Godzilla(Gojira)

Seventy years and nearly forty films later, nothing beats the first-ever and the ultimate kaiju masterpiece. Infusing topical fears of nuclear holocaust and a traditional B-movie story of a giant monster wreaking havoc – shots of Japanese cities on fire were stark reminders for audiences in post-war Japan – Godzilla is a solemn cautionary tale about mankind’s reckoning with a destructive force it created. Godzilla’s rampage may be visually thrilling, but the conflict between scientists’ desire to study the creature and the military’s will to destroy it gives the film a strong dramatic anchor.

24/8 (Sat): Film talk with Long Tin