alive.
Godzilla's attack on Tokyo... there are no words to describe it's haunting beauty and masterful power, heightened by Ifukube's prowess. From the terrified reporter, the deaths of untold masses, to the poor woman comforting her children as death slowly approaches, everything about it is like watching a nightmare straight from the mouth of Hell. It would be like witnessing the end of the world...
Oh yeah, the special effects are simply stunning. Still hold up very well today, and even perfect clarity does nothing to make them look bad at all. It's just amazing.
Suit acting is a horrid affair: it's near impossible. Nakajima pulls it off in wondrous fashion. Godzilla moves like a massive, heavyweight titan, not at all like a human being.
The reporters on Tokyo tower had their faces covered in grease to convey intense sweat and fear. It looks great, and adds to the overall look of the scene.
The aftermath of the leviathan's assault is horrific. The reality that nothing can stop this dreaded monster truly begins to sink in, as the damage is all too evident.
This movie is overpoweringly dark. Not just grim, but truly, horrifyingly dark. It's a hard watch, so viewers beware. It's not easy to sit through.
The next day, the damage is truly seen... God help us, what has happened here? What have WE done?
The young boy covered in radiation, destined to die a painful death, the hordes of burnt and injured citizens, a young girl screaming as she realizes her mother is dead... it's too real. Far, far too real. Though the greatest scene in the film, it is heartbreaking to watch and ravages the audience. The images in this scene cannot be unseen, and as horrific as they are, I hope they never will be forgotten.
The devastation results in a breakthrough: Emiko reveals what occurred at Serizawa's lab, the dreaded power he had uncovered, something just as awful as atomic energy. A weapon that destroys all oxygen: the Oxygen Destroyer.
Serizawa's desire to keep his discovery hidden is realistic and believable. He wants, he desires, he's desperate to find something good in his work. But until then, he will keep it a secret.
Emiko is the beginning of a long list of strong female characters in the Godzilla series, which would become known for having strong female leads. Her character may be somewhat outdated, now that arranged marriage and her era of woman no longer exists, but she is a critical character to the film, and is key to convincing Serizawa to use the Oxygen Destroyer.Despite Ogata's insistence, Serizawa refuses. His fear that something awful would come of his work is believable, and in so doing he lashes out in violence, horrifying him.
Serizawa's character is the deepest of the film by far. He wants to find something good in what he has done, but it twisted by the idea that it would be used wrongfully. His one and only thought is to protect humanity, but to not use the Oxygen Destroyer against Godzilla would result in the death of millions. His conflicting emotions feel very real to the audience.
The choir on TV, with footage of the wounded... it's another powerful scene of all-consuming despair.
Serizawa is undone by the footage, and agrees to use the Oxygen Destroyer... for the first and last time. But as he burns away his notes, Emiko begins to weep. She, and she alone, knows what this means...
Ogata, despite Serizawa's insistence to the contrary, heads down to the floor of Tokyo Bay alongside the troubled scientist. Despite the recent bitterness between the two, Ogata holds no grudge.
The acting in this moment is brilliant, particularly when it comes to Serizawa. His strangely calm demeanor when the others are intense is unnerving, and hints at bigger things to come.
The final moment, one last attack on Godzilla. The music is wickedly haunting, the setting on the ocean floor is eerie, all heightening the scene's tension.
As Ogata ascends back to the surface, Serizawa stays behind, releasing the power of his horrifying weapon upon the nuclear behemoth. As Godzilla writhes in horror, Serizawa watches on calmly...
One final character reveal is found in, yet again, Serizawa: He knew about Ogata and Emiko, and wishes them happiness. He takes a knife to his oxygen hose and rope...
As Godzilla rises from the depths to give one last roar, he feebly falls back into the sea, his body falling right back to the sea floor. The flesh dissolves away, then the bones are revealed.... then nothing. The atomic menace is dead... as is Serizawa.
The ending is powerful and hopeless for our main cast, and the audience. Yamane's last words are haunting and prophetic for all of mankind. With a final shot of the waves, and a haunting cry from the film's score, the screen goes black. It is over.
The Bottom Line: Wow, just... wow. I cannot find the words to describe this film sometimes, it is simply that stunningly powerful. Just... wow.
Gojira was a huge risk for Toho Studios. It was the first of a kind, its man-in-suit special effects were unproven, and its budget (somewhere between $175,000 and $250,000 in today's funds) was about three times the average Japanese feature. But Toho was spurred by the creative and productive climate of the era, and took the risks involved. Also being released that year were two other films: "Musashi Miyamoto", budgeted around $500,000, and "The Seven Samurai", budgeted around $560,000 and at three-and-a-half hours long, it is one of the most expensive and longest Japanese films ever. Toho took risks with all three, and all of them became massive success stories, ranking among the years' Top 10 box office draws. "Musashi Miyamoto" won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, "The Seven Samurai" is considered one of the greatest films of all time, and "Gojira" would launch a legendary franchise, spanning 28 different films and lasting for over 50 years.
