Gojira (Godzilla) (1954)
Directed by Ishiro Honda
The movie that started it all, Godzilla is a milestone in filmmaking. The special effects were, for the time, groundbreaking. It really kick started a subgenre in Japanese film, known as Kaiju. I’ve seen this movie numerous times over the years so might as well dive in.
The plot is a prehistoric monster named Godzilla rises up and attacks Tokyo. With him comes great levels of radiation due to the atomic bombs dropped at the end of WWII. Now the country of Japan scurries to find an answer to end the monster’s destruction before it is too late.
Now the story has become classic and everyone knows what this is about. With 35 other Godzilla movies following, it is easy to dismiss the plot as tired or boring. Back in 1954 though, this idea was fresh and new. No one saw anything like this at the time. The giant suited man trampling small buildings, destroying trains and cars while people flee in horror. The giant monster movie had been done before with the likes of King Kong and the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms but no film brought everything together and made the monster an actual actor. The previous films of the genre were focused on stop motion puppets, where Godzilla was a suited man. His movements were much more realistic and authentic.
The acting in the movie is pretty solid. One of my favorite characters is Dr. Serizawa and his badass eye patch. He is a weapons expert and created the “oxygen destroyer” a superpowered weapon they later use to kill the monster. Serizawa really is the hero of the movie and his character almost redeems himself in the climax. It really is difficult to judge the acting of a foreign film from the 50s.
Special effects are the true highlight of the film, and is honestly the driving force for all these movies. The miniature sets are amazing, especially for 1954. The Godzilla suit is bulky and clumsy at times but it does look rather realistic. The atomic breath scenes are probably the most impressive piece in the whole movie. It blows my mind how great the effect is for this old of a film. Later installments somehow look worse at times, its crazy.
I grew up watching the Godzilla movies, and this one didn’t get my respect until I was a little older. As a kid I loved watching giant monsters fight, and this is just Godzilla vs the country of Japan. Also the fact that it is in black and white added to my boredom as a young kid. Now as an adult I can fully appreciate the movie for what it is. I enjoyed my latest viewing more than I ever have before, it truly is a masterpiece of filmmaking and deserves all the recognition that it gets. I give Godzilla an A easily.
