Godzilla roar
Encyclopedia
The Godzilla roar is the trademark
ed sound the film monster Godzilla
makes in most of his movies. What typifies the roar is that it sounds very mechanical and does not resemble an animal’s sound as such.
The roar was present in the first Godzilla
(1954) and was created by composer Akira Ifukube
who produced the sound by rubbing a resin
-covered leather glove
along the loosened strings of a double bass
and then slowed down the playback. Over the years the roar has become a trademark sound of the Godzilla films and is now instantly recognizable to a large audience. Its fame can be compared with the Tarzan yell
from the Tarzan films. It is often used in comedy when monsters or dinosaurs are featured or when a character gets extremely angry. (See Godzilla's roar in other media beneath)
Godzilla usually lets his roar be heard when he makes his first appearance in a film. During destruction and fighting sequences he roars multiple times. Film directors always use the same sound recording, but in more recent years variations on the sound have been made to express Godzilla’s emotions.
In the 1970s animated series The Godzilla Power Hour
by the American animation studio Hanna-Barbera
Godzilla’s roar was recreated by Ted Cassidy
. The American remake Godzilla
could not use the trademarked Godzilla roar for legal reasons so they had to create a different, yet similar, sounding roar for their Godzilla monster.
There were several roars recorded by composer Akira Ifukube
but one in particular was used in most of the movies from its 1955 sequel through to the 1975 Terror of Mechagodzilla
. It was a rather higher pitched, squeakier variant to the ones heard over the opening few seconds of the 1954 film's credits. A remixed variant, slower and far deeper, was then used for 1984's The Return of Godzilla
and in all the films until 1992's Godzilla vs. Mothra
where the sound editor went back to using the squeakier variant from the 60's. Sound mixing being the complex art it is today, many different sounds are used to make Godzilla vocalise in the movies made in the 2000s, but they're mostly based on, or include, the squeaky roar of the 1960s.
These variations include:
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed sound the film monster Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
makes in most of his movies. What typifies the roar is that it sounds very mechanical and does not resemble an animal’s sound as such.
The roar was present in the first Godzilla
Godzilla (1954 film)
is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
(1954) and was created by composer Akira Ifukube
Akira Ifukube
was a Japanese composer of classical music and film scores, perhaps best known for his work on the soundtracks of the Godzilla movies by Toho.-Biography:...
who produced the sound by rubbing a resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
-covered leather glove
Glove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
along the loosened strings of a double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and then slowed down the playback. Over the years the roar has become a trademark sound of the Godzilla films and is now instantly recognizable to a large audience. Its fame can be compared with the Tarzan yell
Tarzan yell
The Tarzan yell is the distinctive, ululating yell of the character Tarzan, as portrayed by actor Johnny Weissmuller in the films based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, starting with Tarzan the Ape Man...
from the Tarzan films. It is often used in comedy when monsters or dinosaurs are featured or when a character gets extremely angry. (See Godzilla's roar in other media beneath)
Godzilla usually lets his roar be heard when he makes his first appearance in a film. During destruction and fighting sequences he roars multiple times. Film directors always use the same sound recording, but in more recent years variations on the sound have been made to express Godzilla’s emotions.
In the 1970s animated series The Godzilla Power Hour
The Godzilla Power Hour
Godzilla is a 30-minute animated series co-produced between Hanna-Barbera Productions and Toho in 1978 and aired on NBC in the US and TV Tokyo in Japan.The series is an animated adaptation of the Japanese Godzilla films produced by Toho...
by the American animation studio Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
Godzilla’s roar was recreated by Ted Cassidy
Ted Cassidy
Theodore Crawford Cassidy , known as Ted Cassidy, was an American actor who performed in television and films. At 6 ft 9 in in height, he tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction series such as Star Trek and I Dream of Jeannie...
. The American remake Godzilla
Godzilla (1998 film)
Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
could not use the trademarked Godzilla roar for legal reasons so they had to create a different, yet similar, sounding roar for their Godzilla monster.
