User Reviews

This one started it all: the first and original Godzilla (Gojira) movie, and also serves as the beginning to a long line of sci-fi and monster (kaiju in Japan) movies from Toho Studios. We have a story where Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships explode and sink. An expedition of law enforcement officials and lead scientist Dr. Yamane (Takeshi Shimura) head to nearby Odo Island to investigate. There, a legendary mythical creature called Gojira, alleged to be responsible for the ship disasters, make his first appearance and begins a rampage on hapless Tokyo, threatening all of mankind.

This dramatic film with its thrills and horror has all the monster movie elements: a fire-breathing creature, toppling buildings, wall of flames, fleeing and screaming citizens, storms and seas, tanks and the army and frantic scientists and government officials - trying to figure out how to defeat the horror they see before them.

The love triangle between the character leads blends in very well with the monster plot. Godzilla, making his first attack on Tokyo, created haunting scenes of death and destruction and poignant moments of dismalness in the aftermath of his wake. Director Ishiro Honda did his finest and composer Akira Ifukube scored one of his best film music masterpieces. A compelling story by Shigeru Kayama, marvelous screenplay by Takeo Murata and superb special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Actors Takeshi Shimura, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi and Akihiko Hirata gave outstanding performances. And, Haruo Nakajima, Katsumi Tezuka and Ryosaku Takasugi did a terrific and realistic job on portraying Godzilla.

It is clever that the grave consequences of atomic bomb testings are depicted in this film, which sends a vital message to the real world. This is a creative way to explain Godzilla's origins.

Every element in this movie are throughly connected, leaving no room for loose ends and plot holes. While the plot's pace is steady, all the on-scream drama and action will grab the audience's attention.

Above all, this film is not just a "monster-on-the-loose" movie. It's a true classic, one that stands out above many sci-fi movies in cinema history. A great movie to begin a long and successful (in most cases) line of Godzilla and other monster/sci-fi films from Toho Studios.

Grade A

The original, Japanese version of "Gojira" is the best giant monster film I've ever seen. Some fans get carried away and call it one of the best movies ever made; I wouldn't go quite that far, but it's damn good.

This film is quite different from the 20+ sequels that followed. Here, Godzilla is not so much a creature as he is a walking incarnation of the atomic bomb. His death ray, which became a rather amusing cartoon laser blast in later films, is here depicted as a sort of radioactive mist that sets its victims on fire. These "radioactive horror" images still resonate today - and imagine the impact they must've had on Japanese audiences fifty years ago.

From a production standpoint, the film holds up well. Godzilla's costume is much more convincing than the silly monkey suits that featured in the 60s and 70s Toho films, and due to the grayscale photography, the model cityscapes look convincing in most shots - or at least respectable. Ifkube's music score is stirring (you know it has to be good, as they kept recycling it in later movies), and director Honda makes great use of camera angles and imaginative special effects to give Godzilla a genuine aura of menace.

For once, the human characters don't let the side down. There's a compelling love triangle, and a dramatic sacrifice made at the end of the film that adds enormously to its emotional impact. The American version ("Godzilla: King of the Monsters") cut out much of the character development, and is thus clearly inferior; but never fear, Rialto is apparently releasing "Gojira," in all its original glory, sometime this year (2004).

In the later Godzilla films, the destruction he causes is almost incidental. Here, it's the whole point - he's a force of nature. Impressive.

A film that works because of its campy monster and its budget-limited special effects (they couldn't afford stop motion so it's all a dude wearing a rubber suit tromping on miniatures), but is made special because of its deep meaning and the warnings and questions it has for the nuclear age.

It's telling that it was the most advanced scientific breakthrough made by the most brilliant minds on the planet, the harnessing of the atom, that led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and in turn, in this movie, to the unleashing of a two million year old monster. It warns humanity that in stepping forward in its understanding of the universe, it was also taking a step backwards, and unleashing irrational, destructive violence upon the world. That's all pretty obvious I guess, but the scenes of fleeing people being incinerated by Godzilla, women and children huddling together in fear, and the destruction of Tokyo looking like an atomic bomb had gone off must have reverberated especially with the original audiences of the time. It certainly did for me. There is something deeply painful about this film.

In a fascinating development, it's a Japanese scientist who has to wrestle with the morality of having developed a weapon of mass destruction called the 'Oxygen Destroyer', knowing that its use to stop Godzilla in the short term may lead to its use to further horrific destruction in the long term. It seems to put the Japanese in the same position as the Americans in 1945, one where there are no easy answers. How does one put the lid back on the box of an arms race, where one technology or act of violence leads to another in a crazy, unending spiral? The solution offered may or may not be all that realistic, but I thought just raising the question in the way the film did - and so soon after the war - was incredibly thought-provoking and brave. The film thus works on emotional and philosophical levels that one normally wouldn't get in a monster film, or at least, with this level of meaning and intensity. Definitely recommended.

