Amazing, super realistic special effects aside, this movie is very good.

Unlike many of the sequels, remakes, and parodies, this one takes itself pretty seriously. I know everyone points it out, but if you didn't know already, this movie is about nuclear repercussions. I think this makes for a really good reaction to the current state of it all back in 1954.

When you see something so obviously dangerous, you react more than just some Bill Nigh the Science Guy talking about the danger. The story makes for a great vessel of how to discuss safety as a society.

The general plot also involves pretty good character relationships, and how they all feel this Godzilla guy should be stopped. I like seeing the need to stop Godzilla, but also the uneasiness of killing Godzilla. When is it okay to kill an animal doing as it is bred to do?

I'd say whenever it is going on a deadly rampage.

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.

This is the original Japanese version of the movie and it is surely not your kid's Godzilla. No dubbed in English, just subtitles. It's amazing how un-silly it is. The people that made this movie were scared to death of the atomic future. In this film, Gojira is the embodiment of death, a representation of past atomic horrors and future uncertainties.

This is the only entry in the Godzilla series that has a poignant enough story to make you forget about the man inside the rubber suit.

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.

Compared to the surprisingly underrated "Godzilla" (1998), "Gojira" is a great monster movie. The special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya look cheap now, but that doesn't stop the impact of the film, the script, or the pounding, exciting development. It is in black and white and is almost a horror film. It is scary, funny, and strong, and the performances of the cast, including Akira Takarada, add to the film, which is also a scathing criticism of the atomic and hydrogen bombs.

I've seen this movie top every Best Godzilla movie list and wow, it lives up to its reputation. It's a great movie, period. Not great for its time. The story is great, the acting is great, the visual effects are great.

Surprising good effects that still hold up decently well today. I liked the focus on humans as opposed to Godzilla.

Happy Godzilla Day! This is the greatest film of all time. The metaphors and background of this film alone deserves a 10/10!

Catching the original classic '54 *Godzilla* on Shout! Factory TV just now hosted by John Carpenter as part of the Masters of Monsters marathon for Godzilla Day! (November 3, 2022).
I've seen the US cut with the typical inaccurate English dub back when it aired on TV in the early 90s which I believe was a marathon on the TNT channel. Really neat to see it again in its original uncut Japanese form, thanks to the recent remaster/edit from Criterion. As Carpenter mentioned, it's a great representation of the post-war "somber" portrayed on film. :popcorn::dragon_face:
We're continuing Masters of Monsters on ShoutFactoryTV's Twitch tomorrow with *Rodan* (1956) and Carpenter commentary!

The original title of the film is Gojira.

This movie is alright. This feels like a tale of two films; the first half is rushed and much of the acting is over the top and unbelievable, yet the second half is more deliberate with the plot and balances action with the plot and debate regarding what to do about Godzilla. Unfortunately far too much of the second half is also spent on a romantic subplot that ends up being more or less meaningless by the time the film ends.

However, the music is absolutely incredible, and is an absolute delight to listen to.

There's not much to be said about Godzilla that others haven't said much more eloquently than I ever could, but I can tell you this. Godzilla is well worth a watch, even if you normally don't care for these kinds of movies. This film is not as much about the monster as it is about the topic of nuclear testing and war, how nature will fight back, and our part in it all. It's also, of course, the beginning of one of the biggest cultural icons ever to come out of Japan, but if you are reading this, I'm pretty sure you know that. It's a must-watch... Plain and simple!

Some how Godzilla looks better in this than he does in many of the sequels.

A classic horror film that is definitely more than it seems. While the actual Godzilla costume leads a bit to be desired, the effects involved in making the creature seem dangerous and suitably large. It's in the large destruction, but also the tiny things like water rushing out after he steps on a bridge. But unlike most other Godzilla movies, the true heart of this story is the human characters. Serizawa might be the most tragic figure in the entire movie, a man forced to face his own demons to save his soul. And yet the tragedy is throughout the entire thing, with each scene reminding the viewer of how immense a force Godzilla is, a figure where even those seemingly unscathed are forever scarred.

THE ONE AND ONLY CLASSIC.