There were several roars recorded by composer Akira Ifukube
Akira Ifukube
was a Japanese composer of classical music and film scores, perhaps best known for his work on the soundtracks of the Godzilla movies by Toho.-Biography:...
but one in particular was used in most of the movies from its 1955 sequel through to the 1975 Terror of Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1975 science fiction kaiju film. The film was titled The Terror of Godzilla in its original American theatrical release. The 15th film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano...
. It was a rather higher pitched, squeakier variant to the ones heard over the opening few seconds of the 1954 film's credits. A remixed variant, slower and far deeper, was then used for 1984's The Return of Godzilla
The Return of Godzilla
The Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla (released as in Japan and as Godzilla 1985 in North America, is a 1984 Science Fiction Kaiju film. The sixteenth film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka and directed by Koji Hashimoto with special...
and in all the films until 1992's Godzilla vs. Mothra
Godzilla vs. Mothra
, translated in English as Godzilla vs. Mothra, is the 19th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the sixth film to feature Mothra and the only film to feature Battra. The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 12, 1992...
where the sound editor went back to using the squeakier variant from the 60's. Sound mixing being the complex art it is today, many different sounds are used to make Godzilla vocalise in the movies made in the 2000s, but they're mostly based on, or include, the squeaky roar of the 1960s.
Godzilla’s roar in other media
- In the Japanese animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series ShinzoShinzoShinzo, known as in Japan, is an anime based on an event where creatures known as Enterrans take over Earth and rename it in their own image: Enterra. Now three Enterrans have to protect the last human in order to restore the human race...
the monster Grandora has the same roar as Godzilla. - The end of HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
(1958) has a monster guarding the golden fleece that emit's Godzilla's roar. - In the Japanese animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series "Mazinger ZMazinger Z, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
" several of the villainous mechanical beasts use Godzilla's roar. - When Mongo the Gingerbread Man’s gumdrop button is shot off in the ShrekShrekShrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
film series he makes the same sound as Godzilla’s roar. - In the PokémonPokémon (anime), abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
episode "Ditto's Mysterious Mansion" the character Jessie gets mad and yells with Godzilla's roar at Ditto. - In "Danny PhantomDanny PhantomDanny Phantom is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon, produced by Billionfold Studios. The show was about a teenage half-ghost boy, who frequently saves his town and the world from ghost attacks, while attempting to keep his ghost half a secret...
" Godzilla’s roar is frequently used for the more monstrous ghosts in the series. - In the Simpsons couch gag for the episode "HomerazziHomerazzi"Homerazzi" is the sixteenth episode of the eighteenth season of The Simpsons, which was originally broadcast on March 25, 2007. It was written by J. Stewart Burns, directed by Matthew Nastuk, and guest starred J.K. Simmons as the tabloid editor, Betty White as Herself, and Jon Lovitz as Enrico...
" where Homer’s evolution is featured, Bart and Lisa are depicted as dinosaurs roaring with Godzilla roar . - In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "30 Minutes Over Tokyo" (Season 10, Episode 23, #AABF20), the family's flight home is briefly interrupted by a monster attack on Tokyo, featuring GodzillaGodzillais a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
, GameraGamerais a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
, RodanRodanis a fictional Japanese mutated pterosaur introduced in Rodan, a 1956 release from Toho Studios, the company responsible for the Godzilla series. Like Godzilla and Anguirus, he is designed after a type of prehistoric reptile...
, and MothraMothrais a kaiju, a type of fictional monster who first appeared in the serialized novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Takehiko Fukunaga, Shinichiro Nakamura, and Yoshie Hotta...
. Godzilla roars as he attacks their plane and again when they fly away. His roar is heard even a few seconds after the episode has faded to black. - When in "Simpsons Tall TalesSimpsons Tall Tales"Simpsons Tall Tales" is the twenty-first episode and season finale of The Simpsons twelfth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 20, 2001. In the episode, Homer refuses to pay a five dollar airport tax to fly to Delaware, which forces the family to ride in a...
" Homer in his role as the giant Paul BunyanPaul BunyanPaul Bunyan is a lumberjack figure in North American folklore and tradition. One of the most famous and popular North American folklore heroes, he is usually described as a giant as well as a lumberjack of unusual skill, and is often accompanied in stories by his animal companion, Babe the Blue...
fights RodanRodanis a fictional Japanese mutated pterosaur introduced in Rodan, a 1956 release from Toho Studios, the company responsible for the Godzilla series. Like Godzilla and Anguirus, he is designed after a type of prehistoric reptile...
