SPHE Press Release: Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection

Three Classic Films Directed by Ishiro Honda,

the Father of Japanese Sci-Fi Movies

 

ICONS OF SCI-FI:

TOHO COLLECTION

 

H-Man ~ Battle in Outer Space ~ Mothra™

 

THREE-DISC COLLECTION DEBUTS ON DVD AUGUST 18

 

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (June 8, 2009) – Three classic sci-fi films by the influential director Ishiro Honda (Godzilla™) make their DVD debuts when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection on August 18. The much-sought-after titles by fans of science fiction include H-Man (1958), Battle in Outer Space (1959), and Mothra™ (1961). Each film has been digitally re-mastered for the best possible picture and sound quality, and includes the original Japanese versions and the U.S. versions, and two commentaries. The three-disc DVD collection will be available for $24.96 SRP.

 

H-Man (1958)

The Tokyo sewer system is an oozing mess after a radioactive liquid turns people into slimy blobs that float down the drains following a rainstorm. To add to the havoc, the gelatinous masses then begin to reproduce. The blobs are ultimately destroyed in a fire that lights up the city.

 

Battle in Outer Space (1959)

A series of mysterious catastrophes sweep the globe, causing the world's scientists to conclude that beings from another planet are attacking earth. Two earth space ships damage the attackers, giving the world time to prepare for a gigantic battle in outer space.

 

Mothra™ (1961)

Members of a Japanese expedition to a heavily-radiated island find two tiny, beautiful girls and take them home for observation. When the girls are taken off the island, a mysterious egg hatches, producing a gargantuan moth which destroys everything in its path as it searches for the girls.

 

ABOUT TOHO:

Headquartered in Tokyo, Toho Company Ltd. is an independent film studio as well as one of the Japan’s biggest entertainment conglomerates.  The company is best known for producing many kaiju (monster) and tokusatsu (special effects) movies, as well as acclaimed films by Akira Kurosawa. The studio’s most famous international export is Godzilla™ (1954), a film that created a worldwide sensation and is known as “King of the Monsters™.” Toho has also been involved in the production of numerous anime titles and other films, and is currently the biggest motion picture distributor in Japan. Godzilla™, Mothra™, King Ghidorah™, Mechagodzilla™, and Rodan™ are described as being Toho's Big Five due to the monsters' numerous appearances in all three eras of the franchise, as well as spin-offs.

 

* Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla, Rodan, the character designs and King of the Monsters are trademarks of Toho Co., Ltd.  All rights reserved.

 

DVD Special Features Include:

§         New Master and Transfer for Best Possible Picture and Sound

§         Original Japanese tracks of all three films

§         Commentaries on Battle in Outer Space and Mothra™

§         Japanese runtime: 277 / U.S. runtime: 259

 

Mothra™ has a running time of approximately 88 minutes and is not rated. H-Man has a running time of approximately 79 minutes and is not rated. Battle in Outer Space has a running time of approximately 90 minutes and is not rated. Visit Sony Home Entertainment on the Web at www.SonyPictures.com

 

DVD Catalog #27981

UPC Code: 043396279810

Order Date: 7/16/2009

SLP: $24.96

 

Very much looking forward to this one!

Already have it on pre-order. Wonder who will be doing the commentaries?

Brilliant collection - I look forward to this.

Here's an early look at the set:

www.scifijapan.com/articles/2009/08/05/sneak-peek-sonys-icons-of-sci-fi-toho-collection/

Sounds mostly good.

But... Sony is using a case that stacks the three DVDs on a spindle. 

Yeah, looks very good for the most part.  I'm looking forward to this.

As for the packaging, I can deal with a minor inconvenience as long as the design keeps the discs from physically contacting each other and the discs remain on the hubs through transit.

I've pre-ordered my copy.  Glad to see that each movie will have it's own separate disc.  Am really looking forward to viewing "Mothra"!

Hate the 3 discs on a spindle thing, but I'll order one of those 3-disc cases and swap the thing out.  Everything else sounds great.  I was concerned that Sony would try to take a shortcut and only present one cut of each film with different language tracks.  Nice to see both cuts will be included.

Well after receiving this the other day the packaging is much more than a minor inconvenience. This stacking hub really sucks, another sign of studios cutting costs any way possible.

I went and ordered a 3-disc case off Ebay to replace this.

Yeah, the packaging sucks but the content is great!  Been watching Battle in Outer Space today and have really been enjoying myself.  Never saw it in widescreen, let alone the original version.  Looking forward to checking out the commentary track as well as those guys are particularly informative on this subject matter.

Battle in Outer Space was pretty good as a sci-fi movie and a super print for both. Much better than the last batch of double features that have come out! Watched the Japanese version first with subs, watched the Japanese with commentary, those guys sure know a quite a bit about the movie and am getting ready to watch the American version. Haven't watched a movie 3 times in a row in a long time.

If you listen to the commentary, it seems Toho gave Sony all their elements for all the films. So, people that say Toho only saves the best elements for their issues, are mistaken, if I understood what they said correctly.

Anyway, can't wait to get to the other films...6 more movies!
Edited by John Sparks - 8/24/09 at 8:47am

My discs finally arrived today, so I am going to have a sci-fi fest tonight.  'Mothra' will be spinning first.