I prefer English versions in most cases but this is kinda silly having Steve Martin (Raymond Barr) in it and not speaking Japanese. Otherwise this is still a spectacular Godzilla film! The destruction is great and effects were incredible for it's time.
132 Reviews
Americanized Version of a Japanese Master piece
calabloc8 September 2006
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.
Japanese Version Far Superior!
jmillerdp14 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Having not seen all the "Godzilla" movies, I don't know if this is the best one. But, I'm guessing that it does have the best story and characters. There are two versions of this: The original Japanese version ("Gojira"), and the "Americanized" version, where Raymond Burr is inserted into the story, and other cuts are made.
I've seen both versions (available from Criterion, by the way). As you'd expect, the original version is better. In this case, however, the Japanese version (which has a separate IMDb page), is far superior. This is because we get to know the characters much better. There is a lot more human emotion in the original. Also, the cutaways to Raymond Burr (shot separately, two years later in the U.S.) don't distract from the story. The cuts from the original are critical, since they are about the characters.
A thematic difference is that there is the angle of Godzilla being the product of American Hydrogen Bomb testing. Definitely guessing that Americans didn't want to hear that part, which is why those comments are deleted from the Americanized version.
Of course, the 1950's American monster movies blame their monsters on radioactivity, so in that way, there isn't too much of a difference!
The original version also has a bit more Godzilla smashy-smashy action! If you are in a hurry to see it, you are in for a wait. 'Zilla doesn't show up (except for a quick head shot) until about the 42-minute mark in both versions.
I definitely recommend the Japanese version. Yes, there are subtitles, but it's worth it! The American version runs 1:20 and the Japanese version runs 1:36.
Japanese version: ******* (7 Out of 10 Stars) / American version: ***** (5 Out of 10 Stars)
I've seen both versions (available from Criterion, by the way). As you'd expect, the original version is better. In this case, however, the Japanese version (which has a separate IMDb page), is far superior. This is because we get to know the characters much better. There is a lot more human emotion in the original. Also, the cutaways to Raymond Burr (shot separately, two years later in the U.S.) don't distract from the story. The cuts from the original are critical, since they are about the characters.
A thematic difference is that there is the angle of Godzilla being the product of American Hydrogen Bomb testing. Definitely guessing that Americans didn't want to hear that part, which is why those comments are deleted from the Americanized version.
Of course, the 1950's American monster movies blame their monsters on radioactivity, so in that way, there isn't too much of a difference!
The original version also has a bit more Godzilla smashy-smashy action! If you are in a hurry to see it, you are in for a wait. 'Zilla doesn't show up (except for a quick head shot) until about the 42-minute mark in both versions.
I definitely recommend the Japanese version. Yes, there are subtitles, but it's worth it! The American version runs 1:20 and the Japanese version runs 1:36.
Japanese version: ******* (7 Out of 10 Stars) / American version: ***** (5 Out of 10 Stars)
Godzilla should not be destroyed, he should be studied.
lastliberal-853-25370815 May 2014
The 1954 classic was apparently not good enough for American audiences. They remade the film with Raymond Burr narrating the action and starring as a reporter covering the incident.
Rather than a subtitled film, we get one dubbed. At least they left some of the Japanese dialog.
Stars of the original film, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kôchi, and Akira Takarada, took second billing to Burr, who dominated throughout.
Godzilla was a grave representation of the horrors of the H bomb; horrors that Japan knew all too well. Scenes of the destruction caused by Godzilla, and of the broken, burning bodies pulled from the rubble, look authentic enough to be documentary footage of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. The film, a huge hit in the original form, must have been therapeutic for the Japanese people.
Rather than a subtitled film, we get one dubbed. At least they left some of the Japanese dialog.
Stars of the original film, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kôchi, and Akira Takarada, took second billing to Burr, who dominated throughout.
Godzilla was a grave representation of the horrors of the H bomb; horrors that Japan knew all too well. Scenes of the destruction caused by Godzilla, and of the broken, burning bodies pulled from the rubble, look authentic enough to be documentary footage of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. The film, a huge hit in the original form, must have been therapeutic for the Japanese people.
Poor Tokyo!
BaronBl00d17 February 2000
The abuse and destruction unleashed on this Japanese city Tokyo is nothing short of epic in stature. The city, through the various romps of the titular character, literally swirls in flames, buildings fall at amazing speed , and just about every human form of transportation is reduced to rubble. This is the setting for much of the film, Godzilla - King of the Monsters. Despite being nothing more than a film with a man in a rubber suit trashing a miniature Tokyo set, this first Godzilla has much going for it. It is well-paced, and the action is engrossing and climactic. I saw the Americanized version with Raymond Burr, and thought Burr did a fine job playing foreign correspondent Steve Martin. Burr really helps create and add tension in the film with his narration and through the events we see through his eyes. The Japanese actors are very good as is the direction. Really the only low-point of the film for me was the inept dubbing, particularly the Brooklyn accent given to one of the chief Japanese scientists. Quite a gem!
Not as powerful as "Gojira"
gigan-927 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The American version, released in 1956, is shorter and based on Raymond Burr's character, Steve Martin, point of view. He gives a great performance and the film maintains its dark tone; to a degree that is. Much of the dialouge speaking of Godzilla's atomic origins and the atomic bomb itself are removed. Luckily Akira Ifukube's music isn't removed, which is one of his best. Unfortunately, "Godzilla Raids Again", "King Kong vs. Godzilla", and "Ghidorah: the Three-Headed Monster" all have some form of cutting to their original scores. Terry Morse, director of the American edits, used some clever moves to integrate Burr into the story and overall, Morse did good. The film may not compare to the original Honda vision, but it's still pretty good. I find it worth adding to any G-fan's, or classic sci-fi lover's collection.
