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You know what are great? Movies about giant monsters. Your Godzillas, your Gameras, your Kings Kong, etc. The biggest behemoths in the world just stomping around, smashing buildings, kicking tanks, and so forth. Everyone can agree that they rule. I mention this because Godzilla Minus One comes out this week in the United States. It’s the thirtieth live action film starring Godzilla that was made by Toho Co., Ltd. in Japan. That doesn’t even include their three animated films on Netflix or the four American made live action films (with a fifth planned for release in 2024). There are also numerous television series featuring the giant bipedal lizard including Monarch: Legacy of Monsters that just recently debuted on Apple TV+. It’s an incredible time to be a fan of the King of the Monsters.

But wait! What if you’ve never actually seen a giant monster movie before (I’m avoiding using the term “kaiju” so as not to stir up a debate about what technically falls into that category which will probably lead to a debate about me not using it)? With so many that have been made over the years, it can be daunting for a curious viewer to know where to start without feeling completely overwhelmed. With that in mind, I have curated a list of giant monster movies that I think are essential for anyone wanting to see the best the genre has to offer. I couldn’t come up with a proper ranking system for them, so they are in chronological order by release date. Enjoy!

King Kong (1933) directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack

This is the best and most obvious starting point for any monster-a-thon. I’ve already discussed it previously, but this film set the template that every blockbuster adventure film has followed for the past ninety years. Kong is a perfect giant-sized antagonist with his expressive face and fluid movements courtesy of the amazing stop motion animation effects from Willis H. O’Brien. It also introduces some tropes that have become hallmarks of giant monster movies such as the primary monster fighting other giant creatures, a rampage through a densely populated city wherein the monster destroys the infrastructure, and a group of human protagonists working together to try and halt that rampage. It’s a fantastic movie that still holds up as an enthralling and entertaining film.

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) directed by Eugene Lourie

This film is on the list for two main reasons: the phenomenal stop motion effects from the immortal Ray Harryhausen and its influence on arguably the most iconic giant monster movie of all time (coming up soon on this list). The premise is a pretty standard one for science fiction movies of the 1950s. The explosion from a nuclear bomb test inadvertently awakens a massive carnivorous prehistoric reptile that had been frozen in suspended animation. The creature then goes on a destructive rampage that culminates in it reaching New York and laying waste to the densely populated city. It’s a very fun movie that uses the fictional monster to critique the real world problem of the nuclear arms race that was dominating the headlines of the day.

Them! (1954) directed by Gordon Douglas

First things first, Them! is such a great title for a giant monster movie. The film is yet another example of a science fiction monster movie of the time where the monster is created as a byproduct of nuclear weapons testing. In this case, an ant colony in New Mexico is irradiated which causes the ants to grow to enormous size. These gigantic insects morph into an existential threat to all of humanity as they begin to spread out from New Mexico, and the military must begin conducting operations to kill any queen ants. It’s a really ambitious film both in terms of scope of plot and the impressive special effects for the time that utilize gigantic puppets.

Godzilla (1954) directed by Ishiro Honda

You knew this was coming. Even if you’ve never seen a giant monster movie, you’re almost certainly familiar with Godzilla through cultural osmosis. His name has become synonymous with giant monster movies, and this is where it all started. Godzilla’s plot is clearly heavily influenced by The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. It is also about a giant prehistoric reptile that is awakened by nuclear weapons tests, and it proceeds to go on a rampage that culminates in densely populated cities being destroyed. A key difference in the story is that it serves as an allegory for the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by atomic bombs that took place a mere nine years earlier and how the people of Japan responded to the devastation. While later movies would have a campy B-movie charm, the original film is treated very seriously and really lingers on the death and destruction left in the wake of the monster. It’s also notable for using human actors (both Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka) wearing a rubber suit and stomping through miniature cities in lieu of stop motion animation or puppets. This would become the de facto method for portraying giant monsters for the next few decades.

The War of the Gargantuas (1966) directed by Ishiro Honda

This is a strange one, so buckle up for this breakdown. The War of the Gargantuas is another film from the prolific Ishiro Honda, and I consider it his best monster movie outside of Godzilla. I should also confess that I am not a fan of most Japanese monster movies from the 1960s and 1970s. Most of them are very silly films aimed at children, so I’m simply not the target audience. The War of the Gargantuas is an exception. It’s technically a sequel to Frankenstein vs. Baragon, but you don’t need to have seen it to appreciate this film (I can attest to that as I’ve never seen it myself). It’s a joint production from Japan and the United States about two genetically engineered giant ape men brothers/clones (one green and one brown) causing a swath of destruction while on a collision course with one another. It’s exceptionally violent for its era, and more complex motivations are ascribed to the two monsters than is typical for that time.

Destroy All Monsters (1968) directed by Ishiro Honda

I mentioned previously that I’m not a fan of most Japanese monster movies from this era, but I would be remiss if I didn’t include at least one example of the most prevalent type of Godzilla movies featured at the time. I went with Destroy All Monsters because it is a smorgasbord of giant monsters causing mass destruction. It features Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidora, Rodan, and more. The plot revolves around alien invaders mind controlling giant monsters, but it’s just mindless fun for all ages.

