Go, Go, Godzilla · 1:56am Mar 20th, 2021
I don’t remember when, exactly, I first discovered Godzilla. Just that I was a little kid, maybe about six or seven, when I first learned of the giant, spiny-backed dinosaur beast prone to smashing Tokyo and battling other giant monsters. I have a pretty good memory of my first Godzilla movie, though. I’m quite certain it was a movie from the 1960s – “Godzilla vs. Monster Zero” was the English title, though I’ve since learned that its original Japanese title is along the lines of “Giant Monster War.”
In that movie, astronauts to “Planet X” discover an alien society under threat from King Ghidorah, a golden alien dragon with three heads. The aliens wish to transport Godzilla, and the pterosaur-like giant monster Rodan, from Earth to their world, and use them to defeat Ghidorah. Initially all seems well, as the UFO-carried Godzilla and Rodan do their job admirably. But of course (as is so often the case in these movies) the aliens prove to be evil themselves and set the mind-controlled giant monsters loose on Earth to conquer it. Quick-thinking heroes are able to shut off the mind control, and a freed Godzilla and Rodan give Ghidorah another thrashing, sending the dragon packing. The aliens are destroyed and all is well. Roll credits.
All in all, “Monster Zero” probably serves as the archetypal example of the “classic” Godzilla movie – inoffensive to kids, corny (especially for an iconic moment where Godzilla jumps up and down in an apparent victory dance after driving Ghidorah away the first time), with the Big G serving as both ally and enemy to the people of Earth, though his ultimate role in the story is as a heroic character.
One of my other earliest memories in association with the “King of the Monsters” is from a series of VHS tapes about dinosaurs. “Fun, Facts, and Fantasy,” the series was called. It was a tape series in three parts, and in one of those three tapes Godzilla makes a comical appearance: a fight scene with him and Rodan versus the alien dragon King Ghidorah plays out on the screen. As a matter of fact, it was the same fight scene from “Monster Zero”.
The footage was unaltered, admittedly, but its presentation was comical, as Godzilla’s iconic roars are dubbed over with dopey-sounding yells and shouts, and when the fight ends with King Ghidorah taking flight to escape his thrashing, Godzilla can be heard yelling “Chicken! Chicken!” at the fleeing dragon like a playground bully. (The already-goofy “victory dance” looks even more ridiculous here, with Godzilla chortling like a buffoon as he leaps up and down.) The narrator of the video tape even concludes this section with a wry declaration of, “All right, enough of this silliness. Let’s back to dinosaurs.” The intent of this statement went right over my head for a good while – Godzilla is silly and dumb, and most importantly, not real. That did not matter to six-or-seven year-old me, though: I just liked watching the big dinosaurs fight.
In many ways, it is funny to me that I still wound up as a fan of the character growing up, because most of my other memories of being introduced to the iconic monster also involve humorous or even outright parody of Godzilla. The classic show Rugrats on the Nickelodeon cartoon channel had multiple plots involving an ersatz Godzilla, a green-skinned beast called Reptar, of whom the main character Tommy was a big fan. (Toho, the creators and distributors of Godzilla movies, were not at all amused by Reptar, and actually sued the makers of Rugrats, who dropped the character to settle the matter.)
And even when I did see a “serious” Godzilla movie, it was still goofy. The most modern of the Godzilla movies I ever watched as a kid was Godzilla 2000, wherein Godzilla does battle with a shapeshifting alien UFO. While the original Japanese version is entirely serious, the English dub for American audiences is not – the tone is much more tongue-in-cheek, and the dialogue contains some real groaners. When a newspaper editor sees the UFO floating above the city, he shouts “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” as though this is an episode of the old-time Superman show. And at the very end of the movie, when Godzilla has destroyed the alien invader (and also once again leveled much of Tokyo in the process), we get this gem:
“But then why? Why does he keep protecting us?” a character asks, watching Godzilla lumber away and through the burning city wreckage.
“Maybe because,” another character answers, full of gravitas, “Godzilla is inside each one of us.”
As a kid, I admittedly liked Godzilla 2000 less in comparison to the other movies of its kind I had available to me at the time. I actually thought it *too* serious or self-important, compared to the more straightforward and wacky movies like “Monster Zero” or “The Three-Headed Monster”. As an adult, I can look back on the film and laugh, both at the joke of the deliberately corny dubbing, and also at my younger self for thinking the movie was too full of itself.
