Godzilla (1954 film)
From Wikizilla
Godzilla (ゴジラ Gojira) is the first movie in the Gojira saga, and also the first film in the "Showa" series. It is universally cited by all Japanese Godzilla films as the starting point of the Godzilla timeline.
The film was produced by Toho Productions, Limited, and had a budget of ~$250,000. (Adjusted for inflation about $6,000,000) It went on to garner large box-office revenues in Japan and America as well, when the Americanized version Godzilla, King of the Monsters was released in 1956.
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Synopsis
When Japanese fishing boats start mysteriously disappearing, the government searches for the cause. It turns out to be a gigantic dinosaur mutated by atomic testing, named Godzilla after an island legend. The 164-foot-tall beast soon rampages through Tokyo, killing millions. Japan struggles to defeat the monster and although some attacks did seem to hurt him, nothing was enough to permanently damage him.
Meanwhile, Dr. Serizawa has developed a weapon so terrible he cannot contemplate releasing it - the Oxygen Destroyer. It removes all oxygen from the nearby environment, destroying all living tissue in its wake. However, as Godzilla wreaks more and more destruction, and under pressure by his fiance, Dr. Serizawa finally uses the Oxygen Destroyer to kill the monster. Only bones are left of the mighty beast after the Oxygen Destroyer is unleashed. However, to ensure his terrible creation can never be used for evil, he burns his records and remains underwater when the Oxygen Destroyer detonates, so he is dissolved along with Godzilla (and, presumably, all the sea life for miles around).
Atomic Power
A powerful undercurrent in this film is derived from visual and psychological references to the atom bomb. Godzilla is not only radioactive, but after he smashes through a city, the ruins are quite reminiscent of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. The characters visit a radiation ward hosting victims who have been contaminated by proximity to Godzilla or his radioactive breath.
And of course Dr. Serizawa's reluctance to use his awful weapon is clearly intended to reference thermonuclear horror.
Japanese vs. American
In the United States, this film was released as Godzilla, King of the Monsters!. It starred Raymond Burr, and featured additional dubbing and re-editing, with footage of Burr worked into the film. While 20 minutes were added, 40 minutes were cut out for the American edition, including a wonderful scene in which journalists watch from Tokyo Tower as Godzilla approaches, heroically continuing their broadcast until they are killed.
For years it was difficult to obtain the original Japanese version in the West, but it finally has been released in a double-edition of gojira/godzilla, permitting Godzilla fans to easily compare the film versions.
Trivia
- Godzilla vs Megaguirus offers a different version of the movie that has Godzilla simply go away and then reappear at other times through history.
- In GMK, Godzilla is killed by the Oxygen Destroyer, but his body is later inhabited by the collective will of the dead from the World Wars.
- In the Kiryu Duology, Godzilla is killed by the Oxygen Destroyer but his skeleton survives and is used for Kiryu.
- In Godzilla vs. Destroyah it is said that the oxygen destroyer used by Dr. Serizawa created Destroyah.
Reception
In its original release in Japan the film sold approximately 9.6 million tickets. On the movie reviewing site Rotten Tomatoes, Godzilla currently has a 93% rating out of 54 reviews.
