Product Details

• Actors: Various
• Directors: Ishiro Honda
• Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Tokyo Shock
• DVD Release Date: November 8, 2011
• Run Time: 85 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (192 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B005G7WGFO
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,956 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When a malevolent race of Moonwomen try to put the big hurt on Earth, it's up to (take a deep breath) Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Anguilas, Minya, Manda, Baragon, and Spigas to resist their evil mind control and make the world safe for monster (and human) kind! Long unavailable on video, Destroy All Monsters is the crowning achievement of the Japanese monster genre, with wall-to-wall action, cheesily magnificent special effects, and a final nine-to-one battle royale (against the awesome three-headed dragon known to fans as King Ghidorah) that's guaranteed to get even the most passive viewer noisily bopping around the room. A badly dubbed, logic-defying, supremely gonzo blast, presented in a widescreen format that allows the watcher to see every single rubber scale. The original title for this quintessential creature bash translates as Godzilla Electric Battle Masterpiece, which just about says it all. --Andrew Wright

Product Description

The year is 1999, and all of Earth s monsters have been
captured and detained at Ogasawara Island. All is well
in the solar system until one day, a race of alien women
brainwashes the monsters and releases them, causing
havoc around the world. Godzilla attacks New York City,
Rodan invades Moscow, Mothra lays waste to Beijing,
Gorosaurus destroys Paris, and Manda attacks London!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great movie...but not with the original AIP voice-tracks. August 10, 2004

By ThatGuyAgain

Format:DVD

This is one of the greatest Godzilla movies ever produced, but this DVD version is far from perfect. Unfortunately, this is just a re-issue of the same DVD released a few years ago. The film transfer is exactly the same as the one previously released by ADV films, which has a recently re-dubbed mono soundtrack. The ADV soundtrack is much inferior to the one originally produced for American International Pictures in 1968, which featured an excellent voice-cast and a different script. Apparently the AIP version can't be published because the ownership rights are in limbo. Based on the cover notes, I bought this DVD believing it had the original AIP voice-tracks. No such luck. The folks at ADV deliberately stretch the truth. The cover art claims it's the "50th Anniversary Special Edition", but Destroy All Monsters was made in 1968, which makes this DVD issue the 36th anniversary for the film (in 2004). The 50th year, is a reference to the first Godzilla movie "Gojira" made in 1954, but the text makes no mention of Gojira or Godzilla. It also claims to contain "The original motion picture and soundtrack", which is misrepresentation. The original film was Japanese language, and this DVD isn't even the original English version. I would've been a lot less disappointed if they had at least given this version some chapter stops and stereo audio (which there isn't). There's not even a menu for this low budget version. If you try to hit the chapter advance button, the movie starts over from the beginning. There's no menus, no extras, no subtitles, no secondary audio tracks, no trailer, no nothing. The only thing that's different from ADV's first issue of this movie, is the cover art and the addition of a music CD. The CD contains 30 mono-audio music tracks from the movie soundtrack. The music score is wonderful, but the audio is not stereo and the fidelity is only fair. My point of contention is that ADV is trying to fool us into believing this movie has the original audio soundtrack, but instead gives you fine-print on the back mentioning an extra music CD. Buyer beware, if you already own the original release of this DVD, don't be fooled into thinking this is a different version.

81 of 85 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DEMAND THE ORIGINAL AIP VERSION December 2, 2004

By A. C. Cronvich

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I know this is a great movie and a pretty good DVD as well. But one thing is still wrong. THE DUBBING. This version has the lame (but admittadly not awful) international dub track done in Japan.
The American International version from 1969 had far superior
dubbing done in New York by Titra/Titan sound and featured
the voices of Peter (SPEED RACER) Fernandes, Jack Curtis and
Hal Linden amoung others. This is a tragic loss. The dialogue and
acting were so much better. What a shame.

