"In a strange way, _Godzilla_'s big secret isn't that it's about Hiroshima and Negasaki; it's that it didn't _have to_ be. Viewed simply as a disaster movie, it's still a brilliant and emotionally draining film." That had never occurred to me, but that's so true.
Conrad Slaussen That's one of the things I liked about the new movie. Godzilla is a force of nature. Not a hero, not a villain...He's no different from a hurricane. I think it's fitting to use a quote from Dr. Pretorius..."To a new world, of Gods and Monsters!"
I dare say this is the most thoughtful analysis of the movie, its meaning, and its cultural impact that I have encountered, getting to the heart of it and reflecting a understanding that I haven't found with even the most celebrated and widely read movie critics. Those are important points I hadn't considered before. Because of the first movie, Godzilla is immortal in ways not even comprehended by the scientists in the movies who describe him. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I'm an extra appearing in the 2014 American movie. They sent out a casting call for Honolulu residents. The fillmmakers tried to be secretive, saying the movie's title was _Nautilus_ , but the local newspaper blurted out that everyone already knew it was for the 2014 Godzilla movie. I knew that if I chickened out and refrained from going to the casting call, I would regret it as an old man. I stood in line for over three hours and got sunburned (I really was dangerously affected by radiation!), along with 2,000 other people. 200 of us were chosen. I was lucky, 1 out of 10. The assistant directors had me bandaged up -- I was one of the people injured in the wake of the battle in Waikiki. Real police officers, real soldiers, and real FEMA workers were cast as extras, and they had a cop help me walk. He was endlessly talkative and jokey. When he asked me why I wanted to be in this movie, I told him that the first entry in the series I ever saw was _Godzilla vs. Megalon_ as a little boy, and thereafter I was hooked, having to see every entry I could. He said, "This is destiny! I have to help you be in the movie!" He said he would time our steps so that he could maneuver me right into the shot, right behind actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson's head. Because the cop kept joking the whole time, I thought he was just teasing me about this. But he did time our steps and, evidently, his trick worked -- I am able to pause the DVD and show family members the part where I walk across the screen from left to right. So, despite its flaws, you can imagine my fondness for the 2014 movie. But you're right -- there is nothing at all like the first _Godzilla_ , and there never will be. :'-)
Dark Corners Reviews You're welcome. 😊 That was the only time I ever felt honored to be a victim. Godzilla has thrashed King Kong, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, . . . and me. 😉
The original Godzilla, even in the American "King of the Monsters" film, has some haunting scenes. Even as a child in the 70's, I could understand the undercurrent of horror. It was movie magic. Godzilla will always be the greatest monster. And the original movie, along with King Kong vs Godzilla (even though the latter was different in tone) made some of us fans for life.
Honestly, this is one of the most thought provoking scripts that you have conceived. I mean it is damn good writing. I'm a huge Godzilla fan through and through. But your insight into the film has made me an even bigger one. Thank you for that :)
The very first book I bought in Japan was an essay on the social history of the original Godzilla movie. It came out in the year that the post war period officially ended, when Japan's GDP finally returned to what it was before the war. Just when the devastation of the war was behind them, they chose to revisit the massive destruction of WWII. It was cathartic, a forced remembering of unimaginable suffering, a reminder not to take the new prosperity for granted. I very much want to see the Japanese original, without Raymond Burr's overly simplistic and one dimensional summation. Thank you, Dark Corners for an insightful retrospective.
Certainly not us, we had assumed long ago that The Thing was going to win, we had the special all written, but very quickly after we posted the final match up we found out that we had greatly underestimated the King of the Monsters.
Robin, fantastic review. I especially love how you brought up Serizawa and his dilemma about using the Oxygen Destroyer. As I always said, he is the hero of the film, and it is his character arc that is the most heartbreaking.
There’s a nice little homage to “King Kong” in a scene in which Gojira wrecks a commuter train. It is almost shot-for-shot an echo of King Kong attacking the elevated train.
Not really. Kong smashed the train tracks deliberately and then literally punched and pounded the train. Godzilla, much bigger didn’t even notice the train until he walked In from of it, and then picked up a car up and crushed it in his jaw.
I remember seeing this at age 9 with my best friend back then. Both huge Godzilla fans we were shocked by what we saw. It was so dark, somber and even disturbing. My friend almost cried but I was strangely intrigued. This movie is something special and it still has a special place in my "movie heart".
Absolutely wonderful retrospective of a superior film. I love many of the Godzilla films, made prior to 1970 and those from 1984 through 1994. I really liked Shin Godzilla, when I saw it in the theater. But, all of them pale to Gojira. When I got the opportunity to see Gojira subtitled, at the Detroit Institute of Arts many year ago, I grabbed it. What a powerful film! It is among my all time favorites, and yes totally unique. Thanks for sharing!
While I do enjoy the "silly" versions of Godzilla, my favorite is the 1954 movie since it has a serious tone and made Godzilla a force of nature that mankind can not stop.
