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Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956)
Credits
Title: Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Director: Ishirô Honda
Terry O. Morse [1]
Writers: Ishirô Honda [2]
Takeo Murata [3]
Shigeru Kayama [4]
Al C. Ward [5]
Producers: Tomoyuki Tanaka [6]
Composer: Akira Ifukube
Cinematography: Masao Tamai [7]
Guy Roe [8]
Editors: Terry O. Morse [9]
Production
Distributed by: Toho Company, Ltd.
Embassy Pictures
Released: April 27th, 1956
Rating: Unrated
Running time: 80 min.
Country: Japan/USA
Language: Japanese/English
Budget: $650,000
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Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is a joint Japanese/American feature film of the science fiction and horror genres. It is a soft remake of the original 1954 film Gojira, which incorporates new U.S. footage edited into the original film, excising many scenes from the original in the process. Gojira director Ishirô Honda collaborated with Terry O. Morse in directing the new scenes which featured American actor Raymond Burr and several Japanese-American actors, some of whom served as stand-ins for original cast members in an effort to interweave new scenes with the original story. The movie was licensed from Toho Company, Ltd. and produced by Jewell Enterprises, Inc. and Embassy Pictures. It was released through TransWorld Releasing Corp. in the United States on April 27th, 1956.

Plot[]

An American news reporter named Steve Martin travels to Japan to visit his old colleague Daisuke Serizawa. As he arrives he is but one of many airline passengers who are questioned by Tokyo police. Steve learns that a Japanese commercial vessel was destroyed outside Tokyo Bay. Witnesses claimed that the water itself seemed to catch on fire and no one could explain the strange phenomenon. Steve’s airline had passed near the scene of the incident but none of the passengers actually witnessed the event. Revealing himself as a reporter for the Global World News out of Chicago, he offers his aid to the beleaguered police department.

The following day, Steve and a security specialist named Tomo Iwanaga travel to Oto Island, where presumably wreckage of the destroyed vessel had been seen washing up on shore. The natives claim to have seen a disturbing creature reminiscent of a monster from their ancient myths - Godzilla.

Before long, Godzilla emerges again and destroys several more sea vessels. The Japanese officials learn that Tokyo may be seriously threatened and decide to take measures against Godzilla’s rampage. They erect a barrier of electrified power stations all along the shore of Tokyo Bay. Godzilla easily ravages the power stations and the Japanese call out the National Guard to evacuate the city.

At this point, the people of Tokyo realize an even greater terror. Godzilla utilizes an atomic breath weapon to set the entire city ablaze. Tanks and heavy artillery prove useless, and before long Godzilla crushes the press staff building. Steve Martin is buried beneath a ton of rubble but miraculously survives.

A few days later, Steve's friend Emiko Yamane tells him of a great secret she has learned. Emiko and Steve's friend Doctor Serizawa has developed a tremendous weapon, which destroys the oxygen cells within biological organisms. Serizawa is reluctant to utilize the weapon because of the danger it represents.

Left with little choice but to use the Oxygen Destroyer, Doctor Serizawa and colleague Hideto Ogata descend deep into Tokyo Bay where Godzilla lies sleeping. The weapon is released and Ogata returns to the surface. Serizawa however, guilt ridden over creating such a destructive device, cuts his lifeline and remains underwater. He is consumed by his own weapon and quickly dies. Godzilla awakens and thrashes about in his own savage death-throes. Eventually however, his body disintegrates into a skeleton and finally disappears all together.

Cast[]

U.S. version[]

Actor Role
Raymond Burr Steve Martin
Frank Iwanaga Security officer
Mikel Conrad George Lawrence
James Hong Ogata/Serizawa (voice)
Kuninori Kodo Old man on Oto Island
Tsuruko Mano Boy's mother
Lee Miller Man in line at airport
Sammee Tong Kyohei Yamane (voice)

Original cast[]

Actor Role
Takashi Shimura Kyohei Yamane-hakase
Momoko Kôchi Emiko Yamane
Akira Takarada Hideto Ogata
Akihiko Hirata Daisuke Serizawa-hakase
Sachio Sakai Newspaper reporter Hagiwara
Fuyuki Murakami Doctor Tabata
Ren Yamamoto Master Seiji
Toyoaki Suzuki Shinkichi
Tadashi Okabe Doctor Tabata's assistant
Ren Yamamoto Masaji Sieji
Toyoaki Suzuki Shinkichi Sieji
Tadashi Okabe Professor Tanabe's assistant
Ren Imaizumi Radio operator
Toranosuke Ogawa President of company
Kenji Sahara Man on boat
Haruo Nakajima Godzilla

Uncredited cast[]

Note: The following is taken from the full credits list for this entry on IMDB. As it is a website with user-submitted information, some of the data listed here, including character names may be inaccurate.

Actor Role
Ryosaku Takasugi Godzilla
Katsumi Tezuka Godzilla

Notes & Trivia[]

  • Godzilla, King of the Monsters! was eventually cycled back to Japan where it was released on May 29th, 1957 under the title, Kaiju Ō Gojira, which is translated as "Monster King Godzilla".
  • Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is included on disc two of the Gojira DVD set by Classic Media, which was released on September 5th, 2006.

Differences from Gojira[]

  • The character of Steve Martin, played and narrated by Raymond Burr, is exclusive to the U.S. version and does not appear in the Japanese version.

Recommendations[]

See also[]

Media

The World of Godzilla

Godzilla miscellaneous

External Links[]

References[]

  1. U.S. scenes only; Credited as Terry Morse.
  2. Original version and U.S. version.
  3. Original version and U.S. version.
  4. Original story only.
  5. U.S. scenes only.
  6. Japanese version only.
  7. Original version only.
  8. U.S. version.
  9. Credited as Terry Morse; Supervising editor.


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