"There were once many people here who could have told of what they saw, now there are only a few."
classicsoncall27 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Back when I was a kid of about ten years old (1960), New York City had a TV station (WNEW or WPIX, I can't remember which), that ran what it called "The Million Dollar Movie", taking it's name from films that up to that time had grossed over a million dollars. The film would be featured every night for a week from Monday through Friday at 5:00 PM. One such film was "Godzilla, King of the Monsters". I can't say with certainty what year I saw Godzilla on the Million Dollar Movie, but I can safely say that I saw it five nights in a row. I hadn't seen it ever again since until tonight, having picked up the film at a local flea market.
I can just imagine the impact "Godzilla" had on the sci-fi movie community back in the mid 1950's, probably similar to the importance that "Star Wars" had upon it's release in 1977. The 1956 version offered Raymond Burr as reporter Steve Martin narrating his experience in Tokyo covering the emergence of Godzilla from his prehistoric slumber. Interspersing live action with miniature sets, Godzilla is at the same time a campy sci-fi flick and a nightmarish horror film.
Today, Godzilla's first appearance on screen is almost comical, unable to compete with today's CGI and special effects. My first actual memory of the film was Godzilla's emergence from the depths of Tokyo Bay, resurrected from hibernation by repeated experimenting with America's hydrogen bomb. It was theorized that Godzilla was a species intermediate between a sea and a land creature dating back to the Jurassic Age. As Godzilla advances on Tokyo, he slams through power lines and buildings, stopping a train with his foot and crushing railroad cars in his wake. His steamy breath melts electrical towers and sets the city aflame. Raymond Burr's commentary - "Godzilla has turned the heart of Tokyo into a sea of fire... nothing can save the city now".
Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) is the only man who holds the secret to Godzilla's destruction, a process that destroys oxygen in water, thereby destroying the key to life itself. Unwilling to share his discovery with the world lest it be used for illicit purpose, Serizawa sacrifices himself to destroy the monster, but only after first destroying his own laboratory research notes.
Godzilla may have been destroyed in the original film, but the franchise certainly wasn't; he went on to oppose an army of future monsters - Rodan, Ghidrah, Mothra, and even King Kong! Viewers too young to have witnessed the original "Godzilla, King of the Monsters" probably won't be able to appreciate it's humble science fiction beginnings, but those of us old enough to remember The Million Dollar Movie days still revere the film as an early art form, corny as it may appear to audiences today.
I can just imagine the impact "Godzilla" had on the sci-fi movie community back in the mid 1950's, probably similar to the importance that "Star Wars" had upon it's release in 1977. The 1956 version offered Raymond Burr as reporter Steve Martin narrating his experience in Tokyo covering the emergence of Godzilla from his prehistoric slumber. Interspersing live action with miniature sets, Godzilla is at the same time a campy sci-fi flick and a nightmarish horror film.
Today, Godzilla's first appearance on screen is almost comical, unable to compete with today's CGI and special effects. My first actual memory of the film was Godzilla's emergence from the depths of Tokyo Bay, resurrected from hibernation by repeated experimenting with America's hydrogen bomb. It was theorized that Godzilla was a species intermediate between a sea and a land creature dating back to the Jurassic Age. As Godzilla advances on Tokyo, he slams through power lines and buildings, stopping a train with his foot and crushing railroad cars in his wake. His steamy breath melts electrical towers and sets the city aflame. Raymond Burr's commentary - "Godzilla has turned the heart of Tokyo into a sea of fire... nothing can save the city now".
Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata) is the only man who holds the secret to Godzilla's destruction, a process that destroys oxygen in water, thereby destroying the key to life itself. Unwilling to share his discovery with the world lest it be used for illicit purpose, Serizawa sacrifices himself to destroy the monster, but only after first destroying his own laboratory research notes.
Godzilla may have been destroyed in the original film, but the franchise certainly wasn't; he went on to oppose an army of future monsters - Rodan, Ghidrah, Mothra, and even King Kong! Viewers too young to have witnessed the original "Godzilla, King of the Monsters" probably won't be able to appreciate it's humble science fiction beginnings, but those of us old enough to remember The Million Dollar Movie days still revere the film as an early art form, corny as it may appear to audiences today.
NOT the original, but the first Hollywood rip-off
mstomaso1 July 2005
Dear Godzilla,
I decided to look into a piece of film history today, so I watched Godzilla: King of the Monsters for about the fifth time. I realize that your decision to permit this film was made early in your career, before you had established the the status of a legend, and that you might have felt the American cinemarket might not be ready for the biggest, hottest star ever produced off the coast of Japan, but I have to say that I think this entire film was a mistake.
The pasted in Raymond Burr scenes are awful and dull, and the voice-over narrative is unnecessary and distracting. You look great, of course, with the exception of one scene - about midway through the film, after you've been reanimated by nuclear testing and the paleontologists have recognized you as the missing link between Jurassic terrestrial and marine reptiles - when, for some reason, you appear as an unmoving silhouette in the background looming over a burning, wrecked Tokyo.
My complaints regarding this film all stem from its Americanization. I really don't understand why you allowed so many American scenes to be added to the film, and why you waived the right to review the script. Gojira was a much better film, of course, and time has told that tale well.
With Undying Affection,
~M
I decided to look into a piece of film history today, so I watched Godzilla: King of the Monsters for about the fifth time. I realize that your decision to permit this film was made early in your career, before you had established the the status of a legend, and that you might have felt the American cinemarket might not be ready for the biggest, hottest star ever produced off the coast of Japan, but I have to say that I think this entire film was a mistake.