You took the words out of my mouth but did so in a more eloquent way than I am capable. When I try to explain why the original film is so powerful I fall woefully short. I have tried to get friends and co-workers to watch it with fresh eyes, but many can't get past the language, being forced to read subtitles. Well done, I am shocked that Godzilla won the horror smackdown, as it's not what so many people and horror fans would picture as a horror film, but that's what it ultimately is.
shin godzilla didn't fall short on it's message. Did you watch the ending? the last line of the film is the main character looking over the mess of city and godzilla's supposedly dead body and saying "We need to learn to live with this." thats a very powerful message and honestly probably why it got such a critical acclaim because that very piece made the entire film's message. since it did something different than the original godzilla film instead of it being anti nuclear weapons the film's message in shin godzilla was "we need to learn to live with our mistakes and move on. and try to make a better future. Because in reality we at this moment cant live without nuclear radiation, we don't have an energy source that can turn turbines in a energy plant as seamlessly as it. Just because the plant incident japan happened doesn't mean we all need to shut down and stop using nuclear energy. We need to move forward and learn to live with our mistakes so they don't happen again. So in a way shin godzilla did something that no godzilla film before it did. which is actually give a pro message to the audience. Instead of it being an anti one about unatural weapons or energy use.
When I watched the original Godzilla again years after when I first saw it as a child I was moved. The sign of a great film is even if you cannot point to exactly what it is your heart tells you there is something there special behind all the effects and big moments. You nailed it with this video!! Thank mate
This is the best review of Godzilla I’ve ever seen. You totally get it. It’s not a monster movie, it’s a struggle to survive against powerful we can’t control.
I’ve lost count of how many times i’ve watched this video, but each time i’m astounded at how brilliant it is. Without a doubt the best retrospective of G’54 i’ve ever seen in my 40+ years as a G-fan 🙂
This is probably the most insightful film review I've ever seen. Spot on on your analysis, and incredibly well presented. I'm proud to be a subscriber. Thank you.
As i was editing this final video, I reflected on the journey, I am really proud that actually followed through with it, even though at times we were both really busy, but we hit our Halloween deadline as planned. Reading all the comments has be great too, we truly have some great viewers.
O.K., two things. 1, this smack down was so much fun. Thank you for it, and for introducing us to some movies I've surprisingly never even heard of. And 2, this Godzilla tribute was easily the best and most beautiful and well thought out tribute to one of the screen's best monster ever. Well done, guys. Thank you for this. It's been such a fun year.
I've had many a laugh watching your reviews from the incredibly bad to the gloriously cheesy movies. But it was this retrospect of Gojira that struck me emotionally. One must see this film as it was intended, and yes, my first viewing was of the American angle. That brief scene of the young mother clutching her children still floors me. You struck what is the heart of this film, and we thank you.
Simply stunning video. Seeing a few seconds of “When The Wind Blows” brought all the fears of nuclear war I had as a teenager in the 80s right back to the surface. I could suddenly empathise with the original Godzilla movie.
I agree with every single word you said. I am a huge Godzilla fan and I still think that even to this day, the original 1954 film is unmatched. And yes, I think it even surpasses the 1933 King Kong film. Just my opinion. King Kong is legendary and probably the greatest adventure film ever, but as you said.........Godzilla is unique. Thank you for this outstanding review.
Doing this video reallyt made us look at Godzilla differently - while I know the writer and presenter of this video's heart belongs Kong - as producer I pick Godzilla.
Beautifully done! A reminder of what, even as a kid, I knew was missing from all the other monster movies. And in so many of them, particularly those made by second generation monster fans, the creators seem to be taking the side of the monsters. And the human suffering is played for giggles and smirks.
Extremely high, when we created the horror 64 a bout a year ago, Godzilla didn't make it on there. We wanted to show the full selection of horror films, but had only King Kong representing giant monsters, so I we took a film out and replaced it with the eventual winner.
This has got to be (for me, at least), quite simply the BEST retrospective review you have EVER done. You have shed such an accurate, thought-provoking light on the somber importance of the original "Godzilla" in words that I could only attempt to express. My hats off to you, sir, for a truly remarkable job.
I guess it is appropriate that the biggest monster in cinema (both in size and in sequels) should win the Horror Smackdown. I could not be happier. This video is also the best tribute I've ever seen to the original film and I'm looking forward to other films in this series. Thank you Dark Corners for a great ride with the Horror Smackdown. It was lots of fun. I got reminded of some great classics that I watched again and even learned about some new films which I was unaware of until recently.
My vote is Gojira because it's a masterpiece... plus I'm a huge Godzilla fan and I have been 3/4 of my life... I wish I knew the more kid friendlier movies when I was a kid... but Gojira gave me chills. Go go Godzilla
Amazing piece guys. Truly, this goes to Godzilla and you prove it! Love how the Horror Smackdown has ended. It's been a tense, fun and interesting few months. I, for one, have been introduced to new films I would never have watched before, such as Kwaidan, and grown a new found respect for films I've loved for a long time. Seriously, thanks for all the hard work you've put into this. It's been great!
A wonderful retrospective and a wonderful tournament. Not only did you force me to watch a number of movies I had never seen but you entertained me all along the way. I am truly grateful for what you have given me and in awe of the amount of effort involved. You both should be very proud of the achievement.
So true. I remember as a small child watching Godzilla films on TV out of order. When I finally saw the original Godzilla it seemed so completely different from any of the sequels, wildly different in tone. It literally gave me nightmares as a child.
The original Gojira scene of the village destruction under the rain remains one of the most atmospheric terrifying scenes in cinema history. Even 63 years after, I still shudder. When the movie was shown in my country in late 1954, I was too terrified to go and see it after the preview !
