The Return of Godzilla

"Godzilla is a warning. A warning to each and every one of us. When mankind falls into conflict with nature, monsters are born.

—, Professor Hayashida

"Gentlemen, if Godzilla appeared in Washington, or in Moscow, would you be willing to use nuclear weapons, knowing that many of your own people would be killed?"

—The Japanese Prime Minister

The sixteenth Godzilla film, also known as just Godzilla or Godzilla 1985, and first after a nearly decade long break. It is a direct sequel to the original Godzilla and ignores all other films. Godzilla returns after a thirty years absence and in the midst of high Cold War tensions between the U.S.A. and Soviets. It is the first Gdozilla film to feature Kenpachiro Satsuma in the role of Godzilla, and it would be the last movie to not feature any Ifukube music until 2002's Godzilla X Mechagodzilla, and is still currently the last movie to not feature Godzilla fighting another monster, although another one does appear, but it is a small, man-sized monster, and it does not interact with Godzilla at all onscreen.

Tropes used in The Return of Godzilla include:

Alternative Foreign Theme Song: Sort of. There was a "love theme" used to promote the American version, although the song never appeared in the movie itself and wasn't even originally written for it.
Armored Coffins: The Super-X turns into one for its crew. Then again, it was originally designed to stop nuclear accidents, not fight mutant dinosaurs. Heck, the Japanese officials even say that it was made for clean up, although it does get retrofitted for combat against Godzilla, but it just isn't enough.
Armor Is Useless: Subverted. The Super-X is made out of material, and given a special coating, that allows it to withstand Godzilla's atomic ray; however, it only works for a limited number of blasts, and it does nothing to stop a skyscraper falling ontop of it.
Breath Weapon: Godzilla's atmoic ray.
Cold War: This film was made, and takes place, during the Cold War. The Cold War is in fact integral to the plot, as Godzilla himself almost turns the Cold War into Wold War III.
Continuity Reboot: This film ignores majority of the Showa series (ironically, it is part of the era, but it's considered part of the Heisei series) while Gojira is the only film not to be ignored in the Showa-Era. This tradition continues in the Millennium series.
Creator Backlash: Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka originally wanted Ishiro Honda to direct this film, only for Honda himself to decline due to how Godzilla was portrayed in the Showa series. Plus, he wanted the series to be laid to rest after the death of Special Effects creator Eiji Tsuburaya.
Darker and Edgier: Not that Terror of Mechagodzilla was cheerful but aliens and robot monsters are replaced with a possible nuclear holocaust and a scary Godzilla. Plus, Tomoyuki Tanaka wanted to restore the dark themes of the original Godzilla.
Death Wail: Godzilla produces one when he is falling into Mt. Mihara (at least in the American version. Godzilla stops roaring before he falls in the theatrical Japanese version, though mono versions exist with the roar intact).
Helicopter Flyswatter: Godzilla shoots down a helicopter that's presumably annoying him. This in turn, destroys a crowded freeway.
Hey, It's That Guy!: Hayashida is played by Yosuke Natsuki, who was Shindo in Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster. Professor Minami is played by Hiroshi Koizumi, and Environment Minister Hidaka is played by Yoshifumi Tajima, who played Kumiyama in Mothra vs. Godzilla, and Godzilla is now played by the same person who portrayed Gigan and Hedorah.
Howl of Sorrow: Godzilla gives one (two in the American version) at the end when Mt. Mihara is erputing, and it makes several characters, including the Japanese Prime Minister, very teary-eyed. The American and the Japanese Mono versions has a second one that Godzilla produces as he is falling into the valcano, with almost haunting results.
Intrepid Reporter: Goro Maki. Name seem familiar?
Keep Circulating the Tapes: Both the American version and an uncut International dub have yet to be officially released on any sort of digital medium.
Mr. Exposition: Steve Martin and Dr. Hayashida
Nuclear Weapons Taboo: Only more emphasized. Unlike the original film with the same Japanese name, it's the use of nuclear weapons to kill Godzilla. Have they overlooked the fact that nuclear weapons is the reason why Godzilla exists?
- Remember, the Japanese Prime Minister still says no to nuclear weapons. It's the Americans and the Russians who want to use them on the monster.
Lightning Can Do Anything
Oh Crap: When Godzilla's tranquility is interrupted by maser fire and he rushes forward, Hayshida clearly has this look on his face. This can also be felt when the Japanese government hears about the Soviet missile being launched.
Poor Communication Kills: Narrowly averted with the Japanese Government finally letting the world know of Godzilla's existence. If they hadn't, then the USA and the USSR would've started World War III, as Godzilla's destruction of the Russian sub had the USSR in a panic, with the Americans flying into a panic of their own as a reaction to the USSR's panic and finger pointing.
Product Placement: In the American release, one of the soldiers is shown drinking Dr Pepper. This Godzilla-themed Dr Pepper commercial was on the air in 1985 to concide with the film's release.
Red Sky, Take Warning: The red clouds and sky produced by the nuclear missile explosion in atmosphere, which is actually kind of pretty, if you forget what caused it in the first place.
Revival: After nine years of absence from the big screen, Godzilla returned with a vengeance.
Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Godzilla's second fight with the Super-X is actually one of these. He clearly recognizes the Super-X, and he is very, very pissed. Tokyo is barely recognizeable afterwards.
Stock Footage: It's very easy to miss, but the footage of the cars on the freeway exploding is actually reversed footage from Catastrophe 1999, and certain sequences of buildings crumbling and explosions are from The Last War and The Submersion of Japan.
Tragic Monster: In the American version, Godzilla is referred to by both Steve Martin and Professor Hayashida as a victim of mankind's use of nuclear weapons.
Unstoppable Rage: When Godzilla sees the Super-X, after waking up, he remembers what it did to him, which in turn leads to Roaring Rampage of Revenge described above.
What Could Have Been: Akihiko Hirata, the recurring actor in the Godzilla series, was to portray Professor Hayashida. Unfortunately, he died before production, being replaced by Yosuke Natsuke. Kenpachiro Satsuma plays Godzilla for the first time because of the previous stuntman decided not to wear the suit.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Whatever happened to that patrol helicopter that Godzilla surfaced in front of in Tokyo Bay? In the Manga adaptation it's destroyed by Godzilla's tail, but in the film it just, well, vanishes.