# Old School Godzilla

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 9, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393 "2000-11-09T00:44:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![NeoDeftones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/919ad9/32.png) [@NeoDeftones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeoDeftones)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393/1 "2000-11-09T00:44:02Z")

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My cousin and I were talking about the great old Godzilla movies and we wanted to know what year was the very first Godzilla movie ever realeased in America.

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**Author:** ![ts2125](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@ts2125](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ts2125)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393/2 "2000-11-09T01:29:28Z")

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wasn’t it the one where your mom fought a big hairy ape and you were the biproduct of it? ooooooooooooooh

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**Author:** ![NeoDeftones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/919ad9/32.png) [@NeoDeftones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeoDeftones)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393/3 "2000-11-09T01:31:38Z")

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ts2125, now that was just rude and uncalled for. I cant believe you would be so childish. Im gonna have to tell your mama about your behavior while shes givin me my 5 bucks worth tonight.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393/4 "2000-11-09T01:42:32Z")

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1954, IIRC.

Interestingly enough, the original Japanese production did **not** have the big lizard, but because Americans were unlikely to appreciate the zen irony of a movie centered around Raymond Burr, the monster scenes were produced **afterwards** and “cut into” the original for release in America.

Also, Rodan was gay. True story.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-godzilla/40393/5 "2000-11-09T15:27:45Z")

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1956, according to my memory and the Internet Movie Data Base: [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0197521](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0197521)

It was released in 1954 in Japan (the same year as the Castle Bravo test and the Fukuryu Maru incident, not so coincidentally, I believe), but it came out two years later in the US.

Elucidator: hilarious response. I note that they did the same thing in 1985.  
You didn’t ask, but I’ll say it anyway: If you get a change, watch “Gigantis, the Fire Monster” (AKA – I kid you not – “Godzilla Raids Again”) This is the rarely-seen Second Godzilla Movie. He’s got a LOT more teeth in it than in any other Godzilla flick.