Do you like this "Godzilla Saves America" comic book cover? I'm not sure what's going on in that illustration, but if anyone can shed light on this particular comic book series, I'd be psyched to read/hear about it.Here are the questions that you must reply to by 5 pm on Monday, 24 Sept 07:
1. Only a few of you shared your impressions of, thoughts about, reactions to Gojira in class. So post here about what you thought about this 1954 film. And those of you that did respond to this question in class, think of this as an opportunity elaborate on your answers!
2. Anisfield talks about the ecological damage symbolized by Godzilla. How do you think Godzilla represents our guilt/fear/anxieties over the environment?
3. Now that you've heard two lectures on Godzilla, read 3 articles about him, and watched the original film, what do *you* think Godzilla represents, and why?
22 comments:
1. Gojira is a great movie, but even owning it myself I still nodded off a few times waiting for the start of total destruction. The destruction is somehow always more horrible than I think it's going to be, and I blame a dozen sequels for this expectation of the silly when what's on display is pretty terrible destruction. While the effects are cheesy compared to modern standards, and if made today the use of toys and improperly shot models would again be discussed as a means of toning down the horror, I still feel like the only places for relief from long shots of a burning city are in the weird effects. There's a level of creepiness to a Japanese WWII veteran being called upon to make a noble self-sacrifice that comes uncomfortably close to kamikaze mentality that's not helped by the character's film-long stoicism. I still love that first shot of Gojira over the island as the people flee, but every time I see it I can't help but think a watching audience couldn't have taken this rubber head very seriously, and until the Anisfield article brought it up, I forgot Godzilla had ears.
2. The damage inflicted to the environment by atomic testing is the clearest extension of Godzilla in the nuclear metaphor. The most interesting implication of Gojira is that, as Anisfield says, we aren't told about the fate of anything else living in the water after Godzilla dies, leaving us without the notion that the cost of salvation is often doom. If Godzilla is in later films portrayed as combating the monster produced by man's folly with pollution, it is to create the secure horror surrounding our most obvious environmental destruction and the creation of a world inhospitable for human life. When Godzilla saves us from another beast of our making, permitting Godzilla to continue to represent nuclear arms gives him the role that the oxygen destroyer played in the first film, that of the invented cure as by way of a door to apocalypse. Most telling is the role of outer space played by other Godzilla movies previous to his encounter with the pollution monster; the 1950's were host to much American optimism in the form of a kind of mutated Manifest Destiny where space was the frontier, and the next step for colonization. What we can learn from Godzilla in these films is that, while we have long trusted in the techno-messianic elements of our culture to give us new worlds when this one is used up, new monsters will find us there, and without the protection of Godzilla, inextricably linked to a nuclear earth.
3. Godzilla is nuclear anxieties that existed for a small island nation whose back yard was the site for forty-years of semi-apocalyptic saber rattling. I'm having a hard time separating any opinion I had of the franchise and character from all the readings, and I think I've been pretty well sold on the idea since hearing about Ishiro Honda's deathbed regret about his failure to stop nuclear proliferation. Should we all have such high hopes for our rubber monster movies the world would be a more optimistic, if slightly disappointed place.
>1< I thought it was fairly decent. That was the first time I have ever watched a foreign film with subtitles. It was interesting with the love triangle in there and I thought the oxygen destroyer was an interesting twist. Also I can understand the ideas behind what Godzilla represents. The nuclear abomination, reference to their past culture and American influence, and environmental warning. It really makes you wonder if some one will make a monster movie about global warming. Ha ha, maybe I just sparked the next big monster series.
(2) I just want to start off by saying part of this article was mind blowing. When I compared the bomb to Godzilla, I always thought, it was man’s destruction that he is unleashing on himself, but after reading the article I realized it could be so much deeper.
“Like the materials used in the nuclear bombs, these monsters slept in the earth or evolved from it.” (Nancy Anisfield) That sentence struck so deep with me.
