History Film / Godzilla1954

* SeaMonster: Godzilla is revealed to be an amphibious prehistoric reptile that was living in deep-sea trenches before H-Bomb tests irradiated it.

* SignatureLine: Daisuke Serizawa says thusly in regards to the Oxygen Destroyer: "Bombs vs. boms. Missiles vs. missiles. And now a new superweapon to throw upon us all. As a scientist, no, as ''a human being'', I cannot allow that to happen."
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Leans ''very'' hard on the cynicism. The film is very dark, and it stays that way. The ending is no better either as Yamane laments the possibility of another Godzilla appearing in the future.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Serizawa after he accidentally injures Ogata in a scuffle over the Oxygen Destroyer.

* AnAesop: Don't pursue, much less use, nuclear weapons, or the consequences will be dire for innocent people, especially ones who are not on the side of nuclear powers. It does steer towards SpaceWhaleAesop somewhat, but does a much more ''dead-serious'' take on that trope where it shows '''actual''' consequences. Reckless nuclear testing not only woke up Godzilla, he is also an ''angry'' radioactive dinosaur that killed millions of people because of his mutation. As stated in the main page, the Japanese audience of Godzilla didn't need to be persuaded against nuclear weapons, since the entire point of the movie is that it's an allegory of the known effects of these weapons as it is a warning for their usage.

** And speaking of which, A woman complains about using bomb shelters and she mentions about surviving Nagasaki. In other words, she is a ''Hibakusha'' herself.

** A couple complains about using bomb shelters should Godzilla come again, and the woman complains after to have survived Nagasaki. The majority of the audience of that era would most likely be survivors during the time when US air raids were common during World War II, as well as atomic bomb survivors.

Meanwhile, Emiko Yamane (Momoko Kochi), the doctor's daughter, went to see her estranged fiancé, Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata), and he may have the key to defeat Godzilla.

The original film can be [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn-Wg1NU32I viewed for free on YouTube]].

Released on November 3rd, 1954, the film is notorious for its story, which is written by legendary sc-fi writer Shigeru Kayama. The genesis of the film happened when producer Tomoyuki Tanaka read a news article involved a UsefulNotes/UnitedStates nuclear test at the Bikini Atoll, codenamed '''Castle Bravo''', which detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb in March 1st, but that's not the full story. A Japanese fishing boat, the ''Daigo Fukuryū Maru'' was caught by the burst of the radiation explosion, irradiating her crew, and one of the crew members died of radiation poisoning. This international crisis and the possibility of irradiated fish poisoning fish markets put the country on edge. Tanaka thought of creating a giant monster through nuclear weapons and the popularity of giant monster movies in Japan. And thus, this film owes its existence to ''Film/KingKong1933'' and ''Film/TheBeastFromTwentyThousandFathoms''.

Released on November 3rd, 1954, the film is notorious for its story, which is written by legendary sc-fi writer Shigeru Kayama. The genesis of the film happened when producer Tomoyuki Tanaka read a news article involved a [=US=] nuclear test at the Bikini Atoll, codenamed '''Castle Bravo''', which detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb in March 1st, but that's not the full story. A Japanese fishing boat, the ''Daigo Fukuryū Maru'' was caught by the burst of the radiation explosion, irradiating her crew, and one of the crew members died of radiation poisoning. This international crisis and the possibility of irradiated fish poisoning fish markets put the country on edge. Tanaka thought of creating a giant monster through nuclear weapons and the popularity of giant monster movies in Japan. And thus, this film owes its existence to ''Film/KingKong1933'' and ''Film/TheBeastFromTwentyThousandFathoms''.

