Godzilla [4K UHD]

Studio: The Criterion Collection

Nov 15, 2024 Web Exclusive By Zachary Lee Photography by The Criterion Collection

With nearly 40 films to his name, it can be easy to forget the humble origins of one of pop culture’s greatest monsters, Godzilla. The most recent entries into the character’s canon (director Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One), cemented how the Godzilla films contain multitudes, providing escapist thrills while commenting on the dangers of nuclear weapons and war. Arriving just in time for the holidays, The Criterion Collection’s release of the very first Godzilla film–directed by Ishirō Honda, released in 1954–is a perfect entry point for those who wish to learn about the character. It’s also a great reminder for longtime fans to think about not only how far the franchise has come, but how, even back then, films featuring the character were both thought-provoking and entertaining.

Plot-wise, the film might feel trite, given how many times we’ve seen monster movies adopt the same story beats. But, it’s important to remember the frightening relevance that coursed through this first film in light of its release in the aftermath of WWII. After the destruction of several ships and fishing vessels near Odo Island, Japanese authorities come face to face with Godzilla, a towering reptilian monster that destroys everything in its path. Realizing that they may have to turn to nuclear weapons to defeat Godzilla worries the government, who are hesitant to use the very weapons that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki years prior.

What’s most striking about the film’s portrayal of the titular monster is the way Godzilla is depicted as a force-of-nature, as opposed to solely an intelligent, otherworldly creature. The audience’s only frame of reference is the destruction he causes. Every time he appears in the film, whether he’s coming up from the water of Tokyo Bay or the acrid plains of Odo Island, he seems to be made from the element he was inhabiting. Yes, he turned pink in The New Empire, but recent Godzilla films have kept his design fairly consistent with his environment. In this film, Godzilla is almost a chameleon in the way he moves through these various settings, which only heightens his character’s frightening effect.

Criterion has released this version of Godzilla a couple of times, most notably in 2012 and as part of a box set that collected all 15 Showa-Era films from 1954–1975. If you own those other versions, you’ll most likely have many (if not all) of the bonus features included in this release, which include audio commentaries by film historian David Kalat, interviews with actors Akira Takarada and Haruo Nakajima, and various featurettes and behind-the-scenes videos that detail the film’s groundbreaking special effects.

The main draw is that the film is now being released for the first time in North America with a 4K restoration (the previous Blu-ray version of the film as seen in the earlier release and box set is also included here as well). Images are much clearer; the detail of the film’s greyscale is more defined. These improvements don’t necessarily amplify the film’s bigger set pieces, but they bring out details in smaller moments which help elevate the physical stakes of the on-screen carnage. For example, in the 4K, it’s easier to spot the beads of sweat on Dr. Serizawa’s (a scientist working on a way to defeat Godzilla) face as he performs a demo of a weapon. Though he possesses a steely resolve, being able to see the sweat and his wrinkled brow underscores how even he was afraid (and perhaps doubtful) that his research and tactics could defeat Godzilla. Things like these to the sense of fear that is palpably felt throughout the film.

The set also includes a high-definition restoration of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, which is a 1956 edit and rework of the film that largely strips away the political urgency of Honda’s original film. It features American actor Raymond Burr as the main character and the narrative is changed to revolve around him. As a result, it feels more like we’re watching a straightforward monster movie. I thought it was an interesting choice to include both cuts on this release (it’s interesting to compare the two films, though there’s no denying that the original is the better version). The more I thought about it though, in many ways, the two versions resemble how the character of Godzilla has been characterized in our zeitgeist. Films featuring the monster can be pure blockbuster spectacles or meditative treatises on the banality and folly of war. This release serves as a way to not only remind audiences of Gojira’s origins but also offer insight as to who the character can be.

(www.criterion.com/films/27755-godzilla)

Comments