We take a look at Asian films that have had unique—and sometimes unintended—impacts on global pop culture
Hollywood still has a long way to go before representation, both behind and in front of the camera, can be perceived as genuine, and work by people of colour is given equal recognition. But in the meantime, every little step in that direction should be celebrated. And in 2023, even just thus far, there has been a lot to be proud of in terms of Asian representation in films. For example, one cannot ignore the massive success of Everything Everywhere All at One (2022) at the Golden Globes and at Oscars.
But this history-defining film by directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert still stood on the shoulders of Asian films in the past that have had unique—and sometimes unintended—impacts on global pop culture.
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1. Godzilla (1954)
First released by Japanese production company Toho in 1954, Godzilla famously depicted a gigantic reptilian sea monster that rose from the depths of the oceans due to the radiation from atomic weapon testing by the United States military.
The monster towered over the buildings of Tokyo and destroyed everything in its path. The film’s themes of horror and fear resonated with audiences as memories of nuclear disaster, war and catastrophe continued to haunt people worldwide. The film became a long-running franchise, with Toho releasing 32 Godzilla films and Hollywood producing four remakes. The latest instalment, Godzilla V Kong, will be released by Warner Brothers later this year—it stars actors Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown and Zhang Ziyi.
Outside of cinemas, the monster continues to plague our global subconscious. Godzilla’s name is often referenced when attaching “zilla” to the end of a word to emphasise power, or monstrous and destructive behaviour. Most notably, ongoing reality show Bridezilla on the WE television network documents the extreme and demanding behaviour of brides leading up to their big day. The name of open web browser Mozilla Firefox is also a nod to the infamous sea creature.
Godzilla is often parodied in films and television shows like Austin Powers in Goldmember, Ted 2 and The Simpsons, which has featured the monster on multiple occasions. The character is so recognisable that even cartoons aimed at young children make direct references to the monster, including Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, which showcases a large mechanical reptile robot roaming the French capital. Shrek 2’s gigantic and monstrous gingerbread man was also a nod to Godzilla.
The fictional reptile has also become a muse for musicians—earlier this year Eminem released the single Godzilla, which now holds the record for the fastest rap. On the song’s third verse, Eminem raps 224 words in 30 seconds.
The monster has had its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 2004, when it was granted one to mark its 50th birthday.