Yes, I have seen the rather cheesy Americanized version of this film with the obviously inserted Raymond Burr scenes and while you do get to see Godzilla crush Tokyo you miss most the the plot from the original Japanese version. The Japanese version is very well done and has a very good story, which for some reason we felt like changing. I don't know why, there really isn't any overtly anti-American messages to be found, rather a message against Japan's own nuclear testing and the dangers of said weapon to all people. So suffice to say this movie has a giant monster who comes out of the ocean, apparently a dinosaur that was entrapped in some underwater area where it remained undetected for millions of years...a nuclear test has not only released the beast it has horribly mutated it as well to a much bigger radioactive super beast. So scientist and military and politicians must now find a way to destroy the beast before it destroys all of Japan. The movie is very good and rather sad at the same time. The sweeping march on Tokyo is very well done as there is a rather good scene of a mother with her children surrounded by flames trying to comfort her kids by saying they will be with their father soon. Also a very good ending and very sad ending. It is also an ending in the Japanese version that warns that other Godzilla's may emerge and indeed they do as the next Godzilla to emerge would actually never be killed and end up being somewhat of a hero, kind of funny they did turn one of the most effective destructive monsters scarred by radiation into a hero, however I liked those Godzilla movies as well.

Finally, I had the pleasure of finally seeing the original Japanese version of this classic and I have to say that it is much better than the "Raymond Burr" version. This film pretty much makes one think about what we are doing to mother Earth with all the pollution and war going on. Perhaps the thing that made this film great was that not only did it have great effects, but it also had a great story that made a great social commentary on what could have happened if the arms race continued to go unchecked. Besides the story about Gojira, you also had a pretty decent love story. Akihiko Hirata, does a good job of playing Serizawa, who is really the tragic figure in this film who must decide whether or not to use his weapon, which potentially was more dangerous than the monster itself. This film is definitely one of the all time classics and fortunately the original version will be released on DVD in September 2006.

Along with the 1933-version of "King Kong", this original Japanese release of "Gojira" is THE most essential giant monster movie ever and one the very few horror movies that every film lover in general has to see at least once. Why? Because, it's so much more than just silly drive-in cinema with a cheap looking monster! This is dark and apocalyptic Sci-Fi with a nearly allegorical rant about nuclear warfare and the honest fear for new types of weaponry. But I really don't feel like going into the deeper meaning behind "Gojira", as it primarily is an adrenalin rushing and overpowering action classic that doesn't need intellectual defense at all. One of the many reasons why I love this film so much (and same goes for "King Kong") is that we don't have to wait a dreadfully long time and/or endure a large amount of tedious speeches before we see the monster we want to see! Godzilla makes his highly memorable first appearance after approximately 20 minutes (by stretching his neck over a cliff!) and, from then on, this is deliciously hectic and paranoid monster-madness! The little bugger is presumably the result of too much H-bomb radiation and lives in the depths of the ocean, near the island of Odo. But now he's heading for Tokyo with his unnameable strength, fiery breath and – oh yeah – insatiable appetite for destruction! Particularly this extended sequence in which Godzilla blasts his way through the Japanese capital, crushing buildings and setting monuments on fire, is very impressive and legendary. The actor-in-monster-costume works a lot better than any form of computer engineered effects and the carefully imitated Tokyo sets are truly enchanting. The absolute best aspect about this production is its powerful score, which makes Godzilla even more threatening. Great stuff!

This milestone simultaneously meant the go-ahead for an innumerable amount of quickly shot sequels ("Son of Gozilla", "Godzilla vs. Mothra"), spin-offs ("Godzilla VS. King Kong"), remakes ("Godzilla 1984", the hi-tech American version) and of course an overload of pathetic imitations ("Reptilicus", "Monster from a Prehistoric Planet"). I still have to see all the direct sequels but don't really know what to expect from them. I guess that even if they're only half as good as this original, I'll be very satisfied.

When seventeen vessels blow-up and sink nearby Odo Island, Professor Kyohei Yamane (Takashi Shimura), his daughter Emiko Yamane (Momoko Kôchi), and the marine officer Hideto Ogata (Akira Takarada) head to the island to investigate. Soon they witness a giant monster called Gojira by the locals destroying the spot. Meanwhile Emiko meets her boyfriend, the secluded scientist Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata), and he makes she promise to keep a secret about his research with oxygen. She agrees and he discloses the lethal weapon Oxygen Destroyer that he had developed. When Gojira threatens Tokyo and other Japanese cities and the army and the navy are incapable to stop the monster, Emiko discloses Serizawa´s secret to her lover Ogata. Now they want to convince Serizawa to use the Oxygen Destroyer to stop Gojira.