I will say The Return of Godzilla (1984) doesn't entirely ditch the somber tone or the fear of nuclear annihilation. I think it's a solid entry that tries to play into cold war fears. Godzilla 1985, the recut version, bungles this just like it did the original 54 film (adding Raymond Burr again no less). Great video though.
YES 😆😆😆😀😀😀 was it a close race or a landslide?? I enjoyed the commentary on Godzilla, on a side note, the second movie "Godzilla Raids", this movie proved even though we can't kill him, we found a way to trap him so he can do no more harm, which several of the later films do, when he doesn't just walk/swim away. Even in Shin Godzilla, they just freeze him with a coagulant, he is not dead.
Our count yesterday was almost 2:1 om his favour! We had The Thing special written and ready to go, but within an hour of the match going up we releasied we should not have counted out the king of the monsters.
The discrepancy between the eastern and western focuses on the concept have never really been brought to my attention like this, before. Its fascinating stuff to see. Thanks for your perspective on all this.
Godzilla wasn't just about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they also had the Lucky dragon as a bad experience. The Lucky Dragon was a Japanese fishing boat that accidentaly drifted into an H-Bomb test area.
I deferred watching this because of my love for Godzilla. But this was a brilliant tribute. Godzilla represents mindless destruction. Which is terrifyingly portrayed in the film. Also, the haunting song sung by the school girls is Akira Ikufube's "Prayer for Peace."
I never would've thought that Godzilla would've won the tournament, but here we are. Absolutely amazing! Also I really liked this video. It was well thought out, and does a good job at explaining why Godzilla is the best horror film of all time.
Good video. Thanks to the Internet I was able to see the original version sans Burr. It was awesome. I can't even want to see the 1956 version ever again.
The first time I saw the original cut of Godzilla (with English subtitles) was in a theater in 2005 or so. Big improvement on seeing the Raymond Burr version on television.
One word however about "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms". It's not that simplistically a monster movie. (Even "King Kong'' had its moral lessons) Even if the military succeeds in mortally wounding the beast, its shed blood is still poison, and although the moral implications are weaker than in ''Gojira", they are still there : We never know the aftereffects of the new weapons we are so proud of.
The newest American Godzilla could've easily been a metephor for 9/11, but the filmmakers either didn't have the balls or didn't understand why the original Godzilla worked.
Darran Clarke - Let's not forget the bombs were dropped on civilian populations, not military targets. You can't fault the people of Japan for Pearl Harbor. We're dealing w/a time when Japan was a ruthless Empire where the Emperor is a religious leader to the military, essentially their version of The Pope. It's not like the people placed the emperor or its military leaders in power.
The answer is simple. Godzilla wasn't just a reaction to Hiroshima, it was also a thinly veiled protest film because we were STILLL testing atomic bombs. That's why. An incident that the video doesn't mention was the fishing boat in 1954 & how some contaminated fish still reached the market.
Great job Robin. I just saw this one .I think the most moving sequence in the original Godzilla is the singing of the girl students. If that doesn't focus and crystallized the theme nothing does. Also the moral conflict of Dr. Serizawa is brought out more acutely in the Japanese, while in the American version with Raymond Burr, it's sort of glossed over very quickly. Grest analysis, Robin.
I enjoyed this retrospective as much as I do your humorous reviews of bad films. One thing though: I wish you had made some mention of the great music in this film, which has so much to do with the emotional resonance you spoke of, so unlike the music of most American monster films of the period. The music made an unforgettable impression on me as a boy, watching the Raymond Burr version on television for the first time. Composer Akira Ifukube, who went on to score many of the subsequent films, even created Godzilla's roar.
Thanks. I think if we had had more time we might have looked at the music too. This was the winner of pur Horror Smackdown and we had less than a week to turn it around (write, record and edit) But we have not really touched much on music on this channel and this certainly inspires some ideas for the future.
Thank you. I always knew that movie was special, but I wasn’t sure why. I think you are quite right. Honda was a serious director when he needed to be.
I think this is what critics is always been trying to say about modern monster movies and just movies in general that people just want special effects and destruction, at the price of a good story. I love the original Godzilla for showing the dark side of having giant monster around the lost of life, the destruction, and horror of an tragic event all remains
It's no mistake that the oxygen destroyer in my opinion strongly resembles a nuclear bomb. A silver ball (uranium or plutonium) encased in a tube (like the the "Little Boy" bomb) that splits (nuclear fission) releasing vast destructive power.
The great thing is to watch some of the later Japanese Godzilla movie's and see how PC they are now. I watched Godzilla vs King Kong and it was hilarious. When the scientists went to Scull Island they were greeted by Japanese people painted brown!And among the gifts they brought for the savages were a transistor radio(the voice of god )which wouldn't pick up any stations but also cigarettes which they gave to kids!lol
I love this video. This is the best video essay on this movie I've seen, plus it comes with an insight I never thought of or heard od before. The one of the Oxygen Dedtroyer forcing the audience to empathise with the US during WWII. Godzilla is one of my favourite movies ever, being the one that first awakened my interest in analysing and interpreting films. So seeing mpre thoughts on it is always welcome. And the rest od your content is fantadtic too, so I subscribed.
