Gojira
Directed by:
Ishirō HondaComposer:
Akira IfukubeCast:
Takashi Shimura, 菅井きん, Ishirō Honda, Kenji Sahara, Momoko Kôchi, Akira Takarada, Akihiko Hirata, Fuyuki Murakami, Tadashi Okabe, Toranosuke Ogawa, Seijirô Onda (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships explode and are sunk. At first the authorities think its either underwater mines or underwater volcanic activity. The authorities soon head to Odo Island, close to where several of the ships were sunk. One night, something comes onshore and destroys several houses and kills several people. A later expedition to the island led by paleontologist Professor Kyohei Yemani, his daughter Emiko and a young navy frogman Hideto Ogata soon discover something more devastating than imagined in the form of a 150 foot tall monster whom the natives call Gojira. Now the monster begins a rampage that threatens to destroy not only Japan, but the rest of the world as well. Can the monster be destroyed before it is too late and what role will the mysterious Serizawa play in the battle? (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (3)
In terms of visual effects, this oversized lizard can’t hold a candle to the twenty (!) years older King Kong, but I can’t deny it three things: a good story with a still relevant idea, absolutely great music, and a nice, though nowadays not very scary atmosphere.
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1) GOJIRA - ORIGINAL SHOWA SERIES 1954-1974. The classic monster-movie that started the franchise and destined Ishiro Honda to become the most famous Godzilla filmmaker. The Hiroshima complex is quite evident, with Godzilla serving as an allegory for the atomic bomb that destroys all life within its reach. The attributes are typical of the genre: there is a romantic duo, a geeky scientist and determined generals, but the effects are very decent for their time. These and the large number of extras testify that the first Godzilla was a big-budget film. The first half is a gradual building of tension, stemming from the fear of unknown danger. Then comes the demolition, but of course we're talking about an actor in a rubber suit and models of houses that aren't yet as eye-popping as in the sequels. The sequel, given the great audience response, did not have to wait long.
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I'm ashamed to admit that I grew up with Emmerich's Godzilla, and I've only just now got around to the original film. The original Gojira looks quite ridiculous in many places for a modern viewer, and time has certainly managed to take its toll on the film in the decades since its premiere. Nevertheless, it's still a technically accomplished kaiju film that offers more than one impressive scene, presenting the most famous giant monster in cinema history to the big screen. Whether it's the iconic "roar", the atomic breath, the city-destroying scenes or the "oxygen destroyer", Honda's Godzilla has a "vintage" charm all its own.
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