The pasted in Raymond Burr scenes are awful and dull, and the voice-over narrative is unnecessary and distracting. You look great, of course, with the exception of one scene - about midway through the film, after you've been reanimated by nuclear testing and the paleontologists have recognized you as the missing link between Jurassic terrestrial and marine reptiles - when, for some reason, you appear as an unmoving silhouette in the background looming over a burning, wrecked Tokyo.
My complaints regarding this film all stem from its Americanization. I really don't understand why you allowed so many American scenes to be added to the film, and why you waived the right to review the script. Gojira was a much better film, of course, and time has told that tale well.
With Undying Affection,
~M
The greatest and most realistic of the 50s creature features.
kevinxirau31 August 2011
Godzilla is truly a legendary icon who has really stood the test of time for more than fifty years. His first film back in 1954 was very serious compared to most monster movies at the time. Most agree that it's a typical story of a prehistoric creature mutated by radiation rising up to challenge the world with his newfound power, but it's a little more than that. How so? Everything seems to be taken seriously by both filmmakers and the characters in the story. In this U.S. version, dubbing is kept to a very minimum by the lead characters while everyone else is speaking Japanese, which brings a small sense of realism. Godzilla himself is taken seriously by the filmmakers because while the primitive effects are obvious, his actions are like how a real animal reacts to a certain situation like when he approaches the electrical barrier and pauses to look at it curiously or when he snarls at a ringing clock tower because he thinks it might be another animal. He doesn't "attack" Tokyo just for the hell of it, he's just lashing out at whatever attacked him. After Tokyo is destroyed, the scene where the people mourn for the dead and dying truly moved me because the "attack" was treated like an actual disaster. I truly respect that.
Tomoyuki Tanaka really knew how to tell a war related story (war films in Japan were illegal at the time) and make his dinosaur the biggest star (literally) in the world. Steve Martin(Raymond Burr) and Dr. Serizawa are among the best known human characters in the entire series. I give this movie little more credit than before because of how it was made and the angle it was going for. Long live the King!
Tomoyuki Tanaka really knew how to tell a war related story (war films in Japan were illegal at the time) and make his dinosaur the biggest star (literally) in the world. Steve Martin(Raymond Burr) and Dr. Serizawa are among the best known human characters in the entire series. I give this movie little more credit than before because of how it was made and the angle it was going for. Long live the King!
The Americanized Version
sddavis6318 September 2008
American studios obviously believed two things: (1) that Godzilla could be sold to American audiences, and (2) that American audiences wouldn't watch the original Japanese version, and so a familiar American actor would have to be added. The end result was the filming of many scenes incorporating Raymond Burr as American newspaper reporter Steve Martin, who just happened to be in Tokyo when Godzilla struck.
In all honesty, I haven't seen the Japanese original ("Gojira") and so I have no basis on which to compare the two versions, so "Godzilla: King Of The Monsters" has to be looked at on its own merits. Let's admit right off the top that it has a lot of weaknesses. The Burr scenes aren't edited in particularly well, there are some strange decisions about dubbing (sometimes the original scenes are left in, with Japanese language and all and a narration by Burr explaining what's happening and sometimes English is dubbed over the original Japanese, and there didn't seem to me to be any particular rhyme or reason for which decision was made to which scene), the special effects are primitive (but it was made in the 1950's), and the monster stretched credibility a bit (partly the costume, and partly that he was 400 feet tall - how would the link between Jurassic era land animals and sea animals be so big?) Having said that, unless your agenda is simply to bash Americans for Americanizing the movie, you also have to admit that it's not bad. The opening scene is marvellous, with Martin being rescued from a destroyed building and brought to a hospital on a stretcher. If you didn't know the story (and we do, so perhaps this loses its impact) you'd swear off the top that this is a movie about an atomic bomb attack. For all the above weaknesses, the movie's fun pretty much all the way through if not particularly scary, and the casting of Burr accomplished what the studios wanted - Godzilla became as much an American cult classic as a Japanese one.
The ending is a bit abrupt, and seemed pretty decisive, leaving me to puzzle where all the sequels came from, but overall, if not great this was still an enjoyable film, probably undeserving of some of the criticism it gets. 6/10
In all honesty, I haven't seen the Japanese original ("Gojira") and so I have no basis on which to compare the two versions, so "Godzilla: King Of The Monsters" has to be looked at on its own merits. Let's admit right off the top that it has a lot of weaknesses. The Burr scenes aren't edited in particularly well, there are some strange decisions about dubbing (sometimes the original scenes are left in, with Japanese language and all and a narration by Burr explaining what's happening and sometimes English is dubbed over the original Japanese, and there didn't seem to me to be any particular rhyme or reason for which decision was made to which scene), the special effects are primitive (but it was made in the 1950's), and the monster stretched credibility a bit (partly the costume, and partly that he was 400 feet tall - how would the link between Jurassic era land animals and sea animals be so big?) Having said that, unless your agenda is simply to bash Americans for Americanizing the movie, you also have to admit that it's not bad. The opening scene is marvellous, with Martin being rescued from a destroyed building and brought to a hospital on a stretcher. If you didn't know the story (and we do, so perhaps this loses its impact) you'd swear off the top that this is a movie about an atomic bomb attack. For all the above weaknesses, the movie's fun pretty much all the way through if not particularly scary, and the casting of Burr accomplished what the studios wanted - Godzilla became as much an American cult classic as a Japanese one.
