A new fantastic blockbuster "Godzilla" has hit the cinema screens, which is a remake of all previous iterations of this franchise. For those who for some reason do not know, "Godzilla" is a giant malevolent lizard that appeared as a result of some kind of scientific experiment, awakened after several decades and destroys everything in its path.
I confess that I have not seen the film yet, and therefore I can be wrong about the plot, but having watched the previous variations of Godzilla, I can be absolutely sure that the new film will definitely not do without several destroyed buildings and tanks turned into a pancake.
But today's speech is not about what the film itself is about. It's more about whether the actual existence of this monster is possible from a technical, or rather even scientific point of view? And thanks to the guys at Vsauce, we have the exact answer for that.
If you watch the video below, it will immediately become clear to you that the real "Godzilla" in the real world would face a much more serious enemy than pathetic people with their inefficient rockets - with the laws of physics. But let's start in order.
According to legend, the growth of "Godzilla" is 108.2 meters, and weight - about 90 thousand tons (think of a huge cruise ship ... with paws). To feed such a lizard, she would have to consume 215 million calories daily.
And since the total calorie supply of the average person is at best about 110 thousand, Godzilla will have to eat about 2,000 people every day. With some simple math, it becomes clear that as a result of this, global human mortality will increase by 1.3 percent.
But not only one incredible appetite of a lizard will become a problem for her. Her body is the problem. As mentioned above, the weight of "Godzilla" is 90 thousand tons, which is approximately equal to half the stock of all the gold ever mined by mankind.
Not only that, with a growth of 108 meters, the heart of "Godzilla" will not be able, due to gravity, to pump the huge volume of blood necessary for the functioning of his body, but also the force of gravity, which will affect his bones, will literally make him cake.
Of course, in the ocean, the lizard will feel a little better, because the water will partially support its weight (this is also the reason why whales can be as big as they are). However, when "Godzilla" takes a step ashore, then with his paw he will already create pressure on a solid surface. Under such a weight, his bones would instantly collapse.
And since pain passes through the nervous system at a speed of about 60 centimeters per second, Godzilla will die before the signal about this pain enters his brain.
Godzilla is a Japanese monster, literally and figuratively awakened by the Americans: the forerunner of the first film was the film "The Beast from a Depth of 20,000 Fathoms" (USA, 1953), based on a story by Ray Bradbury. In this film, as in the first "Godzilla", the monster comes to life as a result of nuclear weapons testing. Needless to say, post-war Japan was particularly sensitive to the nuclear issue. And in March 1954, 23 Japanese fishermen received large doses of radiation by accidentally swimming into the area where the American hydrogen bomb was tested. It was this case, which had a wide resonance, that served as the impetus for the creation of the first "Godzilla", which was released exactly nine months after the ill-fated tests.
Everything you need to know about Godzilla in 10 seconds
1954
"Godzilla"
The prehistoric lizard Godzilla has been reborn after testing a hydrogen bomb. It emits radiation, emits atomic rays from its mouth and destroys everything in its path. Weapons are powerless against him. In the end, the inventor of the mysterious destructive substance, sacrificing himself, descends into the abyss and destroys the monster.
On the one hand, Godzilla has become for the Japanese a symbol of the destructive forces that mankind intentionally or unwittingly releases. On the other hand, Godzilla personifies the formidable forces of nature, from which Japan has suffered from time immemorial..
1955
"Godzilla Attacks Again"
Already in the second film, we see the formula "Godzilla against ...", which is typical in the future: here he is opposed by another giant lizard - Anguirus. After defeating him, Godzilla leaves Japan to reappear some time later somewhere in the north, on a mountainous, ice-covered island. Military aviation buried him alive under avalanches of ice.
The first two films, black-and-white films of 1954 and 1955, were clearly associated with the memory of the recent war and nuclear bombings. But gradually the horrors of the past receded, and the new peaceful life bore a noticeable imprint of American culture.
Dance scene from Godzilla Attacks Again
1962
"King Kong vs Godzilla"
In this film, Godzilla was brought together with overseas King Kong. From now on producers bet on a wider audience: as color enters the frame, Godzilla films are becoming softer and more entertaining.
1964
"Godzilla vs. Mothra"
A typhoon washed ashore the egg of a giant mothra mothra. Soon Godzilla emerged from the sea. Then Mothra herself flew in and entered into battle with the lizard, which encroached on her offspring. In this duel, Mothra dies, but her larvae immobilize the dinosaur with sticky webs. In the finale, the defeated Godzilla falls into the ocean.
The Toho universe is densely populated and detailed - the studio has released many films dedicated to other giant monsters. Some of them later became characters in the Godzillaad: Rodan, Mothra, Manda, Varan, etc. Others, on the contrary, first appeared in films about Godzilla, and then grew up to solo roles.
1964
"Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster"
Starting with this film, the Japanese epic about the atomic dinosaur is enriched with a reflection on the topic of mankind's entry into the space age. Here, for the first time, Godzilla appears in a distinctly positive role, saving the Earth from the alien three-headed dragon Ghidorah, who, having destroyed Venus, arrived on our planet. Here, for the first time, an alliance of earthly monsters is formed, opposing the alien: Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra (larva).
1965
"Godzilla vs. Monster Zero"
Part of the action takes place in space: the astronauts go to Planet X, where they discover an advanced civilization that asks them to borrow the earth monsters Godzilla and Rodan, ostensibly to fight the local Monster Zero (King Ghidorah). Earthlings, attracted by the promised cure for cancer, agree.
1966
"Godzilla vs Sea Monster"
In the midst of the Cold War, Godzilla fights the communists. He wakes up on the island where the base of the Red Bamboo terrorist organization is located. The terrorists obey another monster: the giant Ebira shrimp, which, of course, Godzilla will have to fight.
1967
"Son of Godzilla"
The action takes place on a remote island. Godzilla protects his suddenly found son from other monsters and teaches him Godzilla skills. As a result of the experiment of scientists, the island is covered with tons of snow and ice. Godzilla and Minilla (son) hibernate.
