ゴジラ

Godzilla

Stats & Staff
Release: November 3rd, 1954
Produced by: Tomoyuki Tanaka
Written by: Shigeru Kayama, Takeo Murata, & Ishiro Honda
Directed by: Ishiro Honda & Eiji Tsuburaya
Composed by: Akira Ifukube
Runtime: 96 minutes

Appearances
Monsters: Godzilla (1st Generation)

Story
Synopsis: A Japanese fishing vessel goes missing in the Pacific Ocean, as do several additional ships sent to collect survivors. The survivors that do wash up on shore tell stories of a monster, believed to be the legendary beast “Godzilla” of Odo Island mythology. Dr. Kyohei Yamane travels to the island to investigate, and sees the monster for himself, so large it can peer over a mountain. Dr. Yamane determines from the presence of certain radioactive elements that the appearance of the monster is linked with US nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean. Godzilla soon arrives in Tokyo causing incredible destruction, and a plan is hatched to protect the city from further attacks by surrounding Tokyo with a high-voltage electric fence. Unfortunately, the attempt fails as Godzilla unveils his radioactive breath ability and easily walks through the barrier. Godzilla’s rampage levels multiple wards of the city, leaving much of Tokyo a smoldering ruin. Realizing the sheer destructive power of the monster, Emiko Yamane is forced to break her promise to the scientist Dr. Daisuke Serizawa about keeping his terrible invention a secret. Serizawa’s creation, the Oxygen Destroyer, is a deadly weapon capable of vaporizing living things when deployed underwater, something he desperately wants to hide from the world after the recent horrors of war until a peaceful application of his discovery can be found. Eventually, Emiko and her lover, Ogata, are able to convince the doctor to use the weapon against Godzilla. The plan is a success, and Godzilla is vaporized at the bottom of Tokyo Bay, but in order to ensure that this is the only use of the weapon, at the cost of Dr. Serizawa’s life.

Theme: Fire and nuclear bombings of Japan during World War II, and the Castle Bravo nuclear test and Lucky Dragon No. 5 incident. The film is completely earnest and is a direct response to the Lucky Dragon incident.

English Versions
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (April 27th, 1956): Heavily edited Americanization directed by Terry Morse. Additional scenes filmed with American actor Raymond Burr playing reporter Steve Martin. The story is set in media res starting with the aftermath of Godzilla's destruction of Tokyo and having Steve Martin recall the prior events. Most Japanese dialogue is dubbed in English, but not all.