The Dawn of Kaiju Eiga

Apr 2, 2019

0h 50m

★ 8.6

The origins of Godzilla!

Overview

Japan, 1954. A legend emerges from the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, devastated by atomic bombs in 1945. The creature's name is Godzilla. The film that tells its story is the first of kaiju eiga, the giant monster movies.

Genres

Documentary

History

Production Companies

451 Prods

The Dawn of Kaiju Eiga Trailers

Cast

Self - Actor

Akira Takarada

Self - Suit Actor

Haruo Nakajima

Self - Suit Actor

Kenpachirō Satsuma

Self - Filmmaker

Shusuke Kaneko

Self - Actor

Akira Kubo

Self - Actor

Hiroshi Koizumi

Self - Filmmaker

Kazuki Ōmori

Self - Filmmaker

Koichi Kawakita

Self - Filmmaker

Masaaki Tezuka

Self - Filmmaker

Yoshikazu Ishii

Self - Filmmaker

Alain Vézina

Self - Filmmaker

Daniel Aguilar

A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

6.2

VHS Revolution

Aug 28, 2017

Using testimonies by pioneers and witnesses of the times, delve into the feverish visual culture the media generated – with far-fetched examples of canine television games, seduction manuals, aerobics class while holding a baby, among others.

6.4

Deep Throat: When Porn Makes Its Premiere

Jan 29, 2022

Deep Throat, a pornographic film directed by Gerard Damiano, a film-loving hairdresser, and starring Linda Lovelace, a shy girl manipulated by a controlling husband, was released in 1972 and divided audiences, who began to talk openly about sex, desire and female pleasure; but also about violence and abuse; and about pornography, until then an almost clandestine industry, as a revolutionary cultural phenomenon.

8.7

We're Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks

Dec 5, 2022

A documentary covering 3 decades of Clerks films

7.3

Kung Fu Stuntmen

Aug 28, 2021

A new documentary film revisits the golden age of kung fu stuntmen and action directors in Hong Kong during the 1960s-'80s, exploring their pain and struggles. The documentary is a tribute to kung fu stuntmen. “They risked their lives for stunts,” said kung fu choreographer Yuen Bin. In their heyday, these stuntmen and choreographers presented the best, most creative and most complicated kung fu fight sequences anywhere in the world, creating stunts that looked seemingly impossible.

5.9

Attack of the Hollywood Clichés!

Sep 27, 2021

One-man armies, meet-cutes, casual strolls away from huge explosions — stars and industry insiders toast and roast these cinematic chestnuts and more.

6.0

Prejudice and Pride: Swedish Film Queer

Feb 25, 2022

A journey through Swedish queer film history.

7.5

Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman

Jun 12, 2006

The history of the comic book superhero, Superman, in his various media incarnations.

0.0

Chaplin et "Les temps modernes", La voie du silence

Apr 23, 2025

In 1936, the sound film had already been around for a decade. Nevertheless, Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) made another silent film, "Modern Times", which only used sound effects as a dramaturgical device. Speaking is reserved for the apparatus alone. The film became a monument in the history of cinema for this very reason.

7.0

Rescuing a Fantasy Classic

Dec 31, 2021

A comprehensive and fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the restoration process of restoring 3-strip Cinerama for the 1962 film "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm".

6.0

Berlanga, fanáticamente contradictorio

Mar 15, 2025

No overview available.

7.4

Hiroshima

Oct 7, 1953

Historical fiction about the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, on 6 August 1945, and its effects on various civilians, especially children, of that city.

6.5

Journey to Somewhere

Nov 23, 2021

A young woman, who has inherited her grandparents' huge house, a fascinating place full of amazing objects, feels overwhelmed by the weight of memories and her new responsibilities. Fortunately, the former inhabitants of the house soon come to her aid. (An account of the life and work of Fernando Fernán Gómez [1921-2007] and his wife Emma Cohen [1946-2016], two singular artists and fundamental figures of contemporary Spanish culture.)

8.5

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

May 15, 2008

Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner and Sam Warner were siblings who were born in Poland and emigrated to Canada near the turn of the century. In 1903, the brothers entered the budding motion picture business. In time, the Warner Brothers moved into film production and would open their own studio in 1923.

6.7

The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?

May 1, 2015

The Death of 'Superman Lives': What Happened? feature film documents the process of development of the ill fated "Superman Lives" movie, that was to be directed by Tim Burton and star Nicolas Cage as the man of steel himself, Superman. The project went through years of development before the plug was pulled, and this documentary interviews the major filmmakers: Kevin Smith, Tim Burton, Jon Peters, Dan Gilroy, Colleen Atwood, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and many many more.

7.5

Tokyo Phoenix

May 20, 2017

In 150 years, twice marked by total destruction —a terrible earthquake in 1923 and incendiary bombings in 1945— followed by a spectacular rebirth, Tokyo, the old city of Edo, has become the largest and most futuristic capital in the world in a transformation process fueled by the exceptional resilience of its inhabitants, and nourished by a unique phenomenon of cultural hybridization.

6.6

Altman

Aug 1, 2014

Robert Altman's life and career contained multitudes. This father of American independent cinema left an indelible mark, not merely on the evolution of his art form, but also on the western zeitgeist. With its use of rare interviews, representative film clips, archival images, and musings from his family and most recognizable collaborators, Altman is a dynamic and heartfelt mediation on an artist whose expression, passion and appetite knew few bounds.

6.0

Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions

Aug 6, 2017

The greatness, fall and renaissance of Hammer, the flagship company of British popular cinema, mainly from 1955 to 1968. Tortured women and sadistic monsters populated oppressive scenarios in provocative productions that shocked censorship and disgusted critics but fascinated the public. Movies in which horror was shown in offensive colors: dreadful stories, told without prejudices, that offered fear, blood, sex and stunning performances.

6.7

Counter Shot: Departure of the Filmmakers

Feb 14, 2008

Documentary about filmmakers of the New German Cinema who were members of the legendary Filmverlag für Autoren (Film Publishing House for Authors). Among them are Werner Herzog, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Wim Wenders.

6.5

Marcello Mastroianni, irrésistiblement libre

Apr 25, 2024

The 1960s opened with La Dolce Vita by Federico Fellini and its unforgettable lead: Marcello Mastroianni. The actor seemed to glide effortlessly through his roles — and through life — as if to say that life is not all that serious, or perhaps that it is far too serious not to be laughed at. But what kind of man was hiding behind the actor with the handsome, boyish looks, who appeared so gentle and nonchalant?