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Ishirô Honda’s Godzilla is the start of what would become a huge cinematic phenomenon, going far beyond the realms of Japanese cinema but remaining so hugely influential on monster films from its own time and far beyond. But even with the many films inside its huge franchise that have come forth and even the numerous imitators that have followed (including Roland Emmerich’s 1998 disaster), Honda’s film still reigns supreme atop all the rest. But Honda’s film doesn’t ever feel bogged down by the campiness of other monster films of the era for it can only ever get so far away from that and still remains every bit as terrifying as it is melancholic. Godzilla is not any other monster movie like you’ll ever see them, it’s one that still stands the test of time for remaining every bit as wonderful a cautionary tale as they get, but one whose warnings one would only wonder if they have gotten through to generations of viewers. For every bit as iconic as the series has grown to become, there’s something so beautifully resonant in the lurking terror of Godzilla’s presence and far beyond too – something that only Ishirô Honda had ever managed to capture so gracefully. It’s easy to see why the character has left such a huge impact on popular culture, but it never feels without good reason at that.

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