USHE Announcement: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

Headline Date: TBA Release Date: 4/1/2014 KING KONG VS. GODZILLA Product Source: Theatrical Theatrical Studio: Universal Theatrical Release: 6/26/1963 Synopsis: The Terrifying Battle Between The Mightiest Monsters of All Time! The two biggest monsters of all time battle in the thrilling adventure classic, King Kong vs. Godzilla. When an underhanded pharmaceutical company goes to a remote tropical island to steal King Kong for advertising purposes, they get more than they bargained for when the gigantic ape attacks an unsuspecting village and an enormous octopus. Meanwhile, far below the sea, a submarine crew unleashes reptilian terror when they melt a block of ice and release the ferocious Godzilla from his icy lair. When both destructive monsters descend on Tokyo, it's a fight that holds the future of mankind in the balance in this knock-out film that was the first theatrical release to bring its larger-than-life contenders to the big screen in glorious color. Blu-ray Widescreen (61131623) : Disc 1 (Side A) Format: Blu-ray UPC: 0-2519-22316-1-2 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: 1 Street Date: 4/1/2014 PreOrder Date: Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 31 Minutes Language: English Disc Type: BD-50 (Single Sided) Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono Subtitles: English SDH Edition: - Picture: Widescreen Version: - Color/B&W COLOR Rating: Not Rated CARA Rating: - Bonus Features: DVD Widescreen (61028436) : Disc 1 (Side A) Format: DVD UPC: 0-2519-28436-2-4 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: - Street Date: 9/15/2009 PreOrder Date: Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 31 Minutes Language: English Disc Type: DVD-5 (Single Sided) Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Subtitles: English SDH French Spanish Edition: - Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen Version: - Color/B&W COLOR Rating: Not Rated CARA Rating: - Bonus Features:

Too bad they aren't including the Japanese cut. (In the US release, Godzilla's the villain and Kong is the "good guy;" in the Japanese version, it's the other way around!)

Oh Hell Yes!, could, UNI pull this off and give us both the Japaneese cut and the US cut?

No Japanese version no sale. Sorry Uni.

Aaron Silverman said:

(In the US release, Godzilla's the villain and Kong is the "good guy;" in the Japanese version, it's the other way around!)

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This is not the case at all.

EddieLarkin said:

No Japanese version no sale. Sorry Uni.

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Same. I'm really only interested in the Japanese version.

The link below will take you directly to the product on Amazon. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

I want to be excited that we're getting more Godzilla on Blu-ray, but... does Universal just not have the rights to the Japanese version? I would be willing to bet that the majority of people who would be interested in buying this film would want it.

Bryan Tuck said:

I want to be excited that we're getting more Godzilla on Blu-ray, but... does Universal just not have the rights to the Japanese version? I would be willing to bet that the majority of people who would be interested in buying this film would want it.

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They do not, and I seem to recall hearing that because of the co-ownership of the film, Toho can't license the Japanese version overseas.

Yes, it's totally out of Universal's hands and this is why we also won't ever see the Japanese version of "King Kong Escapes" in the US either.

That surely doesn't preclude Universal licensing the Japanese version themselves from Toho. Obviously a boutique label can't release it, but if Universal wanted to what would stop them?

EddieLarkin said:

That surely doesn't preclude Universal licensing the Japanese version themselves from Toho. Obviously a boutique label can't release it, but if Universal wanted to what would stop them?

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Toho could be asking too high of a price for Universal to be willing to pay, or refusing to renegotiate the terms. After all, the Universal US cut distribution deal from the 60s may rub modern Toho the wrong way. There's just no way to know what the current working relationship is between the two studios and where to assign any blame (likely shared to some degree) in regards to not getting the Japanese version released in the US.

I know we wouldn't expect a boutique label to take a risk like this, but I don't have much sympathy for Universal (i.e. Comcast, the largest mass media and communications company in the world by revenue) if they have to shell out a bit of dough to Toho.

This isn't just about giving whiney fans what they want. We live in an era where presenting films in their original, uncut form (along with OAR, original language track etc) is sacrosanct. But in 2014 this film is getting yet another release in some watered down butchered version.

As has been stated already, Universal are the only ones who can put this out properly. If they're not going to do it, I think they deserve my scorn.

these should be in a boxset or something and more complete. They're going to have to hit a mighty good sale before I bite.

I know this is a rotten movie, but I grew up loving it and I still love it. So, yeah, I'll be upgrading it to Blu Ray. Blast you, Universal!

Oh brother.

EddieLarkin said:

I know we wouldn't expect a boutique label to take a risk like this, but I don't have much sympathy for Universal (i.e. Comcast, the largest mass media and communications company in the world by revenue) if they have to shell out a bit of dough to Toho.

This isn't just about giving whiney fans what they want. We live in an era where presenting films in their original, uncut form (along with OAR, original language track etc) is sacrosanct. But in 2014 this film is getting yet another release in some watered down butchered version.

As has been stated already, Universal are the only ones who can put this out properly. If they're not going to do it, I think they deserve my scorn.

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What huge cuts were made to Escapes? I thought we got that one pretty much intact. In any case Toho is notoriously hard to negotiate with and from what I gather original elements for vs. Godzilla aren't in great shape, and so it stands.

I think very little was butchered in KK Escapes...unlike KK vs Godzilla.It is too bad the Japanese versions arent included I am getting both of these anyway, plus the other 3 Godzillas from Section 23 films

Years back when King Kong vs. Godzilla was released in Japan on LD and later on DVD, it was noted that both the LD and DVD contained chunks of the film from a 16mm print. As I recall (and please correct me if this is inaccurate!) the reviews all said that a complete 35mm print and negative no longer existed -- those elements had been sent to the US for the preparation of the dubbed/cut version and the edited out sections were then lost and/or discarded. So unless better elements have been discovered, the Japanese version will always be a bit compromised. However...

The absence of the original Japanese version is also probably a deal breaker for me. The US version, although sort of loveable in a goofy way, alters and twists many facets of the original Japanese film -- not the least of which is the slaughtering of the gorgeous Ifukube score. I'll await reviews of this release before deciding whether or not to buy -- if it looks spectacular -- of course I'll be tempted. But for any of these classic Japanese monster films, the absence of the original language version nixes their appeal for me.

EddieLarkin said:

No Japanese version no sale. Sorry Uni.


This is not the case at all.

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Are you trying to tell me that my off-the-cuff memory of a film I haven't seen in nearly 40 years is not 100% accurate?!?!?!

Well, you were right to say that Kong is the good guy and Godzilla the villian in the U.S. version. So your memory is fine.

But that's also the case in the Japanese version.