Review of Godzilla

Godzilla (1954)
5/10
Gojira!!!
3 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
We watched the original Japanese Godzilla film made in 1954. I thought it was pretty entertaining. Compared to present day special effects the scenes with Godzilla wreaking havoc seem pretty cheesy. Although at the time of its release I'm sure they were impressive. I wish they could have figured out a way to make his fire breathing more realistic looking. It looked like he blew steam on things and then they would suddenly combust into raging fires. One of those scenes I did like and I think the filmmakers knew had made a good looking shot because it was extended for quite a while. It was during the attack on Tokyo after Godzilla has made his initial breakthrough at the coast and inflicted tons of damage in his path. It is a very long shot. Intact buildings are in the foreground. Seemingly small from a distance Godzilla looms over the buildings in front of him while behind him there is a "sea of flames" as they reporters say in the movie. The other thing I liked about the movie was the plot and explanation of how Godzilla came to be and why is it now that this million year old specie emerges. Previously the only Godzilla movie I had seen was the American made 1998 version with Matthew Broderick. If I remember correctly that movie did not offer any scientific explanation for why or how Godzilla came to be. In the original much of the content early in the movie was devoted to scientific research and explanation which to me seemed to make the whole scenario at least somewhat plausible. Anytime you can add believability to a story, it creates a more realistic and involved experience for the audience. In the case of the original Godzilla I would consider the movie to be less of a monster movie and more of a sci-fi movie. In sci-fi movies a plot that is credible has a more profound impact on the audience.
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