1968
"Destroy all monsters"
The action takes place in the future: 1999. All earthly monsters, including Godzilla, live on the island-reserve allocated for them, where they are protected and studied. However, insidious aliens zombify monsters and send them to destroy the largest cities in the world. In the end, the monsters are freed from control, and the Japanese astronauts manage to destroy the aliens with their own weapons.
1969
"Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: Attack of all monsters"
This is the most children's film of the epic. And the main character here is not Godzilla, but a junior high school student Ichiro Miki. He lives in two worlds - the real world and the fantasy world inhabited by monsters. In the end, the knowledge that Ichiro received from the monsters in his dreams helps the boy get rid of the fears and difficulties of real life.
1971
"Godzilla vs. Hadora"
Greenpeace was founded in 1971. And in the new film about Godzilla, in accordance with the spirit of the times, there is an environmental theme. Hedor's microscopic alien, feeding on earthly waste, grew into a huge and poisonous sea monster. He is opposed by Godzilla. Hadora's weakness is that he cannot live without water. The humans, with the help of Godzilla, defeat Hedorah by drying him out.
An alien from a distant nebula in the constellation of Orion, Hadora was brought to Earth by a passing comet. Capable of firing acid, immune to radiation and Godzilla's atomic beams
1972
"Godzilla vs. Gigan"
Aliens from a dying planet want to conquer the Earth. They are preparing the coming of the space cyborg Gigan and the dragon King Ghidorah, who will destroy humanity. But the earthly monsters Godzilla and Anguirus sense something is wrong.
1973
"Godzilla vs. Megalon"
The inhabitants of the underwater civilization of Sitopia, alarmed by nuclear tests in the ocean, send their insect-like god Megalon to the surface to destroy humanity. Godzilla and the humanoid robot Jet Jaguar engage in battle with Megalon, as well as with the space cyborg Gigan who has arrived to help him.
1974
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"
A monster emerges from the Fujiyama crater, which at first is mistaken for Godzilla. But he kills Godzilla's longtime ally Anguirus and destroys everything in his path, spreading panic. Soon the real Godzilla appears. It turns out that the impostor is a Mechagodzilla robot in disguise, created by a race of ape-like aliens. The main battle takes place in Okinawa, where Godzilla is helped by the awakened ancient deity - King Caesar.
The Godzilla-like robot turned out to be the perfect opponent for Godzilla, who embodies the power of nature. In the future, they will have to meet more than once.
1975
"The Terror of Mechagodzilla"
Here Mechagodzilla appears again, as well as the Titanosaurus (little resemblance to a real dinosaur with the same name) - both of them are used by all the same ape-like aliens to enslave humanity. As a result of this film's failure at the Japanese box office, Godzilla went on unpaid leave for nearly nine years.
Mechagodzilla at work
How did Godzilla's height change?
The entire history of Godzilla is traditionally divided into three periods: Showa (1954-1975), Heisei (1984-1995) and Millennium (1999-2004). They are separated not only by breaks in production and changes in directors, but also by differences in the interpretation of the image of Godzilla, in particular his height.
In the films of the first period, the appearance of the character changes somewhat, but the height and weight of the monster remain unchanged: 50 meters and 20 thousand tons. During the second period, Godzilla's height increases to 80, and then to 100 meters. At the beginning of the third period, the performance returns to almost the original, but then from film to film, Godzilla is growing rapidly, again reaching 100 meters in the last film of the epic to this day. In the third period, the appearance of Godzilla changes most often.
1984
"Godzilla"
The restart of Godzilliad returned the monster to its original brutality. This film, released on the thirtieth anniversary of the franchise, appealed only to the events of the very first film, ignoring all the context that had grown later. Godzilla destroys Tokyo once again. In the finale, he is lured into the crater of an active volcano.
Despite technological progress, in all Japanese films the role of Godzilla is played by a man in a suit, a puppet or a robot. But starting in the late 1980s, computer processing made films more realistic.
1989
"Godzilla vs. Biollante"
A Japanese geneticist crossed Godzilla cells with a rose. The resulting hybrid has grown to gigantic proportions - now it's the Biollante monster. But the awakened Godzilla also poses a danger to humanity. The result of the fight: the exhausted Godzilla goes to the bottom, and Biollante revolves around the Earth in the form of a huge cosmic rose.
1991
"Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah"
Thanks to the intrigues of people from the future, traveling back and forth in a time machine, Japan is threatened by the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. If not for Godzilla, humanity would not be in trouble. But Tokyo is once again destroyed. And now we need to somehow stop Godzilla. To do this, a cyborg Mechagidor is sent from the future. Having grappled, the giants go to the bottom. The outcome of the battle is unclear.
1992
"Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for Earth"
Godzilla is confronted by two giant butterflies: Mothra and Battra. Mothra is the guardian deity of the Earth, while Battra is the malevolent offspring of prehistoric scientists. Once, even before the flood, Mothra defeated Battra. But now they have awakened again. Battra attacked Japan. Mothra and Godzilla soon arrive. All three start fighting each other.
1993
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2"
The remains of Mehagidora, defeated two films ago, are raised from the bottom. Of these, to continue the fight against Godzilla, a 120-meter pilot-controlled Mechagodzilla was built.
1994
"Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla"
The cells of Godzilla, brought into space, passed through a black hole and gave birth to a space monster that is approaching the Earth. Meanwhile, in Japan, a huge combat robot Moguer has been created. His goal is to destroy Godzilla. But Godzilla has other plans.
1995
"Godzilla vs Destroyer"
Godzilla attacks Hong Kong. His heart is a nuclear reactor, which is about to explode from overheating. Meanwhile, the evil monster Destroyer is formed from prehistoric microorganisms. The Destroyer kills Godzilla's son. Godzilla defeats the Destroyer, but he is reborn again and again. After the final victory, Godzilla still melts from overheating. And the son of Godzilla is resurrected, having received the energy of his father.
