Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

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Arrow
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Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Arrow »

Godzilla aka Gojira or Godzilla King of the Monsters.

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I saw these on MZ and I figured we could have them here since I didn't see anything against them. Since we all have our different takes on each movie, I figure a thread on the Godzilla movies wouldn't be a bad idea.

It's pretty obvious how these work. Just discuss the movie present in the title - anything about it at all. Feel free to love it, hate it, praise it, and criticize it. Discuss its impact on the genre, on other Godzilla films, and on popular culture.

So with that, we make our way to Godzilla's first film and, arguably, his most important.

Godzilla (1954)!

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Hedorah »

It's impact on the genre....it MADE the genre basically along with the original King Kong
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by HayesAJones »

It's a masterpiece. It created the kaiju genre and introduced my favorite film charcter ever to the world. And it's really less of a monster film than an anti-war drama.

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by ZigraDude »

It's a great film and just about everything is well-done. It started one of the most famous and long-running franchises of all-time so of course it has cultural significance. Plus, it's also my favorite Godzilla movie.

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Legionmaster »

When talking about a genre, I think it's important to distinguish the Japanese kajiu films with the blanket genre of monster movies. Kong, the Lost World, Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, and even Dracula and Frankenstein are where the monster movies started. The genre as a whole began there. Gojira founded the genre in Japan, which has grown its own cultural signature since then, along with other East Asian cinema.
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by g2kmaster »

I give it a 9/10. Human drama, sub text, allegory, and some points of the Japanese aesthetic really makes the film pretty bitchin. Not to mention a good city destruction sequence that lasts for likt 5+ minutes.

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by GotengoXGodzilla »

[i[Gojira[/i] was the film that started everything for monster films in Japan. It jump started the career's of Honda, Tsuburaya, Tanaka, Ifukube and more. It created my favorite movie monster of all time, and it brought monster films to a new land. Plus, the film was pretty damn good to boot. It really had everything that I wanted.
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by tokyostateofmind »

This movie surely has changed the world as we know it. This movie was revolutionary then, as it is now. So many filmmakers have been inspired by it and have made amazing movies that we all have learned to love. The world owes a lot to this movie. A giant crunch of modern history would be missing and radically different without Gojira.

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by OptimusPrimevs.g »

A movie to take sort of serious to. Like at the hospital with all the death and dying people is really serious and a glimpse at what it might have been like after the bombing a Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This movie should be the thing to remember Godzilla as in the future, as a message about the horrors of the atomic bomb and not as a children's hero or a crappy iguana. I loved the movie when I first saw it and wasn't scared at all.
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by godzilla1996 »

As far as the movie is concerned, while it's not my all-time favorite I do recognize it's importance. It really is a masterpiece.
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by DaikaijuSokogeki! »

One of the most gripping and powerful films of '50s Japanese cinema. The American version, while competent, truly does the source material little justice. Truly one of my favorite Godzilla films even though I tend to prefer the more, how would you say, stupid ones.

A must-watch.

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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Hellblaze »

This was my first movie I saw of Godzilla when I became a fan and to everyone it's one of the best movies. I have the Gojira DVD and watched both including the info how they made the movie. Still to me its one of my favorite Godzilla movies and #1. Good movie and the movie that changed all of monster movies. He is King of the Monsters!!! :D
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Re: Talkback Thread #1: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Mini-Godzilla »

Japanese Version:
Despite its often-shaky science, this movie still holds up as the classic Japanese monster movie. It takes the U.S. sci-fi flicks' fear of the bomb and enhances it with the first-hand knowledge of the only nation to experience the horror in reality. The suit and other effects still hold up, allowing Godzilla to come off as a true symbol of terror rather than as a goofy suit actor.

Burr-ified Version:
While inferior to its source material, this Americanized version actually enhances the documentary style feel and masterfully incorporates a subplot that would have been anything but seamless in inferior hands. Raymond Burr is fun as he watches the havok wrought by a "big...and terrible!" monster.
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Talkback: Godzilla (1954)

Post by Blackout286 »

I just finished watching the original Japanese cut of the film aand I have to say, that it was a lot more clear than the American version in most cases. Dr. Serizawa's torment over his destruction creation and how it was a weapon on par of that to the Atomic Bomb, "bombs vs bombs, missiles vs missiles, and now a super destructive weapon to throw upon us all.", the original version held much more depth.

