Godzilla on DVD and Blu-ray

[HerrSchreck]

I wouldn't hold my breath. I could see Mothra V Gojira, owing to it's grim sense of gloom punctuated by that incredible Ifukube score (and probably the most badass/sinister Gojira suit with Nakajima at his most deft) . . . but the silliness of the Kong film keeps it a bit too... thin and fluffy?

That said, don't get me wrong. I love em all.

Even (cough) the ones with little Minilla.

[EddieLarkin]

King Kong vs. Godzilla is the only remaining Showa series entry that is still unavailable in an official Japanese language/English subtitled release. And that's not just the States, but the whole world. So Criterion could perhaps justify such a "fluffy" film entering the collection on that basis. But I think if we ever do see the film on Blu-ray, it's probably more likely that Universal do it themselves as a tie in with the new 2014 film, though it would probably just be the English language cut again.

In other Godzilla news, Media Blasters posted on their Facebook today that they have sorted out the licencing issues with Toho that basically killed their DAM and Megalon Blu-rays from a while back. So hopefully that means Megalon on Blu-ray and a reissue of the DAM Blu-ray (which I missed before the prices skyrocketed). Hopefully them being on good terms with Toho again will lead to the first Japanese language/English subtitled release of Godzilla 1984.

[dwk]

SciFi Japan's Keith Aiken posted over at the Toho Kingdom forums that Toho is waiting for some legal issue to expire before they license Godzilla 1984 to anyone.

[HerrSchreck]

Yeah, I think that's almost certainly going to come out through Universal. They released the English version on DVD--a good quality one, at least as PQ goes anyway.. I own it-- and paired it in a mini-set with King Kong Escapes. The English dub of that one too, of course.

And it's not difficult to acquire all the versions of Godzilla 1984 if one knows where to look.

[EddieLarkin]

I have the Region 3 release, but it's non-anamorphic and its English subs share the screen with Cantonese ones (and don't appear to be very accurate). I imagine there are better bootlegs around. My King Kong vs. Godzilla bootleg isn't half bad.

How's the English dub of King Kong Escapes? I've never seen the film, but it's my understanding it started as an American production, intended to be a film adaptation of the Hanna-Barbera The King Kong Show, but they eventually decided to hand it off to Toho. I notice some of the leads are American actors so I assume the "dub" isn't as out of place sounding as most others?

[Orlac]

I have the Region 3 release, but it's non-anamorphic and its English subs share the screen with Cantonese ones (and don't appear to be very accurate). I imagine there are better bootlegs around. My King Kong vs. Godzilla bootleg isn't half bad.

How's the English dub of King Kong Escapes? I've never seen the film, but it's my understanding it started as an American production, intended to be a film adaptation of the Hanna-Barbera The King Kong Show, but they eventually decided to hand it off to Toho. I notice some of the leads are American actors so I assume the "dub" isn't as out of place sounding as most others?

King Kong Escapes was a co-production with Rankin Bass. Aside from lead Rhodes Rheason, all the male parts are done by Paul Frees and are pretty decent. Unfortunatly, gorgeous female leads Linda Miller and Mie Hama was dubbed by Julie Bennet in what only be described as a bizzare collision of a five year old boy, an aging secretary and Ertha Kitt.

The biggest mystery is how Dr. Who (a villian on the cartoon show) went from being a bald man with a large cranium and thick glasses to be being a dead ringer for William Hartnell's Doctor Who!

[ntnon]

Has anybody heard anything - further to this post which says that Westchester have the rights to at least four other Godzilla films - about a potential Godzilla Box Set.

Wikipedia has been edited to suggest that one is forthcoming, but I can't locate a source for the rumour...

For discussion, the unsourced list from Wikipedia currently reads:

Godzilla/Godzilla: King Of The Monsters (1954)
Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
All Monsters Attack (1969)
Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

[manicsounds]

A few months ago there was a rumor that Shout Factory picked up some Godzilla films, and they were listed on the Wikipedia page. They were immediately removed though.

