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Status on upcoming Godzilla DVD releases (including the Hanna-Barbera Series)

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Status on upcoming Godzilla DVD releases (including the Hanna-Barbera Series)

Old 10-31-05, 10:59 PM
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Status on upcoming Godzilla DVD releases (including the Hanna-Barbera Series)

From Tokyo Monsters:

Henshin!Online's Keith Aiken has recently shared some new information on the status of DVDs and home video rights for many Toho films...

"CLASSIC MEDIA: As Classic Media has said before, the latest batch of DVDs was delayed due to extended negotiations between CM and Toho. Things took a long time because Classic Media was keeping some titles, relinquishing rights to others, picking up some new ones, and getting new materials for everything.

Classic Media has retained video rights to all their Godzilla titles, RODAN, and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS. They have also picked up GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN, GHIDRAH, and the Hanna-Barbera GODZILLA cartoon show (Toho got the rights to that series when Warner Bros' rights expired). All the Toho films will be released with English and Japanese audio; for the older English versions CM will work from the best materials available. It will be CM's call as to whether their discs will have one print with two audio tracks, or separate prints of the US and Japanese versions.

Classic Media did not extend their rights to the other old UPA titles, including FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD, ESPY, HIGH SEAS HIJACK, and the Toho Dracula films. Their rights will expire in late 2006 and Toho will begin trying to sell those titles in 2007.

GODZILLA VS MEGALON: Goodtimes has US rights to MEGALON, but they are in the middle of bankruptcy. The movie is in limbo until Goodtimes gets back on track, some other company buys their assets, or the rights revert to Toho.

'Baradagi' on the MZ boards pointed out the Goodtimes assets were recently purchased by a company called Gaiam. The full report can be read at http://www.goodtimes.com/GT/corporat.../GTE_Gaiam.pdf

Hopefully, this means we're one step closer to a MEGALON DVD.

GODZILLA 1985: After New World went out of business, the movie was picked up by Lakeshore Entertainment Group (an independent film company that made MOTHMAN PROPHECIES and MILLION DOLLAR BABY). Lakeshore sat on the property for some time, but they were recently acquired by (or have business dealings with) Warner Bros. Warners has approached Toho about materials for the film and is also looking for a print of the US cut.

I've been working with Warner Bros Home Video on the King Kong Festival in Hollywood so I'll see what I can find out from them.

BIOLLANTE: Still with Miramax.

CRITERION: Criterion has picked up PRINCESS FROM THE MOON. This is a 1987 Toho fantasy film with fx by Teruyoshi Nakano. The cast includes Toshiro Mifune, Yasuko Sawaguchi (GODZILLA 1985), and introduces Megumi Odaka (the Heisei Godzilla series). PRINCESS has never been released in the US so this is great news IMO.

LORELEI, THE WITCH OF THE PACIFIC: Toho has international rights and is hoping for a theatrical release in the US.

OTHER FILMS: With most of their Godzilla, Kurosawa, and samurai films licensed in the US, Toho is hoping to release more of their lesser-known titles. As you know, Media Blasters has put out several Toho scifi/fantasy titles, and the new company Discotek Media has picked up WAR IN SPACE, SAYONARA JUPITER, and the live action LUPIN III. Toho plans to continue working with both companies (and others) to release additional classic and new movies, including the “Secret Police” series (one of which became WHAT’S UP TIGER LILY) and some of the old UPA films.

BRENCO TITLES: The Toho films originally released in the US by Brenco are now owned by Sony. This includes THE HUMAN VAPOR, THE LAST WAR, and GORATH.

HALF HUMAN: The rights to this film reverted back to Toho several years ago. Due to concerns about racism in the movie, Toho has decided to not release any version of HALF HUMAN on DVD in Japan or the US. This is going to be the "lost" Honda/Tsuburaya monster movie so anyone that has the old US VHS releases should hold onto it..

BFI: The British Film Institute will release the original Japanese versions of GODZILLA and THE MYSTERIANS on R2 PAL DVD at the end of January 2006. The GODZILLA disc will contain several newly-produced supplements, including two short documentaries on the film's production."
Old 11-01-05, 12:42 AM
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I hope they release the Hanna Barbera Godzilla cartoon on DVD. There were 26 episodes. It's a wonderful action/adventure cartoon with lots of references to classic science fiction and ancient mythology, and an awesome Hoyt Curtain musical score. This was actually my introduction to Godzilla, before I ever saw any of the movies. It's one of my 10 favorite TV shows of all time.

