The Story of Godzilla’s Birth – Pt 35

P 79

▲ 和光時計台の鐘の音に反応するゴジラ
かみつくようなしぐさをしたあと、「何だろう?」というように手で触れると、時計台は自然にこわれる、はずだったが･･･。

▲ Godzilla reacts to the sound of the Wako Clock Tower bell
After making a biting motion, he thought, “What is that?” and touched it with his hand, and the clock tower was supposed to break on its own, but…

▼ 時計台がこわれ、右手に破片が残った
思うように手が動かず、無理に引きちぎったようになった。ゴジラの表情が「あれ?」というように見えるのがおかしい。

▼ The clock tower was broken and fragments remained on the right hand side.
He couldn’t move his hands the way he wanted, and it felt like he was forcefully tearing it apart. It’s funny how Godzilla’s expression looks like “Huh?”

P 80

けれど中島は、自分が情けなかった。いくら着ぐるみがかたいといっても、造形のスタッフは、全力で最高のものを作っているはずだ。それでもかたくて動きにくいのなら、あとは役者である自分がカバーするしかないのに。

However, Nakajima felt sorry for himself. No matter how hard the costume may be, the sculpting staff is sure to do their best to make it the best it can be. If it’s still stiff and difficult to move, the only thing left to do is cover for himself as an actor.

「春さん、なに落ちこんでるんだよ。あんたらしくもないぞ。」

“Haru-san, why are you depressed? You don’t look like yourself.”

開米がそう言って、中島の背中をポンとたたいた。

Kaimei said and patted Nakajima on the back.

それから数日たって、和光時計台の修理が終わった。再び撮影に挑んだが、今度も失敗。時計台のくずれ方が不自然だったのだ。

A few days later, the repairs to the Wako Clock Tower were completed. He tried taking pictures again, but this time he failed. The way the clock tower collapsed was unnatural.

3度目の正直とはよくいったもので、けっきょく手塚の入った国会議事堂も、中島が入った和光時計台も、OKが出たのは3度目だった。

The third time is often said to be true, and it was only the third time that the approval was given for the National Diet Building, where Tezuka worked, and the Wako Clock Tower, where Nakajima worked.

映画の中で、和光時計台と国会議事堂が破壊されるシーンを再現すると、おおよそ次のようになる。

If you recreate the scene in the movie where the Wako Clock Tower and the National Diet Building are destroyed, it will roughly look like this:

パトカーを白熱光で火だるまにしたゴジラは、銀座尾張町方面から、和光時計台の横まで進む。

Godzilla turns the police car into a fireball with incandescent light and moves from the direction of Ginza Owaricho to the side of the Wako Clock Tower.

とそのとき、時計台が午後11時の時報を打つ。「カーン、カーン」という音に反応する姿は、まさにゴジラの生物らしさを感じさせる。ゴジラは、かみつくようなしぐさをしたあと、「何だろう?」うでという感じで前かがみに腕を伸ばす。すると時計台は、根もとからガラガラと音を立ててくずれ落ちはへんる。その破片が、地下鉄銀座駅の入り口を破壊し、そこにいた人間たちを巻きこんでしまう。

At that moment, the clock tower struck the 11:00 p.m. time signal. The way Godzilla reacts to the sound of “kang, kang” makes you feel like Godzilla is a creature. After making a biting gesture, Godzilla leans forward and stretches out his arm as if to say, “What?” Then, the clock tower started to fall, making a rumbling sound from its base. The debris destroys the entrance to Ginza subway station, engulfing the people who were there.

和光時計台を破壊したあと、ゴジラはゆっくりと向きを変え、国会議事堂に向かう。苦労を重ねてとう作り上げた議事堂は、ミニチュアとは思えないリアルさで画面手前にそびえている。中央塔とゴジラがほぼ同じ高さになったことは前に書いたが、この画面ではゴジラが中央塔を見おろしている。

After destroying the Wako Clock Tower, Godzilla slowly turns around and heads towards the National Diet Building. The Capitol Building, which was built after much effort, stands out in front of the screen with a realism that makes it hard to believe that it is a miniature building. I wrote before that the central tower and Godzilla are now almost at the same height, but in this screen Godzilla is looking down at the central tower.