A review of the Showa Era Godzilla movies (1954 - 1975): First film: Gojira / Godzilla (1954) - Gojira: Gigantic Overwhelming Japanese Incredible Realistic Art - 10/10

This movie is a masterpiece. I have been a big fan of the Godzilla series since I was a child. When I discovered the original movie at the age of twelve, it was only the second movie in my life that truly impressed me after The Lion King. The movie hasn't lost anything of its intensity since then and I have watched this film again on multiple occasions.

Everything about this movie is perfect. First of all, there is the intense atmosphere. The beginning of the movie is worthy of an excellent horror flick. You see destruction, fear and pain and you are on the edge of your seat because you don't really know what's going on. When Godzilla then first appears on a Japanese island, you feel shivers running down your spine. The ugly look of this giant is truly scary and not comparable to the rather sympathetic look of the same monster in the upcoming features or the mediocre American movies.

Another big point is the strong acting. The strange and lonesome Doctor Serizawa that turns out to be a warm-hearted hero is simply amazing and the acting of Akihiko Hirata really touched me and almost made me cry in the end. The curious, old and stubborn Kyohe Yamane played by Takashi Shimura and his beautiful and charming daughter Emiko portrayed by Momoko Kôchi are also excellent. Add the dynamic and young Hideto Ogata that is played by Akira Takarada to this and you have four excellent characters and actors that interact very well. The emotions that connect them all go way further than just love and respect. It's about honour, knowledge, politics, responsibility, science and trust. In one hour and a half, the characters of this movie are more authentic, diversified and intense than any characters in any other monster movie I have ever watched. These Japanese were simply miles ahead and even today, this movie portrays Japanese culture in an extraordinary way.

Let's add to this that the special effects and the camera work of the movie are highly detailed and artistic for the time the movie was created in. When Godzilla grabs the trains in the Tokyo Bay, slowly disintegrates the clock tower and smashes the power lines that have all been constructed in a long process as miniature objects while a man walking around in a huge latex costume all destroys them in a few minutes, these moments have something epic, powerful and unforgettable that modern special effects can't reproduce. This is the magic of the early after war cinema.

Don't forget the memorable soundtrack of the movie filled with dark and menacing but also majestic melodies that you won't forget and that have been used over and over again during the upcoming decades. The scream of the monster is also extremely haunting.

The movie is somewhat divided into four parts and very well-balanced. It starts as an intense catastrophe and horror movie, then touches some serious parts dealing with science and politics, then turns into a stunning symphony of destruction to end on a highly human and philosophical note. This masterpiece is like four excellent movies in one and never gets boring. I could simply watch this every month. If you haven't seen it yet, go and change it now. This movie is definitely among my twenty favourite movies of all time.