"Gojira" (1954) is a surprisingly good Godzilla film, with well-developed story, screenplay and characters. Despite the dated effects and the behavior of Emiko, the plot is engaging and holds the attention of the viewer to the last scene. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Godzilla"

When one thinks of all the schlock that has come out of Japan when it comes to monster movies, many which use the Godzilla figure, one forgets that this was a pretty darn good movie. I remember as a child, watching it on late night television, in 1960. It was New Year's Eve and the adults were out doing whatever it is they did. The presence of Raymond Burr gave me a sense of comfort (Perry Mason was a staple at our house). I realize he was added for American audiences. It didn't matter to me. Unlike so many of its successors, this was nicely paced, didn't bank on Godzilla being a matinée idol (some of the films are so stupid where the thing becomes a friend to Tokyo, a form of defense). This film has the terror of "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms." The sets were much better. The battle scenes truer than the cheaper things that came later. The monster was a force. I have always enjoyed that scene where one goes over a hill or a rise just before a beach, and on the other side is the monster. The scenes of him wading into the harbor. This is a striking presentation for the early days of monster movies. Of course, it's all based on radiation and the nuclear threat. This stuff enlarges things and makes them rampage. I hope to purchase the Japanese remastered version from 2004. I'd like to see it the way it was intended to be seen.

A freighter is sunk by an unknown force. A second ship is sent but is also sunk. Three survivors are pulled from the sea but the fishing boat also sinks. An elderly villager claims that it is the work of the legendary sea monster Godzilla. On Odo island, a giant storm swamps the village and giant footprints are found to be radioactive. Dr. Yamane postulates that Godzilla had been driven out of his underground cavern by repeated H-bomb testing. Godzilla advances on Tokyo despite the Japanese armed forces and an electric fence.

The special effects are very effective especially considering the time. There is no hiding the miniatures but they are generally done well. The production is relatively big for a monster movie. And Godzilla's roar is second to none. It's great to see the model planes fire little rockets like fireworks at Godzilla. It even has a compelling message. It's a fine B-movie that deserves its iconic status.

Trying to convince somebody that isn't wholly invested in cinema, or somebody simply not willing to learn about the culture, that the first Godzilla film was actually a film littered with commentary and played nothing like the idea we all have in our heads about the towering monster is a daunting and almost thankless task in itself. Once you grasp the idea of a postwar Japan that was left demilitarized and financially and structurally battered, fearful of invaders, nuclear repercussions, and the country's future in terms of basic economic prosperity, the original, 1954 Japanese film (known as Gojira in Japanese) becomes a film ripe for thoughtful dissection and analysis by just your average cinephile or history buff.

Little needs to be explained in the way of the film's story, I feel, but the basic idea concerns the awakening of a towering behemoth thanks to prolific nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese are petrified of the destruction possible with this creature lurking around, find their government is content on hiding and obscuring facts related to the issue, and see a dissenting country in the mix of deciding what to do with the monster. While a good majority of the people, understandably, want this monster extinct and destroyed as soon as possible, Dr. Yamane Emiko (Momoko Kōchi) finds the possibility for research and analysis on Godzilla invaluable and has the ambition to try and capture him alive. Dr. Emiko is in the minority on this view, but he sees the long-term value in the creature, while the townspeople, acting on impulse and responding to an immediate conception of fear, want nothing to do with the creature.

This ignites an idea brought on by classic Universal monster movies of the 1930's and 1940's about humans' role in these man-made disasters, or whether or not humans have the responsibility to "play God" in any way. This idea, in conjunction with relativistic looks at the Japanese mindset in the 1940's and 1950's, after the repercussions of World War II, the basic elements of human fear, and what Godzilla metaphorically represents, are all relative in analyzing this particular piece, and it may indeed be the only franchise where the first film is looked at and critiqued in an entirely different light than its successors.

Following the boom of the Japanese film industry in the 1950's and 1960's, American activities such as golf were beginning to become prominent in Japan, along with the ubiquity of home Television sets, which saw exponential sales from a few thousands to two million during the mid to late 1960's. As a result, Japan's successful film industry became short-lived, as less and less people flocked out to the theaters due to the lack of popularity of the establishments comparative to the United States. The company that released Gojira, Toho and its director Ishirō Honda, began catering to the lowest common-denominator, not filling their follow-up efforts to Godzilla with thought-provoking commentary on Japanese culture and topical events, but instead, loading them with the kind of cheesiness and glitz expected to attract young children or a late-night audience. The Godzilla films became more concerned with the sounds-and-lights aesthetic, ridiculous and often ludicrous monsters that were totally geared towards selling action figures, and a line of comic books and video games to license the everlasting hell out of Godzilla name.

