Rare Behind The Scenes Photos From Godzilla And Other Japanese Monster Movies (Part 1 The Early Years 54 - 61)

 "Our tale begins dramatically amidst the smoldering ruins of what was once a great city. Twisted girders, cracked, blistering sidewalks and the skeletal frames of demolished buildings paint a grim portrait of this smoldering memorial to the unknown. Tokyo, once a proud metropolis of six million people, is now a graveyard." - Steve Martin - United World News

Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is a 1956 kaiju film directed by Terry O. Morse and Ishirō Honda. This "Americanization," is a heavily re-edited version of the 1954 Japanese film Godzilla. The film was a Japanese-American co-production, with the original footage produced by Toho Co., Ltd, and the new footage produced by Jewell Enterprises. Starring Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kōchi, Akira Takarada, and Akihiko Hirata, with Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka as Godzilla, the film follows an American reporter covering a giant reptilian monster's attack on Japan.

American reporter Steve Martin awakens amidst the rubble of Tokyo, a city nearly destroyed the previous night. After being rescued and taken to a makeshift hospital, Steve recalls the events leading up to this disaster.

A few days earlier, Steve was en route to a new post in Cairo when he decided to stop in Tokyo to visit his old college friend, Dr. Serizawa, a prominent theoretical thinker. During his flight, Steve witnessed a ship burst into flames and sink shortly after sending out a distress signal.

Upon arriving at the Tokyo airport, security officer Tomo Iwanaga questioned Steve about anything unusual he saw on the flight. Tomo then revealed that authorities were unsure what they were dealing with and took Steve to the communications room of the company that owned the sunken vessel. There, they observed that a rescue ship dispatched to the disaster site had also sunk in a similar manner.

Over the next several hours, a total of eight ships were obliterated, sparking panic as the news spread worldwide. Japan's top officials convened a meeting, where renowned scientist Dr. Yamane testified that the investigation should begin on the sparsely inhabited Odo Island, near where the ships had sunk.

When a helicopter carrying officials arrived on Odo, they learned from a terrified islander that he had seen a monster. That night, Steve and Tomo witnessed a native ceremony dramatizing the legend of a creature called "Godzilla" that the islanders feared was responsible for the disasters. As a violent storm struck, horrendous roaring sounds were heard, and many villagers and their homes were destroyed.

The next morning, officials brought some villagers back to Tokyo to testify before the Japanese leaders. Dr. Yamane then suggested an expedition be formed to investigate further, and Steve requested to join. Aboard the ship bound for Odo were Yamane's daughter Emiko and Ogata, a young officer with whom she was in love, despite being engaged to Serizawa since childhood.

Upon reaching Odo, the expedition discovered a contaminated local well surrounded by radioactive footprints. When an alarm sounded, a massive, dinosaur-like creature emerged, which Yamane identified as Godzilla, a prehistoric intermediary creature that had been resurrected due to hydrogen bomb testing.

The Japanese military attempted to destroy Godzilla using depth charges and electrical power lines, but the monster proved impervious to their efforts. As Godzilla rampaged through Tokyo, Steve set up his tape recorder to document the events, eventually dictating "Steve Martin signing off from Tokyo, Japan" as he became trapped.

After Godzilla's initial attack, Emiko revealed to Steve that Serizawa had accidentally discovered a means to destroy all oxygen in water, effectively killing all life. Emiko begged Serizawa to use this "oxygen destroyer" against Godzilla, and he ultimately agreed, sacrificing himself to ensure the weapon's success.

In the end, Godzilla was destroyed, and those who witnessed Serizawa's sacrifice saluted him for his heroism.

For many diehard Godzilla fans, only the original Japanese language version of Gojira (1954) will do. However, until 2004, when Rialto Pictures gave it a limited theatrical release in the U.S. to commemorate its 50th anniversary, the only officially available version for American audiences was the edited U.S. cut, Godzilla: King of the Monsters!

Still, through decades of television airings, theatrical screenings, and home video releases on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray, even this Americanized version has earned a beloved spot in the hearts of monster movie fans. 

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Rare Behind The Scenes Photos From Godzilla And Other Japanese Monster Movies (Part 1 The Early Years 54 - 61)

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