Or Gojira, as it is called in Japan. After 50 years the original Godzilla . . . the Japanese version with subtitles, not the dubbed American version with Perry Mason . . . has recently come to America. Apparently this version has never been shown here.

In its day, Godzilla was not the prototype for cheesey movie makers everywhere. Instead, it was the most expensive movie Japan had ever made. Godzilla was Japan's Gone with the Wind. It features models of Tokyo in painstaking detail and one of the most recognizable sound effects in human history.

Here's the interesting part: according to those interviews, Godzilla was written as a serious story about a terrible tragedy. The theme was impending doom in which Tokyo (perhaps the whole human race) barely survived, owing everything to a stroke of good luck. When it came to America the story was changed into a theme of technology's triumph over the horrors of nature.

As a writer, I think it's fascinating that the same story could be adapted to have a very different theme.

Lucky me: I get to see the original tomorrow.

Blue Oyster Cult rocks! I remember listening to that song and "Don't Fear the Reaper", at parties when I was in High School.

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Then you face a choice that no one has ever faced before. You have your fears, which may become reality, and you have Gojira, which is reality.

--High concept summary of Gojira

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Quick synopsis of what I consider the main difference:

As we know, Godzilla was awakened and perhaps mutated by American nuclear weapon tests (though American was never mentioned by name, the references were unmistakable).

Godzilla was impervious to electricity, flames, artillery, air-to-ground missiles, and even nuclear bombs. But Japan's Oxygen Destroyer was even more dangerous than a nuke. The military power of the Oxygen Destroyer never came out in the American version I had seen, but it is clear in the Japanese version. It's inventor, Dr. Serizawa, was a very deep and complex character and his agony over his invention was palpable. I believe that Serizawa represents the conscience of all of Japan, perhaps humanity.

In the final scene, Japan pulls out the most powereful weapon in the world, the Oxygen Destroyer. They use it to defend themselves against Godzilla, but then they make sure the Oxygen Destroyer can never be used again.

I saw it in a local art theater with subtitles. You can probably find it if you live in a big city.

Survivor:

Yes, but I said I was expressing my own belief. Quote:

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I believe that Serizawa represents the conscience of all of Japan, perhaps humanity.

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In the final scene, Japan pulls out the most powereful weapon in the world, the Oxygen Destroyer. They use it to defend themselves against Godzilla, but then they make sure the Oxygen Destroyer can never be used again.

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Don't play this one with me, Doc. Not again. I repeat, "they" is a bit of a misnomer, as the movie unambiguously makes the point that Serizawa acts alone. Whether or not he "represents the conscience of all of Japan" or whatever, he still acts as an individual rather than as a member of a group.

If you do want to do this, we should be arguing over whether the title of the thread--History shows again and again how nature points up the folly of men--is really appropriate to a discussion of how a particular movie depicts a fictional situation. "History", "again and again", and "nature" are all used in a highly suspect manner here, don't you think?