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Godzilla

Godzilla (Japanese: ゴジラ Gojira) , English Godzilla- a giant lizard, a character in comics, cartoons and films; the most famous kaiju. Godzilla is a fictional prehistoric giant lizard who awoke from suspended animation after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and mutated as a result. Godzilla resembles a Spinosaurus, over 100 meters tall, and has the ability to spew a heat ray.

The name - Gojira - comes from the Japanese "gorilla" (Japanese: ゴリラ Gorira) and “whale” (Japanese: 鯨 Kujira) and was given to the monster in honor of the nickname of one of the employees of the Japanese Toho studio, where films about Godzilla were shot. In 1953, Toho producer Tomoyuki Tanaka watched the movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, about a dinosaur awakened by an atomic bomb, and decided that Godzilla would be a dinosaur. Over the course of fifty years, he has become an incredibly popular character and has captured cinema screens around the world. Total Godzilla films have been made 28 films, not counting remakes.

Japanese film series

All films about Godzilla are usually divided into three periods.

Showa (1954-1975)

The first period began with the 1954 pilot and ended in 1975. It was named Japanese. 昭和 Showa

• . Films from this period:
• 1954 - Godzilla (Gojira) (Godzilla). The film was re-edited in 1956 by the Americans and released under the title Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
• 1955 - Godzilla Raids Again キングコング対ゴジラ 1962 - King Kong vs. Godzilla (Japanese)
• ) (King Kong vs. Godzilla)
• 1964 - Godzilla vs. Mothra (Japanese: モスラ対ゴジラ, 1964) (Godzilla vs. Mothra)
• 1964 - Ghidorah, Three-Headed Monster
• 1965 - Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero (Kaijû daisenso) (Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero) ゴジラ・エビラ・ゴジラ: 南海の大決闘 1966 - Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (Japanese)
• 1967 - Son of Godzilla (Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko) (Son of Godzilla)
• 1968 - Destroy All Monsters
• 1969 - Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monsters Attack (Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki) (Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monster’s Attack), another name - “Godzilla’s Revenge”
• 1971 - Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster
• 1972 - Godzilla vs. Gigan (Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan) (Godzilla vs. Gigan)
• 1973 - Godzilla vs. Megalon (Gojira tai Megaro) (Godzilla vs. Megalon)
• 1974 - Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (Gojira tai Mekagojira) (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla)
• 1975 - Terror of Mechagodzilla (Mekagojira no gyakushu) (Terror of Mechagodzilla)

Heisei (1984-1995)

The second period began in 1984 and ended in 1995. It was named Japanese. 平成 Showa

• Heisei
• 1984 - Godzilla (Gojira) (Godzilla) also Godzilla 1985, The return of Godzilla, is not a remake of the 1954 film.
• 1989 - Godzilla vs. Biollante (Gojira tai Biollante) (Godzilla vs. Biollante)
• 1991 - Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (Gojira tai Kingu Gidorâ) (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah)
• 1992 - (Gojira VS Mosura) (Godzilla vs. Mothra)
• 1993 - Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla-2 (Gojira VS Mekagojira) (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla-2)
• 1994 - Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (Gojira VS Supesugojira) (Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla)

1995 - Godzilla vs. Destroyer (Gojira VS Destoroyah)

Millennium or Shinsei (1999-2004) Initially, the Godzilla epic was supposed to end with the film Godzilla vs. the Destroyer, in which the legendary monster dies, but in 1999, as a response to Hollywood, the first film of the era appeared Millennium . Another name for this era is Japanese.新生

• Shinsei
• (revival). Films of this period:
• 1999 - Godzilla: Millennium (Gojira ni-sen mireniamu) (Godzilla 2000)
• 2000 - Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (Gojira tai Megagirasu: Jî shômetsu sakusen)
• 2001 - Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Monsters Attack (Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidorâ: Daikaijû sôkôgeki) (Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: The Giant Monsters)
• 2004 - Godzilla: Final Wars (Gojira: Fainaru uôzu) (Godzilla: Final Wars)
• Additionally, Godzilla appears in the Toho film Always: Sunset on 3rd Avenue (2007).

The creators of the Japanese film series, meanwhile, decided to take a time out after 2004 and suspend the release of new films about Godzilla. Currently, preparations are underway for filming a new American remake, the release date of which is approximately set for 2014. The film will be directed by Gareth Edwards.

Films from other countries

In 1969, Canadian animator Marv Newland directed the one-and-a-half-minute cartoon Bambi Meets Godzilla. A sequel was filmed in 1999. Son of Bambi meets Godzilla.

In 1998, Roland Emmerich directed a blockbuster film about Godzilla's attack on New York. This film has nothing to do with the Japanese epic. In the film Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), Zilla is shown as one of the weakest rivals to the Japanese Godzilla. Frustrated by Hollywood's distorted concept of the Godzilla legend, the creators of the franchise took away the rights to film the planned sequel from Roland Emmerich. As a result, instead of the Hollywood Godzilla 2, a short animated series was released that continued the plot of the film. Godzilla fans also call Zilla GINO (Godzilla is name only).

• The Japanese Godzilla series has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• Godzilla's dimensions change throughout the series - in episodes 1-15 (Showa era) he was 50 m tall and weighing 20 thousand tons. In episodes 16-17 (Heisei era) he was 80 m tall and weighed 50 thousand tons. In 18 -22 episodes (Heisei era) he is 100 meters tall and weighs 60 thousand tons. In episodes 23-24 and 26-27 (Millennium era) he is 55 m tall and weighs 25 thousand tons. In episode 25 (Millennium era) he 60 m high and weighs 30 thousand tons. In part 28 (Millennium era) it is 100-120 m high and weighs 55 thousand tons.
• Godzilla is a male, not a female, despite the name.