Godzilla vs. Destroyer completes the Heisei series, which began in 1984. Toho didn't plan to make a Godzilla movie until 2004 (the 50th anniversary of the franchise). However, these plans had to be revised after the release of Roland Emmerich's Godzilla.
1998
"Godzilla"
The first American feature film about a Japanese monster. Of course, in it Godzilla destroys not Tokyo, but New York. The US Army, as usual in American films, successfully eliminates the monster.
Despite being a box office success, the film was panned by critics. Admirers of the Japanese Godzilla were especially offended. All this was the reason that the Toho film company launched a new Godzilliad cycle a year later.
Timeline of Godzilla films
Godzilla (directed by Isiro Honda)
Godzilla Attacks Again
Godzilla - King of the Monsters (Dir. Isiro Honda, Terry O. Morse. 1954 Japanese film, recut for US release)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (directed by Isiro Honda. Released in the US in 1963)
Godzilla vs. Mothra (directed by Isiro Honda. Released in the US the same year with minimal changes)
Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster (Directed by Isiro Honda. Original Japanese title is "Three Giant Monsters: The Greatest Battle on Earth")
Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (a.k.a. The Big Monster War (original Japanese title, 1965), Astro Monster Invasion (US box office title, 1970)
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (Directed by Jun Fukuda. Original Japanese Title: Godzilla, Ebira, Mothra: Big Showdown in the South Seas)
Son of Godzilla (directed by Jun Fukuda. Released in the US in 1969)
Destroy All Monsters (Directed by Isiro Honda)
Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: Attack of all the monsters (released in the US in 1971 under the title "Godzilla's Revenge")
Godzilla vs. Hadora (Directed by Yoshimitsu Banno)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (directed by Jun Fukuda. Released in the USA in 1978 under the title "Godzilla on Monster Island")
Godzilla vs Megalon Directed by Jun Fukuda
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (directed by Jun Fukuda. Released in the USA in 1977 under the title "Godzilla vs. Cyborg Monster")
The Terror of Mechagodzilla (this is the last Godzilla film directed by Isiro Honda)
Godzilla (Directed by Koji Hashimoto. The film was substantially recut before being released in the US, where it was released under the title Godzilla 1985)
Godzilla vs. Biollante Directed by Kazuki Omori
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Directed by Kazuki Omori
Godzilla is a huge mutant monster, the protagonist of comics, cartoons, computer games and movies. This fictional character has appeared in Japanese popular culture. It is believed that the explosion of the hydrogen bomb caused the prehistoric pangolin to mutate. The growth of Godzilla, according to various sources, ranges from 50 to 160 meters.
The monster first appeared on television in 1954, and since then a series of films have been made about it. Even Hollywood producers paid attention to Godzilla, releasing spectacular blockbusters about the competitor of their monster, King Kong.
By 1998, the monster had appeared in 29 films, becoming a true legend and one of the most recognizable characters in film history. The Japanese TV series about him even received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Today, Godzilla is perceived as an integral part of modern Japanese mass culture. But, by and large, we know little about this monster. Let the hero be fantastic, but his real and original appearance is distorted by some myths.
Godzilla is a negative character. When people hear the name Godzilla, they imagine a huge monster destroying cities and destroying the unfortunate Japanese. The image seems to be a puppet, referring to campy films of the 1970s. But in the films of that era, Godzilla was often a good character. The positive history of the mutant began in 1964 in the film "Ghidorah, the three-headed monster." In it, Godzilla teamed up with the butterfly Mothra and the pterosaur Rodan in order to confront the three-headed alien monster Ghidorah. In a couple of tapes, Godzilla acted as the protector of planet Earth, opposing sea monsters, alien animals, and even a robotic version of himself. The mutant even teamed up with Ultraman in the Zone Fighter series. And only in the new series of films about Godzilla, which began in 1984, did he again appear as a destroyer of the city and a negative character.
Godzilla is a mutated Tyrannosaurus Rex. This myth appeared thanks to the American version of the film "King Kong vs. Godzilla". It features a scene in which an elderly scientist claims that Godzilla is a cross between a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Stegosaurus. While this origin of the monster was still featured in early films, it was never directly linked to this type of dinosaur. Directed by the very first film in 1954, Isiro Honda and special effects master Eji Tsobaraya shaped the look of Godzilla based on the traits of several dinosaurs at once. And in the 1991 film Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, there was speculation that the monster was actually a new breed of dinosaur. She was dubbed "Godzillasaurus". The creature lived on a secluded island in the Pacific Ocean, being the Japanese version of the Loch Ness monster. Godzillasaurus later mutated due to the effects of the atomic bomb, turning into a huge green monster.
Godzilla is invincible. In fact, Godzilla can only be considered almost invulnerable. This creature is immune to normal human weapons thanks to a special regenerative G1 gene. This allows Godzilla to instantly heal his wounds. However, in the movies, the monster has died at least four times. In the original film, it was broken down at the molecular level by the Oxygen Destroyer weapon. This tool was invented by the scientist Serizawa. In the movie Godzilla 1985, the monster's heart stops after being hit by a cadmium rocket in the throat. And before that, he managed to survive after a nuclear missile strike in the upper atmosphere. In Godzilla vs. The Destroyer, the monster overheats its body and melts. And in the 2001 film Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Monsters Attack, the monster swallowed the admiral in a small submarine. The man from within fired a rocket that exploded, ripping through the lizard's flesh. Thermal energy poured out of the wound on Godzilla's back and he tore himself apart. And although the monster died, its heart continued to beat at the bottom of the bay.
