Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters

by William M. Tsutsui

Book Overview

This year, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his first appearance on the screen, the original, uncut version of Godzilla was released in American theaters to the delight of Sci-Fi and B-Movie fans... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1403964742
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.6" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Godzilla In Our Hearts

Godzilla On My Mind is a wonderful celebration of the movies, the myths and the magic of Godzilla. Professor Tsutsui writes with both candor and passion about the "monster" so many of us love, exploring the connection so many fans have made with Godzilla over the years. It is clear that he loves Godzilla, yet he is able to look with a keen mind and critical eyes at the movies themselves, as well as the cultural phenomenon that has swept over the world. His style is clean and engaging, even when he swims in the "deep waters" of "what it all means". At it's core, "Godzilla" is far more than a man in a rubber suit thrashing about on a set of miniature buildings in a series of "kid's movies". Tsutsui teaches without "preaching" as he explores the cultural differences between what Godzilla "means" in Japan, as well as in America and other nations. Even if you are a casual fan, you will find much here to enjoy. If you want to learn more about the "king of the monsters" this is the book for you.

JUST BUY IT......

This is a really great fun read written by a lifelong fan of THE BIG-G. As a Godzilla fan myself, I find this book to be an insightful overview of not only the films but also of the times when these films were made. Tsutsui covers his subject with style and humor, informative without being academic. This is both a FRIENDLY read and a WELL WRITTEN history of Godzilla and his affect on pop culture then and now. Buy this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I need to find those movies!

I didn't consider myself a Godzilla fan. I liked the icon and the destruction Godzilla represented, but I didn't consider myself to be all-knowing about him. But he interested me nonetheless, and I decided to pick up this book and boy was I startled by the sheer amount of knowledge this book contains! If you want to start loving Godzilla, this is what you got to read first!The six chapters are broke down as following: "Chapter I: The Birth Of Gojira" talks about the first movie and the establishment of an icon. "Chapter II: The Godzilla Franchise" explains everything there is to know about the tewnty six sequels to the original Gojira. "Chapter III: Understanding the monster" tries to analyse why Godzilla is so appealing and why everyone knows him. "Chapter IV: The Making Of An American Icon" explains why, of all places, Godzilla made a name for himself in America, and why he is cemented in American culture. "Chapter V: A Personal Godzilla" analyses the fans of Godzilla, why they love him, and just how much they love him. And finally, "Chapter VI: Godzilla's Spawn" talks about the moviemaking trend started by Godzilla, from the equally loveable Gamera to the american-made Godzilla.Quite frankly, I never was so interested by a book that didn't feature a story. It is written with a lot of insight and might make anyone who reads it a Godzilla fan. Now, where can I find those movies?

Outstanding !!!

An excellent analysis and history of a great movie icon. Godzilla on My Mind is an impressive, well written discussion of the impact Japan's (and the world's) favorite rampaging movie monster has made on the film industry and pop culture in general. The author thoroughly reviews all aspects of the Godzilla phenomenon (the Godzilla films are the longest series of movies in history -50 years old !!!)and tries to answer the question "Why do people love Godzilla so much?". It is an entertaining and affectionate look at a cherised character. A must read for any Godzilla fan.

There goes Tokyo...to buy this superb book

Fantastic read! Such a delightful book could only be written by someone with both a passion for the subject and an unmatched grasp of historical research methodology. Like an eagle high atop the mountain scanning for prey or the Hubble Telescope looking for new stars in galaxies far, far away, Dr. Tsutusi used his electron microscope-like eyes to critically examine and analyze this vast subject. Breaking it down like M.C. Hammer, he prepared a thorough analysis for the both the casual couch potato reader as well as the leather-elbowed tweed jacket university type. One wonders what we would have done without such though provoking masterpieces such as this. I think this will be worth your time. Enjoy!