It seems barely believable that the world was first introduced to the fearsome kaiju Godzilla seventy years ago back in 1954.
It’s also amazing that over the decades the franchise has expanded out in many different directions including graphic novels, play figure and even online slots.
It’s even more incredible that now, seven decades later, the creature continues to be a very significant cultural figure.
This has been heightened even more by the success of the monster’s latest outing on film, Godzilla Minus One. The brainchild of director Tamashi Yamazaki, it has enjoyed critical raptures, amazing box office and, maybe most significantly of all, is the latest in an illustrious line of Japanese films to pick up an Oscar.
So what is it that has made the film such a runaway success, not to mention taking well over $106 million at the box office?
There’s no simple answer to this question. Rather, it’s a combination of elements, all brought together by the director’s unique vision that has truly reanimated the franchise.
It’s all about context
When Godzilla first erupted onto the scene some seventy years ago, Japan was still a country in shock following the end of the Second World War. The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was still a haunting memory for the people so a post-nuclear creature like Godzilla could encapsulate many people’s fears.
At a time when wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza the world is once again an unstable place. So a movie that takes us back to the immediate post-war years and which depicts an existential threat to Tokyo is always going to strike a chord with audiences and add an extra level of significance.
Character-driven action
Over this we have an extra layer provided by a level of characterization not seen in many of the previous outings for Godzilla.
The reluctant kamikaze pilot KÅichi Shikishima is tormented by his shame at not stopping Godzilla when he had the opportunity as well as feeling guilty about the supposed death of his partner Noriko Åishi and an orphaned baby Akiko who she has rescued.
These are fully-rounded characters so it makes it all to easy to feel invested in their fates – and the skill of the actors playing KÅichi and Noriko, Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe respectively means that we feel it with all of our hearts.
Plotted to perfection
The next element that goes to make up this appealing entertainment is the plot. In this Yamazaki, who has the sole screenwriter credit, has included more than enough twists and turns to keep viewers of the film guessing to the very end as to how it’s all going to work out.
He has blended drama, action and, unusually for a Godzilla movie, certain elements of humor too. The resulting cocktail is as entertaining to watch as it is dizzying to enjoy.
A visual tour de force
No appraisal of the movie and the reasons for its success can ignore the quality of the visual effects. After all, this was the category in which the film triumphed in the Academy Awards. These were created at the famous Shirogumi studio in Tokyo under the ever-watchful eye of the director alongside Kiyok Shibyua. It’s estimated that between a third and a quarter of the film’s total $12 million budget was sunk into the special effects.
They took eight months of painstaking attention to detail and at one point the SFX artists were asked to recreate the movements of the director’s pet cat to create a super realistic movement for the monster.
Not forgetting the terror
But, as anyone who’s seen the movie will testify, this Godzilla is certainly no pussycat. Anyone in the front rows of the movie theater will surely drop their popcorn when it emerges from the sea hellbent on destruction of all that challenge it. This has set something of a problem for the inevitable sequel/.How to top what is already an undoubtedly terrifying movie? But we’re sure that the team behind this one will find a way.
It's sort of arty too
Last but not least, this is a horror that has its more arty and esthetic side too. This has been underlined by the limited release of the black and white version of the film called Godzilla Minus One Minus Color. In an interview Yamazaki has said that he has been profoundly moved by seeing the scenes of a decimated Tokyo in monochrome and that the extreme blackness of the sea increases the impact when the creature emerges from its depths.
Put all these elements together and you have arguably the most remarkable Godzilla movie yet – until the next one comes along to surpass it.
