GODZILLA 50th Anniversary Thread

ArmandV · 03-30-2003, 04:18 PM

You may not be aware of it, but 2004 will mark the 50th Anniversary of Godzilla. Gojira premiered in November, 1954.

As of this writing, Toho has not as yet announced the 50th Anniversary film or what events they may be planning to mark the occasion. Will they do a special roadshow of the best of the G-films of the past 50 years? Will they produce a television special retrospective? Will there be a special traveling exhibition of props? These and other things Toho is now considering.

However, North American fans are planning G-TOUR to commemorate the anniversary. Fans will be traveling to Japan in July, 2004 to visit many locations depicted in Godzilla movies. At this time, G-TOUR is being planned with a professional tour company with J. D. Lees, publisher of G-FAN magazine. I am assisting Lees on a few tour-related events, including a reunion/reception of stars and studio technicians who worked on your favorite Godzilla and Japanese science-fiction and fantasy films and a possible ceremony at Toho Studios in Tokyo. Also, we are proposing media coverage of the tour to help promote the anniversary including incorporating it in a television special to compare the actual locations throughout Japan with scenes from the movies.

More information will be forthcoming when it becomes available. Currently, there is a Yahoo! Group set up for those interested in G-TOUR. It is GS North America (for Godzilla Society of North America). If you are interested in Godzilla's 50th Anniversary or G-TOUR, you are invited to join us there.

Rob Lutter · 03-30-2003, 06:12 PM

Someone in R1 seriously needs to license these films and give them a proper treatment w/ OSL and OAR...

But then again, knowing Toho, the problem is probably on the other side of the Pacific.

ArmandV · 03-30-2003, 07:02 PM

Rob, the current licence holder is Sony Entertainment.

Rob Lutter · 03-30-2003, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Rob, the current licence holder is Sony Entertainment.

Yeah, but what kind of elements are Toho giving them? And do they hold the rights to the Japanese track?

ArmandV · 03-30-2003, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Yeah, but what kind of elements are Toho giving them? And do they hold the rights to the Japanese track?

Good question. I can only go by the experience of Godzilla 2000. Toho supplied the materials for the Japanese version for Sony to include in their DVD, but due to time constraints, the Japanese version never made it onto the DVD. I would imagine that if Sony wants to include the Japanese versions of their film, they could have them. But that is only a guess.

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Phil Florian · 03-31-2003, 12:10 AM

"There is a little Godzilla in all of us."

It had to be said, you know.

Phil

Steven_V · 04-02-2003, 03:22 PM

50 years of "The Big G" and we still don't have any decent (ie uncut with original Japanese language w/English subs), R1 releases of any Godzilla film.

Oh what I wouldn't give for an uncut R1 release of the original 'Gojira' film.

As for the 50th anniversary film, my wish would be for Toho to bring back GMK director Shusuke Kaneko and the rest of the GMK staff for this film. GMK was such a great Godzilla movie. I rank GMK second, behind only the original uncut 'Gojira', as the best Godzilla film of all time.

Here is a great interview with Shusuke Kaneko from 2002 where he discusses working on GMK.

ChrisJefferys · 04-02-2003, 05:13 PM

I wonder if Toho will ever let Sony put out DVDs here using the same elements as the R2 DVDs? (ie. good quality OAR print, Japanese language soundtrack, etc). I think they would be worried about people in Japan importing the more than likely cheaper R1 discs (considering the R2 discs cost about 6000 yen each!). Hell, Japanese fans were even importing the English only Simitar releases, before Toho started making DVDs (and apparently Toho was very unhappy with those discs, saying they never gave permission for them).

That G-Tour sounds like a great idea. I go to Japan about once a year (my wife's family lives there), so next year, I'll see if we can schedule the trip for July.

Grant B · 04-05-2003, 12:57 AM

i love the movies but i cant imagine them in japanese. something about the strange american voices that dont match the words at all
i remember being about 4 yo and hearing thunder and wondering if it was godzilla stepping on things.
i would love to be there

ArmandV · 04-05-2003, 03:56 PM

Grant B wrote:

Quote:

i would love to be there

To find out more details on how you can be there, go to G-TOUR

Walt Riarson · 04-09-2003, 04:51 PM

Hopefully somebody will do something for the big green guy's 50th birthday.

I've considered buying Sony's Godzilla DVD set but wasn't sure if they were all in their original OAR. Anybody own this set? How is it?