I know I a late to the party with comments. Of course, I saw the version with Raymond Burr. We talked about this film at school for days. Growing up during the cold war we were faced with the bomb on a daily basis. This film helps me to realize nuclear dangers. I have seen all these films and most of them are in my movie collection.
Godzilla is a favorite of mine. I love Ghidora, the three headed monster, Destroy all Monsters, Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs the Sea Monster and Megalon are really good
I know, we were expecting The Thing to win too and had a version of this written for The Thing, but as soon as voting started we released it was not going that way. So good news for lovers of The Thing, we will be making another video like this to honor the film.
I never realized the depth and meaning behind the godzilla movies. I always thought they were cheesy and people were just being over board with everything that one does and the others follow. I will give it a shot and now see it with an open mind.
This was terrific. If I hadn't already subscribed, this video would have moved me to it. A point about your criticism of the later G-films- as you describe it, Gojira is really a movie you can only make *once*. A movie, even one featuring a matinee monster, about the horrifying effects of nuclear devastation is not the kind of thing you turn into a franchise. Imagine the continuing adventures of the characters in THREADS (1984). Put in those terms, you really have to wonder who made the decision to continue the character that way. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another franchise that deviated tonally from its initial effort the way the Godzilla series has or built its success on that very change in tone. I'm really curious to see what you think about this.
+Oculus Orbus thanks for those kind words. I think many horrors start off as horrors before relying more the character's reputation than story. But none makes the flip as big as godzilla.
THIS 54 ORIGINAL is the ONLY one that I really care for. I'll always take IT over any of the subsequent films - either those silly kiddie-oriented "Vrs" films or some post-2000 overblown Hollywood CGI orgy!
Still the best out of the entire series , he looks so real in some of the scenes even today like you're just watching blk n wht WW2 footage from the war ❤
All good points, and yet I still haven't seen anyone point out the Shinto connection with Godzilla. Towards the beginning of the first film, one of the fishermen tells about how they used to venerate and appease Godzilla with offerings. I have always seen Godzilla as being an angry Shinto god that is raging because of the war and the abandonment of traditions by the people of Japan. Look at what Godzilla attacks...radio and electrical towers, skyscrapers, Western "contamination." That's why it makes sense in later films that Godzilla is a protector. That's why Godzilla sticks to Japan...and (except for in Western versions) doesn't attack other places.
great great analysist....i love your dark corners reviews even if sometimwes you make fun of films i love...Howerver i love your sense of humour...Bravo on your corner films of KING KONG and Godzilla 54..you re very hard on the series...Some of them a still good films like MOTHRA VS GODZILLA 1964....But please continu your reviews are wonderful...
Greetings and Salutations. A thank you for all the work put into this series, it was awesome. You all finished it off perfectly. Far and away my favorite you tube stop. Brad.
Nice review! Well done! I think you did a nice job showing what the movies were and how most of the sequals, while fun and sometimes campy, really straited away from what the original was! And this movie even after 62 years is really good! It is one of my favorite movies period!
Certainly not us. We expected The Thing to win and had the the final episode written, but very quickly after the Godzilla vs The Thing Smackdown went live we realised we backed the wrong horse.
"In a strange way, _Godzilla_'s big secret isn't that it's about Hiroshima and Negasaki; it's that it didn't _have to_ be. Viewed simply as a disaster movie, it's still a brilliant and emotionally draining film."
That had never occurred to me, but that's so true.
Beautiful summary of the masterpiece that is Godzilla.
Godzilla cannot be controlled. Cannot be contained. He comes. He goes. Leaving us devastated in his wake.
Conrad Slaussen That's one of the things I liked about the new movie. Godzilla is a force of nature. Not a hero, not a villain...He's no different from a hurricane.
I think it's fitting to use a quote from Dr. Pretorius..."To a new world, of Gods and Monsters!"
Conrad Slaussen Indeed. He is wrath incarnate. The result of man angering Mother Nature. He is eternal.
This retrospective, like the original film, is a masterpiece. You seriously deserve an award for this. It moved me to tears!
That is very kind, thank you.
Totally agree, this video was so well made
It is truly a masterpiece of a movie. Even the monster and special effects in black and white hold very well for a movie made in the fifties.
"the original is not what people want fron Godzilla anymore."
*slowly raises hand*
um... i-i want the original...
LegoStarWarsTransformer Me too bro 😭😭😭
Smith Wesson Me three. One day.
@@VerisimilitudeFilms1 Here's hoping. 🍺
I want the Japanese 1954 original Gojira !
Me too!
The original Godzilla is a work of art and more people should watch it. The acting alone is superb!
I am desperately looking for it.
I dare say this is the most thoughtful analysis of the movie, its meaning, and its cultural impact that I have encountered, getting to the heart of it and reflecting a understanding that I haven't found with even the most celebrated and widely read movie critics. Those are important points I hadn't considered before. Because of the first movie, Godzilla is immortal in ways not even comprehended by the scientists in the movies who describe him.
I'm not kidding when I tell you that I'm an extra appearing in the 2014 American movie. They sent out a casting call for Honolulu residents. The fillmmakers tried to be secretive, saying the movie's title was _Nautilus_ , but the local newspaper blurted out that everyone already knew it was for the 2014 Godzilla movie. I knew that if I chickened out and refrained from going to the casting call, I would regret it as an old man. I stood in line for over three hours and got sunburned (I really was dangerously affected by radiation!), along with 2,000 other people. 200 of us were chosen. I was lucky, 1 out of 10.