My first real clue that there was really more to Godzilla than just goofy monster brawling and ridiculous dialogue may have been when I was around ten or so. The Godzilla 2000 tape came with a bonus feature collecting trailers for various other Godzilla movies; most of them in the same silly tradition. (One of them, “Godzilla’s Revenge,” is infamously reviled by critics and fans alike for its ridiculousness as a matter of fact.) But the very last trailer in the set was for the original, black-and-white film – “King of the Monsters” in the American dub. I was surprised, but also curious, at the definitely more serious tone, and asked my father about it. He told me it *was* a serious movie, and one that I could not watch yet. That was a surprise to me at the time. But I put it out of my head later, and moved on.
Admittedly, as I moved closer and closer to teenager-hood, my interest in the Big G definitely waned. But I still had occasional flights of interest in the world of giant monsters. One summer as a middle-schooler, visiting relatives in Ohio, I discovered further movies in the series, thanks to the local Blockbuster rental. Most of my interest, again, was in the older movies as opposed to any of the more subsequent movies (several of which I thought looked *too* serious to be really entertaining). Two in particular I remember watching were “Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla” and “Godzilla vs. Gigan.” The former is decently entertaining, and while darker than some of its immediate fellows, also silly too – the bad guys are alien gorilla-men (clearly an invocation of The Planet of the Apes) who unleash a robotic Godzilla on the populace of Earth.
The latter, Godzilla vs. Gigan, is just stupid. Enjoyably stupid to my mind, but stupid nonetheless. The villains of that movie are giant alien cockroaches scheming to take over Earth after having destroyed their old planet with pollution. (So the movie has an environmental bent, right at the very end.) The monster Gigan that they unleash against Godzilla looks sort of like a bizarre chicken/lizard hybrid, with giant hooks for hands and a buzzsaw built into his stomach. The special effects are laughable (King Ghidorah appears in this movie as, yet again, a stoolie to the invaders – his flying portrayed by a plastic toy suspended in the air) and there is a sequence in the movie where Godzilla actually talks to the monster Anguirus. My sister tried watching with me but was roused to fury at the movie’s sheer absurdity. I took it all in stride.
And then I went into high school, and for those four years I nearly completely forgot about the King of Monsters.
At least until 2013 rolled around, and we suddenly got news of an entirely new, American-made Godzilla movie. I did know about the last time America had tried to make its own Godzilla movie, in the late 90s (spoiler alert – it’s terrible) and was very surprised to hear that Toho had ever decided to trust other studios with its flagship monster ever again. The trailers dropped, and promised a very serious movie: a prominent image in the marketing was of soldiers parachuting into a smoke-shrouded city, through which we the audience only got the barest glimpses of Godzilla, who seems almost demonic at some points. His roar in the trailers, rather than the iconic screech I was most familiar with, was now a deep, bone-rattling bellow of pure rage. Watching it in the theater, the noise reverberated around the room.
I must admit, by then I was not shocked. I had known, reading on the series through the years, the earliest movies were serious and dark in tone. So while some on the Internet moaned about how serious and full-of-itself the new movie was, I was more reserved about it all and resolved to wait and see for myself.
In 2014 I watched the American Godzilla movie with my father. Ironically, he – never someone who’d liked or cared about the character or his movies – liked it more than I did. Not to say that I disliked the movie though; there were moments in it that I absolutely loved, but I also thought that portions of it had dragged too long, or that, frankly, some of the human characters were – even for a Godzilla movie – kind of boring. (I remember nothing of the protagonist, save that he’s a soldier. His father, played by Brian Cranston, was a far more memorable presence, and his character’s death at the end of the first act is a real loss to the movie in my opinion.) Still, the movie reignited my interest in, and appreciation for, the King of Monsters, so I gave it a thumbs-up all the same.
As I grew older, I found myself more and more familiar with various fan scenes out in the world, namely through the Internet. You can find fandoms for just about anything online, and giant monster movies are no exception. In fact, some trends seem to be almost universal in regard to online fandom: with regard to Godzilla, I’ve read furious debate of the merits (or lack thereof) of the goofier movies versus the dark, serious original film. To some the ridiculous movies of the sixties and seventies are enjoyable and a good gateway to introduce younger people to the series. To others the sixties/seventies movies are nonsensical garbage and an insult to both the original movie, and to the character of Godzilla himself, who must always be respected and feared as a terrifying, unstoppable force of nature. (This sentiment is something I’ve noticed, incidentally, in many other online circles, be it arguments about superheroes – Batman in particular – or about fantasy, science fiction, or movies. Apparently to some, storytelling is only worthy of respect if it comes drenched in angst.) I was not surprised by the arguments against the goofier movies of my childhood. I’d become quite used to it, being long used to both affectionate or satirical parody of the Big G, as well as various scathing comments from professional critics.
