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Godzilla (1954 film)

Political and Cultural Undertones[edit]

There are many political and cultural undertones included in this film that can be attributed to what the Japanese had experienced in World War II. This movie was such a success in Japan due to the fact that the audience was able to emotionally connect to the monster. They were able to empathize with him and understand that he was a victim, just as many citizens had felt after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The people of Japan were also so emotionally engaged because the backstory of Godzilla reminded them of their experiences in World War II, such as the use of the atomic bomb, cities being destroyed. It is also relevant that the atomic bomb testing that arose the monster were being carried out by the United States in the film. This movie can be seen as a cultural coping method to help the people of Japan to help them move on from the events of the war. In addition to this the movie can also be seen as a way of blaming the United States for the problems and struggles that Japan, as a whole, experienced after World War II had ended. [1] [2] [3]

  1. ^ Allison, Anne (2006-06-30). Millennial Monsters. University of California Press. pp. 45–69. ISBN 9780520245655.
  2. ^ Schnellbächer, Thomas (Nov. 2002). "Has the Empire Sunk Yet?--The Pacific in Japanese Science Fiction". Science Fiction Studies. 29 (3): 382–396. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Ryfle, Steve (Winter 2005). "Godzilla's Footprint". Virginia Quarterly Review. 81 (1): 44–68.