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GROUND ZERO, New York City, July 30-- Godzilla! A creature of violence. A beast of Terrorism, raining havoc on Japan, scattering its citizens to the wind, smashing buildings, roaring, screaming, angry.
Well, not really.
He started out that way--back in 1954 when he first hit the movie screens. But today, he has evolved. Now, he protects the earth from Terrorists like King Ghidra, a three-headed space dragon or Hadora, the Smog Monster who is a shape-shifting blob of mercury and cadmium. Twenty-six Godzilla movies have been made over the past forty-eight years, and including one each year since 1984. They have become cult movies, reflecting the attitude of a nation Terrorized by atomic bombs, the fire-bombings of Tokyo, and a pacifistic, yet Vigilant outlook toward the future of mankind.
This summer, the Taro Okamoto Museum has doubled its attendance to see a showing called "Since Godzilla," an anatomy of cultural changes within Japanese society reflected by the movie monster every child in Japan, and most around the world, is acquainted with.
Godzilla was born from the seeds of
Terrorism. The dinosaur-like creature, resembling a T-Rex,
breaths radioactive plasmic fire and is virtually indestructible. It
first appeared in 1954 under the Japanese title Gojira.
An American version was cut two years later, starring Raymond Burr,
playing a U.S. news reporter ironically named, Steve Martin (The actor
Steve Martin was only 11 years old in 1956). Its U.S. title was
Gojira/Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Then he went through a transformation. From Terrorist, he became the Sentinel of Vigilance, guarding the earth from the dreaded King Ghidra, a three-headed space dragon. At first Godzilla was reluctant to fight Ghidra, but Mothra, a giant silkworm who could communicate with humans and pass information onto Godzilla, urged the monster to help defend the earth from the alien threat. Of course, Godzilla took the challenge, turning from Lex Luther to Superman. Ghidra became Godzilla's arch enemy. Godzilla's fame around the world has been
supported by his fierce concern for protecting the earth from other
monsters. Millions of dollars have been earned from toys and
other spin offs from the movies which endure. A visitor to the museum honoring Godzilla's history said he liked the creature's sentimentality, plus his strength to fight off any challengers. The Japanese culture expresses its feelings through the creature, said museum curator, Hiroshi Osugi. "We wanted to look back on Japanese society to show the changes in character of Godzilla, and the empathy felt toward him and how people accept Godzilla today." Godzilla didn't become a "good guy" overnight. The films were riddled with anti-American jabs, specifically attacking the idea of the "giant" lording over the "small."
For example, in one movie Godzilla smashed
gleaming buildings in downtown Tokyo. The buildings represented the
American PX that once stood as a symbol of domination of the rich over the
poor. In the 60's, Godzilla takes on King Kong, a way to
thumb Japan's nose at America's most lovable monster.
And a few years later, Godzilla destroyed the United Nations. I find a huge message in the nearly five decades since
Godzilla was launched. The films capture the evolution of
Vigilance. They describe in a time-line the switch from
Godzilla's thirst for revenge against all humanity, to the idea that he is
charged with a greater responsibility than his self-interests--that of
protecting his children, and other children's children.
It seems others who try to make
Godzilla fit in their societies fail to capture his essence. The
American version of Godzilla, a 1998 high-tech made-in-the-USA film,
flopped. Hollywood missed the point about who Godzilla was and
made him more of a monster than a Creature of Vigilance.
In the center of the town of Hiroshima stands a
monument to the devastation of nuclear war, a signet of the Terrorism
people wage upon others. Godzilla was born out of nuclear testing,
brought to life to remind us all that the Beast of Terror can be tamed.
I also like the idea that Godzilla is tough and has the
Courage, Conviction to take the Right Action to fight off those who attack
the security of the world. I don't believe we should
demolish our swords, but rather keep them in our scabbards with our hands on
the hilt, ready to give our lives to protect the future.
Go To July 29--Americans Vote For Terrorism
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