Haruo Nakajima, Behind the Scenes of Godzilla (1954)
I’m pretty obsessed with these behind the scenes photos from Godzilla (1954, directed by Ishirô Honda). How could I not be? My love for behind the scenes photos is legendary and my love for all things Godzilla is EVEN greater. Combine the two and it’s a wonder I can even concentrate long enough to type these words.
Godzilla (1954) was originally titled Gojira and was released in Japan on November 3, 1954.
Haruo Nakajima, the actor who wore the Godzilla suit, would frequently pass out because the temperature inside the costume was so intensely hot. According to him (and he’d know!), temperatures inside the Godzilla suit reached up to 60 degrees Celsius (or 140 Fahrenheit) due to the hot studio lights.
Special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano had this to say about Haruo Nakajima, “Inside the Godzilla suit, it was very dark, lonely, and isolated. Usually the person who wears the suit becomes nervous and anxious. During summertime it’s very hot, it can become hell in there. But Mr. Nakajima always persevered. He acted in the suit underwater, he was buried underground, he withstood pyrotechnic explosions… and through it all he was always Godzilla.”
I’m in love with that quote: “… through it all he was always Godzilla.”
He brought Godzilla to life in a total of 12 films and this Godzilla fan loves him for his devotion!
Behind the Scenes Picture from Godzilla 1954