KEEPING SCORE: The Monsters and where they came from.
Destroy All Monsters has a line-up of eleven giant monsters. Here are lists of the classic eleven, the ones who didn't make it into DAM and the ones who came later in the original series.
1) GODZILLA the king of all monsters from GODZILLA (1954-56)
2) MOTHRA giant telepathic caterpillar from the movie MOTHRA (1962)
3) RODAN flying pteranodon type creature from RODAN (1957)
4) ANGUIRUS armored dinosaur from GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER (aka GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN 1955)
5) MINYA (aka LITTLE GODZILLA) Godzilla's son from SON OF GODZILLA (1967)
6) MANDA sea serpent/dragon from ATRAGON (1963)
7) SPIGA (aka KUMONGA) the giant spider from SON OF GODZILLA (1967)
8) GOROSAURUS giant allosaurus type from KING KONG ESCAPES (1968)
9) VARAN a giant flying marine iguana from VARAN- THE UNBELIEVABLE (1959)
10) BARAGON a floppy eared subteranian dinosaur from FRANKENSTIEN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965)
11) KING GHIDORAH three headed alien/dragon from GHIDRAH- THE THREE HEADED MONSTER (1964)

These are the guys who were around at the time but, for whatever reason, didn't get to appear in DAM:
1) KING KONG from KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, KING KONG ESCAPES etc.
2) GIANT OCTOPUS from KING KONG VS. GODZILLA and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS
3)FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER from FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD
4) GAIRA the green gargantua from WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS
5) SANDA the brown gargantua from WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS
6) DAGORAH space alien from DAGORAH- THE SPACE MONSTER
7) EBIRAH giant shrimp/lobster from GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER
8) GIANT CONDOR from GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER
9) GIANT SEA SNAKE from KING KONG ESCAPES
10) MECHANIKONG robot ape from KING KONG ESCAPES
11) MOGUERA mechanIcal mole from THE MYSTERIANS
12) MAGUMA giant prehistoric walrus from GORATH
13) KAMAKIRAS (aka GIMANTIS) from SON OF GODZILLA.

Then there are these guys, who came after DAM so they could not participate in the fun. Even though, chronologicaly, DAM takes place
after these guys appeared (1999):
1) KROIGA a giant winged lion with a human brain from LATITUDE ZERO.
2) HEDORAH the smog monster from GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH
3) GIGAN alien cyborg from GODZILLA VS. GIGAN
4) MEGALON subteranian cyborg insect from GODZILLA VS MEGALON
5) JET JAGUAR size changing humanoid robot from GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
6) KING CEASAR living shisa statue from GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA
7) MECHAGODZILLA (aka MG) alien cyborg duplicate of the king from GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA.
8) TITANOSAURUS aquatic dinosaur from TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA
9) MECHAGODZILLA 2 (aka MG2) rebuilt/redesigned MG from TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA.
10) GEZORA giant amphibius cuttlefish from YOG- MONSTER FROM SPACE.
11) KAMEBAS giant fanged(?) turtle from YOG- MONSTER FROM SPACE
12) GANIMES giant crab from YOG- MONSTER FROM SPACE
13) YOG glowing telepathic space amaeba from YOG- MONSTER FROM SPACE.
14) GABARA gargling blue cat/toad monster from GODZILLA'S REVENGE

Here are the third generation of monsters from the 80s & 90s:
1) BIOLLANTE geneticaly engineared plant monster from GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE
2) MECHA KING GHIDORAH time traveling cyborg from GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH
3) BATTRA giant black moth from GODZILLA AND MOTHRA: BATTLE FOR THE EARTH
4) FIRE RODAN radioactive pterisaur from GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA II
5) SPACE GODZILLA space traveling Godzilla clone from GODZILLA VS. SPACEGODZILLA
6) MOGUERA (aka MOGERA) updated transforming version of the mole robot from THE MYSTERIANS, appeared in GODZILLA VS. SPACE GODZILLA
7) DOSTOROYAH flying mutating crab monster from GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH
8) DESGHIDORAH (aka DEATH GHIDORAH) three headed quadrped from REBIRTH OF MOTHRA
9) DAGARAH parasite producing sea monster from REBIRTH OF MOTHRA 2

And finally, the fourth generation of monsters:
1) ZILLA skinny Godzilla from the american movie GODZILLA (1998)
2) BABY ZILLAS numerous ofspring of ZILLA from GODZILLA (1998)
3) ORGAH laser shooting alien from GODZILLA 2000
4) MEGAGUIRAS mutant dragonfly from GODZILLA VS, MEGAGUIRAS
5) MONSTER X (aka KEISER GHIDORAH) shape changing alien from
GODZILLA : FINAL WARS

I hope this list was useful to young Godzilla fans.