Godzilla was crude and primitive. In early films, Godzilla was portrayed as a rude brutal creature, a real natural disaster. There were no reasonable motives for his behavior. But in 1964, in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Godzilla was talking to Mothra and Rodan. Butterfly tried to convince the other two monsters to team up and fight Ghidorah together. Initially, Godzilla refuses to enter into this alliance. The monster quite reasonably states that people have always tried to hurt him - why should he help them? True, Godzilla forgot to mention that people still had a reason to fight against him, given his destructive activities. After that, the monster's behavior became more human, which was reflected in the later films of the Showa era in the 1960s and 1970s. At various times, the monster has collaborated with other monsters, developing battle strategies. In Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, the creature even took a liking to a woman, and in Godzilla vs. Monster Zero, it even danced. In the movie "Godzilla vs. Gigan" (Godzilla on Monster Island), he was talking to another monster, Aguirus. In the film, a bubble was drawn at the mouth of the monsters with their words. In the later period, Heisei in the 1980s-1990s, Godzilla is depicted as a narrower living being, and therefore more cunning. He experiences obvious emotional attachments to his descendants, and the level of communication with people increases significantly.
Godzilla defeated King Kong in the Japanese version of King Kong vs. Godzilla. This myth flatters monster fans, but most true connoisseurs of the series, as well as those with access to Wikipedia, know that this is not the case. But for years, people thought that Godzilla was stronger than King Kong. Film producer John Beck made many changes in his version of the film for the American audience. The film, in fact, was completely different from the Japanese version. However, the ending has not changed. Both King Kong and Godzilla fell into the sea in a fight, but only a huge monkey emerged to the surface. The myth that Godzilla still emerged victorious in the Japanese version of the film was created by Spacemen magazine. Soon this statement began to spread and other publications dedicated to monsters. In the famous quiz game Trivial pursuit in the 1980s, the correct answer was Godzilla's victory in the Japanese version. And only in the 1990s, with the development of the Internet, the myth was dispelled. Now, real Godzilla fans still prefer to tell the real version than to cultivate such a pleasant delusion.
Godzilla only attacked Japan. In the films, as a rule, the monster really hit Japan. But a couple of times he made trips to other places. So, in "Destroy all the monsters" in 1968, the monster falls on New York, crossing the Pacific Ocean. And in Godzilla vs. the Destroyer, a monster attacks Hong Kong. And don't forget the famous Hollywood blockbuster in 1998, when Godzilla attacked New York again.
Godzilla has a biological son - Minilla. There are several hated symbols in the kaiju world, one of which is Minilla or Minye. This character appears in the movie "Son of Godzilla". The producers, with the help of Minilla, tried in the 1960s to win over the children's audience, who were then keenly interested in the monster film series. Minilla was an attempt to make a cute and friendly clone of Godzilla. However, the attempt turned out to be terribly vulgar and erroneous. Minilla looks like a ridiculous love fruit of a kind ghost, a Zephyr man, and an alien. The resemblance to Godzilla is very distant. And the most interesting thing is that in four films with Minilla, "Son of Godzilla", "Destroy All Monsters", "Godzilla's Revenge" and "Godzilla: Final Wars" it is not explicitly stated anywhere that this character is a biological descendant of a lizard-like creature, the protagonist of the series . Such a version is allowed, but given the physical differences, this option is not controversial. The relationship between Minilla and Godzilla is simply assumed. The smaller beast follows the larger one and similarly spews smoke. But this is clearly not enough to argue about the relationship of the characters.
Godzilla is green. Since the first discovery of dinosaurs in the 19th century, they have often been depicted in green. After all, they were giant lizards, and most of the lizards familiar to Europeans and Americans were of this color. The idea was so ingrained in people's minds that when Americans started importing Godzilla movies in the 1950s and 1960s, the monster was depicted as green. And when the Hanna-Barbera studio made a film about him in the late 1970s, the creature was painted all in the same green color. Around the same time, a comic from Marvel came out, where Godzilla was the usual color for dinosaurs. However, the monster was never depicted as green in any of the early films. And in Japan, in general, until 1999, no one portrayed Godzilla in this color. He has always had a dark gray color. But in the movie "Godzilla: Millennium" in 1999, the monster got green skin. With this change, he entered a new era. Now, it seems, the issue of Godzilla's color has been finally resolved.
Godzilla breathes fire. This question may seem semantic, but for the Japanese survivors of the nuclear bombings during the Second World War, some features of the terrible monster are important. He not only mutated due to radiation, but also knows how to emit radioactive energy. In the first films, it looked more like poisonous vapor or smoke, but by the mid-1960s, a beam appeared. Godzilla has retained such weapons to this day. Usually the beam is bright blue, with rare exceptions, and the monster's dorsal plates flicker with the same light. Interestingly, in the American production, all in the same Hanna-Barbera cartoon, Marvel comics, as well as in marketing posters for films in local dubbing, Godzilla's breath was depicted as fiery, bright red. Some have seen the image as an attempt to distance themselves from the monster's connection to the American nuclear bombing of Japan. However, it's more likely that the producers think Americans should like the classic green fire-breathing dragon more than the dark green creature that shoots blue beams.
Godzilla is a female creature. This myth came about because Godzilla had a son. But only female reptiles can lay eggs. The offspring of Godzilla were called Minilla and Godzilla Jr. But in the movies, the monster was always called a man. The gender is also confirmed by the fact that Godzilla is called the King of the Monsters, and not the Queen. The myth appeared thanks to the 1998 American film Godzilla, where the main monster, being asexual, laid eggs. Nevertheless, Godzilla is officially considered the owner of the male. The presence of Godzilla eggs implies that there were females of this species at some point in time. It is likely that they exist in this fictional world, but they were not mentioned in the films. And in various non-cinematic plots with the participation of Godzilla (computer games, goods) there are also references to the females of Godzilla, Bijra and Gojirin.
Godzilla was the same height as King Kong. In the film in which these two monsters clashed, the growth of the monkey was 45 meters. In the Showa era version, King Kong had a maximum height of 20 meters. And the maximum recorded growth of Godzilla is 108 meters, the minimum is about 50 meters.
All Godzilla films are connected by continuity. Some fans believe that the tapes tell the same story in sequence. However, this is not the case at all. There are some films that clearly have their own backstory, while others do without Godzilla himself at all. Some fans are adherents of the point of view that only films of certain eras (Showa, Heisei, Shinsei) can be considered continuous. However, this is also wrong. For example, each of the films of the 2000s has its own backstory, not being associated with either its era or previous ones. Sometimes there is only a connection with the original 1954 tape.