Chosen to direct the film was Ishiro Honda, who was a former foot soldier during World War II who already had an extensive career as a director and his old friend, special effects guru Creator/EijiTsuburaya. Once Honda was released as a prisoner of war, he went home only to find out what happened to Hiroshima: [[UsefulNotes/AtomicBombingsOfHiroshimaAndNagasaki destroyed by the Little Boy atom bomb in August 6, 1945]] [[ShellShockedVeteran which haunted him forever]]. And thus, the film is a metaphor for their destructive power. The opening scene is a direct reference to the Castle Bravo test, and Godzilla's rampage in the second act symbolizes the atomic bombings. While set up originally as a ''horror film'', this film established {{Kaiju}} as a genre of its own, in addition to beginning [[Franchise/{{Godzilla}} one of the greatest franchises in the world.]]

Until 2014, this film was the headstart of every ContinuityReboot. ''Film/Godzilla2014'' was the first film in the series' franchise to get a fresh start with no ties with this one; followed by ''Film/ShinGodzilla'', which is both a remake of, and a separate story from, this film, and ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'', another Toho reboot slated released on November 3rd, 2023, 69 years after the release of this film. A novella written by the film's screenwriter Shigeru Kayama and published in English as ''Literature/GodzillaAndGodzillaRaidsAgain'' adapts the initial screenplay of the film.

Until 2014, this film was the headstart of every ContinuityReboot. ''Film/Godzilla2014'' was the first film in the series' franchise to get a fresh start with no ties with this one; followed by ''Film/ShinGodzilla'', which is both a remake of, and a separate story from, this film, and ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'', another Toho reboot slated to be released in November 3rd, 2023, 69 years after the release of this film. A novella written by the film's screenwriter Shigeru Kayama and published in English as ''Literature/GodzillaAndGodzillaRaidsAgain'' adapts the initial screenplay of the film.

** Ogata and Serizawa argue over the use of the Oxygen Destroyer. Ogata wants to use it after Godzilla's rampage throughout Tokyo, which caused enough death and destruction to drive Emiko to tears. Serizawa ''hates'' the idea of using the Oxygen Destroyer in its current form and intends to use it for beneficial reasons. He knows that even if the weapon is used for good (in other words to defeat Godzilla), the politicians of the world will demand Serizawa's plans, so the Oxygen Destroyer be turned into another weapon in the nuclear arms race. [[spoiler: The real allegory of the film is here. Serizawa represents the voices of the arguments used by those who object to nuclear weapons, while Ogata does the same for the arguments in favor of their use in 1945. Specifically, that the Oxygen Destroyer will spread too easily to other countries, versus the use of it will cause less damage than Gojira is doing and will end it. Serizawa also seems to. be a representation of the creator of the Atomic Bomb himself, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Similarly to Serizawa, after creating the atomic bomb, he came to seriously regret his invention. He feared that he was responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (he originally wanted to use it against the Nazis) and began the nuclear arms race that could destroy the world in the cold war.]]

** Ogata and Serizawa argue over the use of the Oxygen Destroyer. Ogata wants to use it after Godzilla's rampage throughout Tokyo, which caused enough death and destruction to drive Emiko to tears. Serizawa ''hates'' the idea of using the Oxygen Destroyer in its current form and intended to use it for beneficial reasons. [[spoiler: The real allegory of the film is here. Serizawa voices the arguments used by those who object to nuclear weapons, while Ogata does the same for the arguments in favor of their use in 1945. Specifically, that the Oxygen Destroyer will spread too easily to other countries, versus the use of it will cause less damage than Gojira is doing and will end it.]]

* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: In the original draft and ''Literature/GodzillaAndGodzillaRaidsAgain'', Godzilla doesn't seem to be too affected by the H-Bomb testing, and he regularly raids Odo Island for their livestock [[IAmAHumanitarian and villagers]], and lack his [[TragicMonster sympathetic traits]]. In the film, Godzilla is horrifically affected by the H-Bomb testing, and vented his anger over his mutation, and returns to the sea just to be left alone. The film's case was Ishiro Honda's input, and he modified Godzilla as a Hibakusha rather than ann expy of Rhedosaurus.

