Godzilla demolished Tokyo when the kaiju first emerged from the depths 72 years ago in the original Godzilla’s premiere in Japan, but he didn't make landfall in the United States until two years later. Godzilla: King of the Monsters! was an American edit that went beyond dubbing the film into English, adding scenes and a new protagonist, an American reporter who served as a point-of-view character for '50s audiences watching this foreign flick. While the original 1954 Godzilla is a masterpiece and by far the stronger of the two versions, King of the Monsters! is a largely respectful and effective adaptation that played an important role in Godzilla becoming an international icon. We can thank Steve Martin for that.
Well, no, not that Steve Martin. While the Only Murders in the Building star was around when King of the Monsters! came out, the comedian had nothing to do with Godzilla on account of being 10 years old. Steve Martin just happened to be the name of the American reporter character the US adaptation added to the plot. Steve Martin did a great job introducing Godzilla to the world, as both the character and the actor who played him, Raymond Burr, understood what made Godzilla important — and they would return three decades later to confirm it.