This kind of franchise and international ubiquity obscured the original film not only for its datedness but made its justifications for social commentary laughable to those uninformed about Japanese culture at the time . This is one of the many things licensing does to hurt a brand or product in the long-term sense, for it alienates consumers because they can't seem to escape it no matter which way they turn, but the reasons for the greatness of the original product become lessened or forgotten due to the constant influx of new material related to the original work.

Gojira may find itself crude in parts, with its assembly of miniatures optimistically passing off as a rogue monstrosity devastating a large community, or its evident aspects showcasing overacting, but it's nonetheless enjoyable on an entertainment level and thoughtful on a commentary-level. This is one of the few films that can be so relevant and topical while playing one of the most simplistic but effective instrumental tracks, and that in its own right is uncommonly beautiful.

Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, and Takashi Shimura. Directed by: Ishirō Honda.

This is it; the original Japanese version of "Gojira" (aka "Godzilla"), the film that introduced the now-legendary movie monster. But does the movie have anything to offer besides a man in a rubber suit stomping all over a miniature version of Tokyo? I think so.

It isn't too surprising that the film is actually a thinly-veiled allegory for the threat of the escalating weapons race circa 1954. After all, other sci-fi films of the era covered similar ground. However, what I find interesting about this film is how it gives equal consideration to both sides of the argument.

The script does a good job of building suspense around the creature until we get to his inevitable rampage. From that point on I find that the action flags a little but that may be due in part to the sometimes unconvincing special effects. Then again, what do you expect from a 54 year old monster movie from Japan? The miniatures often look like miniatures and Godzilla is, after all, a guy in a rubber suit. Nevertheless, while the effects aren't even as convincing as 1933's "King Kong" I think that they still hold a certain charm.

The cast isn't bad and it does include Takashi Shimura of "Seven Samurai" fame. The acting didn't grab my attention much but, then again, I couldn't exactly catch every nuance while paying attention to the subtitles at the same time. Ishirô Honda's direction is solid and the Akira Ifukube score provides pretty good support to the action. I thought that the sound was a bit sub-par at times, though.

Ultimately, "Gojira" is worth watching despite its rudimentary special effects. In my mind, it's the underlying symbolism that makes the film special. By the way, forget about the American-ized version, "Godzilla, King of the Monsters"; it's a sometimes clumsy reworking that ignores most of the original film's complexity.

The original Japanese version of Godzilla is a breathtaking classic. A giant monster is awaken by the over abundance of nuclear radiation and goes on a rampage across Japan. What follows is an unforgettable experience that stands as the greatest giant monster film of all time, if one does not count King Kong that is.

Japan was best fit to make a film about the effects of nuclear radiation since they had experience the atomic bomb first hand nearly a decade earlier. It was a powerful statement for the time. I really wish more people would give this movie a chance and realize how smart it is.

Besides the powerful message, the film is best known for its pioneering special effects. Yes, by today's standards, the suits and miniatures are pretty archaic. But they still look great over sixty years later. The destruction that Godzilla causes is both exciting and horrifying. Few monster movies have the emotion and smarts that this one has. Of course, their is the monster himself. What a sight. The design has changed greatly over the years but this one is the most iconic of course. The menacing eyes, roar and towering size make him a sight to behold. I highly recommend checking out the behind the scenes features that talk about the making of the famous suit, it's really interesting.

Then there's the most underrated part of the movie, the cast. Most Godzilla fans will recognize Akira Takarada as the lead. He's very good here and would continue to Star in the series for many years. The biggest name here is Takashi Shimura. He's of course best known for appearing in several Akira Kurosawa classics such as Seven Samurai and Ikiru.

Godzilla gets a bad rep because of some mediocre to atrocious sequels with some gems here and there. But the original stands above them like a atomic breath breathing monster. Godzilla is essential cinema that can be enjoyed for many different reasons.

Essentially a Japanese remake of Hollywood's 1953 classic 'The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms', 'Gojira' took the same formula and became so much more than simple giant-monster entertainment.

Both films told stories about a pre-historic creature released/mutated by atomic testing. 'The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms' followed the appearance of a dinosaur released by an atomic blast. This dinosaur proceeded to destroy some stuff, turned up in New York, and destroyed New York too. Fun, but that was it, and not much more (I'm not saying its a bad film).