The images of
Gojira are horrific, particularly those of the aftermath of Godzilla's rampage. Streets are buried under rubble, and a thick cloud of smoke hovers over much of the capital city. Disaster shelters are crammed beyond capacity with the broken, the dead and the dying, as even more are brought in. A doctor tests a child for radiation, and the Geiger counter goes berserk. A little girls wails as she watches her horribly burned mother dies before her eyes. These images, are they truly just science fiction stuff, the realm of a B-movie? With just the smallest understanding of the filmmakers' intentions, and small knowledge of the era's political climate,
Gojira emerges as one of the greatest antinuclear films of all time, speaking fiercely of its power and pacifism. This film is not a condemnation of a particular people or nation, but a strong and forceful condemnation of the atomic age and a desperate plea for nuclear powers to end mankind's march toward oblivion.
Gojira is a timeless film, brought about in the midst of the Cold War and the era when mankind was exploring the new-found power of atomic energy. As man began tampering with his new-found power, many feared that the human race would annihilate itself. Japan, being the one and only country to ever be struck by a nuclear weapon, had a unique and thoughtful view on the idea, and
Gojira is a powerful summation of what the country as a whole believed. To them, nuclear horror was not a possibility to be feared, but a reality in which they had to live and deal with; people infected with horrible radiation sickness, their children dying... to them, this was real.
The creators of
Gojira were staunchly anti-nuclear, as watching the film easily suggests. They stood firmly against it, having seen the death and destruction it could wreak with their own eyes, and they feared the idea that such a thing would ever happen again.
I, however, am not antinuclear, but I do not leave this film with an empty feeling or in defiance of its views. I watched
Gojira six years ago, and I still remember exactly where and when I watched it. This film does not let you forget. After watching it, my thoughts on nuclear energy began to change. I now realize the incredible power man wields, and also the responsibility man carries with such a power. We have this amazing but brutally dangerous weapon in our hands, and if for a moment we do not consider how we act and use such a thing, then we are poor custodians of the world we have been given. Nuclear energy is not something to use lightly; I hope and pray that the day when man uses a nuclear weapon for battle again never comes. I've done the research, I know what would come of the firing of a single nuclear warhead. The world might as well end right then and there.
Gojira is more than just a condemnation of an age of power, or an era of time, it is condemnation of man himself, and the manner in which he conducts himself. We are mankind: brutal, bloody, savage, untamed and unashamed of our savagery. Does not the entire natural world detest and fear us? What have we not destroyed and raped and killed?
Gojira is the story of our race being brought into the light for the crimes we have committed. We cannot escape what we have done. No one can outrun Godzilla.
One of the last lines of the film comes from Dr. Yamane, who says, "I cannot believe Godzilla is the only surviving member of its species. If we continue testing H-bombs, another Godzilla will one day appear." His suspicions were correct. With the enormous success of
Gojira, Toho was pressured into releasing another Godzilla film. Less than six months later, the very hastily made sequel "Godzilla Raids Again" was released in Japan, and a new Godzilla battled a second creature, a now-classic monster known as Anguirus. The two decimated the exotic architecture of Osaka in an attempt to do each other in, as mankind is unable to stop the two behemoths. Though not even a year old, Godzilla had lost its sense of urgency, and seemed to be a one-day atomic allegory. The monster would go on hiatus for several years, as Toho explored other kaiju films such as "Rodan" in 1956, and "Mothra" in 1961.
During the 1960's Godzilla returned in sequel after sequel, his apocalyptic origins fading into history. The character transformed into a monster on the loose and finally into a powerful hero. Children adored the titular monster, and so his character changed to appeal to the audience. While many were simply fun films worth watching, more than one were actually genuinely good films, with heavy-handed stories on capitalism, pollution and other such topics of the era. With the monster's first series coming to an end in 1975, it would be nine years later when the behemoth would rear its head again, this series lasting till 1995. A third series would appear just four years later, lasting till the original film's 50th anniversary in 2004. Throughout many of the more recent films, Godzilla was depicted as a malevolent god, reluctantly defending his homeland against even more terrible threats.
Now, in 2013, things are different for Godzilla fans. Though mockery and derision is what the average fan will experience for his dedication, a new wind of hope is running through the community. With Legendary Pictures claiming rights to the titanic kaiju, a new Godzilla film is slated to be released in 2014, with promises to bring the apocalyptic beast back to his roots of being a horrible monstrosity, alive to condemn mankind. Fans such as myself eagerly await the return of the king of the monsters, and hope that some respect for the original is displayed.
Perhaps director Ishiro Honda was naïve. In 1991, two years before his death, Honda lamented that Godzilla had failed in his goal. The man had always hoped that his nuclear leviathan would bring an end to nuclear testing and the arms proliferation that dotted the world. Instead, many countries are going nuclear and terrorists covet the bomb. A monster movie can't change the world, but a monster can remind mankind of the power he has ignited in his history. Godzilla was born of the nuclear fire that rained down on August 1945, and continues to be relevant today. With incidents like those of the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, Godzilla rose up from the depths once more, showing once again that mankind is still held accountable for what he has chosen to wield. Until the day comes when mankind shuts off its last nuclear reactor, and stores away its last nuclear bomb, Godzilla is the eternal monster. Until that day comes, fear the wrath of the nuclear child we have created.
Fear the light shining beneath the sea.
*A multitude of thanks to the likes of Keith Aiken Steve Ryfle, Ed & Mariko Godziszewski, and many others for the invaluable information they shared with the world. You guys make G fans proud!
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