Godzilla suits were made from rubber. Many people believe that the monster costumes were rubber, but the material was actually made from foam. First, the layout was formed on the basis of the actor's costume, then glued pieces of foam were applied to these samples. So there was a sculpture of Godzilla. After its formation from foam, it was covered with contact adhesive on the outside. Then the structure was dressed in leather with wooden elements. Finally, the costume was sealed with several layers of liquid latex and painted. And in the Showa era, the head of a monster was molded from clay. In recent films, Godzilla is already an object of computer graphics.
Godzilla can't fly. In the movie "Godzilla vs. Hadora", the monster was given the ability to fly, thanks to a nuclear beam. But in the future, this skill was not used anywhere and was not mentioned.
At the cinema, the client goes to the box office:- 2 tickets, please.
- "Godzilla"?
- This is my girlfriend, I will ask her not to offend!
Godzilla- a Japanese monster, literally and figuratively awakened by the Americans: the forerunner of the first film was the film "The Monster from a Depth of 20,000 Fathoms" (USA, 1953), based on the story of Ray Bradbury. In this film, as in the first "Godzilla", the monster comes to life as a result of nuclear weapons testing. Needless to say, post-war Japan was particularly sensitive to the nuclear issue.
And in March 1954, 23 Japanese fishermen received large doses of radiation by accidentally swimming into the area where the American hydrogen bomb was tested. It was this case, which had a wide resonance, that served as the impetus for the creation of the first "Godzilla", which was released exactly nine months after the ill-fated tests.
1954 "Godzilla"
The prehistoric lizard Godzilla has been reborn after testing a hydrogen bomb. It emits radiation, emits atomic rays from its mouth and destroys everything in its path. Weapons are powerless against him. In the end, the inventor of the mysterious destructive substance, sacrificing himself, descends into the abyss and destroys the monster.
On the one hand, Godzilla has become for the Japanese a symbol of the destructive forces that mankind intentionally or unwittingly releases. On the other hand, Godzilla personifies the formidable forces of nature, from which Japan has suffered from time immemorial.
1955 "Godzilla Attacks Again"
Already in the second film, we see the formula "Godzilla against ...", which is typical in the future: here he is opposed by another giant lizard - Anguirus. After defeating him, Godzilla leaves Japan to reappear some time later somewhere in the north, on a mountainous, ice-covered island. Military aviation buried him alive under avalanches of ice.
The first two films, black-and-white films of 1954 and 1955, were clearly associated with the memory of the recent war and nuclear bombings. But gradually the horrors of the past receded, and the new peaceful life bore a noticeable imprint of American culture.
1962 "King Kong vs Godzilla"
In this film, Godzilla was brought together with overseas King Kong. From now on, producers are betting on a wider audience: along with the appearance of color in the frame, films about Godzilla are becoming softer and more entertaining.
The scene where King Kong "feeds" Godzilla in the 2000s became a meme.
1964 "Godzilla vs. Mothra"
A typhoon washed ashore the egg of a giant mothra mothra. Soon Godzilla emerged from the sea. Then Mothra herself flew in and entered into battle with the lizard, which encroached on her offspring. In this duel, Mothra dies, but her larvae immobilize the dinosaur with sticky webs. In the finale, the defeated Godzilla falls into the ocean.
The Toho universe is densely populated and detailed - the studio has released many films dedicated to other giant monsters. Some of them later became characters in the Godzillaad: Rodan, Mothra, Manda, Varan, etc. Others, on the contrary, first appeared in films about Godzilla, and then grew up to solo roles.
1964 "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster"
Starting with this film, the Japanese epic about the atomic dinosaur is enriched with a reflection on the topic of mankind's entry into the space age. Here, for the first time, Godzilla appears in a distinctly positive role, saving the Earth from the alien three-headed dragon Ghidorah, who, having destroyed Venus, arrived on our planet. Here, for the first time, an alliance of earthly monsters is formed, opposing the alien: Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra (larva).
1965 "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero"
Part of the action takes place in space: the astronauts go to Planet X, where they discover an advanced civilization that asks them to borrow the earth monsters Godzilla and Rodan, ostensibly to fight the local Monster Zero (King Ghidorah).
Earthlings, attracted by the promised cure for cancer, agree.
1966 "Godzilla vs Sea Monster" In the midst of the Cold War, Godzilla fights the communists. He wakes up on the island where the base of the Red Bamboo terrorist organization is located. The terrorists obey another monster: the giant Ebira shrimp, which, of course, Godzilla will have to fight.
If initially Godzilla did not cause anything but fear and hatred, then already in the film "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" the huge lizard becomes somewhat positive. In this film, the appearance of Godzilla also causes a rather joyful smile from the understanding that there is something familiar and dearly loved on the screen in front of you.
1967 "Son of Godzilla"
The action takes place on a remote island. Godzilla protects his suddenly found son from other monsters and teaches him Godzilla skills. As a result of the experiment of scientists, the island is covered with tons of snow and ice. Godzilla and Minilla (son) hibernate.
1968
"Destroy all monsters"
The action takes place in the future: 1999. All earthly monsters, including Godzilla, live on the island-reserve allocated for them, where they are protected and studied. However, insidious aliens zombify monsters and send them to destroy the largest cities in the world. In the end, the monsters are freed from control, and the Japanese astronauts manage to destroy the aliens with their own weapons.
1969 "Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: Attack of all monsters"
This is the most children's film of the epic. And the main character here is not Godzilla, but a junior high school student Ichiro Miki. He lives in two worlds - the real world and the fantasy world inhabited by monsters. In the end, the knowledge that Ichiro received from the monsters in his dreams helps the boy get rid of the fears and difficulties of real life.
1971 "Godzilla vs. Hadora"
Greenpeace was founded in 1971. And in the new film about Godzilla, in accordance with the spirit of the times, there is an environmental theme. Hedor's microscopic alien, feeding on earthly waste, grew into a huge and poisonous sea monster. He is opposed by Godzilla. Hadora's weakness is that he cannot live without water. The humans, with the help of Godzilla, defeat Hedorah by drying him out.
