41: Substantive Cinema | Godzilla (1954) feat. The Kaiju Apostle
Episode description
We are right around the corner from the release of the 36th feature film in the Godzilla franchise with Godzilla vs. Kong coming out on Wednesday, March 31st. It's not a movie that you may immediately think of as something that is substantive, but the roots of the character and the original film are full of meaning and social commentary.
While Godzilla certainly is a spectacle film, it touches on some very important themes. Most notably the film challenges its audience to consider things such as: the use of and escalation of violence in war and the side effects that violence has, ethics surrounding preemptive violent action, practical concerns related to pacifism, and self-sacrifice. It's a wonderful monster movie that started a franchise that's still vital around the world today and it has a number of important things to say.
Check it out and let us know what you think!
Watch Godzilla:
Stream it on HBO Max or The Criterion Channel
Sources:
Criterion article we mentioned
Shoutouts:
Who's Afraid of Postmodernism? by James K.A. Smith
Gamera Trilogy:
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