Photo courtesy of the Dryden Theatre. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
Author: John Yeara
Source: George Eastman House
It is truly a good time to be a Godzilla fan. The historic Dryden Theater will once again, for the first time in almost two decades, host 4 of Toho Studios films featuring everyone's favorite radioactive Kaiju and King of the Monsters, GODZILLA. This time, the films will be introduced by the University of Rochester's professor of Japanese Visual and Cultural studies, Joanne Bernardi Ph.D. The series is a tie-in with a course she is teaching this semester at the University of Rochester, “Atomic Creatures: Godzilla.” Dr Bernardi expresses gratitude to Curator of Exhibitions Jared Case, who went above and beyond to identify and secure rights to show the titles in the upcoming series.
The showings begin on September 11th, with the original Japanese GOJIRA. This will be followed on October 9th with 1989's GODZILLA VS BIOLLANTE, GODZILLA, MOTHRA, KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL OUT ATTACK (2001) on November 13th. The series concludes with GODZILLA MINUS ONe (2023) on December 4th.
Dryden Theatre
900 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
Tickets
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
GOJIRA (GODZILLA)
(Ishirô Honda, Japan 1954, 96 min., DCP, Japanese with English subtitles)
It all started here – the first adventure of the screen’s biggest movie star (and we mean that literally). The title character is a very angry 400-foot prehistoric lizard brought to life by nuclear weapons testing who threatens to destroy Japan…and maybe even the world. This Japanese-language version, minus the silly Raymond Burr footage added for American distribution, is a surprisingly reflective and philosophical Godzilla that seriously questions the need for WMDs.
Purchase tickets at: https://1618a.blackbaudhosting.com
October 9
GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE
(Gojira vs. Biorante, Kazuki Ômori, Koji Hashimoto, Kenjirô Ohmori, Japan 1989, 104 min., DCP)
November 13
GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK
(Gojira Mosura, Kingu Gidora Daikaijû Sôkôgeki, Shûsuke Kaneko, 2001, 105 min., 35mm)
December 4
GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Gojira -1.0, Takashi Yamazaki, Japan 2023, 124 min., DCP)