Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- Why do you think Godzilla's design was based on a dinosaur? How does this prehistoric origin affect the story and its themes in a way that, say, an extraterrestrial, more contemporary animal, or surreal monster design would not?
- Why do you suppose all the professionals (doctors, politicians, sailors, etc.) are played by men? Do you think it would alter the film and its message if all, or at least some, of the professional roles were held by women?
- Godzilla was made for a Japanese audience that lived through the trials of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the loss of World War II, and the following American occupation. Do you think the film still holds importance for today's audiences (Japanese and/or Western)?
- Why do you suppose the film spends so much time on people who aren't the main characters (e.g., the three people on the train or the proceedings of political groups)? How does this affect the scope of the story?
- How would you describe the pacing of this film? Slow and deliberate? Fast and frantic? How does this pace affect the film and its themes?
- Do you agree with Ogata that the Oxygen Destroyer needed to be used to defeat Godzilla? Or do you side with camp Yamane that a non-lethal method was best? Why?
- Track down a copy of the American re-edit of the film, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!. What does this film leave in from the Japanese original and what does it take out? How do these changes alter the film's story, its characters, and its themes? Which version do you prefer and why? (Note: If you don't have access to Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, you can tackle this question with the other American films, Godzilla [1998] and Godzilla [2014]).
- Does the love triangle subplot add anything to the film? Does it hurt it?