}3{ I always thought that Godzilla represented the effects of the nuclear bomb on the environment. I am a big outdoors person so I think that’s part of why I believed that’s what he represented. After the viewing of the movie, I could see and understand many of the different things he could represent. I personally don’t believe that he has to represent just one thing, but if he did, it would be a repressed fear of nuclear damage. The last article “Godzilla, the evolution of the nuclear metaphor” really hit it home for me.
Lisa Uniejewski-
1. I thought godzilla was interesting. It was the first time that I had watched a movie with subtitles, so i knew i had to pay attention to fully understand what was going on. I thought the acting and special effects were humorous but i think that it was the meaning behind godzilla that was most important. there were many references about american culture and nuclear testing that i found fasinating. That this huge creature that destroyed everything in its path and was indestructible represented more than just a monster.
2. Its as though godzilla is this animal that has no control over what happens. it was made because of nuclear testing and as a result destroys anything it comes in contact with. By watching the movie i got a sense that if the testing continued it would brign upon more monster that would take over the world. but really i thought that the monster that they were talking about was the U.S.
3. I think that Godzilla represented anyone or anything that would dileberatly bring destruction to the earth. I dont thinkthat Godzilla represented just nuclear testing, its about putting harm and creating danger to anyone within the enviroment.
1) Gojira was facinating. It was remarkably well made despite the old special effects which were not a problem. I don't know if anyone else got this out of it, but I thought it was a very sorrowful work. I don't know if it was just because I made a very direct parallel between the nuclear bombs and Gojira, but it felt like every line, all the destruction was because of the bombs not Gojira. Its almost felt like they made a movie about the atomic bombings and just edited in footage of a monster instead of explosions. I really enjoyed watching it. I had never seen it. Its been laughed about so much it was refreshing to take it seriously.
2) It was humans that woke up the monster and were then destroyed by it. Even if it wasn't intentional there is a definite metaphor in there. We have always had a lasting effect on the environment, but not until the atomic bomb could we destroy a city in seconds. It probably seemed to people at the time, or even now, like people were playing god and not being responsible with there power.
3) I am still convinced that the film was made in a effort to express the helpless anger and other emotions left over from the war and the bombs. It showed Japanese patriotism, strength, but also a hard lesson in being responsible for the future.
1) The reason why I didn’t really voice my opinion in class was because it seemed like everyone else pretty much covered the way I felt about it and I didn’t want to just regurgitate what was said. I love the movie. Its been such a long time since I’ve seen it so it was like seeing it again for the first time. I enjoy it on both levels, as a monster film, and the meaning behind it. When I was younger and I saw it I couldn’t fathom that it had such a great subtext to it. Godzilla being a man in a rubber suit is just plain great. Gotta love the great special effects of the time too! As for the characters, I found myself hating and loving each one at the same time. Some of their intentions I agreed with, others I didn’t. I like that the doctor wanted to study Godzilla to see if it could in the end benefit humankind, but such a thing seems more of a fantasy when the creature is killing everything in sight, so there is a line that has to be drawn I think. I wish the scientist did kill himself at the end, he was a fun character, but he did it for the better cause of humanity I guess. Anyways good film. If you have Comcast On Demand they are playing Akira under the sci-fi section of free movies as well as a bunch of Godzilla movies.
2) I think we fear that we can easily create our own monsters that will turn on us and wreck havoc on us as we did to it to make it what it is. Sort of like what the article was talking about and all those giant bugs from nuclear testing and what not. It also seems that we’re afraid to lose control over the things we do and they can turn for the worse I guess. Godzilla himself is also a bomb, once again mentioned in the article, a product of us, and we shunned him away from his home and he didn’t get the nurturing he needed as well. It’s a fear of the possibilities we are capable of.
3) Godzilla to me Is a bunch of different things I guess. It can also be taken different ways. I think he is a response to the nuclear attacks and everything, a monster that we, the United states created. I also think it’s the whole Other thing as well. Every thing we talked about makes a lot of sense and is a lot clearer to see now. Also off of what Mason said in the comment above the Japanese patriotism, I agree with because every time you saw their tanks and what not going in they always played this triumphant march like music with it.
