Customer Reviews

Gojira / Godzilla, King of the Monsters

5 star:		(106)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are like most Americans, you have probably never seen the original, unadulterated "Godzilla" (Original title "Gojira." the name being a mix of the Japanese words for "gorilla" and "whale.") More familiar with the campy, badly dubbed and edited version that graced TV screens in the 70s, we have seen Raymond Burr awkwardly inserted into the plot, anti-American political sentiments removed, and a horde of mismatched dialogs and ridiculous translations. Well, we are in for a real treat!

The Japanese "Godzilla" is a serious film, starring Kurosawa veteran Takashi Shimura ("Seven Samurai," "Ikura"). (In fact, two of Shimura's films, "Godzilla" and "Seven Samurai" competed for the 1954 Japanese Academy Award for Best Picture.) Only nine years after the atomic bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the threat of nuclear power was very much in the minds of the average Japanese citizen. Contamination, mutation, radiation...this was far from science fiction. This is the fire from which sprang the King of Monsters.

In a now-familiar plot, American nuclear testing has given rise to a 150-foot tall engine of destruction, breathing atomic fire and hell-bent on destroying Tokyo before taking on the world. Assembling the army, and all of the modern science Japan can muster, they battle the rampaging monster to the inevitable conclusion.

Standing along side the original 1933 "King Kong," "Godzilla" is a classic monster movie, as well as a fine film in its own right. A suspenseful horror-drama, the acting, filming and special effects are all far above other entries in the genre. The black and white filming is used superbly, with the fire-cast shadows making the monster all the more menacing.

What is great about this set, is that not only do you get a restored and beautiful version of the original classic, you get an additional disk with the American edit complete with the stuffy professor Raymond Burr and the additional footage thought necessary for American audiences. It is a rare chance to compare the two versions, and see how politics in the US affected what audiences were allowed to view in the 1950s.

I have been waiting a long time for the original "Godzilla" to get a DVD release, and it is great to see it finally being treated with the respect it deserves.

Bottom line: If any of you grew up watching or watched recently: "Godzilla, King of the Monsters", the chopped up "U.S." version, take it out of your mind and forget about it. You are in for a cinematic masterpiece when this DVD releases. I had the honor of watching the original "Gojira" at a theater in my town. This is the film that started it all. When it was relased in the U.S., it was butchered, altered and changed into an average science fiction film with Raymond Burr fill-ins. He wasn't even in the original film. The original "Gojira" is a sci-fi/horror masterpiece. The film creates feelings of dread and sorrow. The "original" version is a much darker, sinister film. AWESOME! The film also focuses more on the suffering of the Japanese people during the atomic age. The film makes you feel their tension and suffering. There is one scene where Gojira is staring at a big ben style clock. He is staring at it for no apparent reason. The scene makes you wonder what Gojira is thinking at the time. Then, for no reason, he tries to take a bite out of it. That scene alone changes the feeling of the film to something more than a lumbering beast destroying everything. MUST SEE! MUST BUY!

After 52 years, the US finally receives an official home release for the original Gojira. Please forget everything you remember about the horrible US butchering and purchase this product.

The film is a scathing political commentary on the United States' practice of nuclear testing (and certainly the previous use) in the Pacific. The film is NOT a silly sci-fi about a giant angry monster attacking cities at random. There is a reason that the doomsday weapon used to kill Gojira is called the "Oxygen Destroyer" in perfect English.

Takashi Shimura, best known for his work with Akira Kurosawa, is terrific as usual. The musical score by Akira Ikifube is my personal favorite of his compositions.

Finally, English-speaking fans of Godzilla can see the original film, Gojira, in its original language without any of the American release edits. The print for this spectacular Japanese language with optional English subtitles release has been nicely cleaned up with most (but not all) of the flaws from the more than 50-year-old source material eliminated. The stereo mix of the soundtrack sounds great and you'll get chills just listening to the original Gojira roar over the opening credits! The second disc in the set contains the full length American version of the film, Godzilla. This is the English language theatrical release with Raymond Burr that we've all come to know and love.

The enclosed booklet has a wealth of information about the making of the film, both versions, and the extra features on the DVDs regarding the creation of the Gojira story, costume, and more are most welcome. If you're a fan of Godzilla, young or old, you will love this DVD set and at the very reasonable prices I've seen this set at, from about $13 to $16 as of this writing, it is a bargain you will enjoy for years to come. Take "the king of the monsters" home and pop it in your DVD player as soon as possible!

When I heard about this film finally being made available in its original form, it was immediately placed on my "must buy" list. That said, here are a few things the buyer may want to know when purchasing:

The subtitles are not the same as the ones used in the Rialto Pictures theatrical release of the film from two years ago. Frankly, I liked the Rialto translations better. I get the feeling that they were more accurate. These English translations seem to gloss over certain subjects, the most glaring to me being the train passengers discussing surviving Hiroshima/Nagasaki. I noticed no mention of this in these subtitles, but I remember Nagasaki was mentioned by name in the Rialto subtitles.

Another thing to note is that the subtitles can be turned on and off, but they are hard to read. A heavier, better font would have been preferable.

