Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla (1954) is the original and definitive Godzilla movie. Made less than 10 years after the end of WWII, it carries a heavier emotional weight than the Godzilla movies that would follow. Before the high-fiving, boxing anti-hero and sometimes protector of Japan came this vengeful terror. This Godzilla was a fearsome indictment of man’s lack of humanity.

The miniatures were more intricate and had more detail than other Godzilla movies. This movie did a good job of interspersing people with the miniatures to give us a vested interest in their lives and sorrow when an unforgiving monster sent them to their doom. When Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath, the results were tragic and all too real whether it be on humans or property. As the citizens and military waited for Godzilla’s arrival, the tension was palpable. The carnage was unflinchingly shown as Godzilla cut through the city with his slow, unmerciful gait.

Dr. Serizawa, played by Hirata Akihiko, had developed his own terrifying weapon and refused to use it for fear it would fall into the wrong hands. Ultimately, he had to decide whether to deploy his weapon to stop the immediate destruction being rained down on his country or to withhold it for fear of unimaginable destruction that could take place if people were to use it as a weapon against other people.

The movie is not perfect, there is a love triangle even in Godzilla. The story can bounce around. The acting style is dated, but didn’t distract from the actors expressing the emotions the characters were feeling. The special effects were exemplary for 1954, viewers expecting spectacular CGI will be disappointed.

Whether conveying the urgency of people fleeing or ominously announcing the arrival of Godzilla, Ifukube Akira’s score was spot on.

My rating reflects how I rate movies and dramas. Only my first love in a particular genre receives a 10, the one that all other movies in that genre will be judged against. Godzilla who meshes the prehistoric with the modern and forces us to look back on the consequences of society’s actions is far deeper than a giant lizard destroying a city. Thus far, no other Kaiju has measured up to the original Godzilla’s standard.

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Really Good

This is my first time watching anything Godzilla and I really enjoyed it. I have seen modern tokusatsu but this is also a first for anything pre-2000. I recommend this to anyone as it has a great story and a really somber tone

Story
This was a very enjoyable story plot. It is very appropriate for the time it came out, only 9 years after the end of WWII. It might be a slow burn but it is sure to have an impact.

Acting
I really enjoyed the acting for the leads. It wasn't as good as acting in modern-day shows but I think acting was different at that period of time so it okay.

Music
The soundtrack of this movie was really well put. It added an appropriate tone to the sense and made everything feel the importance and grandeur of the moment.

Rewatch
I can say that I would probably rewatch this at some point, especially since I plan to watch some more movies from Godzilla and I might need a refresh of the one that started it all.

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The movie that started it all, and still stands strong today.

Godzilla (1954) is not just an important movie for pop culture, but also one that delivers a strong message that still resonates with audiences today.

The history and inspiration for this film and its creature creation are fascinating. This movie was released barely ten years after the events of the Second World War, and offers commentary on a post-war Japan which is still left with the after-effects of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The now iconic monster Godzilla was intended as a metaphor for nuclear weapons, and in this 1954 movie we see him as a force of nature fighting back against the humans which disturbed the natural order of things during their war.

Godzilla (1954) poses many questions to its viewer, both to an audience in the 50's and to one today. We have characters that wish to see nothing but the destruction of this creature, as it threatens and destroys everything they know. Some characters wish it no harm and want to study it, amazed by both its ability to survive and adapt to nuclear attack and also the fact that it even exists at all. There are characters who create weapons that rival the power of an H Bomb, and are posed with the decision of hiding such research away out of fear for what it falling into the wrong hands will do, or using it to save Japan and, potentially, the world.

The film from a production point of view is a product of its time, yet a strong one. For one it is entirely in black and white, which may already put some viewers off if they're not used to this. But considering the technology of the 50's I'd have to say the set, prop and costume design are strong. Scenes where Godzilla destroys the city hold up well, and the miniatures and costuming of the creature are perhaps still some of the best in those Godzilla movies that use practical effects. I'd say the lack of colour also adds to this, and acts as an aid to the movie's overall tone and mood.

All in all, Godzilla (1954) is one of - if not the - essential movie to watch for any Godzilla fan. After all, if it wasn't for this masterpiece of cinema, we wouldn't have equally as wonderful movies that follow in its predecessors' footsteps - such as Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi's 2016 Shin Godzilla, or Takashi Yamazaki's more recent 2023 stand-out entry to the franchise, Godzilla Minus One.

*Additional note for any who read this review and are interested in watching Godzilla (1954) because of it, please be aware that the 1956 American and International versions of this film were heavily edited and cut, including scenes with Canadian Actor Raymond Burr, and retitled Godzilla, King of the Monsters! Until 2004, this was the only version of the movie that existed internationally outside of Japan in any official capacity. Do check which version you have before watching, as much is lost in the Americanization compared to the original version of the movie.

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