ABSTRACT
Unsatisfied with the international critical success of a few great masters, the Japanese film industry has since the 1930s been trying to break into foreign markets, hitherto with little success. One notable exception was the Godzilla monster series, which were dubbed and re-edited for American release, and enjoyed a popular following. It is significant that this series has been neglected by critics and historians of Japanese cinema who, until recently, seem to have had eyes only for the art cinema.