The ending is a bit abrupt, and seemed pretty decisive, leaving me to puzzle where all the sequels came from, but overall, if not great this was still an enjoyable film, probably undeserving of some of the criticism it gets. 6/10
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
skybrick7365 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Having watched the original Gojira right before the American produced debauchery which is King of the Monsters, I can't help but be disappointed in it. Adding in American actor Raymond Burr, who did alright in the film didn't mesh at all with the story or editing of the original Japanese characters. The movie didn't have the dark atmosphere like Gojira portrayed which led to the Godzilla scenes being a little duller. Many of the important scenes describing the message of nuclear bombing was cut from the American version leaving a bad taste in my mouth. As a modern day movie watcher I would suggest to definitely skip this movie and check out the original Japanese original since dubbing foreign movie classic is surely an outdated method.
People are too harsh on this one; it's still fantastic!
tyrantlizardthad19 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"Godzilla: King of the Monsters!", while not as good as the original Japanese version, is still excellent. The new character, Steve Martin, is a very welcome addition in my mind: part of it is nostalgia, but I do also believe that Raymond Burr's performance is fantastic, and when considering the historical context, his addition was necessary to give the film an American perspective. Additionally, he is implemented so well that anyone watching the film without prior knowledge would just assume he filmed his scenes with the rest of the Japanese cast. The scenes where he is talking to the original cast look convincing, as are the backgrounds they had him acting in. Perhaps the best example of this is the scene where Godzilla destroys the building he is in; the effects in the new footage shot of Burr are fantastic and combined expertly with the footage of Godzilla. I always thought that they actually managed to shoot new footage with him and the original cast; that's how great it is. I've also always loved the new opening of the film as well, perhaps more then the original, as it immediately sets the tone, the narration by Steve is extremely well-written (as is all of his dialogue, including all of his narration), and having the majority of the film being told by Steve reminiscing everything that happened before the attack is a very interesting and creative choice. There are some scenes that are cut down as well and summarized by Steve through narration, which I also think works; it helps the pacing. The very dark, serious tone of the film still remains and is very effective, and so are most of the really great scenes. Godzilla's rampage is still awesome, especially with Steve's great narration. In fact, I feel like his narration makes it better, and the tension built when Godzilla approaches the electrical towers is also better done here. The film also retains the emotional impact; the scene where Ogata and Emiko convince Serizawa to use the oxygen destroyer and the ending are still extremely powerful. I also think it was a wise choice to have Emiko go tell Serizawa that she was going to marry Ogata herself, rather then only do it when some news guy wants to interview him and she happens to be there; in fact, the entire reporter subplot just feels pointless. Finally, I like the ending better as well, love those end credits. However, I will admit this re-edit does have it's faults; the original's message about nuclear weapons isn't there as much, though I do feel it does exist somewhat, more then people seem to think, as it is still explained that Godzilla was created by nuclear weapons. There are also some scenes cut from the Japanese version that helps the development of the Japanese characters, and (just a minor nitpick) there are no subtitles for whenever someone talks in Japanese, which is especially disappointing in the scene where the mother holds her children as she watches Godzilla attack; we hear the Japanese but there's no subtitles to translate it, and therefore, first-time viewers won't understand her extremely powerful dialogue. Another scene where this flaw is present is the scene where Emiko explains the oxygen destroyer to Steve and Ogata; it would've been much better to keep the original dialogue where she talks with Serizawa about the weapon rather then having the English dub actress voice over the conversation. Overall, though, I still really enjoy this version of the film. It does certainly have its merits, despite it's flaws; people are too harsh on it.
An Enraged Monster Wipes Out An Entire City! (While Perry Mason watches on for America).
hitchcockthelegend9 March 2013
Well it literally is a different animal from Ishirō Honda's seminal 1954 movie about the giant atomic lizard who wakes up in a bad mood. Here the American version clips the atmosphere considerably (and the running time), craftily edits Raymond Burr into Honda's movie and of course removes the anti-American sentiment that once existed. Yet the film did prove to be very popular with English speaking film fans and further enhanced the growing appeal of all things Godzilla like.
As it is it's a decent enough film, especially if you have never seen Honda's original. For sure it's still creaky in that "man in rubber suit" way, but the iconic creature is still thrilling as it goes about its merry way destroying some carefully constructed model workings. The nuclear war heedings are still there and there's much fun to be had, intentional or otherwise. Its pale in comparison to the original, but it's not a stinker either. 6/10
As it is it's a decent enough film, especially if you have never seen Honda's original. For sure it's still creaky in that "man in rubber suit" way, but the iconic creature is still thrilling as it goes about its merry way destroying some carefully constructed model workings. The nuclear war heedings are still there and there's much fun to be had, intentional or otherwise. Its pale in comparison to the original, but it's not a stinker either. 6/10
How to Destroy a Japanese Masterpiece
claudio_carvalho16 February 2019
"Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" is the ridiculous Americanized version of the Japanese "Gojira" (1954) that destroys the Japanese masterpiece. The insertion of Raymond Burr´s character Steve Martin is a bad joke and the Japanese characters speaking in English is unbearably stupid. Do not waste your time trying to watch this garbage, prefer the original "Gojira". My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Show Them Back to Back
Sargebri16 April 2003
Like many of the other Godzilla fans, this is the only version of the the Big-G's debut that I have seen. I have never had the pleasure of watching the original Japanese version, which is even more dark in nature than this Americanized version. I often wonder how much more of an impact the original version of this film would play and would it be treated in a more favorable light than this version. However, this is still a great film despite its flaws. Raymond Burr does a credible job as Steve Martin and he does his best to convey the horror of Godzilla's attack, even though his scenes were shot much later. However, I hope that one day someone will have the bright idea to show both the Americanized version and the original back to back to allow the audience to choose for themselves which one is better.
