CHIN 2052 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Toshiro Mifune, Spaghetti Western, Gendai-Geki
25 Apr 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Godzilla: perhaps first major export of japanese popular culture to west after. 1945: unconditional surrender to allies after dropping of atomic bomb on. Ruin of many japanese cities, including firebombing of tokyo. Demilitarisation (only self defence forces) and democratic constitution; censorship of /japanese films (not anti-us) Hydrogen bombs developed and exploded in 1950s by the us, ussr, uk. Testing in the pacific nuclear fallout on japan. 1954: us h-bomb test near bikini atoll: irradiated about 20,000 sq km area. Japanese fishing trawler daigo fukuryu maru (lucky dragon number 5) within 150km of site: showered with radioactive ash, entire crew developed radiation sickness: etc. opening scenes of godzilla. Inspiration for gojira = combination of japanese kujira (whale) and english loanword gorira (gorilla) Two million year old monster awakened by atomic testing. Most expensive japanese film at time: almost million dollars. Phenomenally successful: 28 sequels in next forty years: godzilla vs. mothra,