1. I think after talking about Godzilla in class, I have looked at the original movie a little differently. Perhaps of my generation I never would have thought Godzilla actually had any meaning other than the obvious monster movie. I never, personally would have ever thought to make a sci-fi monster movie play a part of symbolizing tragedy of war. I liked the part in the movie where the doctor made the comment about needing to stop the nuclear bombing to stop other forms of monsters to rise. It was a cry for peace in the most unexpected place. I know his plea was not actually answered, but to use popular cinema to help spread the message, especially so close to the end of WWII, was both touching and surprising for me. It was, I believe, a cry not only aimed to America but for the rest of the world to hear.
2. As far as current day, I think Godzilla represents all the things we created and could not stop. For example, we created the factories and vehicles which produce pollution and now we fear the depletion of the ozone layer and fear the rising threat of global warming. It is the same thing with Godzilla. We created the bombs which created the monster. Once he grew to abnormal size (or was awoken) and we seen as a threat it was only then we wanted to take action against him. Now that global warming has been thrown in our face and we see what the out come will be, we now want to take action to correct or fix the issue. Is out current effort against pollution too late to save out future generations? I think, as far as using the original Godzilla as a lead for example, we can over come any natural (or in the case of Godzilla, unnatural) disasters from harming our future if we all work together on the same issue.
3. I think Godzilla represents mistakes in humanity. I know it may be a far stretch to say he might have been around to protect the earth, but I will say I think he is a lesson to learn. I firmly believe that wars are stupid and meaningless, and think Godzilla is there to remind us of the pain we invoke on each other. We are all human beings and we kill each other like life forms lower than any other creature. I think Godzilla is a creation to prove that what we create to hurt each other is our biggest enemy. Obviously this changes as Godzilla changes, especially when he becomes more of a protector of Japan. I think having him being woken by the bombing is to prove that we, as humans, create the pain we put onto each other. He also prove that we are the ones that must stop the pain we cause in order to live our lives fully.
1. I vaguely remember watching few Godzilla movies as a child, but I’m sure it was the American Version. This film was … honestly not that good. Well, more because of the acting, not because of the story. If the acting in the American Versions is far worse, then I’m afraid to watch it…again. Like I said, I vaguely remember it. The acting wasn’t good, but the story was quite interesting just because you told us there was a far more deeper meaning to Godzilla. I would have thought it to be just some monster movie, if you haven’t told us. It was very intriguing to know that when Godzilla was breathing fire on the city of Tokyo, it was to represent what happened in the past when America fire bombed the city.
2. We create & destroy. Every environmental problem that goes on today is because of human. We are responsible for what has happened, we are knowledgeable of what’s happening, yet we still destroy the environment. We probably won’t start taking serious action too, until it’s near the end of the Earch due to environmental problems. That’s what Godzilla is.
3. Godzilla represents the nuclear weapons. We create them to protect us, but in the end it back fires. Or Godzilla can represent America. The big evil powerful country that picks on smaller countries.
It's amazing how much this movie suprises me every time I watch it. I always expect the destruction, but I never expect the characters' guilt and palpable fear that does with it. This really is social commentary at it's best. More than anything, I think, Godzilla represents fear, widespread fear and overall panic and chaos. He’s something that was dormant beneath the surface for centuries, always threatening the bubble up to the surface. An actual demonstration of what nuclear bombs could do made the fear a reality and brought Godzilla to life. Godzilla rampages through the city destroying everything in his path, but is vulnerable, and brings our vulnerabilities much more out into the open.
I. I thought Gojira was an amazing film. I thought that because of the old special effects it drew more attention to what was going on in the movie rather than what it was about. I’ll have to admit that at times because of the acting and the special effects that I got caught up thinking it was humorous. I would catch myself and reminded myself to think beyond what was on the screen. After watching it and thinking about it after class, it made me really think about what Gojira represented. Though it’s a monster icon in the movie world, I don’t think that it should be thought of as just a monster icon.