After seeing the original, this pales
ebiros221 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This was the Godzilla that I grew up with and didn't know that it was edited for American audience. After learning that there's an original Japanese version (thanks to IMDb), I ordered the video from Japan and saw it for the first time as it was intended to be seen.
After comparing this version to the original, I can see that grafting of parts Raymond Burr appears is well done but I could also see the discontinuity in the story line. For instance, first scene Dr. Yamane appears on this version is the scene after he sees Godzilla in the original, but in this movie it's set before he sees Godzilla,. But in his dialog he's already talking about Godzilla and its incredible life force.
The Japanese fisherman appearing in this movie also can't speak Japanese right. After seeing the original, it looks so fake and out of place.
This still is a good movie, but if you're a Godzilla fan, I recommend seeing it in its original form without dubbing in English. Overall story line is much more coherent, and you'll understand the plot better.
After comparing this version to the original, I can see that grafting of parts Raymond Burr appears is well done but I could also see the discontinuity in the story line. For instance, first scene Dr. Yamane appears on this version is the scene after he sees Godzilla in the original, but in this movie it's set before he sees Godzilla,. But in his dialog he's already talking about Godzilla and its incredible life force.
The Japanese fisherman appearing in this movie also can't speak Japanese right. After seeing the original, it looks so fake and out of place.
This still is a good movie, but if you're a Godzilla fan, I recommend seeing it in its original form without dubbing in English. Overall story line is much more coherent, and you'll understand the plot better.
Still has a certain quality and dignity after all the decades and derivatives
lemon_magic16 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
All right, let's be honest...objectively speaking, the "American" re-release of "Gojira"...with Raymond Burr's scenes mixed in to make it more palatable to Amercian audiences...is a pretty dumb movie. It's a monster movie, for heaven's sake, not "The Seven Samurai" (Though I understand that the director and Kurasawa were lifelong friends.) Still, you can watch this movie decades later after dozens (hundreds?) of remakes, knockoffs, rip-offs and tributes...and you can still see the craft and creativity and freshness that inspired the imagination of viewers and filmmakers.
The buildup to the first actual reveal of the monster is neatly done...and when the camera finally reveals the famous outline looming over the crest of a ridge and the hikers freak and start running for their lives...there are very few scenes in any monster or disaster movie ever made that can rival the revelatory quality of Godzilla's first appearance.
The scenes where Raymond Burr appears aren't as goofy and disconnected as I'd been led to believe - for the most part his voice overs and narration are well considered and not too heavy on the exposition. His scenes look pretty close in lighting, scenery, costumes,and design to the original cut. Also, in most of those scenes, the Japanese actors and extras appearing with him work well to preserve the continuity so he isn't just emoting into a vaccuum. Yes, there are a couple gaffes, but even then Burr was a pro, and he makes it work.
I'm glad I finally got to see the (almost) original...it lived up to its reputation.
The buildup to the first actual reveal of the monster is neatly done...and when the camera finally reveals the famous outline looming over the crest of a ridge and the hikers freak and start running for their lives...there are very few scenes in any monster or disaster movie ever made that can rival the revelatory quality of Godzilla's first appearance.
The scenes where Raymond Burr appears aren't as goofy and disconnected as I'd been led to believe - for the most part his voice overs and narration are well considered and not too heavy on the exposition. His scenes look pretty close in lighting, scenery, costumes,and design to the original cut. Also, in most of those scenes, the Japanese actors and extras appearing with him work well to preserve the continuity so he isn't just emoting into a vaccuum. Yes, there are a couple gaffes, but even then Burr was a pro, and he makes it work.
I'm glad I finally got to see the (almost) original...it lived up to its reputation.
"I'm afraid my Japanese is a little rusty."
utgard146 September 2014
American version of 1954 Japanese classic Gojira (Godzilla) with added scenes of Raymond Burr as journalist Steve Martin (no doubt a wild & crazy guy) providing narration and an outsider's point of view on the attack on Tokyo by Godzilla. I think most fans tend to prefer the original version to this one. It's easy to see why, though both are good movies. The original is a darker, more intense film. The addition of the Raymond Burr footage in the American version lightens things up as well as eliminating many of the atomic bomb and Hiroshima references. For his part, Burr is fine and his character is well-written and respectful. No boorish American stereotype, thankfully. The Japanese cast is excellent, though you get a much better appreciation for them watching the original. Akira Ifukube's haunting score will stay with you long after the movie is over. The special effects are charmingly quaint but never so poor that it takes you out of the mood the film sets.
Godzilla wasn't the first movie of its type but it is one of the better ones, even if judged solely on the level of being a fun monster movie. However, it's the added anti-nuclear theme in a film made by a people directly affected by the atomic bomb a decade before that gives Godzilla a certain gravitas that other giant monster movies from the 1950s don't have. If you are able to enjoy a slowly-paced film with subtitles (not everybody is, let's be honest), then you should seek out the original by all means. Whichever version you watch, I think you will be pleased as both are terrific films with entertainment and historic value. Oh and don't worry about that ending. The movie was followed by a sequel or two...dozen.
Godzilla wasn't the first movie of its type but it is one of the better ones, even if judged solely on the level of being a fun monster movie. However, it's the added anti-nuclear theme in a film made by a people directly affected by the atomic bomb a decade before that gives Godzilla a certain gravitas that other giant monster movies from the 1950s don't have. If you are able to enjoy a slowly-paced film with subtitles (not everybody is, let's be honest), then you should seek out the original by all means. Whichever version you watch, I think you will be pleased as both are terrific films with entertainment and historic value. Oh and don't worry about that ending. The movie was followed by a sequel or two...dozen.
