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TCM Morning & Afternoon Movies: Godzilla
TCM, beginning at 6 a.m.
Godzilla, Toho Studios’ mighty King of the Monsters, will turn 70 later in 2024 (Nov. 3, to be exact), so it’s fitting to kick off the year with a day of movies starring that classic kaiju. Turner Classic Movies does just that with a New Year’s Day marathon featuring eight of the first nine titles from the original era of Godzilla flicks (only King Kong vs. Godzilla
is missing, sadly). Note that these are the original Japanese versions, with English subtitles. The lineup kicks off with the one that started it all: 1954’s
which depicts Godzilla at his second-most terrifying (the Godzilla in last year’s Godzilla Minus One managed to top this one in ferocity and brutality) as he embarks upon his initial devastation of Tokyo. After that comes Godzilla Raids Again (1955), the second and last black-and-white entry in the franchise. It introduces the monster Anguirus, and while he and Godzilla become besties in later movies, they engage in deadly combat here. Next are two 1964 movies that are among the high points of the early Godzilla era: Mothra vs. Godzilla, in which fierce mom Mothra battles to defend the egg carrying her larval offspring from Godzilla, and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed
which sees one of Mothra’s kids trying to convince Godzilla and winged monster Rodan to help her save Earth from the space monster King Ghidorah. Ghidorah and Rodan are back with Godzilla in the next film,
(1965), and for a time all three are under alien control in a plot to conquer Earth. Then comes
(1966), which pits Godzilla against a giant crustacean on a South Seas island, and
(1967), which is set on another remote island and introduces Godzilla’s adopted son, Minilla. The lineup concludes with 1968’s Destroy All Monsters, which features a who’s who of some of Toho’s most memorable early kaiju creations, 11 in all (led by Godzilla, of course), who eventually come together to help defeat King Ghidorah and more alien invaders. – Jeff Pfeiffer