The DVD set comes with an informative booklet, trailers for both films (though the Gojira trailer lacks subtitles), a "Godzilla: Story Development" featurette, a "Making of the Godzilla Suit" featurette, and commentaries on both films by Godzilla experts Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski. These commentaries are the best bonuses and make up for the rather skimpy extras because both are excellent, fully delving into the history and detailed making of the films.
Neither man is a film historian or critic, so they have an enthusiasm that many such commentaries lack. As a plus they are well informed, fast paced, and non-fellatric in their opining. The Godzilla commentary also features the son, Terry Morse Jr., of the American director who filmed the Raymond Burr scenes, Terry O. Morse, a noted film doctor (someone who came in and took over projects abandoned by other directors). It is an informative few minutes on how the man's father took a terrific film and essentially remade it and plausibly worked in the Steve Martin character; in fact making him the de facto — albeit wholly passive — lead.
Morse Jr. also did some work on the American version, and debunks the notion that either his father or the film's American producer, Joseph E. Levine, ever set out to mute political messages. They just wanted a saleable picture, if a bit dumbed down, for American audiences. Considering that they only spent $10,000 to film the American scenes, they made a fortune in profits. Ryfle and Godziszewski also claim that Godzilla was the first recut foreign film in the American market.
The commentary duo also make numerous other good points, such as the fact that Godzilla is not green, as believed, but charcoal gray, and that when the monster first appears looking over a hilltop it was originally to have a bloody cow in its maw. They also point out that the villagers all run with guns and pitchforks to fend off Godzilla, for in the original film many dismiss the monster as legend.
Ryfle and Godziszewski also defend Raymond Burr's long-mocked acting, and rightly praise some of his voice-over narration as poetic and moving in its description of the destruction he witnesses. They also point out to the climactic scene where Godzilla pauses as the electrical wires — in the American version the tension is built longer because the Burr inserts drag it out. They also praise the screenplay and a scene where Ogata tries to rouse Serizawa by saying that the Oxygen Destroyer could do more harm than good, even if it kills Godzilla: 'You have your fears, which may become reality, and then there's Godzilla, which is reality.' Imagine that, a Godzilla film going meta-narrative fifteen years before Postmodernism.
It may be heresy to Godzilla fanatics, but the American Godzilla is no worse than Gojira. If this were a battle to be filmed, it would end up like King Kong Vs. Godzilla, the American version, where the ape seems to come out on top slightly, yet we know Godzilla isn't really the loser. Nor is the American version any more a bastardization of the original because of the Burr inserts than the original is a bastardization because it uses stock military footage from Japanese World War Two propaganda films.
Gojira also can be seen not as merely an anti-war or anti-atomic bomb film, but as a representation of the changing 1950s Japanese culture, right alongside the great later films of Yasujiro Ozu. In those films, as well as Gojira, there are always young Japanese challenging seemingly silly social traditions, such as Emiko daring to not marry her arranged husband, Serizawa.
True, both Godzilla films have flaws, including logical gaps: why, for example, do the Japanese only seek to protect Tokyo? How do they know the beast won't rampage across the country, or go to Korea? The building of the electric fence to defend the city is nonsensical, and occurs with a rapidity that, even assuming politicians agreed on a plan of civil action, simply could not be done in a few days — especially if this Tokyo was the same one that Shimura's character from Ikiru worked for as a bureaucrat.
Also, within seconds, Godzilla seems to change shape, size, and appearance — though this can be dismissed more easily in the more oneiric American version. And there are visible wires on the missiles and airplanes. But both films, especially Gojira, more than make up for such shortcomings with their passion and vision.
The monster in both films represents indiscriminate carnage. Yet, there is a scene, just before Serizawa kills them both, when we see Godzilla peacefully napping in the sea, almost yawning. We realize that the carnage wrought is neither retribution nor evil. It just is. Thus, it will be either Godzilla or humankind that survives, for we've seen the bodies in hospitals, the burned victims, the radiation poisoning. It can be no other way.
Unlike in most other monster films, the heroes in these cases, especially Gojira (where the true lead character seems to shift throughout the film, almost like Godzilla's size and appearance), are fallible little mortals whose heroism comes from their choices, not their strength or super-human powers.
And this is what humanizes these monster movies — not films — and makes them affect a viewer willing to suspend disbelief. After all, is a rampaging, giant atomic reptile really any more unbelievable than a huge ape who lusts after a woman one-twentieth its size, bloodsucking vampires, or aliens who grow out of pods?
Neither Gojira nor Godzilla, King of the Monsters is a great film. But they are great movies — something that is a rarity. Additionally, they are two of the best monster movies ever made. This DVD set should finally debunk claims to the contrary, thus allowing Godzillaphiles to come out of the closet to proudly proclaim who they are. I am one. Long live the roar!
© Dan Schneider
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of Mr. Schneider, and they may not reflect the views of Alt Film Guide.