5Q Movie Review: Gah-Gah-Godzilla (1954)

I watched Godzilla on Filmstruck and thought it would be nice to answer some reader questions about the film.

Q: Is this the one with Bryan Cranston, the one with Matthew Broderick, or the one with Godzooky?
A:  Ahem. No, Filmstruck streams the original 1954 film by Ishiro Honda, the one that started all, in addition to the Americanized Ray Burr version that--wait, Godzooky???

OK, now many of you are gonna want to see this clip again now anyway, so here it is embedded for your convenience:

Q: So this is the original, not-watered-down granddaddy of them all? That means there's lots of fun carnage and destruction, right?
A: Well...yeah. But also, if you've never seen the 1954 movie that started it all, you might be surprised at how somber it is. Honda creates and sustains a melancholy atmosphere that makes this a much more thoughtful film than I remembered.

It's still hard not to sing Deep Purple to yourself every now and then. Sorry, that's just the way it is.


Q: Are there political overtones?
A: The context of Godzilla, which was released in the wake of real-life incidents involving atomic testing by the U.S., to say nothing of the actual bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is important. There is also a strong environmental message, but to me the fascinating thread in the story is the debate over the devastating weapon a scientist has developed--the "oxygen destroyer."

It can be used to take out Godzilla--but should it be? What are the consequences of using such a weapon? Is it moral to take out the monster who has been stirred from the ocean depths by human activity? All of these questions play out in credible form over the course of the movie.

Plus you do get to see a giant monster smash stuff.

Q: Are the human characters all disposable and lame?
A: There are some broad notes with the small core of human characters, but they are all effective. Jealousy, sacrifice, honor...all and more play out against the backdrop of the big ol' lizard.  It's surprisingly moving and makes for a great watch. If you haven't seen a Godzilla movie in a while, this is a great place to start. I mean, it's the beginning, so that's kind of obvious, but still.

Q: What would you do with an oxygen destroyer?
A: I wish no harm on any human being, but, as much as I love Filmstruck, maybe we could take one and just kind of wave it in the face (but not use it) of whoever decided to let Warner Instant die a slow death without trying to improve it.