The king was born... at least brought to America that is.
For all of us fans of the king of the monsters Godzilla, we would know that the first original film in this over 60-year series dated back to 1954. However, the film didn't reach American shores until April 27th, 1956, marking its 60th anniversary today. For its U.S. release, the film was altered and dubbed into English, as the original film's allegories concerning nuclear warfare was cut from the American version, becoming a stereotypical B-movie. Scenes with American actor Raymond Burr were spliced into the original Japanese film to disguise it as an American monster film. Burr as the character Steve Martin acts as the film's narrator as he takes a trip to Tokyo, Japan and witnesses the Godzilla attack firsthand.
While not as impactful or relevant as the Japanese version, enough of the original's charm, mayhem and spectacle made "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" an internationally iconic film. As a Godzilla fan, I'd like to celebrate the 60th anniversary of when Godzilla first came to the U.S. and became a worldwide star.
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