Godzilla Week: An Introduction

Welcome to Godzilla Week here on the blog, a five-day celebration of pop culture’s most famous (and arguably most beloved) giant monster.

The new Godzilla film from Gareth Edwards (Monsters [2010]) opens on Friday of this week, and I’ll post my review of it next Tuesday morning.  I have high hopes for it.

But in the meantime, we have sixty years of Godzilla history to consider and remember, and I’ll spend the week reviewing Toho Godzilla films from all three of the monster’s “eras.”  

The first kaiju era is known widely as “Showa,” and consists of the span (in terms of Godzilla) from 1954 to 1979; from Godzilla to Terror of Mecha-Godzilla. 

The films of this inaugural era are renowned, largely, for the fact that Godzilla goes from being a terrible menace to mankind to a defender of the Earth.  Early in the Showa Period, Godzilla battles foes such as Anguirus (Godzilla Raids Again), and Mothra (Godzilla vs The Thing), but very soon, he begins assembling allies -- including the aforementioned nemeses -- for his battles with aliens and their monsters.

The second period of Godzilla films is known as Heisei, and for the big green guy, the term encompasses the films from Godzilla: 1985 to Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995).

The Heisei films ignore the previous (Showa) continuity after the original Godzilla (1954), and take the series in a different direction.  The Heisei period ends with Godzilla dying, and his son -- Little Godzilla -- rising. I had not seen this films before a few weeks ago, and I must confess…I thought they were really good, particularly the Destoroyah outing.

The third and thus far final period in Godzilla history is known simply by the name “Millennium,” and it features a third continuity: one that also erases virtually every Godzilla film post-1954. Godzilla’s death in this timeline is also not acknowledged.  The last film of the Millennium Period was Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). 

The films in this group seem hit-or-miss to me.  In fact, Godzilla Final Wars itself has great highs and great lows, producing a schizophrenic effect in viewers.

Now, about this week: I will review as many of the films in depth as possible, but have no illusion that I’ll get to all of them.  But in addition to lengthy reviews, I'll also be presenting "Kaiju Cuts," shorter reviews of films, and biographies about important players in the saga.

Monday and Tuesday of Godzilla week, I’ll be reviewing several Godzilla films from 1954 – 1979. 

On Wednesday, I’ll be looking at Godzilla merchandise, nostalgia, toys, and collectibles.

Thursday, I’ll pick up with Heisei and Millennium era films, and on Friday I’ll look at Godzilla’s (often-problematic…) ventures in American television and film.  Specifically, I’ll review a few episodes of the 1978 cartoon, and the 1998 live-action film.

Finally, I want to say that right now, Godzilla is my seven year old son’s absolute favorite thing in the universe, and we’ve watched just about every movie together. 

In fact, the Godzilla films -- of all eras -- have now replaced (and erased) our Doctor Who movie/TV nights. 

In watching all the old films again (as well as many of the later ones for the first time…), I have rekindled my love for the Toho films, and registered Godzilla’s tremendous appeal with fresh eyes. 

As Joel, my son, would no doubt tell me at this juncture, Godzilla’s world is populated by colorful, imaginative beings of great power and personality.  And the films, while also being good fun, concern such issues as how man mistreats nature and animals, at his own peril.

A force of nature to be reckoned with -- an avatar of destruction -- Godzilla is also strangely innocent, somehow. 

No matter how many buildings he topples, or how many maser weapons he pulps, we cheer for Godzilla to win his battles, and outmaneuver Japan’s military forces.

With all that said, I hope you’ll join me for Godzilla Week!