Nickofdoom

I am just putting the finishing touches on completety replacing all of my VHS with DVDs. My current project is replacing all of my Godzilla movies. I've found that there are a few that are not avalible, but one that suprised me is Godzilla 1984/85, which was a direct sequel to the origial movie. Does anyone know why it's not out? (Don't say because it sucks, there are a lot of Godzilla movies that suck far worse that this one that are avalible) Any rumor about it's release? THanks in advance!

sparks

Isn't the direct sequel to Godzilla called in the U.S. "Gigantis the Fire Monster" and in Japan "Godzilla Raids Again?"

The Valeyard

Yes it is. There was a whole series of Godzilla films in-between Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla 1984/85 (The Showa Series).

When Godzilla 1984/85 was made, it wiped away all the previous films except for the original Godzilla film and started from scratch. So essentially, Godzilla 84/85 IS the direct sequel to Godzilla (1954) within the film itself.

Toho started doing this again after the end of the Heisei Series (right before the American version of Godzilla). They started their Millennium series (which includes 6 films) which each film is connected by only one film - the original 1954 film. Each film in this series is a direct sequel to the original.

I'm sure you didn't need all that information. Sorry!

cultshock

That's OK. If you didn't bring all that up, I probably would have.

Not sure what the deal with GODZILLA 1984/85 is. Wasn't Anchor Bay supposed to be releasing it at one point? Does Sony/Columbia own the US distribution rights to ALL the Godzilla films now, or do some films still have some convoluted legal rights issues that need to be worked out?

josepotato

A.D.V. just rereleased Destroy All Monsters back in May so I'm sure there are a few out there that Sony doesn't have the rights to.

cultshock

Oh yeah, thanks, I forgot all about DAM.

sparks

Didn't A.D.V. screw up on the release "DAM?" It was supposed to be anamorphic widescreen but we only got the widescreen.

It really is a pleasure watching these in the original Japanese language to be able to hear all the sounds of the original recording.

Reading the subtitles didn't take long to get used to. I can't wait for the original when it finally comes out on DVD, if ever.

I did see the original the first of this year when Rialto? was sending it around to theaters for a special showing. A beautiful print except for the first 2 reels that weren't as good as the rest of the film.

JordanGLC

The exception in the Millenium series is Godzilla: Tokyo SOS which is the direct sequel of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla.

Gojira '54/Godzilla King of the Monsters '56 - Classic Media. They are supposed to put out the original subtitled 1954 movie out on DVD in '05, but they won't be using the materials form the Rialto theatrical release of this year.

Godzilla Raids Again/Gigantis the Fire Monster - Classic Media (reportedly). I say reportedly because it's been out on the net that they got the home video rights beginning in '05, but no official statement has been released about it.

King Kong vs. Godzilla - Universal

Mothra vs. Godzilla - Classic Media

Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster - Classic Media. (see Godzilla Raids Again)

Monster Zero - Classic Media. No DVD release on this yet. People have received emails from CM that they are going to put this out, but no official announcement as of yet.

Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster - Sony. DVD out 2/05.

Son of Godzilla - Sony

Destroy All Monsters - ADV

Godzilla vs. Hedorah - Sony

Godzilla's Revenge - Classic Media

Godzilla vs. Gigan - Sony

Godzilla vs Megalon - still up for grabs as far as i know

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla - Sony

Terror of Mechagodzilla - Classic Media

Godzilla 84/85 - I've never read a definitive answer to this one. Anchor Bay put it out on VHS years ago but I think they're now defunct, and who acquired their catalog is a bit of a mystery.

Godzilla vs. Biollantte - Miramax. Have heard zilch about any DVD release from them.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah to present - Sony

cultshock

Thanks for the very thorough listing. For some reason, I kept thinking that Sony owned Classic Media (them being a Sony budget label or something) but I guess that's not the case, and they are different companies.

