No. 1 - Godzilla
Godzilla originated as a metaphor for the nuclear presence of America in Japan. The monster breathed radioactivity and had laser eyes, tearing its way through Japanese cities much like the bomb at Hiroshima. Although the monster in the original would struggle to scare anyone, the metaphor makes the film a poignant mirror of Japanese cultural memory. Despite this, America seemed to have liked the concept of a foreign creature destroying their most prominent City (see: King Kong).
Among many Godzilla remakes, the 1998 Godzilla was culturally appropriated and simplified to a large lizard attacking New York – only to discover her maternal instincts had kicked in and she was protecting her offspring (cue: awws). Matthew Broderick just about kept us entertained, though his dialogue didn’t do him any favours. By 2014 it seemed America still couldn’t let Godzilla go, and another iteration of Godzilla was created with dialogue equally as cringe-worthy as in 1998. Perhaps it’s time to export Godzilla back to Japan.
The countdown continues... No. 2