The assistant directors had me bandaged up -- I was one of the people injured in the wake of the battle in Waikiki. Real police officers, real soldiers, and real FEMA workers were cast as extras, and they had a cop help me walk. He was endlessly talkative and jokey. When he asked me why I wanted to be in this movie, I told him that the first entry in the series I ever saw was _Godzilla vs. Megalon_ as a little boy, and thereafter I was hooked, having to see every entry I could. He said, "This is destiny! I have to help you be in the movie!" He said he would time our steps so that he could maneuver me right into the shot, right behind actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson's head. Because the cop kept joking the whole time, I thought he was just teasing me about this. But he did time our steps and, evidently, his trick worked -- I am able to pause the DVD and show family members the part where I walk across the screen from left to right. So, despite its flaws, you can imagine my fondness for the 2014 movie.
But you're right -- there is nothing at all like the first _Godzilla_ , and there never will be. :'-)
Thank you for the kind words. And how great that you are part of the epic Godzilla legacey.
Dark Corners Reviews You're welcome. 😊 That was the only time I ever felt honored to be a victim. Godzilla has thrashed King Kong, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, . . . and me. 😉
The original Godzilla, even in the American "King of the Monsters" film, has some haunting scenes. Even as a child in the 70's, I could understand the undercurrent of horror. It was movie magic. Godzilla will always be the greatest monster. And the original movie, along with King Kong vs Godzilla (even though the latter was different in tone) made some of us fans for life.
👍 If you are still out there, Jack.
Honestly, this is one of the most thought provoking scripts that you have conceived. I mean it is damn good writing. I'm a huge Godzilla fan through and through. But your insight into the film has made me an even bigger one. Thank you for that :)
Thank you for the kind words.
The very first book I bought in Japan was an essay on the social history of the original Godzilla movie. It came out in the year that the post war period officially ended, when Japan's GDP finally returned to what it was before the war. Just when the devastation of the war was behind them, they chose to revisit the massive destruction of WWII. It was cathartic, a forced remembering of unimaginable suffering, a reminder not to take the new prosperity for granted. I very much want to see the Japanese original, without Raymond Burr's overly simplistic and one dimensional summation. Thank you, Dark Corners for an insightful retrospective.
Who would've thought that Gojira would beat films like Jaws, Bride of Frankenstein, Nightmare on Elm Street, and King Kong in a competition like this?
Certainly not us, we had assumed long ago that The Thing was going to win, we had the special all written, but very quickly after we posted the final match up we found out that we had greatly underestimated the King of the Monsters.
Dark Corners Reviews I guess it only goes to show that you just can't keep a good monster down.
Dark Corners Reviews At least The Thing came in second place. So, you were close.
Robin, fantastic review. I especially love how you brought up Serizawa and his dilemma about using the Oxygen Destroyer. As I always said, he is the hero of the film, and it is his character arc that is the most heartbreaking.
@Gen. Lee Interested I think Son of Frankenstein is better than Bride, myself.
There’s a nice little homage to “King Kong” in a scene in which Gojira wrecks a commuter train. It is almost shot-for-shot an echo of King Kong attacking the elevated train.
👍👍👍
Not really. Kong smashed the train tracks deliberately and then literally punched and pounded the train. Godzilla, much bigger didn’t even notice the train until he walked In from of it, and then picked up a car up and crushed it in his jaw.
I’ve seen many reviews of Godzilla and without a doubt this is one of them.
I remember seeing this at age 9 with my best friend back then. Both huge Godzilla fans we were shocked by what we saw. It was so dark, somber and even disturbing. My friend almost cried but I was strangely intrigued. This movie is something special and it still has a special place in my "movie heart".
Absolutely wonderful retrospective of a superior film. I love many of the Godzilla films, made prior to 1970 and those from 1984 through 1994. I really liked Shin Godzilla, when I saw it in the theater. But, all of them pale to Gojira. When I got the opportunity to see Gojira subtitled, at the Detroit Institute of Arts many year ago, I grabbed it. What a powerful film! It is among my all time favorites, and yes totally unique. Thanks for sharing!
I am very glad that the original Japanese version, subtitled, is finally available in the USA on DVD.
While I do enjoy the "silly" versions of Godzilla, my favorite is the 1954 movie since it has a serious tone and made Godzilla a force of nature that mankind can not stop.
You took the words out of my mouth but did so in a more eloquent way than I am capable. When I try to explain why the original film is so powerful I fall woefully short. I have tried to get friends and co-workers to watch it with fresh eyes, but many can't get past the language, being forced to read subtitles.
Well done, I am shocked that Godzilla won the horror smackdown, as it's not what so many people and horror fans would picture as a horror film, but that's what it ultimately is.
shin godzilla didn't fall short on it's message. Did you watch the ending? the last line of the film is the main character looking over the mess of city and godzilla's supposedly dead body and saying "We need to learn to live with this." thats a very powerful message and honestly probably why it got such a critical acclaim because that very piece made the entire film's message. since it did something different than the original godzilla film instead of it being anti nuclear weapons the film's message in shin godzilla was "we need to learn to live with our mistakes and move on. and try to make a better future. Because in reality we at this moment cant live without nuclear radiation, we don't have an energy source that can turn turbines in a energy plant as seamlessly as it. Just because the plant incident japan happened doesn't mean we all need to shut down and stop using nuclear energy. We need to move forward and learn to live with our mistakes so they don't happen again. So in a way shin godzilla did something that no godzilla film before it did. which is actually give a pro message to the audience. Instead of it being an anti one about unatural weapons or energy use.