Anyway, I looked and Westchester films distributes theatrically only right?

[dwk]

A couple of weeks ago, some troll started to spread rumors that Criterion said that they had licensed the other Godzilla films from Westchester but Curtis Tsui told Scifi Japan's Keith Aiken that, as far as he knows, Criterion hasn't acquired any more Godzilla films.

[rspaight]

The Classic Media DVDs of those titles still seem to be in print, or at least they're available on Amazon. With the new one coming out, though, who knows what machinations are underway.

[HerrSchreck]

The only titles I could reasonably see coming to CC is the already mentioned Mothra Vs Goji, and Gojira V Hedorah because of it's bizarre and hugely cinematic qualitity (great color palette).

[rspaight]

Hedorah/Smog Monster is such a freakish delight. If CC was going to do another Godzilla title, that would be the one I'd like to see, both because of its backstory and that I think movie lovers outside the usual Kaiju audience would enjoy it.

[CSM126]

As long as they retain the English-dub "Save the Earth" song, I'm totally down for Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster.

[matrixschmatrix]

I would really love to see Godzilla Vs. King Kong, both because it seems to be the least available of the Showa series and because it seems like you could do a lot of fun extras with it- and it seems like it would lure Kalat back for another commentary.

[HerrSchreck]

I could write for hours about Hedorah/Smog Monster. First of all, there's the monster, who is literally a heap of shit in one form, then a flying vagina in another. The scene where he farts blurbling diahrrea all over a helpless Godzilla in the pit ranks up there among the greatest Below The Radar scat videos of all time. Then you get the incredibly absurd backwards flight of Godzilla in the climactic battle scene.

Then there is the design and execution of the film, a completely manic acid trip utterly unlike any other film in the canon, including the rampantly strange Dogora. The music, which practically mocks our heroic Godzilla like a drunken shmo everytime he arrives via a farting, laughing horn section, is about as far away from the standard Ifukube emotional awesomeness as one can get-- which is the perfect move considering the anomaly that this film represents. The concept of little tadpoles drifting together and joining and becoming a larger entity--exponentially--is just awesome. And the concept of garbage water fermenting and coming to life via these little baby Hedorah tadpole organisms replicates a strange recurring dream image I've been having all my life about squiggly eel-like organisms forming in old stagnant brown water which formerly hosted no life, and therefore resonates in a creepy subconscious level for me every time (yeah I have really eerie, strange dreams; I think that one began stemming from my guilty hatred of doing dishes and letting them sit... and sit).

I could write on and on about how completely original this film is versus not only the rest of the Toho canon but kaiju in general. It's a real cinematic delight, gorgeously shot and uniquely executed (Toho execs were so freaked out by the film that there was an instant studio edict never allowing Yoshimitsu Banno near the franchise ever again, thus he never did another). It's a real gem that never fails to bug me out on a rainy afternoon.

[ntnon]

A couple of weeks ago, some troll started to spread rumors that Criterion said that they has licensed the other Godzilla films from Westchester but Curtis Tsui told Scifi Japan's Keith Akin that, as far as he knows, Criterion hasn't acquired any more Godzilla films.

Fair enough. Thanks for that. :)

[Evan]

I also second the notion of GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH, for all of the reasons mentioned above and then some. One, director Yoshimitsu Banno is still alive, as is special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano. A director approved restoration is possible, as well as a possible audio commentary and other special features. The metaphoric imagery, animated cut aways, and what not is great auteur work. Particularly the use of mis-en-scene in two instances: 1.) When Hedorah is swimming one foggy night towards the mainland, with only a couple of lights in the background standing for infrastructure, very atmospheric. 2.) A wide shot of the kaiju fighting in the country side where we don't see the kaiju, just the explosions from their beams.

