The 1954 Japanese classic Godzilla was widely popular after it’s release. As a result Toho, it’s production company, began the production on an American release. Producer Edmund Goldman took over the project, the contract allowed for the movie to have English dubbing along with other edits and revisions.
The production crew was aiming at creating a monster movie for wide audiences. They wanted a commercial success and changed areas of the movie to reflect that.
They used Raymond Burr to shoot shots hoping that the inclusion of a western actor would increase the films popularity. These shots were created and spliced into the existing footage. His character was an American reporter present during the events of the film.
The American cut shaved down over 40 minutes of content from the original film. Any references to nuclear weapons were completely erased from the film. They removed the depth of Dr. Serizawa’s final sacrifice in the film by deleting the context of his moral turmoil behind creating a weapon of mass destruction.
The anti-war message was also notably missing from the film. Ishiro Honda‘s initial goal for the film was as a cautionary tale and warning about nuclear annihilation. Instead, the American cut removed those contextual elements which now framed Godzilla’s actions more along the lines of a spectacle. Character’s that held nuanced positions were now turned into one dimensional plot devices in another monster action movie.
The dubbing was another awkward addition. The dubbing was rushed and recorded within one day with limited voice actors. Without access to the original film most of the lines were filmed without necessary context to there purpose within the film itself. In the end, the film has jarring cuts and unclear dubbing as a result.
Although the film was entirely different from the Japanese original, it was an incredible success. It wasn’t until 2004 that the original Godzilla recieved an American release. This butchered version of Godzilla became it’s public face and shapes the public opinion of Godzilla to this day.
References
- Bernardi, J. (2006). Teaching Godzilla: Classroom Encounters with a Cultural Icon. In Tsutsui, W.M. & Ito, M. (Eds.), In Godzilla’s Footsteps (pp. 127-141). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Mettler, M.W. (2018). Godzilla versus Kurosawa: Presentation and Interpretation of Japanese Cinema in the Post World War II United States. The Journal of American-East Asian Relations, 25(4), 413-437.
- https://www.avclub.com/how-american-audiences-ruined-the-power-of-the-original-1798255035
- https://www.metacritic.com/movie/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters!/user-reviews/
- https://jhmoviecollection.fandom.com/wiki/Godzilla,_King_of_the_Monsters!
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