Rodan roars like Godzilla. - In the The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Halloween episode "Treehouse of Horror VITreehouse of Horror VI"Treehouse of Horror VI" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and the sixth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1995, and contains three self-contained segments...
" in the first segment "Attack of the 50 foot Eyesores", Homer steals the Lard Lad's giant doughnut. The Lard Lad gets struck by lightning and comes to life. Then, he pulls his feet off the ground and stomps into the middle of the street, and emits Godzilla's trademark roar. - In Camp LazloCamp LazloCamp Lazlo is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray, produced by Rough Draft Studios, Joe Murray Productions and Cartoon Network Studios. It aired on Cartoon Network...
, Elebug metamorphoses into a monster in the episode "Creepy Crawly Campy" and makes Godzilla’s trademark roar. - In The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, in "Giant Billy and Mandy All-Out Attack", which refers to "Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out AttackGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attackis a 2001 science fiction kaiju film co-written and directed by Shūsuke Kaneko with a very catchy name. It was the twenty-fifth film to be released in the Godzilla film series. This is the eleventh film to feature Mothra, sixth to feature King Ghidorah, and third to feature Baragon. It is part of...
". In the episode "The Incredible Shrinking Mandy" when Mandy becomes a giant after Billy puts a curse on her she goes to Sassy Cat Land she also does a Godzilla roar scaring everyone away from the amusement park. - The South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode "Mecha-StreisandMecha-Streisand"Mecha-Streisand" is the 12th episode of the first season of the animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 18, 1998. In the episode, Barbra Streisand obtains the Diamond of Panthios from the South Park boys and transforms into a...
" parodies the Godzilla series heavily and also features the Godzilla trademark roar. - In an episode of CatscratchCatscratchCatscratch is a American animated television series created by Doug TenNapel airing on Nickelodeon in 2005 and on Nicktoons in late 2007 . It was also shown on Nickelodeon UK/Ireland in 2006. It is a light-hearted adaptation of TenNapel's graphic novel, Gear, which is also the name of the cats'...
("The King of all Root Beer"), Waffle and Mr. Blik fight each other over the city. Godzilla's roar is also heard multiple times along with Rodan's. - Chappelle's ShowChappelle's ShowChappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,...
features a skit in which Dave ChappelleDave ChappelleDavid Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
appears as a giant version of himself and is labeled "Blackzilla" by a Japanese city he attacks. The skit comes complete with Dave making the signature Godzilla roar. - In the Star Trek: The Animated SeriesStar Trek: The Animated SeriesStar Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
episode "Yesteryear", Godzilla's famous roar was used as part of the sound of a Vulcan creature called the Le-matya. - In an episode of Malcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
Godzilla is referenced twice. First when Malcolm comments on the Godzilla suit looking fake and later when Lois trips on a lego city she bumps into buildings and her voice is slowed down to sound like Godzilla's roar. - The Japanese heavy-metal band Seikima-IISEIKIMA-IIis a Japanese heavy metal band formed by guitarist Damian Hamada in 1982.According to the mythology created by the band, Seikima-II is a group of "Akuma" , from the futuristic hyper-evolved dimension "Makai", that are preaching a religion, in order to propagate Satan through the use of heavy metal...
used Godzilla's roar to begin their live shows. They've also used the roar in their song "Kemonotachi No Hakaba". Seikima-II vocalist and leader Demon Kogure, a big fan of Godzilla, won a Godzilla roar-alike contest in 1983 and later made a brief cameo in Godzilla vs. BiollanteGodzilla vs. Biollanteis a 1989 science fiction kaiju film written and directed by Kazuki Ōmori. It was the seventeenth film to be released in the Godzilla franchise and the second in terms of the franchise's Heisei period...
(1989). - Acid Mothers TempleAcid Mothers TempleAcid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. is a Japanese psychedelic band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career featured many musicians, but by 2004 the line-up had coalesced with only a few core members and frequent guest...