II. Obviously Godzilla illustrates the damages of the environment from atomic testing. But the anger and fear in Godzilla was misplaced. The Japanese were afraid because Godzilla was destroying their homes and when in fact it’s not just him that they should fear. Japan (and the world) should be afraid that it was the people who woke up Godzilla were irresponsible with their abilities and actions.
III. I think Godzilla represents our fear that we are the true monsters behind the destruction of our world. Our mark on the planet might be irreversible and we don’t want to take responsibility. A monster is easy to blame for destruction because we don’t see ourselves (people) as monsters. Using Godzilla as our scapegoat is easier than admitting that we screwed up.
1.Well, I’m pretty sure you know how I feel about this film. I see it as a way for a country to deal with extreme grief in a way that provides closure as well as a twisted sense of immortality. World War 2 was an awful war for Japan. I can’t even express how horrible I feel we were to them, but they are a strong people and I think that Godzilla was a way of expressing humility as well as the strength of the people.
2.We have been told since childhood that recycling is good, don’t litter and take care of the world because it’s the only one we’ve got, but I don’t think that we take it seriously and from time to time we feel really guilty about that. The thought that we could have in reality “created a monster” such as global warming or polution. I think that we express the creation of these “monsters” in the guise of Godzilla so that there can be a concrete enemy to fight, instead of this ambigious fear.
3. Godzilla represents, to me, the effects of war. He is this creature who was just living his own life until he was awakened, angered, driven from his home, attacked and killed. He can be seen as a sympathetic character, however, he does cause destruction and death. I see this reflecting on a country at war. That country never has the intention of being evil, however, it will be percieved as being evil by someone out there. It feels as though it has been provoked and is retaliating out of fear and anger or necessity. There is no clear cut way of saying who’s the bad guy and who’s the bad guy, because there are different sides of the story and in the end, everyone suffers loss.
sorry, instead of "who's the bad guy and who's the bad guy", i meant "who's the good guy and who's the bad guy"
my fault
1. I am not a movie person and I honestly could care less about Gojira and the whole "Godzilla" crap. I will say that Gojira in its entirety was alright I guess. Although I do have to admit I nodded off quite a few times, I still was able to remember some key points throughout the film. For me I think the whole idea of a pre-historic like creature rising from the sea and causing havoc on harmless civilians is quite hilarious. The way the movie was shot turned me off and the sub-titles seemed to distract instead of help me understand what the Japanese actors were saying. Godzilla itself seem far more hideous than I ever anticipated and I often wondered what exactly was it trying to accomplish by demolishing everything in sight? I might have been sleep during the explanation of how it even woke up from its million year slumber. I think it had to do w/ nuclear warfare perhaps which isn't surprising because homo-sapiens always find ways to cause more problems in this world. Even though this is a movie I somehow felt pity for Godzilla because if I suddenly woke up one morning and I was in a totally unfamiliar environment where nothing was recognizable to me I think I would be quite disturbed as well. Gojira left me confused and unsatisfied.
2.) As I stated in my first answer, I feel homo-sapiens always find more ways to cause problems in this world. We are so driven on science and discovering new methods to do this, that, and another. I feel that we often let are curiosity get the best of us and cause us to do things irrationally and not consider the effects it will have in the long run. There have been some great discoveries because of our drive to control the world but we also have had some horrific tragedies which to me, sometimes over weighs the good. Gojira is a prime example of how humans create their own nightmare. It is to my understanding that the humans were the cause of Godzilla awakening from its deep slumber because of hydrogen bomb testing in the ocean.
Ainsfield's article really touches bases on putting the blame on humans and I couldn't agree more. I think that touches on the guilt part that we played in essentially creating Godzilla. Godzilla preyed on our fear and used it as his fuel to cause mass destruction literally demolishing everything insight. In all honesty, I feel the thirst for technological advances clearly, more often than not clouds our judgment in making logical decisions.