Links

Notes

On May 15, the film “Godzilla” directed by Gareth Edwards will open in Russian box office and on May 16 in American box office. This is the 29th film about the legendary Japanese monster. The high interest in the film is also explained by the fact that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the appearance of the monster Gojira on the screen in 1954.

How does Godzilla's body work? Will New York survive his attack? How will the American military react to the appearance of a monster? Who will emerge victorious in the battle between Godzilla and the dragon Smaug? Why are Japanese fans calling the new Godzilla "fat"? - a few days before the long-awaited premiere, the world media writes about all aspects of the life of a giant lizard.

Monster Biology

Over all these years, Godzilla has changed a lot: he has grown by 60 meters and gained 150 thousand tons. Now it is a monster as tall as a 30-story building that weighs more than a cruise ship. Just for fun, Popular Mechanics magazine asked scientists to help understand the biology of the monster.

After carefully studying the 2014 Godzilla toy and applying a formula developed by paleontologists to determine the mass of bipedal dinosaurs, the authors of the publication came to the conclusion that Godzilla’s mass is 164 thousand tons. For comparison, the heaviest dinosaur known to science - Argentinosaurus - weighed only 100 tons and, unlike the Japanese monster, distributed this weight over all four legs.

Godzilla's metabolic rate is about 1.4 mW per day, which is approximately the same as the power of a large screw turbine. When Godzilla goes on a rampage - shooting down helicopters, destroying buildings, fighting Mothra - this figure rises to 37 mW. This amount of energy would be enough for a city with a population of 3 thousand people.

The load on Godzilla's bones is approximately 20 times greater than the load on the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex, so the strength of its bones should be comparable to the strength of a titanium alloy. The average tensile strength of bones is 150 megapascals, but Godzilla's bones can withstand all of 300 MPa - the same pressure recorded at the base of the lithosphere, 60 miles underground.

At the same time, Godzilla's crocodile skin is likely strengthened by osteoderms - strong ossifications reminiscent of chain mail, which also help cool the body.

Godzilla vs Smaug

During his life, Godzilla fought many monsters - from the giant butterfly Mothra to King Kong. The authors of the Speakeasy blog on The Wall Street Journal website decided to compare the Japanese kaiju and the dragon Smaug to find out which of the monsters will emerge victorious from the fight.

The authors were assisted in this by two experts. Arguments in favor of Godzilla were made by Greg Picard, owner and editor of the fansite godzilla-movies.com. Smaug's interests were defended by the news editor of the fansite theonering.net under the nickname Demosthenes. For convenience and greater objectivity, it was decided to compare the two monsters by category.

Size and strength

Godzilla’s size changed from film to film: in the original film his height did not exceed 50 m, but by 2014 he jumped over 160 m. He was always distinguished by his colossal strength: for example, he could easily throw opponents weighing 30 thousand tons over his head. The Hobbit author John R.R. Tolkien does not give a detailed description of the size of Smaug, saying only that in his death throes he completely destroyed Lake-town. “Smaug may be huge enough to destroy Lake Town, but Godzilla routinely levels large urban agglomerations,” the journalists note, awarding Godzilla the win in this category.

Fire Breath

To be clear, Godzilla doesn't breathe fire. Instead, it fires a blue atomic beam that the toughest materials can't resist, and a red heat beam. As for Smaug, burning everything is the meaning of life for any dragon. Dragons are known to be immune to heat, but Smaug's flames are also unlikely to cause serious damage to Godzilla. Draw.

Fighting technique and abilities

Godzilla gradually developed human-like fighting skills and began to strike powerfully with his front paws. In addition, it is capable of causing a powerful blast wave - the so-called “nuclear pulse”. As for Smaug, it would be simply stupid for him to get involved in close combat when he can circle around the enemy, frying him. Overall, Godzilla's arsenal is more impressive, experts concluded.

Charisma and ingenuity

Godzilla's charisma varies depending on the director's vision: when he represents the forces of nature, his personal characteristics are less noticeable, but when he acts as the main character, he turns into an ardent defender of his home, who will not be stopped by anyone. Charisma and intelligence are Smaug's main strengths. In the book, he nearly overpowered Bilbo's self-control with his own magnetism. So in this round, Smaug, majestic in his demonicity, wins.

Best version

Picard's favorite films are those of the Heisei period (1984-1995): "The special effects in those films were better, so all of Godzilla's attacks were much more spectacular." In Peter Jackson's film, the dragon is not smart enough, so Demosthenes favors Tolkien's book, in which Smaug's intelligence balances his strength and arrogance. “My armor is ten times stronger than shields, my teeth are swords, my claws are spears, the blow of my tail is like a lightning strike, my wings fly with the speed of a hurricane, my breath is death!” - says the dragon in the book. As amazing as Godzilla is, Smaug wins this category.

Impact on culture

According to Picard, Godzilla has become a major cultural phenomenon of the nuclear age: "He embodies the wrath of nature and reminds us that humanity will never be able to control or stop its forces." Without downplaying the cultural significance of Smaug, experts here give preference to Godzilla.

Final verdict

Smaug is no match for Godzilla, Picard assures: “Godzilla only becomes stronger from nuclear weapons. He is invulnerable to any force directed against him and quickly dealt with many monsters, much larger and more powerful than Smaug. I would bet on Godzilla every time.”

“I don’t know much about kaiju, but from what I understand, classic monster fights often end in a draw. Perhaps this is exactly the case and in a couple of years there will be an opportunity to arrange a rematch,” Demosthenes believes.

