Your Favorite Classic Godzilla Movie

'Theres so many i like. but can someone tell me 3-5 of the godzilla movies i should watch leading up to the new one?

1964's Mothra vs Godzilla, easily. Particularly the American dub, which I think is unmatched even to this day. My Mom bought it and The Terror of Mecha Godzilla for my birthday when I was in high school and these two really stick with me. But Mothra vs Godzilla was filled with epic plot that put me through a myriad of feelings. It also had awesome battles, memorable characters, and some of the best movie scoring you could ever want to hear, not to mention it introduced me to two of my all time favorite monsters.

my faovrite is gojira tokyo sos

I LOVE DESROY ALL MONSTERS, its my favorite next to Godzilla vs. Gigan:)

Probably the original 1954 Gojira(with no Raymund Burr) and Godzilla Final Wars. But now my favorite is going to be Godzilla 2014!

ghidorah the three headed monster from showa godzilla vs destroyah from heisei and godzilla 2000 from millinnium series are my 3 choices

Godzilla 2014, since it's an instant classic, it qualifies.

The very first Godzilla film I saw, Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla 2.

Gojira '54, and the U.S. '56 right behind were both the best, but as for favorite...Godzilla vs. Megalon--because it was the first one I ever saw.

hands down the original 1954 gojira film. :) I border line worship that movie.

Well as I have only seen 2014 and 1998...

^Ouch...

My favorite Godzilla film, and one of my favorite films period, is Gojira.

This masterpiece never fails to please, inspire awe and respect. It's one of those lighting-in-a-bottle ideas where several streams of creativity came together in a way that is masterful, natural and freeflowing. It's dark, visually stunning, humanly captivating with real, flesh and blood characters. Akihiko Hirata's Daisuke Serizawa is probably my favorite and most respected movie character of alll timde. He's the heart of the film, influencing it even when he's not on screen in a way that parallels Godzilla's presence throughout the film's inexorable, powerful narrative.

I love Gojira because it allows me to experience it and be part of its events. As a child, I used to dream about being in Tokyo on the night of the major attack. This was probably the result of repeated viewings of the film during the week it played on KHJ-TV, Channel 9 in Los Angeles. My startegy for survival was to always know where Godzilla was, and keep him a good mile or so away. If you lost track of him, it could mean curtains. Ask the policemen in the patrol car who didn't keep a visual on him. Then, there he was, and...well you know whatt happened.

Godzilla is the Bomb used of Hirsohima and Nagasaki. This adds a poignancy to the film that connects you to the suffering populace and makes you part of the story. Gojira doesn't allow you to be a mere spectator. It's too powerful and overwhelming. It pulls you along in the way that a strong current does at sea. And we're at sea with the ill-fated ships of Southern Sea Ship Company and their crews, only being able to somehow imagine the horror they witnessed before being wiped from the face of the earth.

other then the original well ghidorah the three headed monster

Aside from the 54 original, Godzilla vs The Thing.

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 1974,Godzilla vs Hedorah,Godzilla vs Gigan,and Godzilla 1954(So they can't be over the Showa era?)

Wait only one movie or....?

my favorite would be godzilla vs megalon this was the movie that got me into godzilla.

The original 1954 is by far the best of Tohos movies.  It was a genuinely intelligent picture with a political message thats still relvant today and great themes of man versus nature.  Lets be honest most of the 60s and 70s Godzilla movies are kids flicks made on the cheap and fast and are only entertaining in a goofy way not as serious cinema.  The closest any follow ups came to the original would probably be either Biolante or Destroyah which felt like they took themselves seriously and are some of the series best.

Made fast? Absolutely. Made cheap? Only if one considers Japan's most expensive movies cheap. The original film was great, but there's more merit to these 60s movies than some fans give credit for. What they inspired and did for Japanese special effects cinema had long lasting effects.

Biollante was a fairly decent follow up to that methodology, but Destoroyah is an example of a film that takes itself so seriously that it's laughable in some places. I don't agree it's a series high.

Destroyah is probably my favorite Toho Godzilla movie behind the original.  First of all it gave Godzilla a new and interestingly designed foe to fight which is something most Godzilla movies of the past 20 years completely failed to do as most simply retrend the same monsters over and over again.  That and Destroyah has somewhat decent production values though its still definutely behind large budgeted American movies of the mid 90s as all Toho movies unfortunitly are but still the destruction scenes and models are pretty well made.  Here is my top ten Godzilla movies

10. Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla II (1993)

9. Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (1974)

8. Godzilla 2000

7. Motra vs Godzilla (1964)

6. Godzilla Mothra and King Ghidorah Giant Monsters all out attack

5. Godzilla vs Biolante

4. Godzilla vs King Ghidorah

3. Godzilla vs Destroyah

2. Godzilla (2014)

1. Godzilla (1954)

Gojira and GMK. Just because, they're the darkest and they're the ones where Godzilla has a clear meaning and there's a moral behind the story.