Don't Waste Your Time, Just Go Watch GOJIRA (1954)
brando64716 August 2014
I wasn't even aware there were two versions of the original GOJIRA until about a month ago. GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS was the American version of the film released two years after the original with heavy edits and a bunch of additional footage. It came from a time when, rather than subtitle a film for a new audience, it was deemed a better option to redub it in English and, apparently, add a brand new irrelevant character for the Americans to relate with. Despite the many differences, the overall premise remains the same. A series of ships lost at sea lead to the discovery of an ancient creature dwelling beneath the ocean waves. The legendary Godzilla has awoken and he rains destruction down on Japan. Except this time, instead of following the story of a few characters with actual back stories and motivations caught in it's path, we follow American journalist Steve Martin (Raymond Burr) as he follows the monster around Japan and spouts exposition to keep American audiences in the loop. So it's all of the monster smashing fun of GOJIRA with none of the character drama. In other words, it's the hollow shell of a movie that I wasn't too impressed with to begin.
A brief rundown on my thoughts of GOJIRA: I was bored. It was drawn out and overdramatic with a quick fix climax that continues to bother me with its goofy pseudoscience that doesn't gel with its otherwise serious tone. Still, I respect it for what it is and dig the subtext about Japan's nuclear fears in the years following the end of the second World War. On that note, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS drops all of the subtext that made GOJIRA interesting. An obvious bit of American guilt for killing tens of thousands of Japanese civilians with nuclear weapons, all references to the bombing or even atomic testing in the Pacific have been removed. Now Godzilla is nothing more than an ancient creature that rises from the ocean sort of randomly to stomp around Tokyo. It's become a generic monster movie in the hands of director/editor Terry Morse. So, there's the first mark against it. Then we have the removal of any interesting characters from the film. Sure, the characters are all still there: Dr. Yamane and his daughter Emiko, her lover Ogata, and her fiancé Dr. Serizawa. But nearly all elements from the love triangle between Emiko, Ogata, and Serizawa have been eliminated. And, if the film touched on Dr. Yamane's desire to study the beast rather than kill it, it wasn't much. Dr. Serizawa and his deus ex machina invention are still there, but only because they needed it to close the movie. Otherwise I imagine it would've been canned too. If anything, it's fun to watch this movie to see how different the vibes are between the Japanese and American versions.
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS cuts 20 minutes from the film, so at least it moves at a faster pace and puts more focus on getting to the money shots of the monster wreaking havoc. In order to get us from plot point to plot point in a way that American audiences can understand, we get Steve Martin and his powers of exposition. He's a totally passive character and does absolutely nothing more to move the plot forward. He's basically our translator. Except he's not, because that's the other new character's job: the security officer played by Frank Iwanaga. We get brief moments of story happening in Japanese, Steve asks what they said, and the security officer fills Steve (and the audience) in. So Raymond's role in the film is to essentially stand awkwardly spliced into the background and ask, "What'd he say?" This is basically a foreign film dumbed down for American audiences, a practice that continues well into the new millennium. If you want to watch some classic Godzilla but can't be bother with all that pesky "plot" or "character development" and just want to see a man in a rubber suit knock over buildings, here's your movie. But, even with it's flaws (as I see them) in the original, GOJIRA is still the superior film and should be anyone's go-to for the true origins of the world's most famous monster.
A brief rundown on my thoughts of GOJIRA: I was bored. It was drawn out and overdramatic with a quick fix climax that continues to bother me with its goofy pseudoscience that doesn't gel with its otherwise serious tone. Still, I respect it for what it is and dig the subtext about Japan's nuclear fears in the years following the end of the second World War. On that note, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS drops all of the subtext that made GOJIRA interesting. An obvious bit of American guilt for killing tens of thousands of Japanese civilians with nuclear weapons, all references to the bombing or even atomic testing in the Pacific have been removed. Now Godzilla is nothing more than an ancient creature that rises from the ocean sort of randomly to stomp around Tokyo. It's become a generic monster movie in the hands of director/editor Terry Morse. So, there's the first mark against it. Then we have the removal of any interesting characters from the film. Sure, the characters are all still there: Dr. Yamane and his daughter Emiko, her lover Ogata, and her fiancé Dr. Serizawa. But nearly all elements from the love triangle between Emiko, Ogata, and Serizawa have been eliminated. And, if the film touched on Dr. Yamane's desire to study the beast rather than kill it, it wasn't much. Dr. Serizawa and his deus ex machina invention are still there, but only because they needed it to close the movie. Otherwise I imagine it would've been canned too. If anything, it's fun to watch this movie to see how different the vibes are between the Japanese and American versions.
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS cuts 20 minutes from the film, so at least it moves at a faster pace and puts more focus on getting to the money shots of the monster wreaking havoc. In order to get us from plot point to plot point in a way that American audiences can understand, we get Steve Martin and his powers of exposition. He's a totally passive character and does absolutely nothing more to move the plot forward. He's basically our translator. Except he's not, because that's the other new character's job: the security officer played by Frank Iwanaga. We get brief moments of story happening in Japanese, Steve asks what they said, and the security officer fills Steve (and the audience) in. So Raymond's role in the film is to essentially stand awkwardly spliced into the background and ask, "What'd he say?" This is basically a foreign film dumbed down for American audiences, a practice that continues well into the new millennium. If you want to watch some classic Godzilla but can't be bother with all that pesky "plot" or "character development" and just want to see a man in a rubber suit knock over buildings, here's your movie. But, even with it's flaws (as I see them) in the original, GOJIRA is still the superior film and should be anyone's go-to for the true origins of the world's most famous monster.