“Godzilla is too huge, too strong and too durable. Godzilla wins,” the blog’s authors pronounce their verdict.

If Godzilla attacked New York

Meanwhile, New York City authorities claim that the metropolis is quite capable of withstanding an attack by a destructive monster.

"In considering this possibility, we would ask the question: 'How much damage could a Godzilla attack cause?'" Joseph Bruno, head of the Office of Emergency Management, told the New York Daily News. "Obviously there will be fires, explosions, loss of life, destruction, blockages, collapses of bridges and tunnels, road failures, energy problems and some amount of silt, we know how to deal with such problems - with the possible exception of silt.”

"After 9/11 and Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, New York City developed protocols to deal with the inevitable disaster, whether caused by a fictitious marine reptile, a giant ape, alien invaders or a true natural disaster," the article says.

“If Godzilla attacked, we would think about evacuating areas that are under threat,” says Bruno. “He’s a big boy, but he won’t be able to cover an entire city.”

Insurance analysts refused to estimate the approximate damage from the appearance of Godzilla in New York. However, a 2012 study by The Hollywood Reporter found that the final battle in the Avengers movie would have cost the city $160 billion—about twice as much as the 9/11 attacks.

New York is New York, and the Americans will try to strike back. Fighters will be scrambled from a base in New Jersey, and National Guard troops will quickly arrive at the scene. However, fans of the film around the world understand perfectly well: army firepower is powerless against Godzilla.

This was clear back in 1955, when the second film about the Japanese monster, Gigantis the Fire Monster, was released. Distributors recommended that movie theater owners borrow bazookas from local armories and hang them on large posters in the lobby with the inscription “This weapon is no match for Gigantis!”

Will the US Air Force be able to repel Godzilla's attack?

When talking about Godzilla, the question inevitably comes up: how will the military react if the monster actually attacks? Air & Space Magazine asked this question to the military personnel of the Kadena Air Force Base in Japan.

"Kadena is the key to the Pacific region. Because of its strategic location, we are able to respond to any threat here, including the appearance of Godzilla if he decides to show up in Japan, which I think is possible," Master Sergeant Jason Edwards told reporters from the Public Relations Department.

According to Air Force Senior Airman Mark Herrmann, an attack on Godzilla would require the use of virtually all of the base's F-15 fighters and possibly Cobra attack helicopters: "I would take four helicopters, for a total of eight machine guns, 600 rounds each, with multi-role ammunition. There must be some effect from this."

"I think Godzilla will be expecting an air attack, so we'll need 4,000 Segways and slingshots to take him by surprise," Edwards joked.

"The biggest problems will be from his atomic breath. We'll have to fly in hazmat suits. This will reduce our functionality, visibility, maneuverability and all that. As for his superpower, we most likely won't get that close... What if he If he goes underwater, let the Navy deal with him,” Hermann laughs.

Has Godzilla gotten fat?

American audiences are eagerly awaiting Hollywood's new version of Godzilla, but some Japanese fans of the franchise believe the monster could use a diet. To understand why the new Godzilla is being called "fat," International Business Times correspondent Luke Villapaz traced the evolution of the legendary kaiju from 1954 to 2014.

Godzilla from the very first film in 1954 was a dinosaur-like giant awakened by a nuclear explosion. Compared to Godzilla 2014, he appeared slimmer, especially in the upper torso and neck area. The size of the monster remained unchanged until the 1962 film “King Kong vs. Godzilla,” where the slightly fatter monster fought a giant gorilla. Between 1962 and 1967, Godzilla lost weight again: his neck became thinner and longer, but his lower torso retained its former bulk. Throughout almost the entire 1970s, the monster managed to maintain a slender appearance.

Then in 1984's Godzilla, also known as The Return of Godzilla, he became darker, more aggressive and muscular.

Godzilla from Roland Emmerich's 1998 film of the same name was very different from his predecessors. He became more like an iguana and began to move on all fours, parallel to the ground. The difference was so significant that Japanese studio Toho decided to treat him as an entirely separate monster, subsequently renaming the character Zilla. A year later, in the Japanese film Godzilla: Millennium, the monster again acquired its classic appearance.

As stills and trailers for the new film emerged, Japanese visitors to the popular 2ch.net forum criticized the new Godzilla for being overweight and oversized. According to a journalist from the Image and Games Network portal, the American Godzilla was called a “calorie monster” and “Godzilla deluxe.”

The filmmakers fundamentally disagree. "It's comments like these that make the monsters develop complexes about how they look in photographs, which is why they become so evil," says director Gareth Edwards.

"We feel like our Godzilla is exactly what he should be, and we wouldn't ask him to go on a diet, even to walk the red carpet," added producer Thomas Tull. “He has good physical activity,” actor Ken Watanabe closed the topic.

2014 marks exactly 60 years since the most spectacular and popular monster in the history of cinema appeared on the planet’s screens. Since then Godzilla became an exceptional pop culture phenomenon that every little child knows about, received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inspired dozens of directors to create their own monster films and became a symbol of the destructive power of nature, punishing humanity for its disrespectful attitude towards the environment.

However, Godzilla was not always the same as we know him today. Over its rich history, the destructive monster managed to be both an enemy and a defender of the Earth, fought with dozens of other monsters and received twenty-eight Japanese incarnations, in each of which it appeared in a new image. Where did it all begin?

