Toho had wanted to make a new Godzilla film for some time. In fact, they didn't really want to stop ni 1975 with Terror of Mechagodzilla, but external factors forced Godzilla into early retirement where he remained for nearly a decade. Cut to the 1980s and Toho was planning a new installment in the series, the first of the Heisei era. Technically, however, this isn't a Heisei film. Emperor Hirohito didn't die until after this film was produced, making the first true Heisei era film Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Early plans had Godzilla fighting a shape-shifting creature, likely one of a dozen or more ideas the studio went through before deciding on what's part sequel/part reboot. Titled simply Gojira, it plays out like a sequel to the 1954 original, referencing Godzilla's last rampage and treating his presence like a force of nature. But it can't be a true sequel since the Godzilla in that film died, something that is questioned (with no foundation) here. I like the ambiguity, personally. After Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) continuity was never a strong suit with the series. Plus, this incarnation of the Big G is one of his best designs ever. Godzilla made a full return to his roots, too, reverting back to the destructive, unstoppable beast as he was first envisioned. There are no opponents in this film, unless you count Super X, the government's high-tech, high flying aerial defense vehicle. Changes were a long time coming in the series, and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka - still at the helm 30 years alter - was there to oversee Godzilla's next era as king.
It's tough to discuss this film and not immediately mention the two distinct versions of it that exist. I grew up watching Godzilla 1985 on a loop. I'm not even kidding. I wore that VHS tape down to the limit. This was my favorite entry. I absolutely loved everything about it. Then, years later I learned the Japanese edit of the film was vastly different, and supposedly superior, to the U.S. cut. Once I finally saw it, I had to agree - the Japanese version is a better film. But I grew up on the 'Merica version; it defined a large part of my childhood.
The basic premise is the same in both cuts. A fishing vessel gets caught up in a big storm off a small island coast and one of the crew men, Okumura, sees Godzilla rise up out of the earth just before it cuts to the opening credits. When the vessel is reported missing, Goro, a local sailor, happens upon it and rescues Okumura after doing battle with a mutated sea louse. Okumura learns that what he saw was Godzilla, but even though he alerts the government's top officials they decline to take any action for fear of a public meltdown. But soon they're given no choice when Godzilla rips a Russian nuclear submarine in half, causing an immediate conflict between the U.S. and Russia. Japan's Prime Minister acknowledges that Godzilla has returned, vowing to do whatever they can to stop him short of allowing the use of nuclear weapons. When Godzilla comes ashore to drain power from a nuclear plant, Prof. Hayashida and his team notice that he's drawn by the sound of birds flying overhead. They get the idea to use the frequency to lure Godzilla back to Mt. Mihara and into the active volcano. Before this happens, though, Godzilla appears in the bay before attacking Tokyo. He smashes buildings, tramples trains, and squashes people until the Super X is deployed. It battles Godzilla, managing to knock him unconscious with cadmium missiles before succumbing to his atomic breath. Godzilla eventually awakens and heeds the call coming from Mt. Mihara, where a fiery doom awaits.
Gojira (1984) received a major release in America, with a strong marketing push and many new scenes shot featuring actor Raymond Burr, who starred as reporter Steve Martin in the first American edit of a Godzilla film with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956). Many scenes from the Japanese version were excised to make room for the new footage, but the final U.S. version still ran around 16 minutes shorter. The bulk of the changes came in the form of scenes featuring Martin at home, bumbling officials at the Pentagon, Martin being brought in to consult at the Pentagon, and a final recitation from Martin over the end credits. Oh, and let's not forget lots of obvious Dr. Pepper product placement shots. You'd think it was the only thing left to drink in America.
The Most controversial change made to the film involved the editing of the nuclear tension between Japan, U.S., and Russia. In the Japanese cut, the Russians are just as eager to avoid a nuclear conflict as everyone else. When Godzilla attacks Tokyo Bay, crippling a stealth Russian warship with controls to their space nukes, the wounded captain does everything in his power to try stopping the nuke before it's launched. But in the American cut, the captain, bleeding and weak, stumbles into the control room to launch the nuke! Watching the film now, it's laughable to see how the Russians are made to look like such cartoon villains. We're only missing a shot of one twirling his mustache to make it official.
