Rodan (1956)

Rodan (1956)

Dir. Ishirō Honda

If you were to list the events of Rodan as a simple flowchart, it'll read just like many of the less inventive kaijū eiga from the era:

Human story

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Creature(s) awaken(s) + atomic power is mentioned

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Creature(s) rampage during last 30 mins + JSDF shoot weapons repeatedly to no avail

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Quick fix

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End.

What sets it apart is that the human story it offers up is better than most. There’s a feeling of genuine concern between the folks of the small coal mining village, while the terror they experience is shared among the workers and the usually distant decision makers.

Rodan's destructive power is primarily the wind that's caused by its immense wings as it swoops by. The cheapo FX probably aren't going to impress many folks, but they're not the main focus - the emotional layering is. The film's end leaves the viewer with more than just a feeling that the job was adequately done; there's a lingering sadness that kaijū films don't always achieve.

- There's just one standalone Rodan film, but the giant Pteranodon made a number of appearances in the Godzilla franchise, in the Shōwa, Heisei, Millennium, and Reiwa eras. -