On March 1, 1954, at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, the United States tested a thermonuclear explosive device called Castle Bravo, which became the most powerful test in the history of American testing. An explosion with a power of 15 megatons led to radiation contamination of the environment, including 856 Japanese fishing vessels with a total crew of about 20 thousand people were exposed to varying degrees of radiation. In Japan, the most famous case was the incident with the fishing trawler Fukuryu Maru. At the time of the test, the ship was 170 km from the atoll, technically in the safety zone, but the power of the resulting nuclear explosion ended up being 2.5 times higher than calculated. The radioactive dust that fell on the trawler caused severe radiation sickness in all crew members, each of whom, having received a radiation dose of about 300 roentgens, became severely disabled upon arrival in Japan, and the ship's radio operator died six months after infection. This incident became the reason for massive anti-nuclear demonstrations and other protests both in Japan and around the world.

Tomoyuki Tanaka, years later, surrounded by his creations

The incident with “Fukuryu-Maru” did not pass by, who was at that time a producer at the Japanese film company Toho. Castle Bravo became something like a second Hiroshima for the Japanese, awakening the already extinct fear of the uncontrollable and unpredictable power of nuclear weapons from the depths of human hearts. It was the newly emerged mass hysteria that Tanaka decided to take advantage of when creating a film about a giant reptile that had been hibernating for millions of years and was awakened by a nuclear explosion. Later, in 1985, Tanaka would say in an interview with Entertainment Weekly: “In those days, the Japanese were truly terrified of the possibility of radiation contamination, and it was this fear that gave Godzilla such a scale. From the very beginning of its creation, the monster symbolized nature’s revenge on humanity.”

Tanaka and his colleagues drew inspiration not only from national mythology, but also from American horror films. In particular, it was after watching the classic film by Eugene Lourie "The Monster from 20,000 Fathoms" The filmmakers decided that the monster would be dinosaur-like, instead of the original idea of ​​crossing a gorilla (gorira) and a whale (kujira), which is how the monster got its name - Gojira. Interestingly, before coming to the final decision, the special effects specialists proposed absolutely fantastic ideas, for example, making Godzilla a huge octopus and calling it Oodako, or a giant gorilla with a head in the form of a mushroom-shaped nuclear cloud. In the end, after numerous proposals, the monster from the ocean depths received the appearance of a Jurassic lizard - Godzilla became a mixture of the deadly Tyrannosaurus and the herbivorous Stegosaurus, with the abilities of a fire-breathing dragon. It was this image that became canonical.

In a Godzilla suit

However, bringing the monster invented by sophisticated Japanese minds to life on screen was not so easy. There was no trace of any computer graphics in the 1950s, and the only known technique of time-lapse filming, used, in particular, in the famous Hollywood "King Kong" 1933, was terribly expensive and took too long to film. Although special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya was a big fan of this method, for reasons of economy he had to use the most primitive method - putting a stuntman in a Godzilla suit and letting him roam around a miniature model of Tokyo. However, even this seemingly simple method presented the filmmakers with many difficulties. The weight of the constructed dinosaur suit was 91 kilograms, making it practically unsuitable for movement. In addition, it was terribly hot and stuffy inside the suit, and therefore the artist Haruo Nakajima, who later played in ten more Godzilla films, could not stay in it for more than three minutes to avoid suffocation. The monster's head was a separate headache. To give Godzilla at least some naturalness and a terrifying look, the monster's eyes and mouth were controlled by three cables running along the back of the suit. It's funny that for the sake of the same notorious savings, Toho studio purchased black and white film instead of color film for filming the film. However, it was thanks to this that in some scenes the audience did not see the auxiliary cables of the suit, and the monster's destructive attacks on Tokyo became even more grim and realistic. Godzilla's iconic roar, which became the hallmark of the entire series, was created by composer Akira Ifukube using a thick leather glove to drag across the strings of a double bass. The recorded sound, which was superimposed with a reverberation effect (the process of gradual attenuation of sound as it is repeatedly reflected), still evokes a feeling of animal fear and anticipation of an impending threat.

The plot of Godzilla was almost completely borrowed from the already mentioned film “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.” As in American science fiction, Godzilla awakens from a long sleep as a result of American nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific Ocean and begins to destroy nearby villages, after which he switches to a large metropolis. Despite this, it is the Japanese film that is read as a deeper anti-war statement about the lethality of nuclear weapons deployed by the world's leading powers. Given the history of Japan, which suffered a crushing defeat in World War II and experienced the horrors of the atomic bomb, one can understand why the story of a sea monster rising from the depths to take revenge on humanity had such resonance in The Land of the Rising Sun. “Godzilla” reminded Japanese audiences of the horrors that their country experienced just nine years ago, for which the Toho studio and the director initially received a lot of punishment. However, the excellent box office receipts at that time (more than $2 million) and the positive criticism that appeared a few years later did their job. A powerful allegory for the post-war angst not only of the Japanese people, but of humanity as a whole, Godzilla earned his status as King of the Monsters and allowed the studio to launch a long-running franchise that continues to delight audiences to this day, with varying degrees of success.

In 1956, the ubiquitous Hollywood producers decided to repeat the success of the Japanese. They bought the rights to American distribution of the film and decided to slightly edit the story for Western audiences. New scenes were added to the picture with the participation of an American journalist reporting on the monster, and several old shots were removed, including the famous ending, in which paleontologist Yamane warns: “If humanity does not stop experimenting with nuclear weapons, a new one will appear somewhere in the world.” Godzilla." Updated version called "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" successfully showed itself in American cinemas, but the anti-war spirit of the Japanese film was completely lost. In fact, the only thing worth thanking Hollywood for is the popularization of the cult of Godzilla, because it was after the American premiere that the whole world learned about the new monster.

