Gojiro, the original Godzilla film of the 1950's, is a creative film for its time and has an interesting background that contributed to the storyline and appeal of the film. Being someone who was unfamiliar with the original version, the only knowledge I had before seeing this film was of the later remakes of the film (made in America). Gojira is definitely not what I expected and that is a good thing. It is more serious than the American version and after learning a little bit about the films historical context, I found that I was able to appreciate it more. The film was released in 1954 which was less than a decade after World War II. The United States ended the war after dropping the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Throughout that time the United States also spent a lot of time and energy on hydrogen bomb testing. Japan was greatly affected by both of these events and the film really captures a lot about it. Gojira is a monster that lived in the ocean and is awakened because of radiation due to hydrogen bomb testing and brings horror to the cities of Japan. The monster first terrorizes people who are on boats in the ocean but then it finally reveals itself emerging from the ocean. Gojira attacks the cities with radioactive/fire breathing powers and basically destroys everything it comes in contact with. However, Gojira is not just about a monster that destroys cities, but also focuses on the characters of the film and the relationships they hold with one another. This original film gives the audience a real message and analogies that tie to the historical context which is something that the film analysis Gojira vs. Godzilla – Catastrophic Allegories by Aaron Kerner goes into more detail with. Gojira really gives the audience something that cannot be matched with any later versions that attempt to remake this film.
