Gojira Returns

[Lew Crippen]

I listened to a brief segment on Morning Edition that the original Godzilla is about to have a theatrical release in the U.S.

No cuts and no Raymond Burr.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Yep, I know it's on the schedule for the Brattle here in Cambridge for next month - we've been getting the teaser before every B&W movie they show there (dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah-dahdahdah...).

 

[derek]

It's currently showing at the AFI silver theater here in Silver Spring, MD http://silver.afi.com/afi_web/ . I'm gonna try and catch it this holiday weekend.

 

[Michael Reuben]

It played for two weeks at Film Forum here, but I wasn't able to see it. It's moved now to a tiny theater near Union Square, but this week isn't looking good for me.

M.

 

[Brook K]

There's been ongoing rumours of a Criterion release for some time.

Hopefully it will make it down here. I've never seen an uncut, undubbed Godzilla movie.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’ve seen the original, uncut and undubbed. The only problem is that it was also without subtitles and my Japanese is almost non-existent. But I’m not sure that I missed all that much.

 

[Kirk Tsai]

The Castro Theatre in SF had it, and it is currently playing in Berkeley too.

 

[Mark-W]

Lew-

Are you saying they are showing it currently without and English subtitles?
I love undubbed, but not without subtitles.

 

[Steve Phillips]

He's likely referring to one of the various Japanese video releases (VHS,LD,DVD) which have no English subtitles.

Subtitled versions have made the rounds for years, but we don't discuss details of that stuff here of course.

I'd love to see a DVD of the new version, but last I heard the plan is theatrical only.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Not at all—it has subtitles.

I have spent a reasonable amount of time in the Far East spread over the years. In this case, I saw the film in Japan around ’63 or so. For some reason the Japanese did not accommodate my pitiful Japanese in their theaters.

As I was responding mostly to Brook, and he is aware of my checkered international comings and goings, I was needlessly obscure. Sorry for the presumption.

I’ve actually seen lots of movies and TV over the years where I could not understand the local language. My advice is to make friends with an attractive member of the opposite sex who can explain what is happening by whispering closely in your ear, so as not to disturb the rest of the audience.

 

[Joe_Pinney]

Take a look at the schedule for the theatrical release - http://rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html

Dammit, Dallas and Plano get it, but not Houston!

Still, this theatrical release MIGHT indicate an upcoming DVD release, and if it does, I'm most certainly pre-ordering this puppy. I have been anxious for DECADES to see the original cut of this film, in Japanese with English subtitles.

Hell, this would probably be worth the drive up to Dallas to see.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Woo Hoo! And the theater is within walking distance from my home. Can't wait to see this.

 

[Justin_S]

I live just a few miles South of Dallas, and I'll definitely be going to see this. With this news and the amazing sounding Final Wars, its a great time for Godzilla fans!

 

[Brook K]

Cool, I'll be there too Kevin.

Most Rialto releases eventually come out on DVD from Criterion.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Not a contest Justin, but the Angelica is only about a mile or two from my house. I’ve walked a few times and will definitely be in attendance. Dallas may not be a tier one or two city when it comes to movie release, but we do get most of the things sometime.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Of all the people to start a thread about Gojira.....

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’ve probably watched Tokyo trampled more times that you are years old, Dome.

Besides which, it is coming to one of Dallas’ ‘art houses’. If it were going to be in one of the mainstream theaters, I could only attend under an assumed name.

On a serious note, I think that this is a highly important movie and enormously entertaining to boot.

Try watching this and Kurosawa’s I Live in Fear (made the year after Godzilla) at home as a double feature. This ought to give anyone some insight into post-war Japan. I’d also refer you to my recommendation on how to watch without subtitles.