An alien from a distant nebula in the constellation of Orion, Hadora was brought to Earth by a passing comet. Capable of firing acid, immune to radiation and Godzilla's atomic beams.
1972 "Godzilla vs. Gigan"
Aliens from a dying planet want to conquer the Earth. They are preparing the coming of the space cyborg Gigan and the dragon King Ghidorah, who will destroy humanity. But the earthly monsters Godzilla and Anguirus sense something is wrong.
1973 "Godzilla vs. Megalon"
The inhabitants of the underwater civilization of Sitopia, alarmed by nuclear tests in the ocean, send their insect-like god Megalon to the surface to destroy humanity. Godzilla and the humanoid robot Jet Jaguar engage in battle with Megalon, as well as with the space cyborg Gigan who has arrived to help him.
1974 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"
A monster emerges from the Fujiyama crater, which at first is mistaken for Godzilla. But he kills Godzilla's longtime ally Anguirus and destroys everything in his path, spreading panic. Soon the real Godzilla appears. It turns out that the impostor is a Mechagodzilla robot in disguise, created by a race of ape-like aliens. The main battle takes place in Okinawa, where Godzilla is helped by the awakened ancient deity - King Caesar.
The Godzilla-like robot turned out to be the perfect opponent for Godzilla, who embodies the power of nature. In the future, they will have to meet more than once.
1975 "The Terror of Mechagodzilla"
Here Mechagodzilla appears again, as well as the Titanosaurus (little resemblance to a real dinosaur with the same name) - both of them are used by all the same ape-like aliens to enslave humanity. As a result of this film's failure at the Japanese box office, Godzilla went on unpaid leave for nearly nine years.
How did Godzilla's height change?
The entire history of Godzilla is traditionally divided into three periods: Showa (1954-1975), Heisei (1984-1995) and Millennium (1999-2004). They are separated not only by breaks in production and changes in directors, but also by differences in the interpretation of the image of Godzilla, in particular his height.
In the films of the first period, the appearance of the character changes somewhat, but the height and weight of the monster remain unchanged: 50 meters and 20 thousand tons. During the second period, Godzilla's height increases to 80, and then to 100 meters. At the beginning of the third period, the performance returns to almost the original, but then from film to film, Godzilla is growing rapidly, again reaching 100 meters in the last film of the epic to this day. In the third period, the appearance of Godzilla changes most often.
1984 "Godzilla"
The restart of Godzilliad returned the monster to its original brutality. This film, released on the thirtieth anniversary of the franchise, appealed only to the events of the very first film, ignoring all the context that had grown later. Godzilla destroys Tokyo once again. In the finale, he is lured into the crater of an active volcano.
Despite technological progress, in all Japanese films the role of Godzilla is played by a man in a suit, a puppet or a robot. But starting in the late 1980s, computer processing made films more realistic.
After Godzilla attacks a Soviet nuclear submarine, the film has a wonderful monologue!
1989 "Godzilla vs. Biollante"
A Japanese geneticist crossed Godzilla cells with a rose. The resulting hybrid has grown to gigantic proportions - now it's the Biollante monster.
But the awakened Godzilla also poses a danger to humanity. The result of the fight: the exhausted Godzilla goes to the bottom, and Biollante revolves around the Earth in the form of a huge cosmic rose.
1991 "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah"
Thanks to the intrigues of people from the future, traveling back and forth in a time machine, Japan is threatened by the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. If not for Godzilla, humanity would not be in trouble. But Tokyo is once again destroyed. And now we need to somehow stop Godzilla. To do this, a cyborg Mechagidor is sent from the future. Having grappled, the giants go to the bottom. The outcome of the battle is unclear.
1992 "Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for Earth"
Godzilla is confronted by two giant butterflies: Mothra and Battra. Mothra is the guardian deity of the Earth, while Battra is the malevolent offspring of prehistoric scientists. Once, even before the flood, Mothra defeated Battra. But now they have awakened again. Battra attacked Japan. Mothra and Godzilla soon arrive. All three start fighting each other.
1993 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2"
The remains of Mehagidora, defeated two films ago, are raised from the bottom.
Of these, to continue the fight against Godzilla, a 120-meter pilot-controlled Mechagodzilla was built.
1994 "Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla"
The cells of Godzilla, brought into space, passed through a black hole and gave birth to a space monster that is approaching the Earth.
Meanwhile, in Japan, a huge combat robot Moguer has been created. His goal is to destroy Godzilla. But Godzilla has other plans.
1995 "Godzilla vs Destroyer"
Godzilla attacks Hong Kong. His heart is a nuclear reactor, which is about to explode from overheating. Meanwhile, the evil monster Destroyer is formed from prehistoric microorganisms.
The Destroyer kills Godzilla's son. Godzilla defeats the Destroyer, but he is reborn again and again. After the final victory, Godzilla still melts from overheating. And the son of Godzilla is resurrected, having received the energy of his father.
Godzilla vs. Destroyer completes the Heisei series, which began in 1984. Toho didn't plan to make a Godzilla movie until 2004 (the 50th anniversary of the franchise). However, these plans had to be revised after the release of Roland Emmerich's Godzilla.
1998 "Godzilla"
The first American feature film about a Japanese monster. Of course, in it Godzilla destroys not Tokyo, but New York. The US Army, as usual in American films, successfully eliminates the monster.
Despite being a box office success, the film was panned by critics. Admirers of the Japanese Godzilla were especially offended. All this was the reason that the Toho film company launched a new Godzilliad cycle a year later.
1999 "Godzilla: Millennium"
Godzilla is alive again, goes through Japan, destroying power plants - he is thus recharged. Meanwhile, a rock of alien origin emerges from the ocean. She later takes off and attacks Godzilla from the air - it turns out to be an alien flying saucer.
