Godzilla

I'm going to be honest. As a history guy, especially WW2, I can see the impact of this movie in Japan back in 1954. I watched it in 2019 and I also felt it. It parallels a lot with the two nuclear strikes and the Tokyo Bombings. Special effects wise, it is very entertaining even when you can see the "cheapness" of some scenes. But very good for 1954. The part I didn't like however (and I thought it was pretty bad) was the human side of the story. The supposed main cast. It was so badly written... Jesus. The best parts were easily the WW2 vibes with the general public but the main cast was, in both acting and writing, pretty damm bad and that did takes a lot from the experience of this movie imo.

Based on the titles of the later films in the Japanese Godzilla franchise, it is already clear to me where the journey is heading tonally. However, the original from 1954 is still on the serious side. The historical proximity to World War II is obvious here. It is clear that the film is dealing with the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. And it's also quite effective, because the fears that must have been omnipresent in Japan at the time are palpable. I was also impressed by the restrained use of the eponymous monster. It takes quite a while before you really get to see Godzilla, and when you do, it packs quite a punch. The creature design is surprisingly effective, and the destruction is also strongly realized with the help of models. The whole thing is accompanied by a great score. My only major points of criticism concern the human characters, hardly any of whom are memorable, and the acting, which is far too overdone by some of the actors. Otherwise, "Godzilla" is an excellent introduction to this mega-franchise.