Victory Dance
The Moment: What's Godzilla to do after defeating King Ghidorah in Invasion Of Astro-Monster (1965)? Why, do a victory dance, of course.
Why It's Great: A key staging post in Godzilla's transformation from unrelenting threat to affectionate defender of Earth, it's hard not to warm to his silly moves.
Introducing SuperMechaGodzilla
The Moment: In Godzilla Vs MechaGodzilla II (1993), the UN creates two mechanical opponents to stop Godzilla - fan favourite MechaGodzilla, plus a gunship known as Garuda. But, as Godzilla, finds out, the two can combine to form a single threat, namely SuperMechaGodzilla.
Why It's Great: Here's how to reboot a popular character!
The Perils Of Mutating Godzilla's DNA
The Moment: When aliens accidentally absorb Godzilla's DNA in Godzilla 2000 : Millennium (1999), they mutate into the hideous Orga.
Why It's Great: This was the first Japanese movie after the Roland Emmerich movie, so it's interesting they chose a baddie who highlights the disastrous results that come from mucking around with Godzilla's DNA.
Calling Godzilla
The Moment: While the 1970s Hanna-Barbera animated series is marred by the inclusion of Godzilla's cousin, Godzooky, it does contain the radical re-interpretation of the character as a loyal assistant to a team of scientists, who can call on him when the world is imperilled by other monsters.
Why It's Great: Who wouldn't want a handy red button to unleash Godzilla?
Monster Talk
The Moment: Bezza mates Godzilla and Anguirus discuss their strategy for dealing with a common foe in Godzilla Vs Gigan (1972). Yes, really, as animated speech bubbles translate their roars into Japanese.
Why It's Great: We finally find out what Godzilla is thinking. The dialogue, incidentally, goes something like this...
- Godzilla: Hey Anguirus!
- Anguirus: What do you want?
- Godzilla: Something funny's going on, you better check.
- Anguirus: OK
- Godzilla: Hurry up!
Break A Leg
The Moment: In 2001's epically named Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack , a woman is trapped in a hospital with a broken leg with Godzilla is on the warpath. She thinks she's safe when he passes, only for the monster's tail to swing back and destroy the building.
Why It's Great: A rare moment of (intentional) black comedy that highlights Godzilla's indifference to humans.
Cold War Heats Up
The Moment: What's the bigger threat in The Return Of Godzilla (1984)? The beast itself or a nuclear missile fired by the Russians and headed straight for Tokyo?
Why It's Great: The 1984 reboot of the Godzilla series, after a near-decade absence, restored the themes of the original film, but updated to an era where the threat of mutually assured destruction was all too real.
Water Slaughter
The Moment: In Godzilla Vs The Sea Monster (1966), Godzilla faces a pretender to his crown as the ocean's most fearsome beast, in the form of giant lobster Ebirah.
Why It's Great: Amazingly, it took until the seventh film to give Godzilla a full-on aquatic fight - a nice change of pace after all those land-based skirmishes.
Thaw With A Roar
The Moment: Having been buried in an avalanche in his last appearance, the beginning of King Kong Vs Godzilla (1962) sees the monster reawakened after a submarine unwisely gets caught in the iceberg in which Godzilla is frozen.
Why It's Great: A new decade saw the return of Godzilla in his first appearance in colour and Widescreen, setting up the run of films that truly brought the beast to worldwide attention.
Shared Moment
The Moment: In Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah (1991), businessman Yasuaki Shindo comes face to face with his past, triggering a flashback to the time in WWII when he saved the life of the dinosaur that would become Godzilla.
Why It's Great: Cheesy, surreal and strangely moving, this 'shared moment' delivers a fascinating piece of backstory to the Godzilla mythos.
