Review: Godzilla (A-)

Godzilla aka Gojira (1954)
Directed by Ishirô Honda
Starring Raymond Burr, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi, Akihiko Hirata and Fuyuki Murakami
MPAA: G
Grade: A-

Review by Bobby Nashville

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Godzilla, Classic Media (in conjunction with Toho) has released an incredible double disc DVD with remastered versions of the classic monster movie. One disc contains the original Japanse version (sans Raymond Burr) and the other contains the US version that we all grew up with. Both versions hold up well, and for the Godzilla fan this is a must own.

Whether you view the original Japanese masterpiece (Gojira) or the American-ized verion (Godzilla) with Raymond Burr plastered in, this monster movie remains a classic. And let me clarify on that fact - it's a film classic, not a camp classic. Most folks laugh off Godzilla films as camp, and yes, most of the sequels do come off as campy. But the original Godzilla film stands up very well as a classic monster movie with political and sociological undertones.

Yes, Godzilla is all about a guy in a fantastic lizard suit. But it's also about man's desire to destroy, and how it has turned our planet against us. Everything starts and ends with The Bomb (you know what bomb I am talking about) and it's easy to see that this misuse of technology has created (literally in this case) a monster. The creators of the film actually hoped that this film would bring an end to nuclear testing throughout the world. Sadly, they failed at that mission. They did however launch an incredible movie franchise that remains one of the strongest worldwide. Who doesn't know (and love) Godzilla?

Gojira (or Godzilla for us Americans) is a strong anti-nuclear allegory that indeed deserves more critical praise in the U.S. This special feature packed edition (check out the "Making of the Godzilla Suit" feature) is an incredible collection that any monster movie buff would love.