Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)

A 400-foot (122-meter) dinosaur-like beast, awoken from undersea hibernation off the Japanese coast by atomic-bomb testing, attacks Tokyo.

Directors:

Ishirô Honda, Terry O. Morse

Writers:

Ishirô Honda, Shigeru Kayama (story),

Stars:

Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kôchi

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Raymond Burr	...	Steve Martin
Takashi Shimura	...	Dr. Yamane
Momoko Kôchi	...	Emiko (as Momoko Kochi)
Akira Takarada	...	Ogata
Akihiko Hirata	...	Dr. Serizawa
Sachio Sakai	...	Hagiwara
Fuyuki Murakami	...	Dr. Tabata
Ren Yamamoto	...	Seiji
Toyoaki Suzuki	...	Shinkichi
Tadashi Okabe	...	Dr. Tabata's Assistant
Toranosuke Ogawa	...	President of Company
Frank Iwanaga	...	Security Officer

Storyline

When American reporter Steve Martin investigates a series of mysterious disasters off the coast of Japan, he comes face to face with an ancient creature so powerful and so terrifying, it can reduce Tokyo to a smoldering graveyard. Nuclear weapon testing resurrected this relic from the Jurassic age, and now it's rampaging across Japan. At night, Godzilla wades through Tokyo leaving death and destruction in his wake, disappearing into Tokyo Bay when his rage subsides. Coventional weapons are useless against him; but renowned scientist Dr. Serizawa has discovered a weapon that could destroy all life in the bay -- including Godzilla. But which disaster is worse, Godzilla's fury, or the death of Tokyo Bay?

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Plot Keywords:

godzilla | japan | monster | japanese | reporter | 

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Taglines:

Makes KING KONG look like a Midget!

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

27 April 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Godzilla

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, Jewell Enterprises Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 80 min (original U.S. theatrical release) 78 min (television)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Akihiko Hirata, who played Dr. Serizawa, wore the same eye patch in Godzilla Versus the Sea Monster and Atragon.

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Goofs

In one scene of the movie, in the court, where Dr. Yamane is giving some information based on his scientific expertise about the Godzilla, he pronounces the word "phenomenon" wrongly as "phenonemon" at least two times.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Steve Martin: The menace was gone... so was a great man. But the whole world can wake up and live again.

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Crazy Credits

Many prints and videos have absolutely no credits, beyond the title at the start(with a clearly video-generated copyright notice below it) and a "The End" graphic at the close. As of 2006, Classic Media's release of the film in the Gojira/Godzilla: King of the Monsters on DVD has the restored English credits.

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Connections

Referenced in The Angry Video Game Nerd: Godzilla (2009)

User Reviews

Americanized Version of a Japanese Master piece

Godzilla: King of the Monsters starring Raymond Burr is a completely different work than the original Gojira. In the American version many references of the Nuclear Test have been muted and almost non-exsitent. While the Japanese version has many cautions about the plight of Nuclear war. Perhaps that decision was politically manipulated for the American Audience or it could be for the fact that the American producers wanted bottom-line cash and hook even if it meant making Godzilla: King of the Monsters no deeper than the flying saucer. All in all This movie is good for a laugh, but if your looking for a deep and haunting tale then opt for the original Gojira which has just recently been released of DVD by Classic Media.