Raymond Burr adds some gravitas to the American-added scenes in Godzilla: King of the Monsters!
tavm8 October 2020
Just a few weeks ago, I watched the original Japanese version of Godzilla. So now, I just also watched the American-edited version with new scenes of Raymond Burr as American reporter Steve Martin narrating most of the movie with some of the Japanese scenes dubbed in English. Other than those new scenes, the movie has most of the same narrative with only a few scenes cut out. Burr as the reporter is quite effective when narrating or talking into a tape machine meant for his boss to receive. And it's mainly because of that narration that I'm giving this version called Godzilla: King of the Monsters! an 8 while I gave the original version a 7.
Godzilla, First Monster Of Japan
bkoganbing23 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Godzilla was the film that launched its own genre, the Japanese monster pictures. Not many films can claim that and not many countries have suffered more damage to their cities. You'd think that two atomic bombs would have been enough.
Actually in its own way and the original version was in fact trying to make a statement about the evils that could be launched from splitting the atom. Japan certainly was qualified to make such a film. Even the version that we in America saw contained that same message. Awakening this prehistoric evil into modern times could destroy mankind or at least Japan.
It was probably a good thing Godzilla was done in black and white. Later Japanese monster films in color showed some of the flimsiness of the cardboard and paper mache sets that the monster of the film would destroy as he was doing his thing be it Godzilla, Gammera, Rodan, Mothra, whomever.
It was thought that adding an American name would insure some box office. Raymond Burr was not yet Perry Mason, not yet Ironside, he was a well respected character actor who did play mostly villains. We're told his scenes were all shot in America and the Japanese players came over here to shoot with him. They do look like they were shoehorned into the film.
I'm not sure of the science involved in doing in Godzilla. It involved destroying all the oxygen in the water of Tokyo Bay and leaving it a bleached undersea graveyard. Godzilla's taken up residence there and rests during the day and prowls the city at night doing a lot of mayhem and destruction. The best part of the film is Godzilla's death scene, it's as dramatic as King Kong's. On that the special effects boys deserve a lot of credit.
Godzilla launched a genre as Japanese filmmakers looked to create bigger and better monsters who dealt in more and more death and destruction. What I never figured out is why it was always their cities?
Actually in its own way and the original version was in fact trying to make a statement about the evils that could be launched from splitting the atom. Japan certainly was qualified to make such a film. Even the version that we in America saw contained that same message. Awakening this prehistoric evil into modern times could destroy mankind or at least Japan.
It was probably a good thing Godzilla was done in black and white. Later Japanese monster films in color showed some of the flimsiness of the cardboard and paper mache sets that the monster of the film would destroy as he was doing his thing be it Godzilla, Gammera, Rodan, Mothra, whomever.
It was thought that adding an American name would insure some box office. Raymond Burr was not yet Perry Mason, not yet Ironside, he was a well respected character actor who did play mostly villains. We're told his scenes were all shot in America and the Japanese players came over here to shoot with him. They do look like they were shoehorned into the film.
I'm not sure of the science involved in doing in Godzilla. It involved destroying all the oxygen in the water of Tokyo Bay and leaving it a bleached undersea graveyard. Godzilla's taken up residence there and rests during the day and prowls the city at night doing a lot of mayhem and destruction. The best part of the film is Godzilla's death scene, it's as dramatic as King Kong's. On that the special effects boys deserve a lot of credit.
Godzilla launched a genre as Japanese filmmakers looked to create bigger and better monsters who dealt in more and more death and destruction. What I never figured out is why it was always their cities?
Am I taking this too seriously?
aernest2 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
To me, this movie is rather heartbreaking. Who would have suffered more from the effects of nuclear power (in all its manifestations) than the Japanese at that time? Who would have seen more radiation burns and sickness than they? Who had seen two of their major cities disappear in the space of seconds? Is it just possible the Americanization was designed, not only to make the film more marketable, but to obscure the metaphor? It's hard not to think of this, especially with the current Japanese nuclear troubles.
The film itself, whether in the Americanized or original version, is better than any of its descendants, and far less campy. Though I do enjoy the later ones because of their campy outlandishness, this one stands somberly alone.
The film itself, whether in the Americanized or original version, is better than any of its descendants, and far less campy. Though I do enjoy the later ones because of their campy outlandishness, this one stands somberly alone.
