Godzilla is a 1954 film directed by Ishiro Honda. It is the first film in the world famous Godzilla franchise which now spans more than 30 films.

This film has a notably more serious tone compared to the rest of the franchise, as it was produced to highlight the horrors of nuclear war, with Godzilla itself acting as a manifestation of the power of nuclear weapons. In the story Godzilla is a fearsome monster born from nuclear radiation who continually attacks the cities of Japan. While the army is unsuccessfully trying to fend off the creature, a young scientist called Daisuke Serizawa is putting the finishing touches on a superweapon of his own...

For the American release, new scenes were filmed featuring Canadian actor Raymond Burr in order to give the movie a structure that foreigners could understand.