When I watched the original Godzilla again years after when I first saw it as a child I was moved. The sign of a great film is even if you cannot point to exactly what it is your heart tells you there is something there special behind all the effects and big moments. You nailed it with this video!! Thank mate
This is the best review of Godzilla I’ve ever seen. You totally get it. It’s not a monster movie, it’s a struggle to survive against powerful we can’t control.
I’ve lost count of how many times i’ve watched this video, but each time i’m astounded at how brilliant it is. Without a doubt the best retrospective of G’54 i’ve ever seen in my 40+ years as a G-fan 🙂
This is probably the most insightful film review I've ever seen. Spot on on your analysis, and incredibly well presented. I'm proud to be a subscriber. Thank you.
What a journey. Thanks for taking us along on the adventure. The thanks for a final essay that crowns the enterprise.
As i was editing this final video, I reflected on the journey, I am really proud that actually followed through with it, even though at times we were both really busy, but we hit our Halloween deadline as planned. Reading all the comments has be great too, we truly have some great viewers.
O.K., two things. 1, this smack down was so much fun. Thank you for it, and for introducing us to some movies I've surprisingly never even heard of. And 2, this Godzilla tribute was easily the best and most beautiful and well thought out tribute to one of the screen's best monster ever. Well done, guys. Thank you for this. It's been such a fun year.
Agreed.
I've had many a laugh watching your reviews from the incredibly bad to the gloriously cheesy movies. But it was this retrospect of Gojira that struck me emotionally. One must see this film as it was intended, and yes, my first viewing was of the American angle. That brief scene of the young mother clutching her children still floors me.
You struck what is the heart of this film, and we thank you.
Simply stunning video. Seeing a few seconds of “When The Wind Blows” brought all the fears of nuclear war I had as a teenager in the 80s right back to the surface. I could suddenly empathise with the original Godzilla movie.
I agree with every single word you said. I am a huge Godzilla fan and I still think that even to this day, the original 1954 film is unmatched. And yes, I think it even surpasses the 1933 King Kong film. Just my opinion. King Kong is legendary and probably the greatest adventure film ever, but as you said.........Godzilla is unique. Thank you for this outstanding review.
Doing this video reallyt made us look at Godzilla differently - while I know the writer and presenter of this video's heart belongs Kong - as producer I pick Godzilla.
Serizawa's sacrifice at the end is just so amazing. It makes me tear up every time.
Beautifully done! A reminder of what, even as a kid, I knew was missing from all the other monster movies. And in so many of them, particularly those made by second generation monster fans, the creators seem to be taking the side of the monsters. And the human suffering is played for giggles and smirks.
Nicely done video. I just finished watching the original. It's a masterpiece. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks!
What in the world are the odds that another monster film could even come CLOSE to this one?! Great list, man :)!
Extremely high, when we created the horror 64 a bout a year ago, Godzilla didn't make it on there. We wanted to show the full selection of horror films, but had only King Kong representing giant monsters, so I we took a film out and replaced it with the eventual winner.
This has got to be (for me, at least), quite simply the BEST retrospective review you have EVER done. You have shed such an accurate, thought-provoking light on the somber importance of the original "Godzilla" in words that I could only attempt to express. My hats off to you, sir, for a truly remarkable job.
Many thanks. That warms the dark corners of our hearts
I guess it is appropriate that the biggest monster in cinema (both in size and in sequels) should win the Horror Smackdown. I could not be happier. This video is also the best tribute I've ever seen to the original film and I'm looking forward to other films in this series.
Thank you Dark Corners for a great ride with the Horror Smackdown. It was lots of fun. I got reminded of some great classics that I watched again and even learned about some new films which I was unaware of until recently.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the adventure.
My vote is Gojira because it's a masterpiece... plus I'm a huge Godzilla fan and I have been 3/4 of my life...
I wish I knew the more kid friendlier movies when I was a kid... but Gojira gave me chills. Go go Godzilla
Nicely done! (author of three Godzilla books).
Amazing piece guys. Truly, this goes to Godzilla and you prove it!
Love how the Horror Smackdown has ended. It's been a tense, fun and interesting few months. I, for one, have been introduced to new films I would never have watched before, such as Kwaidan, and grown a new found respect for films I've loved for a long time.
Seriously, thanks for all the hard work you've put into this. It's been great!
Thank your for the kind words.
One of the best analysis I’ve ever seen of the original film. Bravo!
A wonderful retrospective and a wonderful tournament. Not only did you force me to watch a number of movies I had never seen but you entertained me all along the way. I am truly grateful for what you have given me and in awe of the amount of effort involved. You both should be very proud of the achievement.
Thank you for the kind words. On to the next project now.
Fantastic analysis. One of your best. I'm stunned!
This is simply... Beautiful, well done!
So true. I remember as a small child watching Godzilla films on TV out of order. When I finally saw the original Godzilla it seemed so completely different from any of the sequels, wildly different in tone. It literally gave me nightmares as a child.
1:50 - jesuschrist that short giant monsters tribute with the original theme of their King is so damn badass!