In October of 2018, I finally watched the original Godzilla. Gojira, as it is known in the original Japanese, is most definitely not a children’s movie. It is dark and suspenseful, a powerful allegory about the devastation caused by World War Two. Godzilla himself is both monstrous and tragic; his body marked with radiation burns, this monster is as much a victim of the bomb as the city he smashes. The centerfold of the movie, Godzilla’s destruction of Tokyo, is portrayed with the seriousness of watching an actual natural disaster or bombing. The aftermath of Godzilla’s rampage is even worse, as we the viewer are shown a hospital full to overflowing with victims. It’s an utterly heartbreaking scene, and one that I still think about, three years later. When the movie concludes with Godzilla’s destruction, the tone is not jubilant, but melancholy and full of worry for the future.
The original Godzilla is a masterfully directed movie, and one that has definitely earned its accolades from both fans and critics alike. It holds a special place on my shelf, and I have no issue with people who hold it up as the best of the lot compared to its fellows. But at the same time, I will still always hold an affection for the subsequent movies in the series, even – especially, even – the goofier ones from the late sixties and early seventies. Sure, they’re cheesy, the effects can be laughable. And the plots are often paper-thin and repetitive (you can count on both hands how many times evil aliens try to take over the world with giant monsters). But all the same, they kept the memory of the character alive. They probably helped introduce a few generations of people to Godzilla, not just me. They have their place. After all, so many of the “dark and serious” movies that came out in subsequent decades still define themselves *against* those old, wacky movies too. Movies like the dark and serious 2014 Godzilla (or its Japanese counterpart released in 2017, Godzilla Resurgence, which itself makes “2014” look tame) would more than likely not exist without the cheesy movies of old to have made the character an icon.
To my view, there is just as much a place for an absurd version of the character as there is a serious version. To deny other presentations, to insist only on a single, specific vision, seems like a needlessly reductive viewpoint to hold. The original Gojira itself, as serious and tragic a story as it is, does not present a simplistic account: the title monster is both villain and victim in that movie’s story. One watches that movie and can feel sorry for Godzilla, even as they also feel sorry for the people caught in his rampage. If that acclaimed movie can present its most famous character as both pitiful and ferocious, can we not also accept, now and again, other movies that present the big guy in other ways too?
It has been over sixty years since that original movie. Come what may, whether we see further dark and serious movies with the King of Monsters, or a new appreciation of the lighter, more absurd movies from his days as a protector of Earth, I still remain an appreciative watcher of Godzilla/Gojira, in whatever form he might take next.
All hail the King, and long may he reign.
👏 👏 👏
I remember the first Godzilla movie I ever watched was 1968's Destroy All Monsters. Then 2014 came out and it cemented me as a fan.
The thing I'll always remember most about 1954 is the scene where there's a little girl in a hospital after his rampage; they run a geiger counter over her and it goes wild. Another is a woman holding two children close to her as the city burns and tearfully telling them "don't worry, we'll be with daddy soon".
Whenever somebody says something like "the humans don't matter", I always remember those scenes. Man and Godzilla will always be inherently linked.
I'll be frank, I myself prefer the Godzilla movies that take themselves seriously at least to some degree. But sometimes you wanna just kick back and watch the giants slap the daylights out of each other...and there's nothing wrong with that approach either.
Godzilla may have been born from the atom bomb, but he's grown far beyond that now. Tragedy, anti-hero, guardian, demon...he's been just about everything at this point, and he'll be many more things in the future.
5479154
Thanks for the applause.
Oh, that's cool. I always wanted to see Destroy All Monsters.
God... those two moments from the original are just heartbreaking. The moment with the Geiger counter in particular just chilled me to the core. I still think about that, so long after I first watched the movie. I agreed with you, by the way - in my opinion, people who say that "the humans in Godzilla movies don't matter" have clearly never bothered to watch the original. They're just generalizing, probably based on the perception of the character and the movies as drive-in schlock.