Emiko's father, Dr. Yamane truly wanted to study Godzilla and obviously had a deep interest within the creature by how upset he became when Tokyo only wanted to kill Godzilla, and how even more upset he became when Ogata agreed with the notion that Godzilla should be killed/destroyed. Heh, felt a bit sorry since Ogata pretty much messed up his shot at asking Dr. Yamane his permission to taking Emiko as his bride and all.

Odo Island was slightly much more explored, in a detailing way. Can't really explain it, but it held something that the American version lacked in that department imo.

Of course, the American Version isn't all that bad, I still love it even though the story was being told through the eyes of a American reporter. But looking at it all now, the edited things within the movie did make some things confusing. But with the Raymond Burr Narration and all, it wasn't that much confusing.

But I am stumped on one thing, why was the U.S given a edited version? And not the original take?

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Re: Just finished watching Gojira, the Japanese Version

Post by JVM »

^ This was the early 1950s, when the Cold War was young and Americans were paranoid about the Soviet Union and communism, and as a result tried as hard as possible to push the idea on to itself that America was the best country in the damn world. This was also, mind you, right after WWII, after we'd sent Japanese U. S. citizens into camps to investigate. There was still a slight persistence of anti-Japanese thought.

It was Americanized probably as a combination of those two issues.
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Re: Just finished watching Gojira, the Japanese Version

Post by Legionmaster »

JVM wrote:It was Americanized probably as a combination of those two issues.
Uh, it had more to do with the "GIANT MONSTERS=CHEESEY B-MOVIE" mentality of Hollywood at that time.
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Re: Just finished watching Gojira, the Japanese Version

Post by edgaguirus »

It was felt that the Japanese version would have a limited appeal. To give it wider appeal for American audiences Raymond Burr was brought on and extra scenes shot for GKotM.
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Re: Just finished watching Gojira, the Japanese Version

Post by Guardian7 »

There was still a lot of hate for the Japanese... that was in part why they did indeed cut out the parts that basically bashed America.
It that time in American... it would not have been appreciated at all if we were made to look like the jackasses we were for dropping those bombs.
It was still a very sensitive subject for both Americans and the Japanese.

I am not sure how much of the Cheese factor could be considered legitimate... THEM! wasn't cheesy.

ANYHOW...
The Japanese version is an incredibly epic film.
The under current story it tells beyond Godzilla is very awesome.
Some of the best Human interest aspects of ANY Giant Monster film.
Plus Godzilla was a total monster and easily disliked.
His destruction of Japan was total and he deserved his ending.

Amazing Movie. Completely on Par with King Kong.

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Thoughts on Godzilla (1954)

Post by Kameba90 »

I just watched Godzilla King of the Monsters last night for the first time probably since I was in high school. Being as I currently have a much better grasp on concepts surrounding WWII, the atomic bombs, human suffering, and the history of Southeast Asia, I must say I was really struck by the gravity of the film. In comparison to other G-films which display mass amounts of human casualties, mainly Godzilla vs. Hedorah and GMK, I think the images in this movie of Godzilla killing thousands of helpless civilians from virtually no provocation remain the most jarring.
Of course, most G-fans realize that Godzilla was originally a testament to the horrors of the atom bombs, but the weight of such a statement never really sank in for me until now. It also helps paint the torment of conflict within Dr. Serizawa, who must decide between allowing the continued destruction of his country and revealing to the world a weapon just as destructive as those of nuclear origin.
So what are other people's thoughts on the original film as far as how serious it is? Does the film act as a message about crimes against humanity, or is it just a fun sci-fi flick?
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Re: Thoughts on Godzilla (1954)

Post by Kubo »

This is a drama/horror more than anything else. I will almost never call this a Sci-fi movie, mainly because it lacks any cheesy elements whatsoever. Also, it tends to develop the human characters and how they cope with the situation (Serizawa especially).

Anyone else think that choir scene was eerie? :|
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