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Godzilla

Original title: Gojira
  • 1954
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
35K
YOUR RATING
Akihiko Hirata, Momoko Kôchi, Takashi Shimura, and Akira Takarada in Godzilla (1954)
Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for Godzilla
Play trailer1:38
4 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionHorrorSci-Fi

American nuclear-weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast.American nuclear-weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast.American nuclear-weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast.

  • Director
    • Ishirô Honda
  • Writers
    • Takeo Murata
    • Ishirô Honda
    • Shigeru Kayama
  • Stars
    • Takashi Shimura
    • Akihiko Hirata
    • Akira Takarada
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    35K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ishirô Honda
    • Writers
      • Takeo Murata
      • Ishirô Honda
      • Shigeru Kayama
    • Stars
      • Takashi Shimura
      • Akihiko Hirata
      • Akira Takarada
    • 283User reviews
    • 155Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations

    Videos4

    Godzilla: The Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray]
    Trailer 1:38
    Watch Godzilla: The Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray]
    Godzilla: Deluxe Collectors Edition
    Trailer 1:01
    Watch Godzilla: Deluxe Collectors Edition
    After Devastation of "Chernobyl," What to Watch Next
    Clip 3:54
    Watch After Devastation of "Chernobyl," What to Watch Next
    Godzilla Vs. the MonsterVerse
    Clip 3:22
    Watch Godzilla Vs. the MonsterVerse

    Photos193

    Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla (1954)
    Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla (1954)
    Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla (1954)
    Momoko Kôchi and Takashi Shimura in Godzilla (1954)
    Akihiko Hirata and Momoko Kôchi in Godzilla (1954)
    Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla (1954)
    Momoko Kôchi and Akira Takarada in Godzilla (1954)
    Akihiko Hirata, Momoko Kôchi, Takashi Shimura, Akira Takarada, and Ren Yamamoto in Godzilla (1954)
    Akihiko Hirata and Momoko Kôchi in Godzilla (1954)
    Haruo Nakajima in Godzilla (1954)
    Momoko Kôchi and Akira Takarada in Godzilla (1954)
    Momoko Kôchi, Takashi Shimura, and Akira Takarada in Godzilla (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Takashi Shimura
    Takashi Shimura
    • Dr. Kyohei Yamane
    Akihiko Hirata
    Akihiko Hirata
    • Dr. Daisuke Serizawa
    Akira Takarada
    Akira Takarada
    • Hideto Ogata
    Momoko Kôchi
    Momoko Kôchi
    • Emiko Yamane
    Fuyuki Murakami
    • Professor Tanabe
    Sachio Sakai
    • Newspaper Reporter Hagiwara
    Toranosuke Ogawa
    Toranosuke Ogawa
    • Nankai Ferry President
    Ren Yamamoto
    • Masaji Yamada
    Hiroshi Hayashi
    • Chairman of Diet Committee
    Seijirô Onda
    Seijirô Onda
    • Parliamentarian Oyama
    Tsuruko Mano
    • Kuni Yamada
    Takeo Oikawa
    • Chief of Emergency Headquarters
    Toyoaki Suzuki
    Toyoaki Suzuki
    • Shinkichi Yamada
    Kokuten Kôdô
    Kokuten Kôdô
    • The Old Fisherman
    • (as Kuninori Kôdô)
    Tadashi Okabe
    • Prof. Tanabe's Assistant
    Kin Sugai
    Kin Sugai
    • Parliamentarian Ozawa
    Ren Imaizumi
    • Radio Operator
    Junpei Natsuki
    • Power Substation Engineer
    • Director
      • Ishirô Honda
    • Writers
      • Takeo Murata
      • Ishirô Honda
      • Shigeru Kayama(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      An often repeated myth is that the production of this film and Seven Samurai (1954) nearly drove Toho into bankruptcy. This neglects to mention a third Toho film made that year, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954). All three were the most expensive Japanese films made up until that point and big financial risks for Toho. However, there is little evidence to suggest that Toho was ever at risk for bankruptcy. The studio released a total of sixty-eight feature films that year, the most successful of which were Seven Samurai, Samurai I, and Godzilla respectively.
    • Goofs
      Several characters, including, Dr. Yamane, Japan's leading paleontologist, insist that the Jurassic Age was 2 million years ago. This is off by 142 million years.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Dr. Kyohei Yamane: I can't believe that Godzilla, was the last of his species. If nuclear testing continues, then someday, somewhere in the world, another Godzilla may appear.

    • Alternate versions
      In the sequence where Godzilla destroys the train, shots of terrified people watching were cut from the US version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
    • Soundtracks
      Prayer for Peace
      Performed by the Toho High School of Music

      Lyrics by Shigeru Kayama

      Composed by Akira Ifukube

    User reviews283

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Crushes its sequels like Godzilla crushes Tokyo!
    The original, Japanese version of "Gojira" is the best giant monster film I've ever seen. Some fans get carried away and call it one of the best movies ever made; I wouldn't go quite that far, but it's damn good.

    This film is quite different from the 20+ sequels that followed. Here, Godzilla is not so much a creature as he is a walking incarnation of the atomic bomb. His death ray, which became a rather amusing cartoon laser blast in later films, is here depicted as a sort of radioactive mist that sets its victims on fire. These "radioactive horror" images still resonate today - and imagine the impact they must've had on Japanese audiences fifty years ago.

    From a production standpoint, the film holds up well. Godzilla's costume is much more convincing than the silly monkey suits that featured in the 60s and 70s Toho films, and due to the grayscale photography, the model cityscapes look convincing in most shots - or at least respectable. Ifkube's music score is stirring (you know it has to be good, as they kept recycling it in later movies), and director Honda makes great use of camera angles and imaginative special effects to give Godzilla a genuine aura of menace.

    For once, the human characters don't let the side down. There's a compelling love triangle, and a dramatic sacrifice made at the end of the film that adds enormously to its emotional impact. The American version ("Godzilla: King of the Monsters") cut out much of the character development, and is thus clearly inferior; but never fear, Rialto is apparently releasing "Gojira," in all its original glory, sometime this year (2004).

    In the later Godzilla films, the destruction he causes is almost incidental. Here, it's the whole point - he's a force of nature. Impressive.
    helpful•124
    7
    • dr_foreman
    • Mar 8, 2004

    FAQ8

    • How was the Godzilla suit made?
    • What color was the original Godzilla?
    • When was the original Japanese version first available outside of Japan?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 7, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
    • Filming locations
      • Toba, Mie, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Toho Film (Eiga) Co. Ltd.
      • Walt Disney Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $175,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $562,711
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $38,030
      • May 9, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $562,711
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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