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Behind the scenes

The Return of Godzilla

1984Movie1 h 43 min

74
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.8Letterboxd3.5/5Rotten Tomatoes–89%

An epic, tense sci-fi movie about politics and society.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you want something to laugh at

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

Breaking 30 years of silence comes the anticipated-worldwide latest "Godzilla" work!

After a fishing boat is attacked, the sole surviving crew member realizes it is none other than a resurrected Godzilla. However, efforts to bring the story to light are suppressed by the Japanese government amid growing political tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, who are both willing to bomb Japan to stop the monster.

Feels like

  • Kaiju Destruction
  • Political Thriller
  • Cold War Tensions
  • Nuclear Scare
  • Disaster Spectacle
  • Gritty Tone
  • Godzilla Revival
  • Humanity's Struggle

Cast

18 of 18

Crew

Directed by
Koji Hashimoto
Written by
Hideichi Nagahara, Tomoyuki Tanaka
Produced by
Kiyomi Kanazawa, Norio Hayashi
Music by
Reijirō Koroku

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 15, 1984 · 1 h 43 min · Violence, Disturbing Imagery

Released
December 15, 1984
Runtime
1 h 43 min
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Science Fiction, Action, Horror
Original language
Japanese
Also spoken
English, Russian
Made in
Japan
Budget
$6 million
Box office
$11 million
Available in
33 countries

Tropes

Plucky Comic Relief, As Long as It Sounds Foreign, Ominous Fog +9

  • Plucky Comic Relief
  • As Long as It Sounds Foreign
  • Ominous Fog
  • Nuclear Weapons Taboo
  • Mr. Exposition
  • Dub-Induced Plot Hole
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Stock Footage
  • Bookends
  • Shown Their Work
  • Early-Installment Weirdness
  • Death by Irony

12 of 70 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Return of Godzilla?"

Questions about The Return of Godzilla

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Return of Godzilla?

HBO MaxCriterionCinemax

In the United States, The Return of Godzilla streams on HBO Max, Criterion, and Cinemax. It also streams in 30 other countries.

Is The Return of Godzilla worth watching?

74
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74 (IMDb 6.8 and Letterboxd 3.5 out of 5).

Will The Return of Godzilla scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

It's more unsettling than scary: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for tension, but 5 for scares.

Will I feel good after watching The Return of Godzilla?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 7 of 10 for bleakness and 3 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Is The Return of Godzilla in English?

JapaneseEnglishRussian

No, it was made in Japanese, with some English and Russian.

What tropes does The Return of Godzilla use?

Plucky Comic ReliefAs Long as It Sounds ForeignOminous FogNuclear Weapons TabooMr. ExpositionDub-Induced Plot HoleDeadpan SnarkerStock FootageBookendsShown Their WorkEarly-Installment WeirdnessDeath by Ironyand 58 more

TV Tropes lists 70 tropes for it, including Plucky Comic Relief, As Long as It Sounds Foreign, and Ominous Fog.