Today, Godzilla (1959). Beginning his career in 1934, Ishirō Honda worked his way up the ranks in the Japanese film industry before making his directorial debut in 1949 with the short documentary Ise-Shima. However it was following his first feature film The Blue Pearl (1952) that he would direct a film that would give him his lasting fame both in Japan and internationally. That film, Godzilla, would help establish the kaiju genre and also launch a film franchise that’s still going strong today. Criterion has given the initial film in the franchise its UHD Blu-ray debut here.
The Production: 4.5/5
When two freighters and a fishing ship are destroyed near Odo Island, reporters converge on the island to investigate the mysterious events. When the village on the island is destroyed and many people killed during a storm, paleontologist Kyohei Yamane (Takashi Shimura) is sent to Odo to get more conclusive evidence about the tragic turn of events. What he finds is that the local legend of “Godzilla” – an ancient sea creature – is real and has been awakened from recent underwater nuclear testing. Without any clear way to stop the monster, Godzilla is on its way to Tokyo, unleashing a torrent of destruction on the Japanese mainland still reeling from the Atomic Bomb.
The one that started it all, Godzilla is more than just a cult phenomenon that launched the longest running film franchise in history, it’s also a cinematic statement on the fears of a Japan that was trying to emerge out the rubble and shadows of World War II. Under Ishirō Honda’s direction, the story takes its time in revealing the iconic monster, focusing first on character development before revealing the on-screen presence of the creature that would bring death and destruction to Tokyo; this is a troupe that would become more familiar to American audiences in the years following this movie with Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975) being one of the most notable examples. While the special effects work of Eiji Tsuburaya might appear modest by today’s standards, it still holds up quite well, especially the use of matte paintings to give us an understanding of the impact and scale of Godzilla in the earlier scenes before his dramatic entrance. However, the most impressive part about the movie is the gravity that is lent to the proceedings by the quality of the performances, which never feel like the actors are playing to the rafters. In the end, Godzilla firmly established the ground rules of the kaiju genre while also anticipating the disaster film genre that would rise to prominence on the other side of the Pacific in the 1970’s; as for the titular monster himself, he’s been doing quite well the last couple of years with Godzilla Minus One (2023) becoming the first film in the franchise to win an Oscar (for Best Visual Effects).
After one of his most memorable roles as the dying bureaucrat in Ikiru (1952) – one of 21 appearances he made for Akira Kurosawa, the most of any actor – Takashi Shimura brings dignity and gravity to the part of Dr. Yamane; he would reprise the role in the first sequel of the franchise, Godzilla Raids Again (1955). Landing his first major role here as the salvage ship captain Hideto Ogata, Akira Takarada is decent in a quiet, unassuming part; he would return to the Godzilla franchise a decade later in another leading role as a reporter in Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964). As the brooding and ultimately tragic Dr. Serizawa, Akihiko Hirata likely has the most notable role of his career outside of Japan; while he also appeared for noted directors Hiroshi Inagaki (The Samurai Trilogy) and Akira Kurosawa (Sanjuro), the kaiju genre was his bread and butter, with 6 returns to the Godzilla franchise, starting with King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and ending with Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). Rounding out the cast here are Momoko Kōchi as Emiko, the daughter of Dr. Yamane, Sachio Sakai as Hagiwara, Kin Sugai and Seijiro Onda as members of the Diet Committee, Kenji Sahara as a reporter and a partygoer and director Ishirō Honda as a substation worker; in addition to playing Godzilla, both Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka appear as newspaper men in one scene while Nakajima also appears as a substation engineer.
Video: 4.5/5
3D Rating: NA
For this UHD Blu-ray release, the film is presented in its original 1:37:1 aspect ratio, taken from a 4K restoration done by Toho from a 35mm master positive print; on the UHD Blu-ray disc, the film is presented in native HDR while the accompanying Blu-ray disc presents the film in SDR. There’s minimal cases of scratches, tears and dirt present on the transfer – mostly confined to scenes involving special effects work – while film grain, fine details and gray scale faithfully represented.
Audio: 4.5/5
For this UHD Blu-ray release, the film’s original monaural soundtrack is presented on a mono PCM track, remastered by Criterion from a 35mm soundtrack positive. There’s minimal cases of distortion like crackling, clicking, popping and hissing present while dialogue, sound mix and Akira Ifukube’s intense musical score are all presented with solid clarity and fidelity.
Special Features: 5/5
On both UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray discs
Commentary by film historian David Kalat – Originally recorded for Criterion’s 2012 Blu-ray release, Kalat – who wrote a book on the film and the franchise – delves deep into the history of the film, including some real life influences on the story.
On Blu-ray disc only
Godzilla, King of the Monsters – The 80-minute re-edit of the movie for American audiences – starring Raymond Burr in new scenes as reporter Steve Martin – is presented here along with a commentary track by Kalat and the original theatrical trailer (1:43).
My Classmate Godzilla (12:56) – Akira Takarada, who portrayed Hideto Ogata in the movie, reflects on one of his first major acting roles in this 2011 interview.
The Ultimate Joy (9:48) – Haruo Nakajima – one of the two actors that portrayed Godzilla in this movie – talks about having that honor in this 2011 interview.
Exquisite Effects (30:08) – Special effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai talk about the work that they did for the movie and memories of special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya in this dual 2011 interview.
2000 interview with composer Akira Ifukube (50:43) – The composer talks about his career and the approach he took in scoring the movie in this archival interview.
Special Effects Composite (9:05) – A look at some of the visual effects of the movie – including some unused work – with introductions by special effects director Koichi Kawakita and special effects photographer Motoyoshi Tomioka.
2011 interview with film critic Tadao Sato (14:05) – Sato talks about the movie’s place and legacy in Japanese culture in this archival interview.
The Unluckiest Dragon (9:38) – An illustrated audio essay from 2011 by historian Greg Pflugfelder focusing on the tragedy of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon No. 5) – a real life inspiration for the film.
Theatrical Trailer (2:56)
Booklet feat. an essay from 2010 by critic J. Hoberman
Overall: 4.5/5
Though it garnered a mixed reception from critics – while impressing audiences on both sides of the Pacific – Godzilla as survived both as the vanguard of the longest running film franchise in history and as a cinematic embodiment of the fears of a nation still trying to emerge out of the shadows of WWII and the Atomic Bomb. Criterion has given the movie likely its best presentation on home video, with a solid native HDR transfer while carrying over all of the special features from the previous Blu-ray release. Very highly recommended.
Mychal has been on the Home Theater Forum’s reviewing staff since 2018, with reviews numbering close to 300. During this time, he has also been working as an assistant manager at The Cotton Patch – his family’s fabric and quilting supplies business in Keizer, Oregon. When not working at reviewing movies or working at the family business, he enjoys exploring the Oregon Coast, playing video games and watching baseball in addition to his expansive collection of movies on DVD, Blu-ray and UHD, totalling over 3,000 movies.
Post Disclaimer
Some of our content may contain marketing links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links. In our editorial content, these affiliate links appear automatically, and our editorial teams are not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. We work with several providers (currently Skimlinks and Amazon) to manage our affiliate relationships. You can find out more about their services by visiting their sites.
Similar threads
- t1g3r5fan
- Blu-ray and UHD
2 3- Preston Jones
- Blu-ray and UHD
2