The Whole Godzilla Thing

I’ve been thinking a lot this week, about many things.

Mostly Godzilla, though.

Not the new Godzilla movies, cool as they are. I mean the original run of movies that started back in 1945 (!) and ran for, well, pretty much ever. As a kid, they were staples of the afternoon and/or late night movie shows on local tv. As a young boy, I loved tuning in to see the monster mayhem. As an adult, however, I find myself more interested in Godzilla as a character and the overarching story and lore connecting the many, many films.

It’s interesting to me, because in Godzilla’s first appearance he was a fearsome monster. In the original story, Godzilla basically served as a stand in for the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima and brought not only destruction at levels hitherto unseen, but a new level of fear to Japan and the world at large.

Godzilla was the cinematic embodiment of fear and senseless destruction. He was truly a monster, in every sense of the word.

Then, something happened. The filmmakers began to add more creatures and violence and mayhem into the mix. Over time, Godzilla transformed into a hero. The people of Japan (both in the movies and in real life) began to see him as a hero.

But here’s the thing, he was still a monster. Quite definitely so. He was still capable of mass destruction, but people didn’t care. In time, they even called upon Godzilla to save them.

So, from about 1964-1975 Godzilla was portrayed as the hero that the people needed. Then, in 1984, things shifted. Suddenly, Godzilla was a bad guy again. The monster came back, in all his ranging, fire-breathing glory. Fear, destruction, and chaos followed.

Because that’s what happens with monsters. They lay dormant for a while. They may even show their friendly side. In the end, though, a monster is a monster and it will do what monsters do the best.

Fear, destruction, and chaos.

Godzilla was always a monster. Even when the people didn’t see it. When they didn’t care.

He was-and is-still a monster.

Just something I’ve been thinking about.