5. It's Keeping His Japanese Roots
Those unfamiliar with Godzilla might not realize how important Japanese culture is in regards to his characterization. The very concept of an atomically powered creature wreaking utter destruction is quintessentially Japanese.
Gojira practically gave birth to the kaiju (strange beast) genre of films, which itself was born in response to a tragedy of epic proportions. Obviously,
Gojira was not the first giant monster movie ever made, far from it. However, one only needs to compare an American monster movie to a Japanese one to see the difference in terms of structure, function, and theme. Take 1953's
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms as an example. It is a classic nuclear age American giant monster movie about a hibernating dinosaur awoken by atomic bomb testing in the Arctic. Conceptually, it is practically the same story as
Gojira, and even deals with many of the same themes, but differs substantially in its focus on science and method, with many of the characters being scientists themselves. Many scenes comprise of characters hypothesizing on the creatures origin, purpose, and possible means of defeat. The creature is treated like an animal on the loose, and only causes property damage by accident.
Gojira, on the other hand, focuses much more on sadness, terror and mass destruction. Yes, it does have scenes of scientists discussing possible origins of the creature, as well as insane pieces of technology such as the Oxygen Destroyer, but they are far from the focus. Godzilla himself, unlike the Beast, doesnt appear to have any earthly or animalistic goals. Instead, it appears his purpose is to simply destroy. His total annihilation of Tokyo makes any damage the Beast causes look like nothing. These two examples highlight the differences between the East and West when it comes to giant monster films. American monsters tend to function in a more realistic and scientific manner, while Japanese monsters are often more spiritual and/or fantastical. They operate on different levels and reflect values driven by past experiences; in Japans case, the experience of actual nuclear attacks. Without those horrific experiences, Godzilla would not exist. As such, they define him, both thematically and conceptually, and are immensely important. Weve seen and heard very little about the upcoming Americanization, but what we have heard shows that they have Godzilla's roots in mind. In particular, the proof of concept teaser trailer shown at this years Comic-Con briefly demonstrated the tone, showing images of city-wide destruction as J. Robert Oppenheimer narrates with his most famous quote: We knew the world would not be the same. A few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture. Vishnu takes on his multi-armed form and says,
Now, I am become death, destroyer of worlds. While I, and most people, have yet to actually see this trailer, just imagining it gives me chills. It perfectly summarizes the character of Godzilla, and the use of the Oppenheimer quote to highlight his destructive nature and the atomic power that fuels it is genius. If this trailer is any indication of the tone of the film, then we ought to expect an interpretation that faithfully adapts the themes and concept of Godzilla in a new and fresh context. In doing so, it could potentially breath new life into a franchise that has admittedly been in a creative slump for some time.