Godzilla DMK- is it coming to the US? (1 Viewer)

[Travis_W]

I've been hearing a lot about the latest Godzilla flick in Japan (I've only seen it referred to as Godzill DMK for short) but there is no US date yet. I had heard that Columbia was doing a DVD release in February or March but as you can see it's not here. Just wondering if anyone knows any info yet.

 

[ChrisJefferys]

Actually, the last Godzilla film released in Japan was Godzilla X Mechagodzilla (released last December). Are you refering to GMK? (Godzilla-Mothra-King Ghidorah) That was released in Japan in December 2001 and although there were rumors that it would get a US theatrical release the following summer, it never happened. :frowning:

Anyway, the last three Godzilla films have had no release of any kind in the US yet, and I've heard nothing definite about any release happening soon.

For GMK, your DVD options now are an expensive R2 Japanese disc with no subs, or an inexpensive R3 disc with English subtitles but no 5.1 audio (I picked up that one).

 

[Stephen Orr]

I purchase Godzilla GMK (R3) on Ebay a few months ago. It is absolutely cool! You can get it shipped for around $15....

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Chris, the last 3 have not been released? I have Godzilla 2K, and only have GMK after that. Please fill me in!

Glenn

 

[ChrisJefferys]

Glenn,
After Godzilla 2000, there was Godzilla X Megaguiras (2000), GMK (2001) and last years Godzilla X Mechagodzilla. None have had a US DVD release but the first two have been released on DVD in Japan and HK and the newest one is probably due on DVD in the next several months (in Japan that is). Hope this helps.

I honestly don't know why Sony/Columbia Tri-Star is not doing anything with these. I'm sure they would sell well here.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Gee, have they been busy! I'm sure they'd sell too. Even in the rubber suits, the newer ones are still fun to watch!

Glenn

 

[Joel_F]

The new Godzilla movies seem to hit theaters in December every year and then come out on HK DVD around August/September of the following year. All the HK discs can be had for $9 shipped direct from HK at dddhouse.com.

As much as I like the new ones I would like to get really good quality anamorphic DVDs of the old ones (all of them) with both the original Japanese versions (w/English subs) AND the American dubs. Is that too much to ask?

 

[Michael St. Clair]

As much as I like the new ones I would like to get really good quality anamorphic DVDs of the old ones (all of them) with both the original Japanese versions (w/English subs) AND the American dubs. Is that too much to ask?

Considering the original film was not widescreen, cropping it to make fake widescreen is not something I would ask for.

 

[Travis_W]

I know these would sell if they came here. Sony's probably still sour on Godzilla 2000 but that was pretty bad, give the original ones another chance to take off.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Chris - after doing some research it looks to me like the Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla that you are refering to is actually Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and that was released in 1993 (in theaters).

I agree with the rest, though, and a few of them are only out here in P&S only too, which makes it even worse. Yuck! I can't understand a studio that holds these back.

Glenn

 

[ChrisJefferys]

Hi Glenn,
You're right, there was a Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla from 1993 (dubbed "Part II" by Columbia, to avoid confusion with the 1974 version) that has also never been released in the US on DVD (but it has on VHS), but the film I was referring to is yet another Mechagodzilla film "Godzilla X Mechagodzilla" (for some reason, recently Toho has been replacing "vs" with "X") that was released theatrically in Japan just 3 months ago (I have the screensaver and wallpaper on my laptop now -yup I'm a Godzilla geek!)
Keeping track of all the different films with their various titles can be very confusing at times!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

As much as I like the new ones I would like to get really good quality anamorphic DVDs of the old ones (all of them) with both the original Japanese versions (w/English subs) AND the American dubs. Is that too much to ask?

It's virtually impossible for them to do both versions on one disc of the original film (and as things stand, will never happen thank you Toho) It would even be a challenge for seamless branching. Considering all the scene replacements and the outright chopping of footage it would have to be done as a 2-disc set

I was talkign to someone from Sony who said they would LOVE to SE the original film, but don't see a point without being able to include the original.