Also, most bad-ass designs for Big-G ever.

One of my favorites is Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah.

Regarding Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

No, there will not be any questions regarding time travel and its attendant issues.

This entry in the Series is one of my favorites. So, I’ve given it ‘a pass’ so to speak, with regard to apparent contradictions. GvKG is just too much fun, and has so much good stuff going on, to be subjected to an overly critical analysis. Of course, if one wants to take it to task for flaws and inconsistencies, that’s fine too. There are many. No problem here with that. As for myself, I leave Mr. Disbelief and his cousin, Mr. Cynicism, at the door when I watch it.

GvKG has these among other gems that make it very enjoyable:

The JSDF apparently consulting with the head of a paranormal organization when a UFO appears over Tokyo

A young, and apparently, up and coming magazine writer who specializes in science fiction, wanting to change over to “non-fiction, human interest stories.” Terasawa (Isao Toyohara) is apparently ahead of the curve, career-wise. For even he knows there’s a time limit with regard to selling refrigerators to Eskimos, even in paranormal-accepting Japan.

Shindo’s Speech to the Godzillasaurus on Logos Island. Yoshio Tsuchiya was great in this, moving actually. I completely bought into it: a Japanese soldier apologizing to and saluting the dinosaur that saved him and his unit. The Godzillasaurus’ intervention on behalf of soldiers fighting for Japan establishes his spiritual connection to the country.

Shindo’s reaction to Terasawa telling him that the dinosaur on Logos Island may have become Godzilla. With his facial expressions, intonation and body language, Yoshio Tsuchiya, as Shindo, now a highly successful businessman, goes from laughing at the very idea he’s seen a dinosaur to realizing that someone knows he has, and that dinosaur has become Godzilla.

“Take that, you dinosaur.”

“You can tell your son about it, Major Spielberg.” By the way, ‘major’ is not an officer rank in the Navy.

King Ghidorah’s shadow over the ocean as he closes in on Japan. The nearness of his peril is palpable.

The people in Fukuoka laughing as they run from King Ghidorah.

Then, their being instructed to “not stay in buildings, seek underground shelter, and not drive your cars.” Well, duh. What’s left? Is this what our tax dollars go to? What kind of self-defense forces are these?

“You won’t get away with this, you damn monster!” Again, getting Yoshio Tsuchiya as Yasuaki Shindo for this film was a major coup.

Professor Mazaki’s (Katsuhiko Sasaki) belief that dinosaurs still exist, a belief based upon real life events: the discovery of a dead plesiosaur off New Zealand’s coast. This is great news for the people of Loch Ness, Scotland. All of those t-shirts, cups, caps and other paraphernalia should continue to sell. And at a brisk rate.

The SPFX scenes of King Ghidorah’s attack on Fukuoka, where the stream of spectacular destruction meets the stream of obvious miniature effects, thereby forming the River of Post-Biollante Heisei Special Effects.

Professor Mazaki referencing the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll when asked about the feasibility of re-creating Godzilla, when he said that both Godzilla and King Ghidorah were exposed to these tests.

Mr. Shindo owning a company that possesses a nuclear-powered submarine that has missiles (From this it’s obvious that Shindo is a maverick who couldn’t care less about Japan’s non-nuclear policy)

Emmy ‘reprogramming’ M-11, using a new set of discs!

“Yes, my boss.”

The Teiyo Group’s submarine’s ‘encounter’ with Godzilla underwater. It looks like they went cheap on the sonar suite for their ship.

Godzilla’s emergence in the Sea of Okhotsk, followed by Miki’s insightful observance, “Godzilla has returned to Japan.” Ladies and Gentlemen: Miki Saegusa, Mistress of the Obvious.

Godzilla towering in the background, and looking rather buff, with the cattle in the foreground. This is one of the best designs in the Series. This one they got right.

Futurian Wilson, “Send our monster. Have it kill Godzilla!” Every moment this guy is on screen is pure gold.

Miki looking up at King Ghidorah flying overhead, and saying, “It’s King Ghidorah.” Really? Is that who it is? Wow. Her contract with the Paranormal Research Center should definitely be renewed.