Poster for the very first Godzilla movie

Further appearances of Godzilla on the big screen, despite the fact that they were created in Japan by the team of the original film, unfortunately no longer had the same power of pacifist statements that the first film had. The natural bias towards entertainment cinema was inevitable, especially after its success in the West. Viewers were tired of military metaphors, and the Toho studio, to the amusement of the public, pitted the noble kaiju against new and new rivals. The subsequent 27 sequels, in which Godzilla acted with equal aplomb both as a nuclear threat and as a national hero saving humanity from space invaders, are usually divided into three periods: Showa (1954-1975) - the most popular period, during which the most successful sequels were made; Heisei (1984-1995) and Shinsei (1999-2004) or Millennium. In each of these periods, Godzilla fought against the most unimaginable opponents imaginable. Just read the titles of several sequels ( "Godzilla vs Mothra", "Godzilla vs. Biollante", "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Monsters Attack") to understand the Toho studio policy - bigger, higher, stronger. Each new period ignored all previous incarnations of Godzilla and took cues from the original 1954 film, only to throw the majestic monster into battle with new enemy monsters.

Thus, the new films about Godzilla quickly turned into low-quality action films about fighting monsters, simultaneously destroying Tokyo, which was being rebuilt again and again. It’s not for nothing that the studio took significant breaks between periods so that viewers had time to take a break from epic battles and miss the old monsters again. However, in 1992, the Americans decided to make adjustments to this wild confusion of tasteless sequels and create a real blockbuster with a capital B, since the material for this was more than suitable. The Japanese planned to create a new film about Godzilla on American soil in the early 1980s, but then Hollywood companies did not dare to provide financing for such a dubious project, in their opinion. In the early 1990s, the Japanese repeated their offer, to which the film company TriStar, owned by the Sony concern, responded, and in 1992 the rights to create an American version of Godzilla were purchased. Along with the rights, TriStar producers received a decree from Toho Studios to ensure that the new Godzilla trilogy (as originally conceived) would remain true to the spirit of Japanese films, that is, carry a message of warning about the use of nuclear weapons and uncontrolled technology. Hollywood didn't mind. A Dane who managed to shoot the film was appointed director. Jan de Bont wrote a script in which Godzilla was created by an alien intelligence and had to save the Earth from an attack by a giant Griffin, which was quite in keeping with the spirit of recent Japanese monster opuses. However, Sony management was dissatisfied with the bloated budget, and the “Japanese” version of the film was closed. It was then that the Toho studio itself proposed candidates for the posts of creators of the remake. Their previous film earned decent money in Japan, which is why Japanese producers decided that they wanted to work with the tandem again. Emmerich and Devlin agreed, on the condition that they would have complete freedom on the set. We know what came out of it: an incredibly stupid and clanking movie that did well around the world, but failed at the American box office, and was also cursed by fans and trampled into the dirt by film critics. But even this turned out to be not enough. After watching this film, Toho Studio decided not to include the American Godzilla in the official pantheon of incarnations of the monster, but to leave it as an original pseudo-monster under the name Zilla.

Overgrown iguana from Emmerich's film

Such a crushing failure, although an unpleasant surprise for the film's producers, had good reasons. In an attempt to reimagine the Japanese monster, Emmerich stepped too far away from the original, without giving the new version of Godzilla some kind of identity. Instead of a majestic lizard, actually a god-like creature, personifying the power of an angry nature, the audience was offered an overgrown mutated iguana, blindly drawn by animal instincts, eager not to take revenge on humanity for its sins, but only to find a place for a nest and raise its young. That is why, stripped not only of his nobility, but not even firing a terrible heat ray, Godzilla looked on the screens as nothing more than a furious beast who accidentally crossed the path of people. That’s why Emmerich’s dedication of his film to the memory of the legendary Japanese producer Tomoyuki Tanaka (who died in 1997), the same one who created the canonical image of the monster in the 1954 film, looked even funnier and more shameful.

In 2004, exactly on the 50th anniversary of the King of the Monsters, Toho released its last Godzilla film to date. "Godzilla: Final Wars" put an end to the third period of films about dinosaur-like lizards. The Japanese took a break again, and in Hollywood a new plan was slowly brewing to create their own picture with the participation of a popular monster. In March 2010, Legendary Pictures finally acquired the rights and officially announced the project. A promising newcomer sat in the director's chair, immediately declaring that Godzilla for him is the personification of nature, bringing to humanity the punishment it deserves. We can only hope that, having learned from the bitter experience of Roland Emmerich, the creators of the upcoming film will not reinvent the wheel, but will present a high-quality picture that fully corresponds to the spirit of the original film. And judging by the trailers, we're in for a truly epic return for one of the greatest movie monsters in history.

Godzilla is a Japanese monster, literally and figuratively awakened by the Americans: the forerunner of the first film was the film “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” (USA, 1953), based on a story by Ray Bradbury. In this film, as in the first Godzilla, the monster is brought to life as a result of nuclear weapons testing. Needless to say, post-war Japan was especially sensitive to the atomic issue. And in March 1954, 23 Japanese fishermen received large doses of radiation after accidentally swimming into the area where an American hydrogen bomb was tested. It was this incident, 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 was revived after testing a hydrogen bomb. It emits radiation, shoots atomic rays from its mouth and destroys everything in its path. Weapons are powerless against him. In the end, the inventor of a mysterious destructive substance, sacrificing himself, descends into the abyss and destroys the monster.

On the one hand, Godzilla became for the Japanese a symbol of the destructive forces that humanity, intentionally or unwittingly, unleashes. On the other hand, Godzilla also personifies the formidable forces of nature from which Japan has suffered for centuries..