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995) directed by Shusuke Kaneko

It took until 1995, but Gamera has finally made his debut on this list. For those of you unfamiliar with him, Gamera is a giant turtle who can fly via jet propulsion. Needless to say, his film series in the 1960s and 1970s was aimed at even younger audiences than his more famous counterpart in Godzilla. The films are extremely campy and have been frequent targets of Mystery Science Theater 3000. That all changed with Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. This was the first film in a trilogy that I believe is the best monster movie series to come out of Japan in the decade. It’s treated significantly more seriously than its previous incarnation with high stakes drama, compelling human characters, and an almost shocking level of violence as the massive terrapin takes on a quickly growing and evolving enemy in a group of flying creatures called Gyaos. It’s awesome. I hold it up as one of the three best giant monster movies ever made just behind King Kong and Godzilla. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch.

Godzilla vs. Destroyah (1995) directed by Takao Okawara

1995 was a great year for giant monster movies as it also saw the release of the best Godzilla movie of the decade with Godzilla vs. Destroyah. I should warn you that this film is essentially the conclusion to a series of seven Godzilla films that began in 1984, so you will probably get more out of it if you watch the previous entries. That being said, it is still excellent as a standalone film. It bares some uncanny similarities to Gamera: Guardian of the Universe from the same year insofar as the antagonist for Godzilla to fight is a colony of ever growing and evolving creatures called Destroyah. There is also a secondary threat due to Godzilla’s heart slowly melting down like a nuclear reactor throughout the film. It acts as a literal ticking time bomb for the human characters to deal with. It also features Godzilla’s adopted child which is given the creative name of Little Godzilla. The film successfully wraps up this current series of Godzilla with a heartfelt bang (I’m sorry).

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

Much like I wasn’t a huge fan of the Godzilla films of the 1960s and 1970s, I’m also not a huge fan of the films from the 2000s. They get a little too silly for my taste. That being said, Godzilla: Final Wars is just the right amount of cheese as he proceeds to fight virtually every giant monster he has ever come up against all in one movie. It’s nonstop action from start to finish.

King Kong (2005) directed by Peter Jackson

That’s right. There is a giant monster movie directed by Academy Award Winner Peter Jackson. There isn’t a whole lot to say about this one other than it’s a very faithful remake of the original from 1933 with modern day CGI in place of stop motion animation. It’s just a really well made film from a great director with an excellent cast.

The Host (2006) directed by Bong Joon-ho

That’s right. There is a giant monster movie directed by Academy Award Winner Bong Joon-ho. The film serves as a biting critique of American occupation of the Korean Peninsula as the monster is created by the dumping of toxic chemicals in the water supply by American military personnel and the meek indifference by the South Korean government in response. The monster is also a really cool design that is best left unspoiled if you haven’t yet seen the film. It also features an excellent cast with predictably excellent direction.

Cloverfield (2008) directed by Matt Reeves

Ever wonder what it must be like for the random civilians trapped in a densely populated city in the midst of a giant monster rampage? That is precisely the premise of Cloverfield. It is presented in a found footage style to great effect as a group of friends tries to escape New York City as a gigantic monster smashes it to bits. It’s incredibly harrowing, and it does an excellent job of only teasing what the monster looks like throughout much of the film (making its eventual reveal all the more terrifying). Unlike most giant monster movies, it is the human characters who are the true stars of the film. Seeing the destruction through their eyes makes the horror of the situation palpable throughout.

Pacific Rim (2013) directed by Guillermo del Toro

That’s right. There is a giant monster movie directed by Academy Award Winner Guillermo del Toro (is this bit getting old yet?). Even better than that, it has giant monsters and giant robots! This one is incredibly straightforward. It’s giant robots piloted by humans that are fighting an endless parade of giant monsters. What more needs to be said? Either you want to see the big robots and big monsters punching each other or you don’t. I most certainly do.

Shin Godzilla (2016) directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi

Shin Godzilla is the most recent Japanese made live action Godzilla movie to date before Godzilla Minus One debuts later this week. It gets the big lizard back to its roots as both political commentary and true horror while introducing plenty of fresh new ideas and concepts for the creature design and lore. This Godzilla isn’t fighting other monsters and saving humanity. It’s just wrecking Tokyo with utter disregard. The creature design is incredible, and Godzilla truly feels scary again for the first time since 1954. It’s also a scathing satire of the bureaucracy of the Japanese government. It is probably my second favorite Godzilla film behind only the original.

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) directed by Adam Wingard

I have another disclaimer here: this film is the fourth entry in a series of American made Godzilla and Kong films being produced by Legendary Pictures. I enjoyed all three of the previous films, and I recommend them if you want to get the full effect of this one. With that being said, this movie is about a big lizard and a big ape punching each other. I feel like you can appreciate that regardless of the background. Now this isn’t the first time that the two most famous giant monsters in movie history have come to blows. That first happened in the Japanese made King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) directed by (you guessed it!) Ishiro Honda. It is…not a great movie. The King Kong suit in particular is so ridiculous looking that I can never take it seriously. Fortunately, the looks of the monsters in the 2021 edition are top notch. This movie promises epic battles between these two icons, and it fully delivers. It’s the perfect cherry on top of the sundae after you’ve watched the other films on this list.

Let this week’s post serve as a perfect springboard into the kind of content you can expect all next month as we enter Dinosaur December.

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