On the other hand, 'Gojira' used the same idea, and had a great impact in Japan. Gojira represented a real threat, a danger that Japanese of the time knew all too well. The message behind 'Gojira' was warning of the dangers of nuclear testing and nuclear weapons. Conversely, the message of 'The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms' is one for aspiring comic-book writers: exposure to radiation is a cheap but easy way to explain your character's freaky superpowers.

'Gojira' starts off with several boats going missing. One old man claims that Godzilla has returned, and in surprisingly un-Godzilla movie like fashion, no one believes him. I can understand this, Japan wasn't accustomed to giant-monster attacks yet. Anyway, Japan asks an imminent paleontologist, Dr. Yamane, to investigate the disappearances around Ohto Island. He discovers a two-million year old shellfish and lots of radiation. Oh, and a dinosaur the locals have dubbed Gojira. Back in Japan, Dr. Yamane is convinced that Gojira has been released by atomic testing, and that it should be isolated and studied. Obviously, no one else shares his view, and they all look for a way to destroy Gojira.

The key to Gojira's destruction lies in the hands of Dr. Serizawa. You can tell he is mad scientist because of his eye-patch. He is arranged to be married to Emiko Yamane, but she is in love with Hideto Ogata, a naval officer. Meanwhile, Gojira is turning Tokyo into a fiery crater.

Story-wise, its pretty similar to any irradiated monster movie of the 1950s. However, what all the other movies lack is the gripping images of destruction. Gojira is depicted as an evil force of nature - instead of wanting to see cities get crushed, we see Tokyo in Gojira's wake: it resembles a nuclear wasteland, and then we are treated to hospital scenes where medical staff try their best to deal with the scores of Gojira's victims. I can only imagine how terrifying scenes like those would have been so soon after World War Two. These are scenes we don't to see, in contrast to the sheer joy of watching two giant monsters have at each other in a big metropolis with no apparent consequences (see: nearly every other Godzilla movie ever made, for starters) Interestingly enough, Godzilla was only 50 metres tall in this, and he left radioactive fallout wherever he went. Somewhere along the along the line in the following movies, he got significantly taller, and lost the radioactive fallout. I guess it was a good career move seeing as he wanted to become a super-hero later on.

Great film, worthy of a 10/10

Pure classic sci-fi horror monster! I don't know how they made some of it seem so real, it's a wild gritty epic gargantua. The destruction was done so well and the emotions were admirable!

America had to wait fifty years to see the original version of Gojira in all its terrifying glory. This is not a user-friendly, action romp giant-monster film. This is the story of an unstoppable, destructive force unleashed on a city, its aftermath, and the impossibly hard choices people must make in response.

Of course, nearly every U.S. giant-monster fan has seen the recut-for-Americans version of this classic, with Raymond Burr sharing scenes with the backs of various anonymous heads standing in for members of the Japanese cast. And while we all feel affection for that version, the truth is, compared to the original, "our" version loses much of its impact, and stands revealed as an act of vandalism which sadly underestimates the tolerance of the American audience.

Truly a cut above every other kaiju ever made, this is the one to see. Trust me, you won't miss Raymond Burr a bit.

"Gojira" is the original Godzilla film although viewers outside Japan may remember "Godzilla, King of the Monsters", which was dubbed in English and included tacked in scenes featuring Raymond Burr supposedly to make the film more palatable to Western audiences. The story is simple: an immense, unstoppable monster rises from the abyss, destroys cities while shrugging off mankind's puny weapons, only to be ultimately stopped by a revolutionary new weapon. Filmed less than 10 years after the end of the Second World War, there is much speculation that 'Gojira', born in radioactive fire, is a metaphor for American militarism. There are numerous references to the war and, in the film, much of Tokyo is destroyed by fire, as was the case in 1944/45. There is no point in discussing the history of the film as there are books on the Godzilla phenomenon, several excellent featurettes accompanying some of the DVD releases, a detailed trivia section on IMDb, and numerous informative web-sites devoted to the character and his/her/its film legacy. Suffice to say, "Gojira" is a great film and well worth watching, whether as stand-alone entertainment, as the initial entry into a long and constantly changing series of films, or as a key chapter in the history of Japanese cinema. IMO, best watched in Japanese (with subtitles if necessary).

So this is where it all started!

Of course, as Godzilla is my all-time favorite character, I admit to being raised on the heavily edited US version starring Raymond Burr. But when viewing this film in its original form, it not only looks more like a Golden Age Toho fantasy as we all know it, but it's a very powerful masterpiece, as it stands in the history of world cinema. Here in 2004, 50 years ago today after its release, American audiences finally get to see the film in its entirety, thanks to its long-awaited subtitled theatrical release by Rialto Pictures.