1955
"Godzilla Strikes Again"

Already in the second film we see the later typical formula “Godzilla vs...”: here he is opposed by another giant lizard - Anguirus. After defeating him, Godzilla leaves Japan to appear some time later somewhere in the north, on a mountainous, ice-covered island. Military aircraft buried him alive under ice avalanches.

The first two films, black and white films from 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 the movie Godzilla Strikes Again

1962
"King Kong vs. Godzilla"

In this film, Godzilla was brought together with the overseas King Kong. From now on producers are relying on a wider audience: at the same time as color appears in the frame, Godzilla films are becoming increasingly softer and more entertaining.

1964
"Godzilla vs Mothra"

The typhoon washed ashore the egg of the giant Mothra butterfly. Soon Godzilla emerged from the sea. Then Mothra herself arrived and entered into battle with the lizard, who encroached on her offspring. In this fight, Mothra dies, but her larvae immobilize the dinosaur with a sticky web. 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 Godzilla characters: Rodan, Mothra, Manda, Varan, etc. Others, on the contrary, first appeared in films about Godzilla, and then grew into solo roles.

1964
"Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster"

Starting with this film, the Japanese epic about the atomic dinosaur is enriched with reflection on the theme of humanity’s entry into the space age. Here, Godzilla first appears in a clearly 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: astronauts travel to Planet X, where they discover an advanced civilization that asks them to borrow the earthly monsters Godzilla and Rodan, supposedly to fight the local Monster Zero (King Ghidorah). The Earthlings, attracted by the promise of a cure for cancer, agree.

1966
"Godzilla vs. Sea Monster"

At the height of the Cold War, Godzilla fights the communists. He wakes up on an island where the base of the terrorist organization Red Bamboo is located. Another monster obeys the terrorists: the giant shrimp Ebira, 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 an experiment by 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 a reserve island allocated for them, where they are protected and studied. However, insidious aliens zombify the monsters and send them to destroy the largest cities in the world. Eventually the monsters are freed from control, and the Japanese astronauts manage to destroy the aliens with their own weapons.

1969
"Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monsters Attack"

This is the most children's film of the epic. And the main character here is not Godzilla, but junior high school student Ichiro Miki. He lives in two worlds - the real one 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. Hedorah"

Greenpeace was founded in 1971. And in keeping with the spirit of the times, the new Godzilla film has an environmental theme. The microscopic alien Hedorah, feeding on earthly waste, grew into a huge and poisonous sea monster. Godzilla confronts him. Hedorah's weakness is that he cannot survive without water. The humans, with the help of Godzilla, defeat Hedorah by drying him out.

An alien from a distant nebula in the constellation Orion, Hedorah came to Earth from a passing comet. Capable of shooting acid, is immune to radiation and Godzilla's atomic rays

1972
"Godzilla vs. Gigan"

Aliens from a dying planet want to conquer 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 Seatopia, alarmed by nuclear testing 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 his aid.

1974
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"

A monster emerges from the Fuji crater, which is initially mistaken for Godzilla. But he kills Godzilla's longtime ally Anguirus and destroys everything in his path, causing panic. Soon the real Godzilla appears. It turns out that the impostor is a disguised Mechagodzilla robot 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 an ideal opponent for Godzilla, who personifies the power of nature. They will have to meet more than once in the future.

1975
"Terror of Mechagodzilla"

Here Mechagodzilla appears again, as well as Titanosaurus (which bears little resemblance to the real-life dinosaur of the same name) - both of them are used by the same ape-like aliens to enslave humanity. As a result of the film's failure at the Japanese box office, Godzilla went on unpaid leave for almost nine years.

Mechagodzilla at work

How Godzilla's height changed

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 interruptions in production and changes in directors, but also by differences in the interpretation of the image of Godzilla, in particular his growth.

In the films of the first period, the appearance of the character changes somewhat, but the height and weight of the monster remains unchanged: 50 meters and 20 thousand tons. During the second period, Godzilla's growth increases to 80, and then to 100 meters. At the beginning of the third period, the characteristics return to almost the original, but then from film to film Godzilla grows rapidly, again reaching 100 meters in the last film of the epic to date. In the third period, Godzilla's appearance changes most often.

1984
"Godzilla"

The Godzilla reboot 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 grew later. Godzilla destroys Tokyo once again. In the finale, he is lured into the crater of an active volcano.

Despite technological advances, in all Japanese films the role of Godzilla is played by a man in a suit, a doll or a robot. But since the late 1980s, computer processing has 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 is 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 rotates around the Earth in the form of a huge cosmic rose.

1991
"Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah"

Thanks to the machinations of people from the future, traveling back and forth in a time machine, Japan is threatened by the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. If it weren't for Godzilla, humanity would be in trouble. But Tokyo is once again destroyed. And now we need to somehow stop Godzilla. To do this, they send the cyborg Mechagidora 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 deity protecting the Earth, and Battra is the evil creation of prehistoric scientists. Once upon a time, even before the flood, Mothra defeated Battra. But now they have awakened again. Battra attacked Japan. Mothra and Godzilla soon arrive. All three begin to fight each other.

1993
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2"

The remains of Mechagidora, defeated two films ago, are raised from the bottom. Of these, to continue the fight against Godzilla, a 120-meter-long, pilot-controlled Mechagodzilla was built.

1994
"Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla"

Godzilla's cells, carried into space, passed through a black hole and gave birth to a space monster that is approaching Earth. Meanwhile, a huge combat robot, Moguera, has been created in Japan. 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 that is about to explode from overheating. Meanwhile, the evil monster Destroyer is formed from prehistoric microorganisms. 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 Godzilla's son is resurrected, having received his father's energy.

