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Unclear and Present Danger

Unclear and Present Danger

Godzilla (1998)

Jul 4, 2026 · 0 min · 12 segments

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watched Roland Emmerich’s attempt to bring Godzilla to Hollywood in the appropriately titled **Godzilla**. Ostensibly a film about the dangers…

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watched Roland Emmerich’s attempt to bring Godzilla to Hollywood in the appropriately titled **Godzilla**. Ostensibly a film about the dangers of nuclear testing, **Godzilla** is a total mess, a miserable failure that deserves its poor reputation. We talked about that deservedly poor reputation, as well as changing American perceptions of the military as the 1990s came to a close. Tune in! In our next episode, we tackle Michael Bay’s masterpiece **Armageddon**, one of two movies that year about an asteroid hitting earth. And our Patreon, we watched two movies about the Nuremburg trials — from 2000 and 2025 — and talked about them. Listen to that episode, and more, at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watched Roland Emmerich’s attempt to bring Godzilla to Hollywood in the appropriately titled **Godzilla**. Ostensibly a film about the dangers…

Speakers: Jamelle BouieHostJohn GanzHost

Show signals: SuitabilityLimitedBiasLeans leftAudience≈118k followers

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Godzilla×92 Matthew Broderick×11 New York Yankees×9 Microsoft×13 Toho Co., Ltd.×5

Introducing 1998’s Godzilla1:41 – 7:28

Jamelle BouieHost

1:41

For this week's episode, we watched the 1998 Roland Emmerich disaster picture.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:49

Not really an action film.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:50

Not really a thriller.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:51

Straightforward monster film.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:53

It is a

1:54

disaster.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:55

Yeah.

1:58

That it is.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:01

It's a disastrous picture.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:03

Godzilla, Gojira, as an unnamed Japanese character says in the film, I mentioned directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Petillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn, Michael Lerner, and Harry Shearer.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:20

The casting director for this film must have been a fan of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:24

Because this is basically...

Jamelle BouieHost

2:26

The cast of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:28

The cast of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:31

I had forgotten.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:32

I actually had forgotten that Harry Shearer was in this.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:34

But as soon as the newscaster starts speaking, I was like, oh, it's Kent

2:37

Brockman.

2:38

Yeah, exactly.

2:40

It's unmistakable.

2:40

And you're like, that's very funny.

2:42

But it kind of takes you out of the

Jamelle BouieHost

2:43

movie.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:44

It really does.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:46

Shot by Uli Steiger.

GodzillaMovie1998 film
100%92 mentions
Matthew BroderickPersonAmerican actor
99%11 mentions
New York YankeesSports TeamBaseball team
98%9 mentions
MicrosoftCompanyTechnology company
97%13 mentions
Toho Co., Ltd.Theater GroupFilm production company
97%5 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
96%35 mentions
Roland EmmerichPersonGerman filmmaker
95%7 mentions
ArmageddonMovie1998 film
94%5 mentions
Jamelle BouiePersonAmerican columnist
94%4 mentions
JapaneseLanguageSpoken language
93%9 mentions
The New York TimesPeriodicalNewspaper
92%4 mentions
Roger EbertPersonAmerican film critic
91%4 mentions
PakistanCountryCountry in South Asia
91%3 mentions
Slavoj ŽižekPersonSlovenian philosopher
90%2 mentions
Washington HeightsPlaceNeighborhood in New York
89%6 mentions
KaijuEntityFilm subgenre
88%2 mentions
John GanzEntity
88%6 mentions
Shin GodzillaMovie2016 film
87%2 mentions
TriStar PicturesCompanyMotion pictures/entertainment company
86%3 mentions
DiddyPersonRapper
85%2 mentions
UkraineCountryCountry in Europe
85%3 mentions
Gene SiskelPersonAmerican film critic and journalist
84%3 mentions
FrenchLanguageSpoken language
83%4 mentions
HollywoodAdministrative AreaNeighborhood in Los Angeles, California
82%3 mentions
John AshcroftPersonLawyer and former United States Attorney General
82%4 mentions
Joel KleinPersonLawyer and former Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the United States
81%3 mentions
Deeper UndergroundEntitySong by Jamiroquai
80%1 mention
MonsterVerseEntity
79%1 mention
IndiaCountryCountry in South Asia
79%6 mentions
The Day After TomorrowMovie2004 film
78%1 mention
Dan TrumanEntity
77%2 mentions
The SimpsonsTV SeriesAmerican sitcom
76%3 mentions
Hank AzariaPersonAmerican actor
76%2 mentions
Madison Square GardenMusic VenueArena in New York
75%3 mentions
Harry ShearerPersonAmerican actor and comedian
74%2 mentions
Arlington RoadMovie1999 film
73%1 mention
Jean RenoPersonFrench actor
73%4 mentions
Natural environmentEntity
72%1 mention
United Students Against SweatshopsOrganizationStudent organization
71%1 mention
Godzilla Minus OneMovie2023 film
70%2 mentions
JuneteenthEntityHoliday
70%3 mentions
King KongEntityFictional character
69%6 mentions
Michael BayPersonAmerican film director
68%2 mentions
Kent BrockmanEntityThe Simpsons character
67%1 mention
PatreonCompanyCompany
67%5 mentions
Comic reliefEntity
66%1 mention
Cold openEntity
65%1 mention
New YorkCityCity in New York State
64%12 mentions
GodzillaMovie1954 film
63%1 mention
Kevin DunnPersonAmerican actor
63%1 mention

Film ReceptionEntertainment > Film > Film Analysis
Box Office PerformanceEntertainment > Film > Film Criticism > Critical Reception
Franchise EvolutionEntertainment > Film > Film History
Film ProductionEntertainment > Film
Cultural ImpactEntertainment > Film > Film Analysis > Film Reception
Film HistoryEntertainment > Film
Roland EmmerichEntertainment > Film > Film Production > Directors
Film ThemesEntertainment > Film
DirectorsEntertainment > Film > Film Production
Film CriticismEntertainment > Film
Nuclear ProliferationEntertainment > Film > Film Themes
Film AnalysisEntertainment > Film
Critical ReceptionEntertainment > Film > Film Criticism
Entertainment
FilmEntertainment
Godzilla FranchiseEntertainment > Film > Film History > Franchise Evolution
Cultural CommentaryEntertainment > Film > Film Themes > Nuclear Proliferation

Introducing 1998’s Godzilla1:41 – 7:28

Jamelle BouieHost

1:41

For this week's episode, we watched the 1998 Roland Emmerich disaster picture.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:49

Not really an action film.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:50

Not really a thriller.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:51

Straightforward monster film.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:53

It is a

1:54

disaster.

Jamelle BouieHost

1:55

Yeah.

1:58

That it is.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:01

It's a disastrous picture.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:03

Godzilla, Gojira, as an unnamed Japanese character says in the film, I mentioned directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Petillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn, Michael Lerner, and Harry Shearer.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:20

The casting director for this film must have been a fan of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:24

Because this is basically...

Jamelle BouieHost

2:26

The cast of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:28

The cast of The Simpsons.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:31

I had forgotten.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:32

I actually had forgotten that Harry Shearer was in this.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:34

But as soon as the newscaster starts speaking, I was like, oh, it's Kent

2:37

Brockman.

2:38

Yeah, exactly.

2:40

It's unmistakable.

2:40

And you're like, that's very funny.

2:42

But it kind of takes you out of the

Jamelle BouieHost

2:43

movie.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:44

It really does.

Jamelle BouieHost

2:46

Shot by Uli Steiger.

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