godzilla presentation

8/12/2019 Godzilla Presentation

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Godzilla

Bradley, Dan, Kyle and Will


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Introduction

In this presentation, we will be exploring themeaning and metaphor of Godzilla, contextualelements surrounding its creation (such as WWIIand the northern Kyushu flood, a definition of

the monster, ideas lin!ed to it (li!e ideaspresented by "hon #oriega and #ancy$insfield, as well as a number of historical andcontemporary images that hold rele%ance to

these ideas and the the sub&ect itself'


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Definition

3Godzilla3, or 3Gojira3, is a !ai&u, the literal nglish translation is3strange creature3 or 3monster3' It was the first Kai&u to beshown on cinema screens and has since starred in -7different films produced by *oho "o 8td alone'

*he $merican re&ection of the other 9 :Godzilla's deathrepresses American guilt and anxieties about nuclearweapons; (#oriega 247


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Destruction of Godzilla as a nuclear metaphor and his rise asa pure cultural icon 9 :What then would be the signi!icance o!a new Godzilla an American creation who is totally immersedin American culture " contributes to it re!lects it and

ultimately e#en ingests it$; ($nisfield -//=*his is e%ident asearly as the release of the first Godzilla (24.= in $merica, asthe film itself is manipulated and many tender points for

$merica are cut out' *his manipulation only becomes worseas you mo%e closer to the present, with many $merican filmsglorifying %iolence, horror and spectacle o%er thought and

metaphor'

+apan3s incorporation of nuclear atrocity in its new nationalidentity 9 :In Godzilla it >*he Diet Building? also ser%es as asymbol of the national community to the extent that it is thelocus for the go%ernment response to crisis; (@eynolds 244A

*his 6uotation clearly establishes the importance of *he DietBuilding in +apan, which Godzilla actually destroys during the24.= film' *his can be interpreted as the destruction of the+apanese national identity by $merican nuclear aggressionbut later, when Godzilla is !illed, can be seen as the catalystor precursor to the incorporation of this nuclear destruction

into a newly formed national identity of +apan'


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Historical


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Conclusion

$merica, in many cases, re&ects meaning andmetaphor in fa%our of mindless spectacle andglorification of %iolence'

+apan has incorporated the de%astation of the atom

bombs into its national identity through Godzilla' Godzilla, while first being a symbol of meaning and

metaphor, has become manipulated by $mericanculture in more mindless spectacle'

$merican film intentionally s!ews perspecti%e andthought, !eeping the country3s people somewhatignorant to feelings of guilt'


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List of Illustrations 3%ulse3 (-//A poster >Coster? $t)

http)upload'wi!imedia'orgwi!ipediaenthumb//7Culse9poster'&pg-2.px9Culse9poster'&pg ($ccessed 24/5-/2=

3&airo3 (-//2 poster >Coster? $t)http)upload'wi!imedia'orgwi!ipediaenAAfKairoE+apaneseEfilmEposter'&pg ($ccessed 24/5-/2=

3ne (issed )all3 (-//7 poster >Coster? $t)http)www'impawards'com-//7oneEmissedEcall'html

3ne (issed )all3 (-//5 poster >Coster? $t) http)ec2'images9amazon'comimagesI.2"2GA#@.*8'E11.//E'&pg ($ccessed24/5-/2=

#agasa!i $ftermath >Chotograph? $t)http)puiinoon'files'wordpress'com-/2-/-nagasa!iEafterbomb'&pg($ccessed 24/5-/2=

1econd Bomb *est at Bi!ini $toll (24=A >Chotograph? $t)http)images'nationalgeographic'comwpfmedia9

li%ephotos////7/cacheatom9bomb9bi!ini9atollE7//5E44/x


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Bibliography

#oriega, "hon (247

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