I was actually hoping that this film's presentation would be akin to the DVD release of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. That DVD had the original soundtrack, subtitles that could be turned on and off, as well as an alternative English soundtrack. I was hoping GOJIRA might have a new English soundtrack for those who don't like to "read the movie," but this is not available. Also, this disc is marketed in North America, but no French or Spanish subtitles are part of the package. I suspect this may be due to the lack of true accuracy in the English subtitle translations.

The special features are sparse, but they at least treat the film with respect and offer valuable information into the development of the film and the title character. Any prior releases of the film in its Americanized version have treated the film as mere schlock. Oh, and the Americanized version is in this package, too, but there is one difference: this version actually has end credits! In 30 years, I've never seen end credits for Godzilla, King of the Monsters.

Film quality was not a major concern to me at this time. What I wanted was the Japanese version of the movie, and that's what I got. Experience should tell us that if the consumer demand warrants it, this film will be released again with more features and a digitally cleaned up print.

One of the most popular movie monsters in the world comes to DVD. When several ships mysteriously disappear off the coast of Japan, authorities discover the existence of a 400-foot dinosaur that breaths radioactive fire. Spawned by recent atomic testing, the towering beast threatens to destroy the entire world. The DVD includes the original 1954 Japanese classic "Gojira" and the 1956 Americanized version "Godzilla, King of the Monsters". "Gojira" is a well paced creature feature that shares many similarities with the 1953 hit classic "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". The film's special effects are pretty crude but its message of the dangers of atomic testing is explicit. The classic Sci-Fi feature was a big success in Japan and launched countless sequels and remakes that turned Godzilla into one of the most recognizable icons of Japanese pop culture. For wide release in the United States, the Sci-Fi feature was edited with extra footage featuring Raymond Burr (TV's Perry Mason) and retitled "Godzilla, King of the Monsters".

For serious fans of the popular Japanese monster, "Goyira" Deluxe Collector's Edition is an absolute purchase. Both the Japanese and American versions are presented in their original full screen format. Despite some scratches and visible dust, the picture quality is better than I've expected. Its simple 2.0 Dolby Digital audio is fairly decent. The 2-Disc Deluxe Edition includes audio commentaries by experts about Godzilla and other Japanese movies, two short featurettes and original movie trailers. Overall, "Gojira" Deluxe Edition gets a "B".

If you've spent years wishing for a quality US release of Gojira, your long wait is over. Sony Classic Media has finally done justice to the world's most famous giant radioactive lizard.

This is one of the all-time monster classics, responsible for spawning a half-century of sequels (although none of them as starkly effective as the original). Unlike later movies where Gojira becomes the friend of children, this version is much darker, and the only way Gojira helps anyone is by sending them to the next world. The scenes where the monster destroys Tokyo in a sea of flames are genuinely disturbing. These images certainly resonated with a citizenry that had survived massive firebombings and two atomic bombs. The Oxygen Destroyer weapon (created by the iconic Dr. Serizawa) looks like something that might have come out of Los Alamos.

While I can't say how this transfer compares to other DVD versions of the movie, it looks pretty good to me. Images are generally clean and bright, with good contrast throughout. There is a problem with speckles, which becomes more apparent during the nighttime scenes and with some of the stock footage. On the good side, this version has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which means you get to see the top of Gojira's head (Rialto's recent release was in fake widescreen, which cut off the top part of many scenes). The subtitle translation from the Rialto version has been toned down, losing a reference to the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. The subtitles are all spelled correctly, but the letters are often too close together, especially when an "O" follows an "L" ("trilobite" looks like "tribbite").

Even the 1956 version of the film looks good. The new footage appears to have been contrast balanced to better match the original movie. (I had a video release several years back where the difference between the two film prints was like night and day.) While it's no secret the American version is weaker than the Japanese original, it's not entirely bad. Some scenes actually have better pacing, particularly Godzilla's appearance atop Odo Island. However, all of the scenes where Steve Martin interacts with the characters from the original movie (stand-ins are used) are painful to watch; the phone conversation with Dr. Serizawa is comically bad. Also, the voice actor dubbing Takashi Shimura is awful, and simply cannot say the word "phenomenon" correctly. Luckily, Akira Ifukube's groundbreaking score was also used in the American version of Godzilla.

While I haven't played the commentaries, the two documentaries are informative, especially the one on the creation of the Gojira suit. Both films also include their respective trailers. Interestingly, the Japanese version concentrates more on the characters, while the U.S. trailer is all about the monster. The packaging is very well-designed, and includes a nice booklet. It's all just the thing for passing some time on Monster Island.

OK........I've just finished watching this newly released DVD of the original Godzilla. First: It's about d@mn time this film made it here, officially, in its Japanese form. For that I am grateful. I've had a number of import releases and bootlegs of this film over the years and this is one of the better prints. The overall look seems crisper than some of the more washed out versions I've had. BUT....BUT...BUT....that is not to say this print here in this two disc set is prestine. Like the other comments that mention how scratchy & speckled this film is in many places....well....it's true. The box reads "Native Hi-Def Masters from 35MM Print". Now, I'm not at all too knowledgable about the specs on Hi-Def....but it just seems so unbelieveable that this was released as a Hi-Def print considering how jacked up it is. Are we to appreciate the speckling and such better with it in uber-clear form? BLEH! It doesn't even take close inspection to see that there doesn't seem to be -ANY- kind of restoration done to this print, which is unfortunate, because when you first get this set, the whole package is fantastically done, you really do get the impression that you're about to see a print like what they came up with for KING KONG '33 or even METROPOLIS considering the presentation is awesome. But no such luck.

