Godzilla (1954) is a choir of destruction and loss
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by Troler
Free Software fundamentally misses the point. It fails on a practical, ideological, economic, and political level. Let’s examine precisely how (in a slightly different order for the purposes of presentation).
In some sense commenting about Gojira (Godzilla) is as mainstay of lay-critics as it was to use Homer's Illiad as an example in Ancient Greece. It is the icon of the second half of the 20th century. It is a monster born from the radioactive fallout, a creature that can be destroyed only by a tool more powerful than it, at the cost of the same tool being used by the world empires against each other. It is the monolith of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is the great inspiration behind Steven Spielberg's film Jurassic park, which predominant use of puppets was likely due to the suitmation technique utilized in the Gojira film. I feel compelled to write a grandiose analysis of the movie. With currently 38 movies, to describe it as anything but a ichimaiiwa (一枚岩 — lit. one narrow stone) would be a crime to itself. As much as there is a crime in not praising a noteworthy work of art. Considering the reader's and my own sanity, I am not going to delve too deep into it all. Those earning the complete package and not a bargain bin offer, can read a book about Gojira. If that is not enough, the same author, Steve Ryfle wrote an another one. ↩ Reply
Even though the movie is all about the big "G", it actually spends quite some time building up the atmosphere and tension. It starts out referencing the fishing boat Daigo Fukuryū Maru incident. Where American hydrogen bomb tests caused 1 of 23 fishermen to die from radiation poisoning. The incident, as reported by readhistoricalpicures.com, was a catalyst for the Gojira movie. A hot and pressing issue. This is where the director Ishiro Honda excels. The historical event, still burning with sorrow and ardor within Japanese hearts, is used as an emotional catalyst. ↩ Reply
![[embedded image]](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/AFLIAUHA3FZHTG6Z.jpg "Dance for me, Hawai'ian girl, said the Gojira")
The political maneuvering is interwoven with the aims of the film. The actual attack on the vessel is not seen. Only the reactions of the startled sailors and its after effect. This is the famous Steven Spielberg way of filming Jaws. Show only the glimpse of the terror to build suspense until the big reveal. I would say the execution is pretty well done. The focus remains for a sizable chunk of the first half of the movie about the reaction to the attack. Fittingly Lovecraft said: ↩ Reply
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown
c:0 ↩ Reply
Sure there is suspense and build-up, the fear of the unknown is present, yet the movie doesn't fall into trap of building up to a climax that under delivers. There lies a problem with me being harsh to the movie's emotional roller-coaster, that is I am not Japanese. The film was first and foremost made for a Japanese audience, for Japanese sensibilities. It can be seen by its references to the current political realities, from the Parliamentarian Oyama (Seijiro Onda) and the what do you know about the old days?! old man. Even though I understand the point of the characters in what way they contribute to the plot, there is a gap in my comprehension of Japanese problems at the time. All fiction is about the present day. It can be either about the individual person or the problems of the modern day world. The latter is the case in Gojira. It is difficult to understand what Shakespeare wrote, not only from the language difficulty, but also from the historic perspective as well. As I've mentioned in my Max Fleischer's Superman review, any work is a product of its time. Furthermore, it must be treated from the lenses of the at that time reception. ↩ Reply
It is apparent in the clear malnutrition of everyone on the set. The figures are slim and the faces have indented cheeks. It intrigues me how energetic and active the cast are. Especially Momoko Kochi (Emiko Yamane). The acting is pretty solid. The first half primarily focuses on the humans, where the character traits, ambitious and goals are fleshed out. I would not say everything plot wise was well and swell. Particularly the political intrigue did not resonate with me that much. The discussions about the monster echo that of Japan's response to nuclear weapons. The movie is a commentary on nuclear weapons and the post-WW2 Japan. Even so, to complain about politics in Gojira, is about as relevant as to do the same about romance in Michael Bay films. Sure, it is present, it adds that sweet protagonist motivation, yet it is not the main emphasis. What I am going to emphasize is the dichotomy between Newspaper Reporter Hagiwara (Sachio Sakai) and Oyama. The former representing the everyday interests of the Japs, while latter the common politicians stance. Both sides are correct in their own right. The former scream how the people deserve to know the origin of Gojira. At the same time, the politician argues, it is risky to let the news spread without considering their effect on the economy and society at large. The 1950s were a time of literal rebuilding from ashes. As such there were various contentions about which path ought to be chosen. In a country with deep care for tradition, be it the old man or the scene of the traditional festival, the path Japan was walking on was winding and shrouded in fog. From the perspective of a Japanese viewers, the discussions were contentious and quite heated. For them the debates would serve as a further catalyst of the climax. c:1 ↩ Reply
Naturally the monster is hunted down, attacked and bombed. None of such crude tools of destruction work. That's the classic Lovecraftian horror, a beast so powerful, no human weapon can scratch it, let alone kill it. Such was the case in Steven Spielberg's film War of the Worlds. In War of the Worlds, the aliens are destroyed not by humans, rather their lack of immunity to earth pathogens. The director of Gojira commented on that, saying, ↩ Reply
If Godzilla had been a dinosaur or some other animal, he would have been killed by just one cannonball. But if he were equal to an atomic bomb, we wouldn’t know what to do. So, I took the characteristics of an atomic bomb and applied them to Godzilla.
