Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)

The world looks on in horror as a destructive force of nature that has taken the form of a giant radioactive reptile destroys the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan! American news correspondent Steve Martin happens to be on the scene, and he reports back as the devastation unfolds around him. With this, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! made its way to a worldwide audience in the American adaptation of Toho's classic monster movie, GOJIRA. Although several key scenes and dialog that linked Godzilla's rampage to the wartime atrocities of the atom bomb were removed, much of the original message still remains intact throughout the translation and re-editing.

The story of how GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! came to be is really quite impressive unto itself. Instead of rushing a poorly-dubbed and sloppily-edited bastardization of the original film into theaters for the popcorn-munching Science Fiction fans of the Fifties, Jewell Enterprises realized the potential of their investment, and took great care in framing brand-new footage around the existing material. Ryamond Burr was hired on to star as the terror-stricken Steve Martin, along with a number of convincing doubles that would stand in for the characters of Emiko Yamane, Hideto Ogata, and others. The original Japanese sets were recreated with pin-point accuracy, as was the case with the costumes worn by the stand-ins, who would speak to Burr with their backs turned to the camera in order to carry the illusion. Director Terry Morse would then intercut the scenes with existing footage to make it appear as if Burr were right amidst the action! The end result is nothing less than amazing, giving the uninformed little reason to suspect that this was not the film as it was originally intended.

The American GODZILLA pays great respect to the original, although some of the story does get lost in translation. The love triangle that exists between Emiko, Ogata, and the reclusive Dr. Serazawa has been trimmed, creating much less emotional impact throughout the course of events. Martin must also step in to bridge continuity gaps that have been created in the re-editing of the material. Much of composer Akira Ifukube's powerful score has been retained, along with many of director Ishiro Honda's trademark scenes of military action and world unification. Considering the travesties that would occur in later American adaptations of the GODZILLA series, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! is a rather faithful recreation.

Until very recently, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS! was the only way that much of the world had experienced the original GOJIRA, and as such, it must also be considered as a classic of Science Fiction theater with a lasting impact that has rivaled even the original!

Rating: 9/10.

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