Ishiro Honda's original 1954 Godzilla (pronounced Gojira in Japanese) seems as prehistoric as the monster it portrays. Special effects are way behind the times here. This level of storytelling would have been deemed unacceptable in 1920, thirteen years before the genre-defining King Kong. Performances easily fall under the umbrella term "over-acting." The Japanese dialect can be as smooth as silk, not hard and grating like it sounds in this film.

A flimsy scenario places the giant lizard near a highly-populated Japanese island. Radiation from nuclear bombs has caused Big G to awaken. However, the limitations of putting a man in a creature suit makes me wonder how viewers could ever fear such a thing, regardless of age or emotional disposition. Godzilla moves slower than an iceberg, while the inhabitants simply marvel at the destruction he causes to miniaturised sets.  

Composer Akira Ifukube creates a score which probably looks great on the page, yet lacks any real power on this occasion. For a better representation of his work and others in the Godzilla sub-genre, I recommend the CD compilation entitled Monster Mania. The main theme from Honda's film sounds a lot more vibrant under Randy Miller's conducting.

Overall, the first Godzilla burns in a dark, fiery haze. In my opinion, Roland Emmerich's witty 1998 update includes vastly superior visual effects and acting.

(Released by Rialto Pictures; not rated by MPAA.)