She connects to a supercomputer in Tokyo and starts downloading information. The goal of the aliens is to change the Earth's atmosphere. After obtaining samples of Godzilla's cells, they create the monster Orga. After destroying the plate and Orga, Godzilla continues to destroy Tokyo.
2000 "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus"
A black hole created by scientists caused a curvature of space-time, due to which meter-long prehistoric dragonflies got into the present.
They transfer the reserve of their energy to a huge womb - Megagirus, which lies at the bottom of the ocean. The Megaguirus takes off and attacks Godzilla, who manages to defeat the Mega Dragonfly. Scientists shoot a black hole at Godzilla.
2001 "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Monsters Attack"
Godzilla successively defeats Baragon, then Mothra and Ghidorah. After that, the military finish off Godzilla. In agony, he tears himself apart, but his huge heart continues to beat at the bottom of the ocean.
2002 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 3"
Based on the skeleton of the first Godzilla, killed in 1954, scientists and the military create the cyborg Kiryu (the new Mechagodzilla). The robot must defeat the legendary monster.
2003 "Godzilla, Mothra, Mechagodzilla: Save Tokyo"
Kiryu is restored, and Godzilla has reawakened at the bottom of the ocean. At the same time, Mothra invades Japanese airspace. She demands that the people destroy Kiryu, promising that she herself will protect them from Godzilla.
2004 "Godzilla: Final Wars"
The largest cities in the world are attacked by monsters who have been taken under control by aliens. They are opposed by the Earth Defense Forces (a special squad to fight monsters) and Godzilla, to whom the power of the aliens does not apply.
The film is notable for the fact that almost all the monsters of the Toho universe appear in it. It received mixed reviews from critics and failed to recoup its $19.5 million budget, the largest ever for a Japanese Godzilla film.
2016 "Godzilla: Rebirth"
For the second time after Hollywood's deafeningly miserable attempt to create its own, American version of Godzilla, Japan and Toho studio are forced to literally resurrect the king of monsters, restoring his image in the history of cinema. It was decided to make the next reboot of the franchise bold, daring and almost authorial, inviting Hideaki Anno (the one who created the Neon Genesis Evangelion series.)
It turned out that in the modern world of cinema is called the term "art buster", combining clear deep author's thoughts with an abundance of special effects happening in the frame and the overall scale of the picture. Moreover, both fans of the director and people completely unfamiliar with his work should remain satisfied, moreover, perhaps even among those who clearly dislike his anime activities, enthusiastic exclamations about the new kaiju picture should be found.
What godzilla dinosaur
The word "Godzilla" is a Latinized Japanese "Gojira", which, in turn, is a hybrid of the words "gorira" (gorilla) and "kujira" (whale).
Thus, the name reflects the ferocious power of a huge monkey and the marine origin of the monster - although the offspring of the Japanese film studio Toho is more reminiscent of a giant lizard, a dinosaur, rather than the mammals mentioned.
We are starting a new column "Character", in which we will talk about real facts from the life of unreal characters in the world of cinema and computer games.
Sixty years ago, as a result of the tests of the hydrogen bomb, a giant of hitherto unseen dimensions set foot on the earth. Making the world's most cold-blooded nation shudder, Nature's Wrath has dealt its devastating blow, destroying Japan and causing humanity to ponder the consequences of its actions. As usual, humanity has not realized anything, and the inhabitant of the prehistoric era will be awakened more than once. His name is Godzilla - King of the Monsters.
The first appearance of a terrible mutant dinosaur happened back in 1954, when the movie “Godzilla” was released (in Japan, the monster is called Gojira). The name of the monster was not given anyhow, it consists of two words: Gorira (Gorilla) and Kujira (Whale). Initially, the monster did not look like either the first or the second, but somehow resembled (and resembles) a real-life dinosaur - a stegosaurus. Although, as a lover of paleontology, I can assure you, even here the resemblance is small - a small head, a ridge on the back and the presence of a second “brain” in the pelvic area. In addition, the stegosaurus moved on four legs, and our ancient lizard proudly walks on two. But we digress ... The whole secret of the name of the monster is that such a nickname was worn by one of the employees of the Toho studio, which released films about the lizard. So, Godzilla is not a whale, not a primate, and did not work in a film studio. So who is he?
Godzilla Gallery
Beings of his type in Japan are called Kaiju, which means "Strange Beast". There is a whole branch of film production that produces Kaiju films. Of the most extreme representatives, Pacific Rim, Monstro, and Godzilla of 2014 can be noted. According to the plot of the first picture, Godzilla is a surviving dinosaur that has been hibernating for centuries at the bottom of the ocean. The tests of the hydrogen bomb not only awakened a terrible creature, but also caused its mutation. As a result, Godzilla reached the 100-meter mark in growth (in the 2014 film, this is a record mark. In general, growth changed in each film), began to feed on radiation and learned to condense destructive energy in the dorsal crest, which he released by shooting from his mouth beam of enormous power - Atomic Breath.
His aggression towards Japan is not entirely clear, but given that Godzilla is a mutant dinosaur awakened after centuries of hibernation, it is quite justified. I also get nervous and yell when I don't get enough sleep.
Speaking of screaming. In 1954, Godzilla's cry sounded for the first time and subsequently became one of the crown "chips". The screech of a cat, the cry of a child, the creak of metal - that the audience just did not hear in this heartbreaking call to battle or a victory cry. But in fact, everything turned out to be much simpler. The "shout" was provoked by a stringed instrument, like a double bass, when someone ran a leather-gloved hand over the strings.
The Godzilla films are divided into three eras:
Showa (1954-1975)
Four films can be noted in this era: the first three and the mega-crossover.
Godzilla (1954)
The darkest, most severe first appearance of Godzilla, although it was in black and white, contained many poignant moments, drama and drew a tragic analogy with nuclear weapons. The film became a classic and gave rise to an immortal franchise.
Godzilla Attacks Again (1955)
The second is notable for the fact that he created the scheme of Kaiju films: the confrontation of two monsters. Godzilla has an enemy, and confrontation with him promises the destruction of cities. Also in the second film appeared "Easter eggs" - the destruction of the pagoda. In the future, it will be destroyed in almost every film.