The birth of Toho's kaiju franchise
kevinolzak4 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"Godzilla King of the Monsters!" marked the science fiction debut of Japan's Toho Company, their contribution to a market which was still in its infancy when the picture went into production in 1954, inspired not just by the massive success of a 1952 revival of 1933's "King Kong" but principally to make an effective statement against nuclear proliferation in the wake of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The budget did not allow for stop motion animation, but with Eiji Tsurburaya signing on to do the special effects an entire new method was devised, 'suitmation,' simply described as 'man in a suit.' His wartime experiences and ability to design articulate miniatures of vehicles and buildings proved indispensable, for as much as critics enjoy making fun of the process this provided evidence that it just wasn't as easy as they made it look. Gojira (as it was called in Japan) was a combination of dinosaurs (essentially the form of a Tyrannosaurus with the dorsal fins of a Stegosaurus), the finished costume so heavy under the heat from studio lights that stunt actor Haruo Nakajima could only wear it for three minutes without collapsing. In dragging his resin-coated, leather-gloved hand over the slackened strings of a contrabass fiddle then slowing the tempo of the sound, music specialist Akira Ifukube created the awesome and instantly distinctive cry of Toho's signature creation. The two attacks upon Tokyo at the midway point are done under cover of night, director Ishiro Honda displaying his experience with documentaries by keeping the focus on the human toll (a live broadcast cut short as the reporters all die falling from the tower is particularly chilling, as the camera plummets to the ground with them). The surprise of Godzilla's radioactive breath is saved for the second attack, melting away the electric grids and reducing Tokyo to rubble. As popular as Godzilla was in his native Japan (among the top ten moneymakers for the year), the American success of any foreign entry was not guaranteed, the idea to shoot new footage to match Honda's an untested and risky proposition. The new leading man would be Raymond Burr as Chicago reporter Steve Martin, certainly familiar to movie audiences though still a year away from TV stardom as attorney Perry Mason, best known as the villain in Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 "Rear Window," filming his scenes over a six day period (not 24 hours as some have suggested) due to the number of different sets required. 20 minutes were shot by veteran director/editor (since 1927) Terry Morse, carefully integrated throughout so that the seams are not obvious on a first viewing. Most of Burr's on screen action comes up front over the first half hour, the story told in flashback after the devastation of Tokyo, recounting his arrival and friendship with Akihito Hirata's Dr. Serizawa, the loner scientist whose research has unwittingly discovered a way to remove oxygen from the water, therefore destroying all nearby sea life. Most of the original footage remains intact, little English dubbing used with Burr present as narrator, a respectful treatment overall despite the loss of backstory and relationships. Effectively Americanized from the Japanese version, the reworking became a worldwide hit that helped establish Toho as a reliable money making kaiju franchise, following on with 14 sequels over 20 years. There were less happy results for the other two Toho films that underwent the same extensive treatment, with 1955's "Ju Jin Yuki Otoko" reborn as "Half Human" (John Carradine essentially narrating the entire picture), while "Daikaiju Baran" reemerged as the even worse "Varan the Unbelievable." Other Toho monsters like Rodan and especially Mothra would find popularity but the Big G cast a mighty shadow in its wake.
I used to think this was it- not one of the best, but a cool prototype anyway
Quinoa198416 January 2007
Oh when Americans first pillaged foreign product for big mainstream gains. With Godzilla, King of the Monsters! we see the beginning of a franchise in all its fractured, cheesy glory. After finally seeing the original Japanese version, Gojira, I also went back to the American version too, which I had seen when I was younger. The impression left by the Americanized version isn't very large, but when compared to the CGI 98 Godzilla at the time- I saw the first around the same time as they played the old ones over and over to build up publicity- it's a spring chicken, err, radioactive lizard to be exact. Seeing how its cut together here again, I'm a little surprised of how noticeable it all is with Burr in the scenes, but I don't mind terribly much (I can always think, well, it could be worse...it could be one of the Godzilla movies from the late 60s that time forgot).
Ultimately, what makes the movie exciting and dumb fun are the attack sequences, especially Godzilla's destruction of Tokyo. Also, as a kid, there's something very effective with the black and white, as it almost comes off as being darker than the other color-film Godzilla movies of the early 60s; one can see the ash all rising around, and a shot or two looks like it could've been lifted from the old newsreels following the end of WW2. Actually, Godzilla is, originally and with 'best intentions', an allegory for nuclear destruction. The American version doesn't stress this nearly as much as Gojira, and what is cut out now gets felt on a repeat viewing. But I could think of worse things to do on a Sunday afternoon.
Ultimately, what makes the movie exciting and dumb fun are the attack sequences, especially Godzilla's destruction of Tokyo. Also, as a kid, there's something very effective with the black and white, as it almost comes off as being darker than the other color-film Godzilla movies of the early 60s; one can see the ash all rising around, and a shot or two looks like it could've been lifted from the old newsreels following the end of WW2. Actually, Godzilla is, originally and with 'best intentions', an allegory for nuclear destruction. The American version doesn't stress this nearly as much as Gojira, and what is cut out now gets felt on a repeat viewing. But I could think of worse things to do on a Sunday afternoon.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!: Really!?
Platypuschow11 July 2018
My understanding of Godzilla, King of the Monsters! was that it was the USA's first outing with the titular monster. I was kind of mistaken.
You see Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is not an original US made movie. Now we all know the US have a long history of making inferior versions of foreign films but here is something else entirely.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is merely a compressed version of the original Japanese Godzilla (1954). No I mean literally, it IS the Japanese movie but with a few additional scenes added.
These scenes star Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) as a reporter who has travelled to Japan to get the story of this giant monster.
So 90% of the movie is just the original Japanese one and 10% is American footage. And this was released as a US Godzilla film!? What an absolute crock!
I simply couldn't believe what I was watching. It's fairly interesting how they managed to integrate Burr into the movie, but this simply isn't a new film. It's like watching a directors cut with a few additional scenes!
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is one of those movies that simply should never have existed.
The Good:
Raymond Burr
The Bad:
The whole fact it exists is a bit of a joke
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
I'm very glad this trend of ripping entire movies and modifying them didn't catch on
Perry Mason walking just doesn't sit right with me
You see Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is not an original US made movie. Now we all know the US have a long history of making inferior versions of foreign films but here is something else entirely.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is merely a compressed version of the original Japanese Godzilla (1954). No I mean literally, it IS the Japanese movie but with a few additional scenes added.
These scenes star Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) as a reporter who has travelled to Japan to get the story of this giant monster.
So 90% of the movie is just the original Japanese one and 10% is American footage. And this was released as a US Godzilla film!? What an absolute crock!
I simply couldn't believe what I was watching. It's fairly interesting how they managed to integrate Burr into the movie, but this simply isn't a new film. It's like watching a directors cut with a few additional scenes!
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is one of those movies that simply should never have existed.
The Good:
Raymond Burr
The Bad:
The whole fact it exists is a bit of a joke
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
I'm very glad this trend of ripping entire movies and modifying them didn't catch on
Perry Mason walking just doesn't sit right with me
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