In Search of Godzilla

<p> Unique among books about <I>Godzilla</I> this work concentrates on the original 1954 version of the film. It explores the subtler culturally determined motives of its director writers and characters including ancient Japanese myth Buddhism Shinto and the trauma of war beyond the often-discussed atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It also discusses how traditional Japanese stagecraft makes the alien situation feel familiar to the film's domestic audience--a usually overlooked aspect. In addition the book includes two chapters on the most recent cinematic commentaries <I>Shin Godzilla</I> and <I>Godzilla Minus One</I>.</p>