So many great points well made. Thank you!
That was a really great video i enjoyed it very much I've got nearly all the Godzilla movies on dvd they r amazing no other Monster movies r as good
The original Gojira scene of the village destruction under the rain remains one of the most atmospheric terrifying scenes in cinema history. Even 63 years after, I still shudder.
When the movie was shown in my country in late 1954, I was too terrified to go and see it after the preview !
Crushes the "Snyder-Verse" with one sentence. Thank you, "weightless destruction".
I will say The Return of Godzilla (1984) doesn't entirely ditch the somber tone or the fear of nuclear annihilation. I think it's a solid entry that tries to play into cold war fears. Godzilla 1985, the recut version, bungles this just like it did the original 54 film (adding Raymond Burr again no less). Great video though.
The Heisei Godzilla series and films afterwards, remained dark and aimed more towards the older audiences. Especially the Heisei series.
YES 😆😆😆😀😀😀 was it a close race or a landslide?? I enjoyed the commentary on Godzilla, on a side note, the second movie "Godzilla Raids", this movie proved even though we can't kill him, we found a way to trap him so he can do no more harm, which several of the later films do, when he doesn't just walk/swim away. Even in Shin Godzilla, they just freeze him with a coagulant, he is not dead.
Our count yesterday was almost 2:1 om his favour! We had The Thing special written and ready to go, but within an hour of the match going up we releasied we should not have counted out the king of the monsters.
The discrepancy between the eastern and western focuses on the concept have never really been brought to my attention like this, before. Its fascinating stuff to see.
Thanks for your perspective on all this.
I legitimately got chills at points of this video
What fun that was! Great choice and wonderful commentary. Thanks DC for all your hard work!
Thank you for taking part.
Godzilla wasn't just about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they also had the Lucky dragon as a bad experience. The Lucky Dragon was a Japanese fishing boat that accidentaly drifted into an H-Bomb test area.
I appreciate the great analysis of this channel. It is excellent.
I deferred watching this because of my love for Godzilla. But this was a brilliant tribute. Godzilla represents mindless destruction. Which is terrifyingly portrayed in the film. Also, the haunting song sung by the school girls is Akira Ikufube's "Prayer for Peace."
Beautifully done! This has been a great year to review horror movies. Cheers!
Thank you for the kind words.
Thank you for this incredible video! Well done all!
Thank you for the kind words.
VERY NICE VIDEO, WELL DONE......................AND ..I AM SO HAPPY FOR GODZILLA
I never would've thought that Godzilla would've won the tournament, but here we are. Absolutely amazing! Also I really liked this video. It was well thought out, and does a good job at explaining why Godzilla is the best horror film of all time.
Beautifully done.
Nicely done and very detailed, " Long Live the King"
Good video. Thanks to the Internet I was able to see the original version sans Burr. It was awesome. I can't even want to see the 1956 version ever again.
Good job researching on Godzilla 1954 and the message it has given.
The first time I saw the original cut of Godzilla (with English subtitles) was in a theater in 2005 or so. Big improvement on seeing the Raymond Burr version on television.
One word however about "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms". It's not that simplistically a monster movie.
(Even "King Kong'' had its moral lessons)
Even if the military succeeds in mortally wounding the beast, its shed blood is still poison, and although the moral implications are weaker than in ''Gojira", they are still there :
We never know the aftereffects of the new weapons we are so proud of.
1:19
Policeman : ''My cap !''
Rhedosaurus : ''Caps are indigestible.''
You just reaffirmed why I like the franchise as much as I do.
The newest American Godzilla could've easily been a metephor for 9/11, but the filmmakers either didn't have the balls or didn't understand why the original Godzilla worked.
Darran Clarke - Let's not forget the bombs were dropped on civilian populations, not military targets. You can't fault the people of Japan for Pearl Harbor. We're dealing w/a time when Japan was a ruthless Empire where the Emperor is a religious leader to the military, essentially their version of The Pope. It's not like the people placed the emperor or its military leaders in power.
The answer is simple. Godzilla wasn't just a reaction to Hiroshima, it was also a thinly veiled protest film because we were STILLL testing atomic bombs. That's why. An incident that the video doesn't mention was the fishing boat in 1954 & how some contaminated fish still reached the market.
Amazing video and very well written script.
Godzilla wins?!!!! 😃 I guess he truly is king of the monsters after all!!!! 😄
Great job Robin. I just saw this one .I think the most moving sequence in the original Godzilla is the singing of the girl students. If that doesn't focus and crystallized the theme nothing does. Also the moral conflict of Dr. Serizawa is brought out more acutely in the Japanese, while in the American version with Raymond Burr, it's sort of glossed over very quickly. Grest analysis, Robin.
I enjoyed this retrospective as much as I do your humorous reviews of bad films.
One thing though: I wish you had made some mention of the great music in this film, which has so much to do with the emotional resonance you spoke of, so unlike the music of most American monster films of the period. The music made an unforgettable impression on me as a boy, watching the Raymond Burr version on television for the first time. Composer Akira Ifukube, who went on to score many of the subsequent films, even created Godzilla's roar.
Thanks. I think if we had had more time we might have looked at the music too. This was the winner of pur Horror Smackdown and we had less than a week to turn it around (write, record and edit) But we have not really touched much on music on this channel and this certainly inspires some ideas for the future.
