KRAKEN RELEASING LICENSES “RETURN OF GODZILLA®”

May 19, 2016 – You can’t keep a good giant monster down, especially when he’s being very, very bad! Kraken Releasing is proud to continue the tradition of releasing the very best in kaiju (giant monster) entertainment with the first U.S. release of the complete and uncut THE RETURN OF GODZILLA® (aka GODZILLA™ (1984))! Available on both Blu-ray and DVD, and featuring both the original Japanese version with English subtitles, as well as an English dubbed version, this special release is the Godzilla® epic that fans and collectors have been waiting for.

With a higher budget and more advanced special effects than any previous film in the series, THE RETURN OF GODZILLA® returns Japan’s greatest monster to his intended role as an epic force of destruction and the film’s spectacular success re-launched the Godzilla® franchise after nearly a decade in suspended animation. Unfortunately for North American audiences, this direct sequel to the original 1954 feature film has previously only been available in a highly edited version that cut over twenty minutes of original footage and effects, changed key plot points and altered the dark dramatic tone and narrative by inserting additional scenes and humor in an attempt to “Americanize” the film. But now, at long last, the acclaimed kaiju masterpiece finally hits American shores in all its uncut original glory! Get ready for the biggest Godzilla® epic that you’ve never seen as Kraken Releasing unleashes the complete and unedited THE RETURN OF GODZILLA®!

THE RETURN OF GODZILLA® will be released on September 13th.

About Kraken Releasing: KRAKEN RELEASING is a new international video distribution label specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror genre entertainment for mainstream audiences. Together with sister labels MAIDEN JAPAN (DEN-NOH COIL, PAT LABOR, ROYAL SPACE FORCE) and SWITCHBLADE PICTURES (CORPSE PARTY, IRON GIRL 1& 2, ATTACK GIRLS SWIM TEAM VS. THE UNDEAD) Kraken’s goal is to bring the best filmed entertainment from around the world to our customers.

About Section23 Films:
Section23 Films provides home video marketing and distribution services for a variety of companies, including Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, Maiden Japan and AEsir Holdings. With its special focus on genre entertainment, Section23 Films distributes some of the very best anime, martial arts, and horror titles on the market today.

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While I'm def excited to see the original cut get a release here, the fact they aren't also including the Godzilla 1985 cut is practically inexcusable in my eyes. Hopefully a better company picks this up down the line and does it right.

I'll take it. Definitely agree about the Godzilla 1985 cut. That's a bit disappointing.

I always wondered if Criterion would grab it as a complement to their release of the original film (with both versions), but I'll certainly pick this up right away.

Good article here:

http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...ken-releasing/

...explaining the reason why the U.S. cut isn't included, among other things.

I was hoping it was a matter of someone else having rights to the American version, but it sounds like it's so complicated that no one will release it
Still, happy to be getting the Japanese version.

So the American cut will forever be regulated to the VHS dustbin :-(?

On the plus side, it sounds like Kraken might be putting out Son and Mechagodzilla. (When asked, they seemed to dodge the question.)

Or LaserDisc.

But, yeah, the rights issues are so screwed up with that one that it would take a major studio/distributor to have the financial resources to clear it up and put it out - and no major studio/distributor is going to spend that much money on Godzilla 1985. Unfortunately.

Yeah, but he also indicated that there were titles old and new that they're trying to get. So there may be more. I wonder if they're trying to get the new Godzilla movie. That would be a huge title for them. Too big, maybe, for Toho to let them have it instead of a company with more money for promotion. Who knows?

Here's an interview with Matt Greenfield, the head of Kraken:

http://www.tohokingdom.com/interviews/matt-greenfield_05-2016.html

Any chance this gets re-released?

It's the only Godzilla movie missing in my collection.

There is Godzilla 1985(Poland)on ebay that's region free and not sure if it's legit or not.

Janus Films' logo was playing before a recent theatrical screening (ditto for Biollante), so maybe they're with Criterion.