Some years back, Criterion announced that it was looking into acquiring the rights to release a DVD of GOJIRA, the original un-altered, Japanese version of the 1955 flick GODZILLA. Months went by and finally Criterion said that the project was dead, as they could not reach a deal with Toho.

Well, I think the DVD may soon see the light of day. Here's why...

Last night I saw EYES WITHOUT A FACE at a theater in L.A. This French flick from the fifties is in re-release in theaters as a joint presentation of Rialto Pictures, Janus, and Home Vision. So far, every time these three companies have teamed up to theatrically re-release a film, a Criterion DVD of the picture has been released some months down the road. LE CERCLE ROUGE, PEPE LE MOKO and QUAI DES ORFEVRE are all recent examples.

Well, attached to the print of EYES WITHOUT A FACE was a teaser trailer announcing a theatrical re-release of GOJIRA in U.S. in spring 2004.

I guess it's possible that it will be a theatrical release only. But I'd say odds are very good that a Criterion DVD is in the works.

At least I'm hoping...

Well, that is a pretty good rumor. Ideally, I would like a DVD which had both versions and some good bonus materials. This is a Criterion I would spend obscene amounts of money to obtain.

Wow, you have a pretty strong case. I wasn't expecting a dumb post and you really enlightened me. Hope that news comes true.

Well, this was posted elsewhere in the forums, so you didn't really *start* the rumour, but you're right, MOST Rialto releases eventually come to Criterion DVD.

Of course, Rialto is currently distributing "The Producers" too, which I'm fairly certain MGM isn't going to relinquish the DVD rights to (nor do they have to - the current SE is pretty nice).

You've actually got a good case, here.

And don't worry, I've got your back, yo.

Saw this the other day on their web page. Nothing much there except for a theatrical release announcment. It would be really great if it did hit DVD though.

www.rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html

This thread deserves to live longer. Hope you are right, and it was nowhere near as dumb as I thought it would be.

Just saw the original Japanese version with English subtitles and it was great.

What a different film than the cut-up version with Raymond Burr.

It was a crappy VHS copy but I would love to see it on DVD.

I wish I had a region free player so I could order it from Japan and see it in all it's glory...but it would still need the English subtitles.

Yeah, I saw the GOJIRA cut a year or so ago at a G-Fest screening ( I know, I know...I'm a geek!). It is a very different film, much more "mature" for lack of a better word. The characters have a real poignancy to them; you really feel for how conflicted they are about everything (love, science, etc.). I would certainly pick-up a DVD of the flick, Criterion or not.

Though I must say, I've seen the GODZILLA cut some many times that I also love that version of the film, as well.

I would love to see Criterion delve more into so-called genre films.

Fiend Without a Face is my favorite Criterion, and I'd love to see them give the "academic" treatment to more classic horror and sci-fi.

waitin and waitin and waitin for this.
very nice if the rumor pans out.

I hope this comes true.

Film Re-release followed by DVD release - sounds likely. If the film was restored as well .... bet on it.

Btw, what did you think of Eyes Without a Face?

Being a fan of horror, I've heard about EYES WITHOUT A FACE for years now. Still, the film was unlike anything I had expected. Although much of the film is beautiful and eerie (as everyone always states) it also has one extended scene of squirm-inducing grue that I would have thought impossible for a film from the '50s.

After it was over, a friend of mine summed it up perfectly as an elegant grindhouse flick. What's not to love about that?

You, sir, are no geek.

Club Tokyo/Monster Zero is a site that I go to often (I, sir, am no geek either). This topic has gotten lots of discussion over there. Here's the thread about the possibility of a DVD:
Gojira Criterion?

And here's a thread about Rialto's theatrical release:
Stomping To a Theater Near You

The "Mike S" that posted on the latter thread is none other than Mike Schlesinger (sp?), who has been a champion for Godzilla at TriStar for quite awhile. You can thank him for Godzilla vs. Megaguirus and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack being released on R1 dvds in January (with subtitled tracks no less). Also, he did the commentary track on Godzilla 2000.

Rumour has it they're giving the same deluxe treatment to the other four films that have trailers on the Fiend disc later this year, believe it or not.

The wonderful monster movie Equinox is another midnight classic that should be out from them sometime.

With the news that the two latest G flicks are being released with uncut, Japanese tracks, I think somebody at Toho/Columbia Tristar had one of those things... like a headache with pictures... an idea!

Might not be CT though, considering how they're treating some of their other flicks.

I have a DVD-R made from the Japanese DVD with added English subs which are very good, but I'd ditch it in a heartbeat to get a proper release.