Godzilla vs. Destroyer completes the Heisei series that began in 1984. Toho did not plan to make Godzilla films until 2004 (the franchise's 50th anniversary). However, these plans had to be revised after the release of Roland Emmerich's Godzilla.

1998
"Godzilla"

The first American feature film about the 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 its box office success, critics panned the film. Fans of the Japanese Godzilla were especially offended. All this was the reason that the Toho film company launched a new Godzilla series a year later.

Timeline of Godzilla films

Godzilla (directed by Ishiro Honda)

Godzilla Strikes Again (released in the US in 1959 as Gigantis the Fire Monster)

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (directed by Ishiro Honda, Terry O. Morse. 1954 Japanese film, re-edited for release in the United States)

King Kong vs. Godzilla (directed by Ishiro Honda. Released in the United States in 1963)

Godzilla vs. Mothra (directed by Ishiro Honda. Released in the US the same year with minimal changes)

Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster (directed by Ishiro Honda. Original Japanese title: Three Giant Monsters: The Greatest Battle on Earth)

Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (aka The Great Monster War (original Japanese title, 1965), Invasion of the Astro-Monster (US title, 1970)

Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (directed by Jun Fukuda. Original Japanese title: Godzilla, Ebira, Mothra: Great Showdown in the South Seas)

Son of Godzilla (directed by Jun Fukuda. Released in American theaters in 1969)

Destroy all monsters (Directed by Ishiro Honda)

Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monsters Attack (released in the USA in 1971 under the title Godzilla's Revenge)

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (directed by Yoshimitsu Banno)

Godzilla vs. Gigan (directed by Jun Fukuda. Released in the United States 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 United States in 1977 under the title Godzilla vs. the Cyborg Monster)

Terror of Mechagodzilla (this is the last Godzilla film directed by Ishiro Honda)

Godzilla (directed by Koji Hashimoto. The film was significantly recut before release in the United States, 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- a Japanese monster, literally and figuratively awakened by the Americans: the forerunner of the first film was the film “The Monster from 20,000 Fathoms” (USA, 1953), based on a story by Ray Bradbury. In this film, as in the first Godzilla, the monster is brought to life as a result of nuclear weapons testing. Needless to say, post-war Japan was especially sensitive to the atomic issue.
And in March 1954, 23 Japanese fishermen received large doses of radiation after accidentally swimming into the area where an American hydrogen bomb was tested. It was this incident, 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 was revived after testing a hydrogen bomb. It emits radiation, shoots atomic rays from its mouth and destroys everything in its path. Weapons are powerless against him. In the end, the inventor of a mysterious destructive substance, sacrificing himself, descends into the abyss and destroys the monster.

On the one hand, Godzilla became for the Japanese a symbol of the destructive forces that humanity, intentionally or unwittingly, unleashes. On the other hand, Godzilla also personifies the formidable forces of nature from which Japan has suffered for centuries.

1955 "Godzilla Strikes Again"
Already in the second film we see the later typical formula “Godzilla vs...”: here he is opposed by another giant lizard - Anguirus. After defeating him, Godzilla leaves Japan to appear somewhere in the north, on a mountainous, ice-covered island. Military aircraft buried him alive under avalanches of ice.
The first two films, black and white films from 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 the overseas King Kong. From now on, producers are relying on a wider audience: at the same time as color appears in the frame, films about Godzilla are becoming increasingly softer and more entertaining.

The scene where King Kong "feeds" Godzilla became a meme in the 2000s.

1964 "Godzilla vs Mothra"
The typhoon washed ashore the egg of the giant Mothra butterfly. Soon Godzilla emerged from the sea. Then Mothra herself arrived and entered into battle with the lizard, who encroached on her offspring. In this fight, Mothra dies, but her larvae immobilize the dinosaur with a sticky web. 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 Godzilla characters: Rodan, Mothra, Manda, Varan, etc. Others, on the contrary, first appeared in films about Godzilla, and then grew into solo roles.

1964 "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster"
Starting with this film, the Japanese epic about the atomic dinosaur is enriched with reflection on the theme of humanity’s entry into the space age. Here, Godzilla first appears in a clearly 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: astronauts travel to Planet X, where they discover an advanced civilization that asks them to borrow the earthly monsters Godzilla and Rodan, supposedly to fight the local Monster Zero (King Ghidorah).
The Earthlings, attracted by the promise of a cure for cancer, agree.

1966 "Godzilla vs. Sea Monster" At the height of the Cold War, Godzilla fights the communists. He wakes up on an island where the base of the terrorist organization Red Bamboo is located. Another monster obeys the terrorists: the giant shrimp Ebira, 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 partly positive. In this film, the appearance of Godzilla also evokes rather a 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 an experiment by 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 a reserve island allocated for them, where they are protected and studied. However, insidious aliens zombify the monsters and send them to destroy the largest cities in the world. Eventually the monsters are freed from control, and the Japanese astronauts manage to destroy the aliens with their own weapons.

1969 "Godzilla, Minilla, Gabara: All Monsters Attack"

This is the most children's film of the epic. And the main character here is not Godzilla, but junior high school student Ichiro Miki. He lives in two worlds - the real one 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. Hedorah"

Greenpeace was founded in 1971. And in keeping with the spirit of the times, the new Godzilla film has an environmental theme. The microscopic alien Hedorah, feeding on earthly waste, grew into a huge and poisonous sea monster. Godzilla confronts him. Hedorah's weakness is that he cannot survive without water. The humans, with the help of Godzilla, defeat Hedorah by drying him out.
An alien from a distant nebula in the constellation Orion, Hedorah came to Earth from a passing comet. Capable of shooting acid, he is immune to radiation and Godzilla's atomic rays.