↩ Reply
The horror of not being able to defeat a foe is great. A great film-maker can squeeze that fear to its absolute limit. Yet, it comes to be quite sterile once it dawns there is absolutely no escape resolution. Such an event can work, for sure. The problem is, it's not the case for a kaiju film. I haven't yet seen Gojira minus 1.0, yet, which, I've heard, tackles that problem in its own unique way, of which I cannot comment. There must be a resolution to have an ending that works, that moves the viewers to tears while not betraying the whole horror. The secret to the conundrum is nothing else but a self-sacrifice. ↩ Reply
The only representative of its species', Gojira's, death is not joyous. No, it is a tragedy that was averted at a cost of the potential to study and learn from it. It is a tragedy, because the weapon more deadly than the nuclear bomb was unleashed. It is tragic, because a man, who resolved the conflict, chose to pass away together with the beast, the ultimate self-sacrifice. The popular perception of Gojira is that of a monster without a leash, destroying the cities and lives of people. The original movie present the dinosaur as yet another victim of nuclear tremor. It destroys not because of malice, rather of that fleeting fear. As much as Japan, so it is a victim of the nuclear fallout. I am not sure how I didn't hear about this in the reviews and discussions of other people, but Gojira is a tragic villain. ↩ Reply
I can't believe that Gojira was the last of his species. If nuclear testing continues, then someday, somewhere in the world, another Gojira may appear.
↩ Reply
- Dr. Kyohei Yamane ↩ Reply
![[embedded image]](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/J0NH0UC9BZJ3QRLM.jpg "Oh peace, oh light, return...")
Fin. ↩ Reply
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Blender Dumbass
c:0 The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown
⤴ ViewI just thought about it. It seems to be the cause of Paternalism.
Paternalism = Empathy + Fear of the Unknown
Blender Dumbass
c:1 romance in Michael Bay films. Sure, it is present, it adds that sweet protagonist motivation, yet it is not the main emphasis.
⤴ ViewAre you sure. Based on the shot choices in the first and second Transformers films, you can see that at least for some of the movie the Romance is the central emotional core of it all. Even the 3rd film does that to some extent. It just that producers fucked up by firing Megan Fox.
... replies ( 1 )
Troler
c:2@blenderdumbass It's always tricky with such vague statements. They have a tendency to end up being wrong, one way or another. In Bad Boys 2 it was not the most important theme... now I just to wait for you to respond with a "well, acktchually".
Troler
c:2... c:1
Blender Dumbass c:1 romance in Michael Bay films. Sure, it is present, it adds that sweet protagonist motivation, yet it is not the main emphasis.
⤴ ViewAre you sure. Based on the shot choices in the first and second Transformers films, you can see that at least for some of the movie the Romance is the central emotional core of it all. Even the 3rd film does that to some extent. It just that producers fucked up by firing Megan Fox.
@blenderdumbass It's always tricky with such vague statements. They have a tendency to end up being wrong, one way or another. In Bad Boys 2 it was not the most important theme... now I just to wait for you to respond with a "well, acktchually".
... replies ( 1 )
Blender Dumbass
c:3@Troler Well, actually, Bay waited for his iconing spinning shot in Bad Boys II, to be used in the very moment when the girl ( who is a sister of one main character and the girlfriend of the second one ) is kidnapped and flown into Cuba. Which is an emotional climax of the movie and where everything was building the whole time. This is the part that sends chills down your spine for how absolutely epic it is, because of the relationships between characters.
Blender Dumbass
c:3... c:2
Troler c:2c:1
@blenderdumbass It's always tricky with such vague statements. They have a tendency to end up being wrong, one way or another. In Bad Boys 2 it was not the most important theme... now I just to wait for you to respond with a "well, acktchually".
@Troler Well, actually, Bay waited for his iconing spinning shot in Bad Boys II, to be used in the very moment when the girl ( who is a sister of one main character and the girlfriend of the second one ) is kidnapped and flown into Cuba. Which is an emotional climax of the movie and where everything was building the whole time. This is the part that sends chills down your spine for how absolutely epic it is, because of the relationships between characters.
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