3.) Power, fear, intimidation, and frustration are words that I would use to describe Godzilla and what he represents. I can not blame it for doing the damages and causing the destruction it does in these films because you would almost expect that to happen. As I stated in my responsed earlier, if I was to one day wake up and find myself in a completely different world from what I am accustomed to I think I'd go pretty insane as well. I can almost sympathize w/ the monster only because of how it came to even exist. Had the humans just took more pre-caution in what they were doing, Godzilla would most likely still be in its deep slobber in the ocean. Godzilla is a true testimony to a scientific development gone completely wrong. Even though it was not intentional, the fact that humans had involvement makes me often relate the events that happened in the movie to real life. The thought of something like that happening here on earth at this day and age gives me chills down my spine. It seems so far fetched but is it really??
1. In class we made comparisons between Frankenstein’s Monster and Godzilla. Both are pretty much man made, Although Godzilla already existed man woke him and turned him radioactive. Both monsters wreak havoc and kill and destroy, but another good point that was not brought up in class is the fact that both monsters are perversions of nature. Frankenstein’s Monster is a creature made of natural human parts from the recently deceased and then reanimated in an act against the natural order of things. Thus the monster kills and goes wild. Godzilla is a natural creature that has survived since the time of the dinosaurs, woken and turned radioactive by the man made power of nuclear weapons. Now awake in a different time and out of its natural habitat, along with the newfound ability to breathe fire, it goes on a rampage and destroys everything it comes in contact with. Both monsters would be harmless and not exist in today’s world had man not interfered with nature.
2. Godzilla represents many things in this and its subsequent movies. Nature and man’s effect on it can be greatly seen within the metaphorical constructs of this monster. Godzilla is a tool to represent many fears and concerns that arise in that society and time. Nuclear testing was a large factor in the first movie, and so was this nuclear testing’s effect on nature. If Godzilla represents nature, then the nuclear testing that woke and altered him may represent the fear of what will happen to the natural world if this nuclear testing continues. Godzilla goes on a rampage and then must be destroyed, this represents the fear that man will alter and eventually destroy his environment with the same nuclear weapons.
3. Godzilla represents so many different aspects about Japanese society at that time and since then. It is a way to express and try to control fear in many of its forms. Fear if nuclear testing and its effects being at the top of the list. Godzilla does not represent one specific thing or embody one particular metaphor, what Godzilla is changes with time and who is looking at it. For the Japanese he represented both the fear and humiliation of the effects of nuclear weaponry, and at the same time a strange sense of national pride and a tool for social identification. Godzilla is an ever changing tool and a wide array of metaphors to be used in a variety of ways, the same goes for many other monsters and the horrors that man create within the confines of the entertainment industry.
1) I thought Gojira was a really good movie. I haven't seen it before last class and was totally surprised by what I saw. I was expecting to see the cheesy, exploitive Godzilla that was popular later on. I liked how it attacked the nuclear arms race that was happening at the time. I also liked how Godzilla was not in the film for that long There was a long part of the movie that was just dialog that built the suspense for when Godzilla was shown.
2) I think Godzilla represents nature coming back to haunt us. He is awakened by humanity's nuclear testing. He comes from nature to wreak havoc on humanity for their destruction of the environment with nuclear testing. Japan, being between both the Soviet Union and the United States, was in constant threat from nuclear fallout and made Godzilla as a representation of that fear.
3) I think Godzilla represents a few things. He represents the fear of the destructiveness of the nuclear bomb as well as the threat it poses to the environment. He also represents the dominating presence the United States had over Japan after the war.
