Candy and a Movie: Movie #27 Gojira

Gojira (1954)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047034/

This post is brought to you by Taco Bells new Doritos Locos Tacos. There's one in me, right now.

You might know this movie by another name, Godzilla. I bet you didn't know that Godzilla is a mash up of the Japanese words for gorilla and whale. Maybe look at wikipedia every once in a while. This is the first of 28 movies staring the gorillale beast. I think in some of them he might be a good guy but definitely not in this one.

A few Japanese sailors are out just sailing around and having a good time. Suddenly something just wipes them out of the water. Then boom, another ship goes down. And then whammy, there goes the rescue ship. The Japanese wise up and quit sending boats to their doom. At first, scientist think it may be an underwater volcano causing all of the damage. One lucky fellow survives and says a monster did the wrecking. An old fisherman thinks it might be Godzilla but the rest of the town laughs him off because Godzilla is just and urban legend.

One night that same fishing village gets demolished by a storm. A storm you say? More like the whale gorilla himself me thinks (sailor lingo). Anyone who survived goes in front of some official panel and give an account on what happened. Most reflections say they saw something, but aren't sure what. A group of scientists go to the island to investigate. One of the actors I actually know so I assumed that he would be a major character. He is the zoologist and ends up being the guy who wants to keep Godzilla alive when everyone else wants to kill him because he loves all animals but that comes later. There is a young couple also on the trip. The dude is in the coast guard and the girl is the daughter of the zoologist. They want to get engaged but have to ask the father. Godzilla is really throwing off their plans.

On the island they find a big ole footprint of something. They also find an extinct shrimp and all the well water is full of radiation. Over a hill, 21 minutes into the movie, we see Godzilla himself. I thought he was missing his bottom jaw at first. Totally has that corny, 50's monster movie look. The zoologist says dinosaurs were around 2 million years ago. The internet says they died off around 65 million years meaning this guy is a lousy scientist. I know he didn't have google but at least be in the right era bro. The scientist also thinks that recent American nuclear bomb testing in the water woke up the beast. Seems pretty anti-American, which I will just have no part in, but also is probably true.

The emperor or governator, whoever was in charge of the Godzilla committee says that they should keep this who thing quiet to prevent scaring the public. Some woman in the crowd says "screw that, power to the people" in perfect Japanese (not exact phrase). The navy comes up with the plan to depth charge the crap out of Godzilla. They can track him by looking at the radiation he gives off in the water. The Japanese think they got him and the movie shows some huge fancy party taking place on a yacht. Would you really be in the water if the government confirmed that they saw a giant dinosaur living in it? I wouldn't. Godzilla ends up being very much alive, and kills everyone on the boat.

Back to the zoologist. The government comes to him and asks how can they kill Godzilla because he is the animal expert. He gets super hippy on everyone and wants to find a way to stop the whorilla (not a silent w) and keep it alive at the same time. At the same time, there is another scientist doing experiments on piranha's and his name is not Ving Rhames so he is up to something. Godzilla comes back and this time the army is ready. They shoot to kill. They also set up this electric wire fence that should stop Godzilla. His tough dino skin busts right through

that fense like it was made out of wires that weren't full of electricity.

Now is part of the movie where Godzilla does the majority of his murdering. At first the tanks seem like they are slowing him down but not dice, they get his fire breath. One guys says "Godzilla has turned Tokyo into a sea of flames". After watching the damage that the G-Man dishes out, the zoologist is like "Lets get this dude".

SPOILERS

Now is the time that they get this dude. Movie goes through this whole sequence where the guy working on the piranha's comes up with a way to destroy Godzilla by have all of the oxygen ripped out of the water but doesn't want anyone to know about it because it could be turned into a weapon. He eventually does give in though and they get on another navy ship to track down the monster. Once they hit their spot, the G-spot if you will (I'm sorry but this was going into the post somewhere), they have to get in the water to open the deoxygenizer. The coast guard fiance and the scientist who invented it go deep underwater. Once they find Godzilla, they open the device and it's on. Thing works so well that the only thing that is left from the beast is his or her skeleton. Metal. The scientist destroyed anyway to recreate the device and cut the rope on his diving suit to die down there with Godzilla.

THE END

Favorite Scene : Godzilla raining heat rays down on Tokyo. Cheesy 50s effects with a cheesy story makes it awesome.

Best Lines: That Tokyo burns one is pretty cool.

and "Ogata, humans are weak animals. Even if I burn my notes, the secret will still be in my head. Until I die, how can I be sure I won't be forced by someone to make the device again?"

and this last line "I can't believe that Godzilla was the only surviving member of its species... But if we continue conducting nuclear tests... it's possible that another Godzilla might appear somewhere in the world again."

Rating : 6 Popin' Cookin' DIY Sushi Candies. According to the internet, these are big in Japan. There are parts of the movie that hold up well and others that don't. The story is as good as one about an ancient monster coming up from the ocean could be. Acting is pretty good. Godzilla still looks like clown.

Alternate Ending : Godzilla learns how to talk and just wants a Locos taco but they won't be around for 58 more years. 2 million years of waiting was already long enough and he takes his wrath from Japan and to a Taco Bell near you.

That's horrible. How about Godzilla learns how to talk and wants to be the ruler of earth. Everyone gives into his demands and he is an evil tyrant until one day a man has the courage to stand up against him. Who is this man? Matthew Broderick? No. Sarah Jessica Parker? Closer. Gilbert Gottfried? Yes! One day he goes up to Godzilla and asks "Why did the T-Rex cross the road"? Godzilla says "I don't know, why?". Gottfried then says "because chickens hadn't evolved yet". Godzilla dies from laughter.

What I would do if I was the main character : Lets say I was the zoologist. When the government get mad at me for not wanting to level Godzilla I say don't get made at me, I'm just a professor.

What happens in the 27 sequels: There are 27 of them, just pick one if you want to bad enough.