Of course, just because they own the rights for the cartoon doesn't mean they will issue it on DVD. I don't know how much demand there is for this particular cartoon.
Old 11-01-05, 11:00 AM
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Well, there is Godzilla: The Series - Monster Wars Trilogy that is available on DVD.
Old 11-01-05, 11:13 AM
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So it looks like 2007 we could see Frankenstein Conquers the World. I was hoping for something sooner. Like a Media Blasters release. They did a great job with Matango and the Mysterians.
Old 11-01-05, 03:56 PM
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Wow, I'm still backlogged from the last big batch of G movies, this is incredible news.
Old 11-01-05, 11:36 PM
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War of the Gargantuas - one of Toho's best.

But I'm really looking forward to new DVD releases of Godzilla Raids Again and Ghidrah, The Three Headed Monster. I'm also looking forward to a release of the Godzilla cartoon show - my daughter loved it a couple of years ago when Boomerang was showing it.

This is great news.
Old 11-01-05, 11:57 PM
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I hope the bit about WB doing G85 is true, especially if they include both cuts. The Raymond Burr scenes are a hoot.
Old 11-02-05, 08:16 AM
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Final Wars is scheduled to hit in December, correct?
Old 11-02-05, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by JayHM
I hope the bit about WB doing G85 is true, especially if they include both cuts. The Raymond Burr scenes are a hoot.
Don't forget the incomparable Travis Swords! Both cuts of this film are essential.

In an ideal world, Media Blasters would get the rights to all these films. They seem to be the only company interested in doing them right.
Old 11-17-05, 08:23 PM
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Shout Factory had a box set scheduled for this month, but it is nowhere on their website. I e-mailed them about it to ask of an update on the release date, and got a response like:

"We will take your recommendation under consideration."

Yup. That's all it said. No answer to my question. Anybody know the status on this one? Apparently the folks at Shout Factory do not, LOL.....
Old 11-17-05, 10:02 PM
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Originally Posted by zombiezilla
Shout Factory had a box set scheduled for this month, but it is nowhere on their website. I e-mailed them about it to ask of an update on the release date, and got a response like:

"We will take your recommendation under consideration."

Yup. That's all it said. No answer to my question. Anybody know the status on this one? Apparently the folks at Shout Factory do not, LOL.....
What was to be the contents of this box set?
Old 11-18-05, 04:50 AM
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Oh man, if only we could get the huge Godzilla box set with all of them. I really hope Sony does something with The Human Vapor, I love thiis movie, and havn't been able to see it in about two years, I accidently taped over the video I made from Quentin Tarentino's programming week on TRIO.
Old 11-18-05, 05:56 AM
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Originally Posted by grundle
I hope they release the Hanna Barbera Godzilla cartoon on DVD. There were 26 episodes. It's a wonderful action/adventure cartoon with lots of references to classic science fiction and ancient mythology, and an awesome Hoyt Curtain musical score. This was actually my introduction to Godzilla, before I ever saw any of the movies. It's one of my 10 favorite TV shows of all time.
Yes, who could forget about Godzuki?

Old 11-18-05, 06:18 AM
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Everything in the (proposed) Shout Factory box has already been released and all are still fairly easy to find...except Monster Zero! The full contents was in anotherG-thread here on DVDtalk. I'll check around for a link....
Old 11-18-05, 08:29 AM
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New godzilla/genre releases coming up:

King Kong v. Godzilla/King Kong Escapes - being released by Universal. DVD Details says they're 2.35:1, but not anamporphic. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

The next wave of excellent Media Blasters releases:

Atragon

Space Amoeba AKA Yog - Monster from Space

Last edited by Jason; 11-18-05 at 08:33 AM.
Old 11-18-05, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by zombiezilla
Everything in the (proposed) Shout Factory box has already been released and all are still fairly easy to find...except Monster Zero! The full contents was in anotherG-thread here on DVDtalk. I'll check around for a link....
Thanks.

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