Technically, Japanese monster movies began with the now-lost 1934 period fantasy, KING KONG HAS ARRIVED IN EDO (EDO NI ARAWARETA KINGU KONGU), which was obviously produced upon the success of the 1933 American classic, KING KONG. But it was GODZILLA (or GOJIRA as the Japanese call him) that truly made it over. Clearly inspired by the success of the 1953 hit, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (released to Japan by Daiei early the same year), with a bit of KONG thrown in, Toho set out to make their own monster movie, not knowing that they would create a phenomenon that would last to this day!

What more can I say? This movie pretty much set the standard for Japanese monster movies as we all know! Watching the Japanese version is an amazing experience, and a hauntingly epic one!

The special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, as low-tech as they were, had minor flaws (notably visible wires and missiles shooting against a background), but even for a first try in the monster genre, they still looked spectacular, as is the photography! Even though the effects work improved in future films, this is still the landmark of things to come.

The music by Akira Ifukube is memorable. From his stirring main title music, to Godzilla's destructive, ponderous theme music, to the poignant ending. Again, Ifukube's work for this film sets the standard for his work in the fantasy film genre.

The main cast is top-notch, as you'd expect. Akira Takarada (20 at the time) stars as salvage officer Hideto Ogata, the main character. Veteran actor Takashi Shimura plays Dr. Kyouhei Yamane, the eccentric paleontologist, who serves as the Godzilla-expert. Momoko Kouchi plays Yamane's daughter Emiko, who's in love with Ogata. But the best character by far (and my all-time favorite human character in a Godzilla film) is the tormented, eyepatch-clad scientist Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, played by Akihiko Hirata. When watching the Japanese version, other supporting characters share the spotlight, especially the newspaper reporter Hagiwara (Sachio Sakai), radiologist Tanabe (Fuyuki Murakami), the Ooto Island fisherman Masaji (Ren Yamamoto) and his younger brother Shinkichi (Toyoaki Suzuki). They just come off as mere background characters in the US version, but if you watch the Japanese original, you'll be totally surprised. Their performances were really dazzling, just like you'd expect from actors in a Toho fantasy film. Some of these actors would appear in future Godzilla films, as well as other SPFX fantasies from Toho.

Compared to other incarnations, this film (as well as GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN) had the creepiest Godzilla ever, and that was just the way he was supposed to be! Almost like a black silhouette with bright, white staring eyes. Godzilla was not just a mere animal, he was basically a modern god! A raging, destructive demon with the power of the hydrogen bomb that affected him. Although Godzilla is inspired by the Rhedosaurus from BEAST, he was a completely different entity. He was virtually indestructible, and had an awesome power - a white-hot atomic breath! Godzilla became the archetype for many Japanese giant monsters to follow.

But exactly what is Godzilla? As explained in this film (it's explained better in the Japanese version), he's a huge amphibious bipedal dinosaur that lives in caverns under the sea, feeding off of smaller sea animals. He was feared as a "god" on Ooto Island, and many young virgin women were sacrificed to him to appease his hunger. Hydrogen bomb tests affected his habitat, giving him unbelievable radioactive power & strength (and a towering size of 50 meters, 164 feet). And a sleeping giant was awakened . . .

Makes you think more about those nuclear tests, doesn't it?

Lastly, while the Japanese original played out more smoothly, the American version starring Raymond Burr (of PERRY MASON fame) as the visiting American reporter Steve Martin (not to be confused with the famous comedian!) is still very effective. The epic scale of the original still manages to shine through what the US producers could allow, and Burr (who was hired for a whole day for filming the added scenes) still did a serviceable job. American fans of the original version can at least be thankful for this US version, without which America could not accept Godzilla.

As for the movie's story, I'd rather not go into it in detail. If you haven't seen it, please do so! Be it the original Japanese version (which I recommend the most, especially subtitled), or the edited US version!

Here's to 50 years of a classic movie, and a classic character I will love forever!

Gozilla has always been a figure in my childhood and was the first monster in film I've ever seen, I remember when I was 7 the concept of a big monster rolling in to destroy your hometown kinda terrified me, who the heck wouldn't be afraid of something as big as a dinosaur trying to destroy you. But at the same time couldn't help but be amazed at the same time because your seeing something big just tear down structures that over tower you, there's something strangely gratifying about that. This film was the first and in my book is still the best, it's also one of my favorite movies in general.

Despite how old this version is, I still think it's holds up the best because it's doing it's own thing and back then it was never sought to be a franchise. Here this is a straight forward sci-fi horror that pretty much fits in with a long line of the sci-fi in the 50's like "The Thing from Another World" and many others back when there were Movie Drive Ins (damn I miss them).