I said elsewhere, that I don't begrudge people for preferring the more serious Godzilla movies. What I *do* begrudge is the school of thought that seems to say that storytelling is only worthy of praise or consideration if it is dark, grim, or bleak. Because the original '54 classic, as dark and sad as it is, is still not completely bleak. We admire Dr. Serizawa's sacrifice because of his courage in going to destroy Godzilla, and his selflessness in making sure he is the only person who will die that day. Matter of fact, I can't think of a truly bad, or even antagonistic human character in that whole movie. Even when members of government debate whether or not to reveal information of the monster's existence, nobody there is truly in the wrong: one person is right when they say the people have the right to know. Another makes a good point when they say that Godzilla's existence coming from the H-bomb could destabilize foreign relations. Nobody in that scene is being selfish or villainous. They're being human.
...Apologies for the tangent.
Anyway, very much agree with your conclusion, by the way.
Godzilla has become far more of a character than just a vengeful victim of the bomb. He's taken many forms throughout the years and that is just fine by me.
What did you think about the second Godzilla: King Of The Monsters movie? The sequel to the 2014 Godzilla movie.
5479439
I did a write-up of it last year. You can read my thoughts on it through a link here.
Godzilla's run the gamut of the Chaotic alignments, from Chaotic Evil in the sense of a rampaging monster in probably incredible pain, to a Chaotic Neutral who generally would just rather you leave him be and generally only attacks if he feels provoked, to the most recent one who's closer to Chaotic Good. Heavy emphasis on the CHAOTIC, Big G is the definition of "millions if not billions of dollars in collateral damage."
But regardless of where he's from, he's always a warning. If you want mass devastation courtesy of nuclear energy, you'll get it. But beware the fallout. And yes, that's a nuclear energy joke. I'm not sorry.
5479459
Nice summation of the different forms that the Big G has taken throughout the decades. He really has become a flexible character, even if, as you say, the core of his thematic essence - the destructive power of the atom - is still there.
(And no need to apologize, I found the joke funny.
)
5479462
If you want to play with nuclear energy, best hope you can pay the price. Because even at his most benevolent, Godzilla is still a gigantic monster who is immune to conventional weaponry to the point where only 2 things have ever killed him. Burning Mode, and the Oxygen Destroyer. Which makes King Of The Monsters Godzilla all the more awesome/terrifying.
5479464
Yeeup, true.
And indeed, the fact that the Big Guy survived both - practically one after the other no less - makes him among the very toughest Godzilla iterations ever put to film. Just, damn! XD
5479467
Yep. And while he isn't THE biggest/toughest Godzilla, I think that's one that's so old he's planet sized or around that, he's certainly the strongest American Godzilla by a WIDE margin.
5479468
Yeah, Legendary Godzilla might not be the Anime Godzilla (and thank the Lord for that XD) but he definitely is still very much in the upper tier.
5479470
Precisely . Which is why for Godzilla vs Kong, I'm with Team Audience. Whoever loses, I win. Because I get one hell of a show. (Note, I still know nothing about the film beyond the title, I have avoided all spoilers, trailers and media about it.)
5479472
Very sensible of you. Frankly I congratulate you for staying so "radio blind" in regard to the movie. It must have been a hell of a lot of work. XD
Speaking from experience here - I tried my damnedest to avoid getting spoilers for Infinity War, and then managed to get hit with the biggest one by accident. Fucking YouTube search suggestions...
5479473
Less than you'd think, it's mostly just avoiding anything Godzilla related, and if I DO need to look up anything related to the Big G, I IMMEDIATELY delete it from my google search history. But yeah, I feel your pain. I was spoiled on the Season 7 finale of MLP by a Youtube thumbnail, more specifically, Starswirl.
5479475
Fair enough. Also, in regard to your S7 experience, ouch.
5479479
Yeah.
5479484
When I got spoiled on Infinity War, I came *this* close to nearly chucking my laptop in frustration.
So... yeah, I can kinda imagine what your response might have been.
Spoilers suck.
They say he's got to go, go go Godzilla!
Oh no!
There goes Tokyo, go go Godzilla!
Hehe.
Still though, this was a nice read. ^^
5479456
Yeah those are about my thoughts as well on it. But in about two more weeks.... HERE WE GO!
5479561
Thank you.
And yes, you got the reference I was going for here.
The song's tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time, it's not like it's outright mocking him, so I thought it fit for a good example of what I wanted to go for in this write-up.