Anchor Bay is still around, but I have no idea if they still have any licence to release Godzilla 1985. I'm guessing probably not. And who knows what the deal is with Biollantte? I think that Miramax originally bought the rights, and then HBO released the video and LD, under licence from Miramax. Knowing Miramax, I wouldn't be surprised if they sat on this film for years with no DVD release for no reason whatsoever.

The Valeyard

D'oh! I stand corrected. I should have remembered that while typing.


As for Anchor Bay, I recall them announcing that Godzilla 84/85 would be released in two ways - Single Disc with the American Release and a Two-Discer with both the American and original Japanese Release. Kind of like how they released Army of Darkness & Supergirl back in the day (Around 1999 or 2000).

Then one day, Godzilla fell off their schedule. Someone (I think it might have been DVDTalk) posted that they sent an e-mail to Anchor Bay and they responded that they couldn't work out the deal with Toho. Kind of like when Criterion was trying to release the non-American Godzilla and Toho set the price WAY too high.

It seems Toho is starting to relax a bit with their Gojira releases.

Andrew

cactusoly

does anyone know if Final Wars continues from Godzilla Tokyo SOS or it is only tied to the original as well?

The Valeyard

I was at the Final Wars premiere earlier this month and honestly, Final Wars seems like a "sequel" to the entire Showa Series. Everyone knows who each monster is (with the exception of Gigan & Monster X) and the opening credits has flashbacks to EVERY version of Godzilla (from '54 to '03). As the film goes on, we see flashbacks to War of the Gargantua and some other non-Godzilla related films. The whole film felt more like a tribute to that era than a sequel to any of the previous films.

Well, to me at least.

Andrew

Steve Phillips

I wouldn't worry about the Rialto materials not being used for a potential R1 version of GOJIRA. I've got the subtitled R4 DVD (with a double feature with the US version) and the print on the DVD is equal to or even superior to the Rialto version I saw in a theatre recently.

If Toho regains the U.S. rights to GODZILLA 1985, we may end up with the International English version called RETURN OF GODZILLA instead of the Americanized "Dr. Pepper" version with Raymond Burr added. I'd like to see both versions on DVD.

buckee1

I picked this disc up as well and the transfer was much better than I expected.

B5Erik

I would love to see a Godzilla 1985/Gojira 1984 two disc set. While I would imagine that the original Japanese version is better in many ways I still want to be able to watch the version that I saw in the theaters and on home video over the last 19 years.

I can't wait for Godzilla VS the Sea Monster in widescreen! I love that movie, and I've never had the opportunity to see it in it's OAR. Most Godzilla movies look HORRIBLE in pan & scam. I just hope that Sony puts out Godzilla VS King Ghidora and Godzilla VS Mothra in widescreen someday.

cultshock

That's a good description of GODZILLA FINAL WARS, it felt that way to me as well. A kind of wrapping up of everything, almost a coda, rather than a sequel to any film in particular. Most of the monsters just appear out of nowhere and already seem to be established in this film's "universe" (except Gigan and Monster X/Kaiser-Ghidorah as you mention). I have kind of mixed feelings about the film as a whole (I need to see it again, with English subs this time), but the opening credits, that go through most of the films and various incarnations of Goji, are totally kick ass. (and the credits are in English)

Centurion

Which version or year exactly are you referring to?

cultshock

I'm assuming that he's referring to the 1991 and 1992 films. The current double feature DVD is full screen and dubbed only. Sony definitely needs to revisit these two films.

B5Erik

I was referring to those two titles from '91 & '92. Sony really dropped the ball on that release. The following Godzilla VS Space Godzilla and Godzilla VS Destroyer double feature was anamorphic widescreen, so I don't get why they gave the other two the pan & scam treatment (especially considering just how much the entire widescreen frame was used throughout much of those movies).

I want almost all of the Godzilla movies on DVD in anamorphic widescreen (I'll skip Megalon, probably....unless it's really cheap).

Godzilla 1985 is high on my wish list.

Centurion

OK, thanks for clarifying.
I've got this double feature as well. I also wish that they would include the original Japanese soundtrack and the English dub as an option.
Tristar really blew it with this one.