FROM MY COLLECTION - 'Godzilla' (1954)

Welcome to my new retro review series, ‘From My Collection’, a series of essays talking about films that I’ve picked out of my personal collection of movies! Today, I’m talking about “Godzilla” from 1954. I hope you enjoy this series and hope to have a post every Wednesday.

On a flight back from Indonesia, producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was inspired by the American monster film, “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms”, to make his own monster film in Japan. Tanaka felt that the idea had potential because of nuclear fears since the end of World War II and the financial success of not only “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms”, but also the re-release of “King Kong” in 1952 which earned more money than previous releases of the film.

The project was approved and what was initially titled “The Giant Monster from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” was retitled “Project G”. Eventually, the movie was retitled to “Godzilla”, or “Gojira” in Japan.

The movie became one of the pioneering titles of the kaiju genre. It also became a pioneering film featuring “suitmation”, a technique where a man dresses up as the monster and destroys a model city to capture the effect of a massive monster destroying a major city. Surprisingly, when the movie was initially released in Japan, it was met with mixed reviews from critics.

Godzilla terrorized Tokyo in 1954's "Godzilla"!

Some of them thought that it negatively exploited all too real fears about nuclear weapons and that the movie shouldn’t have been made. However, after the “Americanized” version of the movie, “Godzilla, King of the Monsters” came out in ‘56, American critics applauded the commentary about the dangers of nuclear weapons and the movie was quickly reevaluated.

The movie went on to become a massive success and has spawned a massive multimedia franchise that continues to this day. Not only has Toho continued to make Godzilla films over the years, Legendary Pictures started up an American series known as the “MonsterVerse” that has also been successful at the box office.

So, how does a 72-year-old film about a monster rampaging through Tokyo hold up in today’s world? Surprisingly well, if I’m being honest. Sure, the special-effects are beyond dated just due to the simple nature of aging and how special-effects have improved over time.

However, the story of a monster created due to the effects of nuclear bomb testing is still strong today. Nuclear weapons are still a very real threat today and so the message of the movie is still sound.

The performances are also great. There is a solid cast here, including two standout performances. One comes from Momoko Kochi as the zoologist Emiko Yamane who wants to study Godzilla and how he is resistant to radiation. The other performance of note is Akihiko Hirata as Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, a scientist who has made a terrible discovery that he doesn’t want to share with the world but it may be the only thing that will ultimately stop Godzilla once and for all.

Going back to the special-effects for a second, I will say that despite the aging, they still have a certain charm to them. I was kind of surprised to say that I still got sucked up into them and forgot I was watching a special-effects movie for a second.

Now, the movie is slow to reveal Godzilla. You only hear his iconic roar and there may be a sudden flash before a boat is sunk in the ocean. However, by not giving away the goods right away, the anticipation of finally seeing the hulking monster builds until he finally hits the mainland.

Ultimately, “Godzilla” still has a story that is as relevant as ever and definitely worth your time if you’re into science fiction, monster movies, Japanese cinema, or all of the above. This Godzilla doesn’t just have a mighty roar, it’s still got one heck of a bite after 72 years.