Giantrobo

This Thursday is the last day here in LA. I'm going to try to see it.

Pants

How likely is a Criterion release?

Criterion has released nearly every other Rialto Pictures theatrical re-release.

Giles

last week at AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring Maryland! ends June 3rd!

blahloney

I'm in LA but unfortunately I can't watch this... so I really really hope Criterion or even Sony Classics will give us an DVD...

FWIW: listen to this ... on NPR ->FreshAir Interview

Giantrobo

I saw it last night and it was pretty good. Granted the pacing was much slower than the US version but you get to see more of the relationships between characters. For instance, if you recall the scene on the island when the boy's parents are smashed in their house after the boy runs out? Well, it was his brother and their mom. All these years I though it was his parents. Another thing that was interesting to hear had to do with people talking about Nagasaki and the H-bomb which was cut out of the US version. This added a weird vibe to the film IMHO.

I did get a bit annoyed by folks laughing at certain things in the film like the SFX, the acting, and other things. I overheard a woman complaining about a woman who kept giggling next to her so I didn't feel so uptight about wanting to "shhh" folks when they laughed. That's not to say there weren't any funny parts, but they were few and far between.

The aftermath scenes were much darker than the US version because it didn't have "Ironsides" droning on. You really felt the horror and sadness because frankly they showed more of it. This Godzilla was no joke.

Calvin

If you really want to see a movie that was altered, try viewing both versions of Varan the Unbelievable.

It's literally two different movies.

JordanGLC

I got a chance to see this twice in San Francisco when it played at the Castro. What a great experience. I had never seen the original uncut 1954 version. Just a much, much more powerful movie. Anyone who has a chance to catch this should do so. Here's a quick blurb from Fangoria about how well this movie did on opening weekend in SF and NY. Here's Rialto's site if you want to check if it will be screening near you.

Gojira is 98 minutes. Godzilla King of the Monsters is 80 minutes, and that's including all the Burr footage.

You won't catch me poo-pooing GKOTM though. That movie was instrumental in Godzilla becoming internationally known.

Hey Giantrobo and blahloney, either of you going to the 50th Anniversary Film Fest at the Egyptian later this month? I'm flying down from Sacto and I am psyched!

Julie Walker

It is playing June 18th-July 1st at Oak Street Cinema in Minneapolis. I may try to catch this.

I have never been a big G fan..and never saw the entire thing of the U.S. version since it was so corny and obviouslly cut up. All the add on Burr scenes were a hoot,since they were so obvious.

I would be interested in seeing the original version though. So if I have some extra cash and the night off,I may swing by and check it out.

Any chance of a R1 release of this version?

Giantrobo

The Egyptian? I'm not sure.

chente

This is finally making the rounds here in San Diego where I saw it on Friday. It is a very different movie than the Raymond Burr version. Overall, I think it is a much darker film. A lot more time was spent developing the main characters than in the US release version. The pace is a bit slower and as Giantrobo said, there were a lot more references to the Atomic Bomb which really changed the flavor of the movie. Also, was the ending changed? I don't remember how the americanized version ends, but this ending seemed new to me.

When it came down to it, the highlight of the film for me was definitely still Godzilla just going nuts in Tokyo. I hope this eventually does get a good DVD release as I'll definitely pick it up.

BTW, I was shocked at how bad the print was, hopefully the flaws were mostly in the print and not on the original elements.

I'm seriously considering attending the Egyptian gala this month if I can free up some time.

milo bloom

Just got back from the Music Box Theatre in downtown Chicago. The differences in the two cuts are amazing. I got a lot of 9/11 vibes from many scenes, and just an overall more horrified feeling.

There were some gigglers at the showing too, mostly at G's first appearance (over the hill with the bad compositing) and then with the strings the jet's missles were on.

But then several people clapped when it was over also, so I think it might have made a difference.