1972 "Godzilla vs. Gigan"

Aliens from a dying planet want to conquer 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 Seatopia, alarmed by nuclear testing 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 his aid.

1974 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"
A monster emerges from the Fuji crater, which is initially mistaken for Godzilla. But he kills Godzilla's longtime ally Anguirus and destroys everything in his path, causing panic. Soon the real Godzilla appears. It turns out that the impostor is a disguised Mechagodzilla robot 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 an ideal opponent for Godzilla, who personifies the power of nature. They will have to meet more than once in the future.

1975 "Terror of Mechagodzilla"
Here Mechagodzilla appears again, as well as Titanosaurus (which bears little resemblance to the real-life dinosaur of the same name) - both of them are used by the same ape-like aliens to enslave humanity. As a result of the film's failure at the Japanese box office, Godzilla went on unpaid leave for almost nine years.

How Godzilla's height changed
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 interruptions in production and changes in directors, but also by differences in the interpretation of the image of Godzilla, in particular his growth.
In the films of the first period, the appearance of the character changes somewhat, but the height and weight of the monster remains unchanged: 50 meters and 20 thousand tons. During the second period, Godzilla's growth increases to 80, and then to 100 meters. At the beginning of the third period, the characteristics return to almost the original, but then from film to film Godzilla grows rapidly, again reaching 100 meters in the last film of the epic to date. In the third period, Godzilla's appearance changes most often.

1984 "Godzilla"
The Godzilla reboot 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 grew later. Godzilla destroys Tokyo once again. In the finale, he is lured into the crater of an active volcano.

Despite technological advances, in all Japanese films the role of Godzilla is played by a man in a suit, a doll or a robot. But since the late 1980s, computer processing has made films more realistic.

There is a wonderful monologue in the film after Godzilla attacks a Soviet nuclear submarine!

1989 "Godzilla vs. Biollante"
A Japanese geneticist crossed Godzilla cells with a rose. The resulting hybrid has grown to gigantic proportions - now it is 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 rotates around the Earth in the form of a huge cosmic rose.

1991 "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah"
Thanks to the machinations of people from the future, traveling back and forth in a time machine, Japan is threatened by the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. If it weren't for Godzilla, humanity would be in trouble. But Tokyo is once again destroyed. And now we need to somehow stop Godzilla. To do this, they send the cyborg Mechagidora 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 deity protecting the Earth, and Battra is the evil creation of prehistoric scientists. Once upon a time, even before the flood, Mothra defeated Battra. But now they have awakened again. Battra attacked Japan. Mothra and Godzilla soon arrive. All three begin to fight each other.

1993 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2"
The remains of Mechagidora, defeated two films ago, are raised from the bottom.
Of these, a 120-meter-long pilot-controlled Mechagodzilla was built to continue the fight against Godzilla.

1994 "Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla"
Godzilla's cells, carried into space, passed through a black hole and gave birth to a space monster that is approaching Earth.
Meanwhile, a huge combat robot, Moguera, has been created in Japan. 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 that is about to explode from overheating. Meanwhile, the evil monster Destroyer is formed from prehistoric microorganisms.
Destroyer kills Godzilla's son. Godzilla defeats the Destroyer, but he is revived again and again. After the final victory, Godzilla still melts from overheating. And Godzilla's son is resurrected, having received his father's energy.
Godzilla vs. Destroyer completes the Heisei series that began in 1984. Toho did not plan to make Godzilla films until 2004 (the franchise's 50th anniversary). However, these plans had to be revised after the release of Roland Emmerich's Godzilla.

1998 "Godzilla"
The first American feature film about the 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 its box office success, critics panned the film. Fans of the Japanese Godzilla were especially offended. All this was the reason that the Toho film company launched a new Godzilla series a year later.

1999 "Godzilla: Millennium"
Godzilla is alive again, walking across Japan, destroying power plants - this is how he recharges himself. Meanwhile, a rock of alien origin emerges from the ocean. Later, she 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 begins pumping out information. The aliens' goal is to change the Earth's atmosphere. After obtaining samples of Godzilla's cells, they create the monster Orga. After destroying the saucer and Orga, Godzilla continues to destroy Tokyo.

2000 "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus"
The black hole created by scientists caused a curvature of space-time, which is why meter-long prehistoric dragonflies were brought into the present.
They transfer their energy supply to a huge uterus - Megaguirus, which lies on the bottom of the ocean. Megaguirus takes off and attacks Godzilla, who manages to defeat the megadragonfly. Scientists shoot a black hole at Godzilla.

2001 "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Monsters Attack"
Godzilla successively defeats Baragon, then Mothra and Ghidorah. After which the military finishes 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 military personnel 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 awakens again at the bottom of the ocean. At the same time, Mothra invades Japanese airspace. She demands that 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 that have been taken over by aliens. They are opposed by the Earth Defense Forces (a special squad for fighting monsters) and Godzilla, to whom the aliens’ power does not apply.
The film is notable for the fact that almost every monster in the Toho universe appears 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 poor attempt to create its own American version of Godzilla, Japan and the Toho studio are forced to literally resurrect the king of the monsters, restoring his image in cinema history. It was decided to make the next reboot of the franchise bold, daring and almost authorial, inviting Hideaki Anno (the same creator of the series “Neon Genesis Evangelion”) as the scriptwriter-director.
The result is what 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 strongly dislike his anime activities, there should be enthusiastic exclamations about the new kaiju picture.

What kind of Godzilla is a dinosaur?
The word "Godzilla" is the Latinization of the 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 ape and the sea origins of the monster - although the creation of the Japanese film studio Toho is more reminiscent of a giant lizard, a dinosaur, than the mentioned mammals.