The original version of Godzilla has finally been released in the USA. I just saw it last weekend at a movie theater in San Francisco. I was quite excited by the prospect of finally seeing the film in its uncut glory, but was just a tad bit underwhelmed by the experience.
Basically I would rank Godzilla with the short list of 1950s monster movies that are surprisingly watchable -- Them, Invasion of Body Snatchers, The Day the Earth Stood Still -- because they do a good job commenting on a current social malady.
Like many of the films of the era, though, Godzilla, even in its original language, is still filled with too many corny conversations and phony plot points to remain something that could be called a masterpiece of filmmaking as some here are suggesting it is. It will probably be better than what you are expecting from a Godzilla film, but remember, it still basically boils down to a guy in a monster suit stepping on miniature houses and knocking over toy trains. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but 'one of the greatest films ever made' this is not.
Basically I would rank Godzilla with the short list of 1950s monster movies that are surprisingly watchable -- Them, Invasion of Body Snatchers, The Day the Earth Stood Still -- because they do a good job commenting on a current social malady.
Like many of the films of the era, though, Godzilla, even in its original language, is still filled with too many corny conversations and phony plot points to remain something that could be called a masterpiece of filmmaking as some here are suggesting it is. It will probably be better than what you are expecting from a Godzilla film, but remember, it still basically boils down to a guy in a monster suit stepping on miniature houses and knocking over toy trains. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but 'one of the greatest films ever made' this is not.