 

[ChrisJefferys]

Two disc special editions of the earlier films would be great, but I can't see it happening in the near future. :frowning: The closest to that ever released was Japanese laserdisc sets of the original "Gojira" and "Mosura tai Gojira" featuring both Japanese and US versions of the films (the former without English subs unfortunately). Its too bad that Criterion never got to do the original Gojira (damn Toho :frowning: ) but the Simitar disc is really the best we've ever had (for at least the US version "Godzilla King of the Monsters" goes) and its really not too shabby, but it would be nice to see a English subtitled disc of the Japanese version someday.

 

[Jim Peavy]

I have the recent "Goodtimes" release of this (that I believe was pulled because they failed to get proper rights from Toho). Is the Simitar Godzilla: KotM better than this one (I hope!), and how does both compare with the current "Sony/Classic Media" release? Anybody know?

Who knows when (if ever) we'll see releases of not only the new Godzilla films, but letterboxed, subtitled releases of the originals. Alas, with Toho, it may be never :frowning: .

P.S.:
Don't forget the last Tues. ADV release of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. Alas, they merely used the VHS master, and it shows. Also, it's non-anamorphic and only has 2.0 dolby. But, it does feature both subbed and dubbed versions, and the extras included from the Japanese box are subtitled (they weren't in the Japanese box set). And it's at least OAR. Not perfect, but unfortunately us American kaiju fans have to take what we can get.

 

[Steven_V]

For those interested, here are some trailers to the "millennium" series of Godzilla films:

• Godzilla X Mechagodzilla (2002): Japanese trailers
  Also some clips from the film can be seen here and here at the official Japanese website.
• Godzilla - Mothra - King Ghidorah (2001): Japanese trailer
  If link does not work, click here and look under "Multimedia".
• Godzilla X Megaguiras (2000): Japanese trailer
• Godzilla 2000 (1999): U.S. trailer
  This trailer features the international dub dialogue. However the actual U.S. release features a much better U.S. dub IMO.

 

[Joel_F]

Considering the original film was not widescreen, cropping it to make fake widescreen is not something I would ask for.

And I wasn't. sorry next time I will spell it out a little more clearly and say "I would like all of the old Godzilla films in anamorphic widescreen verisons, except the TWO films (out of 26) that were released in full screen, in which case I want them that way" :rolleyes

 

[Jim Peavy]

Jeff K. said:

Jeff, is the "original film" Sony "would LOVE to SE" Godzilla: King of the Monsters?

I've always thought Toho's refusal to release their kaiju films in the west, in anything approaching definitive editions, had an element of national pride in it. I think they've heard so many "guys in rubber suits attacking cardboard cities" comments concerning the films, they'd just as soon take the (probably fairly modest) economic hit of not releasing them here.

I remember reading these exact comments in a mainstream review when Godzilla 2000 was released, concerning it's sophisticated and largely spectacular effects. I mean, the cities (to my knowledge) have never been made out of cardboard, and even Jurassic Park (and the American Godzilla) used men in "rubber suits."

I think Toho feels burned when they're painstaking and detailed FX are reduced to "guys in rubber suits attacking cardboard cities." And who can blame them?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, the original Gojira

It's nothing about Toho's national pride, it has to do with their paranoia about having cheap (less than 50% of the price of the J DVDs) equivalent product available for their customers to import. They, and many other Japanese companies are exceedingly paranoid about not being able to charge outrageous prices to their homeland customers, so they either make people pay out the ass for decent masters (anime companies) or they just outright refuse to license the title in a form that would be acceptible to their homeland consumer (Godzilla)

The original IS available uncut and subbed from Toho as a 35mm print however.

 

[Jim Peavy]

But isn't this what regional encoding is supposed to protect against?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, but considering your can walk into a dozen shops within 5min walk of Akihabara station and pick up a chipped player, and the plentiful selection of R1 DVDs I don't think they believe it's very effective

The US is the only major country in the world where finding and buying multistandard/region equipment is a major chore