(GOJIRA, Ishirô Honda, Japan 1954, 98 min., Japanese with subtitles)

It all started here—the first adventure of the screen’s biggest movie star (literally). Godzilla is a very angry 400-foot prehistoric lizard brought to life by nuclear weapons testing who threatens to destroy Japan…and maybe the world. This Japanese-language version (minus the Raymond Burr footage added for American distribution) is a surprisingly reflective and philosophical Godzilla that seriously questions the need for weapons of mass destruction. Bruce Goldstein, founder and co-president of Rialto Pictures, will provide an informative post-screening lecture with clips to illustrate the differences between the two versions.