BD 240 Mothra

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domino harvey
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BD 240 Mothra

#1 Post by domino harvey » Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:06 pm

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Synopsis: One of the most iconic Japanese kaiju (films featuring giant monsters), Mothra has appeared in over a dozen feature films. Presented here is her debut, a gloriously vibrant piece of filmmaking that forever changed how kaiju eiga would be produced in Japan.

Following reports of human life on Infant Island, the supposedly deserted site of atomic bomb tests, an international expedition to the heavily-radiated island discovers a native tribe and tiny twin female fairies called "Shobijin" who guard a sacred egg. The overzealous expedition leader kidnaps the Shobijin to exhibit in a Tokyo stage show but soon they summon their protector, hatching the egg and releasing a giant caterpillar. When Mothra arrives in Japan and transforms into her final form, the nation and its people face their destruction.

Psychedelically colourful, with an intelligent, benevolent protector as its lead kaiju, Mothra was radically different to every other monster movie that had come before it, and it remains a classic of the genre to this day. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Ishirō Honda's Mothra on Blu-ray for the first time on home video in the UK.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

INCLUDES JAPANESE AND ENGLISH VERSIONS OF EACH FILM (101 mins & 90 mins respectively)
Original mono audio presentations (LPCM)
English subtitles (Japanese version) and English SDH (English version)
Brand new audio commentary with film historian and writer David Kalat
Audio commentary with authors and Japanese sci-fi historians Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski
Kim Newman on 'Mothra' – an interview with film critic and author Kim Newman on the history and legacy of Mothra
Mothra: 1974 Champion Festival Version [61 mins] – a special version of the film edited by Ishirō Honda for the 1974 Toho Champion Festival (INCLUSION TBC)
Stills Galleries featuring rare archival stills and ephemera
PLUS: A Perfect Bound 60-PAGE Collector's Booklet featuring essays by Christopher Stewardson and Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp (Midnight Eye); a new interview with Scott Chambliss (production designer on 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters); an extract from Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski's Ishirō Honda biography; and archival reviews and stills.
Hardbound Slipcase
Reversible poster featuring the film's original US and Japanese poster artwork

STREET DATE: NOVEMBER 16.

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domino harvey
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Re: BD 240 Mothra

#2 Post by domino harvey » Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:10 pm

Kalat-palooza this month!

Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#3 Post by Calvin » Fri Aug 28, 2020 7:28 am

Kaiju was regarded as a poor seller here for years, so it's remarkable that three of the boutique labels have taken the gamble over the past 12 months and it seems to have paid off. This is a gorgeous looking release, and can be had for £5 cheaper on Amazon than via Eureka direct.

It looks like Mothra was originally released in some Japanese theatres with 4-channel surround sound, and the Japanese release by Toho indeed includes an LPCM 4.0 track. Hopefully if Eureka are working on including the cut-down Champion Festival version then they can get this track from Toho too, though I can't find anything to say whether it's the original 4-channel track or a modern recreation.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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Re: BD 240 Mothra

#4 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Fri Aug 28, 2020 11:27 am

Has Eureka said anything about the master they're using? Or do they have to release exactly what Toho gave them?

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#5 Post by dwk » Fri Aug 28, 2020 12:10 pm

Sony owns the non-Asia rights to this and the two other Honda films, so it'll be the same source as the Mill Creek Blu-ray

Orlac
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:29 am

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#6 Post by Orlac » Fri Aug 28, 2020 2:07 pm

There was an editing goof on the Sony DVD, I've notified Eureka about incase it's present on their HD master.

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L.A.
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#7 Post by L.A. » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:08 am

Due to exceptional demand, the Limited Edition Set of MOTHRA is on the point of selling out! We have therefore decided to increase the Initial Print Run from 3000 to 4000 copies. So make sure you PRE-ORDER your copy now before it sells out - the extra 1000 copies are not expected to last long!

MOTHRA, Ishirō Honda’s stunningly inventive monster adventure-fantasy, will be released on Blu-ray from 16 November 2020 as part of The Masters of Cinema Series in a Limited Edition set, featuring a Hardbound Case, 60-page Perfect Bound Collector’s Book & Reversible Poster. PRE-ORDER now https://bit.ly/34yqn93

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EddieLarkin
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#8 Post by EddieLarkin » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:23 am

Surely this change in popularity of kaiju and Japanese sci-fi films in the UK is going to lead to the boutiques all clamouring to get on the bandwagon. Though dealing with Toho may be far more difficult than Sony in the case of Mothra, and Kadokawa Daiei in the case of Gamera.

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L.A.
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#9 Post by L.A. » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:26 am

Mothra: 1974 Champion Festival Version [61 mins] – a special version of the film edited by Ishirō Honda for the 1974 Toho Champion Festival (INCLUSION TBC)
How about the inclusion of this? Has there been any word yet?

Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#10 Post by Calvin » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:55 am

EddieLarkin wrote:Surely this change in popularity of kaiju and Japanese sci-fi films in the UK is going to lead to the boutiques all clamouring to get on the bandwagon. Though dealing with Toho may be far more difficult than Sony in the case of Mothra, and Kadokawa Daiei in the case of Gamera.
I don't expect Toho to allow something on the same level as the Gamera set, but I'd be happy with Heisei and Millennium Godzilla sets that achieve the same as what Criterion did with the Showa era. It might even be easier to pull off for a UK label as I don't think Sony have any claim to rights here?

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dwk
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Re: BD 240 Mothra

#11 Post by dwk » Wed Sep 16, 2020 12:29 pm

I don't know if Sony has the UK rights to the later Godzilla films, but their US rights have started expiring (they've already lost two of them: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth ) and the rest will expire in 2023 and 2025. Also, it appears that Miramax's rights to Godzilla vs. Biollante have expired. Toho may opt to not license anything out until they reacquire all the movies.

Calvin
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am

Re: BD 240 Mothra

#12 Post by Calvin » Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:01 pm

L.A. wrote:
Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:26 am
Mothra: 1974 Champion Festival Version [61 mins] – a special version of the film edited by Ishirō Honda for the 1974 Toho Champion Festival (INCLUSION TBC)
How about the inclusion of this? Has there been any word yet?
From Eureka:
Specs on the website are final. We reached out to Toho and tried for a long time to get permission to include the Champion Festival version but they just wouldn't agree to anything. I don't believe they were being deliberately difficult, they just seemed to not be sure if they were even allowed to license it outside of Japan without special permission

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