THN’s Godzilla Countdown #1: Godzilla (1954)

On 16th May 2014, Toho’s greatest monster will return to the big screen in an American reboot. With just 29 weeks to go, we here at THN are beginning our GODZILLA Countdown.

Director: Ishiro Honda

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Achihiko Hirata, Haruo Nakajima, Raymond Burr (Americanised Version Only),

Plot: Strange goings on in the seas of Japan lead to missing ships and very little fish. Investigations soon hint towards the existence of a giant lizard known as Gojira, awakened by H-bomb testing and very angry indeed.

The year was 1954 and only 9 years previously the Atom bomb had landed on Hiroshima. Nuclear threat was still a legitimate fear in the country of Japan, and just 8 months before the 3^rd November 1954 release date of GODZILLA, on 1^st March 1954, a H-bomb test of the US (their biggest bomb ever tested) resulted in a Japanese fishing vessel being covered in radioactive fallout. Known as The Lucky Dragon 5 (name of the boat, not some cruel moniker) incident, it was clear that the dark shadow of nuclear weapons was still very much present over a country that had faced the worst of it. It is imperative to understand such events when watching the first of 29 (I’m counting the Roland Emmerich version) GODZILLA films. It is a film where context is everything. Characters’ reactions, the general atmosphere, and the horror present throughout the film are all enhanced by the fact that giant lizards may not exactly have been a threat at the time, but even more destructive powers were.

When it comes to Godzilla, many people misunderstand exactly what it’s all about. Everyone has been exposed to Godzilla in some form, but unfortunately that exposure is usually towards the self parody and bizarre sci-fi version that Godzilla would become. It’s not that the campier titles were bad, but they do betray the terrifying nature of the first instalment. Later additions to the franchise may have focused more on monster-on-monster battles, beings from space, and the special effects, but the very first film is powerful, moving, and better than anyone approaching the franchise for the first time could ever fathom.

Created in direct response to World War II and nuclear weapons, Godzilla itself isn’t so much a metaphor as he is warning. Far from being created by nuclear testing, he is instead awoken and released from a private underwater lair. Godzilla is nature’s revenge on humanity but now carries humanities radiation with him wherever he goes. This is not the heroic pop icon that most of the world is familiar with; this is the darker version before hitting the big time, kind of like Alice Cooper’s earlier stuff. Godzilla is actually known as Gojira, which is a mix between the Japanese words for Gorilla and Whale. How he became known as Godzilla is usually attributed to a mistranslation or mispronunciation. Portrayed on screen by Haruo Nakijima, many may deny it, but there truly is a performance escaping from deep inside that thick costume. The movements are what make the beast.

The film opens with the roars of an unknown creature. It’s a simple but powerful opening that gradually evolves into GODZILLA’s main theme. It’s a main theme that would stick through the entire series, and for good reason. Very few pieces of music can illicit such excitement while indicating a foreboding sense of dread. Composed by Akira Ifukube, it is a very Japanese score that speaks a hundred languages. We’re then transported out to sea where the disasters are shrouded in mystery. We all know that films love to hold off on showing us the monster these days, even if the trailers do somewhat ruin any form of surprise, but GODZILLA adds this technique to the introduction of human characters and world events, giving us an emotional connection from the outset. The fast pacing and the forgotten joy of the ‘wipe’ as a transition, shows us the chaotic state of mind of the country.

In terms of humans, as this is one of the only times they take precedent over the monsters, we have a great cast each portraying a complex individual. The legendary Takashi Shimura portrays Yamane, who is the more understanding and thoughtful scientist. He doesn’t want to see Godzilla mindlessly destroyed, but whereas today such a role would be played in a mad eco-terrorist kind of way, Yamane has very understandable reasons. He wishes to unlock the secrets of Godzilla’s immunity to radiation. It cements the fear that even after Godzilla, humanity will not be safe. Achihiko Hirata plays another scientist, Serizawa, who dons an eye-patch. His villainous appearance is not an obvious technique, but a reminder that he was injured during the war. Serizawa has created an oxygen bomb, that could easily kill Godzilla, and although Serizawa isn’t against taking out the huge monster, he is fearful that his work will end up in the wrong hands.

