Gojira
By: themovielordDate: Friday, December 21, 2007
The original version of the king of all monsters recently came out in a beautiful special edition DVD. Having never seen the one that started it all I was immediately interested in seeing ‘Gojira’. After all the original monster movie is always far better to it’s sequels or spin off. Gojira is no exception.
When a giant lizard destroys several fishing boats, the government calls a young scientist for a help, but he is afraid that his new invention will be used not only to stop the beast but be a new weapon that could bring about another world war.
The film came out a couple of years after World War 2 and there is this immediate fear and concern with atomic energy and radiation. Scientists are experimenting with it and people are still trying to understand it. The term in Hollywood for this kind of film was called “Atomic Age” films. These films always had a scientist, a hero, and a giant creature. The incredible thing about ‘Gojira’ is that it is from Japan. A foreign film circa 1954 that was completely in tone with what Hollywood was doing. However, being that the film is Japanese, the fear and concern about radiation seems to have a poignancy that doesn’t exist in American films.
This film was a treat to watch. It wasn’t like so many of the Godzilla films I had seen on Sunday mornings (guys in rubber suits destroying miniature cities). There was a love story at the heart of ‘Gojira’ between the scientist and his betrothed. These actors delivered believable performances that got through the language barrier.
Godzilla films are not for everyone. If you are up for something a little different, watch the original Godzilla film, ‘Gojira’, and see where it all started.
Click here to read the staff review by Mania.