A masterful retrospective.....So well done. Thank you!
Thank you.
Thank you. I always knew that movie was special, but I wasn’t sure why. I think you are quite right. Honda was a serious director when he needed to be.
I think this is what critics is always been trying to say about modern monster movies and just movies in general that people just want special effects and destruction, at the price of a good story. I love the original Godzilla for showing the dark side of having giant monster around the lost of life, the destruction, and horror of an tragic event all remains
It's no mistake that the oxygen destroyer in my opinion strongly resembles a nuclear bomb. A silver ball (uranium or plutonium) encased in a tube (like the the "Little Boy" bomb) that splits (nuclear fission) releasing vast destructive power.
Your commentary just brought me to tears,,,,, please be safe and healthy and god bless you....
Thanks so much robin! You are a true friend....
The great thing is to watch some of the later Japanese Godzilla movie's and see how PC they are now. I watched Godzilla vs King Kong and it was hilarious. When the scientists went to Scull Island they were greeted by Japanese people painted brown!And among the gifts they brought for the savages were a transistor radio(the voice of god )which wouldn't pick up any stations but also cigarettes which they gave to kids!lol
12:55
''How great is Godzilla ?
"It is unique !"
By its Human Dimension.
Once I saw the original version of the Raymond Burr re-do I knew what a disservice had been done to a true masterpiece.
I love this video. This is the best video essay on this movie I've seen, plus it comes with an insight I never thought of or heard od before. The one of the Oxygen Dedtroyer forcing the audience to empathise with the US during WWII.
Godzilla is one of my favourite movies ever, being the one that first awakened my interest in analysing and interpreting films. So seeing mpre thoughts on it is always welcome.
And the rest od your content is fantadtic too, so I subscribed.
I know I a late to the party with comments. Of course, I saw the version with Raymond Burr. We talked about this film at school for days. Growing up during the cold war we were faced with the bomb on a daily basis. This film helps me to realize nuclear dangers. I have seen all these films and most of them are in my movie collection.
Godzilla is a favorite of mine. I love Ghidora, the three headed monster, Destroy all Monsters, Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs the Sea Monster and Megalon are really good
THE THING LOST!?! Curses, foiled again. It's been a long ride, but worth the journey. Thank You.
I know, we were expecting The Thing to win too and had a version of this written for The Thing, but as soon as voting started we released it was not going that way. So good news for lovers of The Thing, we will be making another video like this to honor the film.
This is excellent! Great work!
I never realized the depth and meaning behind the godzilla movies. I always thought they were cheesy and people were just being over board with everything that one does and the others follow. I will give it a shot and now see it with an open mind.
This was terrific. If I hadn't already subscribed, this video would have moved me to it. A point about your criticism of the later G-films- as you describe it, Gojira is really a movie you can only make *once*. A movie, even one featuring a matinee monster, about the horrifying effects of nuclear devastation is not the kind of thing you turn into a franchise. Imagine the continuing adventures of the characters in THREADS (1984).
Put in those terms, you really have to wonder who made the decision to continue the character that way. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another franchise that deviated tonally from its initial effort the way the Godzilla series has or built its success on that very change in tone. I'm really curious to see what you think about this.
+Oculus Orbus thanks for those kind words. I think many horrors start off as horrors before relying more the character's reputation than story. But none makes the flip as big as godzilla.
THIS 54 ORIGINAL is the ONLY one that I really care for. I'll always take IT over any of the subsequent films - either those silly kiddie-oriented "Vrs" films or some post-2000 overblown Hollywood CGI orgy!
Still the best out of the entire series , he looks so real in some of the scenes even today like you're just watching blk n wht WW2 footage from the war ❤
All good points, and yet I still haven't seen anyone point out the Shinto connection with Godzilla. Towards the beginning of the first film, one of the fishermen tells about how they used to venerate and appease Godzilla with offerings. I have always seen Godzilla as being an angry Shinto god that is raging because of the war and the abandonment of traditions by the people of Japan. Look at what Godzilla attacks...radio and electrical towers, skyscrapers, Western "contamination." That's why it makes sense in later films that Godzilla is a protector. That's why Godzilla sticks to Japan...and (except for in Western versions) doesn't attack other places.
great great analysist....i love your dark corners reviews even if sometimwes you make fun of films i love...Howerver i love your sense of humour...Bravo on your corner films of KING KONG and Godzilla 54..you re very hard on the series...Some of them a still good films like MOTHRA VS GODZILLA 1964....But please continu your reviews are wonderful...
Greetings and Salutations. A thank you for all the work put into this series, it was awesome. You all finished it off perfectly. Far and away my favorite you tube stop.
Brad.
Nice review! Well done! I think you did a nice job showing what the movies were and how most of the sequals, while fun and sometimes campy, really straited away from what the original was! And this movie even after 62 years is really good! It is one of my favorite movies period!
A fantastic Review.. thanks a lot 😀
Saw this movie last night was great !
Saturday night revisit. A remarkable essay.
Godzilla wins - who would have thought it? Brilliant though. And brilliant commentary - one of your best. Congratulations to you.
Certainly not us. We expected The Thing to win and had the the final episode written, but very quickly after the Godzilla vs The Thing Smackdown went live we realised we backed the wrong horse.
First one had serious darkness about it. nice job!