Exactly how humanity intends to deal with the threat of an apocalyptic monster is at the core of GODZILLA. There is plenty of time spent in meeting rooms and science conferences as different tactics are debated, but it’s the way in which human stories are interwoven amongst all the politics that makes GODZILLA shine as a masterpiece. During one of Godzilla’s attacks, a mother holds her children close and tells them they are about to join their father, and after said attack a young boy has a Geiger Counter pointed at him, revealing radiation poisoning. Such brief snippets of the devastation caused give the film a heart that is missing from so many monster movies. It is also to the film’s credit that they are handled without any attempt at emotional blackmail or saccharine pomposity.

Even though I refer to them as ‘attacks’, there’s something ever so innocent about Godzilla’s rampages. After all, how can a 150 foot monster go anywhere without rampaging? It makes him all the more terrifying, as there is nothing malicious about this Godzilla. He merely responds to his environment in the way we would expect from an animal. This emphasis is of the destruction scenes are not, as they were in later films, for entertainment. Haunting long shots of a burning Tokyo, and the lack of music when tanks arrive to face off against the terrible lizard, reinforce the realistic tone and dramatic implications.

The finale isn’t some all-out attack on the monster, or a big grandiose action set-piece. It’s painfully sombre in its meticulous execution. Serizawa, along with protagonist Ogata (Takarada), descend to the bottom of the ocean to deliver the Oxygen Destroyer. It’s a powerful weapon being used to destroy a destructive force that was awoken by a powerful weapon. As the heroes descend it is important to note that Godzilla is not threatening at this point. He is simply walking across the ocean floor, as peaceful as he was before human intervention. The scene also unfolds without any complications such as the bomb not going off, not having enough oxygen to return to the surface, or Godzilla spotting his executioners. The whole scene has such a finite and inevitable conclusion, that it is one of the most heartbreaking sequences in any film. Propelled along to one of Ifukube’s most astonishing pieces, Under The Sea (nowhere near as jolly as its Disney namesake), it portrays this gigantic force of death and power being killed when at its most innocent. Serizawa also takes his own life, afraid that he could be coerced into giving away the secrets to his weapon. It’s a vast reminder that noises and explosions don’t always equate to memorable moments.

As the first and best of the franchise, GODZILLA remains a classic of cinema, despite perhaps being tainted by its later brethren. A rare example of film where everything lines up perfectly. Nitpickers of today may find it easier to accept the stunning but simple special effects in black and white, but no one can deny the sheer force of this monumental film.

Dub-Misstep: In 1956, GODZILLA made its way to the US as GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS. Rather than simply dubbing the feature, an American protagonist called Steve Martin (teehee) was shoehorned into the film. Dodgy edits, extra scenes, and some impressive cuts made a film where Martin (Burr) stood on the sidelines and observed all the events from the original. He would then talk over scenes to explain what was going on. It’s a similar experience to watching a foreign film without subtitles, but having a native speaker just tell you what’s going on. There are some hilarious edits, such as shots taken from elsewhere in the film and eye lines not matching up, to some brilliant shots of stand-ins that would put PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE to shame. This is probably why GODZILLA has the reputation that it does, as nothing stops Martin from giving his two cents on the events, no matter how great the moment is. Still, it isn’t a complete desecration, and to get foreign films into the market place, even today, is never an easy thing. Plus, it taught me that the correct pronunciation of ‘short lived’ is with a long ‘i’. Every cloud.

Monsters: Our good friend Godzilla goes solo this time around. He’s big enough and grand enough to carry the picture himself. It would be some time before Godzilla went solo again, as the monster team-ups and battles became the big allure of the series.

Notes For GODZILLA (2014): Let’s hope Gareth Edwards and co. don’t forget the dramatic impact of the first excursion into the land of Godzilla. Social commentary can be interlaced subtly without detracting from entertainment and most of all, don’t forget how well this can work as a horror. Edwards’ previous film, MONSTERS, suggests that none of this should be a problem. Plus, it stars Bryan Cranston who many call the Modern Western Equivalent to Takashi Shimura…OK, that’s just me.

G-RATING:

View all the articles in our countdown right here!

GODZILLA will be released 16th May 2014. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Sally Hawkins, Akira Takarada, and David Strathairn.