1.)I pictured Gojira to be a lot different. I had never seen a Godzilla movie before this one. Before seeing this movie I thought there was going to be more focus on Godzilla destroying buildings, etc. than there actually was. Unfortunately I thought at times the movie was a bit slow and boring and I kept thinking it would pick up. It was a very cheesy horror film, but at the same time it had a lot of history incorporated within it. Overall, I am happy that I was finally able to see a Godzilla movie and interpret it for myself.
2.)I think Godzilla represents our anxiety over war. Ever since September 11th there has been such worry that we will be attacked once again. There is no doubt in my mind that Americans are concerned that nuclear bombs may still exist. I don’t think we will ever truly be at ease. I definitely think there’s strong symbolism between the two.
3.)I don’t think Godzilla just has one representation. He could be a symbol for anything you want him to be. The movie made me believe he was a symbol for the nuclear testing/bombing. He was the damage that got left behind. I also think he is a symbol of destruction. Instead of using a bomb as a symbol they chose Godzilla. This movie definitely had hidden meanings within it.
1.)I couldn't believe how different the American and Japanese versions of Godzilla were. The Japanese version really blew my mind. Knowing the concepts and meaning behind Gojira really opened up the story for me. I don't think i'll ever look at Godzilla the same way again.
2.)Godzilla is the product of man. He represents to me man's inevitable destructive nature. He is brought forth by man's ultimate destructive force, and throughout the movie serves as a warning or a sign. So, maybe it's not so much anxiety or guilt over the environment, but instead just the mindless destruction of everything.
3.) Godzilla is the representation of man's destructive nature. He is the monster created by the backlash of destructive nuclear technology that sadly cannot be contained or kept alive . This is the metaphor I found most interesting in Godzilla. He turns out as a product of man's technology, but he cannot be contained because he is so horribly destructive, So we end up destroying a horrible part of ourselves in the end.
1) After a brief discussion in class about this film, I was wondering if during the writing process if they had thought of making Godzilla wake up and venturing into America for destruction instead. Still even discussing in class, I still feel it is just a simple idea that gets analyzed way too deep. Other than that I would consider Godzilla an awesome feat in monster movies, compared to others in that time. Unarguably popular at that time that it would become a cult classic and “national mascot.” Without saying Japan already produces tons of cultural icons and a consistent stream of it. I think Japan has the best grip in the art of media opposed to anywhere else.
2) Japan has a horrific history of war and what I would consider war crimes against rival Asian nations, primarily China (most popular are the war atrocities in Nanking) and Korea at that time. I think the Japanese at that time would probably feel it was atonement, or the repercussions that pursued after their national raid. Godzilla was their destroyer and protector, again regardless of which role there is still going to be destruction. Why would the Japanese feel guilt, fear, or harbor anxieties? Godzilla was just a big fire breathing karmasaurus rex.
3) Godzilla represents the third atom bomb, the final warning and poses the question of why? Why is Godzilla attacking us, why us, why another threat? Godzilla is another foreign force, awoken by a foreign force, and represents another opposing figure to Japan. Destruction breeds destruction. However in order to stop the destruction, we have to destroy what is destroying us. Live and let live, any intervention needs to be stopped and destroyed.
1.)The Godzilla movie, and Japanese monster movies as a whole, are somewhat of a prelude to the Power Rangers. In some of the later Godizlla movies, he was a hero that Japan called on when danger was present. The Power Rangers were the same way, when danger was too much for the Rangers to handle, they called on their Dino Zords;Larger than life adaptations of Godzilla. Just like Godzilla protected the isolated area of Japan. The Power Rangers protected the isolated area of Angel Grove. All while the movie was playing, I was constantly being reminded of the Power Rangers. Even from the make of the leading Zord; A huge metallic Dinosaur with fire breath, I could see the direct and indirect references to Godzilla. A huge difference between the movie, and show, was, in the movie Godzilla was a menace, on the Power Rangers, the Zords were heroes.