Everything about this film for me is great, I do love the special effects because their practical. I really liked the construction of the miniatures, you buy that their the actual buildings. Well OK, in some places you can tell one or two are miniatures, same could be said even in the latter films but I feel in a strange way that's part of the film's charm, giving it an almost a small light hearted sensibility let alone at least with the miniature they tried, much like in the effects for those amateur web series like "Video Game High School".

However I really like the destruction effects which are very cool because like I sad practical, all those models/miniatures that you see blown away are all real pyrotechnics.

But the main attraction is Godzilla himself whom doesn't disappoint and still doesn't to this day, I really like the old design of the costume, the make up affects I thought were fantastic, he looks shaped almost like and looks a bit like a T-Rex but with reptilian features to make him unique enough and stand out on his own. He's both really cool but at the same time really menacing where one look at him could make anyone almost nervous.

And the features like the growl which to this day still would shake anyones boots, there is almost a strange emotional sensibility about it as it seems like a growl of angry but also immense pain which almost gives the creature a sympathetic sensibility. And just seeing him just deconstruct Tokyo is a lot of fun and a bit scary at the same time, the fun of seeing him destroy the city is almost like how any kid would play with building blocks building tall structures and then just knocking them down. And my favorite feature is the radioactive breath which is cool, much like a dragon with it's breath of fire.

The human characters are solid they serve their functions, however the one that stands out is Professor Tomoe whom is a sympathetic and tragic human protagonist, whom has a weapon that can possibility destroy Godzilla but it could also do great damage to mankind whoever hands possess it. It pretty much the damned if you do, damned if you don't dilemma, either way your kinda fraked.

But what I also love the most is the music, the theme song is one of my favorite theme songs of all time, it fits with the character as it has an epic and menacing tone. And the cinematography is excellent, it has a documentary style to it which really adds to the darkness of this film because it gives it almost a sense of reality. One of the series of shots that stands out was seeing the aftermath of the destruction. Unlike most super sized foe films or even comic book films, those series of shots shows how the dire consequences of that destruction. As we see the amount of casualties there are, some people even a little girl has severe burns, I'll admit seeing those images was a bit shocking and sad. It really makes you concerned about the lives of everyone in Tokyo real made you feel what's happening matters and also made you question may'be even a little ashamed at some of the joy you took from the demolition scenes, hence the reality of destruction it's never without consequences.

However what makes this Gozilla to me stand apart from the rest is just the fact that this wasn't really meant to be just a fun and games monster fest like the rest in the series were but it actually had some substance and heart.

The film was also meant to be a metaphor on the fear of our sick and addictive need for weponization and progress and paying the price for it in the aftermath. Or how something we don't entirely understand or control in science will eventually destroy us. But also our conflicting dynamic between savagery and civility, from the weapons that we currently create and the gratification we sometimes get from destruction shows despite how many rules and advancements we've made in time, deep down we still might be bloodthirsty savages.

Godzilla has made a big impression on Tokyo and our hearts.

Rating: 4 stars

American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast.

Sadly, I saw the American version of this film before I saw the Japanese. This may not be uncommon, but is incredibly unfortunate -- the monster appears slower in the original Japanese version, which builds more suspense, and the plot is much deeper. Say what you will about deeper meaning in film, but there is much more of a message in the original, which is what makes it the classic it is.

This version also actually features the Japanese cast rather than trying to minimize their participation. As silly as it sounds with a story based in Tokyo, the American version tried its best to remove these characters and still tell the tale.

GOJIRA (GODZILLA) is so different, sans the inserted Raymond Burr action / narration sequences. Telling its own story, minus an American perspective is refreshing, especially after having seen only the Burr version for so many years. It is far more clear that the titular mega-monster is a metaphor for nuclear holocaust and its aftermath.

World War II was still very fresh in the Japanese mind, and Director Ishiro Honda took that darkness in the collective psyche, and unleashed it on the screen! It's also great to watch a serious film about the atomic lizard, before his entering into the realm of films geared almost exclusively toward children. Though, as a kid, I loved all of the GODZILLA movies, they were mostly fluff, and took on no deep issues. In this way, GOJIRA stands alone as a true classic of the "giant monster" sub-genre...

Director of special effects for this movie Eiji Tsuburaya, (he was the first of his kind in Japan) once commented in an interview that ever since he saw King Kong, he wanted to make a movie just like it. He got his chance in this movie made 20 years later. Tsuburaya commented on the hardship he encountered when he tried to make the first Godzilla suit when right kinds of foam and rubber materials were not yet abundantly available in Japan at the time. He mentioned that he even used concrete to make part of the suit. Eiji Tsuburaya is also the inventor of the blue screen technique which later evolved into today's green screen technique. Modern movie owes Tsuburaya a lot for his pioneering works. Many people mistakenly credit Inoshiro Honda for the fantastic action scenes in this movie but it was Tsuburaya who did the work. Tsuburaya later went on to invent other characters such as "Rodan" and the original "Ultraman" series which is still popular today.

