Godzilla (1954)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Takeo Murata, Ishiro Honda

In 1954 a legend was born.

The film opens with that iconic ROAR, a sound that would leave an indelible mark on cinema*.

In the original 1954 version, the sound effects crew attempted, without success, to utilize animal noises to produce the iconic roar. However, the Japanese composer Akira Ifukube ingeniously proposed using a musical instrument to generate the familiar shriek.

They would employ a double bass, with a leather glove coated in pine-tar resin for friction, rubbing it against the strings to produce that unforgettable sound.

Many films are labelled as classics but few genuinely warrant that accolade. 1954’s Godzilla is one of those few, the birth of a cinematic icon who has endured and evolved over a 70-year legacy to remain relevant and attuned to the society that births him.

In the original masterpiece, Godzilla is a product of the atomic age, a cautionary tale about man’s irresponsible relationship with science and the repercussions of great knowledge and power.

Still hurt and raw from the end of WW2, the people of Japan are faced with yet another horror unleashed by the nuclear beast, this time to overcome it, the people are forced to embrace the powers that brought this horror to life. Dr. Serizawa’s lethal ‘Oxygen Destroyer’ is used to successfully slay the beast. Still, the troubled Dr. takes the extra step of destroying both his research and ending his life to ensure that his creation can never be used again.

In the film's climax, the sight of Godzilla reduced to a heap of melted bone is a powerful one, but this is not the loveable beast that has yet to come or the guardian of balance that would evolve later still. This incarnation of Godzilla is both terrifying and strangely innocent, a mindless beast driven from its home and lashing out at the strange creatures it encounters.

The original Godzilla suit, known as the ‘ShodaiGoji’ or ‘HatsuGoji’ was the first of its kind and it would set the standard for every iteration of Godzilla that would follow. To this day the basic design remains largely unchanged, a terrifying bipedal reptile with smaller forearms, a long tail, and signature spinal ridge plates form an unmistakable silhouette.

The HatsuGoji leaned far more into the horrific nature of Godzilla than the later sequels in the Showa era, with long needle-shaped fangs giving a vicious predatory appearance. This original suit features smaller forearms, reminiscent of a dinosaur, and small pointed ears.

*****

* - Seriously is there any other sound effect so iconic? I gave genuine thought to the matter and the only comparisons I could come up with were the Wilhelm Scream and a Lightsaber. (Note musical effects, such as those featured in Jaws and Psycho were discounted).