Humanities vs. Godzilla

In September, the King of the Monsters makes his way to Kansas to celebrate the 70th anniversary of his first film with the Godzilla Friday Film Series at Johnson County Community College’s Billington Library in Overland Park. The three-part film discussion series is supported by an HK Action Grant and is part of JCCC’s efforts to foster cross-cultural connections. No one is more excited to share Godzilla with the community than Dr. Bill Tsutsui, author, economic historian, President and CEO of Ottawa University, and renowned Godzilla expert.

Throughout his storied academic career, Godzilla has been a constant, and Tsutsui doesn’t plan to give up on him any time soon. He saw his first Godzilla film at seven or eight years old and immediately identified with the strong, powerful (and admittedly radioactive) monster. Achieving mainstream popularity in the United States, the monster represented a positive image of Japan that his classmates could relate to, even if they knew nothing else about the country.

“Godzilla has been a lifelong friend and a kind of ethnic hero,” Tsutsui explains.

The Godzilla films are the prototype for the monster film genre. The character’s popularity has endured for 70 years, with 38 films (and counting) in the franchise, and the monster’s global celebrity only continues to grow. Tsutsui estimates that Godzilla is better known now than at any other time in its long history. Part of Godzilla’s staying power is his ability to cross genres, from action movies to serious political films.

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Trailer for Gojira/Godzilla (1954)

“Godzilla is a chameleon,” Tsutsui says. His meaning can change “based on what is timely and what people care about. …One of the things that’s marvelous is the way Godzilla can make tangible things that are invisible.”

 In the 1950s, Godzilla put a face to radiation and the nuclear threat. More recent films take on modern-day issues, such as the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, as well as the broader theme of humans vs. nature.

Despite the serious ideas in some of the Godzilla movies, the film series is for all ages. It will provide a communal viewing experience that promises something new even to those who have seen the films before. The Q&A that follows each screening, led by Bill Tsutsui, will be an opportunity for participants to ask all of their burning questions about Godzilla.

The Godzilla Friday Film Series is free to attend, but guests are asked to register in advance using the links to the individual films below or at https://jccc.libcal.com/. The films will be subtitled in English, with ASL interpreters available for announcements and the film discussions. Free popcorn, soda, and water will be provided. Find more information on the Billington Library website or contact Andrea Thimesch with questions at athimesch@jccc.edu.

Action Grants provide funds for responsive and meaningful projects that draw on history, literature, and culture to engage the public with stories that spark conversations. Applications may be submitted at any time. Contact Leslie VonHolten, Director of Grants and Outreach, for more information. 
 

Join the Movement of Ideas

• WATCH the films in the Godzilla Friday Film Series. Screens start at 6:30 pm at Craig Auditorium on the Johnson County Community College Campus in Overland Park. Q & A follows the screenings. Registration required for each event.
  • Gojira (1954) on September 13 at 6:30 pm. Underwater hydrogen bomb testing awakens a fire-breathing monster. Terror ensues. Register here.
  • Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) on September 20 at 6:30 pm. It’s a clash of monsters as Godzilla battles the colossal moth, Mothra. Register here.
  • Godzilla (2014) on September 27 at 6:30 pm. Godzilla rises from the sea to fight adversaries and wreak havoc in this reboot made 60 years after the original. Register here.
• READ Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters by William Tsutsui. Praised by the New York Times as a "cult classic," the Guardian as "very readable and amusing," and the Japan Times as a "lighthearted love letter," Godzilla on My Mind is an engaging introduction  to Japan's most enduring cinematic icon. Learn more.
• ATTEND the 26th annual KC Japan Festival, October 5 from 9 am to 6 pm at Johnson County Community College. The 2024 theme is Yōkai & Japanese Folklore. Learn more.