I recently watched Ishirō Honda’s 1954 Gojira followed by Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla, however choosing the ‘best’ is problematic. I have always loved the original Gojira as it had depth to it, it reveals the worries of a generation in the most stunning and dramatic way possible, a Jurassic period creature reigning terror. Although I personally find the cinematography and character development much better in Honda’s I cannot say if it is overall better. Edwards’ Godzilla gives the monster an emotional depth as he is positioned as the destructive yet somewhat heroic king on the monster that has a moral compass. I found this portrayal to be so far from Honda’s touching anti-nuclear war message that the two films are barely recognisable. I think perhaps the only thing in common is fear; Japan’s fear of nuclear weapons and perhaps America’s fear of terrorism. Godzilla symbolises a fear that all nations have over their own safety, it is perhaps much more palatable if instead of portraying the true fear to have it shown as something so fantastical that one can barely see the resemblance.
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