63 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
So very sad, September 23, 2002
This review is from: Godzilla - The Ultimate Collection (Godzilla, King of the Monsters/Godzilla vs. Mothra/Godzilla's Revenge/Terror of Mechagodzilla/Rodan) (DVD)
Part of me is really pleased that these classics are available on the market again (and Rodan on DVD for the first time!). And the box design is truly nice, the best that kaiju films have ever seen in the U.S.
But Classic Media (and Toho, and Sony) should be ashamed of themselves for the really poor quality of the transfer itself. Others have written plenty here about it, and I couldn't agree more. For the first time, I will actually be holding onto my VHS versions as the sound and image quality of some of my VHS is far better than what was presented here. Of course, what do we expect for [money] But I think many of us would *gladly* pay twice as much for just *one* of these movies presented with a clean image, widescreen if available, subtitled original available, and decent extras (well, maybe not for Godzilla's Revenge ;-)
I had really hoped for so much more, especially as these might preceed some release from Sony/CTHE of the more recent (and excellent) films "Godzilla vs Megagairus" and "Godzilla|Mothra|King Ghidorah". But disasters like this set, the American GINO film, and the general treatment of Godzilla movies over the years leads me to believe that those who control this market just don't care about the property, or those who love it.
So I'd like to see the set sell well so that Godzilla continues to get the exposure deserved, and perhaps to encourage the studios involved to provide us with better quality product...
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Few Shortcomings, But Still Fun, June 27, 2004
This review is from: Godzilla - The Ultimate Collection (Godzilla, King of the Monsters/Godzilla vs. Mothra/Godzilla's Revenge/Terror of Mechagodzilla/Rodan) (DVD)
A lot of people are dwelling on the negatives of this box set, but I want to talk about the positives. Maybe it isn't truly the ultimate collection, but it's enjoyable, and the quality is far better than was available on video, and unbelievably better than watching it on late night UHF television in the 1960s and 1970s.
I too, subtracted a star for the lack of widescreen format, although, to me that is largely irrelevant, as this is the way I remember these films from when I saw them on TV as a kid. I have seen a lot of complaints about dirty and abused transfers, but, honestly, I think the DVD quality looks reasonable for films of this age, certainly better than many films of this vintage that are currently available on DVD. All told, my assessment of the prints is that they aren't perfect, but they are still very enjoyable to watch, and more than adequate.
As far as the collection itself goes, I might have made other choices for the five movies, likely leaving out 'Terror of Mechagodzilla', and 'Godzilla's Revenge' (although if you have kids, 'Revenge' is a good way to initially expose them the Godzilla.) It is wonderful to see 'Rodan' in the collection. To my recollection, this is the first time 'Rodan' has been on DVD, so for that alone, the set is worth the money.
It is easy to pick these movies apart from a technical point of view, or to endlessly argue about which movies would be better included in an "ultimate" collection, but until someone releases the entire series in widescreen, with tons of extras, you can't make everybody happy, and even then, people will be complaining about the $200 price tag.
Take this set for what it is: five fun monster movies. With that in mind, sit back, relax, and enjoy.
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28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing..., November 24, 2002
This review is from: Godzilla - The Ultimate Collection (Godzilla, King of the Monsters/Godzilla vs. Mothra/Godzilla's Revenge/Terror of Mechagodzilla/Rodan) (DVD)
I've waited for years for someone to do the original Godzilla series justice but obviously I'll have to wait longer. This is an unusual selection, probably due to copyright laws; two of the most dismal episodes in the series, "Terror of Mechagodzilla" & "Godzilla's Revenge", make it into what is called the 'Ultimate Collection'. Terrible transfers, video-quality sound and no widescreen presentations. It pains me that American distributors continue to treat these classic films as unworthy of serious attention. Anyone who has experienced the pure joy of "Son of Godzilla", "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster", "Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster", "Ghidrah the Tree-Headed Monster" or "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster" will share my disappointment in this DVD box set. I would love to get the entire series in widescreen and especially with the option to view the films as they appeared in the original Japanese as well as the English dubs. Special features? I'd even sacrifice those for a clean transfer and 5.1 surround sound. This isn't to suggest that this box set contains any special features, just the occasional trailer and the ubiquitous advertisement for a Godzilla-themed video game. What I wouldn't give for the chance to see "Godzilla King of the Monsters" in the original Japanese and without the Raymond Burr scenes! Someday...
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