54 of 56 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Review of the ACTUAL product November 9, 2011

By Stephen M. Lerch TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

Unlike many of the currently posted reviews, I'm going to be reviewing the actual release, rather than speculating or complaining about the cover EDIT-Amazon now lists the proper cover shot as to what was used on the release).

I received my Blu Ray of Destroy All Monsters today and promptly dropped it into the Blu Ray player.

I commend Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock for releasing this one.

From a story perspective, all the giant monsters are collected on a single island (Monster Island) for research purposes. Contact is lost with the control facility and what is discovered is that a race of aliens has taken control of the giant monsters. The giant monsters are sent to many different cities across the world and the human race must then wrestle control of the giant monsters back from the aliens. Fun stuff!

Video:

I'm torn here. I really, really wanted to love this release. What is there is 1080p HD in name, but the detail quality seems kind of low. I don't know what happened, but the colors seem washed out and faded while there are some instances of dust and dirt to be seen. Interestingly enough, you can still see the control cables and wires used for various special effects, so perhaps this was the best that could be done with it? I've read (and a commenter stated the possibility) that the source was a 35mm print.

In my mind, the Blu Ray doesn't look to be much better than an upscaled DVD. I don't have the Media Blasters DVD to compare directly, so I don't know if it really is an upscale or not, but every indication points to this being a true HD source.

Disappointing from an HD perspective certainly. If this is the same quality that was released in Japan (can't verify myself, sorry), then that tells me it is a source issue, but I don't know because I can't compare.

Forums I've been to indicate this is the same master used on the Japanese release, but take that for what it is worth without validation.

Audio:

5.1 Japanese, along with 2.0 Japanese and English 2.0 (2 audio streams for English). I watched in Japanese 5.1 and the music and effects seem to be well separated in the front speakers, while the rear channels barely got much use. Since this was original recorded in 2.0 stereo anyway, I flipped over and I have to say the stereo separation is just about as good in my mind as the 5.1 in Japanese.

I spot checked the English audio tracks and they seem to be on par in terms of audio quality as the Japanese. In terms of the quality of the English dub, I leave that to others to decide. Seems OK to me, but I expect hokey English on my giant monster movies anyway!

Based on a comment on my review, I went back to check the English dub. I can confirm, without question, that BOTH the AIP AND the "International" Toho dub are, in fact, on this disc. Both English tracks are, however, in 2.0 Stereo ONLY. There is no 5.1 English dub. Not that most people who wanted the AIP dub would care that much, considering the film was in 2.0 stereo originally anyway.

Packaging:

For those of you in love with the image Amazon has up, be prepared to be disappointed. Or not, if you hated it. From the time it was displayed here to time of release, the cover has been changed. If you check out the Destroy All Monsters wikipedia entry, this release uses the poster artwork displayed there. It looks good to me.

Otherwise the packaging is pretty bare bones. No inserts in the case or anything. Serviceable, but at $30 MSRP I'd have hoped for something a little better.

Extras:

Commentary is pretty good. Very nice to have it included.

All of the trailers are in standard definition, which is OK I suppose.

All of the Extras content is 480i and NOT 1080p.

You get original trailers (English, Japanese, French (poor audio quality), RADIO spots for the AIP dub (English only with still images from the film) ), a storyboard image gallery, an 8mm reel from AIP (quality is poor, but it's still really cool to see this!) and image gallery.

In my original Amazon review I ended up passing over a lot of the extras, so for that, I am terribly sorry.

The extras on this disc are pretty fantastic in my mind. Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock put a lot of love into pulling together all of this material.

Final Verdict:

Destroy All Monsters is one of the best Godzilla movies around. It deserves to be owned, certainly. The Blu Ray release is probably the prettiest release the movie has seen, though that's not saying much with some of the previous releases.

I've given it 4 stars because of the sloppy video (possibly not Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock's fault, I don't know). What is outstanding is the audio. Video drops the review by a star.

If you don't already own it and enjoy the film, this is definitely worth picking up. If you are OK with the video quality on prior release and don't care about the AIP dub, keep your money.

If you want the AIP English dub, this is THE release to get.

Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock did an outstanding job on this release. Pulling together the trailers, the radio spots and even the commentary shows me that they actually appreciate the release as much as many fans. The video quality is the only mar on an outstanding release and it is something I can look past, as I've since learned that the video is from Toho's own remastered (in 2008) video.

If you are a Godzilla fan, this is definitely worth the purchase price without question.