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Yes! Two of the MCU's greatest monsters met in the same movie! But in order for King Kong not to be devoured by the King of Monsters, he had to do a pumping. Initially, the height of King Kong is only eight meters. This was fixed by feeding Kong to the size of Godzilla.
Then came a series of films, which, as a rule, was called "Godzilla vs...." or "... vs. Godzilla." Instead of the ellipsis, the name of another opponent was inserted, unfamiliar to us, but very popular in Japan. The same Motra (a giant butterfly, the divine protector of the earth) had its own series of films even before meeting with the ancient lizard. Most of the films are characterized by completely insane plots, psychedelic presentation of the picture and just the delirium of the patient.
DestroyallMonsters (1968)
Great end to an era. The creators brought together all the monsters with whom Godzilla had ever fought, and opposed this "Pleiades of Stars", the most powerful enemy - the three-headed King Ghidorah.
This era could have ended, but there were a few more films that turned out to be mediocre. By watching them, you can find out that Godzilla:
- can laugh and speak "monster language";
- dances very funny;
- a touching single father, although gouging;
- traveled to space
Can fly backwards in a fetal position using Atomic Breath as a propulsion.
Godzilla was played by a live actor in rubber suits of varying degrees of horror. Although the role was epic, it was incredibly difficult. The costume did not provide for ventilation (due to stuffiness and heat inside, the actors fainted), any viewing “window” (all scenes were played almost blindly), and was rather heavy and uncomfortable.
Heisei (1984-1995)
After nine years of peace and quiet, the Monster is back! This era rejects all the ravings of the insane filmed in the first era, leaving only the very first film of 1954 as canonical.
Return of Godzilla (1984)
By returning the King to the screen, the creators returned to the original state of things - Godzilla is evil, he has no rival, and therefore it is necessary to trample on people. It is the only film of the era to appear in the American box office.
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
The film is interesting because it explains the appearance of Godzilla. In addition, the enemy again becomes King Ghidorah, who is the main rival of Godzilla. The plot is designed in the style of science fiction, with time travel and evil Americans.
Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994)
A classic example of "Evil Reflection". Godzilla's cells fall into space and crystallize in a black hole, from where the "Evil Copy" subsequently crawls out.
Godzilla vs Destroyer (1995)
The final film of the Heisei era and, in fact, the end of the franchise as a whole (although Toho did not intend to stop the production of films in the series. It's all about marketing). The most terrible rival, the most dramatic events and the “final” death of a giant beloved by many.
In this era, we learn that:
Godzilla's heart is a nuclear reactor. His overheating led Godzilla to death;
- Godzilla's son almost died fighting the Destroyer;
Minilla is the son of Godzilla
- Godzilla in the prehistoric era was Godzillasaurus, a predatory lizard not of such gigantic size and not shooting. Godzillasaurus is a real dinosaur, but apart from the name, it has nothing to do with the cinematic incarnation. They are not related, and Japan can sleep well;
— Godzilla is already more agile, but it's still a live actor in a suit. The special effects got better (for the time).
In a break between eras, American greedy people decided to put their paw on the feeder, and director Roland Emmerich shot ...
Godzilla (1998)
A disgrace that made all fans of the Japanese series spit. An attempt to give the film realism and turn a prehistoric "nuclear" lizard into an overgrown iguana. There is a lot of pathos in the film, one Jean Reno and a lot of bad actors, a computer scaly egg hatching, and a crowd of velociraptors stolen from Jurassic Park. In Japan, the film failed, and this is more than obvious. Emmerich wanted to make a sequel, but the Toho studio, to the great delight of the fans, frightened by this fact, took away the rights to the franchise. Although there was still one plus in a bunch of solid minuses - the film served as an impetus for a new era, and the return of the Wrath of Nature was only a matter of time.
Millennium/Shinsei (1999-2004)
The final era of Japanese Godzilla films for now. In response, Hollywood needed to film something that showed the true power of the Monster, and was more serious and intimidating.
Godzilla: Millennium (1999)
More science fiction, Godzilla is again an anti-hero, designed to destroy and destroy. In addition, he had the ability to regenerate. There are other rivals in the film: Millenian and Orga.
In general, the era is already a familiar confrontation with familiar monsters. The quality has improved, terrible computer graphics and dramatic moments have been added. The series began to fizzle out, and it was time to stop it completely ...
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
It's been 50 years since the first movie was released. A worthy age, and it's time for the King of Monsters to rest. But before that, you need to survive the greatest monster carnage since DestroyallMonsters! All the most famous rivals, new opponents and monsters that have not appeared in films for a long time converged on one screen. As a tribute in the finale, Godzilla is not defeated or killed, but goes to sea with his son for a well-deserved rest.
In this era, we learn that:
- The American "Godzilla" (who is actually called simply Zilla) exists, but he is the weakest rival of the Godzilla of the present. Lost the Battle of Sydney in no time, unable to withstand one single Atomic Breath;
- in the films of this era there are a lot of references to past films, again as a tribute;
- despite the past 50 years, Godzilla is still played by live actors.
The greatest battles have passed, and for 10 years Godzilla has been in oblivion. But the King of the Monsters will never sleep forever!
Age of Legendary? (2014-…)
Godzilla (2014)
The relaunch of the American series by the studio LegendaryPictures and the most epic, in my opinion, the return of Godzilla. Almost 110 meters tall, 90 tons of mass - truly the GREATEST MONSTER. This time the film was a success. And most of all it is similar to the very first film about Godzilla - the key role is given to people, and Godzilla is just an aggressive product of nature. Although the film also took a lot of good things from the whole series: there are giant rivals, the image of the King of the Monsters is taken from the classic series, and not invented from the head. And Atomic Breathing has not disappeared anywhere. It is already known that work is underway on the continuation of the film, which means that a new era is being born, and 60 years later, Godzilla is alive and ready to hunt!
Sergey Khokhlin
P.S. The Japanese Godzilla has its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