I was raised on the American version of this movie starring Raymond Burr and didn't even know that another "original" version of this movie existed until recently (thanks to IMDb). I ordered the video from Japan and got to see it for the first time as it was created. After seeing this movie, I can now tell the discontinuity in the American version of Godzilla where Dr. Yamane mentions about Godzilla (in Japanese) before it shows up.

This was the first Godzilla movie and it still holds up after 50 years, and what's even more remarkable is the fact that it's still the most realistic rendition of the monster. The production value have never been matched in this genre until the release of "Gamera 1999, Revenge of Iris" in my opinion.

I give it a "9" because acting of Momoko Kochi and other actors are bit spotty, but Kochi made good later by studying hard to become a good stage actress in Shakespearian play, and became one of the best actress in Japan. Kochi also appears in her final role before her death in 1995's "Godzilla vs Destroiya" reprising her role as Emiko Yamane.

Gojira (not Godzilla, King of the Monsters, with Raymond Burr), stands as one of the best monster movies...and one of Japan's finest and most allegory pieces of cinema. The original version of the movie has a lot of anti-nuclear sentiment that the US editors dropped from the Raymond Burr version. A woman on a subway noting that is seemed like she survived Nagaski only to die from Godzilla is an offhand but telling comment on Japan's unique view of the use of nuclear weapons.

The story itself is makes a bit more sense than the patchwork used with Raymond Burr (though that version is also quite good for the genre that it helps perpetuate). The effects are (I think) still great...the grainy, documentary feel of the movie makes it seem a lot more real.

Damn perfect monster chaos. It's easy to look at all the Godzilla references in popular culture and forget the social relevance of the original. It's a wonderfully constructed film, that makes the existence of this monster important. If any country knows the horror of nuclear weapons it's Japan. Here they express concerns over continuing tests, without wallowing in self pity or reverting to anti-American propaganda. This film genuinely looks at the humans as a single race, and how Godzilla's existence will impact the world. Godzilla is kept off screen for quite some time, allowing for the mystery and suspense to build. It also introduces us to a range of interesting characters and relationships, giving us that human connection essential to a monster movie. Reporters, politicians, scientists are all represented, but not in the usual clichéd ways. Hirata plays the most interesting character, a man whom develops a weapon to destroy Godzilla, which is just as destructive as the one that created him. His morals in using such a weapon are well played out and add to a beautiful finale. The final scenes are scored with such serene bittersweet sounds, it really emphasizes the emotional battle going on. Sound effects are lowered at this point, as Godzilla and his human enemies come into conflict, without resorting to a battle. It's a sad moment that begs the question "Why must all movies be loud an obnoxious these days?". The model work is brilliant, as is Godzilla in his suit. People would seem to prefer a CGI creation to a man in a suit these days, but this suit looks real, the threat is really destroying these buildings. It may look ridiculous sometimes, but in black and white it's hard to tell. You can criticize the science all you want, but it's much more important to this viewer to make sure you have interesting and engaging events, plus characters.

First we had King Kong (1933), one of the most important and first large monster films, than we had giant insects... the point in which you thought that all large monster films are gonna die... but, no worries, Japanese are always there to save the day. Godzilla (1954), is bigger, badder, better, meaner, faster, and more artistic than any other monster films. It's the movie that sets some new standards.

The film was based upon the story of Shigeru Kayama "Gojira" from the words "gorilla" and "kujira" (whale). It's without any doubt one of the most significant SF films in Japanese cinema, and we have a proved fact that this movie has a large number of sequels, a US remake, an animated series and we are expecting something new. This movie of Inoshiro Honda is based upon foundation of already tried stories: A large monster suddenly comes alive, and it's growing in catastrophe for human civilization. You can easily say that the story motives are the same just like in the Frankenstein (1932), for example... But Japanese view of these thing is different. Godzilla is not appearing for some purpose, he is there only for the plot, he is an unstoppable, blind force ready for destruction, and there's also a human's error of his interfere in nature, so by the looks of things, the large monster is some kind of "payback" from mother nature.

The movie has good acting crew, excellent direction, an inspiring and brilliant music score by Akira Ifukube, who also made Godzilla roars, the special effects were also great, done by Eiiji Tsuburaya. And from this moment, this movie is a great inspiration to many more monster films... we are expecting more today.