Godzilla and King Ghidorah facing off before The Smackdown, with Shindo saying. “Once again he’ll fight for us.” It seems that in GvKG, Godzilla is Japan, and King Ghidorah is Russia and America, IMHO.

“Make my day!”

The Star Wars-style laser fight between M-11 and the other androids: “Here I am!”

Godzilla using the ‘Nuclear Pulse’ on King Ghidorah

Godzilla vaporizing the teleported Mothership, with Wilson and Genruchiko holding up their hands to shield themselves. Pathetic.

“I’m the Peter Arnett of Japan.”

Shindo on the phone with Security Chief Dobashi, “But this is the way I wanted it. Let me have it my way.” This was said when he was informed that Godzilla was Shinjuku, headed his way. I say: No. You don’t want it this way. You should take my word on it. Really. Oh well.

The Meeting between Shindo, the rescued soldier, and Godzilla, the Monster. Godzilla seems to recognize him at first, and then…

Mecha King Ghidorah! The best hybrid design that 23^rd century technology can buy. The proceeds from the colonies in Africa and South America sure came in handy!

“Emmy, jump!”

As for favorites overall, that would be Gojira and Gojira, Mosura , Kingu Gidora Daikaiju Soukogeki. For the reasons stated by Darker: they're meaningful and they're dark. To me, they're both giant monster operas, grand in terms of scale, but beautiful and scary at the same time. Godzilla in them is an actual creature and a symbol as well.

To me, they're kind of bookends.

Mosura tai Gojira (Mothra vs. Godzilla) is high, really high on my list of favorites as well. It's just so beautifully made. It's the pinnacle of kaiju filmmaking in the 1960's, one the best films of the series. 

^Another dark godzilla film is the return of godzilla 1984. Seems like it is over looked.

Return of Godzilla (1984) is one of my favorite films of the series. I'm referring to the Japanese version. It is dark, atmospheric, moody, even. It works for me best when I conceive of Godzilla as a creature who is somewhat lost in the surroundings he finds himself in.

ROG is a return to the Cold War, circa 1980's. As filmed by Toho, as opposed to how it was tampered with by New World Pictures, it's free of bias toward one side or the other in the American-Soviet geo-political rivalry of that period. The scene with the ambassadors meeting with the Japanese prime minister, in an attempt to impose their wills on him is a classic. Especially the American ambassador, "This is no time for principles!" The Soviet ambassodor almost appears to be rabid. The Japanese prime minister holds his ground, reasons with them and restates his country's moral stance regarding nuclear weapons. In a scene that I don't believe is in the New World/Dr. Pepper/Yuk-Yuk version, the prime minster, calmly, but masterfully played by Keiju Kobayashi, explains to his cabinet how he spoke to the American president and Russian premier, asking them in the process, would they have the courage to use nuclear weapons on their soil if Godzilla appeared there?

ROG is gem, much overlooked, like you said, BigBadBen.

So far, Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monste. Invasion of Astro-Monster is a close second.

One of my favorite films of the entire series is Godzilla vs. Biollante.

If Lion's Gate ever releases another edition of this seminal kaiju eiga, I hope it includes the commentary by Ed Godziszewski and at least this trailer:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MygMoEYPojQ

I love GvB becuase it has so much to offer: one of the best Godzilla designs, the Bio-Goji; one of the most original kaiju in Toho's canon: Biollante; a moving, beautiful and poetic score; industrial espionage, sabotage and an assassin that says, "Kiss you guys"; the JSDF bringing fighter jets, tanks, maser tanks, heliocopters and the fleet to the party; the moving story of a grieving father being driven to the most extreme lengths; conflicted scientists and not so conflicted CEO's; inept, but entertaining 'spys'; a global comglomerate that will literally go to any length to maintain its world dominance of the cereal and grain market (!); a mythical (but you who they're talking about) OPEC country that spies on Japan while the leaders of genetic research institutes know about it; a girl with psionic 'abilities' who can stop Godzilla in his tracks; a four level alarm system to warn of Godzilla's return ("it's only the First Alarm, so we can still go to the movies and pick up some toys in Shinjuku"); the Thunder Control System; Col. Gondo's elite commando squad; Godzilla showing up in the body of water that the JSDF are not covering; the Battle between Godzilla and the Second Form Biollante. 

Godzilla vs. Biollante encapsulates so much of what is great about the Godzilla series.

Visuals like this are among the reasons I love Godzilla 2000 Millennium: