This is going to be kind of hard for me to admit. As much as I’m a fan of Anime and Japanese
cinema…I haven’t seen a lot of Godzilla movies.
Oh sure I know who Godzilla is and I know the names of many of his
foes. When it comes to the King of the
Monsters extensive filmography, I am ashamed to say ive only seen a
handful. However, with the long awaited
arrival of Godzilla: King of the Monsters at the end of the week, I wanted to
do a Godzilla themed Top 5. As I said
though, I haven’t seen many of his films…but I know someone who has. So, in a first for this blog, today’s Top 5
will be entirely written by my good friend John aka JMT 117. He is a huge Godzilla fan and it’s thanks to
him ive seen some of the aforementioned handful of Godzilla films. So, without further ado, please enjoy today’s
Top 5 Wednesday, Top 5 Godzilla Movies, by special guest writer JMT 117. And be sure to check back Friday for my
review of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
John, take it away buddy.
#5-Return of
Godzilla
‘Godzilla, I thought I’d never hear that name again.’
While I borrow this line from the dubbed Godzilla 1985, it’s a fitting one for
the return of the King of the Monsters. Return of Godzilla was made 30-years
after Godzilla had first menaced Japan’s big screen. The Heisei Era of films
were all released between 1984 and 1995. They were part of a reboot of the
Godzilla franchise which stated only the first film, Gojira had taken place.
This was done to give the Godzilla franchise some fresh life and shake off some
of the silliness of the Showa Era films (much like how comics shifted from the
Silver Age to the Bronze/90s Age).
This film sets the plot around the return of Godzilla and
how modern Japan (of the mid 80s) deals with the Big G. A lot of Godzilla's
behavior and tone for the Heisei Era; Godzilla needing to feed on nuclear
energy from nuclear plants or submarines; shifting him more to a force of
nature, rather than an allegory for nuclear weapons; and introducing fanciful
but for now ‘believable’ items/technology to fight him.
The film isn’t as good as the original. One of the
aspects that doesn’t work well here compared to the original film is the weaker
characters. I feel like they don’t get much characterization outside of
Professor Hayashida. Even he too seems to be at the end of his character
journey, as we’re told he once hated Godzilla and studied him to find a means
to kill him; but now no longer views Godzilla as a monster. The themes of the
film aren’t as strong either, with a general view of Japan’s massive material
an economic power of the 80s being humbled by the force of nature, i.e.,
Godzilla.
Despite being a bit weaker, the film does have its
moments. The Japanese convey their position in the Cold War well, during the
arguments between the Soviets and Americans on how to respond to Godzilla’s
return. While both sides agree nuking Godzilla is the only solution (ironically
with the American ambassador declaring his Soviet counterpart being right) the
Japanese stand firm against that policy. Japan, having to find the middle
ground between the two angry school children. The effects are also well done,
and a marked improvement over the latter half of the Showa Era. It’s quite the
compelling sight to see Godzilla, while still massive, dwarfed by Tokyo’s
massive towers (and equally powerful to see Godzilla destroy these structures).
#4-Shin Godzilla
This is the most recent Godzilla film produced in Japan.
Released in 2016, the film was a first for Toho. With all their previous
reboots of the King of the Monsters, they had acknowledged that at least the
very first film, Gojira, had taken place before the new film. Shin Godzilla,
however, was a true reboot, where this was the first time our favorite
radioactive lizard had appeared.
The premise of the film is classic Godzilla. A creature
mutated by radioactive waste rises from Tokyo Bay and proceeds to bring
destruction to Japan. Much like the original Gojira was a product of the time,
Shin Godzilla is a reaction to the 2011 Tsunami and resulting nuclear meltdown
at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant caused by the tidal wave. Many in Japan
were critical of the Japanese government’s response to the disaster, and it’s
no surprise that in the film the Japanese Prime Minister and his cabinet are
shown to be indecisive, unimaginative, and in the end suffer for it. While the
main character Yaghuchi and his band of misfits are shown to be quick thinking,
and their willingness to think outside the box saves the day.
The strengths of the film are a return to the classic
theme of Godzilla being a conveyer of destruction. While he’s not quite the
living embodiment of the nuclear bomb that the first film portrays, there’s a
real sense of Godzilla’s destructive power in the film. Hideaki Anno, the
creator of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, wrote the film, so the
apocalyptic gloom at times is conveyed well. Godzilla himself goes through
several forms, and his design is reminiscent of the original thoughts for
Godzilla, that he’s burned and scared by the atomic blast which created him.
The effects are top notch as well, using a mixture of motion capture, models,
and CGI. The weakness of the film is way too many characters, which will leave
you struggling to remember their names; and they lack characterization. Still,
it’s an excellent Godzilla film and a worthy addition to the franchise.
#3-Godzilla vs.
Biollante
Godzilla vs. Biollante is the first of the Heisei Era of
films to feature Godzilla fighting another monster. A genetic scientist in an
effort to preserve his daughter combined her DNA with that of a plant. However,
when Godzilla’s pending return causes the plant to be damaged; the scientist
blends the weakened plant with some of Godzilla’s DNA. Soon, a new creature
Biollante is formed, and she and the King of the Monsters soon clash.
One of the reasons I enjoy this film is Godzilla begins
his theme of the Heisei Era, of not being a good guy when another monster is
involved. In fact, Godzilla is far more presented as a threat in the movie than
Biollante. I prefer this when portraying Godzilla, he’s not on our side, and
when Godzilla comes ashore, it’s always a disaster.
I also enjoy this film as there’s more of a serious plot
(as serious as you can get with Godzilla fighting a giant plant mutant) than
what been used before this point. Our characters in the film have to struggle
with foreign agents, rogue companies, and of course Godzilla himself. Another
aspect I like about the film is the creation of an original monster. I
especially like that genetic engineering was used, as I’ve always seen that as
a good science fiction way to make a Kaiju. Plus, the film even has a few
shades of Jurassic Park both the novel & film, with characters debating the
use of genetic power. Throw in some awesome action pieces (Godzilla vs. the
Japanese navy being a fav of mine), and I feel you’ve got a great Godzilla film
from this era.
#2-Destroy All
Monsters
While the controller of this blog, would like me to slot
Godzilla: Final Wars into this slot (no), I prefer the original film which
inspired it, Destroy All Monsters. From the Showa Era, this film was originally
planned to be the last of the Godzilla films for Toho. As a result, they
decided to go all out with this one. Putting as many monsters from their films
(including those from outside Godzilla) into the movie, even if just in the
background.
The premise is wonderfully perfect for the era. Set in
the ‘future’ of 1999, the UN has gotten a major space program going, with bases
on the Moon. In addition to that, all the world’s monsters have been collected
in Monster Land aka Monster Island. However, the peaceful existence of the
monsters is ended, when aliens from between Mars and Jupiter take control of
the kaiju. Soon, they’re tearing down Earth’s major cities, and the heroes have
to defeat the aliens and get control of the monsters before it’s too late.
I love this movie. It’s just a straight up fest of classic
60s space action, monsters destroying stuff, and a huge monster fight at the
end of the film. Godzilla, who had shifted from menace to hero during this
time, got to return to his city destroying roots. While the story is silly, the
effects are top notch for the time, and it’s a real joy to see so many monsters
on film. The reason I rank this above Final Wars is that film feels
unnecessarily dreary. It’s fully emphasized in Final Wars that most of humanity
has been wiped out, with the world destroyed. While that can work for films, I
don’t know; it just rubs me the wrong way. Though I’d credit Final Wars for
emphasizing how bad-ass Godzilla is throughout it. Destroy All Monsters,
however, has more charm to it. It’s basically the film I say that best sums up
the Showa Era.
#1- Gojira
(Godzilla)
So yeah, if you didn’t assume this one was going to be
the number one choice…I don’t know what to tell you. Gojira is the best of the
Godzilla films, due to its serious nature and allegorical storytelling. What
you’re watching on screen is not just a giant radioactive fire breathing
dinosaur destroying a city, but Japan’s reflection on the Atomic Bombings.
The premise is simple enough. Nuclear testing in the
Pacific has awakened a prehistoric monster, irradiating it and the creature
soon named Gojira unleashes devastation on Japan. What makes Gojira stand out
from the western film that inspired it (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) however,
is the quality of the story. The characters in the film feel like real people, and
that’s even true of the side characters who we don’t stick with. One of my
favorite little bits of the background characters is a woman reflecting on the
train with her friends on how she’ll need to find a shelter again. Remember,
Gojira was made just short of ten years after the end of the Second World War.
For the Japanese filmmakers and filmgoers, the memories and very real wounds of
that war were still fresh for many.
The imagery of Gojira is just stunning at times. Seeing
Tokyo emblazed in flames must have been a powerful sight to the Japanese
theatergoers. It’s important to note many of Japan’s cities Japanese were
destroyed by B-29 firebombing raids. Tokyo itself suffered terrible from these
raids, so seeing their modern (at the time) rebuilt city going up in flames
again, must have been sobering. The film also doesn’t pull any punches, showing
us people in the buildings before they’re destroyed. Rescue workers cast aside
by Godzilla’s raw power. And the most disturbing one, of a mother holding her
children as a wall of flame approaches; promising they’ll be with their father
soon.
Nothing is played for laughs or treated as childish wish
fulfillment of seeing monsters destroy things. In a way, it’s almost a shame
Godzilla films became more childish or even kid-friendly as they went forward.
A parallel I like to make is the journey of Batman through comics/media to that
of Godzilla. Both started out much darker than what they became known as in the
60s and 70s. While it’s a fun show, the 60s Batman TV show and changes made in
the Silver Age comics, took the dark nature of Batman away. Same with Godzilla
who went from villain to hero. Later, both characters returned to their darker
and more serious roots and have generally stayed there since.
If you’re a fan of kaiju films and Godzilla specifically,
then you owe it to yourself to see Gojira, preferably in its original Japanese
cut and format. The 1956 American adaptation, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is
actually a decent adaption, done with the same serious style (it’s basically a
film noir Godzilla story if your curious). Raymond Burr delivers a real weight
to the film as a narrator, especially his opening lines.
Well, those are what I consider my Top 5 Godzilla films.
While I weighed the list heavily to material where Godzilla does not fight
other monsters, I feel that at his core; Godzilla should be not on anyone’s
side. There’s plenty of monsters out there who protect the planet, Mothra or
Gamera. The King of the Monsters should be his own category. Not pure evil but
not good, either. He’s Godzilla, and all you can do is stay out of his way.
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