It feels like Godzilla boasts a new tier of popularity and reverence right now. While Hollywood’s latest outing turned into a kind of buddy-superhero CGI fest, Godzilla Minus One arguably set the bar for Godzilla movie quality. Winner of the monster’s first-ever Academy Award, it also became the most successful Japanese-made Godzilla movie and the country’s third-highest-grossing film release with $104 million at the worldwide box office.
Everything came together for Godzilla Minus One, and now, people want more and more of the beam-firing beast. A sequel hasn’t officially been green-lit by Toho yet, but Takashi Yamazaki has said that the end of MO could just be the “calm before the storm.” After all, that final scene left the door wide open to a comeback. Until the next one arrives, we’re delving into the impact of Godzilla and where else you can find the titan’s footprints in media.
Deep origins that continue to resonate
Godzilla’s first movie was a horror movie. Released in 1954, the great beast arose from the ocean following the days of nuclear tests. It then commenced its attacks on Japan, leveling cities and killing all in its path. The only way to neutralize Godzilla in this Honda IshirÅ film was to make use of the oxygen destroyer. However, this weapon could bring about untold destruction and death.
What made the film so potent upon release was its embodiment of Japan’s fear of nuclear weapons less than a decade after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were subject to the United States’ atomic bombs. Later nuclear tests performed by the US on Bikini were also referenced in the film and, in the real world, led to people on a Japanese fishing boat being exposed to the nuclear fallout.
Godzilla was a benevolent force of nature, and untold destructive power was suddenly unleashed on Japan. The only way to stop the greatest threat known to man was an equally destructive threat, leaving its potential wielders to deal with the moral quandary having suffered such destructive power themselves. Along with the creature design, it’s these roots that enabled Godzilla to entrench itself in media and create important stories.
Godzilla’s footprints across entertainment
Even before the fame and acclaim of MO, Godzilla was an incredibly iconic and influential force in entertainment. Many actors and filmmakers have cited the earliest outings on the big screen as inspirations for their work. Tim Burton and Martin Scorsese are among these Hollywood creatives, as is Steven Spielberg, who said that the 1956 movie Godzilla, King of Monsters! inspired his decision to make Jurassic Park.
Of course, Hollywood has had its own swing at Godzilla, but beyond the big screen, many others have sought to emulate the presence, destruction, and power of the King of Monsters. You can even see this at one of the best casinos requiring no deposit in PA. Here, you’ll find Zillard King, which certainly wears its inspirations on its sleeve. It even features a Geiger counter while you try to crack the egg and unleash the wild Zillard King.
Godzilla’s been an even more natural fit on other gaming realms. The indie game Terror of Hemasaurus is particularly poignant for its use of a Godzilla-like beast. In a kind of modern take on the story behind the original beast, the satirical arcade city-smasher has you play as the titular monster who has arisen to punish humanity for its destruction of the world.
Godzilla’s influence on entertainment and pop culture through the decades is as colossal as the great lizard itself. With such a rousing success like Godzilla Minus One coming out of Toho, it seems inevitable that Godzilla’s presence on the big screen will continue to grow, and hopefully mainly from films made in Japan that continue to give reverence to the origins of Godzilla.
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Browse images from the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong sequel here as well as images from Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Toho’s Godzilla Minus One.
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