Original Japanese Godzilla to get U.S. re-release
 

Has this been mentioned before? If not:

http://www.rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html

Note that Criterion typically (but not always) ends up releasing Rialto's re-released titles on DVD. So this could be considered DVD news as well.

If the CC has The Blob in their lineup, then why not the (original) "Big G"?

http://www.fuetternverboten.ch/godzilla.jpg
IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT,
STAMP YOUR FEET!



(Donnacha stamps feet)

Before last week or so when they announced the last two G films being released uncut with Japanese tracks, I would have told you to go sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here.

Today, this is very big and very exciting.

Oh, please come to Las Vegas.
Oh, please come to Las Vegas.
Oh, pretty please come to Las Vegas.

The next Solutions conference, I'm there, no worries mate. :)

Didn't Criterion briefly acquire (and then lose) the domestic laserdisc rights to the original Japanese Gojira films? Any chance they'll regain them for DVD? Rialto's distribution gives me some high hope...

Careful what you wish for!
http://www.digitalpose.com/mbr/1/190...7551501_vl.jpg

Oh, someone had to do it...

This is good news. G 54 is a great film :up:

Will this be with or without Raymond Burr?

Without.

Now THIS is worth waiting for. I'd love for this to happen.

In my best Marv Albert voice, YES!

DonnachaOne, that was fantastic.

I especially love the tagline at the bottom. ;)

Awesome! :)

Criterion was trying to release some of the original Godzilla movies in their original Japanese versions on laserdisc a few years ago (would have been #369-373 I think). With this development? I hope they do, and I can't wait for the original Japanese version to hit...

Fabulous.

Oh the possibilities!


Can we say Mecha-Elvis?

I did this at work today, just for you. :)
http://www.breaffy.us/Godzilla.jpg

Yes. It was slow.

Rockin'. :up:

a mere comic made out of boredom that is 10,000 times better than Ferris Bueller running from a huge Iguana.

Send a treatment to Toho, we need this movie made!!

:lol:

Should I be ashamed to admit I'd watch that?

Donnacha gets two enthusiastic thumbs up!

What, Ferris Bueller running from a huge iguana?

I liked "Milktoast in the City" running from "Godzilla"

talk about being in a hole when this thread was initally started, to actually see the trailer before "The Battle of Algeirs" made me salivate in anticpation - anyone know of when the actual release date Rialto is planning. I am soooo excited!

Comments?
 

Anybody else catch this yet?

I managed to see it a couple times at the Kennedy Center in DC.

I had never seen this version, plus it has been YEARS since I saw the Americanized one.

I was really impressed how 'dark' and serious this film was. wow. Yeah, the FX were campy, but come on, what can you expect for the era?

I read somewhere that the American release had 40 minutes (?!?!) taken out of the original Japanese version?

Can anybody confirm?

I wonder if there is a plan to release this version on DVD?

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

How likely is a Criterion release?

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

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

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

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.

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.

Re: Comments?
 

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!

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?

The Egyptian? I'm not sure.

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.

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.