One minor addition to the U.S. cut that I've always liked was Godzilla's final shrill skreeonk before plummeting into the lava below in Mt. Mihara. It's a chilling cry, one that is conspicuously absent in the Japanese edit. It added an extra bit of sympathy for the big beast, as you realize he was only doing what came naturally to him, and now man's interference with nature has once again caused suffering - this time in the form of his own. We all know Godzilla was just taking a nap down there and not actually dead, since he re-emerges from Mt. Mihara in this film's follow-up. But that final shriek, and the shots of the Prime Minister crying (which still confuses me - Godzilla did destroy your city and stomp your people, you know), had a big impact on me way back when I first saw the film.
Most versions of the U.S. cut contained Marv Newland's short cartoon, Bambi Meets Godzilla. My old bootlegged VHS had it, so I must've watched that short about a thousand times. It ends exactly how you think it would.
We've got a new film, in a new era, on Godzilla's 30th birthday. You know what that means: new suit! The Big G received a major overhaul for his '80s debut, going right back to his roots. All of the design features seen here were exactly as Godzilla looked in the original film, the only exception being this film didn't have small, prominent ears on the head. Which, frankly, looks much better without them. He has four toes now instead of three, the dorsal plates are larger and parallel rows of smaller plates have been added on either side of the main plates. His eyes look grim, with more white showing and virtually no sympathy to be seen. This was the final film for special effects supervisor Teruyoshi Nakano, who believed he had gone out on a high note, considering his work here to be the best he'd done. Quite honestly, that isn't something I can argue with because the work done here is fantastic.
His prop department also built a 50-foot tall foot, to be used in shots of Godzilla trampling houses and people. Also constructed was a 20-foot tall animatronic Godzilla puppet, which had a wide range of facial movements in addition to having two arms that moved as well. It might not look much better than the old King Kong animatronic on the Universal Studios tram tour, but I've always felt the design cues and sculpting were the best the series had seen up to that point. Godzilla looks pissed, with a might fine set of fangs proudly displayed each time he holds his head back and roars with fervor. The puppet's actions are limited to roaring and exhibiting emotions the suit was never capable of, so any complaints about its inclusion might stem from the fact it can't really attack or do anything too action heavy. But it looks so killer.
The entry almost saw the return of some of the series' veterans, but extenuating circumstances prevented either from happening. Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka attempted to sway director Ishiro Honda back to the series, but the word is that he refused based on how poorly he felt Godzilla had been treated in the '70s. This is an odd excuse given Honda's directed the worst film in the Showa series (All Monsters Attack) and the last film of that era (Terror of Mechagodzilla). Personally, I feel that new blood was needed behind the camera if this were to feel like a fresh start. At this point, the person most responsible for Godzilla's enduring success was Tanaka, so as long as he was on board the films were in good hands.
There was also talk of bringing back longtime series veteran Akihiko Hirata, but he sadly passed from lung cancer before production began. He starred in seven films total throughout the series, beginning with Gojira (1954) and ending with Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), having been present for both the first and last film of the Showa era. And he was only 56 when he died. Let this be a lesson kids: don't fucking smoke.
The series had always been known for showcasing a wide range of diverse soundtracks, and the compositions of first timer Reijiro Koroku are among the best any Godzilla film has ever enjoyed. Continuing with the theme of getting Godzilla back to his roots, the themes used here are dark and foreboding, with a degree of melancholy and emotion I don't think I've ever felt from a G film before. Koroku's main theme alone is iconic, promising something grand and ominous to come as the screen crackles with strips of flame peeling away on the screen. The opening credits are mesmerizing and memorable, perfectly setting the tone of what's in store. I find it funny that of my two favorite big monsters - Godzilla and King Kong - both of their respective reboot soundtracks are my favorites in the series. John Barry's work on King Kong (1976) is some of my favorite music of any film ever, and the same goes for Koroku's work here.
Godzilla finally had his rebirth in the '80s, but this would be only one of two films he made during that decade. The follow-up, Godzilla vs. Biollante, wouldn't be produced for release until 1989, five years later. That's a big gap for a series that used to hit theaters once a year, a benefit Godzilla wouldn't have again until 1991. This next entry would once again rely on a fan contest to choose a winning script, leading to one of the largest, and certainly strangest, foes Godzilla has ever faced.
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