Godzilla and Hiroshima: The Dawn of the Kaiju Eiga

There’s no question that the Godzilla franchise has seen its ups and downs over the years. The production values and screenplays on the dozens of sequels to the 1954 Gojira have without doubt varied wildly. But the original Japanese-language version remains a powerful message against the reckless use  and testing of the terrible weapons of the modern age. The kaiju eiga is certainly a well established film genre spawning such films as Rodan and Mothra.

A long-overdue documentary on the origins of Godzilla explores the impact of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on the Japanese psyche and its influence on the kaiju film genre. Spanish film maker Jonathan Bellés, who acts as both producer and director, is making the film as part of a doctoral project. “Godzilla and Hiroshima: The Dawn of the Kaiju Eiga” is scheduled for a Summer 2014 release.

The trailer looks great. I salute Mr. Bellés on his dedication to the subject and look forward to seeing this film.

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• Gojira (1954) (justaheadofthecurve.com)