In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Godzilla franchise, we invite you to watch a double bill of this iconic monster, protagonist of the longest continuously running film series in history.

Godzilla (ゴジラ, Gojira, 1954) was the first film of the Godzilla series directed by Ishiro Honda. After atom bomb testing awakens a dinosaur-like monster from undersea hibernation, it begins to cause carnage in Tokyo. A scientist must decide if his similarly dangerous weapon should be used to destroy it.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0, Gojira Mainasu Wan, 2023) is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise, written, directed, and with visual effects by Takashi Yamazaki. Set in post-war Japan, a former kamikaze pilot is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after encountering Godzilla during the war. When the beast emerges again off the coast of Tokyo, evolved after exposure to atom bomb tests, Koichi sees this as an opportunity to redeem his conduct.

Ishiro Honda (1911-1993) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 46 feature films in a career spanning five decades. Honda entered the Japanese film industry in 1934, working as the assistant director. After 15 years, he made his directorial debut with a short documentary film Ise-Shima (1949). In 1954, Honda directed and co-wrote Godzilla, which became a box office success in Japan and established the kaiju (gigant monster) film genre. He directed his 8th and final Godzilla film in 1975 before retiring from filmmaking.

Takashi Yamazaki (1974-) is a Japanese filmmaker and visual effects supervisor. Known for his blockbusters featuring advanced visual effects and his film adaption of popular manga, anime and novels, he is considered a leading figure in the Japanese film industry. Yamazaki is the recipient of multiple accolades, including an Academy Award and eight Japanese Academy Awards. Among his most known films are Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005), Space Battleship Yamato (2010), The Eternal Zero (2013), and Stand by Me Doraemon (2014). His Godzilla Minus One became the most successful Japanese Godzilla film of all time and one of his highest-grossing films.

Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and discuss about Japanese culture and society? The Japan Society Film Club is an online space to chat about films and Japan in an informal atmosphere. It take place on the first Wednesday of the month. We recommend a film to watch in advance and meet online to discuss. Films are often available online for free, to rent or with subscription, on DVD/Blu Ray or on BFI player. The event is open to all and we encourage participants to freely express their opinions and feelings about the films.

If you have any questions, please call The Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.

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