On a recent cross-Atlantic flight, I was scrolling through the movie availabilities (as you do) and came across a few of the Godzilla and King Kong movies. With over 6 hours to go until I landed, I figured “why not?”, if there’s ever any time to watch some mindless action films, it’s on a long flight. What it did, instead, was remind me how much I LOVE giant monster movies.
From Godzilla and King Kong to Jurassic Park and The Meg, any form of giant animal will undoubtedly have me running to my nearest theatre upon release. Do they have a reputation of being a bit kitchy and cliché? Yes, but there is also something so enjoyable about giant monsters knocking over human-sized things.
With the recent releases of The Meg 2 and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, I fell into a Google black hole researching the history of giant monster films and wrote it up for public enjoyment.
The History
Generally known as kaiju films, the term originally comes from Japanese culture. The term “kaiju” (怪獣) is a Japanese word that translates to “strange beast” or “monster.” It’s a combination of two characters:
- “Kai” (怪): This character means “strange” or “mysterious.” It’s often used to describe something that is unusual, bizarre, or supernatural.
- “Jū” (獣): This character means “beast” or “animal.”
The term “kaiju” has been used in Japanese culture for a long time to refer to various mythical creatures, legendary monsters, and supernatural beings. In the context of cinema, “kaiju” specifically refers to giant monsters that are a prominent feature of Japanese monster movies, particularly those produced by Toho Studios, which is famous for creating iconic kaiju like Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan.
The history of kaiju films dates back to the early 20th century and has evolved significantly over the years.
Early Origins (1920s-1950s)
The origins of kaiju films can be traced back to the early 1920s with the silent film The Lost World (1925), which featured stop-motion dinosaurs created by Willis O’Brien. However, it was only in the 1950s that kaiju films gained significant popularity with the release of Godzilla (1954). Directed by Ishiro Honda, Godzilla introduced the world to one of the most iconic kaiju monsters, a giant radioactive dinosaur awakened by nuclear testing, serving as an allegory for the fears of nuclear power and its destructive potential.
The Golden Age of Kaiju (1950s-1970s)
Inspired by the success of Godzilla, the 1960s and 1970s saw a surge of kaiju films from Japan’s Toho Studios. This era introduced a wide range of memorable kaiju, including Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla, among others. These movies often featured epic battles between giant monsters and highlighted themes such as environmental concerns, the consequences of scientific experimentation, and the power of human resilience.
International Influence (1960s-1980s)
The popularity of kaiju films spread beyond Japan’s borders, inspiring filmmakers in other countries to produce their own giant monster movies. In the United States, King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967) were produced, featuring the iconic American giant ape facing off against Toho’s Godzilla. Other countries also created their kaiju films, with South Korea’s Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967) being one notable example.
Transition to Fantasy (1980s-1990s)
As the appeal of kaiju films began to wane in Japan, the genre evolved to incorporate more fantasy and science fiction elements. During this time, special effects and suitmation techniques (Japanese special effects technique to portray a giant monster using an actor in a monster suit on sets) were refined, and kaiju films expanded to include more crossovers, team-ups, and variations of classic monsters.
Reboots and Revivals (2000s-2010s)
In the early 2000s, Toho rebooted the Godzilla franchise with Godzilla 2000 (1999) and later with Shin Godzilla (2016), offering modernized takes on the iconic monster. Additionally, Hollywood attempted its own versions of kaiju films with the release of Godzilla (1998) and the rebooted Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017), leading to the shared MonsterVerse franchise.
Contemporary Kaiju Films (2010s-Present)
In recent years, kaiju films have continued to be popular, with releases such as Pacific Rim (2013) (which was included as one of my favourite films previously on the blog) and its sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), which introduced original giant mechs called Jaegers battling colossal monsters. Moreover, Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) reignited interest in the classic Toho monsters.
While going through various iterations, kaiju films have maintained their allure and continue to be a beloved genre, with audiences fascinated by the spectacle of gigantic creatures and the themes explored within these epic tales of destruction and heroism.
Featured Photo by Samuel Scrimshaw on Unsplash
