OT-Gojira

[DutyCat]

I am a fan of old Science Fiction movies (I think most modern stuff is crap), and on the off chance that some of you might be, I thought I would offer a brief review of the just released Gojira (Godzilla) two disc DVD set, which I just received.

For those who do not know, Gojira is the original version of Godzilla, released only in Japan. Until recently, it has not been available in the US. This is its first DVD release. The American version, including edited in scenes featuring Raymond Burr as a reporter narrating the monster disaster, is also included.

Gojira, in Japanese with English subtitles, is considered the stronger of the two versions. Much has been written about the period social significance of Gojira/Godzilla, so I won't go into that here.

Included in the set are interesting shorts about how the creature design evolved and how the monster suit was constructed. Both movies have additional versions including well researched commentary. The package also includes a nice 14 page booklet.

The quality of the print is what one would expect for a film from 1954...there is fairly constant interference(small specs and scratches). However, in my opinion, it does not significantly detract from the film, at least in DVD. However, there is a Blue Ray version, reviewed as very crisp aside from the interference, that has received complaints about the wisdom of releasing a Blue Ray without restoration work. Blue-ray might even make the scratches look worse, because of the format's high resolution. The Blue Ray version also does not have the second "Godzilla-King of Monsters" disc. I was torn between buying the Blue Ray or the DVD, but decided on the DVD. Had there been a restoration, I probably would have purchased the Blue Ray version.

Here is an Amazon link...

http://www.amazon.com/Gojira-Godzilla-Delu...2615&sr=8-1

Edited May 23, 2010 by DutyCat

[richter111]

Spent many childhood hours watching the entire run of Godzilla movies.

Thank you for the link

[Jonathan Mock]

The British Film Institute gave the original its first ever theatrical release in 2005, it was great to see Honda's undubbed, un-Perry Mason'd film on the big screen, despite the sometimes clunky limitation of the 1950s technology there are still some quite chilling sequences accentuated by the black and white photography, Gojira fighting its way through the power lines is one of them.

It even gathered some rave reviews by the mainstream press who finally saw what a great film it really is, one of the classics of Japanese cinema.

Legendary's reboot looks hopeful!

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=68255

[DutyCat]

despite the sometimes clunky limitation of the 1950s technology there are still some quite chilling sequences accentuated by the black and white photography,

It even gathered some rave reviews by the mainstream press who finally saw what a great film it really is, one of the classics of Japanese cinema.

Legendary's reboot looks hopeful!

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=68255

In the "making of" short there is some commentary about how the best way to have done it was with stop-motion animation. Unfortunately, stop motion is an expensive and time consuming process. If they could've gotten stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen to do it, there might have been an improvement, but even at that, 1953 was a bit early. I think Harryhausen's finest work was on The Valley of Gwangi, and that wasn't until 1969. How he would've done on Godzilla in 1953 would have been more like "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms." Good, but not as good as in Gwangi or the Allosaurus village attack sequence in One Million Years B.C.

Regarding the new film in production....

I am doubtful, but hopeful that it is done with the loving care it deserves. The 1997 remake was just awful from a purest's perspective. Generally speaking, modern big budget movies are compromised by the financial necessity to capture the broadest possible market demographic. I would like to see a strong PG-13 rating with a dark atmosphere and lots of destruction, on camera human suffering, and the hopeless despair that are so very well portrayed in the original. It should not be a "family or kids" movie. To do it right, it needs to have strong emotional impact on a par with the movie Titanic, or Last of the Mohicans, or Saving Private Ryan. Well.....I doubt we are going to get that as studio executives will cringe at forgoing the under 12 and "family" demographic for a giant monster flick. After all, they want to make as much money as possible!

Edited July 27, 2010 by DutyCat

[braincells37]

I've seen both Gojira and the Godzilla remake with Raymond Burr. Both are good but are really 2 quite different movies. I equally enjoy both versions.

Old sci fi movies ROCK!! THEM! and The Thing (From Another World) are far and away my favorites.

Terry B)

[Jonathan Mock]

In the "making of" short there is some commentary about how the best way to have done it was with stop-motion animation. Unfortunately, stop motion is an expensive and time consuming process. If they could've gotten stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen to do it, there might have been an improvement, but even at that, 1953 was a bit early. I think Harryhausen's finest work was on The Valley of Gwangi, and that wasn't until 1969. How he would've done on Godzilla in 1953 would have been more like "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms." Good, but not as good as in Gwangi or the Allosaurus village attack sequence in One Million Years B.C.

Regarding the new film in production....

I am doubtful, but hopeful that it is done with the loving care it deserves. The 1997 remake was just awful from a purest's perspective. Generally speaking, modern big budget movies are compromised by the financial necessity to capture the broadest possible market demographic. I would like to see a strong PG-13 rating with a dark atmosphere and lots of destruction, on camera human suffering, and the hopeless despair that are so very well portrayed in the original. It should not be a "family or kids" movie. To do it right, it needs to have strong emotional impact on a par with the movie Titanic, or Last of the Mohicans, or Saving Private Ryan. Well.....I doubt we are going to get that as studio executives will cringe at forgoing the under 12 and "family" demographic for a giant monster flick. After all, they want to make as much money as possible!

Have you seen "Gamera 3: The Incomplete Struggle"? It has just what you described including one sequence of people being sucked up into a fireball, its really quite shocking stuff.

Yeah, I know, Gamera... but Kaneko's trilogy really whupped Toho's derrier in terms of storytelling and visuals and took Gamera into a darker territory. G3 is one of the best Japanese kaiju eiga ever made, superb film.