Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla (1954) is the original and definitive Godzilla movie. Made less than 10 years after the end of WWII, it carries a heavier emotional weight than the Godzilla movies that would follow. Before the high-fiving, boxing anti-hero and sometimes protector of Japan came this vengeful terror. This Godzilla was a fearsome indictment of man’s lack of humanity.

The miniatures were more intricate and had more detail than other Godzilla movies. This movie did a good job of interspersing people with the miniatures to give us a vested interest in their lives and sorrow when an unforgiving monster sent them to their doom. When Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath, the results were tragic and all too real whether it be on humans or property. As the citizens and military waited for Godzilla’s arrival, the tension was palpable. The carnage was unflinchingly shown as Godzilla cut through the city with his slow, unmerciful gait.

Dr. Serizawa, played by Hirata Akihiko, had developed his own terrifying weapon and refused to use it for fear it would fall into the wrong hands. Ultimately, he had to decide whether to deploy his weapon to stop the immediate destruction being rained down on his country or to withhold it for fear of unimaginable destruction that could take place if people were to use it as a weapon against other people.

The movie is not perfect, there is a love triangle even in Godzilla. The story can bounce around. The acting style is dated, but didn’t distract from the actors expressing the emotions the characters were feeling. The special effects were exemplary for 1954, viewers expecting spectacular CGI will be disappointed.

Whether conveying the urgency of people fleeing or ominously announcing the arrival of Godzilla, Ifukube Akira’s score was spot on.

My rating reflects how I rate movies and dramas. Only my first love in a particular genre receives a 10, the one that all other movies in that genre will be judged against. Godzilla who meshes the prehistoric with the modern and forces us to look back on the consequences of society’s actions is far deeper than a giant lizard destroying a city. Thus far, no other Kaiju has measured up to the original Godzilla’s standard.

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Watch Godzilla Minus 1 instead

I watched Godzilla minus 1 and loved it. One of my all time favorite Japanese films. Godzilla minus 0 is coming out soon so it seemed like a good time to catch the original. I understand this is an important film for historical reasons but… for most people don’t waste your time.

First the film starts off with a lot of radio reports and committee meetings. I get that they wanted to give it the feeling of realism, but this stuff is just boring to watch. Second the dialog felt weird and stilted. The decisions and interactions were all off. If you were a guy about to ask a father for his blessing to marry his daughter would you start off with “before we get to your daughter let me tell you how your deepest held personal belief is completely wrong. Let’s spend the next five minutes arguing about it”? How do you think that would go? Or when the one-eyed scientist explains that he’s an “oxygen specialist”. Basically none of the characters were convincing or memorable.

On the positive side the theme of atomic weapons and the dangers of this type of technology was well thought out. It really comes together in the end. The music too holds up pretty well. The VFX were surprisingly good. Even though they were not realistic looking they were fun to watch. Although unfortunately Godzilla isn’t all that scary looking. It really looks like a toy dinosaur.

All in all this one is for committed fans only.

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