Since the character’s debut in 1954, Godzilla has appeared in over thirty theatrical films, going through several evolutions both in his look and sound, as well as his relationship to the humans around him. But inevitably, filmmakers return to the character’s roots as a seemingly unstoppable malevolent force, wreaking destruction across whatever landmass he encounters. In these films, the humans often take center stage as they deal with and adapt to the uncontrollable force unleashed. This series will look at Godzilla across four different eras of his portrayal and how this disaster of potentially man-made retribution affects and reflects the characters at the films’ centers.
Dates and Titles:
September 11: Gojira (Ishirô Honda, 1954, 96 min., DCP)
October 9: Godzilla vs. Biollante (Gojira vs. Biorante, Kazuki Ômori, Koji Hashimoto, Kenjirô Ohmori, Japan 1989, 104 min., DCP)
November 13: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (Gojira Mosura, Kingu Gidora Daikaijû sôkôgeki, Shûsuke Kaneko, 2001, 105 min., 35mm)
December 4: Godzilla Minus One (Gojira -1.0, Takashi Yamazaki, Japan 2023, 124 min., DCP)