2006 album Starless and the Bible Black Sabbath features Godzilla's roar at the end of the final track. - On the soundtrack album to the Godzilla (1998 film)Godzilla (1998 film)Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
, Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
remixed their "Brain Stew" song with Godzilla's signature roar. - Sir Mix-A-LotSir Mix-a-LotAnthony Ray , better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass...
's song, "Posse on BroadwayPosse On BroadwayPosse on Broadway is a Hip Hop song first recorded by Sir Mix-a-Lot on his 1988 debut album Swass.The Broadway in the song is not New York City's famed thoroughfare, but the Seattle street of the same name in the Capitol Hill district .The geography of the song is quite specific, going north up...
" samples Godzilla's roar repeatedly throughout the song. - The punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Adrenalin O.D.Adrenalin O.D.Adrenalin O.D. was a popular hardcore punk band from New Jersey that existed from 1981 to 1990. They are best known for playing extremely fast music accompanied by humorous lyrics.-History:...
included the Godzilla roar on "Return to Beneath the Planet of AOD vs Godzilla Strikes Again in 3D", the B-side to their single "A Nice Song in the Key of 'D'". - In a Tom & Jerry episode, when Tom is pursuing Jerry and his nephew Nibbles, Tom locks Jerry in a bottle then surrounds Nibbles and hits him viciously in the butt. Jerry manages to break the bottle, and upon seeing where Tom hit Nibbles, he turns to Tom and looses a Godzilla-like roar, just before beating Tom.
- In a few episodes of The Land Before Time TV seriesThe Land Before Time (TV series)The Land Before Time is an animated television series, based on characters from The Land Before Time film series created by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss. It was developed for television by Ford Riley for Universal Animation Studios and Amblin Entertainment , and first premiered on YTV in Canada...
, the evil villainous T-Rex Red Claw sometimes uses the roar of the American Godzilla. - In the movie Dumb and Dumber, while riding the van, Lloyd imitates the Godzilla roar, proclaiming it "the most annoying sound in the world".
Variations
Variations (some very subtle) on the Godzilla roar can be heard.These variations include:
- Godzilla 1985-Godzilla vs. King GhidorahGodzilla vs. King Ghidorah, alternatively spelled Godzilla vs. King Ghidora, is the 18th installment in the Godzilla series of films. This is the fifth film to feature King Ghidorah and the first film to feature Mecha-King Ghidorah, . The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 14, 1991...
: This roar was very deep & the longest of them all. It also has a very high amount of growling. Some of these roars actually date back to 1954. - Godzilla vs. MothraGodzilla vs. Mothra, translated in English as Godzilla vs. Mothra, is the 19th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the sixth film to feature Mothra and the only film to feature Battra. The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 12, 1992...
-Godzilla vs. DestoroyahGodzilla vs. Destoroyah, alternatively titled Godzilla vs. Destroyer, is a 1995 science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Kazuki Omori. It was released in Japan on December 9, 1995. It is the 22nd installment in the Godzilla series of films and the seventh and last of the Heisei series...
: This roar was closer to the 1960s & 70's roar. Some of them were higher pitched than normal. - American GodzillaGodzilla (1998 film)Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
: The main roar has a major reverb effect. For the most part, Zilla'sZilla, also known as the American Godzilla, is a movie monster that first appeared as the title character in the 1998 Roland Emmerich film Godzilla. The design by Patrick Tatopoulos is that of a hunched bent-over marine iguana...
grunts resemble that of an elephant. A little known fact is that the roars were actually supplied by voice-acting legend Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
. - Godzilla 2000Godzilla 2000is a 1999 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura. It was the twenty-third film released in the Godzilla series. It is the only film to feature Orga. The film was released on December 11, 1999...
-Godzilla: Final WarsGodzilla: Final Warsis a 2004 Japanese science fiction-kaiju film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, written by Wataru Mimura and Isao Kiriyama and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. It is the twenty-eighth film in the Godzilla film series, and the sixth in terms of the series' Millennium era...
: This roar is deep & unlike the other roars. It has no middle pitch-up. It was used for the duration of the Millennium series, never altered.