2.)I think that the Americanized version of Godzilla runs away from Japan's original concept, and represses feelings of guilt, and fear, by portraying Godzilla as "a monster who needs to be stopped, at all costs. When you hear Godzilla today you think of a huge mutated lizard/dinosaur who terrorizes unsuspecting, innocent, civilians. In some ways Godzilla could be considered a modern day terrorist, and that in some cases justifies the American Version of Godzilla. He represents American fear, by being portrayed as a terrorists that the Americans will ultimately defeat, and has little to do with the environment.
3.)Basically the same thing that I said in question 2 applies here as well. I feel that Godzilla, in America, represents terror. Americans don't feel guilt for the ideal behind Godzilla, because in American culture, He's an abomination. He's presented as a hero in Japanese culture, and maybe that's because Japan created him as a metaphore for how they were feeling. I personaly feel that Godzilla represents Japanese nationalism, because when Japan was bombed and nuclear testing was being done all around them. Media gave Japan a larger than life hero who gave Japan a fighting chance, and some kind of hope.
1.Personally the movie wasn't really my taste. I know when it first came out it probably whould have appealed to me more, but it was just a laugh. I like the concept a lot, and the idea of Gojira as a metephor for the war was brilliant. But the acting brought it down a bit. And it effected the way I perceved the movie a lot. When we talked about the novel Godzilla and his mental state it reminded me of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If they were emo turtles...
I think that that would be a good movie, getting inside the mind of godzilla and all. The original 1954 one made him a very onesided character. I think if he were more dimentional it would have been a great success. But again, he had to be a metephor for the bombs so I guess it had to be the way it was. I sound like I'm being a bad critic and I don't mean to. It was good, I would have just done somethings differently.
2.I think Godzilla is a representation of the repercussions of the things Man creates. We never mean for any of it to happen but it does. And I think that it's just saying to all people "think about the things you do and the effects that could happen in the long run".
3.Godzilla represents the effects of someone else's life/creations on others. That every cause has an effect and that everyone should think about there actions before they do anything. That we all should tryand work things out through conversation and that war only leads to more war. I think that is why Godzila keeps coming back. War leads to war and more war, Godzilla creates distruction becuase he's pissed off, and that creates more havok and brings more trouble and then he comes back again and again.
1.) I liked Gojira and thought it was a very interesting movie for many reasons because of the social political aspect behind the entertainment. Gojira was made in 1954 and released to the Japanese public back then but was not released in the U.S till 2004. This movie really made me think of what we are doing to our planet and I found it interesting that, a movie that was created in the 50's still can be applicable to me now as a teenager in the new millennium. It almost was as if Honda wrote this movie as a prediction of the future, and sadly enough in a twisted sense some of it came true. I liked this movie because it had the perfect amount of everything a good movie should have (minus the good acting). It had an interesting love triangle, humor (the acting), action, and an underlying theme and moral lesson attached. I liked thinking about how technology has progressed from then in the 50's to now a day where everything is based on new advancements in technology. It was neat to see how they tried to capture the enormity of the animal and the realness and how it wasn’t nearly as effective as something that would be done now. Although, both (at both of their times) stirred up fear in both the hearts of their viewers. "I can't believe that Godzilla was the only surviving member of its species, if we continue conducting nuclear tests, it is possible that another Godzilla might appear somewhere in the world again..." This quote really stood out to me from the movie because like I said before, in a twisted sense, what Kyohei was predicting, partially ended up coming true...
2.) I think that Godzilla representative of the atomic bomb we let out on Japan. Godzilla represents our guilt for he was a “monster” and that metaphorically is powerful because we unleashed that “beast.” It represents our fear for we are scared of what we created and the power and effects Godzilla had. Godzilla represents anxiety for sometimes in Godzilla films they show this anger Godzilla has to ruin buildings and create fires and kill people. Godzilla depicts anxiety over the environment because the people are anxious whether or not Godzilla will lash out and destroy things, as in he is unpredictable in his nature.