In the same breath, I'd say its more imperitive that Criterion, maybe with the help of the World Cinema Foundation, release as a "Godzilla vol. 2" the 1977 Luigi Cozzi colorized version of GODZILLA, and the Filipino film TOKYO 1960. TOKYO 1960, from what limited materials we have, seems to be a version of GODZILLA where the Japanese leads have been cut out and replaced by Fillipino alternates. Part of Godzilla's enduring appeal (though with an international niche crowd) is the relevancy of GODZILLA's tale to many cultures. The American cut made it more accesable to Americans, and similar can be said of TOKYO 1960 and maybe Luigi Cozzi's colorized edit of GODZILLA. If Criterion was to release these films, they would not only be the first to release onto any home video format (be expecting a lot of orders), but also a major preservationist achievement with TOKYO 1960.

[EddieLarkin]

Godzilla vs. Hedorah coming to Blu-ray from Section23, along with Ebirah: Horror of the Deep and Godzilla vs. Gigan

Also, according to a HTF poster, Sony apparently confirmed to him that they have Godzilla catalog releases of their own to come this year.

[captveg]

Makes sense. Why not cash in on the new Warner film's marketing exposure?

[Askew]

Here's hoping Universal jumps on the bandwagon too and releases King Kong vs. Godzilla on bluray.

[rspaight]

Here's hoping Universal jumps on the bandwagon too and releases King Kong vs. Godzilla on bluray.

With the Japanese/international/whatever version, finally. I think that's the only one from the Showa series that isn't available that way.

[HerrSchreck]

Godzilla vs. Hedorah coming to Blu-ray from Section23, along with Ebirah: Horror of the Deep and Godzilla vs. Gigan

Also, according to a HTF poster, Sony apparently confirmed to him that they have Godzilla catalog releases of their own to come this year.

All good news. I love em all. Here's hoping they get to some of those lesser known but equally excellent Toho kaiju titles--much of which was handled by the then-great Tokyo Shock/Media Blasters--like Frankenstein v Baragon (Frank Conquers The World), Matango, Dogora, Atragon, Varan. I love em all, even the redheaded stepchild Varan.

And don't even get me started on the lost cause that seems to be the majesterial Daimajin trilogy. I consider myself lucky to have that icky Rubber Suit triple disc edition in original subbed Japanese and horrific orange subs.

[EddieLarkin]

I fucking love Matango. Huge thanks to Mr. Kalat for turning me onto that one. Unfortunately it's just not something I can ever see making it to Blu-ray. Though really I should just be happy we have it on an anamorphic, correct aspect ratio and properly subtitled DVD.

[criterion10]

Godzilla vs. Hedorah coming to Blu-ray from Section23, along with Ebirah: Horror of the Deep and Godzilla vs. Gigan

I've never heard of Section23 before, but I do know that Sony did have the rights to these films at one point (they released both Hedorah and Gigan on DVD), so I wonder how/why they lost the rights to them and if this applies to any other of their Godzilla films.

[dwk]

Regarding what Sony still has, Keith Aiken posted the following at the Monster Zero fourms:

I was able to check Sony's film and home video records for the Toho films they currently own... the info even included when the rights would be up for renewal. They have all rights (theatrical, home video, streaming, television) in North America and assorted other territories for the following titles...

H-MAN (In Perpetuity)
BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (In Perpetuity)
MOTHRA (In Perpetuity)
GODZILLA VS KING GHIDORAH (Renewal Date: 2019)
GODZILLA AND MOTHRA (Renewal Date: 2019)
GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA II (Renewal Date: 2023)
GODZILLA VS SPACE GODZILLA (Renewal Date: 2023)
GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH (Renewal Date: 2023)
REBIRTH OF MOTHRA (Renewal Date: 2023)
REBIRTH OF MOTHRA II (Renewal Date: 2023)
REBIRTH OF MOTHRA III (Renewal Date: 2025)
GODZILLA 1998 (In Perpetuity)
GODZILLA 2000 (Renewal Date: 2025)
GODZILLA VS MEGAGUIRUS (Renewal Date: 2023)
GMK (Renewal Date: 2023)

Sony also has all rights except theatrical for...

GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA
GODZILLA: TOKYO SOS
GODZILLA: FINAL WARS