Released on November 3rd, 1954, the film is notorious for its story, which is written by legendary sc-fi writer Shigeru Kayama. The genesis of the film happened when producer Tomoyuki Tanaka read a news article involved a [=US=] nuclear test at the Bikini Atoll, codenamed '''Castle Bravo''', which detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb in March 1st, but that's not the full story. A Japanese fishing boat, the ''Daigo Fukuryū Maru'' was caught by the burst of the radiation explosion, irradiating her crew, and one of the crew members died of radiation poisoning. This international crisis and the possibility of irradiated fish poisoning fish markets put the country on edge. Tanaka thought of creating a giant monster through nuclear weapons. And thus, this film owes its existence to ''Film/KingKong1933'' and ''Film/TheBeastFromTwentyThousandFathoms''.

Released on November 3rd, 1954, the film is notorious for its story, which is written by legendary sc-fi writer Shigeru Kayama. The genesis of the film happened when producer Tomoyuki Tanaka read a news article involved a [=US=] nuclear test at the Bikini Atoll, codenamed '''Castle Bravo''', which detonated a 15 megaton hydrogen bomb in March 1st, but that's not the full story. A Japanese fishing boat, the ''Daigo Fukuryū Maru'' was caught by the burst of the radiation explosion, irradiating her crew, and one of the crew members died of radiation poisoning. This international crisis and the possibility of irradiated fish poisoning fish markets put the country on edge.

Until 2014, this film was the headstart of every ContinuityReboot. ''Film/Godzilla2014'' was the first film in the series' franchise to get a fresh start with no ties with this one; followed by ''Film/ShinGodzilla'', which is both a remake of, and a separate story from, this film, and ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'', another Toho reboot slated to be released in November 3rd, 2023, 69 years after the release of this film. A novella written by the film's screenwriter Shigueru Kayama and published in English as ''Literature/GodzillaAndGodzillaRaidsAgain'' adapts the initial screenplay of the film.

* AnAesop: Don't pursue, much less use, nuclear weapons, or the consequences will be dire for innocent people, especially ones who are not on the side of nuclear powers.
** It does steer towards SpaceWhaleAesop somewhat, but does a much more ''dead-serious'' take on that trope where it shows '''actual''' consequences. Reckless nuclear testing not only woke up Godzilla, he is also an ''angry'' radioactive dinosaur that killed millions of people because of his mutation. As stated in the main page, the Japanese audience of Godzilla didn't need to be persuaded against nuclear weapons, since the entire point of the movie is that it's an allegory of the known effects of these weapons as it is a warning for their usage.

Until 2014, this film was the headstart of every ContinuityReboot. ''Film/Godzilla2014'' was the first film in the series' franchise to get a fresh start with no ties with this one; followed by ''Film/ShinGodzilla'', which is both a remake of, and a separate story from, this film, and ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'', another Toho reboot slated to be released in November 3rd, 2023, 69 years after the release of this film. A novella, ''Literature/GodzillaAndGodzillaRaidsAgain'', written by the film's screenwriter Shigueru Kayama, adapts the initial screenplay of the film.

** In the Odo Island scene, the villagers are scurrying to fight off the monster (apparently, they don't know just how huge the thing is). The whole village runs back down after seeing Godzilla.
** While the people on a partyboat are in a celebration, Godzilla [[spoiler: appears unscathed, and scares the hell out of everyone on the boat]].
** While blasting Godzilla to death (or attempting to), Godzilla melts the electrical wires, of course, it means ''run like hell!!''

Until 2014, this film was the headstart of every ContinuityReboot. ''Film/Godzilla2014'' was the first film in the series' franchise to get a fresh start with no ties with this one; followed by ''Film/ShinGodzilla'', which is both a remake of, and a separate story from, this film, and ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'', another Toho reboot slated to be released in November 3rd, 2023, 69 years after the release of this film.