The two DVD's are housed in a glossy-ish book style case.... like the Universal Monster Legacy set. Inside, you have the films on seperate discs. DISC ONE: The original film and Special Features. I haven't made it through the commentary yet and probably won't for awhile. But the one feature on the creation of the suit was pretty informative. The second piece on the evolution of the story was just as interesting, though in both, the narrator could've sounded a little less like he was reading off of a script. But still fun nonetheless (hey, fans gotta b' and moan;-) And if you're the narrator reading this, hey, I liked what ya did....just pep it up a tiny bit in places in the next release;-). Also, I noticed this film is cropped just a fraction tighter in the r & l sides of the frame than the other imports that I have. The difference is slight but it is there. On the 2nd disc is the Bradbury/American version and a coinciding commentary. The same lack of restoration seems apparent here, though it is much better IMO than the Simitar version. Also included is a cool thick booklet on the original Godzilla film with even more insight. Overall, the packaging was well thought out and is an excellent lesson to filmmakers and studios who can't get their **** together and just release both versions of the same film in one d@mn package so fans have a choice (no names of other Sci-Fi films here...*ahem*ahem*). THIS, is how classic films should be packaged.

Of course, if you are a fan of the classics, as said, you know that this is one of those films that took forever to make to American shores in DVD form (officially, that is). So with that in mind, no one can really complain that it is now here and available. But the downside is....I would have taken mediocre packaging to get a better restored film...& gawd forbid, I'd even take a (the mind boggles! the throat tightens!) but I'd take a cardboard snap case to get a cleaner print of this. I mean really.....it's not like we're asking for a restored print of KING KONG ESCAPES........this is the Grandaddy of them all and it deserved a better considering its legacy. But regardless, THANX to the powers that be for at least giving us this, I'm still quite excited to add this to the collection here. Maybe we'll get a true restoration when the real HD version is released years from now......and maybe someone will give a d@mn about cleaning this JP masterpiece up then. Until then....enjoy this one!

The only reason I didn't give this set five stars, is that neither of the films has been restored to the standards of what we have come to expect of special edition DVDs ( see the restored 1933 "King Kong" for an example ) . Both prints show wear, emulsion lines, dirt and lots of sparkle, but considering the raity of the source material, that is to be expected. I can also see a certain amount of charm in the flaws myself.

However, don't let the somewhat less than perfect quality of the films put you off from buying what has been a holy grail for Godzilla fans for years.

The commentary tracks on both films are insightful and informative, and the two featurettes on the creation of the story and the making of the suit are interesting and include some wonderful behind-the-scenes artwork and stills. My only negative comment on those would be that the commentary and the featurettes often cover the same information, making them seem a bit redundant at times, but they contain enough different info to keep them from being boring.

The packaging is tasteful and respectful. More of these films should be restored this way.

I've longed to see "Gojira," the original Japanese version of "Godzilla" for years and now, finally, it arrives on these shores. The framing story is basically the same as the Raymond Burr movie I grew up with, but the tone of the movie is so much more serious with the original referring to atomic testing and war. The scenes of Gojira's destruction of cities cannot help but recall footage of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are also scenes with doctors detecting radiation on children in the hospital, a child crying for her dead mother, and a mother cuddling her two children as Gojira approaches, telling them that they're about to join their father. All this and more gives "Gojira" much more gravity and, quite frankly, better quality than the Americanized version. Don't get me wrong, I'll always dig the Burr version, but the newly-released original can be truly called a classic.

There is also much more screen-time given to the characters of Serizawa and Yamane. Serizawa is shown having much more agony over his decision whether or not to use his invention to save Japan, but, here again the implications of atomic weaponry is revealed. Yamane is given more scenes where he bemoans the fact that Gojira is to be destroyed and not studied.

All that said, Gojira IS a monster film, no doubt. There is various footage I don't recall from the Burr version (I haven't watched the second disc yet), such as Gojira taking biting snaps at a clock tower he destroys; the creature attacking a tower where reporters are gathered (the scene is in the other version, but I don't recall Gojira chewing on the tower!); and if my memory serves, more Army scenes where Gojira takes cannon shots to the chest. He just seems so much more bestial here. The extras are very cool with features on the origins of the story and the making of the suit.

I must say that there is a ton of artifacts and snow on the film. I know it's from 1954 but couldn't they have cleaned it up a bit better? I don't recall the Japanese footage in the Burr version having so many lines and snow. I'll have to look at it, and my DVD of "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" to compare. That said, even with the grain, this is a must-buy for any Godzilla fan, any fan of Japanese cinema, or any straight-up movie lover. A winner and a great "get" for anyone's DVD collection.