3.) Godzilla to me represented not just the nuclear bomb but I think in a broader sense represented anything that will bring an end to the earth. Like I said before I thought Honda really predicted that something terrible would happen to our society and as time would go on, we would create something so terrible (man made) that it would destroy our world. Also, I think Godzilla is representative of all emotions. In the “Gojira” 1954 version I think Godzilla is more representative of anger, fear, and negative emotions. Whereas in later films he is depicted as a Japanese hero and represents good emotions such as hope and faith, almost hero esque. In American films of Godzilla he is a monster, reaping what he has sown, and so therefore he is shown as a miserable creature. So, also I think he represents a clash of cultures as well. And Godzilla goes to show that there are many different definitions of monster and dependent on where you live, each definition is a bit different.
1. The reason that Godzilla, to me at least, seems so revolutionary is because it has so much serious war and tragedy related content that is masked by a giant green dinosaur. I also think that it is interesting how there are no true answers for the real origin of the monster in order to leave it up for interpretation. Since such sensitive matter is being mentioned, I also think that it is great to display this kind of tragedy in a way that is not so direct and heartbreaking, but more, again open to interpretation. Since it was filmed such a short time after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I think it was in much better taste and more welcome this way. The people who were witness to the tragedies can definitely interpret the film as alluding to the bombings and to the nuclear threat, and those who are unaware or simply chose not to remember can simply be entertained. I just believe that this is a great way to remember a tragedy without that “woe is me” kind of attitude, which people like to film so much more these days. It makes Japan seem like a stronger nation, which under no circumstances can be swept apart, not through nuclear or any other kind of threat, and they are not afraid to talk about it.
2. There are many reasons why Godzilla seems so symbolic to us. This question is a little hard to answer because I answered #3 before I started #2, so a lot may seem to be repeated in #3. I suppose it is just the ridiculousness of the concept of an enormous dinosaur that terrorizes a small island, which is just as ridiculous as being able to detonate bombs and destroy two entire cities by sitting in your couch at home, in your own peace and quiet. It just is so unfair. War has become unfair because things like this are possible. A good example is that we as civilians in the United States, suffer little to absolutely no threat of being attacked because we are such a powerful and well protected nation, which isn’t what we can say about those we attack. We have no immediate danger. That, to me at least, is not fair. Why should we be able to sit at home on our butts and watch dateline, when civilians in a country we are at war with are hiding and ducking and wondering if they will be alive tomorrow? I am getting off track but to me it makes sense for WWII or today. Godzilla represents unfair warfare. Japan had the same chance of fighting off another nuclear attack as Odo Island did of fighting Godzilla off themselves. That’s where the guilt lies, and the anxieties and fears of it happening again.
3. Godzilla is a giant green dinosaur. Correct me if I am wrong, but to this day we have not found a living giant green radioactive dinosaur that breathes fire and causes terror upon our cities. Godzilla, to me, is like a combination of everything bad that we can find out and do, such as nuclear bombing. Throughout history warfare was never so threatening until the invention of the a-bomb and other kinds of nuclear weaponry. Also the way we have never been threatened by a giant dinosaur, nuclear threat was new as well. I suppose it is just a little hard to explain what I think about the representation is because I really hate assuming things, but this one is pretty clear to me. Godzilla represents guilt to an anonymous (at least not directly referenced to, in the movie) source that is open to interpretation to those who are unaware of the effect and fear nuclear warfare causes upon those who are afraid of being subject, or have already been subject to it.
1.) This was the first time I had watched this movie all the way through. I think it was well made for its time. Although at times I found my self bored, only because there were no surprises; I had heard about the ending many times. At times the sound effects were almost deafening and did become quite irritating, other than that Gojira was a pretty good movie.
2.) I think Godzilla embodies our fear of what might become of the environment as a result of our damage and interference with it. I also think it symbolizes the fear we as humans have about the unknown forces of nature.
3.) Unfortunately the image of Godzilla as just a force of destruction has been reinforced in my mind so much that it is hard to think of him as anything else. Although I do also see him as a symbol of man's regret for what he has done to the environment he resides in.
Post a Comment