* DarkerAndEdgier: It's a very dark film of its time. Before its ReverseCerebusSyndrome and LighterAndSofter sequels (barring its first direct sequel ''Film/GodzillaRaidsAgain''), it is much darker than the radioactive monsters of the 50's and this is the ''first film'' of the film's overall chronology. In fact, the entire film takes itself very seriously, and not once does it drop its stance against nuclear weapons. It also shows what happens if a giant monster is done rampaging: MonumentalDamage, CrisisPointHospital, OrphansOrdeal, and YourDaysAreNumbered via radiation poisoning. Even Godzilla ''himself'' is portrayed as a victim and not a generic mindless beast.

%% * GettingCrap PastTheRadar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

** The reason why Emiko told Ogata the Oxygen Destroyer. She is surrounded by the dead and dying people, along with orphaned children that she felt she had no choice but tell Ogata this. This threshold even extends to Serizawa's final decision to defeat Godzilla with the Oxygen Destroyer in which he ultimately chooses to use it only once.

* {{Homage}}: At the time, this film was inspired by ''Film/KingKong1933'', ''Film/TheBeastFromTwentyThousandFathoms'', and the Arctic Giant episode of the [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons Superman cartoon]].

* {{Horror}}: This is technically a ''horror'' film. Unlike most giant monster films and its later sequels (except ''Film/GodzillaRaidsAgain'') that weren't, this one sets it apart differently. The black and white nature of the film lampshades this, and it is actually meant to scare the shit out of you. Not just the picture format, but the music has its level of creepiness.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Daisuke Serizawa, one of the scientists involved in the story, is aware that Emiko Yamane is with Ogata the whole time. Even he knows she's inseparable with the man. During the climax, [[spoiler: he willingly sacrifices himself so that Emiko and Ogata would be together. (Also to prevent the Oxygen Destroyer from ever being used again)]].
* IgnoredExpert: Guess how Tokyo ended up when Dr. Yamane told them to never use lights on Godzilla? In ''Film/GodzillaRaidsAgain'', the military were wise enough to listen to him.

* IntrepidReporter: Though not a main character, Hagiwara tries to get the story as much as he can. Throughout the whole movie, he survives the ''entire'' film.

** The 14th Edition of Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction could not make this statement any more truer where Godzilla is shown spening time with his colony. But then, the hydrogen bomb exploding, killing his kin and leaving him as a survivor.

* NuclearWeaponsTaboo: The whole point of this movie is that not only nuclear weapons, but weapons of mass destruction in general. Dr. Yamane stated using said nuclear weapons could bring about another Godzilla.

* ReluctantMadScientist: Though not necessarily "mad", Serizawa reluctantly decided to use the Oxygen Destroyer after seeing the destruction Godzilla caused. Though he intends to use the Oxygen Destroyer once, his [[HeroicSacrifice heroic sacrifice]] is foreshadowed in an earlier scene when [[spoiler: he clearly states that he'd burn his notes at the event of his death]].

* SuperNotDrowningSkills: Since this is the first film, Godzilla appears sleeping underwater when the climax starts. Justified as Godzilla is considered to be an intermediate dinosaur, capable of surviving underwater as long as he wants.

* {{Allegory}}: This film is ''famous'' for its nuclear metaphors, with Godzilla being ''the'' metaphor for the bomb and a victim of it, the tragedies of Japan after World War II, and the hell its citizens went through. There is no sugarcoating about its metaphors, and they are still powerful to this day. Even film historians note this film would've been a generic monster flick without them.

* DarkerAndEdgier: It's a very dark film of its time. Before its ReverseCerebusSyndrome and LighterAndSofter sequels (barring its first direct sequel ''Film/GodzillaRaidsAgain''), it is much darker than the radioactive monsters of the 50's and this is the ''first film'' of the film's overall chronology. In fact, the entire film takes itself very seriously, and not once does it drop its ant-nuclear stance against nuclear weapons. It also shows what happens if a giant monster is done rampaging: MonumentalDamage, CrisisPointHospital, OrphansOrdeal, and YourDaysAreNumbered via radiation poisoning. Even Godzilla ''himself'' is portrayed as a victim and not a generic mindless beast.