The Kitsche Appeal of GODZILLA

I've always had a soft spot for the innocent fun and snappy tempo of a good Japanese monster (Kaiju) film. I grew up with Godzilla films in technicolor on television and its appeal never vanished and to a great extent, it's retro-hyper-aesthetic has merged with my own.

It was somewhat surprising to find this guilty pleasure is shared by an unexpected other. And having browsed for further information on Godzilla, I found that the source of the Japanese name Gojira is supposedly an amalgam of the Japanese words for ‘gorilla’ (gorira) and whale (kujira). It's things like that which make me smile; gorilla-whale.

Links:
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (Conscientious)
Cultreviews essay
Godzilla - original BFI release